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Worship

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Fifth Sunday After Epiphany -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2001
Theme: Discipleship Call To Worship
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany -- Psalm 112 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2001
Words Of Assurance
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany -- Deuteronomy 30:15-20 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2001
Theme: Choose Life Call To Worship
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany -- 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2001
Theme: Working Together For God Call To Worship
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany -- Matthew 5:21-37 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2001
Theme: Importance Of Personal Relationships Call To Worship
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany -- Psalm 119:1-8; 33-48; 129-144 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2001
Words Of Assurance
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany -- Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2001
Theme: Moral Holiness Call To Worship
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany -- 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2001
Theme: Christ The Sure Foundation Call To Worship
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany -- Matthew 5:38-48 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2001
Theme: Christian Perfection Call To Worship
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany -- Psalm 98 -- H. Burnham Kirkland -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2001
Words Of Assurance

Drama

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SermonStudio

The Underlying Mercy -- Job 1:1; 2:1-10 -- Stan Purdum -- 2005
The Underlying Mercy
An Odd Couple -- Ruth 1:1-18 -- Mary S. Lautensleger -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2005
An Odd Couple
Being Good ... For Nothing -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Mary S. Lautensleger -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2005
If I were to ask you to complete the sentence, "You know it is going to be a bad day when ..." how w
With Friends Like These ... -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41) -- Mary S. Lautensleger -- 2005
With Friends Like These ...
From Silence To Sight -- Job 42:1-6, 10-17 -- Mary S. Lautensleger -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2005
Playwright Neil Simon has written a comedy, God's Favorite, based on a contemporary Job, a ty
Risking Relationships That Redeem -- Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17 -- Mary S. Lautensleger -- 2005
Fried green tomatoes were the house specialty at the Whistle Stop Cafe in Alabama during the 1930s.
Baby Blues -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Mary S. Lautensleger -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2005
Baby Blues
Write To The Heart -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Mary S. Lautensleger -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2005
A four-year-old girl was at the pediatrician's office for a checkup.
Dusting Off Our Gratitude -- Joel 2:21-27 -- Mary S. Lautensleger -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2005
In the Deep South there is a most unusual monument paying homage to, of all things, the boll weevil.
A Double Share Of The Spirit -- 2 Kings 2:1-12 -- Schuyler Rhodes -- 2005
A Double Share Of The Spirit

Children's sermon

Preaching

SermonStudio

Ash Wednesday -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2003
Karl Barth once remarked that the greatest tragedy in human life would be to come to the end of our
Baptism of Our Lord -- Isaiah 43:1-7 -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2003
The subject for this Sunday, as set forth in the accompanying New Testament texts, is baptism, the b
Christ the King -- Jeremiah 23:1-6 -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2003
Both Luke (15:3-7; 19:10) and John (10:11-12) characterize our Lord as the Good Shepherd.
Easter Day -- Acts 10:34-43 -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- Easter Day - C -- 2003
We have a crowd here today on this Easter Sunday. Churches are always crowded on Easter.
Second Sunday of Easter -- Acts 5:27-32 -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2003
"We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).
Third Sunday of Easter -- Acts 9:1-6 (7-20) -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2003
We have three different accounts of the conversion of Saul in the Gospel according to Luke (9:1-20;
Fourth Sunday of Easter -- Acts 9:36-43 -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2003
A number of subsidiary themes emerge in this reading from Acts, and we probably should take note of
Fifth Sunday of Easter -- Acts 11:1-18 -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2003
This story about Peter's mission to the Gentiles continues the account that began in 10:1, and it re
Sixth Sunday of Easter -- Acts 16:9-15 -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2003
Our text for the morning sets us down in the middle of what many have called Paul's second missionar
Second Sunday after Epiphany -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Elizabeth Achtemeier -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2003
For those who like to preach from all three lectionary texts, the stated readings for this Sunday co

Worship Service

Stories

SermonStudio

Friendship -- 1999
"For the lonely man all the treasures of the world are no substitute for companionship.
Future -- 1999
The church sexton got the paper roll which plays the carillon bells in the church tower in the playe
Gandhi -- 1999
Some memorable scenes from the great movie Gandhi:
Giftedness -- 1999
On 60 Minutes there was a special about "Savant Syndrome." People who seem mentally challenge
Gifts -- 1999
Carolyn Rocco, daughter of the first president of our seminary, lost her stole at a restaurant and d
God's Love -- 1999
While I was greeting people at the door as guest preacher for the day, a woman came up behind me, pu
God's People -- 1999
We walked five miles from ToToTa, Liberia, to a little bush village.
God's Power -- 1999
Not everyone enjoys Monday night football as much as I do.
God's Presence -- 1999
At a community Thanksgiving service at the First Methodist Church, Des Moines, the Drake University
God's Word -- 1999
"In every age the church with the Holy Scriptures at its side has had some witnesses to the truth an

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New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Nazish Naseem
Katy Stenta
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
Mary Austin
George Reed
For September 13, 2026:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
As the school year has begun and the autumn has churches back into their routines, these texts raise the question of what God has for practicing Christian faith or discipleship in the year to come. N.T. Wright has been writing volumes to suggest that the end game of the Christian life is not merely obtaining salvation or being made with God, then waiting out our years until we die and go up to heaven. The God who delivers Israel and Christians has much more for Christians to accomplish as stewards and co-creators for God’s eternal purposes.
Anger is like a volcano. Deep in many of us there is a lake of pain, pure molten hurt. From the outside no one sees it, usually. We cover it over so well. But one day the heat rises, and the dam breaks, and the cork blows, and anger erupts like an explosion. And dogs get kicked. And triggers get pulled. And wives get beaten. And missiles get launched.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
"Where's Ruth?" asked Jamie's mother.

Jamie scowled. "I hate Ruth," she muttered angrily.

"You do?" said Jamie's mother, surprised. About an hour ago Jamie and Ruth had been best friends. "What happened?" she added.

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Anne Le Bas
Steve Philip
Steven Fortney
Sue D'alessio
Contents
What's Up This Week: "When the Big One Hits"
A Story to Live By: "What's God Up To?"
Sermon Starters: "In the Wake of the Storm" by John Sumwalt
"The Storm Voice and the Voice of God" by Anne Le Bas
Modern Epistle: "Dispatch from the Front" by Steve Philip
Scrap Pile: "The Tremendum of Whirlwinds" by Steven Fortney
"Response to the Poem from a Friend" by Sue D'Alessio


What's Up This Week

When the Big One Hits
Frank Ramirez
John E. Sumwalt
Contents
What's Up This Week
"The Unsecret Weapon" by Frank Ramirez
"The Unknown Churchgoers" by John Sumwalt


What's Up This Week

SermonStudio

Jerry L. Schmalenberger
Seasonal Theme
The teaching and ministry of Jesus the Christ.

Theme For The Day
Making right decisions for Christian behavior.

Old Testament Lesson
Exodus 14:19-31
Parting Of The Sea
Carlos Wilton
This alternate psalm follows immediately after this morning's Old Testament Lesson, the story of the parting of the Red Sea. It contains two ancient hymns -- known, respectively, as the Song of Moses and the Song of Miriam.

Of the two, the Song of Miriam is unquestionably the oldest. It is composed of just two lines -- lines which have been incorporated into the opening of the longer Song of Moses: "Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea" (v. 21).
Stan Purdum
This psalm falls into four cantos. Verses 1-2 refer to Israel's foundation story and most importantly, to how God selected that nation as a dwelling place. Verses 3-4 explain that God's presence with Israel had an effect on the actual workings of nature. Verses 5-6 revel in the wonder of how the earth responded obediently to God's presence in Israel. Verses 7-8 are a summons for the rest of creation and the other nations to feel the power of God's presence as well.
Russell F. Anderson
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Exodus 14:19--31 (C)
The presence of the Lord in the pillar of fire, that normally went ahead of the people to lead them, moved to the rear of the community as an obscuring cloud, a kind of buffer between them and the army of the Pharaoh. The Lord caused a strong wind to dry up a pathway through the sea so that the Hebrews passed to the other side. The pursuing Egyptians became mired in the mud and the waters closed in upon them. Thus, the Lord delivered his people from their enemies.
Larry Lange
Once upon a time, in a garage in the ancient city of Rome, a man developed a computer operating system that became the digital lingua franca for the ancient world. How his operating system defeated its competitor is one of the great mysteries of all time. There must have been something about its ugly, utilitarian appearance and its proclivity toward redundancy that appealed to the brutal bureaucrats who established the Roman Empire.
Tempe Fussell
Curtis Fussell
I suppose when we hear this passage about the parting of the Reed Sea, many of us cannot help but recall that scene in the movie The Ten Commandments. There is Moses, played by Charlton Heston, in a flowing black robe, long hair blowing in the wind, and his arms lifted up with one hand holding the staff that God had given him. The sea suddenly heaves and parts, creating a path with rolling walls of water on either side. Then, Israel marches through on dry land, barely ahead of the pursuing Egyptian army.
William J. Carl, III
What we have in our passage is the contrast between a theology of grace and a theology of keeping score. The first is the one Jesus espouses in this text. The second is the one Peter is pushing and, by the way, the one our world has bought into for centuries.
John R. Brokhoff
In 1988 former Texas governor, John Connally, auctioned off his personal belongings ranging from saddles to paintings for $2.75 million. This was only a fraction of the almost 50 million he owed because of failure in real estate and oil holdings.
Tom M. Garrison
While I was still in seminary, I thought it would be good to go back to my roots and try to understand a little more about my past and myself. There were things that I faintly remembered from my childhood. There were, however, large chunks of the past that completely escaped my awareness. So I took a trip to Samantha, Alabama, to see my great aunt Sally Boone who was already in her seventies. I vividly remember the visit. The day as I remember it was hot; she had opened all the doors and windows to let in a little breeze.
Stan Purdum
French author Victor Hugo has a short story titled, "93." In the midst of this tale a ship at sea is caught in a terrific storm. Buffeted by the waves, the boat rocks to and fro, when suddenly the crew hears an awesome crashing sound below deck. They know what it is. A cannon they are carrying has broken loose and is smashing into the ship's sides with every list of the ship. Two brave sailors, at the risk of their lives, manage to go below and fasten it again, for they know that the heavy cannon on the inside of their ship is more dangerous to them than the storm on the outside.

CSSPlus

Good morning! Did anyone feel this week like someone else was present even though you couldn't see or hear him? If you did, it was me. I thought and prayed about all of you this week, and I tried to tell each one of you how much I love you. When praying, I tried to picture you in my mind. I pictured Sally with her long hair and Mike with his big muscles. (give more examples) You seemed so real when I was praying that I thought maybe you knew I was right there with you.
Good morning, boys and girls. Here we are to celebrate another great Sunday. I am so happy you are here that I asked the organist to play something special just for you. (have the organist play a short fanfare) Wow! Now do you believe how happy I am to see you? Sunday is a very special day for all of us.
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