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David Kalas

David Kalas is pastor of First United Methodist Church in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Union Theological Seminary of Virginia. David has been a contributing writer for Emphasis Preaching Journal and has authored several books.
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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

His favorite strange and mysterious way -- Judges 4:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Matthew 25:14-30 -- David Kalas -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2014
The phrase is not found in scripture, but it has worked its way into common parlance.
Rediscovering the party -- Isaiah 61:10--62:3, Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:22-40 -- David Kalas -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - B -- 2014
First, there is the happy and important event itself.
Group pictures -- Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a, Luke 4:14-21 -- David Kalas -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2013
We've been part of a lot of group pictures over the years: family Christmas cards and team photograp
Picture perfect -- Isaiah 50:4-9a, Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 22:14--23:56 -- David Kalas -- Passion Sunday - C -- 2013
We are indebted to the various sorts of artists through the years who have helped us to picture Jesu
For all the saints -- Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Ephesians 1:11-23, Luke 6:20-31 -- David Kalas -- All Saints Day - C -- 2013
All Saints Day does not boast the repertoire of music that some other seasons and holidays have.
All that he is -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- David Kalas -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2013
The Psalmist cries out "O, magnify the Lord with me" (Psalm 34:3), and we make take that as our invi
Extension cords -- Acts 8:26-40, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-8 -- David Kalas -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
Our family moved into a new house recently.
What goes up -- Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 -- David Kalas -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2012
"What goes up must come down." So goes the old saying, in an axiomatic testament to the gravitationa
Walking the hall -- Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, 1 John 5:9-13, John 17:6-19 -- David Kalas -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
Some sports teams have great heritages -- traditions that go way back, and legendary names and event
Cover art -- 1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20, 2 Corinthians 4:13--5:1, Mark 3:20-35 -- David Kalas -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 2012
I wonder who the first person was who said, "You can't judge a book by its cover"?
The great backdrop -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43 -- David Kalas -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2012
If your inclination is to preach with an eye toward the national holiday that is just a few days awa
For the sake of the king -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33, Ephesians 4:25--5:2, John 6:35, 41-51 -- David Kalas -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2012
In our Old Testament passage this week, we read the poignant story of Absalom's rebellion and defeat
God's dream house -- 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- David Kalas -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2012
I was recently appointed by my bishop to a different church in a different town.
Inside-out religion -- Song of Solomon 2:8-13, James 1:17-27, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- David Kalas -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2012
For the earliest part of a child's life, the mom or the dad picks out the clothes and puts them on t
Consider the source -- Proverbs 31:10-31, James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a, Mark 9:30-37 -- David Kalas -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2012
The Bible is marked by a kind of dualism that is much-maligned in our present culture.
Who was, who is, and who is to come -- Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44 -- David Kalas -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2012
I have been leading several dozen folks from my congregation through a year-long, cover-to-cover rea
Lord of the strong reaction -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26, Colossians 3:12-17, Luke 2:41-52 -- David Kalas -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2012
The New Testament gives us only one peek into Jesus' childhood.
Have I thought enough? -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17, Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 10:17-31 -- David Kalas -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2012
The award-winning 1968 movie A Man for All Seasons portrays a portion of the real-life story
The cross in the desert -- Numbers 21:4-9, Ephesians 2:1-10, John 3:14-21 -- David Kalas -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2012
An older church member might see my title and take issue with it.
O holy day -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- David Kalas -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2012
Holidays point back.
An annual reminder -- Acts 10:34-43, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Mark 16:1-8 -- David Kalas -- Easter Day - B -- 2012
In the opening verse of our passage from the epistles, the apostle Paul writes, "Now I would remind
On having a physical relationship... with God! -- Acts 4:32-35, 1 John 1:1--2:2, John 20:19-31 -- David Kalas -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
If a human being was a candy bar, what would the label say? What are our ingredients?
The rise and fall of sin -- Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7, Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11, Psalm 32 -- David Kalas, Schuyler Rhodes -- First Sunday in Lent - A -- 2011
Lent is traditionally a season of spiritual contemplation.
Matters of life and death -- Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45, Psalm 130 -- David Kalas, Schuyler Rhodes -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2011
As I look out on my congregation on any given Sunday, I recognize that a significant percentage of t
A day of surprises -- Acts 10:34-43, Colossians 3:1-4, John 20:1-18, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 -- David Kalas, Schuyler Rhodes -- Easter Day - A -- 2011
Every so often, I have been unable to watch a sports event that I am interested in when it has been

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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?”

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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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