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Rick McCracken-Bennett

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Forgive Us -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2009
I'm ashamed to say that too often I behave like the guy laying in bed with his family refusing to ge
Stuff! -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2009
It's everywhere you look.
Don't Be Afraid -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2009
"Don't be afraid." How many times have we heard those words in our lifetime?
What If The Disciples Had Email And One Of The Disciples Was A Woman? -- Luke 13:10-17 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2009
From: Priscilla@galilee.net
But I Really Like The Best Seat In The House! -- Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2009
Years ago I was a director of alcohol and drug programs in a neighboring county.
Finish What You Start -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2009
I remember as I was growing up, before gas became more precious than gold, that our family would go
Where Would You Go To Meet Jesus? -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2009
I remember reading in a church development book some time ago of the experiences of a church planter
How Do You Know The Good Guys From The Bad Guys? -- Luke 16:1-13 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2009
I'm going to dispense with the niceties and cut to the chase.
When The Going Gets Tough ... The Tough Start Praying! -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2009
Ever since the sign went up on our property that our church was coming I've gotten phone calls from
The Great Divide -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2009
I have to admit, this is not the Jesus I'm comfortable with.
The Great Divide -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2009
Some of us are old enough to remember the old Cat Stevens' tune, "Father And Son." That song, as you

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Stuff! -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2009
It's everywhere you look.
The Great Divide -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2009
Some of us are old enough to remember the old Cat Stevens' tune, "Father And Son." That song, as you

Stories

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Where Have All The Good Samaritans Gone? -- Luke 10:25-37, Colossians 1:1-14, Amos 7:7-17, Psalm 82 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, David E. Leininger -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2022
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
Follow The Star -- Isaiah 43:1-7, Acts 8:14-17, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22, Psalm 29 -- David E. Leininger, David O. Bales, Terry Cain, Rick McCracken-Bennett, Frank R. Fisher -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2022
Note: This installment was originally published in 2007.Contents
Free Stories/illustrations For Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 -- Luke 16:25 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2007
The Rich Man's Table By Rick McCracken-Bennett Luke 16:19-31
The Boy Who Always Told The Truth -- Luke 13:10-17, Hebrews 12:18-29, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, John S. Smylie -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2007
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
Contentment -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31, Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15, Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16 -- David E. Leininger, Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2007
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Contentment" by David Leininger
Signs, Signs, Signs! -- Luke 19:1-10, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12, Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, David E. Leininger -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
Contents What's Up This Week
Lessons Of A Farmer -- Matthew 11:2-11, James 5:7-10, Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 146:5-10 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, Sandra Herrmann -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Contents What's Up This Week
God's Dinner Bell -- Luke 13:1-9, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Isaiah 55:1-9, Psalm 63:1-8 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, David E. Leininger, Richard A. Jensen -- Third Sunday in Lent - C
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "God's Dinner Bell" by Rick McCracken-Bennett
Why? -- Luke 22:14--23:56, Philippians 2:5-11, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-16 -- C. David Mckirachan, Rick McCracken-Bennett, John E. Sumwalt, Fanny Lee Seville, Scott Dalgarno, David E. Leininger -- Passion Sunday - C
Passion/Palm SundayIsaiah 50:4-9a Philippians 2:5-11
Rejoice In The Lord -- Luke 3:7-18, Philippians 4:4-7, Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, Frank R. Fisher, Christina Seibel, Timothy F. Merrill -- Third Sunday of Advent - C
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
The Wisest Person I've Ever Known -- John 6:51-58, 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14, Ephesians 5:15-20, Psalm 111 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, C. David Mckirachan, Susan K. Hedahl -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "Carpe Kairos"
Talking To God -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17, Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 10:17-31, Psalm 26 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
One Day In Paradise -- John 18:33-37, Revelation 1:4b-8, 2 Samuel 23:1-7, Psalm 132:1-12 (13-18) -- Frank R. Fisher, David O. Bales, C. David Mckirachan, Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
A Thanksgiving Reflection -- Matthew 6:25-33, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Joel 2:21-27, Psalm 126 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, C. David Mckirachan, David O. Bales, Frank R. Fisher -- Thanksgiving Day - B
NOTE: This installment covers both Thanksgiving Day and Christ The King Sunday.
Here Am I; Send Me! -- Luke 5:1-11, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13), Psalm 138 -- Stan Purdum, Rick McCracken-Bennett -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Here Am I; Send Me!" by Stan Purdum
The Lamb -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35, Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 -- John E. Sumwalt, Rick McCracken-Bennett, C. David Mckirachan, Fanny Lee Seville, Scott Dalgarno, David E. Leininger -- Maundy Thursday - C
Passion/Palm SundayIsaiah 50:4-9a Philippians 2:5-11
Betrayal In The Third Grade -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Hebrews 10:16-25, John 18:1--19:42, Psalm 22:1-15 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, John E. Sumwalt, C. David Mckirachan, Fanny Lee Seville, Scott Dalgarno, David E. Leininger -- Good Friday - C
Passion/Palm SundayIsaiah 50:4-9a Philippians 2:5-11
Everything Old Is New Again -- John 13:31-35, Revelation 21:1-6a, Acts 11:1-18, Psalm 148 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, Timothy F. Merrill, David E. Leininger -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
E-Mails To Home: What If Paul Had An E-Mail Account? -- Luke 7:11-17, Galatians 1:11-24, 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Psalm 146 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, John S. Smylie -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
Follow The Star -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12, Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 -- David E. Leininger, David O. Bales, Terry Cain, Rick McCracken-Bennett, Frank R. Fisher -- Epiphany of the Lord - A
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Follow The Star" by David Leininger
E-Mails To Home: What If Paul Had An E-Mail Account? -- Luke 7:11-17, Galatians 1:11-24, 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Psalm 146 -- Rick McCracken-Bennett, John S. Smylie -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let’s get started!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For June 22, 2025:

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,  for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.  As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (vv. 25-28)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
Life can be frightening sometimes. Thus it is both comforting but disconcerting to find a giant of faith like Elijah to fear the future. On that matter Martin Luther once claimed:
David Kalas
We’re not far from the 4th of July. And while for so many Americans, it seems that the holiday has become more about long weekends, cookouts, and fireworks shows, the theme of freedom is still there at least in the background. We might take advantage of that, therefore, and give some thought to the theme of freedom as it is revealed in our assigned texts for this week.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

The madman cried out to Jesus, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" In our worship today let us explore what Jesus has to do with us and invite him to heal our brokenness.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, we often find ourselves thinking, saying and doing things that we quickly regret.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Constance Berg
When Jill was five, she began to have headaches. The headaches were so severe she would throw up. Sometimes she would pass out. They usually came once a month. Jill could be playing, resting, or watching television when the headaches would come. Her only warning was a sudden pain in her head, then a blinding light would appear, and she would be rocked with pain. In her teenage years, they became debilitating, causing Jill to be in bed for three days at a time.
Stan Purdum
I'm not sure when the term "burn out" ceased being only a description of what happened to a campfire when you ran out of firewood to a term describing the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest, usually coming immediately after an extended period of overwork, but the expression seems to fit that later situation, doesn't it? Exhaustion, deep weariness, all used up, nothing more to give, wiped out, burned out -- call it what we will, its symptoms are all too familiar to many of us.
April Yamasaki
In the classic movie, Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews plays a no-nonsense, yet delightful, nanny to two young children. As a nanny to a wealthy family, she is part teacher, part parent, and part disciplinarian. She gets the children up in the morning, puts them to bed at night, supervises their many adventures, and guides them in many ways. While they are in her care, she is responsible for their overall safety and well-being.

Julia Ross Strope
Zoos are no longer in people's good graces.
Religion faces the same problem.
Certain illusions about freedom plague them both.
-- Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Call To Worship
Leader: I'm so glad you're here! There are seats for everyone; there's slight air movement; the windows engender tranquility and imagination and words will stimulate fresh thoughts.

People: It's good to be here, in sanctuary. We're glad for opportunities to gather and to express our gratitude to God and our appreciation for one another.

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