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Gregory L. Tolle

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The Fisher King -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2006
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this wo
Just A Little Bit Of Faith -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2006
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size
The Ragman -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Good Friday - C -- 2006
Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, stru
Who Packs Your Parachute? -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2006
As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him.
The Instruction Manual -- 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2006
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you lear
The Defeat Of Death -- 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Easter Day - C -- 2006
For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a
The Forgiven -- Luke 18:9-14 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2006
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded
The Goodness Of Doubt -- John 20:19-31 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2006
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
Better Not Get Gekko -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2006
Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to t
Changing The World -- Luke 9:28-36 (37-43a) -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 2006
Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went u
Are You My Husband? -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2006
Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, "Te
Songs Of Thanksgiving -- Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - C -- 2006
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your
The Church Is Not A Welfare State -- 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2006
Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers wh
Please Don't Amputate The Body -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, a
It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over -- Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- All Saints Day - C -- 2006
As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me.
Transformation -- Acts 9:1-6 (7-20) -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2006
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the
The Greathearted Monkey King -- Luke 23:33-43 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2006
And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let
Saints In White Satin -- Revelation 7:9-17 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2006
After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation,
Congregational Care -- James 5:13-20 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2005
Congregational Care
Listening To The Instructor -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2005
Listening To The Instructor
Make Straight The Toys R Us Line -- Isaiah 40:1-11 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Second Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
Make Straight The Toys R Us Line
Linus Syndrome -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2005
Linus Syndrome
We Are Family -- John 3:1-7 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2005
We Are Family
Garland, Gladness, And Glory -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
Garland, Gladness, And Glory
Good Service -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Gregory L. Tolle -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2005
Good Service
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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.
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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
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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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