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J. Ellsworth Kalas

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The Signs Of Summer -- Luke 21:25-36 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- 2003
The season of Advent is upon us, and with it is a spirit of heaviness.
The Hinge Of History -- Luke 3:1-6 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2003
Henry Ford said that history is bunk; but history has gotten its revenge on the pioneer auto maker.
The Divine Opportunity -- Luke 3:7-18 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 2003
Opportunity comes with so many different faces that we often don't recognize it.
Songs Of The Season -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- J. Ellsworth Kalas, David Kalas -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2003
No season of the year sings as well as Christmas.
Epiphany: Glory Beyond Our Expecting -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas, David Kalas -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2003
In 1986 a relatively unknown basketball team from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock defeated
Epiphany: A Faith To Work Miracles -- John 2:1-11 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas, David Kalas -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2003
I consider it divine good fortune that we have a scripture lesson so early in the year which encoura
Epiphany: The Joy Of Fulfillment -- Luke 4:14-21 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas, David Kalas -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2003
I've read some books where it seemed the author had no purpose in writing.
From Empty Nets To Full Lives -- Luke 5:1-11 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas, David Kalas -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C -- 2003
It's funny what experiences and phrases will stay with you from childhood.
Epiphany: The Tragedy Of Rejection -- Luke 4:21-30 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas, David Kalas -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2003
In the church, most of us think of Epiphany simply as a season on the church calendar, and sometimes
God Communicates In Humanly Understandable Terms -- Luke 2:41-52 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas, David Kalas -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2003
One Christmas morning, a young widow was doing her best to make Christmas happy for her two little b
Christmas And The New Family -- John 1:1-18 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas, David Kalas -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C -- 2003
When Wilbur and Orville Wright completed their historic flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on Dec
Music From Another Room -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- 2003
Introduction
Awake To Glory -- Luke 9:28-36 (37-43a) -- J. Ellsworth Kalas, David Kalas -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 2003
Today we celebrate one of the most neglected passages in the Bible.
The Signs of Summer -- Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 1988
The season of Advent is upon us, and with it a spirit of heaviness.
Epiphany: The Tragedy of Rejection -- Luke 4:21-30 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 1988
In the church, most of us think of Epiphany simply as a season on the church calendar, and sometimes
Awake to Glory -- Luke 9:28-36 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1988
Today we celebrate one of the most neglected passages in the Bible.
The Hinge of History -- Luke 3:1-6 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 1988
Henry Ford said that history is bunk; but history has gotten its revenge on the pioneer auto maker.
The Divine Opportunity -- Luke 3:10-18 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 1988
Opportunity comes with so many different faces that we often don't recognize it.
Return to the New -- Luke 2:21 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- 1988
The shepherds in the Christmas story appeal to our sentiment, but the wise men appeal to our imagina
Epiphany: Glory Beyond Our Expecting -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1988
Several years ago a relatively unknown basketball team from the University of Arkansas at Little Roc
Epiphany: A Faith to Work Miracles -- John 2:1-11 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 1988
I consider it divine good fortune that we have a Scripture lesson so early in the year which encoura
Epiphany: The Joy of Fulfillment -- Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 1988
I've read some books where it seemed the author had no purpose in writing.
Songs of the Season -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 1988
No season of the year sings as well as Christmas.
Christmas and the New Family -- John 1:1-14 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 1988
When Wilbur and Orville Wright completed their historic flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on Dec
From Empty Nets to Full Lives -- Luke 5:1-11 -- J. Ellsworth Kalas -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C -- 1988
It's funny what experiences and phrases will stay with you from childhood.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 20 | OT 25 | Pentecost 15
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 21 | OT 26 | Pentecost 16
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 22 | OT 27 | Pentecost 17
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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Call to Worship:

His friends and followers said to Jesus, "Increase our faith!" In our worship today let us explore faith and ask that he might increase our faith too.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes I feel anxious and worried.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I find it hard to believe that you will always care for me.

Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I envy other people because of their great faith.

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Some records are made to be broken -- like Olympic speed skating; Cal Ripkin, Jr.'s, most consecutive baseball game appearances; and North Dakota's longest cow chip toss. Other records we'd prefer to let stand -- the world's deadliest disaster, or the most active hurricane season, for instance. Years 2004 and 2005 will probably make the books as among the most dramatic in weather history. Hurricanes pounded the southern coast of the USA. Floods and blizzards battered the midwest. Earthquakes devastated parts of central Asia.
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Ever since the sign went up on our property that our church was coming I've gotten phone calls from people asking when we'll have a church. I can be a smart aleck as some of you will attest and so I'm often quick to respond that we already have a church, we just don't have a building. "Well," they usually say, "give me a call when you get the building done; I'm not going to worship in a high school cafeteria." Before I can give my canned speech about the difference between a church and the building I realize I'm talking to a dead phone.
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It can be really depressing to listen to the news anymore. It doesn't matter which network you watch, everywhere you turn it's the same old bad news: natural and manmade disasters, the continuing conflicts in the Middle East and in Iraq and Afghanistan, medical miscues, entertainers gone wild and self-destructive, sports heroes disappointing us. Then there's a federal government that often seems to be, at best, incompetent or, at worst, corrupt. What makes it even more depressing is that at least 51% of us voted those currently in the White House and on Capitol Hill into office!
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You may have noticed that I read earlier from the King James Version of the Bible and not the New International Version from which I usually read. I read from a Bible that was given to me by my father which was passed on to him by his father. I read earlier from my Grandfather Carver's pulpit Bible from which he began preaching over ninety years ago and used for over forty years. Needless to say, when I accepted this Bible from my father I received it as a sacred trust.

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