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Uncompromising Faith -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, Luke 12:32-40, Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an in
Consolation -- Jeremiah 31:9a, John 1:14 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B
ContentsSharing Visions, "Consolation" by Lori Hetzel
A Crafty Dad -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C
Contents A Story to Live By: "A Crafty Dad"
Happy Birthday -- John 7:37-39, 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13, Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Day of Pentecost - A
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "Happy Birthday"
A Glass Of Milk -- Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, James 2:1-10, 14-17, Mark 7:24-37, Psalm 125 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
Contents
Acceptable Worship -- Jeremiah 1:4-10, Hebrews 12:18-29, Luke 13:10-17, Psalm 71:1-6 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which w
Blessed At The Core -- Mark 4:10 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B
ContentsSharing Visions, "Blessed at the Core" by Manda R. Stack
Angel Of Mercy -- Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23, Psalm 27:1, 4-9 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "Angel of Mercy"
Bearing The Truth -- John 16:12-15, Romans 5:1-5, Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Psalm 8 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C
Contents Stories to Live By: "Bearing the Truth" by John Sumwalt
Creation -- Matthew 28:16-20, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, Genesis 1:1-2:4a, Psalm 8 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A
Contents What's Up This Week Stories to Live By: "Being Present"/ "Live in Peace"
Do You Not See? -- Song of Solomon 2:8-13, James 1:17-27, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
Contents
Stranger -- Jeremiah 2:4-13, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, Luke 14:1, 7-14, Psalm 81:1, 10-16 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels w
Peter The Rock -- Matthew 16:13-20, Romans 12:1-8, Psalm 124, Exodus 1:8--2:10 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "When the Rock Cracks"
Monday Night Dissipation -- Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36, Psalm 25:1-10 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- First Sunday of Advent - C
Monday Night Dissipation by John Sumwalt
Sufficient Grace -- Matthew 7:21-29, Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 (29-31), Genesis 6:11-22; 7:24; 8:14-19, Psalm 46 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "Prayer at Valley Forge"
Visitation Dreams -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14, Ephesians 5:15-20, John 6:51-58, Psalm 111 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Contents
Ole And Clarence -- Jeremiah 18:1-11, Philemon 1:1-21, Luke 14:25-33, Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider wh
Arrogance -- Joel 2:23-32, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14, Psalm 65 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C
Contents What's Up This Week
Glory All Around Me -- Revelation 5:11-14, Acts 9:1-6 (7-20), John 21:1-19, Psalm 30 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Third Sunday of Easter - C
It was back in 1986, as I recall, that I felt the power of God as I was enshrouded in what seemed to
Knowing Where You Are Going -- Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26, Romans 4:13-25, Genesis 12:1-9, Psalm 33:1-12 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "A Healing Story"
Saying Grace -- John 6:31-34 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B
Contents A Story to Live By: "Saying Grace"
The Ex-Tither -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31, Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
So Much Need...
Until Found -- Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Luke 15:1-10, Psalm 14 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C
Contents A Story to Live By: "Until Found"
Who Is In Favor Of Child Sacrifice? -- Matthew 10:40-42, Romans 6:12-23, Genesis 22:1-14, Psalm 13 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A
Contents What's Up This Week
Don't Be Afraid -- John 6:19b-20 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B
Contents A Story to Live By: "Don't Be Afraid"
UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 21 | OT 26 | Pentecost 19
32 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
21 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 22 | OT 27 | Pentecost 20
31 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 21
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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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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