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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

A recent survey found that... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- 2001
A recent survey found that a little over half of all Americans say that they pray at least one time
Normally I love teaching Confirmation... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2001
Normally I love teaching Confirmation class.
Charles MacArthur sighed as he... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2001
Charles MacArthur sighed as he entered the church.
Annie was dying. Though it... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2001
Annie was dying.
When I was in Girl... -- 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 2001
When I was in Girl Guides one of the things I liked to do best was to go on a hike.
I was visiting with Mark... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2001
I was visiting with Mark, an inactive member of our congregation, when he said, "Do you want to know
As a young child I... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 2001
As a young child I was extremely afraid of the dark.
Nathan had just turned twelve... -- 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C -- 2001
Nathan had just turned twelve when he died of a brain hemorrhage.
The people of St. John's... -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C -- 2001
The people of St. John's Church were in an uproar.
While attending a conference, I... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- 2001
While attending a conference, I unexpectedly came face to face with a person who had severely wronge
Sheila Cassidy, a missionary in... -- Hebrews 2:10-18 -- 2001
Sheila Cassidy, a missionary in Chile, was arrested and spent three weeks in solitary confinement an
In his book, The... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 2001
In his book, The Road Less Traveled, psychiatrist M.
In a small town, a... -- Romans 1:1-7 -- 2001
In a small town, a trip to the post office is an opportunity to visit with neighbors and catch up on
I can remember when slow... -- James 5:7-10 -- 2001
I can remember when "slow as Christmas" was an insult and if someone said, "What are you waiting for
According to an old Iroquois... -- Romans 13:11-14 -- 2001
According to an old Iroquois tale, before time began, the forest animals held a council to decide if
When Thomas Jefferson became President... -- Romans 15:4-13 -- 2001
When Thomas Jefferson became President of the United States in 1801, he had many detractors in the C
Mothers teach children that people... -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2001
Mothers teach children that "people pay more attention to what we do than what we say." Believers mi
Some of the best wisdom... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2001
Some of the best wisdom is kid's wisdom.
Many software companies offer a... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- 2001
Many software companies offer a trial version of their new software at their web site.
One of the most successful... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2001
One of the most successful executives of the last century was Sam Walton.
Dr. Viktor Frankl was an... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2001
Dr. Viktor Frankl was an imprisoned Jew in World War II.
Until the twentieth century, the... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2001
Until the twentieth century, the gospel message was an oral tradition or was read from available tex
When Marvin Hamlisch and Edward... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2001
When Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban wrote A Chorus Line, they created a musical about the
Americans live in a culture... -- 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 2001
Americans live in a culture of sports heroes.
The boy in a first... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 2001
The boy in a first grade Sunday school class asked: "Say, Pastor, how are the dead raised?

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The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 20 | OT 25 | Pentecost 15
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29 – Sermons
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27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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Proper 22 | OT 27 | Pentecost 17
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For September 21, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
Well, it’s autumn, and by now the seeds we planted in the spring either took root and produced or else the weather, pests, rabbits, or our own laziness conspired to make this year’s garden less than a success. But at one point we had to get started and actually plant seeds for the future.

Jeremiah is looking back from the perspective of our spiritual well-being and laments than our spiritual harvest has all been for naught. He wonders if it is now too late for a recovery. Is there no healing, no balm in Gilead, to apply to our wounds?
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 8:18--9:1 and Psalm 79:1-9
In the spring as farmers and gardeners prepare to plant we are looking at a summer of possibilities. Hard work, to be sure, but also potential. What will happen? What will this season be like? At summer’s end there will be no more questions. We’ll know. Maybe it was a great season, and we have canned or frozen many vegetables. Maybe the farmers have brought in a bumper crop and they got a good price besides.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message will be based on a game you will play. See the note below.

NOTE: Ask three or more adults to come up and play the role of Simon for your group. Tell them to all speak at once, asking the children to do different things. The goal is to create a nice bit of confusion for the children to experience.

* * *

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

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Hey!” Annie waved at the woman standing next to the open doorway. “Can you come here?”

The woman made her way past the other nursing home residents and stood next to Annie’s wheelchair.

“What can I do for you?”

“You look familiar.” Annie squinted at her. “Do I know your name?”

“I’m Brenda.” The woman pointed at her name tag. “I work in the kitchen and sometimes help serve the meals when they are ready.”

“That’s right. I think we’ve met before.” Annie tapped her lips with her finger. “You have the nice smile.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much.” In our worship today let us remember the little things in our lives and ask God to help us to be utterly faithful in them.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we pretend that little sins don't matter.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we imagine that you don't notice little sins.

Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
This poignant prayer of lament and community grief gives expression to what it feels like to suffer as a person of faith. If we believe we are truly part of God's community, then the destruction of that community -- as was the case with Israel in 587 B.C. -- becomes a time for doubt, anger, and confusion. Furthermore, if we believe we are individual members of that community, our personal suffering also creates an opportunity for a crisis of faith: "Why didn't God protect me?" Of course, it does not take a national catastrophe to raise those sorts of questions.
Kirk R. Webster
If feedback is the breakfast of champions, perhaps we would do well to examine some of our prayer habits. If you have ever heard someone use The Just Really Prayer, you know exactly what problem we are talking about.

That prayer goes something like this, "Lord, we just really thank you for this day. We come before you and just really pray for mercy. We offer ourselves to you and just really ask that your will be done in our lives. Amen." I'm thankful this particular Just Really prayer was mercifully short, unlike the next example, The Good Guilt-Based Prayer.
John W. Wurster
Another season has come and gone. Promises that were made have not been fulfilled. Good intentions haven't yielded any tangible results. Dreams have not come true. High hopes have proven to be only wishful thinking. Nothing has really changed; nothing has really improved. The time keeps moving along, but we seem stuck in the same ruts. Old routines remain, prejudices persist, dullness and anxiety continue to be constant companions. Lingering in the air is that nagging sense that things aren't quite right, not as they could be, not as they should be.
R. Robert Cueni
In the scripture lesson for today Jesus tells a perplexing parable about a thoroughly dishonest employee who was praised for his dishonesty. In this story Jesus not only seems comfortable suggesting that it is acceptable to compromise with moral failings, but our Lord appears to commend his disciples to "go and do likewise." For centuries, preachers, commentators, and scholars have struggled to make sense of this outrageous tale.

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