Lectionary Stories for Preaching and Teaching, Cycle C

Publisher Marketing: Everyone loves a good story. Storytellers who excel at their craft have the ability to draw readers or listeners into the worlds they create, using characters and situations to entertain and enlighten us. Jesus, the Master Storyteller, often spoke using parables -- short stories that conveyed a spiritual truth. By drawing his listeners into his story, he unlocked their minds and hearts to hear the truth he was trying to relate to them. This compilation of stories for the entire church year taken from" "StoryShare follows in that same tradition." "StoryShare"," a part of SermonSuite.com, is written by various authors brought together to meditate on scriptures in the Revised Common Lectionary for Cycle C and create stories that flesh out these passages, allowing readers to see these words in a new way. These stories can be whimsical and light-hearted or poignant and reflective, even tragic. But they all strive to bring us to a deeper understanding of the scriptures and the God who inspired them. Some of the stories are even based on actual events experienced by the authors, events that influenced their perspective on Christianity. Useful as sermon illustrations, stand alone sermons, teaching aides, personal devotions, or even just for entertaining reading, "Stories for Teaching and Preaching "will draw you into new worlds with vibrant and engaging images, deepening your relationship with God in the process. Contributor Bio:  Bales, David O David O. Bales was a Presbyterian minister for 33 years. Recently retired as the pastor of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Ontario, Oregon, he is also a freelance writer and editor for Stephen Ministries and Tebunah Ministries. His sermons and articles have appeared in Lectionary Homiletics, Preaching Great Texts, and Interpretation, and he is the author of Gospel Subplots: Story Sermons of God's Grace (CSS). He is also a regular contributor to the online service StoryShare (www.sermonsuite.com). Bales is a graduate of the University of Portland and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Contributor Bio:  Herrmann, Sandra 34 Jahre alt, verheiratet, Mutter zweier KinderContributor Bio:  Hewitt, Keith Keith Hewitt is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and is currently youth leader at Wilmot United Methodist Church in Wilmot, WI. Contributor Bio:  McKirachan, C David C. David McKirachan is Pastor of The Presbyterian Church at Shrewsbury in New Jersey, and teaches Communications at Monmouth University. He is the author of "I Happened Upon a Miracle: Voices from the Gospels" and "Year of Wonder: Glimpses of God in Everyday Life", both published by WJK. Contributor Bio:  Purdum, Stan Stan Purdum was a parish minister in Ohio for several years. He currently works as a freelance writer and editor. He writes curriculum for Cokesbury and edits "Emphasis" and "Proclaim", both nationally circulated preaching journals. He formerly was executive editor of "Homiletics", the most widely used preaching resource in America. He has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University Theological School. Stan's other books include "Roll Around Heaven All Day" and "Playing in Traffic", both accounts of his long distance bicycle journeys, as well as "New Mercies I See", a collection of parish stories of God's grace. Stan and his wife, Jeanine, live in North Canton, Ohio. They have three grown children. Contributor Bio:  Ramirez, Frank Frank Ramirez is pastor of the Everett (Pennsylvania) Church of the Brethren and has served in the pastorate for over 30 years. He is the author of several books including The Meanest Man in Patrick County, Brethren Brush with Greatness, and The Household of God. He and his wife have three children and three grandchildren. Contributor Bio:  Smith, Argile Argile Smith was the chair of the division of pastoral ministries and the director of communications at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Smith has written a number of Bible studies for Sunday school periodicals, and his articles on preaching and pastoral ministry have appeared in such respected publications as The Deacon, Church Administration, and Proclaim. He served as pastor at First Baptist Church in Biloxi, Mississippi. Currently, he is the president of Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana. Contributor Bio:  Smylie, John John Smylie is the rector of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Casper, Wyoming. Previously he served as the dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane, Washington. Smylie is a storyteller and singer-songwriter as well as a priest, and he has a broad range of experience in parish ministry, having served in rural, suburban, and urban settings. He is a regular contributor to the online service StoryShare (www.sermonsuite.com), and is also a co-author of Christian Parenting (Upper Room). John recently completed Grace for Today, a collection of 25 stories that explores how grace, loss, and restoration are part of the same fabric.