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A big change -- Luke 9:28-36 (37-43a) -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 2006
And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes
God spoke -- John 1:1-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his
Who is for us? -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
Whoever is not against us is for us. (v. 40)
Clothing ourselves -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in
Look-alikes -- Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
... saying, "Will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of
A special door -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little
Lost child -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to
Bold or quiet? -- Hebrews 4:12-16 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2006
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may
Human tools -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2006
Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy
The eye of the needle -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2006
Children, how hard is it to enter the kingdom of God!
The real thing -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2006
John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is
Our tears -- Hebrews 5:1-10 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2006
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud
Gifts from God -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2006
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be
Serving others -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2006
But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant....
It gets better -- John 2:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2006
[The steward said to the bridegroom], "Everyone serves the good wine first,
Jesus is like sugar -- Hebrews 7:23-28 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2006
Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always
God's helpers -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the
Shouting for Jesus -- Mark 10:46-52 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2006
Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have merc
Don't stare -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The
Old or new? -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- All Saints Day - B -- 2006
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; And I heard a loud voice from
How do you look? -- James 1:17-27 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2006
For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look
Speak kindly -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2006
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a
Jesus was sad -- John 11:32-44 -- All Saints Day - B -- 2006
Jesus began to weep. (v. 35)
Staying clean -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2006
... there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the
Pleasing the crowd -- Luke 4:21-30 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2006
And he [Jesus] said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the

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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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