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Children's Activity

Children's sermon

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Getting strong -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C
Good morning! I brought this bottle with me today. Can you
Only one -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- Thanksgiving Day - B
Good morning! The Bible tells us that there is only one
Let's save Jesus! -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you were glad to hear that Jesus died for your sins?
Jesus helps everyone -- Matthew 15:(10-20), 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Good morning, boys and girls. This morning I brought a picture
Earning awards -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (v. 27)
Thanks to God -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C
When someone does something nice to me or for me, I like to
Jesus the great teacher -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - B
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you attend school?
Two and one -- James 1:17-27 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
Good morning! I want to ask a riddle of you. I have two of
Popular John -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- Second Sunday of Advent - A
I brought with me today a poster of a candidate who ran for
Do you look like Jesus? -- Romans 8:28-30 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you know what Jesus
Choosing from a display -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C
But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might
Praying always -- Luke 18:1-8 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
Once there was a boy named Tom. Everyone called him "Tommy" --
And suddenly from heaven -- Acts 2:1-22 -- Day of Pentecost - B
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you like to pretend?
Straining the difference -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C
Good morning! Today is New Year's Day but it is also a day
Hurry up and wait! -- James 5:7-10 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
A bean is a seed. Seeds grow into plants. Plants produce more
An important meal -- John 21:1-19 -- Third Sunday of Easter - C
Good morning, boys and girls. Did you have breakfast this morning?
Jesus, the great teacher -- Luke 6:20-31 -- All Saints Day - C
(hold up your Bible) This is my Bible. It's the most important book Christians have.
Being There -- Romans 10:8b-13 -- First Sunday in Lent - C
Good morning! Have any of you ever been in a department store
It's a gift! -- Ephesians 2:1-10 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B
Good morning! I want you to see this pay stub that I brought
Confident living hope -- 1 Peter 1:3-9 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you know what the word confidence means?
Winning the battle -- Romans 6:12-23 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A
Good morning! Have any of you ever disobeyed your parents?
He knows you so well -- Matthew 10:24-39 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A
Good morning! Okay. Everybody look at the back of your hand.
What's in a name? -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
Editor's note: To prepare for this lesson, go to a library and
Do as you say -- Matthew 21:23-32 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A
Good morning, boys and girls. Do any of you have invisible
A bride's new beginning -- Revelation 21:1-6 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C
I love weddings! Weddings are so exciting as the bride and

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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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