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Ron Love

Ronald H. Love was called into the ordained ministry from a career as a state trooper. He has served Methodist churches in rural, inner-city and suburban settings for 20 years, and also served for four years as an Army chaplain. Dr. Love has also been a corporate librarian for a Fortune 500 company and been a university professor for ten years, teaching history and theology. His writing experience includes denominational publications, magazine articles on religion, and a newspaper devotional column. He holds a bachelor's degree in sociology (Slippery Rock State College), master's degrees in library and information science (University of Pittsburgh), secondary education (Duquesne University), church history (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), and theology (Wesley Theological Seminary), as well as a doctorate in homiletics (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary). Dr. Love now resides in South Carolina.
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Commentary

Children's sermon

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Advent 1 (2013) -- Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Isaiah 2:1-5
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 14 | OT 19 (2013) -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, Luke 12:32-40 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Scott A. Bryte, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2013
Isaiah 1:1, 10-20
NULL -- Acts 16:16-34 -- Ron Love -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
At the age of 17, Dwight Lyman Moody went to Boston to work as a shoe salesman in his uncle's store.
The 1880s were... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2013
The 1880s were a revolutionary time in international transportation.
Charles Darwin in... -- Romans 13:11-14 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Charles Darwin in the 1830s theorized the concept of natural selection and the succeeding concept of
The Seventh-Day Adventist... -- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 -- Ron Love -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2013
The Seventh-Day Adventist denomination celebrated their 150th anniversary in May.
NULL -- John 17:20-26 -- Ron Love -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
There's a poignant scene in the movie Driving Miss Daisy that ought to stir everyone's consci
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 (2014) -- Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2013
Isaiah 49:1-7
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 2 (2013) -- Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Isaiah 11:1-10
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 15 | OT 20 (2013) -- Isaiah 5:1-7, Hebrews 11:29--12:2, Luke 12:49-56 -- Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2013
Isaiah 5:1-7
Sermon illustrations for Day of Pentecost (2013) -- Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:14-17, John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2013
Acts 2:1-21
With the dawn... -- 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2013
With the dawn of the Second Industrial Revolution in the late 1800s public education was made availa
In the summer... -- Isaiah 11:1-10 -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
In the summer of 2013 the Madame Tussauds wax museums in Berlin and Amsterdam added a life-size figu
After three years of marriage... -- Isaiah 5:1-7 -- Ron Love -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2013
After three years of marriage Bethany Frankel and Hoppy divorced in 2013.
Sermon Illustrations for Trinity Sunday (2013) -- Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Romans 5:1-5, John 16:12-15 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2013
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Carol Klein... -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Carol Klein, with schoolbooks under one arm and a sheet of music under the other, got off the expres
Though his words were directed... -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Ron Love -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2013
Though his words were directed against marriage equality, and though he was a Mormon, his wisdom sho
NULL -- Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 -- Ron Love -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2013
Abraham Lincoln and his family often sought solace at the Soldier's Home in Washington DC.
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 3 (2013) -- Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11 -- Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Isaiah 35:1-10
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 7 | OT 12 (2013) -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a, Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39 -- Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2013
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
NULL -- John 16:12-15 -- Ron Love -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2013
Bob Keeshan entertained children for years as the jovial Captain Kangaroo.
It is documented... -- James 5:7-10 -- Ron Love -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
It is documented that hymn singing continued to be a part of worship throughout the span of the earl
A concern for the television... -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a -- Ron Love -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2013
A concern for the television industry today is what is being referred to as "Zero TV" households.
Sermon illustrations for Easter 4 (2013) -- Acts 9:36-43, Revelation 7:9-17, John 10:22-30 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
Acts 9:36-43
Bobby McFerrin... -- Isaiah 7:10-16 -- Ron Love -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Bobby McFerrin is best known to us for his iconic 1988 feel-good hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy." S

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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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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180+ – Illustrations / Stories
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19 – Worship Resources
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Christmas!
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100+ – Illustrations / Stories
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3 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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Not many things are quite as common — and, for that matter, quite as predictable — as the sunrise and the sunset. Yet that does not make them less spectacular, does it? We still find ourselves struck by their beauty. So much so, in fact, that at times we try to take pictures in order to capture what we are seeing and experiencing. Or, if others are nearby, we call some family member over to the window in order to share the beauty of the view with someone we love.
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Then I said, ‘See, I have come to do your will, O God’ (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).

If you’re the kind of person that doesn’t miss a super hero movie, you know that every one of them has an origin story. Bruce Wayne, for instance, witnessed the senseless murder of his parents when he was a child, which is why as an adult he was not only intent on fighting crime but also to instill in criminals the traumatic terror he experienced as a child, and that is why he donned the character of the Batman.

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Object: A small bag of potato chips. This message includes role-playing. Depending on your group of children, you can either select your players yourself or ask for volunteers when you need them. You will want one girl to be Mary, another to be Elizabeth, and two more children to be the people in town.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! But instead of just hearing the story,

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We Protestants don’t know what to do with Mary. Because the doctrines of the Catholic church have turned Mary into a sweet passive icon of virginal purity, we Protestants have been content to leave her out of our gallery of biblical saints — except of course, for her obligatory appearance in our Christmas pageants.
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The name Johann Sebastian Bach has been familiar in church music circles for many years. Bach inscribed all his compositions with the phrase, "To God Alone The Glory." Professor Peter Schickele of the fictitious University of Southern North Dakota discovered an obscure relative, P.D.Q. Bach, known as the most bent twig on the Bach family tree. The name Bach had always been associated with fine music until P.D.Q. appeared on the scene. This fabled genius, P.D.Q.
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Year after year, we are drawn to this night. This night with its carols and candlelight, inhaling an atmosphere of poinsettia and pine, and exhaling the promise of peace. What is it about this night that so captivates our souls, I wonder? There are, I suppose, as many answers as there are people in this room.

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The university chaplain was late for a meeting. He roared down the interstate through a sparsely populated area of his state. He was traveling ten miles per hour over the speed limit. As the blue light from the highway patrol car flashed in his rearview mirror, the churning in his stomach was exceeded only by his anger at his foolishness. Putting on his best professional face and a humble demeanor, he gave the officer the requested information and jotted in his date book the time and location of his court appointment.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Christmas is nearly here! In our worship today let us reflect the joy and happiness of Mary in the way in which we too greet the birth of our Saviour.

Invitation to Confession:

Lord Jesus, we are longing for your birth.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we wait to greet you with clean hearts.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we welcome you -- make us right with you.

Lord, have mercy

Reading:

Luke 1:39-45

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