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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

A twentieth-century Paul, who... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 1999
A twentieth-century Paul, who commended himself to others as a servant of the gospel, is Milan Haimo
In the service of death... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 1999
In the service of death and resurrection there comes the solemn moment when we are struck by the wor
Paul ends this passage by... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 1999
Paul ends this passage by saying that through possessing nothing, we have in fact gained everything.
The movie PattonI... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 1999
The movie Patton tells the story of the great American general, George Patton.
Ben was a person with... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 1999
Ben was a person with the Midas touch. Every business venture he tried ended up being successful.
In an October 1996 I... -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
In an October 1996 National Geographic article on Morocco, four of the fifteen pictures accom
One of the most vivid... -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
One of the most vivid memories of my childhood involves the years of World War II.
The cult called Heaven's Gate... -- 2 Peter 1:16-21 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
The cult called Heaven's Gate got much publicity when 39 of their members decided to "leave their ea
In the ancient world, there... -- 2 Peter 1:16-21 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
In the ancient world, there were philosophical myths that devised clever understandings about God.
A young man came in... -- 2 Peter 1:16-21 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
A young man came in to talk with a pastor one day.
We are reminded in these... -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
We are reminded in these passages that the testimonies of the early mothers and fathers of the faith
Mary had a severe stroke... -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
Mary had a severe stroke. It left her unable to do even the simplest of tasks.
Magazines and newspapers regularly feature... -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
Magazines and newspapers regularly feature prominent people and the fame and honor they have achieve
The Golden Arches are a... -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
The Golden Arches are a part of our everyday lives.
Tommy had a pronounced speech... -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
Tommy had a pronounced speech impediment. But he wanted to sing.
Henry was the hardest of... -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
Henry was the hardest of the hardened.
In February 1960, four young... -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
In February 1960, four young African-American college students decided to integrate a segregated Woo
We have available to us... -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
We have available to us a "secret wisdom" Paul tells us, a wisdom of the Spirit that the world does
Modern medicine tells us there... -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
Modern medicine tells us there are advantages to a low salt diet.
As a child in Sunday... -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
As a child in Sunday church school, most of the songs we learned were songs learned by our teachers
When you are an heir... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
When you are an heir to an inheritance, it can be a complicated thing.
Agnes and William had been... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
Agnes and William had been married sixty years.
Corla Hawkins of Chicago had... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
Corla Hawkins of Chicago had a dream that God wanted her to rescue children who were rejected.
Today's text has to do... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
Today's text has to do with living in the Spirit.
Leah and Don did their... -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
Leah and Don did their best.

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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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