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David Coffin

David Coffin is pastor of Elgin/Highland Lutheran Parish in Elgin, Iowa. David is a graduate of Ferris State University with a BS degree in printing. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Lutheran Seminary (Ohio) and his Doctor of Ministry Degree from Winebrenner Seminary. He enjoys bike riding and working with small group ministries. He also eats lots of pizza, so he needs to ride the bike.
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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Living the Book -- Deuteronomy 34:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Matthew 22:34-46 -- David Coffin -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2020
In the 2010 dystopian movie entitled Book of Eli (starring Denzel Washington), the main cha
Remembering our Testing -- Deuteronomy 8:7-18, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- David Coffin -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2020
Three generations of family are gathering for their traditional Thanksgiving Day meal.
Life Goes On -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46 -- David Coffin -- New Year's Day - C -- 2019
A man in his early sixties sits in front of his television set on New Year’s Eve, while drinking his
Passion for Life -- Isaiah 50:4-9a, Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 22:14--23:56 -- David Coffin -- Passion Sunday - C -- 2019
In this season of spiritual growth, one difficult test of faith is when a cherished matriarch of an
Lord of New Life -- Acts 9:36-43, Revelation 7:9-17, John 10:22-30 -- David Coffin -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2019
In this season of new life, we are always reminded that Jesus as Lord found in the Christian scriptu
Trinity in Practice -- Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, John 16:12-15, Romans 5:1-5 -- David Coffin -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2019
Who is the God of our congregation? How is this God made known in the community?
Faith for the Long Haul -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, Luke 12:32-40 -- David Coffin -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2019
It is getting toward the end of the summer, and a certain extended family is sitting out on the dec
What Do You Value? -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13 -- David Coffin -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2019
A pastor has been called to a certain congregation with one major mandate in mind: “Revitalize our y
What Makes a Saint? -- Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Ephesians 1:11-23, Luke 6:20-31 -- David Coffin -- All Saints Day - C -- 2019
This is the day that the early church commemorated the great leaders and heroes of the church, espec
Cost of Deliverance (COD) -- Matthew 2:13-23, Hebrews 2:10-18, Isaiah 63:7-9, Psalm 148 -- David Coffin -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2019
In my early years of ministry, I took this Sunday off, and let the supply preacher worry about these
Hearing God's Voice -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41), Hebrews 5:1-10, Mark 10:35-45 -- David Coffin -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2018
It is a dark, damp, raining Wednesday night in a certain pastor’s church study.
God's Entrance -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20, Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25, Mark 13:1-8 -- David Coffin -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2018
Another cold, autumn Wednesday evening as the sun sets early and the church council gathers into the
Advent Values -- Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36 -- David Coffin -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2018
It is the end of the year meeting for a ladies church group, who faithfully congregates in the churc
Comfort perspectives -- Isaiah 40:21-31, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Mark 1:29-39 -- David Coffin -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2018
During the winter months in the Midwest and East Coast USA, churches might see worshipers who are li
Bumps in the Road -- Numbers 21:4-9, Ephesians 2:1-10, John 3:14-21 -- David Coffin -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2018
Moving into another state with different levels of road maintenance can result in some unexpected di
Essence of Worship -- 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13 -- David Coffin -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2018
A family is getting ready to send their second child off to the area state University this autumn.
Living Out Our Purpose -- 2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a, Ephesians 4:1-16, John 6:24-35 -- David Coffin -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 2018
The honeymoon is over at a certain church. Reality sets in.
Directions for Life -- Proverbs 1:20-33, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38, Psalm 19 -- David Coffin -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2018
One of the ripple effects of living in a “Post 911” era is whenever a person hears about a regional
Reason to wake up -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 -- David Coffin -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2017
It was one of those rough Fridays that one wishes to forget.
After The Big Event -- Acts 1:6-14, 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11, John 17:1-11 -- David Coffin -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2017
It is about one year after the big 150th anniversary at First Church.
Varying New Life Experiences -- Acts 2:14a; 22-32, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31 -- David Coffin -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2017
As a pastor and a Christian, I have always found the challenge of “Easter” to be not allowing it to
Spirit Of Life -- Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45 -- David Coffin -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2017
Usually we emphasize the spirit around the season of Pentecost.
Inward And Outward Faith -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- David Coffin -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 2017
It is the week before “Fat Tuesday,” and a given group of people are gathered in a restaurant, livin
First Encounter -- Malachi 3:1-4, Hebrews 2:14-18, Luke 2:22-40 -- David Coffin -- 2017
A family has recently moved into a community.

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Advent Values -- Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36 -- David Coffin -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2018
It is the end of the year meeting for a ladies church group, who faithfully congregates in the churc
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Easter 4
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160+ – Illustrations / Stories
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34 – Commentary / Exegesis
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140+ – Illustrations / Stories
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30 – Worship Resources
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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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