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God Of Courage And Integrity...

Intercession
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.

God of courage and integrity, your Church has led the world in fighting the evil of oppression on many occasions. But at other times, your Church has colluded with evil, perhaps because it's sometimes difficult to distinguish between authority and evil. We, the members, are your Church. We are your arms and legs, your mouth and your heart. Give us such a passion for justice and truth that we may never close our eyes to that which is wrong, but may always strive to be in the forefront of the fight against evil.

God of courage and integrity, some societies appear to be peaceful, but are actually ruled by fear. Those who stand up against the regime may be imprisoned or tortured, or may simply disappear without trace. Give strength and courage to those who must live under government imposed restrictions, and may they cease to be invisible in the eyes of the rest of the world. May those organisations like Amnesty International which work for justice and human rights, be fully supported by those of us who live in freedom.

God of courage and integrity, a right attitude and acceptance of equality begins at home. May we care for each other as you have always cared for us. May we respect each other as you have always respected us. May we never collude simply for the sake of a peaceful life, but may we face sin and evil even in the small way it affects us, knowing that depths of depravity can arise in the first instance from insignificant sins. And may we alwys show the deepest of love and affection for our children, so that they may grow up with the confidence to build a better world.

God of courage and integrity, violence and hidden anger and hatred result in a sickness in society. We ask you to heal that sickness, and offer ourselves as ambassadors in that process. We hold within your presence all those who are sick from whatever cause, asking for your healing touch, naming before you especially....

God of courage and integrity, our courage is called upon most strongly in bereavement. When someone we love dies, the world seems to come crashing down around our ears. We ask your strength for those of our friends who have recently lost someone they love, especially ... and those for whom this time of year marks a sad anniversary, especially....

Merciful Father,

Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Epiphany 4 (OT 4)
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35 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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The Immediate Word

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For February 16, 2025:

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Valentine’s Day isn’t likely a prominent part of our liturgical calendar, and it doesn’t factor into our lectionary assignments. Yet it is part of our culture and therefore on our people’s radar. There’s a better chance that they personally observe Valentine’s Day, after all, than Transfiguration Sunday or Christ the King Sunday.  
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There is nothing so false and deceitful as the heart of man. It is deceitful in the apprehension of things, in the hopes and promises which it nourishes, in the assurances that it gives us. It is unsearchable by others, deceitful with reference to ourselves, and abominably wicked so that neither can a man know his own heart nor can any other know that of his neighbor's. (Commentary On the Bible, p.344)

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John E. Sumwalt
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. (vv. 17-20)

Gertie Frye was my Sunday School teacher in the Beginners Class at the Loyd Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1954. Gertie was a small, humble, sweet, quiet woman who exuded a joy and warmth that drew children to her.

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Object: A mirror. Ideally, find a large mirror like you would put on the back of a door to use when dressing. Any mirror will do, but a large one that everyone can see easily will be more fun.

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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

Gregory L. Tolle
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (vv. 17-19)

In the 1994 movie, The Shawshank Redemption, Tim Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a young, hotshot banker in the 1940s. His life changes drastically when he is convicted for the murder of his wife and her secret lover and is sentenced to life imprisonment at Shawshank Prison.

James Evans
(See Proper 20/Pentecost 18/Ordinary Time 25, Cycle B for an alternative approach.)

The writer of Psalm 1 has created a timeless image of human existence as a tree. The image of a tree allows the poet to proclaim in graphic terms the effects of having, and not having, a viable relationship with God. The tree, as a durable life form, symbolizes well the significance and importance of seeking and living a faithful life.

Gary L. Carver
One of my all-time favorite television programs was M*A*S*H. In the early episodes, Frank Burns and Hot Lips Houlihan were an item. Often they were pitted against Trapper John and Hawkeye. In one such episode, Frank and Hot Lips had been trying to "do-in" Hawkeye but had failed. Hawkeye now had the upper hand, and Radar said, "Why don't you do to them what they were trying to do to you?" Hawkeye said, "Look at them! They're each just one-half of a person and when they come together, they barely make a whole person. They have enough troubles of their own."

Steven E. Albertin
It was the dirty secret. We were never supposed to talk about it openly. When it was discussed, it was in hushed whispers behind the closed doors of private homes. No, it had nothing to do with sex. It had to do with why my best friends would never eat meat on Fridays. It had to do with that strange ritual called the Rosary. It had to do with those strange women dressed in black and white who looked like penguins. I grew up in a small southeastern Wisconsin town in the 1950s where the majority of the population was either Lutheran or Roman Catholic.

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