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Children's Activity

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"Keep on asking" -- Luke 18:1-8 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
Teachers or Parents: We can never overemphasize the power of
Christmas angels among us -- Luke 2:1-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Teachers or Parents: Talk about a recent or upcoming Christmas
A little girl's glory -- John 17:20-26 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C
Teachers: Today's lesson is a part of the prayer that Jesus prayed before his death.
Enemies and friends -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B
Teachers or Parents: In our war against the devil and his
Familiarity breeds contempt -- Luke 4:21-30 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
Teachers or Parents: There is a possibility that we can become so
"Be ready!" -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C
Teachers or Parents: Being ready to meet the Lord when he
Touch and see! -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
Teachers or Parents: We perceive what is true and what is
How to ask for help -- Matthew 14:22-33 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A
The drama of today's lesson is perfect for children to explore. The story is pretty cut and dried.
Taking beautiful pictures -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
Materials:Construction paper
The piece of fish -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
Materials Corks (cut in half lengthwise) Pipe cleaners (orange) Wiggle eyes
Amazing faith -- Luke 7:1-10 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - C
Teachers or Parents: The faith of the Roman centurion is an
Great among you -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B
Teachers: This week's lesson offers a good memory verse.
Advent calendar -- Mark 13:24-37 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
Teachers: This is the first Sunday of Advent and a new church
Jesus, our Commander in Chief -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Teachers or Parents: Children are interested in power, and
From the Father -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Teachers or Parents: Last week's activity used edible play
Forgiving a debt -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A
Teachers or Parents: Who is worthy of teaching about
The bread of life -- John 6:24-35 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B
Teachers or Parents: Jesus talks about the bread of life in
The sick need medicine -- Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A
Teachers or Parents: Jesus came to save sinners from the
Share with all -- Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C
Today's lesson is a very easy one to understand. It is practical. It is clear.
"Luke, the physician" -- Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
Teachers or Parents: It is good that our children know more
God's word -- John 1:1-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Teachers or Parents: In the middle of all the activity
Now you see it, now you don't -- John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Day of Pentecost - C
Parents or Teachers: When the sun shines in the summer it is a good time to explore shadows and what
Till death do us part -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B
Teachers or Parents: The words of Jesus in this week's Gospel
Watch out for greed! -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C
How do we define ourselves? When we think of our lives and our worth, what are the criteria we use?
"Choosing sides" -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C
Teachers or Parents: The words of Jesus in this Gospel

Children's sermon

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Now I See! -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Anna Shirey -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2012
First Thoughts
Sent Out as Christ -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Anna Shirey -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: As we enter this celebration of Ascension and prepare for Pentecost, we're go
Not of the World -- John 17:6-19 -- Anna Shirey -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Ever since the church began, there has been an ongoing struggle with the ques
The Spirit that Guides Us -- Day of Pentecost -- Anna Shirey -- 2012
First Thoughts: As we celebrate the birthday of the church, we can also revisit our own first
As Iron Sharpens Iron -- John 3:1-17 -- Anna Shirey -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Today's lesson contains one of the most familiar passages in the Bible: "For
A House Unified -- Mark 3:20-35 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: If we read the entire passage for this Sunday we are struck with how many les
The Weedy Kingdom -- Mark 4:26-34 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: We are all likely familiar with this evocative parable, which compares the ki
Quieting the Storm -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: This story is almost magical and is likely to appeal to young children.
Sheep or Goat? -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Anna Shirey -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2012
First Thoughts
Untouchable? -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Jesus' healing stories are miraculous demonstrations of Jesus' power, but the
A Prophet in Her Hometown -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: It is hard for us to realize, sometimes, how God can speak and work through j
Breaking a Promise -- Mark 6:14-29 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: The story about the beheading of John the Baptist is pretty disturbing, but i
Resting in Green Pastures -- Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2012
First Thoughts: Our passage from Mark shows Jesus doing something he did frequently, but also
Only you -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2011
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of ri
Word for all -- Romans 16:25-27 -- Leah Thompson -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
But is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, accor
What is a neighbor? -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2011
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. (v. 10)
Receive -- John 20:19-23 -- Leah Thompson -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2011
When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (v.
Emptied -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Leah Thompson -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2011
But emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
Impossible -- Luke 1:26-38 -- Leah Thompson -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
For nothing will be impossible with God. (v. 37)
To eat or not to eat... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Leah Thompson -- 2011
Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord.
Finally, farewell -- 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 -- Leah Thompson -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2011
Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one
Betrayed -- Matthew 26:14--27:66 -- Leah Thompson -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2011
And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. (v. 26:16)
A purifying clean -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Leah Thompson -- The Nativity of our Lord - B -- 2011
He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for hims
Big numbers -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2011
Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times." (v. 22)
Promises to keep -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Leah Thompson -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2011
And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (v. 20b)

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Proper 10 | OT 15 | Pentecost 5
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30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 11 | OT 16 | Pentecost 6
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 12 | OT 17 | Pentecost 7
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

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John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity.

Note: You will need to select six children to play roles in this activity. If you have a smaller group, you might ask some older youth or even adults to play the parts of the two attackers and the man being attacked. I will give suggestions for how they can play their roles, but feel free to help your children make the story as fun and memorable as you can. I have used boys and girls in the various roles, but you can change those however you want to change them.

* * *

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
For July 13, 2025:
  • Samaritans Among Us by Dean Feldmeyer based on Acts 2:1-21. Samaritans were despised and dismissed by the original audience who first heard Jesus tell this parable. Who are the Samaritans in our lives and how does this parable apply today?
  • Second Thoughts: The Helpers by Katy Stenta based on Amos 7:7-17.

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
I say, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals
    and fall like any prince….”
(vv. 6-7)

There have been any number of brother-sister acts that achieved a measure of fame. Take the Carpenters, famed for their singing, musicianship, and songwriting skills. Also worthy of mention are John and Joan Cusack who have acted together in over sixteen films.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
An ancient legend tells of a remote mountain village where people used to send their senior citizens out into the woods to die. The villagers had an eye to the future; they felt that those beyond a certain age would only slow down progress or use up valuable resources to no economically profitable end. Those who reached a certain age weren’t “put out to pasture” or “put out of their misery”; they were simply put out of other people’s way.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Amos 7:7-17 and Psalm 82
The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is more than 2,700 feet high—over half a mile tall. It has 160 floors and is twice as tall as the Empire State Building in New York City. It is home to the world’s fastest elevator which reaches speeds of forty miles an hour. The Burj Khalifa also hosts the world’s highest outdoor observation deck (on the 124th floor) and the world’s highest swimming pool (on the 76th floor).

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Mabel hummed a familiar hymn tune as she made her way to church. She always enjoyed her Sunday morning walk. It was one of the few times she felt safe to walk alone through the inner city, for she knew nobody would be up at 7.45 in the morning. Today was a particularly beautiful morning, with blue sky, warm sunshine, and the song of a few intrepid blackbirds who still inhabited the city.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Often, a distinction is made between the pastoral or priestly work of the church and the prophetic work. Pastoral care has to do with the care of souls, the offering of comfort in times of loss. The priestly character of pastoral work seeks to mediate the presence of God to those who are hurting.

Schuyler Rhodes
Trusting is never easy. Even in the best of relationships, people step into trust slowly. There is wariness -- questioning -- worry. What happens if trust is betrayed? What if this doesn't work? Sometimes it's like a dance. We step in and out of trust, moving to the rhythms of fear. For many, the routine is achingly familiar. Indeed, it's not easy to trust.
John Jamison
It was back in the days when the railroad was the most common mode of transportation. There were automobiles, and some airplanes, but the steam locomotive was the way most folks traveled and the way that most of the goods were distributed around the country. After dinner, people sat in the drawing room and listened to the radio programs, fading in and out from some faraway location, over the magical broadcasting signal.
Robert Leslie Holmes
Not many tourists to Washington, D.C., look for the Federal Bureau of Standards offices. It's the Capitol and the White House, the Supreme Court Building or the Smithsonian most of us want to see when we go there. Yet, at the Bureau of Standards offices something very important is stored, something that impacts your life and mine every single day. Have you ever bought the materials for a new project? When you did, most likely you purchased so many inches or feet or yards. Or, you stopped to buy gasoline for your car and purchased it at a certain price per gallon.
David O. Bales
I have the two best jobs in the world. I teach social studies at Leon Griffith Junior High School (a fairly small junior high) and I am Sunday School Superintendent at Calvary Presbyterian Church (an enormous church school). Each job is my vocation. I tell people that at school they'll find my room where the halls cross. At church they can look but probably won't find me. I'll be in someone's classroom. At each job I practice what I most deeply believe: it's how you see the world that determines how you respond to it. I'll give you an example, actually, two examples.
Erskine White
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
(Stuart K. Hine)

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