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Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A

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When Henry Gockel was 32... -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1999
When Henry Gockel was 32, he lost his voice.
I was living my dream... -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1999
I was living my dream of owning a business in my birthplace of Cincinnati, Ohio.
So it will be, says... -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1999
"So it will be," says our text for today, "at the end of the age.
Jesus had the knack of... -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1999
Jesus had the knack of taking common things (like seeds, yeast, hidden treasure, pearls, and nets) a
A large crowd was gathered... -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1999
A large crowd was gathered outside a small store that sold children's toys.
Jesus points out two elements... -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1999
Jesus points out two elements that are essential in understanding the Kingdom of Heaven: the mysteri
After seeing a bumper sticker... -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1996
After seeing a bumper sticker that read, "God Is Love," a man remarked, "I wish I could feel God's l
This story comes out of... -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1996
This story comes out of World War II (I know not the source).
The first time I ever... -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1996
The first time I ever experienced an automatic door opener was years ago in New York City.
Ever GreenToday I... -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1996
Ever GreenToday I saw Him, Christ ... body broken,
A college professor gave an... -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1996
A college professor gave an assignment to his class.
A man went into the... -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1996
A man went into the appliance section of a department store.
Dave found himself wandering through... -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1996
Dave found himself wandering through a maze of tables and stacks and racks piled high with things ma
Bob had his sights on... -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1996
Bob had his sights on a Ph.D. in engineering. He wanted to teach and do research.
My friend, who was also... -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1996
My friend, who was also raised in a parsonage, told me that someday he wanted to be like his father
Although the word Father can... -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
Although the word "Father" can be problematic if it is too closely associated with a male person, it
A Lutheran pastor, Robert Herhold... -- Luke 11:1-3 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
A Lutheran pastor, Robert Herhold, shared some of his feelings on prayer in a little book called
Grace Easley has written a... -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
Grace Easley has written a poem that states this text beautifully.
Once there was ab... -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
Once there was a family who used the Lord's Prayer as their table grace.
With great regularity we receive... -- 2 Kings 4:8-17 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
With great regularity we receive invitations to this and to that. Some are downright oblique.
One of the most recurring... -- 2 Kings 4:8-17 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
One of the most recurring themes throughout the Old and the New Testaments is that God can change ba
The tale is quite famous... -- 2 Kings 4:8-17 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
The tale is quite famous now, concerning the story of how George C.
During the Great Depression, ministers... -- 2 Kings 4:8-17 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
During the Great Depression, ministers often proclaimed the Word at great personal sacrifice.
The Assyrian came down like... -- Genesis 18:20-32 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,

The Immediate Word

Constructing Community -- Genesis 29:15-28, Psalm 128, Romans 8:26-39, Psalm 105:1-11, 45b -- Chris Ewing -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
The shock of betrayal that Jacob experienced the morning after his wedding resonates all too easily

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New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For July 6, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

* * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
2 Kings 5:1-14
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Stan Purdum
Carlos Wilton
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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