Personal note from Pastor Jessie: This Sunday is the last Sunday before Pentecost, and we come in the Narrative Lectionary to this gorgeous and ancient hymn about Christ from the early Christian Church that Paul uses in Philippians 2 to urge us all towards humility and unity. At first in writing this sermon, my mind was on our individual spiritual journeys and relationships to the idea of salvation. But after a week with three mass shootings, reckoning once again with white nationalism, and the heartbreaking murders of so many people even elementary aged children, I felt led by the Spirit to broaden our consideration of this passage to apply to our common life together. How do such commands as “look not to your own interests but value others above ourselves” here apply to such tragic events and such vicious divisions that unfold among us? What can people of faith do? What difference can our faith make in the face of such things? Just like last week, we thought together about a hard topic (suicide), I believe that we are called to wrestle with these things as a community.

ALSO PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO JOIN US FOR OUR CELEBRATION NEXT SUNDAY JUNE 5TH AT 10 AM FOR OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WHICH WILL UPLIFT OUR HISTORY, CONSIDER OUR FUTURE AND ALSO JUST HAVE FUN! AFTER THE SERVICE WILL INCLUDE CATERED LUNCH BY MISSION BBQ, A BOUNCE HOUSE AND COTTON CANDY. ALL ARE WELCOME!!

Link to readable sermon PDF

This Sunday is the week we choose to honor Mental Health Awareness Month in our congregation. Addressing mental health and addiction issues in the community has been a part of our church’s mission for several years now as a way to love our neighbors and meet them where they really are. In that spirit, today’s sermon addresses a topic that is among the toughest: suicide. Using a story from the book of Acts, we will explore the many ways that this tough topic actually affects all of us and people that the church cares about most. We also take cues from the story about ways that we can show up authentically and lovingly for people who are most affected .

Link to readable sermon PDF

This Sunday marks our annual Youth Sunday, where worship is planned and led largely by members of our youth group. Songs were chosen by them, scriptures will be read by them, a children’s message will be presented by them AND two of our outstanding seniors (Zoe Barbour and Sean Cain) will be preaching the sermon with a theme this year of COURAGE. There will even be a very special video slideshow with photos from another talented senior Maile Peacock. Our church is so lucky to have these kids, and this service is always a favorite! Offerings for the day are directed to their scholarship fund for mission trips and annual retreats.

This Sunday we come to the dramatic story of Saul’s sudden conversion. He transforms from the murderous religious extremist into the apostle and evangelist who wrote nearly all of our New Testament! Because of a personal encounter with Jesus AND because of the kindness and forgiveness of someone who was previously His enemy. Do we believe such a transformation is really possible? Can people really change so dramatically? Can we? And if so, how does such a thing happen? What if we don’t have such a huge dramatic saving moment in our own faith journey? Does that mean we are missing something in our own relationship with Jesus? We explore those questions together today, and we are blessed to do so on a Sunday when we also have a baptism of a new adolescent member.

Link to readable sermon PDF

This Sunday we come to a story that is in all lectionaries year after year, right after the celebration of Easter Sunday—the story of so called “Doubting Thomas”. Yet we explore why Thomas does not deserve this bad reputation. Doubt is actually an important tool in the journey of faith. The prolific Christian writer Frederick Buechner says “doubt is the ants in the pants of faith. It keeps it awake and moving!” In a world that is in a “post”pandemic fog and trying to find its way, we need a faith that is awake and engaged and fully alive! Easter’s resurrection is just the beginning of our calling to new life in the world. We hope you will join us!!

Also a special note: this Sunday features our contemporary band AND FUN-Day school is offered this week as well (future Sundays it is being offered before summer break for ages 4-5th grade are: 5/22, 6/5, 6/19)

Link to readable PDF of sermon