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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.

Second Sunday of Easter - B

Children's Liturgy and Story

John 20:19-31

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

When Jesus appeared, he said "Peace be with you." Let us take hold of his peace today and share it with each other.

(The children could be encouraged to share the Peace at this point)

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we don't bother to think about you.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we we get things wrong.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we find it difficult to believe.
Lord, have mercy.

Intercession

John 20:19-31

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

Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21

Janice B. Scott
In John Osborne's famous play, "Look Back In Anger", first produced in the post-war years of the mid-fifties, Jimmy, the anti-hero is a very angry young man. He's angry about the class distinctions and privileges of the upper middle classes, personified in his wife, Alison, the daughter of a retired British Army colonel who served in India. Jimmy rages to the point of violence, reserving much of his bile for Alison's friends and family.

The situation is exacerbated by the arrival of Helena, a friend of Alison's from school. Appalled at what she finds, Helena calls Alison's father to take her away from the flat. He arrives while Jimmy is visiting the mother of a friend and takes Alison away.

Sermon

1 John 1:1--2:2

Janice B. Scott
Parents are generally very protective of their children, and this has to be a good thing. But just occasionally, parents fail to strike quite the right balance and some become over-protective whilst others become under-protective. This slight imbalance can cause problems when the children are young, especially when they're just starting out in school and are beginning to show a little independence of their own.

Sermon

John 20:19-31

Janice B. Scott
At the end of last year there was feverish speculation over what the press termed the "race" to become the new Archbishop of Canterbury. The media had soon sussed out who were the front runners and bookies were quickly offering odds on any candidate who looked as if he might have half a chance.

Those bishops who were thought to be in the running found their lives scrutinised in minute detail in the mad search to find news about them, and when it became known that the Archbishop of Wales, Rowan Williams, was the chosen man, the media was full of sensational stories about him.

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...
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Easter 2
31 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
31 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 3
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
25 – Worship Resources
27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 4
29 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
28 – Worship Resources
32 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 5
27 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
30 – 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

CSSPlus

John Jamison
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (v. 25)

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
George Reed
For April 11, 2021:

StoryShare

C. David Mckirachan
Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Do not be faithless, but believing.’ That’s pretty rough when all he did was insist on proof. When I was growing up, I was taught to rely on the scientific method, a type of inductive reasoning — the bedrock of all of that is proof. When you discover something in an experiment, you’ve got to be able to repeat it, or it’s at best an interesting coincidence. Everything is suspect until you’ve got evidence, and it’s got to be good evidence. In debate, the easiest attack on your opponents is to question the solidity of their sources.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Historically, this is the first Sunday during which newly baptized members on Easter would be admitted into the fellowship as full members of the church, so this theme of community and unity is most appropriate.

Acts 4:32-35
Bill Thomas
Bonnie Bates
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Acts 4:32-35
This is the scripture we make excuses for or insist that the peculiar financial arrangement of the first disciples was for their time, not ours. We give examples from the Acts of the Apostles that demonstrate private ownership so we can state that this was a temporary state of affairs. It makes us uncomfortable, especially in this country where we have more than most people around the world. I’m not sure what to say to encourage you to challenge your congregation to work harder at mutual aid. Perhaps it begins by preaching your message in a mirror.

SermonStudio

John Jamison
It was Sunday evening. Easter morning had come and gone, and the disciples had spent the entire day talking about the fact that Jesus had actually been raised from the dead. They were all fired up and making plans for how they were going to go out and spread the word of God and continue the ministry that Jesus had taught them to perform. Right?

Not quite.
Elaine M. Ward
The psalmist says that God gives good gifts. There is an old Jewish story that tells of two beggars, people who beg for their food in order to live. Each day the beggars came to the king, and he would give them bread. One of them praised and thanked the king. The other did not. Instead he prayed, "Thank you, God, for blessing the king so that he can help others." The king said to that beggar, "It is I who give to you, and you thank someone else." The beggar replied, "If God did not bless you, you could not bless others."
Ron Lavin
A bully in a small town resented the man everyone looked up to as the wisest man in town. He decided to teach the wise man a lesson. He held a chicken behind his back and asked the wise man, "Is this chicken dead or alive?" Of course, if the wise man said, "Dead" the bully would show him a live chicken. If the wise man said, "Alive" the bully would strangle the chicken and show up the wise man by producing a dead chicken.

"Well," said the impatient bully, "Is the chicken dead or alive? Let's hear your answer."

Mark J. Molldrem
The most personal question anyone can ask is "Who am I?" It is the fundamental question of our human existence.

Who is this person whose face reflects in the mirror every morning? Who is this person who laughs and cries, who works and plays, who eats and drinks and goes to the bathroom? Who is this person who hears and sees, smells, tastes and touches the world around?

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

When Jesus appeared, he said "Peace be with you." Let us take hold of his peace today and share it with each other.

(The children could be encouraged to share the Peace at this point)

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we don't bother to think about you.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we we get things wrong.
Christ, have mercy.

Special Occasion