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Elaine M. Ward

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Children's sermon

SermonStudio

All Kinds Of Doubts -- Mark 9:24 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
A father came to Jesus with his son who needed healing. He begged Jesus, "Help us!"
Silent Night, Holy Night -- Luke 2:1-20 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
"Thank you, Pastor, for coming to visit my sick wife, especially on Christmas Eve," said the old man
John The Baptist -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
There was once a man named John. He lived in the wilderness, the desert.
The Seed -- Mark 4:1-9 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
There once was a seed and in that seed was life. The seed was buried in the earth.
This Little Light Of Mine -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
(Bring a lamp that uses oil, such as in Jesus' time, and a basket.)
Creation -- Genesis 1:1--2:3 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
In the beginning God created Earth.
The House On The Rock -- Matthew 7:24-27 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Jesus told a story about a man who built his house upon a rock and another man who built his house u
Francis Of Assisi -- Genesis 1:31 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Once upon a time there was a man named Francis who liked to play and sing and dance.
Moses, The Baby -- Exodus 1:8--2:10 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Once upon a time there was an evil king who ordered that all boy Hebrew babies were to be killed.
The Loving Father -- Luke 15:11-32 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
"Alan, you are late again!" Alan's father's jaw twitched, which meant Alan's father was not pleased.
The Aspen And The Wind -- Mark 10:44 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
"Whoever wishes to be first must be servant of all."
One Small Raindrop -- Psalm 147:8 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
"God covers the sky with clouds; God supplies the earth with rain...."
Moses, The Man -- Exodus 3:1-4 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
"It's burning!" Moses exclaimed, looking at the bush burning before him.
Jesus' Resurrection -- Mark 16:6 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
The small, furry, green caterpillar ate its way up the stalk of grass.
The Mustard Seed -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
(Ask the children's choir or congregation to sing "Hymn of Promise" by Natalie Sleeth, #707, The Uni
David And Goliath -- Psalm 63 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
The lion slowly approached the sheep, who, eating the grass, was unaware of the lion about to eat hi
Transfiguration Sunday -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Leader, wearing dark glasses, asks the children, "Do you know why I am wearing dark glasses?" (Pause
Knowing God -- Psalm 116:1-2 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
It was a new room for Zachary. It was his first Sunday in the three-year-old nursery.
Elijah And The Voice -- 1 Kings 19:1 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Elijah was a messenger of God.
Ask Me, I Will Do It -- John 14:1-14 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Brad was a good student.
"Come And See" -- John 1:29-42 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Once a teacher asked the children at church to draw a picture of God. But they had never seen God.
Job -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Once upon a time there was a man named Job.
All Saints' Day -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
A young boy, reading about the saints, decided to become one.
Listening -- Mark 1:35 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Jesus was a healer.
Everywhere There Was God -- John 4:5-42 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
One day Jesus stopped at a well where he asked a Samaritan woman for a drink of water.

Illustration

StoryShare

We Can Be Changed -- Mark 1:1-8, Isaiah 40:1-11, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 -- Constance Berg, John E. Sumwalt, Henry Scholberg, Elaine M. Ward -- Second Sunday of Advent - B -- 2004
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "We Can Be Changed"

Sermon

SermonStudio

Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
Another Door -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Intergenerational ServiceCall To Worship:
Be Bold In The Spirit -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
Pentecost And Baptism -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
Living Water -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
"Who Stands With This Child?" -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:Come, let us stand and worship our God.
Advent And Baptism -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:O come, all ye faithful, and worship the Lord.
Easter And Baptism -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship: God is the resurrection. Come, let us worship God.
Communion: The Sacrament Of Word And Table -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
In the 1930s I grew up feeding on words.
Dancing The Sacraments -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
The Blessed Sacrament -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
Remember -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:Come, let us remember and worship God who calls us.
Healing And Forgiveness -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
Sharing The Bread -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship: Come, let us break bread together as we worship God.
Take The Bread -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
Enough For All -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
(Place a sheaf of wheat and a small bunch of purple grapes in a basket on the altar to represent
World Communion Sunday -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
(Place a variety of breads, representing different parts of the world, on the altar.
Advent And Communion -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
Easter And Communion -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
Pentecost And Communion -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
Thanksgiving And Communion -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Call To Worship:
Children And The Sacraments -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
Communion And Children
Sacrament Poems -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2004
The Gift Of BaptismAt baptism I was given a gift,
The Story Of Zacchaeus -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Winston Churchill once said, "We make a living by what we get.

Stories

StoryShare

We Can Be Changed -- Mark 1:1-8, Isaiah 40:1-11, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 -- Constance Berg, John E. Sumwalt, Henry Scholberg, Elaine M. Ward -- Second Sunday of Advent - B -- 2004
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "We Can Be Changed"

Worship

SermonStudio

Litany For Advent And Christmas Candle Lighting -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2003
LitanyFirst Sunday Of Advent(Light the first candle)
Rally Day -- Stan Purdum, Pamela J. Abbey, Elaine M. Ward -- 2001
Welcome and AnnouncementsPreludeCall to Worship
Reformation Day -- Stan Purdum, Pamela J. Abbey, Elaine M. Ward -- 2001
Welcome and AnnouncementsPreludeCall to Worship
All Saints' Day -- Stan Purdum, Pamela J. Abbey, Elaine M. Ward -- 2001
All Saints' DayService Of Worship
Thanksgiving -- Stan Purdum, Pamela J. Abbey, Elaine M. Ward -- 2001
Welcome and AnnouncementsPreludeCall to Worship
Advent Sundays -- Stan Purdum, Pamela J. Abbey, Elaine M. Ward -- 2001
Four Advent MonologuesPreface
Cousin Jochaved A Heart Prepared -- Luke 2:6-7 -- Stan Purdum, Pamela J. Abbey, Elaine M. Ward -- 2001
I'm so glad that census is over.
A Shepherd Night Watch -- Luke 2:8-15 -- Stan Purdum, Pamela J. Abbey, Elaine M. Ward -- 2001
It began as a night just like any other night.
An Angel Tidings -- Luke 2:8-14 -- Stan Purdum, Pamela J. Abbey, Elaine M. Ward -- 2001
(Angel enters, humming or whistling "Angels We Have Heard On High." Stops center and begins to pu
Youth Sunday -- Stan Purdum, Pamela J. Abbey, Elaine M. Ward -- 2001
Introduction
Standing On The Shore -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Call to Worship
Crumbs From The Cross -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Call to Worship
The Season Of Sacred Stories -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Call to Worship
Let It Go! -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Call to Worship
The Word Jesus Spoke -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Call to Worship
All-Surrounding Grace -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Call to WorshipProcessional Hymn
Unless A Grain Of Wheat ... -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Call to Worship
Jesus, The Servant -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Call to Worship
The Lord Has Need Of It -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Call to Worship
Did You Know? -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2000
Did you knowDust creates the snow?Common, useless, nuisance dust
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 16 | OT 21 | Pentecost 11
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 17 | OT 22 | Pentecost 12
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 13
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...

New & Featured This Week

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John Jamison
Object: This message is a role play. You can do this with only two children playing the parts of the two women, but if you have more children, you could have two more playing the parts of the children, another playing the part of the synagogue leader, and another playing the part of the country’s leader. You can also add any other roles you might want to add to make it interesting. Also, I have created places for your characters to speak, but you can add more of those to make it all more fun and memorable.

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The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Nazish Naseem
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For August 24, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
C. Knight Aldrich, a medical doctor and the first chairperson of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago (1955-1964), was a keen analyst of the motivations for our behaviors. He worked with the social services agencies of Chicago for a time, particularly spending hours with teenagers who had been arrested for shoplifting or other theft. Aldrich interviewed them to find out how they had come to this. He also talked with the parents, attempting to discover how they had handled the problem from the first time they knew about it.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Psalm 77:1-6

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“We have questions about your conduct as our pastor,” Carl announced as soon as Pastor John sat down at the hastily called board meeting. “We have received complaints about you from the congregation.”

“Complaints?” Pastor John frowned. “From whom and about what?”

“Mrs. Finnigan saw you coming out of what she politely described as ‘A Gentleman’s Club’ last Thursday night when she was driving downtown.” Bruce scowled. “Do you deny this?”

“Not at all,” Pastor John said. “I did have to go to that place on Thursday evening.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus was aware of people's deepest needs and what prompted their actions. In our worship today let us consider how we can discover people's deepest needs and the motives for their actions.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we see only the surface and condemn without real understanding.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid to get sufficiently close to other people to see their inner needs.
Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
(See Epiphany 4/Ordinary Time 4, Cycle C, for an alternative approach.)

The old saying, "experience is the best teacher," could serve as a subtitle for this psalm. Written as a prayer for help in a time of distress or oppression, the psalm subtly hints at a recognition and awareness that only comes with time. There is a track record, so to speak, that the psalmist is aware of: God's record of dependability. Based on God's proven record of saving power and grace, the psalmist is able to pray for salvation, but at the same time celebrate the certainty of its arrival.
Lee Ann Dunlap
Carrie's1 high school guidance counselor noticed she had been acting out a bit in school recently. She had appeared depressed and had been having some authority issues over rules and such. The guidance counselor set Carrie up with a local pastor who had been volunteering a few hours each Friday after a teen suicide a few months before. Most of the other students who came to see the pastor just needed someone to listen to their usual teen issues and heartaches. But, shortly into their time together, Carrie began to open up about some real grown-up problems.
Kirk R. Webster
It's a typical Sunday morning at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida. The people file in and sit down in plush pews. Their attention is drawn to the chancel where they see choir members calmly seated, robed in dark blue and white. The mahogany altar table is draped with a silk parament. Two bronze candleholders stand guard at the table edges.
R. Robert Cueni
As was his custom, Jesus went that Sabbath morning to the synagogue for worship. As he was preaching and teaching, he happened to glance toward the fringe of the crowd where he saw a very crippled woman. She was bent over and was unable to stand up straight. When he inquired, Jesus was told the woman had been that way for eighteen years.
John H. Will
Call to Worship
Indeed, this is a day of rest and gladness.
This is God's Sabbath, created for our reflection and renewal.
Let us then not profane it, but keep it holy.
We do this as we honor God and commit ourselves to the well--being of God's creation.
Each of us individually needs a personal rejuvenation of spirit.
Together we seek a strengthening of community, a community that continues to build itself in love.
So do we come as one people to worship God, our Maker and our Sustainer.

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