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TIW Contributors

George Reed
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Chris Keating
Ron Love
Tom Willadsen
Bethany Peerbolte
Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Ron Love
Bethany Peerbolte
Christopher Keating
George Reed

For July 21, 2019:

  • Teamwork by Tom Willadsen — The US Women’s Soccer Team dominated the competition in the World Cup, winning their second consecutive title. The team demonstrated a deep personal commitment to every player on the team —everyone was important. Could we reimagine the relationship between Mary and Martha as one of a team rather than adversaries?
  • Second Thoughts: What to Do? by Bethany Peerbolte — Mary and Martha show us that working for God has at least two paths. Martha’s path is to use our energy in physical work. Mary’s path is to be a witness in order to teach the world God’s truth. Both are needed.
  • Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Ron Love and Chris Keating.
  • Worship resources by George Reed that focus on teamwork and different gifts.
  • Children’s sermon: Bucket Choice by Dean Feldmeyer — Listening and learning. Working and doing. They are equally important.

What is The Immediate Word?

The Immediate Word gives a theological perspective on today's headlines and popular culture for your sermon, children’s sermon, and worship service. The Immediate Word gives a theological perspective on today's headlines and popular culture.

Cutting Edge: THE IMMEDIATE WORD gives you the tools to be cutting edge ... to put you in touch with today's most critical issues and to aid you in crafting messages and presentations that will truly help your congregants understand the Gospel in the context of what is current and most important to them.

Collaborative: THE IMMEDIATE WORD is a unique collaboration of some of the sharpest, most contemporary clergy of our day in an Internet-based service that gives you weekly information, inspiration, and presentation materials for your sermon, children’s sermon, and worship service.

Enabling: THE IMMEDIATE WORD will enable you to create high-impact sermons, children’s sermons, sermon outlines, worship services and compose pastoral prayers that help people pray with you, write compelling pastoral columns for your newsletter, arm your Sunday school teachers with meaningful, up-to-the-minute discussion sermon material, speak more constructively during the "Concerns of the Church" portion of your sermon, children's sermon and worship service about matters that worry your parishioners, advertise timely discussion topics to draw people into your church, and more.

Interactive: THE IMMEDIATE WORD is a dynamic, interactive process. First, among the team of clergy that creates it every week. Secondly, with you: you can personally participate in the creation process by providing your input and reactions to the input of others on new sermons, children’s sermons, sermon outlines and worship resources.

Timely: THE IMMEDIATE WORD sends participants the topic of the week on Friday and the final product on Tuesday afternoon, giving you time to digest the sermon and worship service materials and then incorporate them into your preparations for the coming Sunday service to deliver high-impact sermons and worship services.

Satisfaction Guaranteed: THE IMMEDIATE WORD is not only guaranteed to satisfy you, we believe it will actually energize your ministry. We are so confident that you will find THE IMMEDIATE WORD to be such a great value that if you are not completely satisfied with the service we will refund the balance of your subscription payment, no questions asked.
UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 12 - OT 17 - Pentecost 7
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Proper 13 - OT 18 - Pentecost 8
24 – Sermons
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32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 14 - OT 19 - Pentecost 9
25 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
19 – Worship Resources
28 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 15 - OT 20 - Pentecost 10
25 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
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Recent TIW Installments

Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C
My Husband; My Wife
Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C
Teamwork
Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C
It Takes a Village to be a Good Samaritan
Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C
Naaman and Other Strangers
Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C
The Demands of Freedom

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Mary Austin
Ron Love
Bethany Peerbolte
George Reed
For July 28, 2019:
  • My Husband; My Wife by Dean Feldmeyer — Even when we have been unfaithful, when we have been dysfunctional and destructive, when we have been mean, and hateful, and all those things that make us so disgustingly human, even then, God brings us home from the back alleys of sin and covers us with grace.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
The parable of the man who turns away the midnight caller? Ridiculous! The idea that God would find a way to restore a broken relationship with people who will not obey simple, life giving commands, is absurd. No. Ridiculous! The idea that someone would choose vain and empty philosophies and catch phrases after entering a relationship with the true and eternal God? Ridiculous!

Hosea 1:2-10
Bob Ove
Mark Ellingsen
Ron Love
Bill Thomas
Bonnie Bates
Frank Ramirez
Hosea 1:2-10
My daughter was a Peace Corps volunteer in a small country in Central America. I went to visit her, and we were walking along a dirt road on the edge of the small town where she lived. An aged vehicle rattled toward us. A man and women sat in the front seat; three small children crowded into the back. My daughter waved and the couple returned the friendly gesture.

CSSPlus

Arley K. Fadness
“Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” (v. 1b)

Good morning children,

It's really wonderful to see you children. You appear happy and eager to be here.

I'm happy to be here too, and to share thoughts with you about prayer.

Can you tell me what you know about prayer? (children respond, don't be surprised at their answers) What else can you tell me about prayer? (children respond)

StoryShare

Keith Wagner
Peter Andrew Smith
Contents
“Is that a Knock at the Door?” by Keith Wagner
“ Living with a Thankful Spirit” by Keith Wagner
“A Child of the Living God” by Peter Andrew Smith


Is that a Knock at the Door?
by Keith Wagner
Luke 11:1-13

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
When Moira's husband was killed in a car crash at the age of 35, Moira was understandably devastated. For days she was in shock and hardly knew what she was doing. And since she'd kissed Mike goodbye as usual that morning, she couldn't believe that he was really dead, even though the police arrived at her place of work and told her. But Moira just couldn't take it in.

Then, as it eventually began to dawn on her that it really was true and that she'd never see Mike again, she felt utter, crushing despair. It was then that she began to bargain with God.

SermonStudio

J. Will Ormond
This sermon was prepared for and preached at a chapel service at Columbia Seminary at which the Lord's Supper was celebrated. The bread was three loaves in a basket on the Table. These loaves were broken at the time of the distribution of the elements. The Moores referred to lived next door to me at the time. Mrs. Moore was manager of the seminary dining hall.

Special Occasion