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Children's Activity

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Attracted to Jesus -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Materials Popsicle sticks, 8 for each picture frame Glue Paint
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
"That's not fair!" -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A
Teachers or Parents: Many adults have trouble understanding
Using bread to remember -- Luke 24:13-35 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A
Teachers or Parents: Take the bread used for the object lesson
Come and see -- John 1:29-42 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A
In some circles, the word "evangelism" is intimidating.
Prayer line -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C
Teachers or Parents: Prayer is an important part of our
The Light -- Luke 2:22-40 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B
Teachers or Parents: With the secular tie of Groundhog Day
But my faith is so tiny! -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
I have a lot of childhood memories of watching things grow, mainly because my mother was an avid gar
Attract and repel -- John 10:22-30 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C
Teachers: Jesus talked about sheep and shepherds in many of his stories.
Who is calling? -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
Teachers: This week's first lesson and gospel theme have
Lazarus, Come Out! -- John 11:1-53 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A
Teachers: Tell this story to your class. Have them create a
A wise nation is a godly nation -- Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A
Teachers or Parents: We need to instill in our children a
Popular John -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
Teachers or Parents: Bring a newspaper or news magazine.
Let's go fishing -- Mark 1:14-20 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B
Teachers: Jesus called his first disciples from their jobs at
The Bread And The Cup -- Matthew 26:14--27:66 -- Passion Sunday - A
Teachers: The Passion narrative reading for this Sunday is
The parable of the sower -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A
Teachers or Parents: The Parable of the Sower shows us that
A great man -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
Teachers or Parents: Certainly a primary message Jesus gave
God's house is special -- John 2:13-22 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B
Materials Pictures of a church, a school, and a house
Liar's memory -- John 8:31-36 -- Reformation Sunday - A
Teachers or Parents: Lying is a sin and sin is a lie. Both
"Getting strong" -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
Teachers or Parents: The source of our faith is the Word of
The first miracle -- John 2:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Teachers or Parents: In this modern era when there are many in
Don't worry! -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B
Teachers or Parents: Worry is something that permeates our
Another name -- Mark 8:27-35
Teachers or Parents: We often hold the saints up as being
"Bare or green?" -- Luke 21:25-36 -- First Sunday of Advent - C
Teachers or Parents: Advent is a distinct season from

Children's sermon

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Strengthened to Serve -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Anna Shirey -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2013
First Thoughts
Counting the Cost -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2013
First Thoughts
Who Has the Power? -- John 18:1--19:42 -- Anna Shirey -- Good Friday - C -- 2013
First Thoughts
The Lost Is Found! -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2013
First Thoughts
The New Beginning -- John 20:1-18 -- Anna Shirey -- Easter Day - C -- 2013
First Thoughts
The Kindness Wheel -- Luke 16:1-13 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2013
First Thoughts
Jesus Breathes Peace -- John 20:19-31 -- Anna Shirey -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2013
First Thoughts
The Greatest Abyss -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2013
First Thoughts
Do You Love Me? -- John 21:1-19 -- Anna Shirey -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
First Thoughts
Increase Our Faith! -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - 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

Sermon

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Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
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30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For July 6, 2025:
  • Who Is My Neighbor? by Tom Willadsen based on 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20; Psalm 30.

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John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
2 Kings 5:1-14
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Stan Purdum
Carlos Wilton
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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