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Bonnie Bates

The Reverend Doctor Bonnie Bates currently serves as the Associations Associate for Congregational Vitality and Development for the Eastern Ohio and Western Reserve Associations of the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ.  The Reverend Dr. Bonnie Bates received her Masters of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Colgate Rochester Divinity School.  The focus of her doctoral work was transformational leadership and her dissertation is titled, Navigating the River of Grief.   She has served churches in New York both as a licensed and ordained minister.  She directed and taught in the Graduate Human Resource Development program at St. John Fisher College in Rochester.  She has worked for several non-profits and has served on several not-for-profit Boards including the Dunkirk Camp and Conference Center in western New York.  She has been an active member of the associations where she has served as well as numerous leadership positions within the New York Conference including its work in becoming a Global Mission conference and designing its current governance structure.   She has recently completed the development and implementation of a Boundary Training model for local congregations.

Her hobbies are singing, reading, fly fishing. She once sang with a national choir in Carnegie Hall, Constitution Hall, the White House, Royal Albert Hall, and a variety of locations in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy.   She and her husband, Steve Vulcheff, have one son Samuel and two grandsons Kiel and Jakob.
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Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Proper 27 | OT 32 (2021) -- Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44 -- Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2021
Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
Sermon Illustrations for Pentecost (2021) -- Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:22-27, John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2021
Acts 2:1-21
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 (2021) -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20, Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25, Mark 13:1-8 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2021
1 Samuel 1:4-20
Sermon Illustrations for Trinity Sunday (2021) -- Isaiah 6:1-8, Romans 8:12-17, John 3:1-17 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2021
Isaiah 6:1-8, Psalms 29
Sermon Illustrations for New Year's Day (2021) -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46 -- Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen -- New Year's Day - B -- 2021
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
Sermon Illustrations for Christ the King Sunday (Proper 29) (2021) -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33-37, Psalm 132:1-12 (13-18) -- Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 23:1-7; Psalms 132:1-12 (13-18)
Illustrations for Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 (2021) -- 1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20, Psalm 138, 2 Corinthians 4:13--5:1, Mark 3:20-35 -- Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 2021
1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15)
Sermon Illustrations for Christmas 2 (2021) -- Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ephesians 1:3-14, John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2021
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Sermon Illustrations for Thanksgiving (2021) -- Joel 2:21-27, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Matthew 6:25-33, Psalm 126 -- Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2021
Joel 2:21-27
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany of Our Lord (2021) -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2021
Isaiah 60:1-6
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 1 (2021) -- Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36 -- Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2021
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 6 | OT 11, Cycle B (2021) -- 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17, Mark 4:26-34, Psalm 20 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2021
1 Samuel 15:3--16:13
Sermon Illustrations for Baptism of Our Lord (2021) -- Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2021
Genesis 1:1-5
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 2 (2021) -- Baruch 5:1-9, Philippians 1:3-11, Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 3:1-6 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2021
Baruch 5:1-9
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 7 | OT 12, Cycle B (2021) -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41, Psalm 9:9-20, Psalm 133 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2021
1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4, 11, 19-23) 32-49
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 2 (2021) -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20), 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, John 1:43-51 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2021
1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20)
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 8 | OT 13 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 9 | OT 14 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 5:1-15, 9-10, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13 -- Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 3 (2021) -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Mark 1:14-20 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2021
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 10 | OT 15 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 4 (2021) -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Mark 1:21-28 -- Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2021
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 11 | OT 16 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 7:1-14a
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 5 (2021) -- Isaiah 40:21-31, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Mark 1:29-39 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2021
Isaiah 40:21-31
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 12 | OT 17 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Ephesians 3:14-21, John 6:1-21, Psalm 14 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 11:1-15
Sermon Illustrations for The Transfiguration (2021) -- 2 Kings 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, Mark 9:2-9 -- Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2021
2 Kings 2:1-12
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New & Featured This Week

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
In the sometimes-tiresome debate over science and scripture with respect to creation, it’s easy to become distracted. While the argument typically requires a focus on the how, we may lose sight of the what. And so, for just a moment, let me invite us to think for a moment about what God created.
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas
Acts 8:26-40
As a local church pastor, I was often asked if I would baptize a child whose family were not members of the church. Some churches rebelled against this, but I remember this scripture -the hunger for understanding and inclusion of the Eunuch and Philp’s response – to teach and share and baptize in the name of our God. How could we turn anyone away from the rite of baptism?

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Dad, I think you worked a miracle.” Rolf slowly walked around the tree. “After that windstorm, I assumed this tree was as good as gone.”

“We just needed to give the branches time to heal and come back,” Michael replied.

 “I know, but so many of them were battered and broken I figured that it couldn’t recover. Now though it looks just like it did before the storm.” Rolf paused. “Do you think it will bear any fruit this summer?”

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A live plant that produces fruit, and a broken branch from that plant. I used a tomato plant from a local greenhouse. Ideally, find a plant with blossoms or small fruit already growing. If you use a different kind of fruit-producing plant, just change the script to fit.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Elena Delhagen
Dean Feldmeyer
Quantisha Mason-Doll
For April 28, 2024:
  • On The Way To Gaza by Chris Keating based on Acts 8:26-40. On the way to Gaza, Philip discovers the startling ways the Spirit of God moves across borders, boundaries, customs, and traditions.
  • Second Thoughts: Abiding by Katy Stenta based on John 15:1-8.
  • Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Tom Willadsen, Elena Delhagen, Dean Feldmeyer.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. In our service today, let us absorb from the vine all the nourishment we need.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes our branches become cut off from the vine.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes our branches are withered.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we fail to produce good fruit.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Stan Purdum
We will meet Psalm 22 in its entirety on Good Friday, but here the lectionary designates just verses 23-31. The lectionary psalms generally illuminate the week's First Lesson, which in this case is about the covenant initiated by God with Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17. The nine verses from this psalm, while not inappropriate, nonetheless leave us looking for an obvious connection with the First Lesson.

John S. Smylie
I think some people are natural-born gardeners. Our Lord grew up in a society that was familiar with agriculture. The images that he used to explain the ways of his Father in heaven are familiar to his audience. Growing up, my closest experience to agriculture was living in, "the Garden State." Most people, when they pass through New Jersey, are surprised to see that expression on the license plates of vehicles registered in New Jersey. Most folks traveling through New Jersey experience the megalopolis, the corridor between New York City and Washington DC.
Ron Lavin
A pastor in Indiana went to visit an 87-year-old man named Ermil, who was a hospital patient. A member of his church told the pastor about this old man who was an acquaintance. "He's not a believer, but he is really in need," the church member said. "I met him at the county home for the elderly. He's a lonely old man with no family and no money."

Paul E. Robinson
"Love is a many splendored thing...." Or so we heard Don Cornwall and the Four Aces sing time and again. Of course you or I might have other words to describe love, depending on our situation.

Love. "I love you." "I love to play golf." "I just love pistachio lush!" "It's tough to love some people." "Jesus loves me, this I know."

Love.

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