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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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Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for the Sixth Sunday of Easter (2018) -- Acts 10:44-48, 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17 -- Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2018
Acts 10:44-48
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 (2018) -- Song of Solomon 2:8-13, James 1:17-27, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9 -- Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Ron Love -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2018
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 18 | OT 23 (2018) -- Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17, Mark 7:24-37 -- Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2018
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 (2018) -- Proverbs 1:20-33, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38, Psalm 19, Song of Solomon 7:26--8:1 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2018
Proverbs 1:20-33
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 -- 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
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 (2018) -- Job 1:1; 2:1-10, Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12, Mark 10:2-16 -- Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2018
Job 1:1, 2:1-10 and Psalm 26
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 (2018) -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17, Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 10:17-31, Psalm 22:1-15 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Ron Love -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2018
Job 1:1; 2:1-10
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 (2018) -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41), Hebrews 5:1-10, Mark 10:35-45, Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c -- Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2018
Job 38:1-7, 34-41
Sermon Illustrations for Baptism of Our Lord (2018) -- Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2018
Genesis 1:1-5
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 (2018) -- Job 42:1-6, 10-17, Hebrews 7:23-28, Mark 10:46-52 -- Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2018
Job 42:1-6,10-17
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 Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 (2018) -- Ruth 1:1-18, Hebrews 9:11-14, Mark 12:28-34 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2018
Ruth 1:1-18
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

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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
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

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The Immediate Word

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Christopher Keating
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George Reed
Katy Stenta
For April 6, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A small pillow or cushion, a bowl, and a jar.

NOTE: This is a simple role-play story. You will need one boy to play the role of Jesus, and one girl to play the role of Mary. Since these are not speaking roles, this may be an opportunity to have a child help who might be hesitant to do a more involved role.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
This is not the same old thing. This is something new. Isaiah tells us to forget the old standards of life and truth. Our God conquers, so no longer judge the old way. Paul in prison says pretty much the same thing. And in the first supper, which takes place in the home of Martha, with Mary, Jesus, and the newly resurrected Lazarus in attendance, we see the world turned upside down as well. Something new. Something new.

Isaiah 43:16-21
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Isaiah 43:16-21

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” (vv. 7-8)

The first time I saw one of the “He Gets Us” Jesus ads during the Super Bowl two years ago, I sat up and said to my wife, Jo, “This is great! I wonder who is sponsoring this.” When I found out who, and what their motives were, I was deeply disappointed.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to worship:

When Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus' feet with oil, the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. As we worship God today, may this whole church be filled with the fragrance of our prayers.

Invitation to confession:

Jesus, sometimes we fail to notice or appreciate beauty.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we resent the actions of others and are spiteful towards them.

Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Gregory L. Tolle
For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own. (vv. 8b--12)
Schuyler Rhodes
There's nothing quite as wonderful as looking at an old car that's been restored to its former luster. A 1932 Ford Victoria Coupe, rumbling down the road brings a thrill. The rust has been cleaned off, the torn upholstery replaced, and missing windows have been installed. It is a work of art. It is also a work of love. Such restoration projects, as anyone involved in them can attest, are not for the weak of heart. Restoring a classic automobile requires painstaking attention to detail and the patience of Job.
Carlos Wilton
Theme For The Day
Worship is a blessed waste of time.

Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 43:16-21
A New Thing
Donald Charles Lacy
In our spiritual voyages, surprises -- sometimes outlandishly -- come to us. We scratch our heads and wonder if what we are experiencing is fact or fiction. It may or may not be a time of inspiration. However, it may be one of instruction, as we view it in retrospect. You and I are to remember that every occurrence may very well be a teaching event.

David Kalas
In December of every year, the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City awards the coveted Heisman Trophy. Voted on by over 800 media members, the Heisman is awarded to the most outstanding college football player during that season. Past recipients have included such notables as Roger Staubach, Marcus Allen, and Barry Sanders. It is a great honor, and it represents the broad and non-partisan recognition of a player's outstanding season.
Julia Ross Strope
You shall pass judgment on yourself. That is the hardest thing of all ...
If you succeed in judging yourself, it is because you are truly wise.
(The king on a planet to the prince)
-- Saint Exupery, The Little Prince

Call To Worship
Leader: You're here! Winter seems displaced by the new growth of spring. This is the fifth Sunday in Lent -- with one more to come: Palm Sunday.

(Candles counting the Sundays in Lent can be lighted.)

Special Occasion

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