Resources for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost Subscribers: Download the printable bulletin cover free   Texts & Discussions: Proverbs 31:10-31 and Psalm 1 or Wisdom of Solomon 1:16-2:1, 12-22 or Jeremiah 11:18-20 and Psalm 54 James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a Mark 9:30-37     Prayer for all Families on Earth O God, you are the hope of all the ends of the earth, the God of the spirits of all flesh.  Hear our humble intercession for all races and families on earth, that you will turn all hearts to yourself. Remove from our minds hatred, prejudice, and contempt for those who are not of our own race or color, class or creed, that, departing from everything that estranges and divides, we may by you be brought into unity of spirit, in the bond of peace. Amen. Download the Featured Sermons and Children's Messages from this page Instant Download for  $2.95 Subscribers: click here to access all listed resources and more   Sermons Servant of All, Mark 9:30-37                                          (see excerpt  below) by Rev. Dr. Cynthia Huling Hummel   A SHORT LESSON IN HAPPINESS, Psalm 1 by Dr. David Rogne   TRUE GREATNESS, Mark 9:30-37, by Rev. Rick Thompson  Children's Messages The Upside-Down Kingdom, Mark 9:3--37 by Rev. Frank Schaefer   "Can salt lose its saltiness?" Mark 9:30-37  Roberta in Quebec   Christians Serve Others, Mark 9:3--37, by Rev. Frank Schaefer Sermon Excerpt Servant of All a sermon based on Mark 9:30-37 by Rev. Dr. Cynthia Huling Hummel This morning's reading places Jesus on the road with his disciples. It's a story that we can relate to because it's about three things we're all familiar with: It's about fear, fighting and what it means to be first. Now Mark tells us that Jesus and his followers passed through Galilee. Jesus didn't want anyone to know he was in town. Jesus needed some time alone with his disciples: time away from the crowds, time to teach them about his mission, time to tell them what was surely to pass: that he would be betrayed, that he would be killed and that he would rise again. If you're thinking this sounds familiar, you're right. This is the second time in Mark's gospel that Jesus predicts his passion. Even though this is the second time that Jesus spoke to his disciples about what was ahead, they still didn't understand. They didn't get what Jesus was talking about and yet they were too afraid to ask Jesus what it was that he meant . Isn't it curious that the disciples were too afraid to ask him. What about you? Have you ever been in a similar circumstance where you didn't understand something, but you were too afraid to ask? Math was never my best subject. I especially seemed to have difficulty grasping new mathematical concepts. I don't know about you, but my worst nightmare was those horrible word problems that would always appear on exams! The problems were usually about trains leaving places like Chicago or New York barreling towards each other in the darkness and you had to figure out when the trains would crash. Math was frustrating for me because more often than not, the teacher would move too quickly- at least faster than my feeble brain could think. And I was positive that I was the only person in the class who couldn't keep up and who didn't understand. I've been pondering this question all week: Why is it that we, like the disciples, are sometimes afraid to ask what we don't understand? What causes our fear and our reluctance? ...Subscribers: click here for the full manuscript   _________________________________________ Not a subscriber yet?  Click here to subscribe now and gain instant access to these resources plus an ENTIRE YEAR of weekly resources for only 39.95!! Download the sermons of the week plus children's messages for $2.95: