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There are times when land...

Illustration
Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C
1 Kings 21:1-3, 17-21
There are times when land is more than just a commodity to be bought and sold. This is especially so for country people, or at least it used to be. A family I know lived on a "centennial farm," one which had been in their family for more than 100 years. It had been passed from father to son through four generations. From the time great-great-grandparents came from Europe to this new world, and opened up the land to farming, each succeeding generation had kept the land as a trust. Each took from the land what they needed, and put back what the land needed to stay fertile and rich.
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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Object: The object of the lesson is a gesture you will teach the children.

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Call to Worship:

Jesus warned against with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God. Through our worship today let us pledge ourselves to seek our treasure only in God.

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Jesus, sometimes we envy others because of all they possess.
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Jesus, sometimes we desire all that money can buy.
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For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things.... Let those who are wise give heed to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
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This story begins with gift -- with blessed gift -- with miraculous, blessed giftedness. And I will even tell you now the theme of the story: if you keep your eye on the giftedness of everything, then you yourself can be a gift, you can be a giver, rather than a hoarder.
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