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Children's Activity

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Answering the call immediately -- Matthew 4:12-23 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A
Materials:Store-bought placemat (one per child) Sandpaper
What is prayer? -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C
For such a simple thing, prayer is really intimidating for some people.
Help the children -- Mark 9:30-37 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B
Teachers or Parents: The words of Jesus about children give us an
Each From Their Own Place -- Luke 13:22-30 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
Parents or Teachers: The lesson today is about people coming from the
Kind of like baptism -- Luke 2:21
Teachers or Parents: Celebrate the new year by celebrating the
God's checking account -- Matthew 22:15-22 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A
Teachers: The lesson is on giving to the emperor and to God.
"The cost of discipleship" -- Luke 9:51-62 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C
Teachers or Parents: The Gospel message that we are saved as
Protection -- John 17:6-19 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B
Teachers or Parents: Protecting our children is an
He knows you so well -- Matthew 10:24-39 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A
It's amazing to consider that God knows the number of hairs on our heads.
Evidence and testimony -- John 20:1-18 -- Easter Day - C
Teachers or Parents: Today's children's sermon uses legal
Children Of God -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A
Teachers: This lesson offers you a chance to do role-playing.
A changing face -- Luke 9:28-36 (37-43a) -- Transfiguration Sunday - C
Teachers: Sometimes when children are younger, the significance and possible explanation of a partic
Give us a cheer! -- Luke 21:25-36 -- First Sunday of Advent - C
Materials A t-shirt for each child
How many know him? -- John 1:1-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - B
Teachers or Parents: Christmas has unfortunately become a
That the blind may see -- John 9:1-41 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A
Teachers or Parents: Spiritual blindness (the condition of a
Best friends -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C
Teachers: For this exercise you will need magazines to cut
Sabbath for humankind -- Mark 2:23-28 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B
Teachers or Parents: Jesus and his disciples had a meal of
What is missing? -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Small and mighty -- Mark 4:26-34 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
'God forever!' -- Mark 13:24--37 -- First Sunday of Advent - B
Teachers or Parents: This is a new year -------- a new church year, that is.
Walking in faith -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
"Beginning" -- Mark 1:1-8 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
Teachers or Parents: We are one Sunday into the new church year and we are just ahead of the calend
Where's the power? -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Good vision -- Luke 2:22-40 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - B
Teachers or Parents: Prophecy is nothing magical.
Spread the good news -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:

Children's sermon

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Judgment -- 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - A -- 2010
It is the Lord who judges me. (v. 4b)
Chance -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Leah Thompson -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2010
"Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them -- do you think that the
Monopoly -- Luke 16:1-13 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2010
"If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true r
Big shadows -- Matthew 6:24-34 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - A -- 2010
So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.
Peter and the wall -- Galatians 1:11-24 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2010
"And they glorified God because of me." (v. 24)
Friends forever -- Luke 7:11-17 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2010
"The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother." (v. 15)
Living in the Hundred-Acre Woods -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2010
"But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these." (v. 8)
Sharing -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2010
… that is, the Gentiles have become fellow-heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the pr
Salutations -- Revelation 1:4b-8, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Leah Thompson -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
"To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priest
Expert witness -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2010
He said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced
Sore afraid -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2010
When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him… (v. 3)
Under the mask -- Galatians 2:15-21 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2010
"And it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.
Good treasure -- 2 Timothy 1:1-14 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2010
"Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us." (v.
Relativity -- Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2010
"Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great
Doing what you're ought -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2010
"So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, 'We are worthless slave
Invisible armor -- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2008
Put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
Do not worry -- Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 (29-31) -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A -- 2008
For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to
Dwelling -- Romans 8:6-11 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who
Trustworthy -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2008
You have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many
Do something -- Matthew 14:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2008
Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
A beach home -- Matthew 7:21-29 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A -- 2008
The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it
God's time -- John 11:1-45 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
... after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the
Jesus' body -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2008
And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all
The message -- Romans 10:5-15 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A -- 2008
And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, "How
Listen to God -- Romans 4:13-25 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 2008
No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew

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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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