|
|
Welcome to The Village Shepherd, where you can find hundreds of insightful sermons, imaginative children's stories, and intercessory prayers, all from the creative pen of Janice Scott ...
Read More About The Village Shepherd
|
Sermons and Stories for Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 15
|
Serve God and enjoy life? | Deuteronomy 30:15-20 | Sermon
She was a good Christian woman. She'd had a conversion experience rather like St Paul's on the road to Damascus, some sixteen or seventeen years previously, and after that she'd never looked back. She was filled with God's spirit and she went out of her way to tell other people about Jesus and all that Jesus had done for her....
click here for the full sermon
|
How much, in the cold light of day? | Luke 14:25-33 | Sermon
The evangelist Billy Graham was away from home a great deal when he was in his heyday of large evangelical rallies. He tells the story of waking up one morning to be confronted by his young son, who asked, "Mummy, who's that man in bed with you?" He had been away from home so much, his own son didn't recognize him. Christianity is free. All God's good gifts are free and are freely available to anyone, but Christian commitment does have a price....
click here for the full sermon
|
Basil's Journey | Luke 14:25-33 | Children's Story
Basil was lonely and cold and very, very tired. He was limping, because his front paw hurt, and his long, hairy coat was bedraggled and matted with the rain. He had no idea how long he had been walking, and very little idea where he was headed. He just knew he wanted to go home, and especially to see his owner Mr. Frasier, again. Basil was a mixture dog, with a bit of this and a bit of that in his make-up, and he hadn't been endowed with much brain.... click here for the full sermon
|
Jo's First Camp | Luke 14:25-33 | Children's Liturgy and Story
It is all too easy to rush into things without proper preparation and without realistically first counting the cost. In this story, Jo rushes to camp, but doesn't prepare properly and thus loses her enthusiasm for camping. Similarly, many people rush into Christianity without properly preparing and counting the cost, but quickly lose enthusiasm at the first sign of trouble....
click here for the full story
|
God of the Universe | Intercession
God of the universe, in my better moments I vow to serve you forever with all my heart, all my mind, all my soul and all my strength. But in my wiser and more discerning moments, I occasionally catch a glimpse of the cost, and wonder whether I'm capable of paying that much. God of the universe, help me to find the endurance and courage I need to devote my life to you....
click here for the full prayer
|
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.
For every Sunday in all three cycles of the Revised Common Lectionary, you'll find:
- Sermons based on the Gospel readings
- Sermons based on the Epistle readings
- Children's stories linked with the Gospel readings (most are original,
through some are adaptations of old Christian legends or Bible stories)
- A group of intercessory prayers for your worship service
For just $29.95 for a one-year subscription, you can access this entire treasure trove of valuable sermon material and sermon resources. And our convenient search engine enables you to quickly find exactly what you need -- all the rich content of The Village Shepherd can be searched by scripture or keyword, as well as by the lectionary calendar.
>> Subscribe to The Village Shepherd
|
|
Reverend Janice Scott
Janice Scott is the Rural Dean of Redenhall Deanery, covering 32 parishes in South Norfolk, England. Her introduction to the Norfolk area came in 1999 when she received an e-mail from someone in a country parish, pleading for a priest. The writer turned out to be nine years old. As a result of that e-mail she became rector of six small country parishes in rural Norfolk, where she resides today.
Her career as a priest began in 1994 when she was ordained at Norwich Cathedral with the first group of women clergy in the UK.
In addition to her parish duties and writing The Village Shepherd, Rev. Janice Scott is a freelance writer for Redemptorist publications in the UK. She also broadcasts a "Pause for Thought" on a local radio station.
|
|
