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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

There was a college student... -- Proverbs 9:8-12 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
There was a college student who worked in the college dining hall, and on his way to work at 5:30 ev
I will not forget the... -- Proverbs 9:8-12 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
I will not forget the time when I tested the strength of a relationship.
There was a prudent country... -- Amos 6:1a, 4-7 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
There was a prudent country pastor who maintained a notebook throughout his long ministry.
A certain farmer needed money... -- Amos 6:1a, 4-7 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
A certain farmer needed money. He went to the bank and asked for a meeting with the banker.
While in prison for the... -- Amos 6:1a, 4-7 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
While in prison for the final time, Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflected on those who are tragically "at ea
Amos was a layman. He... -- Amos 6:1a, 4-7 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Amos was a layman.
How much money is enough... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
How much money is enough money?
A very popular newscaster seemed... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
A very popular newscaster seemed to have everything he needed.
Polls indicate that more than... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Polls indicate that more than 50 percent of the work force do not enjoy their work.
Former Methodist Bishop Gerald Kennedy... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Former Methodist Bishop Gerald Kennedy mentions moving to a new location as a pastor in his early da
Andrew Carnegie, who amassed a... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Andrew Carnegie, who amassed a $400 million fortune then gave 99.5 percent away, said, "The man who
As children many of us... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
As children many of us inflicted a lot of physical and/or mental pain on our brothers, sisters and f
Our youth group goes monthly... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Our youth group goes monthly to serve at the soup kitchen in the nearby inner city.
Authorities now report that the... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
* Authorities now report that the largest group of people living in poverty in America are children.
In the east there was... -- Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
In the east there was a people sorely afflicted.
An older preacher seemed to... -- Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
An older preacher seemed to have an uncanny ability to speak a wise or insightful word at just the r
October 4, Feast of St... -- Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
October 4, Feast of St.
Seek good, not evil, that... -- Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
"Seek good, not evil, that you may live.
Every observant and compassionate person... -- Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
Every observant and compassionate person grapples with questions like these:
An assistant manager of a... -- Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
An assistant manager of a department store saw a boy standing at the bottom of the escalator.
God never forgets anything? Even... -- Amos 8:4-7 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
God never forgets anything?
What does it mean to... -- Amos 8:4-7 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
What does it mean to break the Sabbath law?
In one of the most... -- Amos 8:4-7 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
In one of the most trenchant insights into the nature of prophetic protest, Walter Brueggemann chara
Abraham Lincoln told this story... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
Abraham Lincoln told this story about a king who wanted to go hunting.
While prayer seems often to... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
While prayer seems often to be a difficult task, one easily forgotten or ignored, Luther offers thes

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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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