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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

I will never forget the... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:15 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
I will never forget the look of sadness in her eyes as I turned and offered her solace before leavin
VineyardThe Lord is... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:15 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
VineyardThe Lord is the vinemaster, I the wandering vine.
Idle -- When an automobile sounds... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:15 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
Idle -- When an automobile sounds as though it is doing something, and indeed, it is ready to do wha
The world was supposed to... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:15 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
The world was supposed to end in October 1993, according to a small Christian community in Michigan.
In 1950 Bertrand Russell published... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
In 1950 Bertrand Russell published his Unpopular Essays.
A jeweler in Albuquerque, New... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
A jeweler in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has introduced the un-
In our finite minds we... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
In our finite minds we cannot begin to comprehend the dimensions of the spirit.
To the dismay of the... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
To the dismay of the electorate, governing bodies often adjourn their sessions without having taken
Every morning it was the... -- Luke 18:9-14 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
Every morning it was the same.
An organizer for our adult... -- Luke 18:9-14 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
An organizer for our adult Bible study class was deeply perturbed at the low turnout.
A church had two candidates... -- Luke 18:9-14 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
A church had two candidates for the governing board.
Jerusalem is home to the... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
Jerusalem is home to the three great monotheistic religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity, and
Henry and Meg wanted to... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
Henry and Meg wanted to have a family. They wanted a family so badly, it hurt.
The new CEO arrived early... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
The new CEO arrived early that day. Every employee was already there.
Suffering Christians everywhere rejoice in... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
Suffering Christians everywhere rejoice in the belief that God's promise to the Israelites of a new
A story is told of... -- Malachi 3:13-4:2a, 5-6 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
A story is told of a woman who spent a great deal of her time thinking about the Second Coming of Je
Do you remember when you... -- Malachi 3:13-4:2a, 5-6 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 1995
Do you remember when you were a child and you did something that violated the rules?
To put it bluntly, Mary... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - C -- 1995
To put it bluntly, Mary was having a hellish year. First, her father became ill.
Contemporary studies of the word... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - C -- 1995
Contemporary studies of the word "blessed" are wont to substitute the word "happy" in its place.
In the early days of... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - C -- 1995
In the early days of this nation's history, it was a common experience for Presbyterian, Baptist, an
Within the book of Haggai... -- Haggai 1:15b-2:9 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
Within the book of Haggai we find God speaking through the prophet and commanding the Hebrew people
How many of us would... -- Haggai 1:15b-2:9 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
How many of us would try to reassure a frightened child by saying, "The Holy Spirit of God is with y
Born on Charles Lindbergh's fourteenth... -- Haggai 1:15b-2:9 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
Born on Charles Lindbergh's fourteenth birthday, Neal Loving entered into a caring family living in
Corrie ten Boom, a cherished... -- 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
Corrie ten Boom, a cherished saint who as a girl survived the concentration camps of World War II Ge
Oscar Romero, martyr of El... -- 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 1995
Oscar Romero, martyr of El Salvador, preached on a Sunday shortly before his death.

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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...

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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
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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