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Carlos Wilton

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Proper 24/Pentecost 22/Ordinary Time 29 -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2006
Theme For The Day Jesus teaches us to be persistent in prayer.
Proper 20/Pentecost 18/Ordinary Time 25 -- Psalm 79:1-9 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2006
This poignant prayer of lament and community grief gives expression to what it feels like to suffer
The Holy Trinity -- Psalm 8 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2006
(See also The Holy Trinity, Cycle C, for an alternative approach.)
Christmas Day -- Psalm 98 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
This psalm gives us the proper theme for a Christmas Day celebration: "Make a joyful noise to the Lo
Epiphany 5/Ordinary Time 5 -- Psalm 112:1-9 (10) -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2006
This is a dangerous psalm -- dangerous, because it is so open to misinterpretation.
Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6 -- Psalm 30 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2006
(For alternative approaches, see Easter 3, Cycle C, and Proper 9/Pentecost 7/Ordinary Time 14, Cy
Proper 7/Pentecost 5/Ordinary Time 12 -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a, Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2006
Theme For The Day The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of freedom.
Proper 9/Pentecost 7/Ordinary Time 14 -- Psalm 30 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2006
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)
Proper 14/Pentecost 12/Ordinary Time 19 -- Psalm 130 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2006
Because the organizing principle of the lectionary is that the psalm is supposed to be a meditation
Proper 25/Pentecost 23/Ordinary Time 30 -- Joel 2:23-32, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2006
Theme For The Day
Proper 19/Pentecost 17/Ordinary Time 24 -- Psalm 14 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2006
(See Proper 12/Pentecost 10/Ordinary Time 17, Cycle B, for an alternative approach.)
Proper 4/Pentecost 2/Ordinary Time 9 -- Psalm 46 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A -- 2006
Categorized as both a "song of Zion" and "a psalm of confidence," Psalm 46 celebrates God's choice t
Christmas 1 -- Psalm 148 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
(Occurs in all three cycles of the lectionary; see Christmas 1, Cycle A; Christmas 1, Cycle B; an
Epiphany 7/Ordinary Time 7 -- Psalm 119:33-40 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2006
Like last week's selection from the opening portion of this same psalm, today's selection celebrates
Epiphany 7/Ordinary Time 7 -- Psalm 41 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - B -- 2006
This psalm is often identified as a prayer of individual thanksgiving but it reads more as a plea fo
Proper 8/Pentecost 6/Ordinary Time 13 -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2006
Theme For The Day
Proper 10/Pentecost 8/Ordinary Time 15 -- Psalm 82 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2006
Often, a distinction is made between the pastoral or priestly work of the church and the prophetic w
Proper 15/Pentecost 13/Ordinary Time 20 -- Psalm 111 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2006
(See Epiphany 4/Ordinary Time 4, Cycle B, for an alternative approach.)
Proper 26/Pentecost 24/Ordinary Time 31 -- Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12, Luke 19:1-10 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2006
Theme For The Day
Proper 18/Pentecost 16/Ordinary Time 23 -- Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2006
(See Epiphany 2/Ordinary Time 2, Cycle B, and Proper 4/Pentecost 2/Ordinary Time 9, Cycle B; see
Proper 6/Pentecost 4/Ordinary Time 11 -- Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2006
The lectionary editors' decisions as to the carving of biblical texts are not always well advised.
Epiphany 8/Ordinary Time 8 -- Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - C -- 2006
(See Proper 20/Pentecost 18/Ordinary Time 25, Year B, for an alternative approach.)
Epiphany 8/Ordinary Time 8 -- Psalm 131 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - A -- 2006
From the early sixteenth- to the mid-nineteenth centuries, one of the most popular forms of painting
Epiphany 8/Ordinary Time 8 -- Psalm 103:1-13, 22 -- James Evans, Stan Purdum, Carlos Wilton -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - B -- 2006
This is one of those psalms whose words have become so familiar from liturgical usage that they run
Proper 9/Pentecost 7/Ordinary Time 14 -- 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2006
Theme For The Day

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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Easter 4
28 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
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Easter 5
33 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
30 – Worship Resources
35 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 6
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
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23 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
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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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