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Children's Activity

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Sore afraid -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Who I am -- John 10:22-30 -- Leah Thompson -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
The least of these -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Leah Thompson -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
The Christian uniform -- John 13:31-35 -- Leah Thompson -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Keep the word -- John 14:23-29 -- Leah Thompson -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Whodunit? -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Leah Thompson -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Storytellers -- John 17:20-26 -- Leah Thompson -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Hit it, maestro! -- John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Leah Thompson -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Hear it now -- John 16:12-15 -- Leah Thompson -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Sharing love -- Matthew 22:34-46 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Hallelujah! -- John 20:1-18 -- Easter Day - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Never hungry -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Believe -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Serving others -- Matthew 23:1-12 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Bread of life -- Luke 24:13-35 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Be prepared -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Our shepherd -- John 10:1-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Trustworthy -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
A place for us -- John 14:1-14 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Helping God -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Connected -- John 14:15-21 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Thankfulness -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Up to heaven -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
God's promise -- Mark 13:24-37 -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Protection -- John 17:1-11 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:

Children's sermon

CSSPlus

Recognizing Jesus! -- Luke 2:22-40 -- John Jamison -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - B -- 2023
Object: Seven silver coins to represent shekels.
Take Off the Gloves! -- Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 -- John Jamison -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 2023
Object: A pair of medical gloves for each child.
Transfiguration -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- John Jamison -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 2023
Object: A bright flashlight.
Training! -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- John Jamison -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2023
Object: Three eggs and three, small “Nerf” balls.
Show and Tell! -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- John Jamison -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 2023
Object: Create cards for a game of Charades.
Do Not Be Afraid! -- Matthew 10:24-39 -- John Jamison -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 2023
Object: A penny for each child.
Tempting! -- Matthew 4:1-11 -- John Jamison -- First Sunday in Lent - A -- 2023
Object:  A cookie, a trophy or award of some kind, and a pair of socks.
Try -- Matthew 10:40-42 -- John Jamison -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2023
Object: Three plastic or paper cups like those you get when you buy a soda.
Listening -- John 3:1-17 -- John Jamison -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 2023
Object: A diploma.
Rest -- Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 -- John Jamison -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A -- 2023
Object: A large cardboard box with the following things inside: a rock, a large boo
Seeing -- John 4:5-42 -- John Jamison -- Third Sunday in Lent - A -- 2023
Object:  A pair of tinted glasses, like sunglasses. * * *
Sowing Seeds -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- John Jamison -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2023
Object: A packet of seeds, a rock, a boot, a weed, a vegetable from the garden.
The Bowl -- John 9:1-41 -- John Jamison -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2023
Object: A small bowl made of clay or plain ceramic.
God's Garden -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- John Jamison -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2023
Object: For the most fun and impact, use a weed-eater.
Unwrapping! -- John 11:1-45 -- John Jamison -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2023
Object: Three or four rips of cloth.
God's Math -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- John Jamison -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2023
Object: A blank piece of poster paper, markers, and the attached list of numbers.
Erasing! -- Matthew 26:14--27:66 -- John Jamison -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2023
Object: A wipe-off marker board, markers, and eraser.
We're Going to Need More Baskets! -- Matthew 14:13-21 -- John Jamison -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2023
Object: A handful of dried or fresh reeds, or other material used to create woven b
Commands! -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- John Jamison -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 2023
Object: A babysitter.
Don't Be Afraid! -- Matthew 14:22-33 -- John Jamison -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A -- 2023
Object: This message includes a role-play instead of an object.
One Little Thing! -- John 18:1--19:42 -- John Jamison -- Good Friday - A -- 2023
Object: A photo album with no photos in it.
Winning! -- Matthew 28:1-10 -- John Jamison -- Easter Day - A -- 2023
Object: A rock.
Bullies -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- John Jamison -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 2023
Object: The object for today is a motion you will ask the children to make with you
From Nope to Hope! -- John 20:19-31 -- John Jamison -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2023
Object: I use black electrical tape to create the word “NOPE” on a board big enough
Influencers -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- John Jamison -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2023
Object: The object for today is a cell phone or digital tablet of some kind.

Sermon

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Proper 10 | OT 15 | Pentecost 5
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Proper 11 | OT 16 | Pentecost 6
29 – Sermons
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27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
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Proper 12 | OT 17 | Pentecost 7
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John Jamison
Object: You may present this message as a simple story, or have the children act it out as a role-play. I will show the role-play version, but you can ignore the acting pieces and just tell the story if you prefer.

Note: For the role-play version, you will need to select two girls and one boy to play the roles. You might also have a broom and a dust rag if you want to.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! Let’s get started.

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For July 20, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Amos 8:1-12, Psalm 52
Amos proclaims the word from God that punishes the people. The people are to be punished for their lack of faith, for their focus on practicing deceit, betraying honesty to their neighbors, and being impatient for the time after the Sabbath when they can focus on profit and selling their crops and wares. Oh, my! What a terrible message for people. You have been unfaithful so I will punish you. And then in the psalm, God is proclaimed to be the olive tree, that which brings blessing.
David Kalas
I have tried to find different ways of saying it so that my children don’t tire of hearing it. But the basic principle remains the same, and my kids have heard it a ton. “First things first.” They ask if they can do this or they start to do that, and I will endeavor to redirect them, saying, “Why don’t we make sure we’re doing first things first!”

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. (v. 24)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
One of Martha's earliest memories was of her little sister Mary singing and dancing in the middle of an admiring crowd of friends. Mary had always been a dancer, from the time she could walk. Privately, Martha thought she'd always been something of a show-off and ought to go on the stage, for Mary loved an audience.

SermonStudio

John E. Sumwalt
Jeanne Jones
Several years ago, before we moved to Wisconsin, I was an honorary nanny for our pastor's son, Jonathan. I took care of him from the time he was able to walk until our pastor moved, when Jonathan was about five. We had wonderful times together. One time, when I was at their house, and we had been doing some spiritual direction together, Pastor Michael asked me if I knew the name of my guardian angel.
James Evans
We are not surprised when we learn about crooks and robbers boasting about "mischief done against the godly" or "plotting destruction" all day long. The image we have in our minds about who "bad" people are, and how they conduct themselves, make such accusations completely plausible. We are less inclined to believe such things about leaders, especially respected leaders among us. We have difficulty believing someone with wealth and power would deliberately plot to do someone else harm.
Arley K. Fadness
Today's gospel from Luke 10 follows the parable of the good Samaritan. Luke positions the good Samaritan and the Mary-Martha story back to back for good reason. The parable and the story are examples of the Great Commandment "to love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself." The good Samaritan parable illustrates "love to neighbor," whereas the Mary-Martha story illustrates "love to God."
Kirk R. Webster
In the early 1990s, Wesley Nunley of Dallas completed a project he had dreamed of for decades. "I tell you, this could be a big thing," he explained. Wes then walked out to a concrete octagon in the middle of his backyard. With a beaming smile, arms raised up in excitement, the energetic retiree said, "This welcomes the UFO to land, which has never been done before."
John W. Wurster
It was the best of times. A time of prosperity and confidence, a time of relative peace, a time when most everything looked pretty good, a time when most everyone felt pretty good. It was a time maybe not unlike our own time.
H. Burnham Kirkland
Words Of Assurance
Our God is both wise and caring: afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.

Pastoral Prayer
God, we bow before you this morning, knowing that you hear every prayer. We know that in all of Creation, you are the source of life. You are the one who set the light swirling between the galaxies. The breath of your Spirit pulses through all life. You have even become flesh among us. We praise you, Lord, that in all your wonder, you have not forgotten us.

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