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Children's Activity

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Taking up the cross -- Mark 8:31-38 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B
Teachers or Parents: The idea of a person denying oneself and taking up one's cross to follow Jesus
No grudges allowed -- Mark 6:14-29 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Paying homage -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B
Teachers or Parents: Respect is not a high priority today.
Preaching from a boat -- Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Jesus feeds us -- John 6:24-35 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B
Teachers or Parents: Children can easily relate to physical food, but the spiritual food of Jesus
A kind of king -- John 6:1-21 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Who is he? -- Mark 6:14-29 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B
Teachers or Parents: Jesus' identity is still an issue.
Follow the Leader -- John 1:43-51 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
Teachers or Parents: Being a disciple of Jesus is not an easy task.
God's biggest job -- John 6:24-35 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
The right tool -- Mark 2:23--3:6 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B
Teachers or Parents: Most people and perhaps the children think of the commandments as prohibition
Gates of Heaven -- Mark 1:14-20 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B
Teachers or Parents: The gospel, in the narrowest sense of its use, is the good news that Jesus died
Words and the Word -- Luke 4:21-30 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
Teachers or Parents: Words are powerful.
The bread of life -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Which crown? -- Passion Sunday - B
Teachers or Parents: The concept of king and kingdom is foreign -- except in many children's storie
A special meal -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Bitter medicine -- John 18:1-19:42 -- Good Friday - B
Teachers or Parents: The "bitter cup" Jesus had to take goes against our sense of fairness.
The throne and the cross -- Mark 14:1--15:47 -- Passion Sunday - B
Materials Bible 1 cup whole pecans 1 teaspoon vinegar 3 egg whites
"Jesus' valentine" -- Luke 6:17-26 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C
Presenter, Teachers or Parents: Valentine's Day may be somewhat meaningless to young children and s
We are Christians -- John 6:56-69 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
One person at a time -- Matthew 9:35-10:8 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A
Teachers or Parents: Evangelism is such a simple thing -- telling the good news to one person at
The twelve harvesters -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A
Can you name the 12 disciples? There are four J's, two P's, two T's, a B, an A, an M, and an S.
Following Instructions -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B
Materials None Instructions
King Jesus -- Matthew 26:14--27:66 -- Passion Sunday - A
Teachers or Parents: If you have a Palm Sunday processional in your worship service, talk about it.
The Last Supper -- Matthew 26:14--27:66 -- Passion Sunday - A
There are a lot of very familiar themes in our gospel reading for today.
Forgive us our debts -- Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C
Teachers or Parents: The lesson stands on its own.

Children's sermon

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Centered -- Colossians 1:11-20 -- Leah Thompson -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2010
"He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (v. 17)
Pure in heart -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 2010
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (v. 8)
Foundations -- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
"For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." (v.
Perfect -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Leah Thompson -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2010
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a mang
Keep the word -- John 14:23-29 -- Leah Thompson -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
"Jesus answered him, 'Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we w
The nth power -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Leah Thompson -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2010
"God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his righ
King of the Jews -- Luke 23:33-43 -- Leah Thompson -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2010
There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews." (v. 38)
Silver and gold -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (v. 34)
Enriched -- 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2010
… For in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind. (v.
Whodunit? -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Leah Thompson -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2010
"You are witnesses of these things." (v. 48)
Happy thoughts -- Philippians 4:4-9 -- Leah Thompson -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2010
"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, w
True heroes -- Hebrews 11:29--12:2 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2010
"For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the p
Follow -- John 1:29-42 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2010
The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. (v. 37)
Being clean -- Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 -- Leah Thompson -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and
What's in a name? -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Leah Thompson -- Passion Sunday - C -- 2010
"So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Hare-brained -- John 6:25-35 -- Leah Thompson -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2010
Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs,
Bringing fire -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2010
"I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" (v. 49)
Who do you belong to? -- 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2010
What I mean is that each of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong
Storytellers -- John 17:20-26 -- Leah Thompson -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
"I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have l
Waiting out the storm -- Luke 22:14--23:56 -- Leah Thompson -- Passion Sunday - C -- 2010
"… but they kept shouting, 'Crucify, crucify him!' " (v. 23:21)
Shoemaker... or Elves? -- Romans 13:11-14 -- Leah Thompson -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2010
"The night is far gone, the day is near.
Unshakeable -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2010
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which
Follow me -- Matthew 4:12-23 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2010
Immediately they left their nets and followed him. (v. 20)
Spirited -- Romans 8:14-17 -- Leah Thompson -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2010
"For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spir
Bread of the Spirit -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Leah Thompson -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2010
"For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he com

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John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity.

Note: You will need to select six children to play roles in this activity. If you have a smaller group, you might ask some older youth or even adults to play the parts of the two attackers and the man being attacked. I will give suggestions for how they can play their roles, but feel free to help your children make the story as fun and memorable as you can. I have used boys and girls in the various roles, but you can change those however you want to change them.

* * *

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
For July 13, 2025:
  • Samaritans Among Us by Dean Feldmeyer based on Acts 2:1-21. Samaritans were despised and dismissed by the original audience who first heard Jesus tell this parable. Who are the Samaritans in our lives and how does this parable apply today?
  • Second Thoughts: The Helpers by Katy Stenta based on Amos 7:7-17.

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
I say, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals
    and fall like any prince….”
(vv. 6-7)

There have been any number of brother-sister acts that achieved a measure of fame. Take the Carpenters, famed for their singing, musicianship, and songwriting skills. Also worthy of mention are John and Joan Cusack who have acted together in over sixteen films.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
An ancient legend tells of a remote mountain village where people used to send their senior citizens out into the woods to die. The villagers had an eye to the future; they felt that those beyond a certain age would only slow down progress or use up valuable resources to no economically profitable end. Those who reached a certain age weren’t “put out to pasture” or “put out of their misery”; they were simply put out of other people’s way.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Amos 7:7-17 and Psalm 82
The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is more than 2,700 feet high—over half a mile tall. It has 160 floors and is twice as tall as the Empire State Building in New York City. It is home to the world’s fastest elevator which reaches speeds of forty miles an hour. The Burj Khalifa also hosts the world’s highest outdoor observation deck (on the 124th floor) and the world’s highest swimming pool (on the 76th floor).

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Mabel hummed a familiar hymn tune as she made her way to church. She always enjoyed her Sunday morning walk. It was one of the few times she felt safe to walk alone through the inner city, for she knew nobody would be up at 7.45 in the morning. Today was a particularly beautiful morning, with blue sky, warm sunshine, and the song of a few intrepid blackbirds who still inhabited the city.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Often, a distinction is made between the pastoral or priestly work of the church and the prophetic work. Pastoral care has to do with the care of souls, the offering of comfort in times of loss. The priestly character of pastoral work seeks to mediate the presence of God to those who are hurting.

Schuyler Rhodes
Trusting is never easy. Even in the best of relationships, people step into trust slowly. There is wariness -- questioning -- worry. What happens if trust is betrayed? What if this doesn't work? Sometimes it's like a dance. We step in and out of trust, moving to the rhythms of fear. For many, the routine is achingly familiar. Indeed, it's not easy to trust.
John Jamison
It was back in the days when the railroad was the most common mode of transportation. There were automobiles, and some airplanes, but the steam locomotive was the way most folks traveled and the way that most of the goods were distributed around the country. After dinner, people sat in the drawing room and listened to the radio programs, fading in and out from some faraway location, over the magical broadcasting signal.
Robert Leslie Holmes
Not many tourists to Washington, D.C., look for the Federal Bureau of Standards offices. It's the Capitol and the White House, the Supreme Court Building or the Smithsonian most of us want to see when we go there. Yet, at the Bureau of Standards offices something very important is stored, something that impacts your life and mine every single day. Have you ever bought the materials for a new project? When you did, most likely you purchased so many inches or feet or yards. Or, you stopped to buy gasoline for your car and purchased it at a certain price per gallon.
David O. Bales
I have the two best jobs in the world. I teach social studies at Leon Griffith Junior High School (a fairly small junior high) and I am Sunday School Superintendent at Calvary Presbyterian Church (an enormous church school). Each job is my vocation. I tell people that at school they'll find my room where the halls cross. At church they can look but probably won't find me. I'll be in someone's classroom. At each job I practice what I most deeply believe: it's how you see the world that determines how you respond to it. I'll give you an example, actually, two examples.
Erskine White
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
(Stuart K. Hine)

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