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Illustration
Easter Day - C
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
Ron Love
Perhaps Phillips Brooks has given us one of the best definitions of preaching when he wrote that preaching is "Truth Through Personality." Brooks served Boston's Trinity Episcopal Church for 26 years, starting his pastorate in 1869, though he may be best known to us as the author of the Christmas carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem." The problem we have today is that we love to follow the Phillips Brooks who wrote the hymn, sitting safely in our sanctuary singing: "O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie; Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by; Yet in thy dark s
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Proper 6 | OT 11 | Pentecost 3
25 – Sermons
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22 – Children's Sermons / Resources
18 – Worship Resources
23 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 4
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25 – Worship Resources
27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 5
30 – Sermons
150+ – Illustrations / Stories
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New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Quantisha Mason-Doll
Dean Feldmeyer
Bethany Peerbolte
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For June 27, 2021:
  • Waiting for the Lord — and People by Mary Austin — The psalm proclaims that it is God “who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.” We can trust (and hope) that the same is true for our nation.
  • Second Thoughts: Invisible Suffering by Chris Keating — Just as the woman in Mark’s story pushes through the crowd in search of healing, long haul Covid patients struggle to find hope.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. (vv. 21-24)

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
There are lots of reasons to be grateful!

2 Samuel 1:1,17-27
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bill Thomas
Bonnie Bates
2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
I read this story in July 1991’s “Bits and Pieces.” I think it does a great job of describing friendship. A British publication once offered a prize for the best definition of a friend. Among the thousands of answers received were the following:

“One who multiplies joys, divides grief, and whose honesty is inviolable.”

“One who understands our silence.”

“A volume of sympathy bound in cloth.”

“A watch that beats true for all time and never runs down.”

StoryShare

C. David Mckirachan
Contents
“No Limitations” by C. David McKirachan
“In Spite Of” by C. David McKirachan


No Limitations
by C. David McKirachan
Mark 5:21-43

Mark presented a portrait of Jesus that showed a Christ who moved into situations with action, often upsetting the expected. Many times, Christ’s actions did not bring comfort or peace. 

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
"It's not fair," announced Kendra angrily.

"No," chorused her band of friends, "It's not fair."

During the long, summer evenings, the car park of the local supermarket was usually half empty. It was a glorious open space with, most importantly of all, a really smooth surface. What's more, if you started at the side nearest the supermarket, it had a gentle slope right down to the other side. It was absolutely made for skateboarding - or so Kendra and the gang felt. But the manager of the supermarket seemed to have other ideas.

SermonStudio

David R. Cartwright
When all else fails, what do you do? When you are up against it, where do you turn?
William J. Carl, III
Getting through grief may be one of the hardest things we do as human beings. One of the best ways to begin the process is to find it within ourselves to stand up and say something in a public setting that puts into words both the personal and collective feelings of all who have gathered to mourn. History is replete with stunning examples. Pericles' Funeral Oration as recorded by Thucydides in The Peloponnesian War is certainly one of them. At the end of the first year of war, the Athenians held, as was their custom, an elaborate funeral for all those killed in the war.
Glenn W. Mcdonald
Year after year Stumpy and Martha attended the fair in their home state, and every summer it was the same story: Stumpy was tantalized by the old-fashioned bi-plane in which anybody could take a ride for ten dollars, and Martha was disgusted by such an obvious waste of money. "Ten dollars is ten dollars," she would always say. And Stumpy would go home without his airplane ride.

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