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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

After reciting the victory over... -- Isaiah 43:16-21 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
After reciting the victory over the Egyptians when they drowned, Isaiah says "Do not cling to events
I once read in a... -- Isaiah 43:16-21 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
I once read in a scholarly work that the most amazing thing about the civilization of ancient Egypt
In the movie Sophie's... -- Isaiah 43:16-21 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
In the movie Sophie's Choice, Meryl Streep plays the part of a woman who is haunted by the me
I saw a bumper sticker... -- Philippians 3:8-14 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
I saw a bumper sticker on a sports truck the other day that said, "Whoever has the most toys when th
The great golfer Walter Hagan... -- Philippians 3:8-14 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
The great golfer Walter Hagan was once asked how he can manage after a poor shot to keep his concent
The legendary coach Vince Lombardi... -- Philippians 3:8-14 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
The legendary coach Vince Lombardi once wrote, "We know how rough the road will be, how heavy here t
I consider everything a loss... -- Philippians 3:8-14 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord .
There was an old man... -- John 12:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
There was an old man who daily came to a cathedral and knelt in prayer in front of a large stained g
In a recent, exciting book... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
In a recent, exciting book, Preaching and the Holy Spirit, James Forbes describes his Christi
Do we lay hands on... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Do we lay hands on life for good or ill? Once there was a king and a wise man.
It is possible to sleep... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
It is possible to sleep through a revolution.
Up until this moment in... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Up until this moment in time Peter had believed that the kingdom of God was only for Jews.
John Wesley went, with his... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
John Wesley went, with his brother, Charles, to serve as a missionary to the Indians in Georgia.
John Updike's novel Roger's... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
John Updike's novel Roger's Version is the story of a theological professor who finds himself
Picture three men in three... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Picture three men in three different situations.
Luke tells of John the... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Luke tells of John the Baptist saying that Jesus would separate the wheat from the chaff.
Time magazine (May... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Time magazine (May 6, 1991) ran an article on the Church of Scientology, a cult founded by sc
John could easily have been... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
John could easily have been carried away on the flood of people's expectations.
Sent by God on... -- Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13) -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C
Sent by God on Mission!
Some years ago I met... -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Some years ago I met a man whose given name was Peter. For years he had been haunted by that name.
Mary was heartbroken when her... -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Mary was heartbroken when her son Andy came home drunk or when she got a phone call saying that Andy
I Have A Dream... -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
"I Have A Dream"Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday --January 20
In the movie Amadeus... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
In the movie Amadeus the character Antonio Salieri complains that God is unfair.
Cynthia had been active in... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Cynthia had been active in her church while in high school and found a group at college that met reg
At a retreat held at... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
At a retreat held at Mercy Center in Burlingame, California, three women acquainted themselves with

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let’s get started!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For June 22, 2025:

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,  for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.  As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (vv. 25-28)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates

1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a and Psalm 42-43
David Kalas
We’re not far from the 4th of July. And while for so many Americans, it seems that the holiday has become more about long weekends, cookouts, and fireworks shows, the theme of freedom is still there at least in the background. We might take advantage of that, therefore, and give some thought to the theme of freedom as it is revealed in our assigned texts for this week.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

The madman cried out to Jesus, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" In our worship today let us explore what Jesus has to do with us and invite him to heal our brokenness.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, we often find ourselves thinking, saying and doing things that we quickly regret.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Constance Berg
When Jill was five, she began to have headaches. The headaches were so severe she would throw up. Sometimes she would pass out. They usually came once a month. Jill could be playing, resting, or watching television when the headaches would come. Her only warning was a sudden pain in her head, then a blinding light would appear, and she would be rocked with pain. In her teenage years, they became debilitating, causing Jill to be in bed for three days at a time.
Stan Purdum
I'm not sure when the term "burn out" ceased being only a description of what happened to a campfire when you ran out of firewood to a term describing the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest, usually coming immediately after an extended period of overwork, but the expression seems to fit that later situation, doesn't it? Exhaustion, deep weariness, all used up, nothing more to give, wiped out, burned out -- call it what we will, its symptoms are all too familiar to many of us.
April Yamasaki
In the classic movie, Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews plays a no-nonsense, yet delightful, nanny to two young children. As a nanny to a wealthy family, she is part teacher, part parent, and part disciplinarian. She gets the children up in the morning, puts them to bed at night, supervises their many adventures, and guides them in many ways. While they are in her care, she is responsible for their overall safety and well-being.

Julia Ross Strope
Zoos are no longer in people's good graces.
Religion faces the same problem.
Certain illusions about freedom plague them both.
-- Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Call To Worship
Leader: I'm so glad you're here! There are seats for everyone; there's slight air movement; the windows engender tranquility and imagination and words will stimulate fresh thoughts.

People: It's good to be here, in sanctuary. We're glad for opportunities to gather and to express our gratitude to God and our appreciation for one another.

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