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The Village Shepherd

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The Village Shepherd

Come-Uppance! -- Genesis 29:15-28 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A
For all the moans and groans voiced by disgruntled motorists over the many speed cameras now apparen
Priorities -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C
At the last Lambeth Conference in 1998, Anglican bishops from around the world had wide-ranging di
Wealth And Justice -- Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
There was a story in the press recently about a con-man who so duped lots of different people that h
How Christian Is Violence? -- John 2:13-22 -- Janice B. Scott -- Third Sunday in Lent - B
When my children first started school, many years ago now, I was quickly faced with one of the d
Experiencing Resurrection -- Matthew 28:1-10 -- Janice B. Scott -- Easter Day - A
I wonder whether Jesus knew there would be a glorious resurrection when he hung there nailed to
Everything Changes -- Jeremiah 31:1-6 -- Janice B. Scott -- Easter Day - A
In the film, "Man Dancin'", one of the conditions of Jimmy's parole from prison is that he attends a
The Wrong Gift? -- 2 Samuel 7:1-14a -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B
The man's mother had died
Solving Disputes -- Philippians 4:1-9 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A
The 2001 census apparently showed that in the UK, women rule the world!
Who Controls Your Mind? -- Romans 8:6-11 -- Janice B. Scott -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A
I once took the funeral of a drug addict.
Jesus' Response -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B
Two or three weeks ago we had the gospel story of the rich young man who ran up to Jesus and asked
God's Protection -- Isaiah 43:1-7 -- Janice B. Scott -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
I was once in a group for something or other where we were offered a pile of photographs.
The Water Of Baptism -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- Janice B. Scott -- First Sunday in Lent - B
A week or two ago I was privileged to visit Sweden with a group of Anglican clergy from our dioc
The Insulation Of Wealth -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
At a TUC conference just a few years ago, TUC leader John Edmonds was rudely blunt in his condemna
Christian Paradoxes - Losing Your Life Gives You Life -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A
It was while we were in a calm, relaxed, happy period in our lives, when everything was flowing
'... Only Believe, And You Will See That Christ Is All In All To Thee.' -- John 3:14-21 -- Janice B. Scott -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B
As a child, I would amuse myself in church by flicking through the hymnbook.
Thieves And Robbers? -- John 10:1-10 -- Janice B. Scott -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A
I recently acquired a most interesting book,
What Price Contentment? -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Those who tuned in to "Songs of Praise" on the Sunday following the American disaster, would have
Coincidences -- Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A
In a recent television documentary showing the possible long-term effects of the use of cannabis, a
Preparing The Way -- Romans 15:4-13 -- Janice B. Scott -- Second Sunday of Advent - A
I recently watched a biography of Sir Winston Churchill on television.
God's Kind Of Power -- Mark 9:30-37 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B
What an interesting situation we've had in this country recently with
Healing -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Janice B. Scott -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B
I've been interested in health issues all my life, hence my training many years ago as a physiot
Evangelism -- Nehemiah 8:1-3,5-6, 8-10 -- Janice B. Scott -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Readings:
The Power Of Slavery -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Janice B. Scott -- Passion Sunday - A
Around the end of the nineteenth century, a book appeared on the
Single-Minded Focus -- Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A
I once had a friend who was having a very tough time at work.
Who Is God? -- Isaiah 40:12-17; 27-31 -- Janice B. Scott -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A
Children at the top end of Primary School aged ten or eleven, are poised between finishing with chil

Worship

UPCOMING WEEKS
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Easter 4
28 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 5
33 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
30 – Worship Resources
35 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 6
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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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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