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The Village Shepherd

Janice Scott ... The Village Shepherd

After being ordained in 1994 with the first wave of women priests, Janice became curate in a large city centre parish in Norwich and from there, moved to South Norfolk in 1999 as Rector of a rural benefice of six parishes. After completing her MA in Pastoral Theology with the Cambridge Theological Foundation in 2008 she was appointed Honorary Canon of Norwich Cathedral. Janice now lives with her husband Ian just outside Norwich. In addition to her diocesan work and writing "The Village Shepherd," she is a freelance writer for Redemptorist Publications in the UK. She has also written and broadcasts "Pause For Thought" on a local radio station and has written several novels, all with a church background.

Sixth Sunday of Easter - C

Children's Liturgy and Story

John 5:1-9

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said to the paralysed man, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." In our worship today let us explore all that paralyses us, then let us respond to Jesus' command to stand up and walk.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of ridicule that I keep my head down.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of doing the wrong thing that I do nothing at all.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I find it easier to criticise than to take positive action myself.
Lord, have mercy.

Reading:

John 5:1-9 (NRSV)

Children's Story

John 5:1-9

Janice B. Scott
Jenny was having fun. Her friend Martha had brought a graphical calculator into school. Martha had borrowed the calculator from her older brother, who used it for his advanced maths. He'd been off school for a week, so Martha had figured he wouldn't need his calculator for a while. She and Jenny had soon discovered a great bowling game hidden in the depths of the calculator, and Jenny, to her excitement had just reached level three.

As the bell sounded for the next lesson, Martha asked for her calculator back. "Hang on a minute," said Jenny. "I just want to finish this game. I'll give it back in a minute." So Martha went on her way. She forgot all about the calculator until that evening, when her brother roared at her.

Intercession

John 5:1-9

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.


Healing God,

Sometimes I'm afraid of your glance, for it's like a scimitar which slices straight through me to the depths of my being, to those parts I'd like to keep hidden and undisturbed. I dread the pain of facing my hidden depths, and would prefer to remain in unhealed comfort.

Sermon

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Janice B. Scott
I read an article recently about the spiritual life of people with mental health problems (The Bible in Transmission [Bible Society], Spring 2004, page 14, by Rt. Revd. Professor Stephen Sykes, MA). In it, Stephen Sykes notes that not so very long ago, all religions were thought to be forms of delusion, so that the religious views of people with mental health problems were regarded by many health professionals as suspect at the very least and at the most as dangerous. But at the end of the article Stephen Sykes calls us to remember the many saints and mystics who would not only have been regarded as mentally ill by modern standards, but would probably also have been sectioned or strait-jacketed.

Sermon

John 5:1-9

Janice B. Scott
There was some interesting correspondence in 'The Times' a few years ago, concerning their serialisation of parts of "Cries Unheard", the book by Gitta Sereny about Mary Bell, who thirty-odd years ago, at the age of eleven, murdered two small boys.

One letter said this:

Sir,

I have cancelled my order for The Times. I am not paying you, to pay a writer, to pay a killer for a story. Yours faithfully.

Another letter said:

Sir,

Listening (at the Reith Lectures) to the historical account of Japanese soldiers brutalised in their training in order to create merciless killing machines, I couldn't help but see the parallels to the Mary Bell debate.

Sermon

Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5

Janice B. Scott
There's something about water. Now that audiotapes and CDs for relaxation and healing are quite common, many of them contain the sound of trickling water, or perhaps of waves pounding the beach. And you can even buy table centres with natural woods and plants arranged around a little waterfall which constantly trickles over stones and gives a very pleasant and relaxing feel.

I always find walking along the beach both relaxing and bracing (especially on the North Norfolk coast!) and I very much enjoy rivers and streams and waterfalls.

What is The Village Shepherd?

The Village Shepherd offers sermons, bible stories, children's stories and prayers based on the Revised Common Lectionary. These inspirational sermons, stories, and prayers are sure to touch your heart, because they reflect the simple virtues and tranquil serenity that characterize Reverend Scott's English countryside pastorate. The questions "Where is God in this particular situation?" and "Where does the Gospel story cross our own human story?" are always at the heart of these meditations -- but rather than finding overt answers, instead you will be gently led to make your own connections and discover the powerful ways in which God works. Janice Scott has the unique ability to find interesting details in ordinary life that illuminate scripture, while still challenging even the most intellectual reader. And that gift is precisely what also makes her an outstanding communicator with children.

Most weeks include:

  • Sermon based on the Gospel reading
  • Sermon based on the Epistle reading
  • Sermon based on the First reading
  • Children's stories linked with the Gospel readings
  • Children's liturgy and story (a different story than mentioned above)
  • An intercessory prayer
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Easter 2
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 3
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 4
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
Tom Willadsen
For May 25, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A mat, like an exercise mat, or a blanket.

Note: You can do this all by yourself, but if you want to have more fun, help your children role-play the story. Select one child to be the sick man, and a few children to be the crowd. I usually play the role of Jesus so I can easily guide things. As you tell the story, have the sick man try to crawl, and have a group of children be the crowd blocking him, and then after Jesus helps him, have the man stand up, roll the mat up under his arm, and walk away smiling. Have fun with it!

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
(This particular installment of StoryShare is adapted from a review of “Seven Psalms” that I wrote for Messenger, our denominational magazine.)

During the night, Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (v. 9)

It all began with a dream.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
The church is a work in progress — and we are expected to be a critical part of that church’s work. In the absence of synagogue worship, Lydia and her fellow believers meet anyway at the riverside. Their faithfulness leads to Paul’s dream which helps create something where there was nothing. The passage from Revelation creates a target for us to aim for, and to work for, even as we wait for its perfect fulfillment.
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Acts 16:9-15
John Calvin claimed that this is a text to stir up our commitments to reach out to those in need, especially in this time of intolerance towards immigrants and the poor. A 2024 Gallup poll indicates that 56% of Americans favor mass deportation. And in the most recent poll on the subject of the poor, (a 2002 NPR/Kaiser poll), 52% of Americans found the poor not to have a proper work ethic. It is unlikely we have outgrown that prejudice. In response, the reformer of Geneva wrote:

SermonStudio

Wayne Brouwer
During World War II, many members of the Lutheran church in Germany lost their faith because Hitler seduced them into ways of living that kept them from practicing their faith. But there was one man whom Hitler could not compromise. His name was Martin Niemöller. During World War I, Niemöller had been a great hero in the German military but when the Second World War came, he refused to bow to the authorities. He was marching to a different drumbeat. And march he did.
Forrest E. Chaffee
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Stephen P. McCutchan
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us....
-- Psalm 67:1

Steven E. Albertin
(Sing the first verse and chorus of "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic.")

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.

Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.1

Charles D. Reeb
Life has a way of presenting us with defining moments. I remember facing a defining moment in my ministry. I went to see a man in the hospital who was dying. He was not active in the church I pastored, but I knew who he was. When I entered his hospital room, his whole family was standing in a semi-circle around his bed. They greeted me, and then the man told his family that he wanted a moment alone with me. So they left us alone.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said to the paralysed man, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." In our worship today let us explore all that paralyses us, then let us respond to Jesus' command to stand up and walk.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of ridicule that I keep my head down.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of doing the wrong thing that I do nothing at all.
Christ, have mercy.

Special Occasion

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