Sermon and Worship Resources

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John 3:14-21

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

As swimmers dare to lie face to sky and water bears them, as hawks rest upon air and air sustains them, so would I learn to attain freefall, and float into Creator Spirit's deep embrace, knowing no effort earns that all surrounding grace. (Denise Levertov, Oblique Prayer) God so loved the world ... that love, that unconditional love, is the foundation for our faith. John wrote, "God so loved the ...

2. Jesus, The Servant

John 13:1-17

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

When a brother visited the hermits in the desert and saw them working, he asked, "Why do you work for the bread that perishes? Mary has chosen the best part, to sit at the feet of the Lord without working." The Abbot told his disciple to give the brother a book and a cell and there he left him all day to read. At the ninth hour he looked out to see if the Abbot was going to call him to dinner and ...

3. Let It Go!

Mark 8:31-38

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

Long ago there was an ancient bell that was famous for its beautiful tone. It had been commissioned by the king. The king's advisors had told him that making a huge temple bell would secure the nation from foreign invasion. The specialist who cast the bell had produced several failures until he concluded that the only way to produce a great bell was to sacrifice a young maiden. Soldiers were sent ...

4. Standing On The Shore

John 20:1-18 · Mark 16:1-8

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

His presence began early this morning in the dawn, when the birds sing and sight is dim, whispering to us, "Why is the stone rolled away?""Where is his body?""Who is this light dressed in a white robe seated on the right?" How did they hear, "He is not here. He has risen as he told you." Trembling before such mystery, Fearing, they fled. Paul wrote, "Lo! I tell you a mystery ... the perishable do...

5. Tale of Three Trees

Mark 8:31--9:1

Children's Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

Object: None There is an old story that tells of three trees growing on a hillside, dreaming of what they wanted to be. The first said, "I want to be a treasure box and hold the greatest treasure in the world." The second said, "I want to be a strong sailing ship and carry the most powerful king in the world." The third said, "I want to grow tall and point to God who gives beautiful treasures and...

6. The Lord Has Need Of It

Mark 14:1--15:47

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

This is a joyful day, but in a world of sorrow and sadness, joyous people seem foolish. If we listen carefully to the story of Palm Sunday as written by Mark, it is a foolish story. The Lord needs a colt that has never been ridden? The disciples put their cloaks on the colt for Jesus to sit on? First, men wore two pieces of clothing, a cloak and their undergarments. Second, they set Jesus on all t...

7. The Season Of Sacred Stories

Mark 1:9-15

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

Garrison Keillor has said that if you are shy and from the Midwest and Lutheran, it is always Lent. Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lecten meaning "spring." Its liturgical color is purple, signifying both humility and royalty. In the early church Lent was a time to prepare for baptism, which took place on Easter Eve. Lent is the forty day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter (excluding the...

8. The Word Jesus Spoke

John 2:13-22

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

When the Israelites heard the first word of the Law in the Ten Commandments, so the old rabbinical story goes, they swooned. Their souls left them. So the word returned to God and cried out, "O Sovereign of the Universe, you live eternally and your Law lives eternally. But you have sent me to the dead. They are all dead!" Thereupon God had mercy and made his word more palatable.1 God told a story....

9. "Unless A Grain Of Wheat ..."

John 12:20-33

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

Moon had a message for man and woman and called Insect to come and carry the message to earth. The message of Moon was, "As I die and in dying, live, so you in dying will live also." Insect took the message of Moon to earth and on the way met Hare. "Where are you going?" asked Hare. "I have a message from Moon to man and woman. Moon said, 'As I die and in dying, live again, so you in dying will li...

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