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Village

▶Janice Scott ... The Village Shepherd

After being ordained in 1994 with the first wave of women priests, Janice became curate in a large city centre parish in Norwich and from there, moved to South Norfolk in 1999 as Rector of a rural benefice of six parishes. After completing her MA in Pastoral Theology with the Cambridge Theological Foundation in 2008 she was appointed Honorary Canon of Norwich Cathedral. Janice now lives with her husband Ian just outside Norwich. In addition to her diocesan work and writing "The Village Shepherd," she is a freelance writer for Redemptorist Publications in the UK. She has also written and broadcasts "Pause For Thought" on a local radio station and has written several novels, all with a church background.

Day of Pentecost - A

Children's Liturgy and Story

Acts 2:1-21

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus promised his friends that great power would be available to them when he had finally disappeared from this earth. That power came on the Day of Pentecost. In our worship today let us explore what sort of power this was and whether it is still available to us.


Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes I have difficulty connecting with things that happened 2,000 years ago.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I assume that all your power was in the past, belonging to a by-gone age.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I'm afraid in case your power is available now and I have to do something about it.
Lord, have mercy.

Reading:

Children's Story

John 20:19-23

Janice B. Scott
Praxis the colourful pixie was wandering through the woods by himself, gazing at the ground. He had discovered the ground to be a great source of treasure, especially after the woods had been visited by humans. When Praxis found a likely looking piece of treasure, he would slip it into his pocket. Later, he would fetch it out to show all his pixie friends, and sometimes he made a good sale. Once he had found a shiny penknife, and became the envy of every pixie in the woods. On another occasion he had found a lipstick and a comb, and all the little Pixies had enjoyed face painting with the lipstick and making music with the comb and a piece of tissue paper.

Intercession

John 20:19-23

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

A prayer by Cardinal Mercier:

Sermon

John 20:19-23

Janice B. Scott
For Christmas one year, I was given a very useful piece of computer software, which enables me to dictate to my computer. As I dictate, so the words I'm saying appear on the screen in front of me and when I'm ready I can simply press a key to print off everything I've written.

It's wonderful for sermons, as it saves an awful lot of typing and makes life much easier for me. But there's just one tiny snag. The computer doesn't always interpret my words correctly, so I sometimes see some very amusing words and phrases appearing in front of me.

Sermon

1 Corinthians 12:3b-13

Janice B. Scott
This year, we've been running Alpha courses for the first time in our group of parishes. Alpha is a course designed for non-churchgoers and teaches the basics of Christianity in about ten sessions. It's very much a "people-driven" course, for although a teaching video is shown at each session, this is followed by discussion. The video is just a starting point, and the discussion often wanders way off topic, onto those questions which particularly interest people. So the discussion always follows the direction decided by the people in the group. Both for the group members and for those who are leading the group, it's very stimulating and exciting to hear completely differing points of view.

What is The Village Shepherd?

The Village Shepherd offers sermons, bible stories, children's stories and prayers based on the Revised Common Lectionary. These inspirational sermons, stories, and prayers are sure to touch your heart, because they reflect the simple virtues and tranquil serenity that characterize Reverend Scott's English countryside pastorate. The questions "Where is God in this particular situation?" and "Where does the Gospel story cross our own human story?" are always at the heart of these meditations -- but rather than finding overt answers, instead you will be gently led to make your own connections and discover the powerful ways in which God works. Janice Scott has the unique ability to find interesting details in ordinary life that illuminate scripture, while still challenging even the most intellectual reader. And that gift is precisely what also makes her an outstanding communicator with children.

Most weeks include:

  • Sermon based on the Gospel reading
  • Sermon based on the Epistle reading
  • Sermon based on the First reading
  • Children's stories linked with the Gospel readings
  • Children's liturgy and story (a different story than mentioned above)
  • An intercessory prayer

New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

Cynthia E. Cowen
The Point: Jesus comes to us even when we are afraid and gives us the power to live as his followers.
Arley K. Fadness
When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'receive the Holy Spirit.' (v. 22)

Good morning, boys and girls. I am so happy to see you this morning. You know why I'm happy? I am happy because you are here at worship ? and I am really happy to tell you about something amazing! Are you ready to hear about it?  (children answer)

There are some things in life that are invisible. But they are very real. For example, here in my hands I am holding some air. (cup hands like holding air) (shows air to children)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

It would be hard to document the assertion in detail and with wealth of satisfying data. But there are good reasons to picture less talk "per capita" or "per church" about the Spirit and Pentecost in the centuries preceding our own. Yes, Spirit is tucked away in biblical texts and hymns and all. But as for vital witness and presence, the twentieth century produces evidences.
We've all seen them -- women and men, girls and boys, wrestling with huge sails attached to a small board, seeking to stand and balance and catch both the wind and the waves just right -- windsurfers. It is one of the hardest sports to learn and succeed at, but to those who have made it an art, it is one of the most rewarding experiences of freedom. One stands between heaven and earth, supported by nothing more than the fluid surface of a lake or ocean, and powered by the breath of this world's atmosphere. To catch the right breeze is a craft not easily learned.

SermonStudio

James L. Killen, Jr.
The story of the Day of Pentecost tells of a pivotal event in the history of God's work in the world. It tells of the emerging of a very important aspect of the Christian faith and of the birth of the church.
Gary L. Carver
To be asked to speak or pray in public sent shivers of terror down his spine. He had a small part in his high school play. He froze. When it came time for him to deliver his lines, he could not say a word. He never completely recovered from that humiliation and embarrassment. But if you needed a nurse during a painful or sleepless long night, he was your man. With dozens of people for dozens of years often late into the night, he administered the "sacrament of the coffee pot" as he listened and counseled with a wisdom from a source other than his own.
Schuyler Rhodes
Today is Pentecost. Today we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the people of God. Today we celebrate the birthday of the Church of Jesus Christ, recalling our ancestors in the faith who received the power of God's Holy Spirit and began a journey which we continue in this moment as we take on the struggle to become a faithful people in today's world. Today we celebrate the arrival of the Advocate, the Spirit who accompanies and partners with us in life and faith.
William G. Carter
An unusual piece of mail arrived at the office the other day. Inside the envelope was a colorful brochure, a response card, and a prepaid business reply envelope. A computer-generated cover letter was addressed to First Presbyterian Church.
Larry M. Goodpaster
One of the several things we all have in common is the sheer enjoyment of receiving gifts. While we may not always say so, our feelings are at least slightly wounded if our birthday is forgotten. Christmas is not memorable if, because of economic conditions, or because we were extravagant with gifts for others, our gifts are fewer in number. I've also observed that as many of us add years to our lives, the gifts we do receive are more predictable and much more practical.
Steven E. Albertin
They had been waiting so long for this. It was an interminable fifty days since Jesus had risen from the dead. It had been ten long days since Jesus had ascended into heaven from that mountain outside of Jerusalem and that angel had told them to go back to Jerusalem and wait. They had to wait again for what must have seemed like an eternity to finally receive what they had been waiting for -- the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Stan Purdum
Pentecost is considered the birth date of the church universal. There was also planted that day, in the preaching of the apostle Peter, an important seed -- the fruit of which was almost lost at one point in the church's history. That seed was in this statement by Peter: "Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).

StoryShare

C. David Mckirachan
David O. Bales
Contents
"Rauch" by C. David McKirachan
"Claustrophobia" by David O. Bales


* * * * * * * *


Ruach
by C. David McKirachan
Acts 2:1-21
John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt
Contents
What's Up This Week
A Story to Live By: "Happy Birthday"
Shining Moments: "Wrapped in Pentecost" by Kate Jones
Sermon Starter: "Do You Have Charisma?" by John Sumwalt
Scrap Pile: "What the World Needs Now..." by John Sumwalt


What's Up This Week

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus promised his friends that great power would be available to them when he had finally disappeared from this earth. That power came on the Day of Pentecost. In our worship today let us explore what sort of power this was and whether it is still available to us.


Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes I have difficulty connecting with things that happened 2,000 years ago.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I assume that all your power was in the past, belonging to a by-gone age.

Special Occasion

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Pentecost
29 – Sermons
150+ – Illustrations / Stories
30+ – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
28 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Trinity Sunday
28 – Sermons
150+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
26 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 5 (OT 10, Pent 2)
22 – Sermons
120+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
21 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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