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The Village Shepherd

Janice Scott ... The Village Shepherd

After being ordained in 1994 with the first wave of women priests, Janice became curate in a large city centre parish in Norwich and from there, moved to South Norfolk in 1999 as Rector of a rural benefice of six parishes. After completing her MA in Pastoral Theology with the Cambridge Theological Foundation in 2008 she was appointed Honorary Canon of Norwich Cathedral. Janice now lives with her husband Ian just outside Norwich. In addition to her diocesan work and writing "The Village Shepherd," she is a freelance writer for Redemptorist Publications in the UK. She has also written and broadcasts "Pause For Thought" on a local radio station and has written several novels, all with a church background.

Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C

Children's Liturgy and Story

Luke 21:5-19

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus said, "Do not be frightened. By standing firm you will gain life." In our worship today let us explore those things which frighten us and see how Jesus can help.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes I don't know why I am frightened.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I'm ashamed of being frightened.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I envy those who have courage.
Lord, have mercy.

Reading:
Luke 21:5-19

Children's Story

Luke 21:5-19

Janice B. Scott
Trevor was in trouble again. He had never been in trouble in year six, but now he was in year seven, everything had changed.

It seemed to start with the new school. Trevor had arrived on the first day proud and smart in his new school uniform, but one of the teachers had shouted at him for having his blazer unbuttoned. Trevor had stared in amazement, his mouth open. He couldn't believe anyone could be so stupid as to care whether or not he wore his blazer undone.

"Do your blazer up boy, don't stand there looking like a half-wit," the teacher had snarled.

Intercession

Luke 21:5-19

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.

Sermon

Luke 21:5-19

Janice B. Scott
Remember the Millennium? That special year which precipitated all sorts of celebrations around the entire world, but which is now largely forgotten? There are some continuing projects which were started or finished in the millennium year, but other than that, and a somewhat large but useless dome in London, thoughts of the millennium are well and truly over. Perhaps that's just as well, for as the Millennium approached, so a kind of "this is the end of the world" frenzy took hold of some strange and bizarre religious cults, along with an increase in cult suicides and murders and the like.

Sermon

Malachi 4:1-2

Janice B. Scott
It's well known that delicious and delightful aromas invoke good memories for most people, so smells are now being added to stores in order to increase their sales. When we walk through stores and sniff freshly ground coffee or new baked bread or rich milk chocolate, apparently our spending increases. We don't necessarily spend more on coffee or bread or chocolate, but we may spend more on just about everything if our subconscious is enjoying an aroma we like and thus reducing our stress and increasing our relaxation.

Sermon

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Janice B. Scott
I took the funeral of a 94 year old lady recently. She was a country person who had lived in this area for her entire life, and had been married to a farm labourer, so the two of them never had much money. During the course of the marriage (which lasted for 69 years - her husband died at the age of 93) they had ten children, all of whom are still living. But as well as bringing up ten children in a tiny farm cottage and on a farm labourer's wage, this lady took in huge amounts of washing and went fruit picking and potato picking and flax picking to make ends meet. And she would think nothing of walking six or seven miles with the pram and several children for an afternoon, walking back in time to get the tea.

What is The Village Shepherd?

The Village Shepherd offers sermons, bible stories, children's stories and prayers based on the Revised Common Lectionary. These inspirational sermons, stories, and prayers are sure to touch your heart, because they reflect the simple virtues and tranquil serenity that characterize Reverend Scott's English countryside pastorate. The questions "Where is God in this particular situation?" and "Where does the Gospel story cross our own human story?" are always at the heart of these meditations -- but rather than finding overt answers, instead you will be gently led to make your own connections and discover the powerful ways in which God works. Janice Scott has the unique ability to find interesting details in ordinary life that illuminate scripture, while still challenging even the most intellectual reader. And that gift is precisely what also makes her an outstanding communicator with children.

Most weeks include:

  • Sermon based on the Gospel reading
  • Sermon based on the Epistle reading
  • Sermon based on the First reading
  • Children's stories linked with the Gospel readings
  • Children's liturgy and story (a different story than mentioned above)
  • An intercessory prayer
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”.

* * *

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.

Special Occasion

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