Proper 5 B (June 09): Don't Lose Heart/The Grass is Greener on the Other Side

 

 

Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20) (11:14-15), Psalm 138, 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1, Mark 3: 20-35.

About the Images:

Upper Left and Right: Both these images are from Heartlight.  You can access them and many other great images via my link column at left.

Middle Left: This is a free imagebank image - see my link column at left.  The 1 Samuel reading made me think of chess - kings and the God stuff and choices.  This image site has now closed. 

Middle Right: As above
Lower Left: Another Heartlight image

Lower Right: Hand of God by Lorenzo Quinn Photo: Copyright source: KOREphotos Copyright permission: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Bottom Left: A free image from the Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú.

Listening Song: Always and Forever

By Raze on their album, Power (pictured at left).  This song goes well with the 1 Samuel reading. 

Listening Song: Only the World

By Mandisa on the album, True Beauty (pictured at right) . This song goes well with the Corinthians reading.

Drama: A Little Lawn Story

By Verena Johnson (Ed.), Mega Drama 3, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 2002, ISBN 0859109178, page 41ff (pictured at left). This is based on the 2 Corinthians reading.

Stories, Poems and Lots of Other Good Stuff: Proper 

Mainly based on the gospel reading and found in Resources For Preaching and Worship Year B compiled by Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild, Westminster John Knox Press, 2002, ISBN 100664224776, pages 162-165 (pictured at right).

Story: Temporary Things

Story 706 in 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers by Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal, Baker Books, 2002, ISBN 0801091551 (pictured at left).  This story is based on the Corinthians reading.

Response Activity/Adult Input: Who Has Authority

Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, 2010, ISBN 9780949656911, page 92-3 (pictured at right). This works well with all the readings.

Meditation: Watching
Found in Meditations from the Iona Community by Ian Reid, Wild Goose Publications, Trowbridge, 1998, ISBN 1901557022, page 36 (pictured at left).

Story: Guidance 

Found as story No 118 in Your Point Being? by Graham H. Twelftree, Monarch, 2003, iSBN 1854245929 (pictured at right). This story fits well with  Psalm 138:7 about listening to God.

Sermon ideas: Finding a New Family

Found in Life on the Road by Athol Gill, Herald Press, 1992, page125 (pictured at left).  This is based on the Gospel reading.