New & Featured This Week
The Immediate Word
Katy Stenta
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
Tom Willadsen
Christopher Keating
Alyssa Spradlin
For November 8, 2026:
- The Wisdom of Waiting by Katy Stenta based on Matthew 25:1-13. Keeping one’s eyes open is part and parcel of having the foresight to prepare for God.
- Second Thoughts: Looking Forward by Tom Willadsen.
SermonStudio
David G. Rogne
Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, "Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him." Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps.
Carlos Wilton
Theme For The Day
The eschatological teachings of scripture are meant to instill comfort, not fear.
Old Testament Lesson
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve
The eschatological teachings of scripture are meant to instill comfort, not fear.
Old Testament Lesson
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve
William E. Keeney
"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps.
James L. Killen, Jr.
Today we are going to talk about one of the biggest puzzles in the study of the Bible. What can we believe about the end of time? For Paul and the early Christians in Thessalonica that was no puzzle at all. They knew exactly what they believed about the end of time. "The Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever" (vv.
Argile Smith
Do you remember the generation gap that existed between you and your parents when you were a teenager? Do you sense the same kind of gap widening between you and your children?
George S. Johnson
What is one of the most foolish things you have ever done? Pay good money for a suit or dress that you never wore? Buy a car that turned out to be a lemon? Invest your savings based on good advice, but end up losing it all? Have an affair that you thought would be brief and secret, but turned out to bring havoc on everything?
But who likes to be reminded of one's foolishness? What is one of the wisest things you have ever done?
But who likes to be reminded of one's foolishness? What is one of the wisest things you have ever done?
John R. Brokhoff
Today's parable is commonly known as the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. Some years ago a minister asked a mountaineer of Virginia if he knew the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. After thinking a while, he replied, "I didn't know there were five foolish Virginians in the whole state."
The word, "virgin," is used by the King James Version. Since there are not that many virgins in today's society, later translations wisely use "bridesmaids," "maidens," or "girls." In today's culture unmarried women are not necessarily virgins.
The word, "virgin," is used by the King James Version. Since there are not that many virgins in today's society, later translations wisely use "bridesmaids," "maidens," or "girls." In today's culture unmarried women are not necessarily virgins.
Richard C. Brand
As best I can remember it, the comment came as part of a discussion about the media frenzy immediately following the capture of the two suspected snipers in the Washington, D.C. area. It had troubled some of the participants in the discussion that before these suspects had even gotten charged, before these presumed innocent until proven guilty people had even had a jury trial, there was this zeal on the part of every talk show to get the trial in the place where the death penalty was most severe.
Thom M. Shuman
Call To Worship
One: If we will but listen,
All: God will speak to us in parables;
God will tell us stories lived out by our grandparents.
One: If we will but remember,
All: we will discover all we have heard and known;
all the wonders God has in store for us.
One: If we will but share,
All: we can tell our children and grandchildren --
even those not yet born --
the glorious stories of our God.
Prayer Of The Day
We stand at the crossing,
Holy God,
arms, hearts, souls,
One: If we will but listen,
All: God will speak to us in parables;
God will tell us stories lived out by our grandparents.
One: If we will but remember,
All: we will discover all we have heard and known;
all the wonders God has in store for us.
One: If we will but share,
All: we can tell our children and grandchildren --
even those not yet born --
the glorious stories of our God.
Prayer Of The Day
We stand at the crossing,
Holy God,
arms, hearts, souls,
Amy C. Schifrin
Martha Shonkwiler
Gathering
Begin with a choir anthem this morning, as an element of surprise, creating a sense that things will not always be the same. If possible, have the choir sing from a different place in the sanctuary.
Prayer Of The Day
P: O God of mercy, our hope is in you. Open our ears, that the proclamation of your coming kingdom may rouse us from our complacency, so that we would be ready to greet you when you come in glory, our Savior and our Lord.
C: Amen.
Offertory Prayer
A: Let your gifts be gifts of love;
Begin with a choir anthem this morning, as an element of surprise, creating a sense that things will not always be the same. If possible, have the choir sing from a different place in the sanctuary.
Prayer Of The Day
P: O God of mercy, our hope is in you. Open our ears, that the proclamation of your coming kingdom may rouse us from our complacency, so that we would be ready to greet you when you come in glory, our Savior and our Lord.
C: Amen.
Offertory Prayer
A: Let your gifts be gifts of love;
The Village Shepherd
Janice B. Scott
One thing about live
theatre which you don't get with television, is the hush of expectancy when the
lights are dimmed. As the theatre moves from light into darkness, the audience
settles back and prepares for entertainment and enjoyment. But the
entertainment only starts when the curtain rises on a lit stage. Because the
audience remains in darkness, it is able to see the stage perfectly no matter
how gloomy the lighting, so the atmosphere can be suggested right from the
beginning of the show by the relative brightness of the lighting.
StoryShare
Keith Hewitt
Craig Kelly
Contents
"The Bubble" by Keith Hewitt
"Tell Me a Story" by Craig Kelly
* * * * * * * *
The Bubble
by Keith Hewitt
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
"The Bubble" by Keith Hewitt
"Tell Me a Story" by Craig Kelly
* * * * * * * *
The Bubble
by Keith Hewitt
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
Frank Ramirez
Contents
"Keep Your Eyes Open" by Frank Ramirez
* * * * * * *
Keep Your Eyes Open
by Frank Ramirez
Matthew 25:1-13
Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
-- Matthew 25:13
On July 6, 1054, an awe-inspiring sight appeared around the world, an overwhelming light burst into the night sky.
"Keep Your Eyes Open" by Frank Ramirez
* * * * * * *
Keep Your Eyes Open
by Frank Ramirez
Matthew 25:1-13
Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
-- Matthew 25:13
On July 6, 1054, an awe-inspiring sight appeared around the world, an overwhelming light burst into the night sky.
Emphasis Preaching Journal
David Kalas
If the pitcher spends too much time fingering the rosin bag or peddling the dirt on the mound or looking in at the catcher and shaking off signs, the batter is likely to ask the umpire for a timeout. Some of that is just gamesmanship, of course. At the same time, however, the batter may genuinely need to step out of the batter's box for a moment. It is, after all, a difficult thing to maintain for a long time the intensity of waiting for a pitch.
CSSPlus
Good morning! This morning I brought a medicine bottle with
me. Probably all of you have these medicine bottles at home and
they are probably in a place that is hard to reach. That is on
purpose. Why do you suppose parents put things like medicine
bottles in hard-to-reach places? (Let them answer.) To keep them
out of reach of very young children. Very young children
sometimes put anything in their mouths, and many medicines can be
very harmful and dangerous to people who don't know what the
medicine is or how much to take or who can take it.
Note: This craft uses candles and is probably best suited for older children.
Materials
Clean glass jars (medium-sized like mayonnaise or pickle jars)
Tissue paper in a variety of colors
Water
Glue
Markers
Baby food jar lid and votive candle or tea light candle
Small paintbrushes
Margarine tubs
Instructions
1. God always wants us to be ready for him, to be a "light for Jesus." Let's make a candle holder to help us keep that in mind.
Materials
Clean glass jars (medium-sized like mayonnaise or pickle jars)
Tissue paper in a variety of colors
Water
Glue
Markers
Baby food jar lid and votive candle or tea light candle
Small paintbrushes
Margarine tubs
Instructions
1. God always wants us to be ready for him, to be a "light for Jesus." Let's make a candle holder to help us keep that in mind.
Leah Thompson
Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (v. 13)
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about the Boy Scouts. How many of you have heard of the Boy Scouts? (allow answers) The Boy Scouts of America is an organization for boys that started in the year 1910. That's over one hundred years ago! Wow -- that's old! Boys who are in the Boy Scouts learn how to do things like start campfires, cook outdoors, tie ropes, and do other outdoor and camping activities.
Good morning, boys and girls! How are you this morning? (allow answers) Today we are going to talk about the Boy Scouts. How many of you have heard of the Boy Scouts? (allow answers) The Boy Scouts of America is an organization for boys that started in the year 1910. That's over one hundred years ago! Wow -- that's old! Boys who are in the Boy Scouts learn how to do things like start campfires, cook outdoors, tie ropes, and do other outdoor and camping activities.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 27 (OT 32, Pent 24)
29 – Sermons
110+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
110+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 28 (OT 33, Pent 25)
26 – Sermons
100+ – Illustrations / Stories
31 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
25 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
100+ – Illustrations / Stories
31 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
25 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Christ the King
30 – Sermons
110+ – Illustrations / Stories
20 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
25 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
110+ – Illustrations / Stories
20 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
25 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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