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Give Us This Bread -- John 6:24-35, 2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a, Ephesians 4:1-16, Psalm 51:1-12 -- Sandra Herrmann, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 2015
Contents "Give Us This Bread" by Sandra Herrmann
Honest, Not Courteous, Prayer -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15, Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:22-27, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b -- David O. Bales, John Fitzgerald -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2015
Contents "Honest, Not Courteous, Prayer" by David O. Bales
Food For The Soul -- Mark 6:30-34, 53-56, 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Ephesians 2:11-22, Psalm 89:20-37 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2015
Contents "Food for the Soul" by Keith Wagner
When Grief Is Unresolved -- John 6:34, 41-51, Ephesians 4:25--5:2, Psalm 130 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2015
Contents "When Grief is Unresolved" by Keith Wagner
Law And Justice -- John 1:43-51, 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20), 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 -- Frank Ramirez -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2015
Contents "Law and Justice" by Frank Ramirez
Artos -- John 6:51-58, 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14, Ephesians 5:15-20, Psalm 111 -- Keith Hewitt, Peter Andrew Smith -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2015
Contents "Artos" by Keith Hewitt "Choices" by Peter Andrew Smith
Pay Attention! -- Mark 9:30-37 -- Sandra Herrmann, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2015
Contents "Pay Attention!" by Sandra Herrmann
Paradox Of America -- John 6:56-69, 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43, Ephesians 6:10-20, Psalm 84 -- John Fitzgerald, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2015
Contents "Paradox Of America" by John Fitzgerald
Basic Lessons For The Faith Community -- James 5:13-20, Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2015
Contents "Basic Lessons for the Faith Community" by Keith Wagner
Beyond The Fence -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, Song of Solomon 2:8-13, James 1:17-27, Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9 -- Keith Wagner, Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2015
Contents "Beyond the Fence" by Keith Wagner
The Good And The Bad -- Mark 10:2-16, Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12, Job 1:1; 2:1-10, Psalm 26 -- Peter Andrew Smith -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2015
Contents "The Good and the Bad" by Peter Andrew Smith
God's Word Cuts Deep -- Mark 10:17-31, Job 23:1-9, 16-17, Hebrews 4:12-16, Psalm 22:1-15 -- John Fitzgerald, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2015
Contents "God?s Word Cuts Deep" by John Fitzgerald
Seeing Clearly -- Mark 10:46-52, Job 42:1-6, 10-17, Hebrews 7:23-28, Psalm 34:1-8 (19-22) -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2015
Contents "Seeing Clearly" by Keith Wagner
Devotion -- Mark 12:28-34, Ruth 1:1-18, Hebrews 9:11-14, Psalm 146 -- Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2015
Contents "Devotion" by Sandra HerrmannDevotion
Canary In A Coal Mine -- Mark 13:1-8, 1 Samuel 1:4-20, Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25, 1 Samuel 2:1-10 -- Frank Ramirez -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2015
Contents "Canary in a Coal Mine" by Frank Ramirez
A Good Man? -- John 18:33-37, 2 Samuel 23:1-7, Revelation 1:4b-8, Psalm 132:1-12 (13-18) -- Frank Ramirez, Keith Hewitt, C. David Mckirachan -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2015
Contents "A Good Man?" by Keith Hewitt
The Power Of Now -- Matthew 6:25-33, Joel 2:21-27, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Psalm 126 -- Keith Wagner -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2015
Contents "The Power of Now" by Keith Wagner
The Righteous Branch -- Luke 21:25-36, Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Psalm 25:1-10 -- Sandra Herrmann, Frank Ramirez -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2015
Contents "The Righteous Branch" by Sandra Herrmann
God Is Awesome -- Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Psalm 47 -- Keith Wagner -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2015
Contents "God is Awesome" by Keith Wagner
Who Can Stand? -- Luke 3:1-6, Malachi 3:1-4, Philippians 1:3-11, Luke 1:68-79 -- Frank Ramirez, Keith Hewitt -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2015
Contents "Who Can Stand?" by Frank Ramirez
To Make New -- John 17:6-19, Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, 1 John 5:9-13, Psalm 1 -- Peter Andrew Smith, John Fitzgerald -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 2015
Contents "To Make New" by Peter Andrew Smith
Finding Your Way -- Luke 3:7-18, Zephaniah 3:14-20, Philippians 4:4-7, Isaiah 12:2-6 -- Peter Andrew Smith, C. David Mckirachan -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 2015
Contents "Finding Your Way" by Peter Andrew Smith
Who Are You? -- Mark 10:35-45, Job 38:1-7 (34-41), Hebrews 5:1-10, Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c -- Keith Hewitt, Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2015
Contents "Who Are You?" by Keith Hewitt
By Hickory -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55), Micah 5:2-5a, Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:46b-55 -- Frank Ramirez -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2015
Contents "By Hickory" by Frank Ramirez
Room At The Table -- James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17 -- Keith Hewitt -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2015
Contents "Room at the Table" by Keith Hewitt
UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 21 | OT 26 | Pentecost 19
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2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 21
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
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2 – Pastor's Devotions
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New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

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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