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Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Back in the 1960s, Fuzzy... -- Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Back in the 1960s, Fuzzy Thurston, a Valparaiso University graduate, was playing left guard for Vinc
In the book by Paul... -- Proverbs 9:8-12 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
In the book by Paul Reps, entitled Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, an example of wisdom is given
The baseball great Yogi Berra... -- Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
The baseball great Yogi Berra is reputed to have said, "You can observe a lot just by watching."
Some fears are healthy and... -- Proverbs 9:8-12 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Some fears are healthy and lifesaving such as the fear of snakes or fear of walking on an interstate
Chapter 1, verse 7 and... -- Proverbs 9:8-12 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Chapter 1, verse 7 and chapter 9, verse 10 begin the first section of Proverbs on the same note: "Th
The author of Wisdom felt... -- Wisdom 9:13-18 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
The author of Wisdom felt deep respect for the "counsel of God." He speaks reverently of the divine
Growing up always poses certain... -- Exodus 12:1-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Growing up always poses certain challenges.
The calculations of mortals are... -- Wisdom 9:13-18 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
The calculations of mortals are indeed timid and frequently wrong.
As a member of the... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
As a member of the area ministerial association, Pastor Dan was asked to preach at the local nursing
During the recess of a... -- Philemon 1-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
During the recess of a trial, the defense attorney looked up to discover his client, the defendant i
Little Tommy liked to play... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Little Tommy liked to play with mud.
The grade school children last... -- Philemon 9-10, 12-17 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
The grade school children last year presented a puppet show for the public.
At least one of the... -- Philemon 1:1-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
At least one of the significant things about the story of the runaway slave, Onesimus, is his name.
David Dellinger said: We cannot... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
David Dellinger said: "We cannot say no to war without simultaneously saying yes to love and laughte
In the poem, Freedom Train... -- Philemon 9-10, 12-17 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
In the poem, Freedom Train, Langston Hughes wrote, "...
Love does no wrong to... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Obviously, it depends on who we think our neighbors really are.
There is an old story... -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
There is an old story about a man who desired peace in his life, so he went into a bar and loudly de
Family fights are awful. Mary... -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Family fights are awful. Mary and her brother, Josh, had been very close growing up.
Forgive others seventy times seven... -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Forgive others seventy times seven: it seems to be an impossibly high standard.
Every institution and company has... -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Every institution and company has a grievance policy, a way to address problems that arise between c
There comes a point in... -- Exodus 12:1-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
There comes a point in the Passover Haggadah that the story of the first Passover in Egypt is retold

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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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