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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Helen knew in her heart... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2008
Helen knew in her heart that she needed to make a change in her life.
On April 18, 1906, a... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2008
On April 18, 1906, a devastating earthquake rocked the city of San Francisco.
Looking back on his life... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- New Year's Day - B -- 2008
Looking back on his life, Maurice described himself at seventeen as the town's most competitive at e
Today is a celebration of... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- New Year's Day - B -- 2008
Today is a celebration of a new year -- and what New Year's celebration would be complete without th
Most of us come to... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- New Year's Day - B -- 2008
Most of us come to church to hear a word of hope, a word of encouragement.
Henri J. M. Nouwen, examining... -- Jeremiah 31:7-14 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
Henri J. M.
The scripture speaks of God... -- Jeremiah 31:7-14 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
The scripture speaks of God returning a remnant of his people to the land of Israel.
In preparation for graduation, the... -- Jeremiah 31:7-14 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
In preparation for graduation, the pastor who would deliver the baccalaureate message requested a me
After the US-lead invasion... -- Jeremiah 31:7-14 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
After the US-lead invasion of Iraq, thousands of doctors fled that country due to killings and kidna
In Stephen Harrigan's novel, The... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
In Stephen Harrigan's novel, The Gates of the Alamo, the character Edmund remembers his mothe
Paul proclaims a time of... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
Paul proclaims a time of thanksgiving for the gift of Jesus Christ.
Do not save me from... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
"Do not save me from death; save me from life!" the character Lilia cries to Joshua in Cecil DeMille
We are who we are... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
We are who we are, not because of our own doing, but by the grace of God.
What would a Christmas pageant... -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
What would a Christmas pageant based on the gospel of John look like?
There's a story about a... -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
There's a story about a kindergarten teacher who asked a boy what he was drawing.
An outdoor billboard, near a... -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
An outdoor billboard, near a busy interstate highway, has the message, "Jesus is Real" in large lett
Rachel worked hard to establish... -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
Rachel worked hard to establish a new support group.
In Hollywood, some movie premiers... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2008
In Hollywood, some movie premiers are accompanied by massive searchlights rotating across the sky.
Many years ago in England... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2008
Many years ago in England a circus elephant named Bozo was very popular with the public.
Ray Bradbury's short story, All... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2008
Ray Bradbury's short story, All Summer in a Day, deals with the fictional human colonization
I have always loved to... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2008
I have always loved to sing songs about stars.
It was one of the... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2008
It was one of the strangest and most marvelous things ever to happen in the city of New York: a city
A telemarketer called a home... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2008
A telemarketer called a home one day, and a small voice whispered, "Hello?"
For the last decade, Beth... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2008
For the last decade, Beth has invited her neighbors to her home the first week in January.
One of life's frustrating mysteries... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2008
One of life's frustrating mysteries: Why is it so hard to swat a fly?

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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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.

Special Occasion

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