Ads or No Ads

Featured / John Stevens / Leave a comment

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

If you have visited the site over the last two or three weeks, you might have noticed ads popping up. I had been going back and forth on having them on DSCS’ site, usually falling under “not.”

As a comment to one of my posts (or perhaps when I made a small aside in a video), someone had suggested I allow ads as there are folks that use the site, and although would love to support it financially, just couldn’t afford it.

I get that. Completely.

So, I decided to turn on the ads.

Until this morning.

I had a reminder that the ads that get selected are out of my control, and when a printing company had an ad that read, “This is the only tip I need,” and it showed gun ammo, I decided that was enough.

No ads.

Thank you for your donations, your prayers, and your joyful interactions over the years. I appreciate them all.

~ John Stevens

October 10th, 2021 – 20th Sunday after Pentecost

/ John Stevens / Leave a comment

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

Sunday: Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B

Text: Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 10:17-31

Dollar Store Item: Something you have tried, and that you can recommend with boldness.

The Take Away: We can come to God with all who we are, because God has come to us, and we are loved.

Video:

Narrative Lectionary – God provides Manna

Text: Exodus 16:1-18

Dollar Store Item: Questionable gift… “What is this?”

The Take Away: God gives. God provides. God is good. We are called to trust the giver.

Video:

October 3rd, 2021 – 19th Sunday after Pentecost

/ John Stevens / Leave a comment

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

Sunday: Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B

Text: Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12

Dollar Store Item: Paper and Pencils, Crayons, Headphones, Doo Dee Doo, the Game of Telephone

The Take Away: God uses throughout the years many ways to speak to us. But Hebrews reminds us that God speaks to us through Jesus. When in doubt, we go back to the words of Jesus, and the love of Jesus.

Video:

Narrative Lectionary – God’s name is revealed.

Text: Exodus 2:23-25; 3:1-15; 4:10-17

Dollar Store Item: Name tags. Something kids know, but might call different names, like a bottle of pop, soda, soda-pop or coke.

The Take Away: God tells us God’s name, because when we know someone’s name, we know we know them. And that is loving. And when we are told someone’s name, that is a gift.

Video:

September 26th, 2021 – 18th Sunday after Pentecost

/ John Stevens / Leave a comment

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

Sunday: Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B

Text: Mark 9: 38-50

Dollar Store Item: Smiley Stickers

The Take Away: Jesus reminds us that those across the street can do and do do as important things for God and Jesus as do we. We are called to give them help and support them, in ministry for the world.

Video:

Narrative Lectionary

Text: Genesis 27:1-4, 15-23; 28:10-17

Dollar Store Item: Smiley Stickers

The Take Away: God can bless us in the strangest places, and ways. Jacob, even though he does some strange things, is blessed by God. Imagine how God smiles upon you, as a beloved child.

Video:

September 19th, 2021 – 17th Sunday after Pentecost

/ John Stevens / Leave a comment

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

Sunday: Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B

Text: Mark 9:30-37

Dollar Store Item: Welcome Mat, A Kid’s Meal, ways to Welcome a child.

The Take Away: We are all children of God, without power or status, and God welcomes us.

Video:

Narrative Lectionary

Text: Genesis 21:1-3; 22:1-14 – John 1:29

Dollar Store Item: Brain Teaser, something I struggle with, a puzzle I can’t solve.

The Take Away: Called to trust God with everything we have. God gives up everything for us.

Video:

September 12th, 2021 – 16th Sunday after Pentecost

/ John Stevens / Leave a comment

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

Sunday: Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B

Text: James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38

Dollar Store Item: Toothpaste, or “magic words” – Abracadabra or Please or “Nice hat!”

The Take Away: Our words have power, like Peter’s, “You are the messiah,” or how we speak to our neighbor.

Video:

Narrative Lectionary

Text: Genesis 1:1—2:4a

Dollar Store Item: Magic Word – Abracadabra or Please

The Take Away: God creates with a word. We can create with words – kindness, peace.

Video:

September 5th, 2021 – 15th Sunday after Pentecost

/ John Stevens / 2 Comments

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

Sunday: Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B

Text: Mark 7:24-37

Dollar Store Item: Painters Tape / Rope / Chaulk – Anything to draw a line.

The Take Away: Jesus crosses over the line for you, me and the world.

Video:

Narrative Lectionary

Text: Matthew 18:15-20

Dollar Store Item: Cups and String (Phone), Game of Telephone

The Take Away: We are called to talk with one another, so we can forgive one another.

Video:

August 29th, 2021 – 14th Sunday after Pentecost

/ John Stevens / Leave a comment

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

Sunday: Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B

Text: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23; James 1:17-27

Dollar Store Item: None – Silly Walk

The Take Away: We give thanks for God’s love by loving others… it’s all in our walk.

Video:

Bonus video:

Narrative Lectionary

Text: 1 Samuel 21:1-9; Mark 14:12-25

Dollar Store Item: Nice glass and paper plate.

The Take Away: Jesus invites everyone to the kid’s table.

Video:

August 22nd, 2021 – 13th Sunday after Pentecost

/ John Stevens / Leave a comment

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

Sunday: Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B

Text: Ephesians 6:10-20

Dollar Store Item: Bottle opener, Can opener, Something you need help with.

The Take Away: We need the help of other Christians, and the help given by God.

Video:

Narrative Lectionary

Text: Psalm 65; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Dollar Store Item: A Map.

The Take Away: There are many places we find Jesus. Table, the Font, and within our hearts.

Video:

August 15th, 2021 – 12th Sunday after Pentecost

/ John Stevens / 2 Comments

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

Sunday: Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B

Text: John 6:51-58, Ephesians 5:15-20

Dollar Store Item: Two Paper Cups.

The Take Away: We are called to be filled with the Spirit and with Jesus.

Video:

Narrative Lectionary

Text: Psalm 84; Romans 6:1-11

Dollar Store Item: Name Tags

The Take Away: In Baptism, we are made Saints of God, and we live into this promise!

Video:

August 8th, 2021 – 11th Sunday after Pentecost

/ John Stevens / Leave a comment

If you find the DSCS helpful and would like to donate, thank you!
You can do so, easily, through PayPal:

Or you can use venmo if that is easier: @revjohn29

Sunday: Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B

Text: Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2

Dollar Store Item: None, or a Costume – The Song, “They will know we are Christians by our love.”

The Take Away: We are called imitate Christ, and one way to do that is to love, love, love!

Video:

Narrative Lectionary

Text: Psalm 46; Acts 2:37-42

Dollar Store Item: None – Bowl of Water

The Take Away: We are called to cloth ourselves in Baptism daily. Remembering what God has done for us, again and again and again and again.

Video: