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Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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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UPCOMING WEEKS
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34 – Commentary / Exegesis
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New & Featured This Week

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
In the sometimes-tiresome debate over science and scripture with respect to creation, it’s easy to become distracted. While the argument typically requires a focus on the how, we may lose sight of the what. And so, for just a moment, let me invite us to think for a moment about what God created.
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas
Acts 8:26-40
As a local church pastor, I was often asked if I would baptize a child whose family were not members of the church. Some churches rebelled against this, but I remember this scripture -the hunger for understanding and inclusion of the Eunuch and Philp’s response – to teach and share and baptize in the name of our God. How could we turn anyone away from the rite of baptism?

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Dad, I think you worked a miracle.” Rolf slowly walked around the tree. “After that windstorm, I assumed this tree was as good as gone.”

“We just needed to give the branches time to heal and come back,” Michael replied.

 “I know, but so many of them were battered and broken I figured that it couldn’t recover. Now though it looks just like it did before the storm.” Rolf paused. “Do you think it will bear any fruit this summer?”

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A live plant that produces fruit, and a broken branch from that plant. I used a tomato plant from a local greenhouse. Ideally, find a plant with blossoms or small fruit already growing. If you use a different kind of fruit-producing plant, just change the script to fit.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Elena Delhagen
Dean Feldmeyer
Quantisha Mason-Doll
For April 28, 2024:
  • On The Way To Gaza by Chris Keating based on Acts 8:26-40. On the way to Gaza, Philip discovers the startling ways the Spirit of God moves across borders, boundaries, customs, and traditions.
  • Second Thoughts: Abiding by Katy Stenta based on John 15:1-8.
  • Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Tom Willadsen, Elena Delhagen, Dean Feldmeyer.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. In our service today, let us absorb from the vine all the nourishment we need.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes our branches become cut off from the vine.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes our branches are withered.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we fail to produce good fruit.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Stan Purdum
We will meet Psalm 22 in its entirety on Good Friday, but here the lectionary designates just verses 23-31. The lectionary psalms generally illuminate the week's First Lesson, which in this case is about the covenant initiated by God with Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17. The nine verses from this psalm, while not inappropriate, nonetheless leave us looking for an obvious connection with the First Lesson.

John S. Smylie
I think some people are natural-born gardeners. Our Lord grew up in a society that was familiar with agriculture. The images that he used to explain the ways of his Father in heaven are familiar to his audience. Growing up, my closest experience to agriculture was living in, "the Garden State." Most people, when they pass through New Jersey, are surprised to see that expression on the license plates of vehicles registered in New Jersey. Most folks traveling through New Jersey experience the megalopolis, the corridor between New York City and Washington DC.
Ron Lavin
A pastor in Indiana went to visit an 87-year-old man named Ermil, who was a hospital patient. A member of his church told the pastor about this old man who was an acquaintance. "He's not a believer, but he is really in need," the church member said. "I met him at the county home for the elderly. He's a lonely old man with no family and no money."

Paul E. Robinson
"Love is a many splendored thing...." Or so we heard Don Cornwall and the Four Aces sing time and again. Of course you or I might have other words to describe love, depending on our situation.

Love. "I love you." "I love to play golf." "I just love pistachio lush!" "It's tough to love some people." "Jesus loves me, this I know."

Love.

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