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Ron Love

Ronald H. Love was called into the ordained ministry from a career as a state trooper. He has served Methodist churches in rural, inner-city and suburban settings for 20 years, and also served for four years as an Army chaplain. Dr. Love has also been a corporate librarian for a Fortune 500 company and been a university professor for ten years, teaching history and theology. His writing experience includes denominational publications, magazine articles on religion, and a newspaper devotional column. He holds a bachelor's degree in sociology (Slippery Rock State College), master's degrees in library and information science (University of Pittsburgh), secondary education (Duquesne University), church history (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), and theology (Wesley Theological Seminary), as well as a doctorate in homiletics (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary). Dr. Love now resides in South Carolina.
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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Lent 2 (2013) -- Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Philippians 3:17--4:1, Luke 13:31-35 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2012
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Sermon Illustrations for Reformation Day (2012) -- Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, John 8:31-36 -- Ron Love, Bob Ove, Cynthia E. Cowen, Mark J. Molldrem, Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2012
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Ken and Carol Dorushka went to Safeway that morning... -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12 -- Ron Love -- Good Friday - B -- 2012
Ken and Carol Dorushka went to Safeway that morning to get a few items for lunch and to greet their
John Paul Jones, a captain in the U.S. Navy... -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 -- Ron Love -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2012
John Paul Jones, a captain in the U.S.
NULL -- Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2012
Jeremiah Denton, a Navy pilot who was held captive in the Hanoi Hilton during the Vietnam War, under
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Ron Love -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2012
Alecia Beth Moore, whose stage name is Pink, wrote an essay on her admiration for the singing talent
There seems each year that there is a doomsayer... -- John 18:1--19:42 -- Ron Love -- Good Friday - B -- 2012
There seems each year that there is a doomsayer who is predicting the end of the world.
Ali Ferzat spent years drawing political cartoons... -- Mark 6:14-29 -- Ron Love -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2012
Ali Ferzat spent years drawing political cartoons that denounced the autocratic reign of Syria's lea
NULL -- Luke 13:31-35 -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2012
July 18, 1965.
NULL -- John 8:31-36 -- Ron Love -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2012
Hans Rosling, 63, is trained in statistics and medicine.
Paul reminded the constituents... -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 -- Ron Love -- Easter Day - B -- 2012
Paul reminded the constituents in the church at Corinth "of the good news that I proclaimed to you,
Some children were taken to a nursing home... -- 2 Samuel 11:1-15 -- Ron Love -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 2012
Some children were taken to a nursing home to sing to the residents and share some time with them.
Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson made an insightful comment... -- John 6:1-21 -- Ron Love -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 2012
Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson made an insightful comment that could only come from one who stud
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 (2012) -- Ruth 1:1-18, Hebrews 9:11-14, Mark 12:28-34 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love, Cynthia E. Cowen, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2012
Ruth 1:1-18
In the May 2012 publication of Time magazine... -- Ephesians 4:1-16 -- Ron Love -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 2012
In the May 2012 publication of Time magazine, the editors devoted a special double issue to t
NULL -- Ruth 1:1-18 -- Ron Love -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2012
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) in July 2012 cast her 5,000th consecutive vote in the Senate.
An elderly lady had been waiting to pull into a parking place... -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 -- Ron Love -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2012
An elderly lady had been waiting to pull into a parking place.
NULL -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Ron Love -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2012
Donald Sadoway, 62, is an MIT engineer. His specialty is liquid-metal batteries.
Sermon Illustrations for All Saints Day (2012) -- Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9, Revelation 21:1-6a, John 11:32-44 -- Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen, Cynthia E. Cowen, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Ron Love -- All Saints Day - B -- 2012
Note: Because of a scheduling error, we are highlighting these illustrations from 2012.
Suze Oman, financial expert and TV host... -- John 6:34, 41-51 -- Ron Love -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2012
Suze Oman, financial expert and TV host, reflected on what she thought was the most influential plac
NULL -- Hebrews 9:24-28 -- Ron Love -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2012
Al-jen Poo, 38, is the daughter of pro-democracy immigrants from Chiang Kai-shek's Taiwan.
The Great Sphinx of Giza... -- 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 -- Ron Love -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2012
The Great Sphinx of Giza is the oldest monumental sculpture on earth.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 (2012) -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20, Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25, Mark 13:1-8 -- Cynthia E. Cowen, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2012
1 Samuel 1:4-20
Statistician Hans Rosling is recognized for his contribution to advancing the public health... -- Ephesians 2:11-22 -- Ron Love -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2012
Statistician Hans Rosling is recognized for his contribution to advancing the public health in Afric
NULL -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Ron Love -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2012
Juan Manuel Santos is Colombia's turnaround man.

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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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