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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Jerusalem is the mother of... -- Baruch 5:1-9 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
Jerusalem is the mother of us all.
Picture a rough dirt road... -- Baruch 5:1-9 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
Picture a rough dirt road, hardly more than a path, leading out from a city following the rough terr
The late theologian Joseph Sittler... -- Philippians 1:3-11 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
The late theologian Joseph Sittler once said, "The self is a center of grateful participation." It i
As a boy, Sir Walter... -- Philippians 1:3-11 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
As a boy, Sir Walter Scott was left weak and lame by an attack of fever.
A friend has moved away... -- Philippians 1:3-11 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
A friend has moved away.
Christian empathy; that is what... -- Philippians 1:3-11 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
Christian empathy; that is what Paul is describing.
In warmer weather, road crews... -- Luke 3:1-6 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
In warmer weather, road crews are ubiquitous.
Frantz Fanon, the famed Algerian... -- Luke 3:1-6 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
Frantz Fanon, the famed Algerian psychiatrist/author wrote The Wretched of the Earth and in t
One of the finest explorations... -- Luke 3:1-6 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
One of the finest explorations of spiritual growth to come out in recent years is Richard Foster's
In the flat prairie lands... -- Luke 3:1-6 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
In the flat prairie lands of Kansas there used to be a highway that continued for miles without a si
While Richard Lamm served... -- Zephaniah 3:14-20 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
While Richard Lamm served as the Democratic governor of Colorado he wrote a book titled Meg
During World War II a... -- Zephaniah 3:14-20 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
During World War II a Jewish girl escaped from Warsaw and hid in a cave.
With the exception of a... -- Zephaniah 3:14-20 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
With the exception of a falling sensation many child development scholars believe all fears are lear
Think for a moment on... -- Zephaniah 3:14-20 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Think for a moment on eyes at Christmas, eyes giving off all manner of expression.
Johann Sebastian Bach headed his... -- Philippians 4:4-13 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Johann Sebastian Bach headed his religious works with "the initials JJ, which stood for Jesus Juv
E. Stanley Jones, the Methodist... -- Philippians 4:4-13 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
E.
When asked what they wish... -- Philippians 4:4-13 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
When asked what they wish, rather than what they need, many older adults say, "To make a contributio
Special guests have a way... -- Philippians 4:4-13 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Special guests have a way of bringing out something special in us ...
The words of John the... -- Luke 3:7-17 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
The words of John the Baptizer in this text do not necessarily sound like Good News, as Luke reports
Sir Walter Scott, the well... -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Sir Walter Scott, the well-known author, was once bothered by a stray dog.
John the Baptizer's words have... -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
John the Baptizer's words have a contemporary ring to them.
Advent is a time of... -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Advent is a time of preparation.
Brian was a member of... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B
Brian was a member of the Hell's Angels.
The Moravian Church was formed... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B
The Moravian Church was formed following the martyrdom of John Hus in Bohemia.
History is replete with terror... -- 2 Samuel 5:1-5 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A
History is replete with terror and bloodshed at the rise of a new king.

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The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
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4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
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27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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29 – Commentary / Exegesis
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

* * *

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
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
Life can be frightening sometimes. Thus it is both comforting but disconcerting to find a giant of faith like Elijah to fear the future. On that matter Martin Luther once claimed:
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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