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The Village Shepherd

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.

Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C

Children's Story

Luke 6:17-26

Janice B. Scott
We tend to think of Saints as special holy people who are perhaps not quite real. But in this reading, Jesus makes it clear that those who are very ordinary because they are poor, or hungry, or sad, or otherwise disadvantaged in some way, are especially blessed. This is a story about Casper, who spoke in fun but found his words were taken rather seriously.

Casper's aunt was visiting. It was always a pain, because she always asked him the same things, one of which was, "What do you want to be when you're grown up, Casper?" Since Casper didn't want to grow up at all, the question was meaningless. But up it came, year after year, and Casper was always forced to mumble some unsatisfactory reply. But this year, Casper had his answer ready.

Intercession

Luke 6:17-26

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.

Sermon

Jeremiah 17:5-10

Janice B. Scott
Last April we had a group of visitors from a parish in Northen Sweden. They stayed in homes in our deanery, attended our churches and went out and about in our region. For many of them it was their first visit to England, so their first impressions of our country were interesting.

Sermon

Luke 6:17-26

Janice B. Scott
The Roman Catholic Church's canonisation years ago of Edith Stein fueled considerable controversy. Edith Stein was born and bred into a Jewish family, becoming a Roman Catholic Christian at the age of 31. She was also a leading German intellectual in the early thirties, during the run-up to World War II, although she gave up that career in order to become a Carmelite nun. But she didn't deny her Jewish roots, for in 1933 she petitioned the Pope, Pious XI, to write an encyclical in defence of the Jews. He didn't, and we all know what happened to the Jews during the Second World War.

Sermon

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Janice B. Scott
Novels about science fiction have been popular since before the days when human beings first walked on the moon. Since the earliest days of television and Dr Who, sci-fi has held an important place, and on Sky television there is now a complete channel dedicated to sci-fi.

But over recent years there's been a huge increase in drama about supernatural characters, such as vampires and angels. It may be partly to do with the ongoing love affair with super heroes like Batman or Superman, but I wonder whether it's also something to do with the never ending human fascination with life after death.

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
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Epiphany 4 (OT 4)
28 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
31 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Epiphany 5 (OT 5)
31 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
39 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Epiphany 6 (OT 6)
32 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
35 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For February 16, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
Valentine’s Day isn’t likely a prominent part of our liturgical calendar, and it doesn’t factor into our lectionary assignments. Yet it is part of our culture and therefore on our people’s radar. There’s a better chance that they personally observe Valentine’s Day, after all, than Transfiguration Sunday or Christ the King Sunday.  
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Jeremiah 17:5-10
John Wesley nicely describes our sinful condition implied in this text. He writes:

There is nothing so false and deceitful as the heart of man. It is deceitful in the apprehension of things, in the hopes and promises which it nourishes, in the assurances that it gives us. It is unsearchable by others, deceitful with reference to ourselves, and abominably wicked so that neither can a man know his own heart nor can any other know that of his neighbor's. (Commentary On the Bible, p.344)

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. (vv. 17-20)

Gertie Frye was my Sunday School teacher in the Beginners Class at the Loyd Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1954. Gertie was a small, humble, sweet, quiet woman who exuded a joy and warmth that drew children to her.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A mirror. Ideally, find a large mirror like you would put on the back of a door to use when dressing. Any mirror will do, but a large one that everyone can see easily will be more fun.

* * *

The Village Shepherd

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.

SermonStudio

Gregory L. Tolle
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (vv. 17-19)

In the 1994 movie, The Shawshank Redemption, Tim Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a young, hotshot banker in the 1940s. His life changes drastically when he is convicted for the murder of his wife and her secret lover and is sentenced to life imprisonment at Shawshank Prison.

James Evans
(See Proper 20/Pentecost 18/Ordinary Time 25, Cycle B for an alternative approach.)

The writer of Psalm 1 has created a timeless image of human existence as a tree. The image of a tree allows the poet to proclaim in graphic terms the effects of having, and not having, a viable relationship with God. The tree, as a durable life form, symbolizes well the significance and importance of seeking and living a faithful life.

Gary L. Carver
One of my all-time favorite television programs was M*A*S*H. In the early episodes, Frank Burns and Hot Lips Houlihan were an item. Often they were pitted against Trapper John and Hawkeye. In one such episode, Frank and Hot Lips had been trying to "do-in" Hawkeye but had failed. Hawkeye now had the upper hand, and Radar said, "Why don't you do to them what they were trying to do to you?" Hawkeye said, "Look at them! They're each just one-half of a person and when they come together, they barely make a whole person. They have enough troubles of their own."

Steven E. Albertin
It was the dirty secret. We were never supposed to talk about it openly. When it was discussed, it was in hushed whispers behind the closed doors of private homes. No, it had nothing to do with sex. It had to do with why my best friends would never eat meat on Fridays. It had to do with that strange ritual called the Rosary. It had to do with those strange women dressed in black and white who looked like penguins. I grew up in a small southeastern Wisconsin town in the 1950s where the majority of the population was either Lutheran or Roman Catholic.

Special Occasion

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