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Children's Activity

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Authority -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B
Teachers or Parents: Jesus has authority -- power. To
Peace! -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A
Teachers or Parents: Teach your children the deeper concepts
Jesus, the forgiving teacher -- Luke 23:33-43 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C
Today we celebrate Christ the King.
Following isn't easy -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A
Teachers or Parents: Children need to be taught early that
Lost and found -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C
Teachers: This week's lesson is a good one to act out.
A baptism and a beginning -- Matthew 3:13-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A
Today our lesson is about the baptism of Jesus.
Worried -- Luke 10:38-42 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C
Teachers or Parents: Children can teach adults a great deal
"What's more important?" -- John 6:25-35 -- Thanksgiving Day - C
Teachers or Parents: Thanksgiving is a good time to look at
When Jesus comes back -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
Teachers or Parents: Make an Advent countdown calendar. On
It's good to be a sheep -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C
Teachers or Parents: The beginning of a new year is always a good
Who gave the most? -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B
Teachers or Parents: Children, at a very early age, can learn
Jesus-time -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Materials A drawing of a Bible (1 for each child)
What belongs to God -- Matthew 22:15-22 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A
Parents: Healthy stewardship practices begin at home and
"Bad news; good news" -- Luke 21:10-19 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Teachers or Parents: Some children get quite frightened by
Unfunny laughter -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B
Teachers or Parents: Ridicule is a form of social control.
Planting seeds -- Matthew 13:1-9 (28-23) -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A
Parents and Teachers: This morning's lesson is the Parable Of
Paired with Jesus -- Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A
Materials: A small round rock for each child Paper towels
God's children -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B
Teachers: Jesus told his disciples to let the children come to
Welcoming people into our homes and hearts -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C
Materials:Large piece of paper to put on the wall
There's always enough -- John 6:1-21 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B
Teachers or Parents: We need to make our children aware that
"That's not fair!" -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A
Teachers or Parents: Many adults have trouble understanding
Attracted to Jesus -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Materials Popsicle sticks, 8 for each picture frame Glue Paint
The prize of heaven -- Matthew 22:1-14 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A
Macaroni or other pasta, beads, etc.
Rich and poor -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Teachers or Parents: A great story that supplements today's
Who is calling? -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
Teachers: This week's first lesson and gospel theme have

Children's sermon

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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.
Sheep or Goat? -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Anna Shirey -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2012
First Thoughts
Untouchable? -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Jesus' healing stories are miraculous demonstrations of Jesus' power, but the
A Prophet in Her Hometown -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: It is hard for us to realize, sometimes, how God can speak and work through j
Breaking a Promise -- Mark 6:14-29 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: The story about the beheading of John the Baptist is pretty disturbing, but i
Resting in Green Pastures -- Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Our passage from Mark shows Jesus doing something he did frequently, but also
What is a neighbor? -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2011
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. (v. 10)
Only you -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2011
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of ri
Word for all -- Romans 16:25-27 -- Leah Thompson -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
But is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, accor
Impossible -- Luke 1:26-38 -- Leah Thompson -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
For nothing will be impossible with God. (v. 37)
To eat or not to eat... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Leah Thompson -- 2011
Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord.
Receive -- John 20:19-23 -- Leah Thompson -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2011
When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (v.
Emptied -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Leah Thompson -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2011
But emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
A purifying clean -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Leah Thompson -- The Nativity of our Lord - B -- 2011
He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for hims
Big numbers -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2011
Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times." (v. 22)

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New & Featured This Week

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
In the sometimes-tiresome debate over science and scripture with respect to creation, it’s easy to become distracted. While the argument typically requires a focus on the how, we may lose sight of the what. And so, for just a moment, let me invite us to think for a moment about what God created.
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas
Acts 8:26-40
As a local church pastor, I was often asked if I would baptize a child whose family were not members of the church. Some churches rebelled against this, but I remember this scripture — the hunger for understanding and inclusion of the Eunuch and Philp’s response — to teach and share and baptize in the name of our God. How could we turn anyone away from the rite of baptism?

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Dad, I think you worked a miracle.” Rolf slowly walked around the tree. “After that windstorm, I assumed this tree was as good as gone.”

“We just needed to give the branches time to heal and come back,” Michael replied.

 “I know, but so many of them were battered and broken I figured that it couldn’t recover. Now though it looks just like it did before the storm.” Rolf paused. “Do you think it will bear any fruit this summer?”

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John Jamison
Object: A live plant that produces fruit, and a broken branch from that plant. I used a tomato plant from a local greenhouse. Ideally, find a plant with blossoms or small fruit already growing. If you use a different kind of fruit-producing plant, just change the script to fit.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Elena Delhagen
Dean Feldmeyer
Quantisha Mason-Doll
For April 28, 2024:
  • On The Way To Gaza by Chris Keating based on Acts 8:26-40. On the way to Gaza, Philip discovers the startling ways the Spirit of God moves across borders, boundaries, customs, and traditions.
  • Second Thoughts: Abiding by Katy Stenta based on John 15:1-8.
  • Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Tom Willadsen, Elena Delhagen, Dean Feldmeyer.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. In our service today, let us absorb from the vine all the nourishment we need.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes our branches become cut off from the vine.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes our branches are withered.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we fail to produce good fruit.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Stan Purdum
We will meet Psalm 22 in its entirety on Good Friday, but here the lectionary designates just verses 23-31. The lectionary psalms generally illuminate the week's First Lesson, which in this case is about the covenant initiated by God with Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17. The nine verses from this psalm, while not inappropriate, nonetheless leave us looking for an obvious connection with the First Lesson.

John S. Smylie
I think some people are natural-born gardeners. Our Lord grew up in a society that was familiar with agriculture. The images that he used to explain the ways of his Father in heaven are familiar to his audience. Growing up, my closest experience to agriculture was living in, "the Garden State." Most people, when they pass through New Jersey, are surprised to see that expression on the license plates of vehicles registered in New Jersey. Most folks traveling through New Jersey experience the megalopolis, the corridor between New York City and Washington DC.
Ron Lavin
A pastor in Indiana went to visit an 87-year-old man named Ermil, who was a hospital patient. A member of his church told the pastor about this old man who was an acquaintance. "He's not a believer, but he is really in need," the church member said. "I met him at the county home for the elderly. He's a lonely old man with no family and no money."

Paul E. Robinson
"Love is a many splendored thing...." Or so we heard Don Cornwall and the Four Aces sing time and again. Of course you or I might have other words to describe love, depending on our situation.

Love. "I love you." "I love to play golf." "I just love pistachio lush!" "It's tough to love some people." "Jesus loves me, this I know."

Love.

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