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John E. Sumwalt

John E. Sumwalt is a retired United Methodist pastor and the author of nine books for CSS Publishing Company, including How to Preach the Miracles and the Vision Stories series. He and his wife, Joanne Perry-Sumwalt, were the original editors of StoryShare. John is an acclaimed storyteller. He writes a weekly spiritual column for several Wisconsin newspapers.
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StoryShare

Taking His Joy Unto Ourselves -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20), Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Psalm 96 -- Lamar Massingill, John E. Sumwalt -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2010
Contents"Taking His Joy unto Ourselves" by Lamar Massingill
Mistaken Identity -- Mark 10:46-52, Job 42:1-6, 10-17, Hebrews 7:23-28, Psalm 34:1-8 (19-22) -- Argile Smith, John E. Sumwalt, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Mistaken Identity" by Argile Smith
Mistaken Identity -- John 8:31-36, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, Psalm 46 -- Argile Smith, John E. Sumwalt, C. David Mckirachan -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Mistaken Identity" by Argile Smith
A Sacrifice Of Thanksgiving -- Mark 13:1-8, 1 Samuel 1:4-20, Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25, 1 Samuel 2:1-10 -- John S. Smylie, John E. Sumwalt, Peter Andrew Smith -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving" by John Smylie
Listening -- Mark 9:2-9, 2 Kings 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, Psalm 50:1-6 -- Argile Smith, Keith Hewitt, John E. Sumwalt -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Listening" by Argile Smith
Shining On The Hill -- Mark 1:9-15, Genesis 9:8-17, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Psalm 25:1-10 -- Peter Andrew Smith, Larry Winebrenner, Lamar Massingill, John E. Sumwalt -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Shining on the Hill" by Peter Andrew Smith
Showing Them Jesus -- John 12:20-33, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 5:5-10, Psalm 51:1-12 -- Peter Andrew Smith, Larry Winebrenner, John E. Sumwalt -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Showing Them Jesus" by Peter Andrew Smith
Discovering What We Will Be -- Luke 24:36b-48, Acts 3:12-19, 1 John 3:1-7, Psalm 4 -- Peter Andrew Smith, David O. Bales, John E. Sumwalt -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
Witnessing To The Truth -- Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Psalm 47 -- Peter Andrew Smith, John E. Sumwalt, Argile Smith, C. David Mckirachan -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Witnessing to the Truth" by Peter Andrew Smith
Witnessing To The Truth -- John 17:6-19, Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, 1 John 5:9-13, Psalm 1 -- Peter Andrew Smith, John E. Sumwalt, Argile Smith, C. David Mckirachan -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Witnessing to the Truth" by Peter Andrew Smith
God's Ledger -- Mark 5:21-43, 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Psalm 130 -- Craig Kelly, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "God's Ledger" by Craig Kelly
The Third Heaven -- Mark 6:1-13, 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Psalm 48 -- David O. Bales, Peter Andrew Smith, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "The Third Heaven" by David O. Bales
Friedensstadt -- Mark 12:38-44, Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17, Hebrews 9:24-28, Psalm 127 -- Keith Hewitt, C. David Mckirachan, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Friedensstadt" by Keith Hewitt
The Lad's Miracle Of Sharing -- John 6:1-21, 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Ephesians 3:14-21, Psalm 14 -- Lamar Massingill, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
Come Away With Me -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, Song of Solomon 2:8-13, James 1:17-27, Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9 -- Sandra Herrmann, Lamar Massingill, Larry Winebrenner, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Come Away With Me" by Sandra Herrmann
Blue Sky Thunder -- Mark 9:38-50, Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22, James 5:13-20, Psalm 124 -- Keith Hewitt, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Blue Sky Thunder" by Keith Hewitt
Encounter In The Darkness -- John 14:1-14, 1 Peter 2:2-10, Acts 7:55-60, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 -- Keith Hewitt, Scott Dalgarno, John E. Sumwalt -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Contents What's Up This Week "Encounter in the Darkness" by Keith Hewitt
Would That All Were Prophets -- Numbers 11:24-30, 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13, John 20:19-23, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b -- Frank Ramirez, John E. Sumwalt -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2008
Contents What's Up This Week
Free Stories/illustrations For Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 -- Genesis 22:1-2, Matthew 10:40-42 -- John E. Sumwalt, Craig Kelly -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2008
Who Is In Favor of Child Sacrifice? by John Sumwalt
Turning Dirt! -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23, Romans 8:1-11, Genesis 25:19-34, Psalm 119:105-112 -- Bryan Meadows, John E. Sumwalt, Keith Hewitt -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2008
Contents What's Up This Week "Turning Dirt!" by Bryan Meadows
Hope On A Stick -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23), Romans 5:1-8, Genesis 18:1-15 (21:1-7), Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 -- Keith Hewitt, John E. Sumwalt, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2008
Contents What's Up This Week "Hope on a Stick" by Keith Hewitt
It Was A Long Time Ago -- Matthew 16:13-20, Romans 12:1-8, Exodus 1:8--2:10, Psalm 124 -- David O. Bales, John E. Sumwalt, Craig Kelly -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2008
Contents What's Up This Week "It was a Long Time Ago" by David O. Bales
A Stellar Calamity -- Mark 13:24-37, Isaiah 64:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 -- Frank Ramirez, Peter Andrew Smith, John E. Sumwalt -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
Contents What's Up This Week "A Stellar Calamity" by Frank Ramirez
The Unsecret Weapon -- Matthew 18:21-35, Exodus 14:19-31, Romans 14:1-12 -- Frank Ramirez, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
Contents What's Up This Week "The Unsecret Weapon" by Frank Ramirez
A Lot Of Bull -- Matthew 22:1-14, Exodus 32:1-14, Philippians 4:1-9, Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 -- Alex A. Gondola, Jr., Craig Kelly, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 2008
Contents What's Up This Week "A Lot of Bull" by Alex Gondola
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 28 | OT 33 | Pentecost 23
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Christ the King Sunday
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Thanksgiving
34 – Sermons
80+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
24 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For November 16, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
Another natural disaster has flattened a number of coastal communities. Despite the weather and major television station warnings, and government disaster preparations, the dystopian destruction nightmare of Luke 21 has decimated another community. Also, it is reasonable to believe that this is not the last year for hurricanes, Tsunami’s, wildfires, mudslides and tornados. They will occur again. However, as weary citizens are interviewed in one group of people with the background of homes in rubble and streets still draining flood waters, they will not leave. This is their home.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez

Isaiah 65:17-25 and Isaiah 12

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. (v. 25)

A week after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, country singer Toby Keith — who died Feb. 5, 2024 — wrote a patriotic ballad titled “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” It was filled with populist fighting rhetoric that matched the mood of a nation shaken by the shocking death and destruction of that day.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A blood pressure monitor. It is actually called a sphygmomanometer, and is pronounced “sfig·mow·muh·naa’·muh·tr”.

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The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
-- Isaiah 12:3

John W. Clarke
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world understands that Jesus is the hope of the world and that any teaching that leads away from that fact is a false teaching. No matter what, no matter when, Jesus will be there to give us life.

Scott Suskovic
Whoever does not work should not eat!
-- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT)

Wow! Kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it? Not a lot of ambiguity in that rule. "You don't work, you don't eat." For a religion based on grace, it seems a bit unyielding.

Mark Ellingson
Freedom is such a lovely word, a compelling image. What is freedom? How would you define it? What does it mean to you? Webster's New World Dictionary defines freedom as being exempt from control or from arbitrary restrictions. Freedom is said to be the ability to choose or determine one's own actions.

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