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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Lily was never in the... -- 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2009
Lily was never in the science fair, but she was a proud 4-H girl.
A beggar confronted a social... -- 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2009
A beggar confronted a social worker and her welfare client as they walked together.
There’s a famous story of... -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2009
There’s a famous story of Frederick the Great of Prussia, a man of great scientific curiosity.
Scott and Brenda were looking... -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2009
Scott and Brenda were looking forward to their retirement for several years.
In Victor Hugo’s classic, Les... -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2009
In Victor Hugo’s classic, Les Misérables, woodcutter Jean Valjean finds himself in a desperate situa
The 1975 newspaper clipping of... -- 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2009
The 1975 newspaper clipping of a young man’s election as a county commissioner takes on a new sense
The farmers of an area... -- 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2009
The farmers of an area were in the middle of a drought.
When David was made king... -- 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2009
When David was made king of Judah, the nation of Israel became divided.
There was a time in... -- 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2009
There was a time in the Battle of Britain when things looked dark indeed for the British people.
Two years after Dr. King’s... -- 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2009
Two years after Dr.
In high school, Doug was... -- 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2009
In high school, Doug was the one most often picked on by the macho-type boys.
In Mark Twain’s Life on... -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2009
In Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi, his chapter “A Cub-Pilot’s Experience” portrays a young man
Stephen came from a small... -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2009
Stephen came from a small, rural town, but through hard work and ambition, he became a successful CE
The people in Jesus’ hometown... -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2009
The people in Jesus’ hometown had failed to respond to his messiahship, but he still intensified eff
There’s a Hasidic tale about... -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2009
There’s a Hasidic tale about a famous rabbi who accepted an invitation from a small village to come
One Sunday a liturgical dance... -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2009
One Sunday a liturgical dance troupe from a nearby Christian college worshiped at church.
When liturgical dance was first... -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2009
When liturgical dance was first introduced at the youth Easter Sunrise service, it was met with enth
Our new house was built... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2009
Our new house was built on a new, small cul-de-sac.
Ellen Rankin’s novel, The Westing... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2009
Ellen Rankin’s novel, The Westing Game, tells the story of sixteen people brought together in a biza
Once a young man received... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2009
Once a young man received a Bible from his grandmother.
There is a story that... -- Mark 6:14-29 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2009
There is a story that comes from an American visitor who went to Uganda.
Where’s Greg?” Anne asked the... -- Mark 6:14-29 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2009
“Where’s Greg?” Anne asked the pastor minutes before worship, “I haven’t seen him in church for seve
Every time Jose Lima purchased... -- Mark 6:14-29 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2009
Every time Jose Lima purchased a 6/49 lotto ticket (a Canadian lotto), he said, “If I win 6/49, big
We kidded our pastor friend... -- 2 Samuel 7:1-14a -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2009
We kidded our pastor friend, Elwin, when his son received his doctorate in theology.
There is something about a... -- 2 Samuel 7:1-14a -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2009
There is something about a house, and it runs deeper than the stitches on a “Home Sweet Home” sample

Political Pulpit

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The Political Pulpit

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...

New & Featured This Week

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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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