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Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Investing in land during a... -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Investing in land during a time of war and conquering armies is either a sign of ignorance or delusi
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
Luz Cuevas never gave up... -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Luz Cuevas never gave up hope that her daughter might be found alive.
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.
There is an old story... -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
There is an old story about the rather unsuccessful farmer who, looking up at the sky, saw two cloud
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.
There is a scene in... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
There is a scene in Tennessee Williams' play, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, in which Big Daddy and h
How many times have we... -- Joel 2:23-30 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
How many times have we read this passage without really comprehending that not only sons but also da
Covetousness versus contentment is an... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Covetousness versus contentment is an ongoing contest in the hearts of all people.
Grandpa was probably not going... -- Joel 2:23-30 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Grandpa was probably not going to live through the night.
Martin Luther once said, God... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Martin Luther once said, "God divided the hands into fingers so that money could slip through." Perh
Accepting abundance can be hard... -- Joel 2:23-30 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Accepting abundance can be hard for us.
Eric developed his love and... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Eric developed his love and thirst for money at an early age.
In every generation there had... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
In every generation there had been talk about the end of the world and how things will play out acco
There is one rich man... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
There is one rich man, who, before he dies, is turning his attention to the poor.
Often people only hear and... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Often people only hear and see what they wish to hear and see.
For eighty years, the British... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
For eighty years, the British Broadcasting Corporation was been recognized as a quality broadcaster.
A friend of mine has... -- 2 Timothy 1:1-14 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
A friend of mine has a long and wonderful "faith family tree." He can trace the roots of his faith b
Contentment, according to Paul, is... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Contentment, according to Paul, is a godly virtue.
One day Sherry met a... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
One day Sherry met a man fishing at her favorite spot in the creek.
At the corner of West... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
At the corner of West Grand Boulevard and the Lodge service drive, where Henry Ford Hospital stands,
A man asked a rabbi... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
A man asked a rabbi how he could be living a full life despite having so little.
Bridgette was really worried. She... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Bridgette was really worried. She had seen the horrors of war on the evening television news.
On his visit to our... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
On his visit to our church this past July, Jesse Jackson stated that Dr.
The message of Amos 6... -- Amos 6:1a, 4-7 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
The message of Amos 6 seems to bring the warning that God should not be taken for granted; a message

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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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