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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Racial tensions were brought to... -- Romans 12:9-21 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2008
Racial tensions were brought to light by an incident at a local high school last fall. A
There is one explanation to... -- Romans 12:9-21 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2008
There is one explanation to this rather bizarre notion of heaping burning coals on your
In one form or the... -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2008
In one form or the other, Jesus' sayings about denying ourselves and losing our lives to
He owned the natural gas... -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2008
He owned the natural gas franchises in about forty cities and towns. He amassed a
A missionary is one sent... -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2008
A missionary is one sent on a mission -- one sent forth with authority to preach and
Genesis 21:8-21 Hagar's... -- Matthew 10:24-39, Romans 6:1b-11, Genesis 21:8-21 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 2008
Genesis 21:8-21Hagar's shoulders sagged from the burden.
Genesis 22:1-14 A... -- Matthew 10:40-42, Romans 6:12-23, Genesis 22:1-14 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2008
Genesis 22:1-14
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67... -- Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30, Romans 7:15-25a, Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A -- 2008
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Genesis 25:19-34 How... -- Genesis 25:19-34, Romans 8:1-11, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2008
Genesis 25:19-34
Genesis 28:10-19a br... -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Romans 8:12-25, Genesis 28:10-19a -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
Genesis 28:10-19a
On a blustery October night... -- Exodus 12:1-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
On a blustery October night in a church outside Minneapolis, several hundred believers
In our Exodus lesson today... -- Exodus 12:1-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
In our Exodus lesson today, the Lord tells Moses and Aaron to tell the people to prepare
A. J. Jacobs wrote of... -- Exodus 12:1-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
A. J. Jacobs wrote of his experiences in seeking to live one year "biblically." He wrote,
In 2007, Embassy Suites hosted... -- Exodus 12:1-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
In 2007, Embassy Suites hosted a "Do Not Disturb" sign contest. Visitors were invited to
One of our sons-in... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
One of our sons-in-law is Mexican. He grew up speaking only Spanish. His mother has
Do you need commandments to... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
Do you need commandments to keep you in line or the threat of a fine to keep you going
The life of Saint Augustine... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
The life of Saint Augustine is an example of how God can transform a life, and how that
The Xerox Research Center of... -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
The Xerox Research Center of Canada has recently developed an "erasable paper"
What should you and I... -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
What should you and I do if someone that we know wrongs us in some way? In our
It was one of those... -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
It was one of those church meetings that you would just as soon forget. There was
Menno Simons, religious leader of... -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
Menno Simons, religious leader of the Anabaptists in the sixteenth century and founder
Rabbi Yochanan bar Nafcha was... -- Exodus 14:19-31 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
Rabbi Yochanan bar Nafcha was considered the greatest teacher of his generation. He
The Israelites had just witnessed... -- Exodus 14:19-31 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
The Israelites had just witnessed the devastation of an enemy under whom they'd chafed
In the movie Ben-Hur... -- Exodus 14:19-31 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
In the movie Ben-Hur, there is a chariot race. Charlton Heston, representing the
The Greek-speaking church fathers... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
The Greek-speaking church fathers had a very useful word they used in situations of

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Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
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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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