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Bulletin Insert for Second Sunday in Advent for Year B -- Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Mark 1:1-8 -- Robert S. Jarboe -- Second Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
Advent Wreath Service Reader A: ______________________
Bulletin Insert for Third Sunday in Advent for Year B -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, Psalm 126, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Robert S. Jarboe -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
Advent Wreath Service Reader A: ______________________
Bulletin Insert for Fourth Sunday in Advent for Year B -- 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16, Luke 1:46b-55, Romans 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38 -- Robert S. Jarboe -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
Advent Wreath Service Reader A: ______________________
Bulletin Insert for Christmas Eve for Year B -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Psalm 96, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Robert S. Jarboe -- The Nativity of our Lord - B -- 2005
Service For The Christ Candle Reader A: ___________________
Bulletin Insert for Christmas Day for Year B -- Isaiah 52:7-10, Psalm 98, Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- Robert S. Jarboe -- The Nativity of our Lord - B -- 2005
Service For The Christ Candle Reader A: ___________________
Bulletin Insert for Christmas Day for Year B -- John 1:1-14 -- Robert S. Jarboe -- The Nativity of our Lord - B -- 2005
Service For The Christ Candle Reader A: ___________________
First Sunday in Advent -- Isaiah 64:1-9 -- Robert S. Jarboe -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
(Distribute this sheet to the readers.) Date: _________________________
First Sunday in Advent -- Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 -- Robert S. Jarboe -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
(Distribute this sheet to the readers.) Date: _________________________
First Sunday in Advent -- 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 -- Robert S. Jarboe -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
(Distribute this sheet to the readers.) Date: _________________________
First Sunday in Advent -- Mark 13:24-37 -- Robert S. Jarboe -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
(Distribute this sheet to the readers.) Date: _________________________

Drama

Sermon

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In Whose Likeness? -- Matthew 22:15-22 -- Chris Ewing -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 2007
Okay, teacher, you think you're so smart — is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor?
Test ... Test ... -- Matthew 22:34-46 -- Chris Ewing -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2007
Sometimes things happen that push us back to our deepest questions and force us to answer.
Unwanted Freedom -- John 8:31-36 -- Chris Ewing -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2007
The trouble with words is that they can mean so many different things, depending on who is using the
All Who Share This Hope -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- Chris Ewing -- All Saints Day - A -- 2007
There's nothing like a week with two funerals, a wedding, Halloween celebrations, a community farewe
Masks -- Matthew 23:1-12 -- Chris Ewing -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 2007
There are going to be a lot of people running around out there with masks on this week.
Ready For God's Reign -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Chris Ewing -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2007
This parable has to be one of the least liked in the whole Bible.
Investing In God's Future -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Chris Ewing -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2007
(Note: At the time of reading this passage to the congregation, explain that a single talent was
Nations On Trial -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Chris Ewing -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2007
A Readers' Theater for Five Voices A few suggestions for staging this....
Kiss The Chef! -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Chris Ewing -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2007
Years ago, during summer vacation, I took a whole pile of books out of the library and spent days an
The Porch Light's On -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Tony S. Everett -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2007
All of us have heard various short, sarcastic sayings that describe people and groups who seem to la

Children's sermon

SermonStudio

Tricky People -- Matthew 22:15-22 -- Brett Blair, Tim Carpenter -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A
Exegetical Aim: Beware of people who try to trick you.
Going To A Wedding -- Matthew 22:1-14 -- Brett Blair, Tim Carpenter
Exegetical Aim: We must be appropriately prepared for the great Kingdom party.
Wants And Needs -- Matthew 21:33-46 -- Brett Blair, Tim Carpenter -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A
Exegetical Aim: Rejection of that which is essential.
Say One Thing And Do Another -- Matthew 21:23-32 -- Brett Blair, Tim Carpenter
Exegetical Aim: The difference between saying and doing.
It Isn't Fair -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Brett Blair, Tim Carpenter
Exegetical Aim: Acceptance of the inequities in life.
How Many Times? -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Brett Blair, Tim Carpenter
Exegetical Aim: There is no limit to forgiveness.
Sin Is An Ugly Matter -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Brett Blair, Tim Carpenter
Exegetical Aim: Sin marks us.
How Much Is It Worth? -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Brett Blair, Tim Carpenter
Exegetical Aim: Life is more valuable than material things.
Who Is He? -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- Brett Blair, Tim Carpenter
Exegetical Aim: The identity of Jesus.
A Clean Heart -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Brett Blair, Tim Carpenter
Exegetical Aim: What makes a heart clean.

Worship Service

Preaching

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Fifth Sunday in Lent -- Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 5:5-10, John 12:20-33 -- Carlos Wilton -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2005
Revised Common Jeremiah 31:31-34 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33
Maundy Thursday -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Carlos Wilton -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2005
Revised Common Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Passion Sunday -- Isaiah 50:4-9a, Philippians 2:5-11, Mark 14:1--15:47, Mark 11:1-11 -- Carlos Wilton -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2005
Revised Common Isaiah 50:4-9a Philippians 2:5-11
Day of Pentecost -- Acts 2:1-21 or Ezekiel 37:1-14, John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 -- Carlos Wilton -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2005
Revised Common Acts 2:1-21 or Ezekiel 37:1-14
Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 -- 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17, Mark 4:26-34 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2005
Revised Common 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17
Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2005
Revised Common 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23) 32-49 or 1 Samuel 17:57--18:5, 10-16
Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2005
Revised Common 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 Mark 5:21-43
Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 -- 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 or Ezekiel 2:1-5, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2005
Revised Common 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 or Ezekiel 2:1-5 2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2005
Revised Common 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Ephesians 1:3-14 Mark 6:14-29
Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 -- 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2005
Revised Common 2 Samuel 7:1-14a Ephesians 2:11-22 Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Stories

SermonStudio

Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mortality
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Morality
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mother
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mother
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mother
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mother
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mother's Day
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Motivation
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Nation
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
New Year

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Easter 2
30+ – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30+ – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 3
26 – Sermons
150+ – Illustrations / Stories
30+ – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
28 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 4
27 – Sermons
150+ – Illustrations / Stories
39 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
Tom Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Christopher Keating
For April 12, 2026:

StoryShare

Keith Wagner
Contents
"Spiritually Speaking" by Keith Wagner
"Living With More Power" by Keith Wagner


Spiritually Speaking
by Keith Wagner
Psalm 16
Alex A. Gondola, Jr.
Keith Hewitt
Contents
What's Up This Week
"When through Fiery Trials" by Alex Gondola
"Tracks" by Keith Hewitt


What's Up This Week

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Thomas had never seen his friends so excited. Peter's eyes were shining, and he could hardly contain his impatience. John was always quieter than Peter, but even he seemed full of barely suppressed eagerness. They were both tugging at Thomas, while at the same time dancing round him.

Thomas reluctantly agreed to go to the cave with them, although he continued to think they were mad. "If there was nothing there last week, how can it have changed now?" he kept asking.

SermonStudio

Stan Purdum
This psalm is a song of confidence and trust, and the first-century church found in it a prophecy of the Resurrection. Peter, in his Pentecost sermon, quotes verses 8-11 (Acts 2:25-28), applying them to the risen Lord. Thus, its designation as the responsorial psalm for Easter 2.

The psalm falls easily into three divisions: verses 1-4, there is no good apart from God; 5-8, the Lord is my portion and my counselor; and 9-11, there is joy and life with God.
John R. Brokhoff
THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Acts 2:14a, 22--32 (C, E)
According to God's plan and David's prophecy, Jesus was raised from the dead. This pericope is a part of Peter's Pentecost sermon. It is a sample of the early church's preaching, as Luke understood it, summarized in the crucifixion, resurrection, and fulfillment of prophecy. Peter emphasizes that what happened to Jesus was according to God's plan. He quotes Psalm 16 as a prophecy by David of the resurrection which was fulfilled. The disciples are witnesses to the fulfillment because of their encounters with the risen Lord.
Tony S. Everett
So, here we are just over one week after Easter Sunday. Vigils are finished. Sunrise services are over. Dishes from the youth breakfast have been washed and put away. Brass and tympani fanfares have concluded. Flowers on the cross have begun to wilt and blow away. Fewer pews are filled.
Richard L. Sheffield
What the disciples of Jesus reported to their fellow disciple Thomas they had seen seemed unbelievable. And Thomas didn't believe it! They said they saw Jesus alive. Well, Thomas saw him alive until late the previous Friday afternoon when Thomas saw him dead. It was now Sunday afternoon -- and to what they said they saw, Thomas' response was, "Seeing is believing," and until I see something different from what I have already seen, I will not believe a word of what you say.
Albert G. Butzer, III
Several years ago the Episcopal Church launched a creative and clever advertising campaign. One of their ads pictured a young man with a frustrated look on his face because someone had put a heavy piece of tape across his mouth. His mouth had been taped shut; he was unable to speak. The caption, which accompanied the picture, said this: "The problem with churches that have all of the answers is that you can't ask questions."
Harry N. Huxhold
The United States of America has earned the reputation of being the most violent culture in the world. That really is an oxymoron. How can one speak of culture as being violent? Yet the problem of violence is so widespread in our nation that Gavin De Becker, an authority on violence, notes that we are a nation with more firearms than adults, and twenty thousand guns enter our commerce every day. His book, The Gift of Fear, is about our fear which furnishes us survival signals to protect us from violence. We should not be shocked that anyone is capable of violence.
Bill Mosley
The great luxury liner was on fire, but no one knew it. Deep in the hold, near the engine room, hundreds of tons of coal were stored. Coal--powered ships used to carry the coal in a watered--down state. But this ship was new, and very big; bigger than any ship ever built, or had ever sailed. So even though the coal was watered for safety, the enormous amount meant that there were dry spots. A fire smoldered undiscovered deep in the coal supply, and when it was discovered, a fire--fighting crew was sent to quench it. They worked for days, even weeks, and couldn't put it out.
B. David Hostetter
CALL TO WORSHIP
Bless our God who has given us counsel.
Come to worship with exulting heart and rejoicing spirit.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Beverly S. Bailey
Hymns
I Danced In The Morning (UM261, PH 302)
Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna! (CBH 272)
Jesus, The Very Thought Of Thee (NCH507)
We Live By Faith And Not By Sight (NCH256, PH398)
O Sons And Daughters, Let Us Sing (NCH244, PH116, 117)
Breathe On Me, Breath Of God (CBH356, UM420, PH316)
These Things Did Thomas Count (NCH284)
When In The Night I Meditate (PH165)

Anthems
From the Messiah: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth, G. F. Handel
Frank Ramirez
Call To Worship (Acts 2:32)
 This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.


Collect
 We lift up our eyes to you Lord, after the despair of the cross. We follow the path from the empty tomb to see you risen and walking among us! We praise your name in victory! Amen.


Prayer Of Confession

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Fresh air is precisely what many people feel they never get in church. Many recall the experiences of former times when the air was stodgy and stuffy. In some communities of faith the air is still a bit stifling, and so when invited to worship, the response is often, "Been there. Done that."

Yet our lessons are full of the freshness of spring, bringing life and vigor to what had been dormant, as though frozen in winter and refusing to thaw.

Acts 2:14a, 22-32
Wayne Brouwer
One of my good friends died last year. He had reached a good age and was mostly ready to go. In fact, he once told me he had more lives than the proverbial cat's nine. On too many occasions, because of cancer and accidents and blood diseases, doctors had written him off. Yet, like the Energizer bunny, he kept going and going and going....

CSSPlus

Good morning, boys and girls. This morning we read from the Bible about a special meeting between Jesus, who had been resurrected a week earlier, and his disciples. All of the disciples believed the resurrection except Thomas, who had not been in the room when Jesus met with the disciples a week earlier. Thomas had heard about it but didn't believe. He said that unless he saw for himself the wounds in the hands and side of Jesus, he would not believe.
Good morning, boys and girls. What does this sign mean? (Let them answer.) It is a question mark. When you see it that means someone is asking a question. Sometimes it means that someone doesn't believe what you are saying. That means the person is doubting you. It's a very common thing to have doubts about something. If one of you told me that you don't like to play with toys, I'd say, "I'm not so sure about that. I doubt it. I'll bet you really like to play with toys." If one of you told me that you didn't like candy, I would say, "I'm not so sure about that. I doubt it.

Special Occasion

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