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David E. Leininger

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Life In The Valley -- Luke 9:28-36 (37-43a) -- David E. Leininger -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 2009
The story of the transfiguration is one of those passages that have given the phrase "mountaintop ex
The Body Of Christ -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- David E. Leininger -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2009
Have you ever wished that you were something you were not? I suspect we all have.
God's Plans -- Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 -- David E. Leininger -- Passion Sunday - C -- 2009
Martin Luther considered Psalm 118 his favorite. He wrote, "This is the psalm that I love ...
The Call Of God -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- David E. Leininger -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2009
If you were to ask a group of people to take pencil and paper and sketch a portrait of an Old Testam
The Judas Gene -- John 18:1--19:42 -- David E. Leininger -- Good Friday - C -- 2009
Why did Judas do it? Was it the money, the thirty pieces of silver?
They Are Biting -- Luke 5:1-11 -- David E. Leininger -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C -- 2009
Two guys go on a fishing trip.
It's All In The Perspective -- Psalm 8 -- David E. Leininger -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2009
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have se
Life After Life -- 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 -- David E. Leininger -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C -- 2009
In an ever-lengthening pastoral ministry, I have had occasion to officiate more funerals than I can
Trouble In The Parsonage -- Hosea 1:2-10 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2009
There once was a retreat attended by the clergy of a community for the purpose of establishing suppo
Love Your Enemy? -- Luke 6:27-38 -- David E. Leininger -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 2009
Are You Kidding, Lord?
A Fool And His Money -- Luke 12:13-21 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2009
A fool and his money are soon parted, right?
The Jump To Judgment -- Luke 6:39-49 -- David E. Leininger -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - C -- 2009
Mr.
Religion And Politics -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2009
Religion and politics -- in years past we were told those were two subjects that were not good for p
The Business Of The Church -- Galatians 1:1-12 -- David E. Leininger -- 2009
Is there one simple answer to the question "What is the business of the church"?
Pax Christi Or Pox Christi? -- Luke 12:49-56 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2009
This is not a favorite passage for preaching.
The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- David E. Leininger -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2009
Several years ago there was a huge literary uproar over A Million Little Pieces (New York: An
Dinner Guests -- Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2009
The lectionary uses verse 1 of Luke chapter 14 to set the scene: "When Jesus went to eat in the hous
The Church Should Go To Hell! -- Luke 4:1-13 -- David E. Leininger -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 2009
Many churches, as part of their routine of worship, engage in the "passing of the peace." The practi
A Place At The Table -- Philemon 1:1-21 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2009
This comes under the category of "Flattery will get you everywhere." Or "You get more flies with hon
When Faith Faces Disaster -- Luke 15:1-10 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2009
This text appears in the lectionary cycle just about the time of the America's remembrance of the Se
Hoping For A Hug -- Luke 13:31-35 -- David E. Leininger -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2009
Jerusalem was not far now.
Prayers For The President -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2009
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for eve
The Fig Tree -- Luke 13:1-9 -- David E. Leininger -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2009
An intriguing text.
Would A Loving God Really Let Anyone Go To Hell? -- Luke 16:19-31 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2009
This is a question to which almost all of those reading this book already have an answer.
Sonny Moneybags -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 -- David E. Leininger -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2009
This text has been described as the greatest short story ever written.

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Easter 4
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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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