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Answers To Consider -- Job 19:23, 27a -- Anthology, James W. Addy, Pastor -- 1994
This meditation was preached at the funeral of a 60--year--old woman who was shot to death by her so
Good News At A Bad Time! -- Luke 2:10-11 -- Richard E. Merrick, Anthology -- 1994
A tragedy has come into our lives!
What Shall We Say To This? -- Romans 6:1-11, Romans 8:31-39 -- Bob Kaul, Anthology -- 1994
In both of these passages from his letter to the Romans, Paul begins with a question that is probabl
Death And Birth -- Psalm 23, 1 Corinthians 13, John 14:1-7 -- Anthology, Henry G. Brinton -- 1994
Two things you can never predict with precision are birth and death.
Resurrection And Life -- John 11:17-27 -- Jonathan W. Schriber, Anthology -- 1994
I was very anxious to meet ____________.
Like Abraham To The Slaughter -- Dennis E. Dinger, Anthology -- 1994
It is not good for us to be here.
The Circle Of Life -- Charles R. Leary, Anthology -- 1994
Life has brought us full circle again!
Healed Once Again -- Matthew 9:1-8 -- Anna M. Ritter, Anthology -- 1994
God heals.
Of Thimbles And Thread -- Ecclesiastes 3:7a -- Lawrence H. Craig, Anthology -- 1994
____________ was a seamstress. Such talent was hers as a hobby.
Welcome To The Banquet -- Isaiah 25:6-9, Revelation 7:9-17 -- Barbara G. Schmitz, Anthology -- 1994
On the night before Jesus died, he gathered with his friends in an upper room.
Let The Children Come To Me -- Psalm 42 -- Mary Venema Swierenga, Anthology -- 1994
____________ graced this earth for three months and four days.
Hallowed Ground -- B. David Hostetter, Anthology -- 1994
This is hallowed groundCreated from nothingBut the thought of God
The Things Which Remain When All Is Lost -- 2 Samuel 12:16-23 -- Thomas A. Pilgrim, Anthology -- 1994
There is a story in the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel which I want to share with you.
Mystery Of Death -- Psalm 121, Psalm 23 -- John A. Terry, Anthology -- 1994
Opening
To The Father's House -- 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-10, John 14:1-6 -- James Mckarns, Anthology -- 1994
The first scripture reading we heard today was written by Paul and sent, in the form of a letter, to
In His Redeemer's Arms -- Mark 10:13-16 -- Charles R. Turbin, Anthology -- 1994
____________ and ____________, friends and loved ones of ____________, dear friends in Christ, grace
There Is No Condemnation -- Jeremiah 29:11-12 -- Deborah D. Steed, Anthology -- 1994
On behalf of the ____________ family, I want to thank you for being here today to remember _________
The March Of Death -- Merlin L. Conrad, Anthology -- 1994
When I was in seminary there was a picture hanging in our library that I will never forget.
Dealing With Suicide For a Man in His Sixties -- Psalm 23, Philippians 4:4-13 -- Anthology, Louis M. Pratt -- 1989
The death of a loved one is always a tragedy.
Using the Available Spiritual Resources Death of the Unchurched -- Psalm 139:142, 23-24 -- Alan Bacon Bond, Anthology -- 1989
He had been sick for two days with influenza, and, while having had some high blood pressure problem
Claiming the Promise For One Who Came to Faith While Dying -- John 14:6 -- Anthology, Palmer L. Gedde -- 1989
Dearly beloved in the Lord, grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior,
God Has a Purpose Death Where Divorce Has Intruded -- Matthew 1 -- Arthur H. Kolsti, Anthology -- 1989
We can expect an increasing number of services involving families whose relationships have been stai
Celebrate Life For a Ninety-three-year-old Widow -- 2 Timothy 3:6-8 -- Anthology, Walter A. Schmidt -- 1989
I chose this text from 2 Timothy especially for Edna because it fits her so well.
Nothing Can Separate Us Death Following Extended illness -- Romans 8:35-39 -- Paul F. Hegele, Anthology -- 1989
Separation - it's a mournful, frightening word.
Deaths, Our Teacher For an Eighty-four-year-old Woman -- Psalm 90 -- Anthology, Allen Puffenberger -- 1989
The outline of this meditation has enabled me to address a number of the vital issues that are raise

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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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