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Scripture

Luke 10:1-2, Matthew 6:9-10, Acts 16:25-34, 2 Timothy 1:7-8, Nehemiah 2:17-18, Romans 12:2

Heavenly Father, thank you for a spiritual home For the legacy of those who have gone before us and welcomed us Lord Jesus, thank you for your church For the legacy of your word and witness across th...

liturgy

Repent and Return, a prayer of confession

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Scripture

Joel 2:13

ONE VOICE: Joel 2:13 Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful ALL: We drift away from our true home We forget we are Your beloved We forget we are not God Rend our hearts, O Go...

Quote

Author

Gustave Martelet

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While man is at home with animals and the stars, he is also the cosmic neighbor of the Absolute.

liturgy

Call to Worship based on Galatians 4

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Scripture

Galatians 4:null

Faithful One Your covenant is steadfast Your promises are true Your Son, our Savior, is born. Hallelujah! How great is your heart! Making us children and heirs of your grace. Making our home together...

blog

Longing for Home: Christmas Movie Cheer

Author

Scott B. Bullock

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Christmas

Scripture

Luke 15:null

Getting in the Mood for Christmas Christmas movies do a variety of things: get us in the mood for the season, connect us with family, and entertain us. Alongside the stockings, fir tree, and nativity...

Quote

Author

G. K. Chesterton

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Scripture

Luke 2:7, Matthew 8:20, Isaiah 52:2-3, Hebrews 13:2, John 14:2-3, Micah 5:2

Christmas is built upon a beautiful and intentional paradox; that the birth of the homeless should be celebrated in every home.

liturgy

Lord, like the women at the tomb on the

Author

Jacob Traeger

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Scripture

Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, John 20:1-18

Lord, like the women at the tomb on the first Easter, we come out of our darkness and into your light We come out of emptiness to enter your fullness We come out of our hopelessness to find your joy...

Quote

Author

Frederick Buechner

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For outlandish creatures like us, on our way to a heart, a brain, and courage, Bethlehem is not the end of our journey but only the beginning - not home but the place through which we must pass if eve...

liturgy

Jesus, Immanuel, Child of Wonder, Lord

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Advent

Scripture

Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25, John 1:1-14, Isaiah 9:6-7

Jesus, Immanuel, Child of Wonder, Lord of Life: As our celebration of your coming is near, we give ourselves to You who first gave Yourself for us; and we place in your strong and loving hands all we...

liturgy

Good morning, Father

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Scripture

Philippians 4:6-7, Luke 15:11-32, Matthew 6:19-21, Psalm 51:10-12, James 4:8, 1 John 1:9

Prayer of Adoration Good morning, Father. While we slept last night – You were awake, sustaining our world, protecting us and readying a new day. Jesus – You hold us in the palms of Your hands: str...

liturgy

God of Truth and Grace—Father, Son and

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Palm Sunday

Scripture

Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:8-11, Luke 19:36-44, John 12:16-19

God of Truth and Grace—Father, Son and Holy Spirit: You are our strong Savior and humble King who comes not to intimidate but to love. Today we sing our Hosannas and wave our Palms. But tomorrow is Mo...

liturgy

O Come, O Come Emmanuel, a call to worship for Advent

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Scripture

Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25, John 1:1-14, Isaiah 9:6-7

O Come, O Come Emmanuel You who are flesh Vulnerable and Lowly and Small Come, O Come Emmanuel You who are Great Holy and Powerful and Forever Come, O Come Emmanuel The Fullness of God with us Make ...

Quote

Author

O.P. Kretzmann

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Scripture

Luke 2:6-7, Philippians 2:6-8, Isaiah 53:2-3, Micah 5:2, Exodus 2:1-10, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Revelation 21:3-4

One of our troubles, is that we have romanticized and sentimentalized the stable and the manger…We see them through the warm glow of our comfortable homes, our candles and our well-fed bodies....Perha...

liturgy

Father: Thank You for always being

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Scripture

Psalm 34:14, Luke 15:20, Hebrews 4:14, Romans 6:4, Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalm 25:4-5, Matthew 11:28-30, Isaiah 41:10, John 14:13, James 1:5, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Habakkuk 3:2, Isaiah 6:8, Matthew 28:19-20

Father: Thank You for always being ready to welcome us and listen to us. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Savior: born like us, experiencing all that we experience yet sinless, who d...

illustration

The Nobodies of Nazareth

Author

Timothy Keller

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Scripture

John 1:46, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, Matthew 20:16, Luke 1:51-53, James 2:1-9, Matthew 11:25, Isaiah 52:2-3, Philippians 2:5-8

The world has always despised people from the wrong places and with the wrong credentials. We are always trying to justify ourselves. We need desperately to feel superior to others. And everything abo...

liturgy

Gracious and faithful God–our Creator,

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Scripture

Psalm 25:4-5, Matthew 1:23, James 5:14-15, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Luke 2:10-11, Isaiah 9:6, Jeremiah 29:11, Matthew 25:35-36, Proverbs 21:1, Matthew 5:14-16, Matthew 28:19-20, John 14:13, Luke 2:1-20, Mark 5:25-34, John 11:17-44

Gracious and faithful God–our Creator, Redeemer and Comforter: When we don’t know the way–You show us the way; and when we can’t find a way–You make a way. Thank you! Thank you for Your gift of a Sav...

liturgy

Lord Jesus–You’ve come, are coming and

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Scripture

Revelation 22:12, Titus 2:13, John 8:12, Psalm 119:105, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 34:18, Matthew 5:44

Lord Jesus–You’ve come, are coming and will come again. Whether we know it or not, we live on the edge of Your advent every moment of every day either with anticipation or with anxiety. As if stumblin...

illustration

Longing for Eden

Author

Caroline Cobb

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In a letter to his son, J. R. R. Tolkien famously wrote, “We all long for [Eden], and we are constantly glimpsing it: our whole nature at its best and least corrupted, its gentlest and most humane, is...

blog

An Order of Worship for a Blue Christmas Service (aka a Longest Night Service)

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Scripture

Isaiah 11:1-5, Psalm 86:1, Psalm 22:1-2, Psalm 28:7, Psalm 65:5

A Blue Christmas Service is offered especially for those hurting during the holidays. It’s often offered December 21, the longest night of the year. Some come because they are mourning the death of...

liturgy

Jesus – You rose before we did today.

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Scripture

1 Peter 1:3, Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, John 11:25-26, John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

Jesus – You rose before we did today. You met us at the door to lift burdens, sins and hurts from our shoulders and replace them with Your strength, forgiveness and healing. The word seems so small c...

liturgy

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth

Author

Ann Siddall

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Scripture

Matthew 3:13-16

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John. On this day we come from many different suburbs—to remember his story, to offer our worship and to give witness to our fait...

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The Surprise and Celebration of Easter

Author

Wesley Hill

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New Testament scholar and Anglican bishop N. T. Wright recalls being at a party once when someone decided to read a portion of the seventeenth-century Prayer Book for laughs. The Prayer Book includes ...

blog

4 Lent Quotes to Start Your Sermons: Fresh Angles for Preaching

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You may think of quotes as a great thing to add a little gravity, insight, or humor to your sermons. And they are! But have you considered Lent quotes as a jumping-off point for sermon ideas? We pick...

blog

7 Christmas Sermon Quotes to Inspire Your Last-Minute Prep

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'Twas just two days before Christmas and the reverend was stressing. There's a sermon to write and prayers of confessing... If that's you—we see you. You're definitely not alone, and...

lectionary

Maundy Thursday

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Scripture

John 13:1-17, 31b-35, Philippians 2:3-11

"Maundy" What? Maundy Thursday takes its name from the Latin version of John 13:34: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are ...

illustration

The Legend of La Befana

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Scripture

Luke 10:41-42, Ecclesiastes 3:1, Matthew 2:1-2, Isaiah 60:3, Matthew 6:33, Jeremiah 29:13, Luke 2:8-20

If we’re ever concerned with being wrapped up in Christmas busyness, it may be worth considering the Italian legend of La Befana. The elderly Befana was in her home when suddenly she was visited by th...

illustration

Chalking the Door

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