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God is there -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. (v. 20)
Don't worry -- Matthew 6:24-34 -- 2008
Therefore do not worry, saying, "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?"
Healing the blind -- John 9:1-41 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva
Be prepared -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2008
Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. (v. 8b)
Following directions -- Matthew 4:12-23 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2007
He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory
Reflecting God's love -- Luke 6:20-31 -- All Saints Day - C -- 2007
Do to others as you would have them do to you. (v. 31)
All the nations -- Revelation 21:10, 23--22:5 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. (v. 26)
Will you remember? -- 2 Peter 1:16-21 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 2007
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on
Working together -- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right,
Your home -- John 14:23-29 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father
Mysteries of God -- Colossians 1:15-28 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2007
I became its servant according to God's commission that was given to me for
Transfigured -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 2007
And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his
No more hiding -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
When Jesus came to the place [the sycamore tree], he looked up and said to
The gates of heaven -- Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the
Important time -- Luke 10:38-42 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2007
But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted
Taking our sins away -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 2007
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we
You are chosen -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved
Joining Jesus -- John 17:20-26 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the
A trick -- Colossians 2:6-19 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2007
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit,
No more ugly faces -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 2007
And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they
Changes -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
Indeed they cannot die any more, because they are like angels and are children
Freedom -- Romans 8:14-27 -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2007
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have
How to pray -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2007
So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock,
Our knot -- Romans 5:12-19 -- First Sunday in Lent - A -- 2007
But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died though the one
Work -- 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone

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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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