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Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A

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William Barclay, noted Scottish pastor... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
William Barclay, noted Scottish pastor and theologian who has written commentary on the entire New T
Two young children had experienced... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
Two young children had experienced unspeakable abuse at the hands of alcoholic parents -- beatings,
One after another, the rulers... -- Luke 1:46b-55 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
One after another, the rulers of this age fall.
Mary's beautiful song stresses the... -- Luke 1:46b-55 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
Mary's beautiful song stresses the mighty acts of God.
Wow! I must be special... -- Luke 1:46b-55 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
"Wow! I must be special."
What a fantastic insight! We... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
What a fantastic insight! We are no longer slaves, but children of God!
The other day I was... -- Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
The other day I was cleaning out my hall closet when I found a box.
Henri Nouwen tells the story... -- Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
Henri Nouwen tells the story of an old man who used to meditate early every morning under a big tree
A minister complained to another... -- Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1996
A minister complained to another pastor saying, "I am so busy that I don't have time for people!" To
On a Gunsmoke episode (my... -- Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1996
On a Gunsmoke episode (my all-time favorite program, if you have failed to guess by now), the parent
A man who was not... -- Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1996
A man who was not a Christian was led to a condition of partial faith.
A New AnswerBy... -- Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1996
A New AnswerBy what unique name do you call me, Lord?
In the fall of 1994... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1996
In the fall of 1994 a man was driving his pickup through the backwoods mountains of Oregon.
Some of us assume that... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1996
Some of us assume that the people who get what they want in this life do so by breaking the rules!
The Canaanite woman is the... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1996
The Canaanite woman is the first person outside of the nation of Israel to be ministered to by Jesus
Many men in the United... -- Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Many men in the United States remember a time when the military draft was in full swing and there wa
Jesus seemed to be doing... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Jesus seemed to be doing a "tongue-in-cheek song-and-dance" with the Canaanite woman before he heale
Mark Vonnegut, son of the... -- Luke 12:49-53 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Mark Vonnegut, son of the author Kurt Vonnegut, has written a case history of his own experience of
Johnny, a first-grader, always... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Johnny, a first-grader, always waited on the front steps of the school after classes.
During the civil rights movement... -- Luke 12:49-53 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
During the civil rights movement of the 1960s, a college student grew deeply impressed with the cour
Do you believe in miracles... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Do you believe in miracles? If so, what kind?
A senior citizen was browsing... -- Jeremiah 18:1-11 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
A senior citizen was browsing through the liquor department of a store.
In the pantheon of heroes... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
In the pantheon of heroes of the Christian faith, the Canaanite woman doesn't even make the list.
In a tourist area, a... -- Jeremiah 18:1-11 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
In a tourist area, a working potter with a wheel can gather a crowd anytime.
Simple SignsFrom... -- Jeremiah 18:1-11 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Simple SignsFrom the very startGod has blessed usWith simple signs

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Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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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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