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Children's Activity

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How to ask for help -- Matthew 14:22-33 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A
The drama of today's lesson is perfect for children to explore. The story is pretty cut and dried.
Great among you -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B
Teachers: This week's lesson offers a good memory verse.
A little girl's glory -- John 17:20-26 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C
Teachers: Today's lesson is a part of the prayer that Jesus prayed before his death.
Advent calendar -- Mark 13:24-37 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
Teachers: This is the first Sunday of Advent and a new church
The piece of fish -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
Materials Corks (cut in half lengthwise) Pipe cleaners (orange) Wiggle eyes
Amazing faith -- Luke 7:1-10 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - C
Teachers or Parents: The faith of the Roman centurion is an
Christmas angels among us -- Luke 2:1-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Teachers or Parents: Talk about a recent or upcoming Christmas
The kingdom of Heaven -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
Teachers or Parents: Jesus gave many illustrations about the
From the Father -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Teachers or Parents: Last week's activity used edible play
Jesus, our Commander in Chief -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Teachers or Parents: Children are interested in power, and
Touch and see! -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
Teachers or Parents: We perceive what is true and what is
Hey, God! I'm the greatest! -- Luke 18:9-14 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C
Today's reading is another very easy one for children to understand.
"Keep on asking" -- Luke 18:1-8 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
Teachers or Parents: We can never overemphasize the power of
Enemies and friends -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B
Teachers or Parents: In our war against the devil and his
Familiarity breeds contempt -- Luke 4:21-30 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
Teachers or Parents: There is a possibility that we can become so
Watch out for greed! -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C
How do we define ourselves? When we think of our lives and our worth, what are the criteria we use?
"Choosing sides" -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C
Teachers or Parents: The words of Jesus in this Gospel
Hometown pride -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
Materials:Hangers String Construction paper Markers
The Pharisees -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
In today's scripture we find Jesus being challenged by the Pharisees, the legal-minded religious lea
Heart, soul, mind, strength -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B
Teachers: Use the portion of scripture, "Love the Lord with
Now you see it, now you don't -- John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Day of Pentecost - C
Parents or Teachers: When the sun shines in the summer it is a good time to explore shadows and what
You welcomed me -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A
Teachers: Often children wonder what they can do to
Samantha and Henry -- John 10:11-18 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
Materials 2-inch white pom-pom 3/4-inch white pom-pom
Embarrassed -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C
Teachers or Parents: One of the biggest fears we all have in
God's word -- John 1:1-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Teachers or Parents: In the middle of all the activity

Children's sermon

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Becoming a Servant -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Anna Shirey -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: How can we help our children encounter this Holy Week in a new way?
A Servant to All -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: This is another of Jesus' teachings designed to help the disciples understand
Sharing Your Need -- Mark 10:46-52 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: This passage about Bartimaeus invites some interesting questions about our re
When Friends Betray Us -- John 18:1--19:42 -- Anna Shirey -- Good Friday - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: This is probably one of the darkest lessons we will have to teach our childre
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Ghoul? -- John 11:32-44 -- Anna Shirey -- All Saints Day - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Children are likely to have mixed feelings about Halloween.
The Most Important Thing -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: It all comes down to love, doesn't it?
A Surprise Ending -- John 20:1-18 -- Anna Shirey -- Easter Day - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: This story is so familiar to us we might not recognize the resurrection as a
We Are God's Hands -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: We are all pretty familiar with the story of the widow's mite, how Jesus comm
The Proof Is in the Touching! -- John 20:19-31 -- Anna Shirey -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Too often, I think, we have held up the story of Thomas as an example of the
Listen Closely! -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: We don't want to use this passage in Mark as a way of frightening the childre
Dinner with Jesus -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Anna Shirey -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Here we have another one of these miraculous revelation stories, where Jesus
Seek Ye First -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Anna Shirey -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: This is a very familiar verse to most of us and a good reminder for Thanksgiv
A True Friend -- John 10:11-18 -- Anna Shirey -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: If we've lived long enough, most of us have had the experience of friends we
A Different Kind of King -- John 18:33-37 -- Anna Shirey -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: The last Sunday before we begin the season of Advent, this Sunday is called C
Abiding in God -- John 15:1-8 -- Anna Shirey -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: During these spring months, one descriptor of God comes clear -- creativity.
Be the Clay! -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Anna Shirey -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 2012
First Thoughts
I Have Chosen You -- John 15:9-17 -- Anna Shirey -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: In many church doctrines, the power and responsibility of choice seems to res
Now I See! -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Anna Shirey -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2012
First Thoughts
Sent Out as Christ -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Anna Shirey -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: As we enter this celebration of Ascension and prepare for Pentecost, we're go
Not of the World -- John 17:6-19 -- Anna Shirey -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Ever since the church began, there has been an ongoing struggle with the ques
The Spirit that Guides Us -- Day of Pentecost -- Anna Shirey -- 2012
First Thoughts: As we celebrate the birthday of the church, we can also revisit our own first
As Iron Sharpens Iron -- John 3:1-17 -- Anna Shirey -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Today's lesson contains one of the most familiar passages in the Bible: "For
A House Unified -- Mark 3:20-35 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: If we read the entire passage for this Sunday we are struck with how many les
The Weedy Kingdom -- Mark 4:26-34 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: We are all likely familiar with this evocative parable, which compares the ki
Quieting the Storm -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: This story is almost magical and is likely to appeal to young children.

Sermon

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For November 16, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
Another natural disaster has flattened a number of coastal communities. Despite the weather and major television station warnings, and government disaster preparations, the dystopian destruction nightmare of Luke 21 has decimated another community. Also, it is reasonable to believe that this is not the last year for hurricanes, Tsunami’s, wild fires, mudslides and tornados. They will occur again. However as weary citizens are interviewed in one group of people with the background of homes in rubble and streets still draining flood waters, they will not leave. This is their home.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Isaiah 65:17-25 and Isaiah 12

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. (v. 25)

A week after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, country singer Toby Keith — who died Feb. 5, 2024 — wrote a patriotic ballad titled “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” It was filled with populist fighting rhetoric that matched the mood of a nation shaken by the shocking death and destruction of that day.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A blood pressure monitor. It is actually called a sphygmomanometer, and is pronounced “sfig·mow·muh·naa’·muh·tr”.

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The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
-- Isaiah 12:3

John W. Clarke
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world understands that Jesus is the hope of the world and that any teaching that leads away from that fact is a false teaching. No matter what, no matter when, Jesus will be there to give us life.

Scott Suskovic
Whoever does not work should not eat!
-- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT)

Wow! Kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it? Not a lot of ambiguity in that rule. "You don't work, you don't eat." For a religion based on grace, it seems a bit unyielding.

Mark Ellingson
Freedom is such a lovely word, a compelling image. What is freedom? How would you define it? What does it mean to you? Webster's New World Dictionary defines freedom as being exempt from control or from arbitrary restrictions. Freedom is said to be the ability to choose or determine one's own actions.

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