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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.

Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B

Children's Liturgy and Story

Mark 5:21-43

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jairus begged Jesus, "Come and lay your hands on my daughter, so that she may be made well, and live." During our worship today, let us ask Jesus to lay his hands on each one of us, so that we may be made well, and live.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we don't even notice our sickness of soul.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we don't notice that we're not fully alive.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, forgive our willingness to accept a half life, rather than turn fully to you.
Lord, have mercy.

Reading:

Mark 5:21-43

Children's Story

Mark 5:21-43

Janice B. Scott
"It's not fair," announced Kendra angrily.

"No," chorused her band of friends, "It's not fair."

During the long, summer evenings, the car park of the local supermarket was usually half empty. It was a glorious open space with, most importantly of all, a really smooth surface. What's more, if you started at the side nearest the supermarket, it had a gentle slope right down to the other side. It was absolutely made for skateboarding - or so Kendra and the gang felt. But the manager of the supermarket seemed to have other ideas.

Intercession

Mark 5:21-43

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.

Sermon

2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27

Janice B. Scott
Surprisingly, most clergy enjoy taking funerals. It sounds like a contradiction in terms when the words "enjoy" and "funeral" are used in the same sentence and of course, the enjoyment is not in the death of a loved one. It's more because when someone has died, clergy are really needed and if sensitive, are able to help enormously with the bereavement and all its subsequent emotions.

Funeral practices vary a great deal in different parts of the world. In America as in many other countries of the world, the funeral happens within a day or two of the death. But here in the UK, there is usually at least a week between the death and the funeral service. This length of time has both advantages and

Sermon

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Janice B. Scott
In the early seventies, Ian (my husband) and I started a business together. We were both chartered physiotherapists, and we bought a private physiotherapy practice in North Norfolk, where we stayed for twenty-one years.

The practice had been run by a physio who unfortunately had developed multiple sclerosis and was in a wheelchair, so by the time we moved in, the practice was completely empty of patients and we had to start from scratch to build it up.

Sermon

Mark 5:21-43

Janice B. Scott
When I was growing up, there was considerable stereotyping of boys and girls. Although by then we did all go into school by the same entrance and we all sat together in the same classroom, that's where togetherness ended. At playtime the boys went into their playground and the girls went into their playground and never the twain did meet. The boys did their PE separately from the girls, and the boys had classes in woodwork or metalwork while the girls had to learn sewing and embroidery.

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
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Proper 6 | OT 11 | Pentecost 3
25 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
22 – Children's Sermons / Resources
18 – Worship Resources
23 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 4
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
25 – Worship Resources
27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 5
30 – Sermons
150+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
28 – Worship Resources
24 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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(No credit card needed.)

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Quantisha Mason-Doll
Dean Feldmeyer
Bethany Peerbolte
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For June 27, 2021:
  • Waiting for the Lord — and People by Mary Austin — The psalm proclaims that it is God “who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.” We can trust (and hope) that the same is true for our nation.
  • Second Thoughts: Invisible Suffering by Chris Keating — Just as the woman in Mark’s story pushes through the crowd in search of healing, long haul Covid patients struggle to find hope.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. (vv. 21-24)

* * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
There are lots of reasons to be grateful!

2 Samuel 1:1,17-27
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bill Thomas
Bonnie Bates
2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
I read this story in July 1991’s “Bits and Pieces.” I think it does a great job of describing friendship. A British publication once offered a prize for the best definition of a friend. Among the thousands of answers received were the following:

“One who multiplies joys, divides grief, and whose honesty is inviolable.”

“One who understands our silence.”

“A volume of sympathy bound in cloth.”

“A watch that beats true for all time and never runs down.”

StoryShare

C. David Mckirachan
Contents
“No Limitations” by C. David McKirachan
“In Spite Of” by C. David McKirachan


No Limitations
by C. David McKirachan
Mark 5:21-43

Mark presented a portrait of Jesus that showed a Christ who moved into situations with action, often upsetting the expected. Many times, Christ’s actions did not bring comfort or peace. 

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
"It's not fair," announced Kendra angrily.

"No," chorused her band of friends, "It's not fair."

During the long, summer evenings, the car park of the local supermarket was usually half empty. It was a glorious open space with, most importantly of all, a really smooth surface. What's more, if you started at the side nearest the supermarket, it had a gentle slope right down to the other side. It was absolutely made for skateboarding - or so Kendra and the gang felt. But the manager of the supermarket seemed to have other ideas.

SermonStudio

David R. Cartwright
When all else fails, what do you do? When you are up against it, where do you turn?
William J. Carl, III
Getting through grief may be one of the hardest things we do as human beings. One of the best ways to begin the process is to find it within ourselves to stand up and say something in a public setting that puts into words both the personal and collective feelings of all who have gathered to mourn. History is replete with stunning examples. Pericles' Funeral Oration as recorded by Thucydides in The Peloponnesian War is certainly one of them. At the end of the first year of war, the Athenians held, as was their custom, an elaborate funeral for all those killed in the war.
Glenn W. Mcdonald
Year after year Stumpy and Martha attended the fair in their home state, and every summer it was the same story: Stumpy was tantalized by the old-fashioned bi-plane in which anybody could take a ride for ten dollars, and Martha was disgusted by such an obvious waste of money. "Ten dollars is ten dollars," she would always say. And Stumpy would go home without his airplane ride.

Special Occasion