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David E. Leininger

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The Upper Room -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- David E. Leininger -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 2007
I've been there, the upper room, where this scripture is set.
Speaking Of God -- 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 -- David E. Leininger -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2007
Some things are difficult to talk about. Love, for example.
The Blame Game -- John 18:1--19:42 -- David E. Leininger -- Good Friday - A -- 2007
There is something in us that likes to assess blame. We like answers. We want conclusion.
Uncommon Laborers -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2007
Interesting collection of workers Jesus chose to accompany him -- the twelve.
Rolling Stones -- John 20:1-18 -- David E. Leininger -- Easter Day - A -- 2007
The story is certainly familiar.
How Not To Be The Father Of The Year -- Genesis 21:8-21 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 2007
It is somehow ironic that the lectionary presents this text around the time America celebrates Fathe
God's Ultimate Cosmic Joke -- 1 Peter 1:3-9 -- David E. Leininger -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
Many congregations have begun celebrating this second Sunday of Easter as Holy Humor Sunday.
The Second Worst Story In The Bible -- Genesis 22:1-14 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2007
What a horrible story, the second worst one in the entire Bible!
East Of Easter -- Luke 24:13-35 -- David E. Leininger -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
Easter is past, and if you can think of that momentous event as midnight on a clock, the beginning o
Ask The Average Person -- Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A -- 2007
I have some questions for the "average person." First, "Which is more important, making money or bei
Christ Our Cornerstone -- 1 Peter 2:2-10 -- David E. Leininger -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
"Christ is our cornerstone!" That motto was chosen over a century ago for the congregation I now ser
Fertility Facts -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2007
Bible scholars tell us Matthew's gospel was compiled and distributed around 85 AD.
Attack Or Attract? -- Acts 17:22-31 -- David E. Leininger -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
It has been a few years since Dan Brown's novel, The Da Vinci Code (New York: Doubleday, 2003
Who Do You Say That I Am? -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2007
Many years ago, in my seminary days, our first course in Systematic Theology dealt with basically th
Clouded Vision -- Acts 1:1-11 -- David E. Leininger -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2007
There is an ancient apocryphal story about Jesus' arrival at the pearly gates following the ascensio
The Bush Is Still Burning -- Exodus 3:1-15 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2007
The burning bush, or more correctly, the unburning bush.
Sounds Just Like Mom -- John 17:1-11 -- David E. Leininger -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
We reflected earlier on Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and its assertion that Jesus and Mary M
Remembering 9/11 -- Exodus 12:1-14 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2007
"This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festi
The Force -- Acts 2:1-21 -- David E. Leininger -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2007
"May the Force be with you." Everyone recognizes that as the prayer or benediction from the Star
I Am With You -- Genesis 28:10-19a -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2007
In all of scripture, and even in all of literature, you would be hard pressed to find a character mo
The Power To Change The Past -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2007
A fellow went to the hospital to visit his partner who had been taken strangely ill and was near dea
Under The Rainbow -- Genesis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A -- 2007
Noah and the ark. One of our earliest Sunday school memories.
Nevertheless -- Romans 8:26-39 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2007
In 1981, Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote When Bad Things Happen to Good People, not Why Bad
Salvation -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2007
...
God's Not Done With Me Yet! -- Romans 4:13-25 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 2007
Abraham. No individual in history is more widely recognized and revered.

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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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