Lent
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Season For The Spirit
$27.95Add to cartExperience forty days of self-discovery through theological reflections and prayers. While it aims to assist a daily practice of personal prayer, it is also widely used by groups who pledge to meet regularly so that members can share their thoughts, reactions, and spiritual experiences.
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Paradise Restored
$12.95Add to cart“Children’s time” — a brief lesson specifically targeted for preschool and elementary age youngsters — is an important part of the Sunday morning worship service in many churches today. But many of those who are called upon to provide these lessons feel too intimidated to write their own material. Pastors, children’s ministry leaders, and Sunday school teachers who need fresh, exciting messages that captivate their young people will find that this collection of easy-to-prepare lessons is just what the doctor ordered.
Geared toward the typical age range of the “children’s time” audience — toddlerhood to age 13 — Ping-Pong Words is a valuable resource for anyone who presents children’s sermons or devotionals. Each of the 31 lessons is scripture-based and runs 3-5 minutes in length, and many include demonstrations using simple visual aids such as ping-pong balls, family pictures, a flashlight, and clothespins to illustrate common precepts in ways that clearly communicate God’s Word to young ears, eyes, and hearts. The lessons are flexible, and can be incorporated into a variety of churches and ecumenical settings. Appropriate for Sunday school, worship services, religious schools and day care programs, Bible clubs, and anywhere else where young people gather to learn about God, this volume is certain to earn a trusted place on the bookshelf.
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Dateline Jerusalem : Dramatic Dialogue Sermons For Lent
$8.95Add to cartYou’ll feel like you are right on the scene viewing the events of Holy Week as this innovative series presents the familiar story of Jesus’ death and resurrection in a novel, engaging, and entirely modern way. In a television-style interview format, six witnesses share their point of view in up-to-date language and references — making each personage more accessible to contemporary congregations.
Dateline: Jerusalem is a flexible resource that can be used in many different settings: during Lenten worship services, as part of a Christian education curriculum, or for a youth program. Scripture lessons accompany each script, and a character summary provides further insight into the personality of each interviewee. Easy to produce with a minimum of staging, these dialogues provide a fresh, engaging approach to the timeless story.
Characters interviewed are:
* Pontius Pilate
* Caiaphas
* Peter
* Mary Magdalene
* John
* the Centurion -
Thespian Theology Cycle C
$12.95Add to cartStimulate audiences to see the scriptural message in a new light with these inspiring sketches based on Cycle C lectionary readings for the Lent and Easter seasons. Originally developed for presentation by a high school-age youth group, the simple, easy-to-perform scenes in this latest installment of John TenBrook’s popular Thespian Theology series are an excellent tool for sharing the Gospel with unchurched people and getting them excited about Jesus Christ. Each skit is introduced by brief “Thespian Theological Thoughts” on the drama and the scripture texts. These versatile pieces can be staged as an alternative to the Sunday sermon or used for youth programs and other fellowship settings — they’re sure to enlighten audiences of all ages while leaving an indelible impression.
Some of the intriguing titles include:
* Dust Thou Art… Art Thou Dust? (Ash Wednesday)
* Moses The Fig Tree (Lent 3)
* The Spiritual Struggle Of Sidney Centurion (Passion/Palm Sunday)
* “But I Wasn’t There… Ya Gotta Show Me!” (Easter 2)
* Let Everyone Who Is Thirsty Come (Easter 7) -
Season Of Ash And Fire
$20.99Add to cartIn addition to prayers and liturgies for Ash Wednesday through Ascension Day, this book includes suggested themes and symbols for the Sundays of Lent, daily Scripture readings for Lent and the fifty Days of Easter, household prayers for Lent and Easter, and an order for Lenten study groups. A Selected Scripture Index is included. This book has been designed for ease of use in both thematic and lectionary-based worship services.
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Thespian Theology Cycle B
$13.95Add to cartStimulate audiences to see the scriptural message in a new light with these inspiring sketches based on Cycle B lectionary readings for the Lent and Easter seasons. Originally developed for presentation by a high school-age youth group, the simple, easy-to-perform scenes are an excellent tool for sharing the Gospel with unchurched people and getting them excited about Jesus Christ. Each skit is introduced by “Thespian Theological Thoughts” that briefly make an explicit connection between the drama and the scripture text. Use these versatile pieces in place of the Sunday sermon or for youth programs and other fellowship settings — this latest installment in the popular Thespian Theology series will enlighten audiences of all ages while leaving an indelible impression.
Some of the intriguing titles include:
* Blow The Trumpet! (Ash Wednesday)
* A Single Granary (Lent 5)
* Everyone’s Invited To The Feast! (Easter Day)
* Righteous Rudy And Judgmental Judy (Easter 6) -
Voices From The Desert
$17.99Add to cart“The idea of the desert as being a place where we escape the pressures of everyday life in order to hear God speak afresh is intimately associated with Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness – our model for keeping Lent today. It is easy to gain a romantic idea of desert sands beneath starlit skies, but in reality the desert is a hard palce tat tests our endurance and few venture there, geographically or emotionally. Reflecting on the work of writers such as Salman Rushdie and R.S Thomas, and bands such as the “”Manic Street Preachers””, Leslie Griffiths explores the deserts in today’s world and teaches us to hear the voices of these unlikely prophets who tell the truth about the human condition and challenge us to change.”
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Never Said A Mumbalin Word
$8.99Add to cartThis powerful Lenten devotional is drawn from an ethos forged by the iron grip of sorrow and suffering. Welcome to a spiritual journey through Lent and Holy Week that will lead you to the God who loves us beyond all human understanding. Meditations and spiritual exercises will enrich and empower your faith as you encounter the Christ who suffered and died, and who seeks to live in and with you.
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Shadows To Sunrise
$19.95Add to cartAre you looking for fresh, vibrant material for Holy Week worship? Do you want your congregation to experience the unforgettable drama of Jesus’ suffering, so that they more fully appreciate the celebration and joy of Easter? If so, then you’ll want this anthology that provides several innovative choices for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter sunrise worship. Copying privileges are included for all six segments.
Beyond The Shadows combines communion with gradually extinguished candlelight to create a moving Maundy Thursday tenebrae experience. As each part of the Passion story unfolds, more candles are snuffed out, and the service concludes in total darkness. By reminding us that the Light of the World came to us, yet was engulfed in total darkness as his life slipped away, Beyond The Shadows focuses worshipers’ attention on the coming resurrection, and how that brightness contrasts with the darkness of the crucifixion.
When The Son’s Light Failed is a poignant Good Friday dramatization that imagines the presence at the crucifixion of many women whose lives were profoundly affected by Jesus. The women all share their stories with each other as they witness our Lord’s ultimate sacrifice. It’s a moving portrayal which reminds us that Jesus’ ministry touched the lives of everyone.
The tenebrae service Choices At The Cross explores some of the choices faced by those involved in the events of Christ’s Passion — ones of far greater magnitude than what we often face on a daily basis. Choices At The Cross emphasizes that the most important decision we ultimately face is our response to the question posed by Pilate: “What shall I do, then, with Jesus, who is called Christ?”
Based on John’s account of Christ’s passion, Good Friday Readings, Meditations, And Prayers is a series of seven brief contemplations and prayers that can form the basis for a remarkably effective Good Friday service or be used for personal devotional reading during Lent. Filled with vivid imagery, the meditations make the scriptures come alive while relating them to contemporary life.
Good Friday: I Was There is a stark, gripping Good Friday worship experience which confronts us with the powers of darkness and destruction which were responsible for Christ’s crucifixion. Brief monologues from seven shadowy personae (Doubt, Sorrow, Fear, Shame, Agony, Hate, and Death) dramatically recall how our Lord suffered as he took the sins of humanity upon himself.
Designed as a co
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At The Cross With Jesus
$12.95Add to cartBy combining a compelling sermon series with an insightful group of monologues, At The Cross With Jesus offers flexible, effective resources that will keep the cross central in your congregation’s minds and hearts during Lent. Practical for use in any church, large or small, the material in At The Cross With Jesus is perfect for midweek worship or Holy Week services, and could also be used for a Bible study.
The five moving messages in The Symbols Of The Cross examine Jesus’ final days by focusing on powerful images from the Passion story. Each homily relates these events to our everyday lives by exploring a specific symbol and the human characteristic it exemplifies. There are also directions for creating a searing memory of these symbols by placing visual representations of each image on a wooden cross.
Symbols included are:
* The Palms (a symbol of our fickleness)
* The Money Bag (a symbol of our greed)
* The Towel (a symbol of servanthood)
* The Crown of Thorns (a symbol of mockery)
* The Nails of the Cross (a symbol of suffering)In Five Who Knew Jesus, five persons who were intimately acquainted with Jesus describe their personal relationships with him. Through hearing the perspective of those who played critical roles in Jesus’ life, we are encouraged to look more closely at our own relationships with Christ during the introspective season of Lent. The monologues may be performed in readers’ theater format, but are even more effective if memorized. Few props are required, and costumes are a nice touch but not essential.
Characters represented are:
* John — a hot-tempered man who becomes the disciple of love
* Mary, the mother of Jesus — a woman who suffers a mother’s pain while humbly accepting God’s will
* Peter — an arrogant man who becomes a humble disciple
* Judas — the disciple who failed because he thought he knew best
* Mary Magdalene — a woman of the world who strives to love herself as Jesus loved her -
Jesus Lonely Road
$7.95Add to cartBased on scripture passages from the Gospel of Mark, Jesus’ Lonely Road includes two devotional guides for personal meditation and prayers during Lent. The first section covers Ash Wednesday through Passion Sunday, focusing on Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and his increasing isolation from the disciples as well as his growing conflict with Jewish leaders. The second section, for Holy Week, follows Jesus each day as he walked the Road to the Cross.
These devotional resources are perfect for distribution to church members as part of your Lenten activities — use them in combination with Bankhead’s other Lenten titles for a complete interrelated seasonal program.
Also by Robert C. Bankhead:
* A Trail Of Tears: Bible Study For Lent
* Come In And Worship: Liturgies And Sermons For Holy Week -
Shepherd And His Sheep
$12.95Add to cartOne of the most striking representations of Jesus in the scriptures is that of a shepherd. Based on John 10’s statement that He is the Good Shepherd, this series of eight lessons teaches youngsters of Jesus’ unfailing love and care (even to the point of death on the cross). Like all of her previous collections, each children’s message is accompanied by a two-sided activity page — one side that’s a coloring page for younger children, and the other with numerous puzzles and activities to reinforce the lesson’s theme for older children. Bland has a well-earned reputation for biblical faithfulness, creativity, and practicality. Busy pastors and teachers have found her ready-to-use materials just what they need for their children’s time — we know you’ll love her latest release!
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Trail Of Tears (Student/Study Guide)
$8.95Add to cartDrawing on texts from all three Synoptic Gospels, this series of seven lessons traces the events of Jesus’ final journey into Jerusalem and toward crucifixion. Through the study of parallel passages from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, readers will discover both common elements and disparate viewpoints in the passion narratives.
Drawing on texts from all three Synoptic Gospels, this series of seven lessons traces the events of Jesus’ final journey into Jerusalem and toward crucifixion. Through the study of parallel passages from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, readers will discover both common elements and disparate viewpoints in the passion narratives.Each study includes a listing of texts and themes, plus a preparation guide for class members and discussion suggestions for group leaders. These practical resources will be useful not only for pastors, but for anyone who plans educational opportunities for adults during Lent. Use them in combination with Bankhead’s other Lenten titles for a complete interrelated program focusing on the journey to the cross.
Also by Robert C. Bankhead:
* Jesus’ Lonely Road: Devotional Guides for Lent and Holy Week
* Come In And Worship: Liturgies and Sermons for Holy Week -
Lenten Discipline
$12.95Add to cartAn acclaimed Luther scholar revisits the wisdom of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism in this complete Lenten program. Based on the six sections of the catechism, A Lenten Discipline provides instructive homily/meditations and worship services for each week in Lent, including Maundy Thursday. An initial chapter examining the Word of God as Law and Gospel sets the tone for the series and can be used as the basis of an Ash Wednesday sermon. Subsequent weeks explore the basic teachings of the faith on the Ten Commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, Baptism, Confession, and Holy Communion.
Though perfectly suited for congregational use during Lent, this series has a multitude of other applications. In addition to catechism or confirmation instruction, it’s also excellent for a sermon series, as a theological resource, or for classrooms, workshops, and retreats. But whatever the setting, these informative homily/lectures and worship experiences will give users new insight into Luther’s genius.
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Life On The Edge Of Faith
$12.95Add to cartFive characters bear witness to a world-changing event that forces them right to the edge of faith in this series of midweek worship services for Lent, which also includes services for Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. Each service contains a brief sermon, and the five midweek services also feature monologues from the perspective of someone who was present at our Lord’s Passion (a sleeping disciple, the high priest, a maid, a soldier, and a city resident). The bewilderment experienced by these characters will help worshipers find a voice for the confusion that we all feel from time to time.
Life On The Edge Of Faith is a complete package of thematically-related worship resources for the busy pastor looking for midweek programming. The monologues can be read by parishioners, and it’s a great opportunity to have your young people participate in worship activities.
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Empty Spaces Empty Places
$7.95Add to cartWhile we often try to fill the empty spaces in our lives with family, work, and material things, a lingering sense of emptiness and dissatisfaction seems to remain. The connections between biblical characters and these empty spaces in our lives are the focus of three dramatic sketches. By revisiting the stories of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection through interviews with the innkeeper’s wife, the centurion, and Mary Magdalene, Empty Spaces, Empty Places shows us the lives Jesus touched then (and continues to touch today). The centurion who witnessed the crucifixion tells how he became convinced that Jesus was the Son of God in the monologue Filling In The Empty Spaces: The Soldier. And the Apostle Paul’s life and Christian witness is depicted in Filling In The Empty Spaces: Saint Paul. Each presentation confronts audiences with the same question: “What do you fill your empty spaces with?”
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Returning Home
$12.95Add to cartGod’s never-ending pursuit of all prodigals, whether they’re far from home or nearby, is the theme of this complete package of preaching and worship resources. The timeless story of the Prodigal Son is examined through first-person portrayals of its characters: the prodigal, the elder son, the father, the mother, and a servant. The five monologues are perfect for use in midweek services — and with companion sermons for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday plus seven orders of worship, Returning Home provides everything busy pastors need for a total Lenten program. The material is also excellent for a sermon series, small group discussion, or personal devotional reading.
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Affirming The Ash Heap
$12.95Add to cartThese seven sermons will penetrate the hearts and souls of every listener…because each one of us has been touched by the tragic side of life. Like Job, everyone sitting in a church pew has at one time or another screamed for a reason why, or even wondered (like Jesus), “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. Including sermons for five Sundays in Lent, along with Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, Kirby’s meditations will help worshippers understand the process of coming to grips with these difficult questions
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And The Sea Lay Down
$11.95Add to cartHere are all the pastoral resources you need for a complete and integrated Lenten season of preaching and worship — Ash Wednesday through Easter, including Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Included for each Sunday or worship service are:
* Call to worship
* Suggested processional hymn
* Children’s message
* Prayers
* Scripture passages
* Sermon
* Suggested hymn
* Pastoral prayer
* Affirmation of faith
* Suggested closing hymnWard’s first book for CSS, Asking For Wonder: Resources For Creative Worship And Preaching, has become a favorite resource for thousands of busy pastors.
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Bad And The Good
$10.95Add to cartThis activity-oriented series of children’s sermons deals with word opposites. The lessons are based on the example found in Jesus’ teachings that the bad is followed by the good, through trust and obedience in God.
This series of children’s messages help young people understand the suffering and death of Jesus in a positive way. Throughout the series the children are asked to participate with word opposites. The lessons are planned so that each child may take back to the pew an activity sheet. One side is a coloring page for younger children. The other side has word puzzles and games for older children.
The usefulness of this series will become evident:
They require little preparation
The coloring pages will appeal to the younger children
The activity page will keep older children interested
The series can be used for worship services, Sunday school, or other times -
Psalms Were Made For Lent
$12.95Add to cartThe Psalms have long been recognized as a rich resource for individual spiritual enrichment and for magnificent corporate liturgical expression in the life of the church.
The Psalms Were Made For Lent provides a collection of six sermons which translate some of the deep themes inherent in the Psalms into meaningful language for the average person sitting in the congregation.
The book includes:
Six sermons based on the Psalms
Liturgical responses with each sermon (Call to Worship, Call to Confession, Prayer of Confession, Declaration of Pardon)
Three hymns based on the Psalms, which can be sung to well-known hymn tunesAltogether this resource invites the congregation to experience the Psalms in a new and meaningful way.
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Watch And Pray
$12.95Add to cartWatch And Pray was written for use by untrained actors. There are no character roles and the dialogue can be divided among as many people as are available to participate.
The seven dramatic mediations begin with Ash Wednesday, followed with the five mid-week readings and conclude with a Maundy Thursday presentation.
Themes are:
Self-knowledge
Repentance
Growth
Patience
Discipline
Courage -
Wheres Noah
$19.95Add to cartWhere’s Noah? features the classic biblical story of Noah, the flood, and God’s salvation in a worship format that engages all generations. This resource features monologues, brief pithy sermons, the exchange of animal tokens, crossword puzzles, an Easter Sunrise play, and other creative worship/learning experiences.
Worship leaders, clergy, and drama players will find this a refreshing series for congregational unity and growth.
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Services For The Lenten Candles
$18.95Add to cartJust as the Lenten season reminds the Christian of Christ’s journey to the cross, the seven candles and the weekly extinguishing of each one enhances that long, soon-to-be dark journey. When the last candle is extinguished and the darkness seems to be all-consuming, worshipers will feel the darkness of the soul at the time of Christ’s crucifixion.
Using one or two liturgists, flexible services are provided for every Sunday during the Lenten season as well as Good Friday and Easter Sunday, during which a Paschal candle is lighted.
The beauty and symbolism of these services will add meaning and dimension to your Lenten worship as the congregation is reminded each Sunday of being one step closer in the journey to the cross.
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Artisans Of The Crucifixion
$7.95Add to cartThese dramatic monologues offer a unique perspective on Jesus’ crucifixion. Viewed through the eyes of a Blacksmith, Carpenter, Stone Mason, Tanner, and Basket Maker, the presentations introduce the congregation to those who crafted items used in the crucifixion. These monologues are flexible, and few if any props are necessary.
Use these dramatic monologues for a unique perspective on the events of Jesus’ crucifixion. Viewed through the eyes of a Blacksmith, Carpenter, Stone Mason, Tanner, and Basket Maker, the presentations introduce the congregation to those who crafted the whip, wove the crown of thorns, forged the nails, constructed the cross, and chiseled out the tomb.
Pastors can present these monologues themselves or assign them to church members. They have the flexibility of being performed very simply or quite elaborately. Few if any props are necessary.
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People Vs Judas Iscariot The Punishment Phase
$11.95Add to cartWritten in an easy-to-present format, this captivating five-part series takes place in a courtroom, as attorneys present evidence based upon the Bible and tradition. Witnesses who are “subpoenaed” to testify include Peter, John, and Mary Magdalene.
The People vs. Judas Iscariot is a captivating five-part series for Lenten worship or group discussion. Detailed worship bulletins with an order of service are provided for each of the five presentations.
The People vs. Judas Iscariot is written in an easy-to-present format (no memorization required) and includes scripture readings that follow carefully defined themes. The homily takes the shape of a court hearing in which Judas undergoes his punishment phase. Prosecution and defense attorneys attempt to sway the judge and congregation with evidence based upon the Bible and tradition. Various witnesses are “subpoenaed” to testify, including Peter, John, Mary Magdalene, and others.
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Behold The Man
$12.95Add to cartBehold The Man is a sermon/study series for Lent inspired by the words of Pontius Pilate about Jesus. The theme is carefully explored from the First Sunday in Lent through Easter Sunday.
For each Sunday a sermon, prayer, children’s sermon, order of worship and discussion questions are provided.
The purpose of these messages is to enable us to look at Jesus in the crucial times of his life and ministry. In beholding him as he was then we will be able to see him now.
Sections include:
* Behold the Man Who Was Tempted As We Are
* Behold the Man Who Takes Away Sin
* Behold the Man Who Taught By The Sea
* Behold the Man Who Trained Disciples
* Behold the Man Who Turned Toward Jerusalem
* Behold the Man Who Tried To Be King
* Behold the Man Who Took The Victory -
Turning Points
$12.95Add to cartIn these nine sermons preachers will find brilliant use of story to illustrate the Lenten message. Beringer focuses on different journeys throughout the New Testament and examines the “turning points” recorded there.
As is stated in the introduction, our Christian faith is a pilgrim faith. The author shows in modern parables how we are called by Christ to be a people on the move with him through time to eternity and the Kingdom of God. He shows that we are travelers on the road of faith, never quite arriving at our destination, but always growing and being transformed by each encounter with the living God.
Following each sermon is a set of discussion questions based on the preceding sermon and the scripture on which the sermon is based. These questions can be copied into the bulletin to help the congregation follow the sermon, used as small group discussion starters, distributed to worshipers as they leave church or be printed in weekly newsletters to reinforce the message given the previous Sunday.
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Reconciliation
$7.95Add to cartPrepare everyone in your congregation for a meaningful Lenten season with this collection of six sermon outlines, accompanied by program suggestions, worship aids, and a dramatic reading based on Mark’s passion narrative. The resources all stress the theme of reconciliation – with ourselves, between ourselves and God, in our families, in our churches, in our churches, in our communities, and in the world.
A companion daily worship and study guide is available.
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Onward Through The Fog
$9.95Add to cartThe Sundays of Lent don’t have to be boring! Follow the lectionary and provide your congregation with exciting worship experiences by using these positive yet sensitive dialogue sermons based on Cycle A of the Revised Common Lectionary. Wit and scripture are combined to encourage Christian growth and prod listeners into making a personal commitment. In addition to six sermon dialogues, worship planning aids are included for each Sunday, along with an Ash Wednesday worship service.
In addition to six sermon dialogues, worship planning aids are included for each Sunday, plus an Ash Wednesday worship service with the theme-setting sermon, “Onward! Through The Fog!”
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Lenten Resources For Worship Leaders
$12.95Add to cartThese field-tested materials represent the creative effort of many denominations. Each includes ideas for preparation, items needed, suggestions for use, number of parts, and the time for best use.
This complete Lenten volume for busy ministers includes:
Shadows Around The Cross: A Tenebrae
A Good Friday Vigil
The Service Of Diminishing Lights — for Sundays in Lent
Justified By Greed: Monologue Of A Pharisee — for Lent
The Passover Haggadah: A Traditional Seder Service
Litany For Forgiveness
Litany For Palm Sunday
Litany For Easter
Meditation: Forgiveness Is Peace
Meditation: You Make The Difference
Litany Of Confession
Litany For Peace -
Mary Of Nazareth
$7.95Add to cartMary of Nazareth lived a dangerously demanding, yet holy life, She knew loneliness and poverty and endured extreme hardships of faith while maintaining a close relationship with God. During the crucifixion she knew raging and numbed pain which challenged her sanity. But her joy was overflowing after the Resurrection. Her story provides powerful information about God’s sovereignty in the universe toward those who believe in Him and seek Him.
Based primarily on the Gospel of Luke, the sole New Testament writer to interview and consider the female point of view, this dramatic monologue comes complete with an Order of Worship. It provides powerful insight into Mary’s suffering and, likewise, the joy she felt from her conquering on. The presentation is divided into five sections, making it possible to use as a five week series allowing five different women to participate instead of just one. It also provides hymn suggestions which help to amplify the monologue.
This easily yet effectively prepared service offers a profound experience any time during the Lenten season.
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Journey Of Lent
$15.95Add to cartThis book provides scripture-based reflections for each day of the Lenten season. It is an uplifting work for those who wish to enrich their personal prayer and meditation. It shows the Lenten season in its intended light — as a period of preparation, where we ready ourselves spiritually for life as Christians.
In this, Gribble provides a daily challenge to the one who is searching for a way to draw closer to God in everyday life. With each day’s reading he includes scripture passages, a theme and keenly stimulating thoughts for reflection.
More than simply a collection for personal meditation, it is also ideal for teaching and preaching illustrations.
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Clearer Vision
$12.95Add to cartThe Introduction to this volume of Lenten sermons suggests a method of congregational involvement in the scriptural texts which will engage and edify the members of any church.
Ash Wednesday
Wanting To Be Seen
First Sunday In Lent
Adam And Jesus See Temptation
Second Sunday In Lent
Second Sight
Third Sunday In Lent
Seeing The Whole Person
Fourth Sunday In Lent
Seeing The Unseen
Fifth Sunday In Lent
Seeing Light In Darkness -
Table Talk
$5.95Add to cartThis service requires little preparation and involves only three readers. The build up to Holy Communion is dramatic and scriptural, climaxing in the betrayal of Judas, the sense of corporate guilt and the need for forgiveness.
In Table Talk we hear conversations between Jesus and his friends, enemies and those who are indifferent. These talks occur at tables where Jesus has come as a guest. The service culminates with Jesus serving as host to his disciples.
In his own table story we learn that whether or not we come to the great banquet, the table of the Lord will be filled. It forces us to ask that if we do come and receive the bread and wine what will Jesus say to us? What will we say to him? How can we not find our faith strengthened, our love enlarged, and our understanding deepened by the table talk of Jesus?
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Journeying Through Lent With Matthew
$8.00Add to cartIn this devotional, meditations for each day between Ash Wednesday and Easter focus on passages from the Gospel of Matthew. Using this book as a guide, readers will work their way through the entire Gospel, probing its meaning. Reflection questions and a prayer with each reading encourage readers to consider the passage’s signifigance for their lives.
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Restoring The Future Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartDrawing upon thoughtfully mined biblical insights and his alert attention to contemporary culture, Rob Elder has crafted sermons that not only disclose some unexpected angles of vision on Lent and Easter, but also serve as models for preaching on neglected and overlooked texts. These are not the usual texts and these are not the expected words for the seasons of Lent and Easter, but it is sometimes what we do not expect to see and hear that delights us most. Robert J. Elder is currently the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Salem, Oregon.
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Journeying Through Lent With Luke
$8.00Add to cartExploring the major themes found in Luke’s Gospel, including the ways of God_promise, fulfillment, salvation, and the work of the Holy Spirit_Koester shows us how to live in this world: in vocation and compassion, worship and prayer.
Each of the 47 devotions (one for each day during Lent and Holy Week) is freestanding, but the themes link groups of devotions together, lending depth and continuity to them. Vivid word pictures, crisp retelling of texts, and creative allegory spark delight in the beauty of Luke’s Gospel and a desire to follow Christ. Each meditation focuses on a key point from the reading in Luke and offers excellent questions for small-group discussion or for individual reflection, as well as a prayer. -
Passion For Pilgrimage
$23.95Add to cartUsing literature, art, and biblical texts as illustrations, Jones explores our search for light and love, repentance, and forgiveness in the context of the Passion and Easter stories. Includes study questions at the end of each chapter and makes an excellent group study during Lent or Easter as well as for individuals who would like to understand the Christian journey more deeply.
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Lent With Evelyn Underhill
$16.95Add to cart103 Pages
Additional Info
Culled from the diverse sources of one of the 20th century’s most celebrated spiritual writers! Belshaw challenges us to take stock of our inner selves in order to reclaim our true center. Throughout the book, he delves into Underhill’s references to psychology, theology, history, and a wide range of devotional literature. -
Journeying Through Lent With Mark
$6.99Add to cartIn this devotional, meditations for each day between Ash Wednesday and Easter focus on passages from the Gospel of Mark. Reflection questions and a prayer with each reading encourage readers to consider the passage’s meaning for their lives. A study guide is included for six weeks of small-group discussion.
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Culture Of Disbelief Cycle B
$12.95Add to cartThrough fascinating anecdotes and narrative stories, Donna Schaper relates these ancient texts to contemporary situations. She skillfully applies the Gospel of life and hope to circumstances of suffering and death.
Chapters include:
Letting Death Go — Mark 8:31-38
Paying Attention To The Modern Light — John 3:14-21
Junk Food And Holy Tables — John 18:1-19
Being Spiritually Odd — John 20:19-31
… and more! -
Ashes To Ascension Cycle B
$12.95Add to cartThese sermons lift up the themes of suffering, reconciliation, and the unmerited goodness of God extended to all through Jesus Christ. Stroman never loses sight of the kerygma in his tightly packed messages. He addresses a world where hatred and violence prevail with the message of divine love, which has enriched souls and kindled faith throughout the centuries.
Titles include:
Beginning The Journey To Calvary — 2 Corinthians 5:20b
Once And For All — 1 Peter 3:18a
Promises — Promises — Romans 4:21
The Right Person For The Job — Hebrews 5:5-10
Life – And Then Some — 1 John 5:9-13
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Man From Galilee
$12.95Add to cartThis worship resource for Lent contains:
A morning pastoral prayer
A children’s sermon
An order of worship with scriptural readings and responses
Discussion questions (for printing in the Sunday bulletin or for study sessions)
A series of sermons for Lent and EasterThis volume contains a complete pastoral resource for an integrated Lenten program of worship and study. Typical of Pilgrim’s style, the sermons are lively and well illustrated.
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Cross Resurrection And Ascension Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartThis book of sermons moves from the desert of Ash Wednesday to the cross of Calvary on Good Friday, to the empty tomb on Easter, and finally to Jesus’ return to the Father. Richard Gribble’s preaching style is vibrant and relevant to the person in the pew. The deeply spiritual content is punctuated by poignant story illustrations that illustrate the scriptural text and enlighten the listener.
Preachers will find this book inspiring for their own sermons, while lay readers will discover rich insights to the Bible for their personal study and devotions.
Contents include:
Ash Wednesday: The Journey To Freedom Begins
First Sunday In Lent: Greed Leads To Destruction
Fourth Sunday In Lent: Looking To The Heart
Maundy Thursday: Carrying On The Tradition
Easter Sunday: Our Need To Talk With The Son
Seventh Sunday Of Easter: The Community Of Life
Ascension Sunday: Completing The Master’s Work
… and others. -
Desert : An Anthology For Lent
$26.95Add to cartThe desert, with its great emptiness and silence, has long been a symbol of solitude. In our Spiritual lives, we sometines seek such isolation as a means of abandoning ourselves completely to God. At other times, solitude comes upon us uninvited and unwelcome, as we find ourselves totally alone and desolate. In facing the silence and the vast expanses of loneliness, we test our courage, deepen our faith, and hear the voice of God anew. This book explores the tradition and relevance of desert spirituality in the life and worship of the church today and offers a collection of pertinent writings in a daily format, by many acient and contemporary authors.
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Which Way To Jesus Cycle B
$13.95Add to cartThese 15 sermons are written for the season of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending with the Ascension of the Lord. Most of them are based on scriptural texts from the Gospel of John.
Harry Huxhold preaches sermons that are punctuated with fascinating illustrations. He holds a congregation’s attention to the end.
Within this collection of sermons for Cycle B are such titles as:
Beware Of Your Piety
Clean House
Easter Jogging
You Are My Witnesses -
Bread And Broth (Student/Study Guide)
$9.95Add to cartServe a different kind of soup and bread each week as you study the lives of Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Elisha, John the Baptist and Jesus in this six-part series. Each study provides a recipe for the soup of the week. Members can be invited to prepare the soup and bake breads to share. This program allows congregations to enjoy a fellowship meal together as they learn about a biblical character.
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Visions Of Lent Year 3
$12.95Add to cartA new and unusual service for Lent…!
At the beginning of Lent each family in the congregation is invited to lend a plant from home (silk or live), following a Jewish Shavuot custom. The following Sundays in Lent build on this focal point as an object is added each week. Two readers participate in a dialogue explaining the symbol for that day. A child brings the symbol forward and holds it during the dialogue. In this way several families are able to participate.
Visions of Lent Year 3 also includes:
* Sample bulletin insert prior to Lent
* Example of plant reminder that can be used in bulletin
* Sample Torah for bulletin inserts
* A suggested worship service for Palm/Passion Sunday -
Whispering The Lyrics Cycle A
$14.95Add to cartBased on texts from the Revised Common and Catholic lectionaries, Thomas Long provides inspirational messages to motivate and help preachers through their most difficult preaching time of the year, the seasons of Lent and Easter.
The road to Easter takes us through the most sacred stretch of the Gospel story, and the narratives simply overwhelm us … Congregations who blithely assume that their pastor eagerly relishes the chance to preach the passion and resurrection of Jesus are, for the most part, mistaken. To be sure the pews are more crowded as Easter approaches, the choirs are well-rehearsed and in full voice, and an electric charge courses through the sanctuary, but the preacher stands there with the obligation to proclaim the truths of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and it seems, at one and the same time, to be a set of claims too little to go on in a secular and cynical age and a range of mysteries too profound to speak. (from author’s foreword)
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Visions Of Lent Year 2
$7.95Add to cartVisions of Lent Year 2 — Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) offers congregations a weekly presentation to be included in the regular Lenten worship service. This follow-up to Volume 1 (which concentrated on the Feast of Passover) focuses on the Palm Sunday story and six elements within that story that were significant parts of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. The festival is rooted in Leviticus 23:33f, where God commanded Moses to declare the festival to the people of Israel as a reminder of the temporary shelters they lived in when He delivered them out of Egypt.
Preparation for this worship series is very simple. Lent I begins with a plain, “symbolic” booth which is placed somewhere within the sanctuary. For the next five weeks objects are gradually added inside the booth.
Objects include:
Lent 2 — citron (or other citrus fruit) in an attractive yet simple container
Lent 3 — musical instruments (flute, cymbal, lyre, harps, trumpets, etc.)
Lent 4 — donkey figure or picture
Lent 5 — a large crown
Lent 6 (Palm Sunday) — palm branchesEach presentation involves four participants including: minister, a youth and two other readers. Parts are brief and need not be memorized.
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Restore Me
$12.95Add to cartRestore Me includes a large collection of Lent and Easter season worship resources created to draw congregations into closer relationship with God.
Specific chapters for both Lent and Easter include:
Calls to worship
Common prayers
Prayers of dedication
Benedictions
Prayers of confession and pardon
Gospel dialogues“These resources grew out of my continued interest in the whole use of scripture in weekly worship,” Craig M. Sweet writes. “The dialogue use of scripture adds an extra dimension to the ‘dramaturgical’ experience of worship.”
In the gospel dialogue section are scripture readings based upon various lectionary texts. Dialogues are offered for Ash Wednesday, the Sundays of Lent, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.
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They Followed The Master
$12.95Add to cartThey Followed The MasterM gives power and vividness to the Lenten experience for participants and spectators.
Characters are carefully based on the scriptural evidence, supplemented by imaginative re-creation of what they might have said.
The plays may be performed by any size congregation. Even so, the author kept in mind small churches during her writing, saying she has great sympathy for small churches — those with limited budgets and big ideas.
Plays include settings for:
Sundays of Lent
Palm Sunday
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
EasterDepending upon the drama, characters include Mary, John, Andrew, Martha, Lazarus, Judas, Judas’ mother, Matthew, Cornelius, and a host of other familiar and not-so-familiar biblical personalities.
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Kneeling In Jerusalem (Large Type)
$20.00Add to cartIn a powerful and creative way, renowned author and speaker Ann Weems brings new insights into the Lenten season by providing seventy-one poems of inspiration. With her intutive and heartening poems, Weems takes the reader on a pensive journey through Lent and Easter.
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Jesus The Servant King
$7.95Add to cartGood morning boys and girls. How would you like to use your imaginations and visit some of the places that Jesus visited during the last week of his life? If you look closely, you will see, with my help, the streets, the palaces, the gardens, the dining room, the church and even the place where Jesus died and was buried. (from the lesson “The Temple”)
Jesus, The Servant King offers six object lessons for Lent. Each lesson focuses on a place where Jesus visited during the critical final week of his life. Each lesson includes a drawing, which you may use to show children while telling your story.
The lesson themes are:
The temple
The upper room
The garden
Calvary
The streets of Jerusalem
The empty tomb -
Symbols Of Sacrifice Year 3
$7.95Add to cartThe sacrificial life of Christ is a major focus of Lent. Symbols Of Sacrifice provides the congregations with opportunities to create visual worship aids representing Christ’s life during worship.
Each weekly presentation builds a growing reminder of Christ’s sacrifice for the congregation.
This series offers a list of symbols and explanation of the symbols. These are provided for the Sundays of Lent and Easter Sunday.
Symbols are:
Sandals
A globe of the world
Money
A lantern
A grain of wheat
A cloak
A white robeThis is one book in a three-part series of Symbols Of Sacrifices. Other books in this series are Year 1 and Year 2.
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7 Last Words Of Christ
$8.99Add to cartSeven times Jesus spoke from the cross, and each of those seven last words still speaks to us today. Judith Mattison reminds us that the death of Christ is the clearest expression of God’s redeeming love for us. The cross, once a sign of defeat and shame, has become a sign of victory over sin and death. The author’s meditations on each of Jesus’ seven last words are accompanied by hymns and poetry that enlarge the possible meanings of each word, and by questions for reflection or discussion. Filled with messages of grace and love, this book is ideal for devotional reading and group study, or for use as a preaching resource.
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Called To Jerusalem Sent To The World Cycle A
$21.95Add to cartIn the broken places of our lives, when hope is lost and courage falters … in that moment God comes to those who will listen. Always he meets us in our desolation, offering us an alternative to our defeat. (from the sermon “A Chance To Live Again”
The 17 sermons in this book are based on First Lesson texts, from six Old Testament books and the book of Acts. They follow the Revised Common Lectionary.
“In a culture increasingly driven to receive more than it gives, self-sacrifice is less and less popular,” writes Theodore F. Schneider. “We want much, but we are willing to risk little…. We are called to join with God for good, taking the risks, carrying the cross.”
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Preparation And Manifestation Cycle A
$16.95Add to cartThere really is good new! God is still eager to save. Prepare yourself for his coming into your life. He is already present. It is all here; the secret to the good and happy life is already manifest and present. (from the sermon “We Must Be Blind!”)
The 21 sermons in this book are based on Gospel texts, primarily from Matthew and John. Sermons follow the Revised Common, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic lectionaries.
In his messages, Mark Ellingsen connects preparation through penitence and the new life given in baptism. “The gospel lessons assigned for the season provide excellent occasions to practice such liturgical proclamation,” writes Ellingsen. “Penitence and preparation happen in the presence of Christ and the new life he gives. Thus they are Gods work.”
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Come And See Cycle C
$12.95Add to cartAs a Cycle C Lenten-based resource, Come And See provides many opportunities for congregations.
It offers a pre-Lenten Mission Fair, which may be held during the second Sunday of Epiphany. The Fair is an invitation to deeper discipleship during Lent.
It offers mid-week Lenten programs. These are playlets and inductive Bible studies. Each playlet has parts for three adults. Each Bible study follows Scriptures from Mark with helpful study questions. Playlets and Bible studies focus on evangelism worship, education, social concerns and stewardship.
It offers six sermons to be used for Ash Wednesday and the five Sundays of Lent.
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Greatest Wonder Of All Cycle C
$14.95Add to cartohn Braaten takes biblical passages from the Lent and Easter season and weaves them into messages for today’s Christians. This book of sermons follows Common, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic Lectionaries. The 17 messages include texts from Matthew, Luke, and John.
Sermon titles include:
The Pitfalls Of Practicing Piety — Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Our Christian I.D. — Luke 4:1-13
The King Who Came To Die — John 19:16b-22
A Strange Kind Of Glory — John 13:31-35 -
Palms And Thorns Cycle B
$12.95Add to cart“Liturgy,” which literally means “the work of the people,” sums up all the ways people have responded to God, including hymns, prayers, laments, invocations and confessions of faith.
14 Worship Services The Liturgical Witness Of The New Testament contemporizes and brings to life these various forms of worship as the author draws unique canticles, prayers, hymns and responsive petitions from the books of the New Testament. Each New Testament book is allowed to speak with its own voice. For example, the service based on Luke gives voice to the Gospel by the use of four canticles (psalms), and Luke’s own version of the Words of Institution and his truncated version of the Lord’s Prayer are included.
Also included are a helpful index listing the worship services according to their use in the lectionary and ten sermons for use with these liturgies.
Contents include:
Through The Desert Clear A Highway! — The Liturgical Witness Of Luke
One Lord, One Body — The Liturgical Witness Of The Corinthian Letters
Lordship And Unity — The Liturgical Witness Of Colossians
God Is Love — The Liturgical Witness Of First John
Worthy The Lamb — The Liturgical Witness Of Revelatio -
Alive For Everymore
$7.95Add to cartAlive For Evermore is a collection of seven worship services compiled by CSS. It recognizes the need of pastors to have in one volume, orders of service for important celebrations of the church during Lent and Easter.
You will find in this compact volume complete services for:
Ash Wednesday
Palm Sunday
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday (two services)
Easter Sunrise
Easter MorningEach suggested service includes an order of worship, liturgy, scripture, and hymn possibilities. Copy privileges are available with each service. The seven services include congregation involvement in various forms. The Sunday sunrise service invites participation from a family in the congregation.
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Glimpses Through The Dark Glass
$12.95Add to cartThis collection of forty meditations for the days during Lent is a treasury of insightful reflections on the state of Christianity — and challenges to the state of our Christianity.
Glimpses Through The Dark Glass is the perfect resource for Lenten study groups, pastoral reflections, or personal Bible study.
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Channeling Grace : Sermons For Lent And Easter Sundays In Ordinary Time Cyc
$12.95Add to cartWILL THE REAL JESUS CHRIST ARISE? WHO WAS JESUS CHRIST? AND WHAT IS THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS RESURRECTION? IF YOU FIND YOURSELF WISHING YOU HAD MORE TIME…IDEAS…ENERGY FOR SHARING THIS CRUCIAL MESSAGE WITH YOUR CONGREGATION, YOU WILL APPRECIATE THESE NINETEEN FRESHLY INSIGHTFUL SERMONS BY CARL L. JECH. WITHIN ARE SERMONS FOR EVERY CYCLE C GOSPEL TEXT DURING LENT AND EASTER FROM THE COMMON, LUTHERAN, AND ROMAN CATHOLIC LECTIONARIES, INCLUDING: THE PIETY THAT ISN’T LOVE IS DOWN TO EARTH SOME WOMEN’S STORIES WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO? COLORIZING JESUS BECOMING WHAT YOU ARE AND THIRTEEN MORE USE THESE COMPLETE SERMONS AS PRESENTED — OR AS INSPIRATION FOR YOUR OWN ORIGINAL MESSAGES.
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Sevenfold Path To Peace
$12.95Add to cartJesus made peace by the blood of his cross. What more appropriate theme for a Lenten preaching series could there be than “The Sevenfold Path to Peace”? Here is a sample of this skillful proclaimer’s insight (from the first sermon):
“I saw a sixth grader, on his way up the alley to school, throw a firecracker over the fence of our yard and into the chicken coop. I was as angry as I ever have been in my whole life. The chase was on! Down the alley, a hesitating wonder as to how he had vanished into thin air, spotting him darting from under a bush like a rabbit, over a five-and-a-half foot wall, then over a six-and-a-half foot back wall, I took the gate, across the church parking lot, and finally trapped him under the camper parked in a neighbor’s yard. Winded and outaged, I yelled that I wanted to “kill” him, but instead took him to the school principal to do the disciplining. I didn’t like the feeling that raged in me. I was even frightened by it. I certainly experienced the truth of the words of Eleanor of Aquitaine: “We are the origin of war.””
Messages include:
– Is Peace Attainable?
– Desire Peace
– Peacemaking: Active, not Passive
– Peace as Shalom
– The Gift of Peace
– Peace Through Sacrifice
– Proclaim Peace -
At Noon On Friday
$8.95Add to cartAt Noon On Friday is a volume of reflections on the seven last words of Jesus as he hung on the cross. In his usual masterly fashion, Dr. Richard C. Hoefler holds up before his listeners the cross of Christ and calls for a devotional response not merely an intellectual one. The goal of these sermons is to prompt something important, different and decisive to happen to both speaker and listener. They were written in such a way as to create an experience of participating in the three hours our Lord suffered. In the author’s words: “The seven words of Christ are like seven panels of one single stained glass window, reflecting forth the light of the total act of our Lord’s crucifixion.”
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Passion Play
$11.95Add to cartPassion Play offers a series of six brief sketches for Lent or Holy Week which focus on three people who knew Jesus very well: Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Through their eyes we see some of the major events of the Gospel, in particular those final days in the life of Jesus. Passion Play is a simple production; characters wear modern day dress and there is only one “set.” Passion Play presents a sensitive insight concerning Jesus’ affect on others, in his life and in his death on a cross.
