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That's Nuts -- Luke 6:20-31, Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Ephesians 1:11-23, Psalm 149 -- C. David Mckirachan, Keith Hewitt -- All Saints Day - C -- 2016
Contents "That's Nuts" by C. David McKirachan
Living Outside The Box -- John 13:31-35, Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, Psalm 148 -- Keith Wagner, C. David Mckirachan -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
Contents "Living Outside the Box" by Keith Wagner
Man Of Lawlessness -- Luke 20:27-38, Haggai 1:15b--2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 -- John Fitzgerald, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2016
Contents "Man of Lawlessness" by John Fitzgerald
A Sense Of History -- John 14:23-29, Acts 16:9-15, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, Psalm 67 -- Keith Hewitt, Frank Ramirez -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
Contents "A Sense of History" by Keith Hewitt
Gaining Your Soul -- Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Isaiah 12 -- Peter Andrew Smith -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2016
Contents "Gaining Your Soul" by Peter Andrew Smith
On The Shoulders Of Giants -- The King James Translation Of The Bible -- Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Psalm 47 -- Frank Ramirez, John Fitzgerald -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2016
Contents
Who's The Boss? -- Luke 23:33-43, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Colossians 1:11-20, Luke 1:68-79 -- C. David Mckirachan, Keith Wagner -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2016
Contents "Who's the Boss?" by C. David McKirachan
The Church Finally Got It -- John 14:8-17 (25-27), Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:14-17, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b -- Keith Wagner, C. David Mckirachan -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2016
Contents "The Church Finally Got It" by Keith Wagner
Good Old Number Seven -- Matthew 24:36-44, Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14, Psalm 122 -- Frank Ramirez -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Contents "Good Old Number Seven" by Frank Ramirez
Faith -- John 16:12-15, Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Romans 5:1-5, Psalm 8 -- Keith Hewitt, John Fitzgerald -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2016
Contents "Faith" by Keith Hewitt "Divine Handiwork" by John Fitzgerald
A Pilgrim's Thanksgiving -- John 6:25-35, Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Philippians 4:4-9, Psalm 100 -- John Fitzgerald -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2016
Contents "A Pilgrim's Thanksgiving" by John Fitzgerald
Too Good To Be True -- Luke 7:1-10, 1 Kings 18:20-21 (22-29) 30-39, Galatians 1:1-12, Psalm 96 -- Frank Ramirez, Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - C -- 2016
Contents "Too Good To Be True" by Frank Ramirez
A Holy Birth -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20), Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Psalm 96 -- Sandra Herrmann, Frank Ramirez -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2016
Contents "A Holy Birth" by Sandra Herrmann
Free! -- Luke 7:11-17, 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Galatians 1:11-24, Psalm 146 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2016
Contents "Free!" by Keith Wagner
Why Did He Ask? -- Matthew 11:2-11, Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Psalm 146:5-10 -- C. David Mckirachan, Keith Wagner -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Contents "Why did he ask?" by C. David McKirachan
Just A Small Town Girl... -- Luke 7:36--8:3, 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a, Galatians 2:15-21, Psalm 5:1-8 -- Keith Hewitt, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2016
Contents "Just a Small Town Girl..." by Keith Hewitt
Gentle Whisper -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a, Luke 8:26-39, Galatians 3:23-29 -- John Fitzgerald -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2016
Contents "Gentle Whisper" by John Fitzgerald
Great Faithfulness -- Luke 9:51-62, 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 -- Peter Andrew Smith -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2016
Contents "Great Faithfulness" by Peter Andrew Smith
Those Who Reap What They Sow Are Servants -- Luke 10:1-11, 16-20, 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Psalm 30 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2016
Contents "Those who Reap what they Sow are Servants" by Keith Wagner
Sauer Grapes -- Mistreating Aliens -- Psalm 82 -- Frank Ramirez -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2016
Contents "Sauer Grapes -- Mistreating Aliens" by Keith Wagner
Heavenly Showers -- Mark 1:4-11, Psalm 29 -- Keith Wagner -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2015
Contents "Heavenly Showers" by Keith Wagner
Way Of The Cross -- Mark 8:27-38, James 3:1-12 -- John Fitzgerald, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2015
Contents "Way of the Cross" by John Fitzgerald
Thank You, God, With My Whole Heart! -- Psalm 111, Mark 1:21-28, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Sandra Herrmann -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2015
Contents "Personal Demon" by Sandra Herrmann
Forgive And Forget -- Mark 12:38-44, Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17, Hebrews 9:24-28, Psalm 127 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2015
Contents "Forgive and Forget" by Keith Wagner
Spiritual Truth -- Mark 1:29-39, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- John Fitzgerald, Keith Wagner -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2015
Contents "Spiritual Truth" by John Fitzgerald
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New & Featured This Week

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John Jamison
Object: I had the youngest children in the group participate. When I came to the part of the story where Jesus asked the little children to come to him, I had the youngest come and sit closest to me. If you think it is possible with your group, when you ask how little children act when they receive a gift, actually ask your youngest children what they think the answer is. Do the same with the older children when you ask about how older people act.

* * *

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For October 6, 2024:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
I heard a sad story today about a pastor whose church essentially had to close as a result of a scandal surrounding his associate. The pastor himself knew nothing about his associate’s behavior, he was as blindsided by it as the rest of the church family was. But it led to such disruption and division in the church, that they shuttered their doors. And now, a friend told me, that innocent pastor is looking for a new ministry, but he carries with him this black mark that he doesn’t deserve.
Bill Thomas
Bonnie Bates
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Job 1:1; 2:1-10

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels.  But someone has testified somewhere, ‘What are humans that you are mindful of them or mortals that you care for them? You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor’ (vv. 5-7)

Angels are popular in American culture.

SermonStudio

Christopher Keating
Copied on the front of the bulletin were verses from Gerard Manley Hopkins’ poem, “Charged with Grandeur.” A globe was placed on a table near the front, emphasizing human’s place in the world. Video footage from NASA accompanied the sermon in order to reinforce how we are called to claim our vocation as stewards of creation. Images of an old car and glimpses of the Earth from space were also used as visuals.
Robert G. Beckstrand
Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
Prove me, O LORD, and try me,
test my heart and mind.
For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in faithfulness to you.
-- Psalm 26:1-3

Theme: A pledge of, and a plea for, loyalty

Outline
1-3 -- He pleads for God to give recognition to his integrity and single-hearted devotion.
4-8 -- Evidence of this is in his past conduct and his present joy in worship.
Wesley T. Runk
Object: a clock

Mark Ellingsen
Theme of the Day
Reflections on the love of God.

Collect of the Day
Addressing the sovereign God who created us to live in loving community, petitions are raised by the faithful to be formed in faith to trust like children and so reflect Christ's image. Justification and Sanctification are again emphasized.

Psalm of the Day
Psalm 26
* A prayer for deliverance from personal enemies; a lament traditionally attributed to David.
Donna E. Schaper
We find Job on the edge of town, his money gone, his children dead, picking at his innumerable sores and scabs. In the Joni Mitchell version of his sorrow, Job speaks of how the children of the wicked frisk like deer while his are dead and gone. In her version, we are also told that Job sees the diggers waiting, leaning on their spades, at the site of his grave. Job's three friends, Eliphas, Bildad, and Zophar show up to comfort him but they do so in a way that only pours iodine on his wounds. God is just, they say, therefore, Job must have done something wrong.
John R. Brokhoff
Robert W. Stackel
When William Jennings Bryan went to the father of the young woman whom he loved to ask her hand in marriage, he remembered that the father was a strong religious believer, so he quoted a proverb of Solomon from the Bible: "He who finds a wife finds a good thing." But the father surprised him by responding with a quote from St.
William G. Carter
We have a problem today. Here we are, gathered at worship as the household of God. Through baptism we belong to a worldwide community of faith. Each time we gather, we have an opportunity to pray together and recommit ourselves to peace. Now that we are here, we have to deal with a troublesome and potentially divisive text from the Gospel of Mark. Some Pharisees put Jesus to the test by asking him what he thought about divorce. His response, in turn, has always put a peace-loving church to the test.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said, "What God has joined together, let no one separate." In our service today, let us consider our responsibilities to the whole of creation.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, we have not always cared about our environment.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, we have not always taken our responsibilities to animals seriously.
Christ, have mercy.

Special Occasion

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