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Only once -- Hebrews 9:11-14 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
He entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves,
Does God care? -- James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2006
Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the
A firm Christian -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C -- 2006
... if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you -- unless you have
The most special place -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God.
Take a risk -- Mark 8:27-38 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their
Catching people -- Luke 5:1-11 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C -- 2006
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be
Be filled with joy -- 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C -- 2006
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be
Bad stains -- Hebrews 9:24-28 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by
Tongues of fire -- James 3:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! (v. 5b)
Huddling with Jesus -- Luke 6:17-26 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C -- 2006
He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of
Giving all she had -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more
Take a risk -- Mark 8:27-38 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2006
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their
Transforming -- 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 2006
And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though
Confidence -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus....
Nearer to God -- James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (v. 8a)
Obstacles -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2006
We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with
Mighty Dog -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
Then Jesus began to say to them, "Beware that no one leads you astray." (v. 5)
Who is first? -- Mark 9:30-37 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be
Four rules -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2006
Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them;
Diversity -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made
Shame, shame -- Romans 10:8b-13 -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 2006
The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." (v. 11)
Bird nest improvements -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heave
Protect me, Lord -- Luke 4:1-13 -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 2006
When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an
Beginning and end -- Revelation 1:4b-8 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Alm
A to Z -- John 18:33-37 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world.

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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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