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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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Children's sermon

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 (2012) -- Song of Solomon 2:8-13, James 1:17-27, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen, Cynthia E. Cowen, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Ron Love -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2012
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
NULL -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Ron Love -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2012
Yoga instructor Alice Van Ness was terminated from her position at the Menlo Park campus of Facebook
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 18 | OT 23 (2012) -- Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17, Mark 7:24-37 -- Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem, Cynthia E. Cowen, Mark Ellingsen, Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2012
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23
Sermon Illustrations for The Nativity of Our Lord (2012) -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2012
Isaiah 9:2-7
Sermon Illustrations for Christ the King Sunday (Proper 29) (2012) -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33-37 -- Cynthia E. Cowen, Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2012
2 Samuel 23:1-7
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 (2012) -- Proverbs 1:20-33, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38 -- Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen, Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Cynthia E. Cowen -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2012
Proverbs 1:20-33
The earliest Jewish belief shared by the Greeks... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- Ron Love -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2012
The earliest Jewish belief, shared by the Greeks, was that the firmament was a solid dome.
NULL -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7 -- Ron Love -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2012
Howard Stern wrote an editorial in which he expressed his admiration for the professionalism of Matt
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 (2012) -- Proverbs 31:10-31, James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a, Mark 9:30-37 -- Cynthia E. Cowen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Mark Ellingsen, Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2012
Women! 4 Positions OpenPalms' Inn & Supper Club
Women and children and unsaved into the lifeboats... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Ron Love -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2012
"Women and children and unsaved into the lifeboats!" Note in this cry the rescuer's word "unsaved."
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 27 | OT 32 (2012) -- Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44 -- Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen, Cynthia E. Cowen, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Ron Love -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2012
Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
NULL -- Proverbs 31:10-31 -- Ron Love -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2012
The harbor in Charleston, South Carolina, has engaged in a $15 million project to deepen the channel
In a comic strip that appears regularly... -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Ron Love -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2012
In a comic strip that appears regularly in the Sunday newspaper, a man is greeted by his wife as he
NULL -- John 18:33-37 -- Ron Love -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2012
Las Vegas is the prime destination for trade shows.
NULL -- Mark 9:30-37 -- Ron Love -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2012
The Washington Post did a review of books about the Titanic on the 100th anniversary o
Sermon Illustrations for Thanksgiving (2012) -- Joel 2:21-27, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Matthew 6:25-33 -- Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Cynthia E. Cowen -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2012
Joel 2:21-27
NULL -- Joshua 24:1-25 -- Ron Love -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2011
Bill Murray had completed school and was doing very well for himself.
NULL -- Genesis 1:1--2:4a -- Ron Love -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2011
Before each game, Texas A&M women's basketball coach Gary Blair will scrawl a plus sign on his h
NULL -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Ron Love -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2011
Did you know the saying "God willing and the Creeks don't rise" was in reference to the Creek Indian
NULL -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Ron Love -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2011
The people of Minamisom, Japan, were desperate.
Can a story become too familiar? -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2011
Can a story become too familiar? Can a story become overdone?

The Immediate Word

The Untold Christmas Story -- Matthew 2:16-18, Luke 1:46b-55, Micah 5:2-5a, Psalm 80:1-7 -- Ron Love, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Mary Austin -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2012
The news was stunning and almost unimaginable -- a bustling elementary school in a well-to-do commun
Quirky Leadership -- Mark 1:21-28, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Deuteronomy 18:15-20, Psalm 111 -- Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2012
One of the main themes running throughout all of this week's lectionary passages is the authority th
O God, It Is Mother's Day... <I>Or</i> Oh Gawd, It's Mother's Day -- 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17, Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98 -- George Reed, Ron Love -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
Mother's Day typically offers a conundrum for us -- should we accede to the wishes of many in our co
Here Or There? -- Luke 24:44-53, John 17:6-19, Acts 1:15-26, Acts 1:1-11 -- George Reed, Ron Love, Mary Austin -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2012
This Sunday offers a choice for those who follow the lectionary -- some congregations will observe A

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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
and more...
Advent 4
36 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
19 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
3 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Christmas!
27 – Sermons
100+ – Illustrations / Stories
31 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
3 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For December 22, 2024:
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For December 22, 2024:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
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.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Micah 5:2-5a
Phillips Brooks wrote the hymn, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” in 1868. The song began as a poem he’d written for the Sunday School of his church, The Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia. Brooks found the inspiration for this hymn after the Civil War, during a year abroad (1865-66) in Europe and the Holy Land. While traveling, he wrote to the children of his parish about visiting Bethlehem on Christmas Eve.

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
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.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
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,

SermonStudio

Susan R. Andrews
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.
James Evans
The recurring phrase, "let your face shine" (vv. 3, 7, 19), offers an interesting opportunity to reflect on the meaning of God's presence in our world. This reflection takes on a particular significance during the Advent season.

Mary S. Lautensleger
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.
Mark Wm. Radecke
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.

Some are here because they are believers, faithful followers of the Christ. You are here to celebrate the nativity of your Lord. In the name of the Christ you worship and adore, I bid you a joyful welcome.

Harold C. Warlick, Jr.
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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