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Children's Activity

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Get rid of bad habits -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B
Teachers: This week's lesson, in essence, reminds Christians
Don't worry! -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B
Teachers or Parents: Worry is something that permeates our
Show us -- John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Day of Pentecost - C
Teachers or Parents: Both lessons today talk about the
The peanut butter -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- Second Sunday of Advent - A
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Another name -- Mark 8:27-35
Teachers or Parents: We often hold the saints up as being
"Getting strong" -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
Teachers or Parents: The source of our faith is the Word of
Anyone who loves God -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B
Teachers: There are two phrases in this lesson worth having
Tell God your troubles -- Luke 18:1-8 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
Have you ever been pestered? It's annoying, isn't it?
What Jesus left his friends -- John 14:23-29 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C
Teachers: The Holy Spirit is promised to Jesus' friends in our lesson today.
Getting in God's way -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A
Teachers or Parents: It is a fact of church life that some
The same in any language -- Acts 2:1-21 -- Day of Pentecost - A
Teachers: (This activity is based in the Second Lesson, not
"Things don't last" -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C
Teachers or Parents: It is very easy for children to
God's prophets tell the truth -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Teachers or Parents: God makes it clear in the Bible that His
So much from so little -- Matthew 14:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A
Ah ... the feeding of the 5,000. Today's story is a classic.
The parable of the weeds -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A
Teachers or Parents: Here again we see a parable that shows
O come, O come, Emmanuel -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
Teachers or Parents: Teach the children the words to the
Stuck together by love -- John 3:14-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B
Materials Several colors of sturdy yarn, cut in 8-inch lengths
Eye of the needle -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B
Teachers: Jesus tells a rich man that it is easier for a camel
What makes a king a king? -- John 18:33-37 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B
Teachers or Parents: On this last Sunday in the church year, we
Three, yet One -- John 16:12-15 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C
Teachers or Parents: Today's object lesson will stay with the
The joy of our favorite room -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
No illusion here! -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
Teachers or Parents: Optical illusions are used in today's
"Remember to say thanks" -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C
Teachers or Parents: We live in what is rapidly becoming a
From the Father -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Teachers or Parents: Last week's activity used edible play
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.

Children's sermon

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Jesus Breathes Peace -- John 20:19-31 -- Anna Shirey -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2013
First Thoughts
Increase Our Faith! -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2013
First Thoughts
Do You Love Me? -- John 21:1-19 -- Anna Shirey -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
First Thoughts
Who's the Main Attraction? -- John 6:1-21 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: This passage from John has a lot in it, and it is tempting for us to focus on
Bread that Makes Hungry -- John 6:24-35 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Often we hear faith described as a solution to a problem, such as helping us
Wearing the Right Glasses -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: This passage from John is a continuation of Jesus' earlier discourse on being
My Father's Business -- Luke 2:41-52 -- Anna Shirey -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2012
First Thoughts
Feasting on Wisdom -- John 6:51-58 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: We're going to examine this passage from John through the lens of the other l
Christ Is Born! -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Anna Shirey -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2012
First Thoughts
Sticking With It! -- John 6:56-69 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: In this passage from John we see an interesting dynamic among those who are f
Making Room -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Anna Shirey -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2012
First Thoughts
Shaking Things Up -- Mark 7:14-15, 21-23 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: In this Mark passage we see Jesus struggling once again with his old debate p
Waiting for God -- Luke 25:25-36 -- Anna Shirey -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2012
First Thoughts: Advent gives us a great opportunity to participate in the spiritual practice
Open Your Ears! -- Mark 7:24-37 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Here we have an interesting combination of healing stories.
Keep Your Eyes Open! -- Luke 3:1-6 -- Anna Shirey -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2012
First Thoughts
What Goes In Must Come Out! -- Mark 8:27-38 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: This is an interesting encounter between Jesus and Peter, as so many of their
Taking Up the Cross -- Mark 8:31-38 -- Anna Shirey -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Today's passage introduces a difficult concept in the life of a Christian --
Giving with Nothing Gained -- Mark 9:30-37 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: As we revisit this story about Jesus welcoming children, we can spend some ti
Raising the Temple -- John 2:13-22 -- Anna Shirey -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: In order to teach this passage to our children, we need to discern the differ
Salted with Fire -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: In this passage it becomes clear that Jesus' main concern isn't what we call
Learning to Swim -- John 3:14-21 -- Anna Shirey -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: The gospel of John is a difficult treatise even for scholars to understand.
Enough Room? -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: If we look at the entire passage here we see questions about the nature of re
The 'Lost' Fruit -- John 12:20-33 -- Anna Shirey -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: In just another two weeks we will be encountering the sorrow and loss of the
Leaving It All Behind -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Here we read Jesus' teachings on radical discipleship.
A Waste of Time? -- Mark 14:1--15:47 -- Anna Shirey -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: The assigned lectionary reading for Passion Sunday is very long and full of p

Sermon

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Proper 28 | OT 33 | Pentecost 23
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4 – Pastor's Devotions
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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.

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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.

Special Occasion

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