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Children's Activity

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Never a king like Jesus -- Mark 14:1--15:47 -- Passion Sunday - B
Teachers: This week's lesson tells the story of Jesus' Passion.
Our inheritance -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- New Year's Day - A
Teachers or Parents: New Year's Day is a strange one for
Don't be stingy with love -- Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C
There's an old story about a woman who calls the turkey hotline at holiday time.
Jesus' want ad -- Matthew 9:35-10:8 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A
Materials: Paper Markers, pens, crayons Scissors
Take a deep breath -- Matthew 14:22-33 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A
Materials: Markers, crayons Glitter, stickers Poster board
Seeing all of the Easter story -- Luke 22:14--23:56 -- Passion Sunday - C
Lent is coming to an end. Sometimes it seems to last
An amazing plan -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Materials:Heavy tape (duct tape is fine, it is not seen)
Pray as Jesus did -- Mark 14:1--15:47 -- Passion Sunday - B
Teachers or Parents: There is so much to talk about in the
Denying yourself -- Mark 8:31-38 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B
Materials: Popsicle (craft) sticks Thick craft glue
Help wanted! -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A
Teachers or Parents: The words of Jesus regarding few
A house of worship -- John 2:13-22 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Submission -- Matthew 26:14--27:66 -- Passion Sunday - A
Teachers or Parents: The Passion history gives us a chance to
Come into the light -- John 3:14-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B
Materials: Black construction paper White crayons or chalk
'Faith, not works' -- Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C
Teachers or Parents: The real message of this Gospel text is
Bearing fruit -- John 12:20-33 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B
Materials: Styrofoam cups Potting soil Marigold seeds
Before the cock crows twice -- Mark 14:1--15:47 -- Passion Sunday - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
A new life -- John 20:1-18 -- Easter Day - B
Materials: Clean, empty baby food jars with lids Glue
Christ is risen -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Have you anything here to eat? -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
Materials: Fish pattern(s) large enough to fit an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper
The Good Shepherd -- John 10:11-18 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
Materials: Black construction paper Popped popcorn Glue
I am the vine -- John 15:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B
Materials: Tissue paper in bright colors, cut into 8" x 10" pieces
Two by two -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B
Teachers or Parents: Jesus instructed his disciples to go out
Jesus chose you -- John 15:9-17 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B
Materials: Card stock or index cards prepared by the instructor (as below)
Thank you for caring -- John 17:6-19 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B
Materials:
What is missing? -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 -- Day of Pentecost - B
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME

Children's sermon

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Hallelujah! -- John 20:1-18 -- Easter Day - A -- 2008
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the
Welcome -- Matthew 10:40-42 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2008
Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the
Sharing Jesus -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
Love your neighbor as yourself. (v. 9)
More precious than gold -- 1 Peter 1:3-9 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
... so that the genuineness of your faith -- being more precious than gold that,
Pretending good things -- Romans 7:15-25a -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A -- 2008
But I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making
All the time -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then,
Believe -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them,
Connected to Jesus -- Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A -- 2008
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)
Open your heart -- Romans 8:1-11 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2008
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who
Always forgive -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.'' (v. 22)
No roots -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2008
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and
Fruitful labor -- Philippians 1:21-30 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2008
If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. (v. 22a)
Part of God's family -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. (Romans 8:14)
Special gifts -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2008
For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for
Weeds -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell
Actions are important -- Matthew 21:23-32 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2008
He answered, "I will not"; but later he changed his mind and went. The father
Clean souls -- 1 Peter 1:17-23 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that
Everyone wins -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 -- 2008
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ
Bread of life -- Luke 24:13-35 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and
Close to Jesus -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or
The cornerstone -- Matthew 21:33-46 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 2008
The stone that builders rejected has become the cornerstone. (v. 42b)
What should you do? -- 1 Peter 2:19-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, where is the credit in
The kingdom -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in
Rejoice -- Philippians 4:1-9 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 2008
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. (v. 4)
Our shepherd -- John 10:1-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
When he has brought out all of his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep

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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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