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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Do we need help? On... -- Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C
Do we need help? On this day in 1929 the stock market began to show signs of weakness.
In August of 1982 we... -- Jeremiah 14:(1-6) 7-10, 19-22 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C
In August of 1982 we visited the little village of Coatetelco, Mexico.
While on a backpack trip... -- Jeremiah 14:(1-6) 7-10, 13-14 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C
While on a backpack trip with high school students, the leader discovered that the group wanted to f
Many are unaware that the... -- Jeremiah 14:(1-6) 7-10, 19-22 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C
Many are unaware that the Declaration of Independence did not come into being until a day of fasting
In our times of spiritual... -- Jeremiah 14:(1-6) 7-10, 19-22 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C
In our times of spiritual drought God often returns us to inner resources.
In his letter to Timothy... -- 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C
In his letter to Timothy, Paul mentions that he knew that his hour of death was near.
Last year two men scaled... -- 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C
Last year two men scaled the sheer wall side of Half Dome peak at Yosemite Park.
Paul speaks of his departure... -- 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C
Paul speaks of his departure.
Having watched the various figure... -- 2 Timothy 2:8-15 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C
Having watched the various figure skating championships this past winter, we often do not realize th
Ten or five or even... -- 2 Timothy 2:8-15 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C
Ten or five or even three years ago, who would have believed that we would so soon see the fall of t
What the middle verses indicate... -- 2 Timothy 2:8-15 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C
What the middle verses indicate is that we need to be mindful of Christ.
Note: This short story is... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C
Note: This short story is a variation on the tradition of the "Righteous Gentile."
In a far-off land... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C
In a far-off land there was a tyrant who had iron-clad control over all parts of his kingdom, except
The leprosy bacterium was first... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C
The leprosy bacterium was first identified by Dr. G. Armauer Hansen in 1874.
Last week as my dog... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C
Last week as my dog guide and I entered the post office, a young mother said, "Every day my daughter
The praying hands often depicted... -- Exodus 17:8-13 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
The praying hands often depicted in religious art are supplemented in Christian life and action by a
As long as Moses held... -- Exodus 17:8-13 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
"As long as Moses held his hands up, the Israelites would win the fight (Exodus 17:11, The Everyd
Jurgen Moltman, when a bright... -- Exodus 17:8-13 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
Jurgen Moltman, when a bright young college student, studied hard, got good marks, passed his tests
When he was a young... -- Genesis 32:3-8, 22-30 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
When he was a young man, Martin Luther had a vision in the middle of the night.
Biblical prayer is not passive... -- Genesis 32:3-8, 22-30 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
Biblical prayer is not passive but active. Prayer is like wrestling with God in the dark.
In his introduction to the... -- Genesis 32:3-8, 22-30 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
In his introduction to the book The Peter Principle, Raymond Hull comments, "I have noticed t
In the original Rocky... -- Genesis 32:3-8, 22-30 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
In the original Rocky, the main character, Rocky Balboa is, to say the least, not very articu
I know that it is... -- 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
"I know that it is possible for faithful people to differ over the way a certain Bible passage shoul
Back in the 1950s, one... -- 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
Back in the 1950s, one of the biographies included in some of the elementary school textbooks was th
One of the difficulties of... -- 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
One of the difficulties of teaching confirmation class in a large suburban church is that each year

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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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