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Children's Activity

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Who I am -- John 10:22-30 -- Leah Thompson -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Sore afraid -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
The Christian uniform -- John 13:31-35 -- Leah Thompson -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
The least of these -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Leah Thompson -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Keep the word -- John 14:23-29 -- Leah Thompson -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Whodunit? -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Leah Thompson -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Storytellers -- John 17:20-26 -- Leah Thompson -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Hit it, maestro! -- John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Leah Thompson -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Hear it now -- John 16:12-15 -- Leah Thompson -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Hallelujah! -- John 20:1-18 -- Easter Day - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Sharing love -- Matthew 22:34-46 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Believe -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Never hungry -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Bread of life -- Luke 24:13-35 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Serving others -- Matthew 23:1-12 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Our shepherd -- John 10:1-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Be prepared -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
A place for us -- John 14:1-14 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Trustworthy -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Connected -- John 14:15-21 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Helping God -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Thankfulness -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Up to heaven -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
God's promise -- Mark 13:24-37 -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:
Protection -- John 17:1-11 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOMEMaterials:

Children's sermon

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Say What? -- Luke 16:1-13 -- John Jamison -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2022
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly.
SHHHhhhhh! -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- John Jamison -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2022
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogu
Warning! -- Luke 16:19-31 -- John Jamison -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2022
Object: A piece of purple cloth and an old, worn-out rag.
Tempted! -- Luke 4:1-13 -- John Jamison -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 2022
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answe
Our Job Description -- Luke 17:5-10 -- John Jamison -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2022
Object: A printed copy of the job description that is included with this week’s mes
Seeing Things! -- Luke 13:31-35 -- John Jamison -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2022
At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere el
Thanking God! -- Luke 17:11-19 -- John Jamison -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2022
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) I have another story for you today. Are you ready?
The Fig Tree -- Luke 13:1-9 -- John Jamison -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2022
Object: Figs, usually dried.
The Busy Judge! -- Luke 18:1-8 -- John Jamison -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2022
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) I have another story for you today. Are you ready?
Stones and Cookies -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 -- John Jamison -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2022
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him
A Sneaky Faith -- Luke 18:9-14 -- John Jamison -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2022
Object: I use a battery-powered megaphone for this message, and the script is writt
Welcome! -- John 12:1-8 -- John Jamison -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2022
Object: A bottle of aromatic hand cream or something similar.
Short and Tall! -- Luke 19:1-10 -- John Jamison -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2022
Object: A chair, or for the most fun, a stepladder.
Holy Week Begins -- Luke 22:14--23:56 -- John Jamison -- Passion Sunday - C -- 2022
Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate.
Our ToDo List -- Luke 6:20-31 -- John Jamison -- All Saints Day - C -- 2022
Object: A whiteboard, or something you can write on for everyone to see.
Holy Thursday -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- John Jamison -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2022
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave thi
Blah, Blah, Blah! -- Luke 20:27-38 -- John Jamison -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2022
Object: The “Hands Up” gesture.
Good Friday -- John 18:1--19:42 -- John Jamison -- Good Friday - C -- 2022
Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus.
The Big Test! -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- John Jamison -- New Year's Day - C -- 2022
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take you
Being Foolish! -- Luke 21:5-19 -- John Jamison -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2022
Object: A teddy bear or other stuffed animal, and a big stick for a sword.
Easter! -- Luke 24:1-12 -- John Jamison -- Easter Day - C -- 2022
When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the other
Seeing God! -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- John Jamison -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C -- 2022
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[
What We Say! -- Luke 23:33-43 -- John Jamison -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2022
Object: This message includes a role-play.
Thomas -- John 20:19-31 -- John Jamison -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2022
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came
Thank You! -- John 6:25-35 -- John Jamison -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2022
Object: Little paper sacks of food, such as small cookies.

Sermon

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33 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
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180+ – Illustrations / Stories
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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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