Login / Signup

John W. Clarke

John W. Clarke is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ who currently pastors First Congregational Church in Meriden, Connecticut. He is the author of What Good Is Christianity Anyhow?, A Quest for Silence, The View From the Cross, and Toward A Hope-Filled Life. Clarke is a graduate of Bangor Theological Seminary and Providence Theological Seminary (Otterburn, Manitoba, Canada).
Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Bible Study

Sermon

SermonStudio

The End Of Time -- Luke 21:5-19 -- John W. Clarke -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2006
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world under
The Freedom To Interpret -- John 8:31-36 -- John W. Clarke -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 2006
Reformation Sunday is one of those unique times in the church year when we take a moment to remember
What Price Must We Pay? -- Luke 6:20-31 -- John W. Clarke -- All Saints Day - C -- 2006
Today's Gospel Lesson mirrors the Sermon on the Mount that is found in Matthew 5-7.
Father, Forgive Them! -- Luke 23:33-43 -- John W. Clarke -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2006
Each of the gospel accounts of the crucifixion has its own peculiarity.
A Breadbasket Full Of Goodies -- John 6:25-35 -- John W. Clarke -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2006
In this the sixth chapter of John's Gospel, Jesus begins to withdraw to the east side of the Sea of
Letters From A Loving Prophet -- Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 -- John W. Clarke -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2006
Jeremiah was the last of the great prophets to minister to the Hebrew people during the days of thei
New Covenant -- New Testament -- Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- John W. Clarke -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2006
Our reading today from the prophet Jeremiah is one in which the Hebrew people, not knowing what else
Building The Temple Of God -- Haggai 1:15b--2:9 -- John W. Clarke -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2006
Haggai is what has been labeled as the first of the restoration prophets, and he has no recorded his
Isaiah -- The Prophet Of Gloom And Glory -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- John W. Clarke -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2006
Of all the writing prophets of Israel, Isaiah stands out above them all.
Preaching God's Reformation -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- John W. Clarke -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 2006
On this Reformation Sunday, it is useful to look back in time and remember one of the most important
Saintly Visions! -- Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 -- John W. Clarke -- All Saints Day - C -- 2006
On All Saints, we are visited through the Hebrew Scripture by Daniel.
The Shepherd King -- Jeremiah 23:1-6 -- John W. Clarke -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2006
Although we are going to concentrate on Jeremiah 23:1-6, it is important to note that these verses a
Thanks For Receiving Thanksgiving -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11 -- John W. Clarke -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2006
This wonderful chapter of Deuteronomy speaks to us on this Thanksgiving Day of the forms for the pre
Living The Vision -- Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 -- John W. Clarke -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2006
In most congregational settings, the name Habakkuk does not bring people to their feet.
Calamity And Hope -- Joel 2:23-32 -- John W. Clarke -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2006
The little book of Joel has a big part to play in the overall story of the Hebrew Scripture.

Free Access

Putting Eternity To The Test -- Luke 20:27-38 -- John W. Clarke -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2006
Today's Gospel lesson is one that is troubling if you care about fairness.
Father, Forgive Them! -- Luke 23:33-43 -- John W. Clarke -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2006
Each of the gospel accounts of the crucifixion has its own peculiarity.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Signup for FREE!
(No credit card needed.)
Easter 4
28 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 5
33 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
30 – Worship Resources
35 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 6
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Signup for FREE!
(No credit card needed.)

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.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL