The Immediate Word

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Children's sermon

So, Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem And... -- Luke 22:14--23:56, Philippians 2:5-11, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-16 -- Thom M. Shuman, Scott Suskovic -- Passion Sunday - C

Palm Sunday coincides this year with April Fool's Day -- and while there might be a temptation to in

The Stone Has Been Rolled Away -- John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:19-26, Acts 10:34-43, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 -- Barbara Jurgensen, Carlos Wilton, Thom M. Shuman -- Easter Day - C

On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the victory of the resurrection over the power of death -- yet the lo

Who, Me? -- John 21:1-19, Acts 9:1-6 (7-20), Revelation 5:11-14, Psalm 30 -- Barbara Jurgensen, Thom M. Shuman -- Third Sunday of Easter - C

In this week's Gospel lesson (John 21:1-19), Jesus commands the repentant Peter to "feed my sheep."

The Good Shepherd Faces Violence -- John 10:22-30, Acts 9:36-43, Revelation 7:9-17, Psalm 23 -- Paul Bresnahan, Stephen P. McCutchan, Thom M. Shuman -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C

This week's lectionary readings (especially Psalm 23 and John 10:22-30) are centered around the them

Divided We Fall -- Acts 11:1-18, John 13:31-35, Revelation 21:1-6, Psalm 148 -- Scott Suskovic, Barbara Jurgensen, Thom M. Shuman -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C

The recent story about the U.S.

Word Keepers Needed -- John 14:23-29, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, Acts 16:9-15, Psalm 67 -- Thom M. Shuman, Teresa L. Major -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C

Jesus tells his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "those who love me will keep my word"

Meeting Jesus In Jail -- Acts 16:16-34, John 17:20-26, Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, Psalm 97 -- Stephen P. McCutchan, Carlos Wilton, Thom M. Shuman -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C

This Sunday's passage from Acts 16:16-34 offers up a striking contrast between outward appearances a

Wildfire! -- John 14:8-17 (25-27), Romans 8:14-17, Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b -- Barbara Jurgensen, Scott Suskovic, Thom M. Shuman -- Day of Pentecost - C

Fire is an archetypal symbol and a powerful reality in our lives.

Suffering In The Sanctuary -- Romans 5:1-5, Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, John 16:12-15, Psalm 8 -- Stephen P. McCutchan, Barbara Jurgensen, Thom M. Shuman -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C

The recent shooting spree in and around a Moscow, Idaho, church is a painful reminder that as much

God With Us, In The Pit -- Luke 7:11-17, Galatians 1:11-24, 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Psalm 146 -- Carlos Wilton, Scott Suskovic, Thom M. Shuman -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C

The problem of human pain and how to alleviate it has been a great challenge throughout the ages, on

Illustration

The Immediate Word

A Prescription for Olive Oil -- 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B

Our lead article in this issue of The Immediate Word makes connections between the Gospel lec

Faith Matters and Matters of State -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29 -- Carter Shelley -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B

Especially in America, with our constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion on the one hand and

The Uses and Abuses of Power -- 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Ephesians 3:14-21, John 6:1-21 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B

We cannot read much in the newspaper or watch the evening news without encountering some reference t

The Cross At The Of The World -- Mark 8:27-38, Psalm 19 -- George L. Murphy -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B

Can we learn to live with ambiguity in the midst of personal loss and suffering?

Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble -- Philippians 3:4b-14 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A

If your congregation is like most these days, you have people sitting in your pews who have been hur

A Quality of Leadership -- 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- James Evans -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B

The question of the relationship of leadership and ethics can be contentious and disruptive in the c

Blessed, But Who's Counting? -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- Carlos Wilton -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A

January 30, 2005

The Art And Sacrifice Of Unity -- 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 -- Chris Ewing -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A

"Why can't we all just get along?" This is one of the oldest pleas in the human -- and Christi

Back To Chaos? -- Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Luke 15:1-10, Psalm 14 -- George L. Murphy -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C

This coming weekend is the third anniversary of one of the most traumatic events in the history of t

Born Anew To A Living Hope -- Acts 2:14a, 22-32, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31, Psalm 16 -- Chris Ewing -- Second Sunday of Easter - A

It is a paradoxical world where a life that appears empty of meaning and possibility can spark eithe

Preaching