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Worship

SermonStudio

Theme: "No's" That Mean "Yes"! -- Exodus 20:1-17 -- Frank Ramirez -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2005
Call To Worship (Psalm 19:1-4) One:
Theme: Snake Eyes -- Numbers 21:4-9 -- Frank Ramirez -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2005
Call To Worship (based on Psalm 107:17-22) One:
Theme: Stop The Presses! New Story! -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Frank Ramirez -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2005
Call To Worship
Theme: Lots Of Luck -- Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 -- Frank Ramirez -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 2005
Call To Worship (Psalm 1:1-2) One:
Theme: You Explain It -- Isaiah 25:6-9 -- Frank Ramirez -- Easter Day - B -- 2005
Call To Worship (Psalm 118:1-2, 8-9, 14, 18) One:
Theme: Pass Around Passover -- Frank Ramirez -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2005
Call To Worship
A Sense Of Past And Future -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 -- Frank Ramirez -- New Year's Day - B -- 2005
Call To Worship
Theme: Hit Me With Your Best Shot -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Frank Ramirez -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2005
Call To Worship (Psalm 118:19-20) One:
Theme: Try Dry Bones -- Ezekiel 37:1-14 -- Frank Ramirez -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2005
Call To Worship (Psalm 104:31)
Theme: It's For You -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) -- Frank Ramirez -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B -- 2005
Call To Worship

Drama

SermonStudio

Recollections of Sarah, Servant in the Home of Zacharias and Elizabeth -- Robert A. Morgan -- 1985
I am not really an old woman yet - at least I know a few who are older!
Recollections of Reuben, Uncle of a Young Bethlehem Shepherd -- Robert A. Morgan -- 1985
It's a great time for you to be asking questions now, after all the blood your soldiers spilled and
Recollections of Abdul, Camel Boy for An Eastern Potentate -- Robert A. Morgan -- 1985
I'm glad I'm home. That's the first thing for me to say. I'm really glad I'm home.
Recollections of Mary, Daughter of the Keepers of a Bethlehem Inn -- Robert A. Morgan -- 1985
Children, I just can't sit down with you now. I have too much work to do for our guests.
The Women -- William Grimbol -- 1984
SETTING: Five women gathered in a courtyard garden for conversation
The Men -- William Grimbol -- 1984
SETTING: Four men gathered in a courtyard garden for conversation
The Children -- William Grimbol -- 1984
SETTING: Seven children gathered in a courtyard garden for conversation
The Youth -- William Grimbol -- 1984
SETTING: Three scenes, in a courtyard garden, where two young people are engaged in conversation
The Elders -- William Grimbol -- 1984
SETTING: Two elderly couples dining together in a courtyard garden
The Family of Judas -- William Grimbol -- 1984
SETTING: Monologues by the father, mother, brother, sister and grandmother of Judas

Sermon

SermonStudio

A Way Of Seeing -- Genesis 21:8-21 -- Stan Purdum -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 2007
Remember your childhood suspicion that both your mother and your teacher had eyes in the back of the
Breakdowns And Breakthroughs -- Genesis 22:1-14 -- Stan Purdum -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2007
There are some recent studies on racism that offer important information about our thinking processe
A Match Made In Heaven -- Genesis 29:15-28 -- David Kalas -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2007
One of the great privileges of being a parish pastor is the opportunity to officiate at weddings.
A Blessing In Disguise -- Genesis 32:22-31 -- David Kalas -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2007
I wonder how many of us here are named after someone.
Do You See What I See? -- Exodus 14:19-31 -- David Kalas -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2007
In 1956, director/producer Cecil B.
Sentimental Slaves -- Exodus 16:2-15 -- David Kalas -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2007
Let me ask you to do a little remembering today.
The Proof Is In The Pudding -- Exodus 17:1-7 -- David Kalas -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2007
It is an incongruous scene: a multitude in the desert.
Appointment With Thunder -- Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 -- David Kalas -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 2007
If you're like me, then you've spent your whole life in the church.
A Change Of Mind -- Exodus 32:1-14 -- Timothy J. Smith -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 2007
While it has been suggested that idle hands are the playthings of the devil -- the same may be true
Show Me What's Real -- Exodus 33:12-23 -- Timothy J. Smith -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 2007
Have you ever found yourself in a position or place where you would rather not be?

Children's sermon

SermonStudio

The Pretzel -- Kenneth A. Mortonson -- 1993
Purpose: To think with the children about stewardship and prayer.
On Using Problems -- Kenneth A. Mortonson -- 1993
Purpose: To think about the reason for problems in life.
Zero -- Kenneth A. Mortonson -- 1993
Purpose: Learning to handle failure.
Symbols Of Thanksgiving -- Stone And Rope -- Kenneth A. Mortonson -- 1993
Purpose: To stress our need to thank God for all the good things
The Wishbone -- Kenneth A. Mortonson -- 1993
Purpose: How to reach our goals in life.Material: A chicken or turkey wishbone.
What Shall You Give? -- Kenneth A. Mortonson -- 1993
Purpose: To share with the children some wonderful gifts they can
A Winter Experiment -- Kenneth A. Mortonson -- 1993
Purpose: To think about how love affects us all.
New Year's Resolution -- Kenneth A. Mortonson -- 1993
Purpose: To remember that outward appearances are not the most important things in life.
Earphones -- Kenneth A. Mortonson -- 1993
Purpose: To share with the children our need for time alone and time with other people.
Through Others Too Far Away -- Kenneth A. Mortonson -- 1993
Purpose: To show the affect of our influence upon others.

Preaching

SermonStudio

Up Close And Personal -- Terry Cain -- 2005
Purpose Statement: Unfortunately, until it affects us, we usually are not willing to get involved
There Are No Holy Wars -- Terry Cain -- 2005
Purpose Statement: There is no justification for war.
Pink Bunny Batteries -- Terry Cain -- 2005
Purpose Statement: How do we keep the flame burning and the enthusiasm lively?
My God Doesn't Make Tornadoes -- Terry Cain -- 2005
Purpose Statement: We need to stop blaming God for natural calamities.
In The Name Of God! -- Terry Cain -- 2005
Purpose Statement: Christians have done (and still do) some terrible things and claimed they were
An Unidentified Naked Male Running From The Scene -- Terry Cain -- 2005
Purpose Statement: Our regular examination of our relationship with Jesus and the church is proba
Can You Be Trusted With Crayons And Scissors? -- Terry Cain -- 2005
Purpose Statement: How great is the responsibility of being a Christian and are we ready for it?
Is It Time To Modernize The Gospel? -- Terry Cain -- 2005
Purpose Statement: Are the teachings of Jesus relevant to every age or do they need updating for
The Day That God Changed His Mind -- Terry Cain -- 2005
Purpose Statement: How do we account for the differences in the biblical teachings about God?
Touch Me, Turn Me On, And Burn Me Down -- Terry Cain -- 2005
Purpose Statement: What part do, and should, emotions play in our faith experiences?

Worship Service

Stories

SermonStudio

Poor Nicodemus -- John 3:1-17 -- Constance Berg -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 2001
Nicodemus didn't get it.
The Faith Of Rachel Bella Calof -- Romans 5:1-11 -- Constance Berg -- Third Sunday in Lent - A -- 2001
This passage fits the life of Rachel Bella Kahn Calof.
That Which Is Good And Right And True -- Ephesians 5:8-14 -- Constance Berg -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2001
Many, many people have tried to give a formula for the secret of happiness.
Funerals -- John 11:1-45 -- Constance Berg -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2001
Cheryl's father had an affair with his secretary when Cheryl was just four years old.
Being A Servant -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Constance Berg -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 2001
Danny looked at the document. He was standing at his secretary's desk.
Sorry! -- Matthew 26:14--27:66 -- Constance Berg -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2001
What if Judas hadn't betrayed Jesus? What if Judas wasn't sorry?
Niceties Don't Sell -- 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 -- Constance Berg -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2001
During the time of the Christian church in Corinth, a trance--like state testified to the fact that
Doing The Right Thing -- Matthew 7:21-29 -- Constance Berg -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A -- 2001
Len and Jeanne are the epitome of "good parents" according to their four sons, who keep in close con
The Reluctant Follower -- Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 -- Constance Berg -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 2001
I wonder what Matthew felt like when Jesus said, "Follow me." Was it suprising? Was it scary?
Their Vow Of Poverty -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Constance Berg -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2001
I grew up in a predominately Catholic town, and I have three friends who are priests.

Prayer

Devotional

SermonStudio

Passion/Palm Sunday -- Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 -- Stephen P. McCutchan -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2007
Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
Passion/Palm Sunday -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Stephen P. McCutchan -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2007
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.... -- Philippians 2:5
Passion/Palm Sunday -- Matthew 21:1-11 -- Stephen P. McCutchan -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2007
The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David!
Easter Day -- Acts 10:34-43 -- Stephen P. McCutchan -- Easter Day - A -- 2007
...
Easter Day -- Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 -- Stephen P. McCutchan -- Easter Day - A -- 2007
The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
Easter Day -- Colossians 3:1-4 -- Stephen P. McCutchan -- Easter Day - A -- 2007
Set your minds on things that are above.... -- Colossians 3:2
Easter Day -- John 20:1-18 -- Stephen P. McCutchan -- Easter Day - A -- 2007
... she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus.
A Christmas Journey: A Christmas Eve Service of Candles and Carols -- Rod Tkach -- 2006
Home Alone For Christmas
A Christmas Journey: A Christmas Eve Service of Candles and Carols -- Rod Tkach -- 2006
The Rest Stop
A Christmas Journey: A Christmas Eve Service of Candles and Carols -- Rod Tkach -- 2006
Trimming The Tree

Poems

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Thanksgiving Day

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Women's Day

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Gathering Prayer

Unison Prayer

Thanksgiving Prayer

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Christian Faith

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
Mary Austin
George Reed
For August 2, 2026:

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Tom and Ben couldn't stand each other. They'd known each other for a very long time since they had been at school together years ago and had lived in the same village ever since. But they'd never hit it off. Unfortunately, being a village there was only one church, and Tom and Ben were both churchgoers.

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
Argile Smith
Contents
What's Up This Week
"Not a Cup but a Cow" by Frank Ramirez
"Compassion at Work" by Argile Smith


What's Up This Week

SermonStudio

Jerry L. Schmalenberger
Seasonal Theme
The teaching and ministry of Jesus the Christ.

Theme For The Day
God's blessing from our troubles and the kingdom's invitation to share with others.

Old Testament Lesson
Genesis 32:22-31
Jacob Wrestles At Peniel
Stan Purdum
This psalm belongs in the category of "personal lament," which means it probably was not used for corporate worship, but by an individual pray-er. From the tone, the person is clearly in some unspecified distress, probably from persecutors of some sort. Protesting his innocence and his faithfulness to God, the psalmist asks for divine relief, and concludes with an expression of confidence that God will come to his aid (v. 18: "I shall awake satisfied").
David Kalas
I wonder how many of us here are named after someone.

Chances are that a good many of us carry family names. We are named for a parent, a grandparent, an uncle, or an aunt somewhere on the family tree. Others of us had parents who named us after a character in the Bible, or perhaps some other significant character from history.

All told, I expect a pretty fair number of us are named after someone else.
Larry Lange
To Jim it seemed like an opportunity to right decades of wrongs.
Wayne Brouwer
Yogi Berra, the great baseball player of an earlier age, was known for his unusual and creative use of the English language. In giving directions to his home, for example, he often told people, "When you come to the fork in the road, take it." His formula for success, as some heard it, was this: "Ninety percent perspiration, and the rest mostly just plain hard work." Then there was the time he went to a restaurant by himself and ordered a large pizza. The waitress asked if he would like it cut into four or eight pieces. "Better make it four," he replied.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
Willy Loman lived in a world of indifference; nobody seemed to care about him and others. It was a world where people thought mostly of themselves. Willy was a traveling salesman, but not a very good one. For many years he had been on the road, traveling from one city to another, one hotel to a second. His area was all of New England. Several times each year he would make his rounds, going from his home in New York north to Waterbury, Connecticut, then on to Providence, Boston, and north still further to Portland and Bangor in Maine before returning home.
Jeff Wedge
Aren't families fun, at times? Paul reminds us in the lesson for today that families can be a source of many things in our lives.

Consider the husband who had promised his wife to replace the kitchen cabinets, but kept putting off the home improvement. The wife had to leave to care for her sick mother for two weeks and returned to find the new cabinets installed in the kitchen.
Thom M. Shuman
Call To Worship
One: We come to this place of worship,
to encounter the One who has called us here.
All: This Holy One -- our God --
is with us in every moment.
One: God is in our celebrations and joys,
God is in our darkest nights of loneliness.
All: This Holy God -- our God --
blesses us and calls us by name.
One: As night fades before the coming light,
we meet the One who saves us --
even from ourselves.
All: This God -- our Holy God --
touches us with the spirit of hope.
Beverly S. Bailey
Hymns
Break Now The Bread Of Life (NCH321, CBH360, UM599, PH329)
Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown (UM386, CBH503)
God Is Here (NCH70, PH461)
Holy Spirit, Truth Divine (LBW257, NCH63, PH321)
Our God, To Whom We Turn (NCH37, PH278)
Sweet Hour Of Prayer (NCH505)
Sheaves Of Summer/Una Espiga (NCH338, PH518)
You Satisfy The Hungry Heart (PH521)

Anthems
Asleep On Holy Ground, Michael Card, The Beginning, Solo
Frank Ramirez
First Lesson: Genesis 32:22-31
Theme: Out Of Joint

Call To Worship (based on Psalm 145:1-4)

One: We will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.

All: We will proclaim you as God and King in the midst of our community.

One: Every day we will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever.

All: Your name is great, Lord, and worthy of this praise.

One: Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

We all love stories of courage among those who wrestle with daunting difficulties in life and actually pull out a win:

* Francis Parkman suffered from both arthritic muscles and poor eyesight. He could work only five minutes at a time, scrawling huge letters on his manuscript, yet he managed to complete a massive twenty-volume historical masterpiece.
David Kalas
Early in the cherished 1965 movie, The Sound of Music, we see the sisters at the abbey wondering about their whimsical novice, Maria. At the moment, no one can find her, and one of the sisters dutifully reports to the Reverend Mother that she has looked in all the usual places. "Considering that it's Maria," responds the wise, old woman, "perhaps you should look someplace unusual."

CSSPlus

Leah Thompson
Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. (v. 19)

Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about bread. How many of you have eaten bread recently? (allow answers) What did you eat with your bread? (allow answers)
Cynthia E. Cowen
The Point: Jesus wants us to work together to spread the kingdom of God.

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