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Bonnie Bates

The Reverend Doctor Bonnie Bates currently serves as the Associations Associate for Congregational Vitality and Development for the Eastern Ohio and Western Reserve Associations of the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ.  The Reverend Dr. Bonnie Bates received her Masters of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Colgate Rochester Divinity School.  The focus of her doctoral work was transformational leadership and her dissertation is titled, Navigating the River of Grief.   She has served churches in New York both as a licensed and ordained minister.  She directed and taught in the Graduate Human Resource Development program at St. John Fisher College in Rochester.  She has worked for several non-profits and has served on several not-for-profit Boards including the Dunkirk Camp and Conference Center in western New York.  She has been an active member of the associations where she has served as well as numerous leadership positions within the New York Conference including its work in becoming a Global Mission conference and designing its current governance structure.   She has recently completed the development and implementation of a Boundary Training model for local congregations.

Her hobbies are singing, reading, fly fishing. She once sang with a national choir in Carnegie Hall, Constitution Hall, the White House, Royal Albert Hall, and a variety of locations in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy.   She and her husband, Steve Vulcheff, have one son Samuel and two grandsons Kiel and Jakob.
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Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 2 (2018) -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20), 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, John 1:43-51 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2018
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 1 (2018) -- Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36 -- Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Ron Love -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2018
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Sermon Illustrations for Trinity Sunday (2018) -- Isaiah 6:1-8, Romans 8:12-17, John 3:1-17 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Ron Love -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2018
Psalm 29
Sermon Illustrations for Ash Wednesday (2018) -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21, Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) -- Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2018
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Illustrations for Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 (2018) -- Mark 2:23--3:6, 2 Corinthians 4:5-12, 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20), Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 -- Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Ron Love -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B -- 2018
1 Samuel 3:1-10
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 2 (2018) -- Baruch 5:1-9, Philippians 1:3-11, Luke 3:1-6 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Ron Love -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2018
Baruch 5:1-9For they went out from you on foot,
Sermon Illustrations for Maundy Thursday (2018) -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2018
Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 12 | OT 17 (2018) -- 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Ephesians 3:14-21, John 6:1-21, Psalm 14 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 2018
2 Samuel 11:1-15 and Psalm14
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 (2018) -- Proverbs 31:10-31, James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a, Mark 9:30-37, Psalm 1 -- Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Ron Love -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2018
Proverbs 31:10-31, Psalm 1
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 (2018) -- Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22, James 5:13-20, Mark 9:38-50, Psalm 124 -- Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2018
Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations For Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 (2017) -- Genesis 28:10-19a, Romans 8:12-25, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2017
Genesis 28:10-19a
Sermon Illustrations For Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 (2017) -- Genesis 29:15-28, Romans 8:26-39, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2017
Genesis 29:15-28
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany of Our Lord (2017) -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2017
Isaiah 60:1-6
Sermon Illustrations For Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 (2017) -- Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28, Romans 10:5-15, Matthew 14:22-33 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A -- 2017
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Sermon Illustrations for Baptism of Our Lord (2017) -- Isaiah 42:1-9, Acts 10:34-43, Matthew 3:13-17 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2017
Isaiah 42:1-9
Sermon Illustrations For Easter 7 (2017) -- Acts 1:6-14, 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11, John 17:1-11 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2017
Acts 1:6-14
Sermon Illustrations For Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 (2017) -- Genesis 45:1-15, Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32, Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bill Thomas -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 2017
Genesis 45:1-15
Sermon Illustrations For Easter 6 (2017) -- Acts 17:22-31, 1 Peter 3:13-22, John 14:15-21 -- Frank Ramirez, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2017
Acts 17:22-31
Sermon Illustrations For Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 (2017) -- Exodus 1:8--2:10, Romans 12:1-8, Matthew 16:13-20 -- Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2017
Exodus 1:8--2:10
Sermon Illustrations For Easter 5 (2017) -- Acts 7:55-60, 1 Peter 2:2-10, John 14:1-14 -- Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2017
Acts 7:55-60
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 (2017) -- Exodus 3:1-15, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 16:21-28 -- Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2017
Exodus 3:1-15
Sermon Illustrations For Easter 4 (2017) -- Acts 2:42-47, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10 -- Bonnie Bates, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2017
Acts 2:42-47
Sermons Illustrations For Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 (2017) -- Exodus 12:1-14, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 18:15-20 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2017
Exodus 12:1-14
Sermon Illustrations For Easter 3 -- Acts 2:14a, 36-41, 1 Peter 1:17-23, Luke 24:13-35 -- Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2017
Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Sermon Illustrations For Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 (2017) -- Exodus 14:19-31, Romans 14:1-12, Matthew 18:21-35 -- Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2017
Exodus 14:19-31
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Advent 3
31 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
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36 – Sermons
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