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Children's Activity

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Breath of God -- John 20:19-23 -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Making disciples -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Don't worry -- Matthew 6:24-34 -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
A beach home -- Matthew 7:21-29 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Taking care of you -- Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Can I do it? -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Birds and hair -- Matthew 10:24-39 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Welcome -- Matthew 10:40-42 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Connected to Jesus -- Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
NULL -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Weeds -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
The kingdom -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Do something -- Matthew 14:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Walking on water -- Matthew 14:22-33 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Never give up -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Great faith -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Stumbling blocks -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
God is there -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Always forgive -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
God's best friends -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Healing the blind -- John 9:1-41 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Actions are important -- Matthew 21:23-32 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
God's time -- John 11:1-45 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
The cornerstone -- Matthew 21:33-46 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Shiny money -- Matthew 26:14--27:66 -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:

Children's sermon

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Gone Fishing, Again -- John 21:1-19 -- John Jamison -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2022
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.
A Pretty Special Gift! -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- John Jamison -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2022
Object: Three signs, like those you might hold at a rally; a poster on a stick.
Who Are You? -- John 10:22-30 -- John Jamison -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2022
Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem.
A Pretty Special Gift #2! -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- John Jamison -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2022
Object: You need just a few pieces of clothing to dress six children.
A New Command -- John 13:31-35 -- John Jamison -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2022
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
A Pretty Special Gift #3! -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- John Jamison -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2022
Object: A video camera. One on your phone is just fine.
What Do You Want? -- John 5:1-9 -- John Jamison -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2022
One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
A Pretty Special Gift #4! -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- John Jamison -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2022
Object: An empty plastic jug, like a plastic milk jug from the store.
Never Alone -- Luke 24:44-53 -- John Jamison -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2022
I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have
A Pretty Special Gift #5! -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- John Jamison -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2022
Object: A cardboard box about the size of a small cradle, filled with straw or shre
One! -- John 17:20-26 -- John Jamison -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2022
The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one
Seeing Jesus! -- John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- John Jamison -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2022
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” (v. 8)
Contacts! -- John 16:12-15 -- John Jamison -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2022
I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the S
The Other Side -- Luke 8:26-39 -- John Jamison -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2022
They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 
Looking Backward! -- Luke 9:51-62 -- John Jamison -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2022
Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my fam
Cleaning Our Shoes! -- Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 -- John Jamison -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2022
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is ther
God's Thinking -- Mark 8:27-38 -- John Jamison -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2021
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the e
Focus -- Mark 1:9-15 -- John Jamison -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2021
Hi, everyone! (Let them respond.) Who can tell me what I have here in my hand?
Being First! -- Mark 9:30-37 -- John Jamison -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2021
Object: A trophy or other award of some kind.
Follow Me! -- Mark 8:31-38 -- John Jamison -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2021
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disci
Being Salty -- Mark 9:38-50 -- John Jamison -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2021
Object: A saltshaker, a stone, glue, salt, and a knife to scrape the stone.
Real Value -- John 2:13-22 -- John Jamison -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2021
In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tabl
A Childish Faith -- Mark 10:2-16 -- John Jamison -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2021
Object: A list of rules, or a sign with rules you might see at a pool or school.
Night Lights -- John 3:14-21 -- John Jamison -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2021
Note: Just be aware that some children may feel embarrassed if others knew they use
The Rich Man -- Mark 10:17-31 -- John Jamison -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2021
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. 

Sermon

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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?”

CSSPlus

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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