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Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

There's a story out of... -- Luke 13:10-17 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
There's a story out of South Africa, from the last days of apartheid, about standing straight and ta
J.B. was Archibald... -- Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
J.B. was Archibald MacLeish's prizewinning play based on the biblical story of Job.
Every once in a while... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
Every once in a while, network television takes a risk -- not very often, but it does happen.
Most folks who have been... -- Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
Most folks who have been involved in athletics have heard the phrase, "No pain, no gain." The meanin
On April 3, 2004, Freddy... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
On April 3, 2004, Freddy Adu, the fourteen-year-old soccer "phenom," made his professional debut in
George was a relatively new... -- Luke 13:22-30 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
George was a relatively new member of the church.
The phenomenon of child prodigy... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
The phenomenon of child prodigy is most astonishing.
Being a Christian unfortunately does... -- Luke 13:22-30 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
Being a Christian unfortunately does not prohibit us from doing the wrong thing in the wrong manner.
All great kingdoms have been... -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
All great kingdoms have been shaken, have tottered ,and have fallen: the long era of the pharaohs in
The image of the text... -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
The image of the text is of God as an "all-consuming fire." One of the most interesting phenomena in
Delbert R. Hillers, professor at... -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
Delbert R.
The television commercial shows a... -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
The television commercial shows a worried group of lawyers discussing their case.
Everyone has heard of it... -- Luke 13:10-17 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
Everyone has heard of it happening, maybe even witnessed one first hand -- a miraculous healing.
The dictator Nicolae Ceausescu of... -- Jeremiah 28:1-9 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
The dictator Nicolae Ceausescu of Romania oppressed his people and told them that nothing could thre
One favorite living room sport... -- Jeremiah 28:1-9 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
One favorite living room sport is try and rearrange history.
Operation Desert Shield, was undertaken... -- Jeremiah 28:1-9 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
Operation "Desert Shield," was undertaken to protect the border of Saudi Arabia from being breached
Entertainer Barbara Mandrell tells an... -- Isaiah 66:18-21 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
Entertainer Barbara Mandrell tells an important true story with straight-in-the-eye conviction and p
There's a beautiful hedge along... -- Isaiah 28:14-22 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
There's a beautiful hedge along the back property line where we live, but it wasn't always beautiful
Among the most tragic incidents... -- Isaiah 28:14-22 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
Among the most tragic incidents of World War II were the collaborations between occupied peoples and
An ancient legend is told... -- Isaiah 28:14-22 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
An ancient legend is told of a famous blacksmith who, having been arrested and chained in the castle
One who trusts will not... -- Isaiah 28:14-22 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
"One who trusts will not panic," says Isaiah, mouthpiece for God.
An ad from the '80s... -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
An ad from the '80s said about a financial firm, "When E. F.

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Easter 4
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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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