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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20211024T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20211024T110000
DTSTAMP:20211024T123159Z
CREATED:20211021T205532Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211024T123159Z
UID:5490-1635069600-1635073200@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Stewards of a Hope Filled Future: Hope Is Practical
DESCRIPTION:Hope is Practical. The gospel is not. When the blind man shouted out begging for Jesus’ mercy\, the crowds told him to sit down and to be quiet. Against popular demand\, Jesus invited the man to come to him and then asked the man\, “What do you want?” Was it not obvious? He wanted to see again. In case the readers have any doubt the man states this clearly for Jesus. The man received what he wanted and in return he followed Jesus. There is\, in this very brief story\, the image of the reciprocal relationship Christ calls us into. Christ’s mercy meets our need. We receive healing and in response\, we follow Jesus. The journey begins with hope; hope that Christ will see our need. The journey continues with hope; hope that the risk of following will outweigh the cost of “going back.” Hoping that our lives might change is a practical thing. Where Jesus might lead us next likely is not.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/stewards-of-a-hope-filled-future-hope-is-practical/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20211017T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20211017T110000
DTSTAMP:20211017T124815Z
CREATED:20211014T141117Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211017T124815Z
UID:5387-1634464800-1634468400@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Stewards of a Hope Filled Future: Hope Is Healing
DESCRIPTION:“Have mercy on me\, Lord\, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” ~Matthew 15: 22b \nAs Jesus entered Tyre and Sidon\, a Canaanite woman presented herself as a one-person welcoming committee. She approaches him with shouting\, “Have mercy on me.” She is in despair and yet\, she draws near to Jesus with hope in her heart believing all that she has heard and that he can heal her daughter. Hope is a desire for something to happen. Hope compels us to believe that things will get better\, that there are other ways for us to perceive and respond to our situations and circumstances. Hope boldly proclaims that helplessness or hopelessness is not a viable option that brings abundant life. Hope is a step of healing and is followed by further steps that courageously shout for mercy. Let us gather as a hopeful people\, shouting for mercy and believing that hope heals ourselves and others. \nJoin us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/stewards-of-a-hope-filled-future-hope-is-healing/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20211010T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20211010T110000
DTSTAMP:20211010T135023Z
CREATED:20211004T155236Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211010T135023Z
UID:5220-1633860000-1633863600@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Stewards of a Hope Filled Future: Hope Broadens the Mind
DESCRIPTION:Hope broadens the mind. As we enter into the second week of our “Stewards of a Hope-Filled Future” series this week\, we are challenged to examine in what and whom we invest our hope\, and\, to allow the gospel to inspire our imaginations. As the theologian Walter Brueggemann asserts\, we Christians struggle to imagine that God can do anything with our future alternative to the present we know. (He of course says this way more elegantly…) We invest our hope in stuff and not in God’s promises. Our greatest deficit is our lack of imagination. But\, according to the first chapter of Ephesians\, we have been given a great inheritance by the God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead. And so\, can you imagine what God can do with our lives? \nJoin us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/stewards-of-a-hope-filled-future-hope-broadens-the-mind/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20211003T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20211003T110000
DTSTAMP:20211003T130001Z
CREATED:20210930T181452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211003T130001Z
UID:5179-1633255200-1633258800@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Stewards of a Hope Filled Future: Hope Moves you Forward
DESCRIPTION:“For surely I know the plans I have for you\, says the Lord\, plans for your welfare and not for harm\, to give you a future with hope.” ~Jeremiah 29: 11 -14 \nWorld Communion Sunday is a hope filled table. On the first Sunday in October\, United Methodist congregations join many Christian churches across the globe in celebrating World Communion Sunday. United Methodists believe in an open table\, anyone may receive communion. We believe the communion table\, the giving and receiving of bread and cup are signs of grace and hope. It is a communal act. We receive strength from each other\, we gather\, we are joined together in the moment and are nourished for the journey of Christian faith. This Sunday also finds us beginning a new worship series\, “Stewards of a Hope Filled Future.” Even with the continued unknowns of the pandemic\, we embrace hope\, believe in hope\, and become hope for the world. In United Methodist Churches around the world\, a special offering is collected on World Communion Sunday to fund scholarships for seminarians\, we too will participate in this special offering. Come\, let us be stewards of a hope filled future. \nJoin us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am. \nNote: It is a communion Sunday. Communion will take place right after worship outside in the picnic table yard at FUMC. For those joining us for livestream worship online\, please bring bread and juice to your home worship space.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/stewards-of-a-hope-filled-future-hope-moves-you-forward/
CATEGORIES:Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/World_Communion_Sunday_Bread_and_Cup_resized.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210926T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210926T110000
DTSTAMP:20210926T134825Z
CREATED:20210921T192650Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210926T134825Z
UID:5016-1632650400-1632654000@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Habits of Hospitality: Sharing Our Authentic Selves
DESCRIPTION:“…Because we loved you so much\, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.”  -1 Thessalonians 2:8(b) \nDuring the last week of July the FUMC Kalamazoo Youth Tribe\, along with a great number of adults\, came together for a week of service around the community as well as in the church. There was a tremendous amount of work accomplished and the love of Christ was surely made known to our neighbors and among one another through our actions. Even more\, this week created space for the the young people of FUMC to share their authentic selves with one another. After a year of pandemic isolation\, Kalamazoo Service Project (KSP) was a week where our young people were seen and affirmed and acknowledged. There was a space for everyone’s gifts to be used\, for everyone to learn to new skills\, and importantly for everyone to let their guards down and play a little. In worship this week\, we’ll hear the story of KSP through the testimony of participants\, through video and through song. \nJoin us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/habits-of-hospitality-sharing-our-authentic-selves/
CATEGORIES:Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/KSPRampResized.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210919T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210919T110000
DTSTAMP:20210920T212809Z
CREATED:20210915T175034Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210920T212809Z
UID:4949-1632045600-1632049200@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Habits of Hospitality: Welcoming All the People
DESCRIPTION:“For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you.” -1 Thessalonians 1:9a \nThe scriptures this day invite us to connect\, and they point us toward true community where none is better than another\, none are excluded from the presence and love of the risen Christ. Not sure you are welcome? Hear this good news today – all are welcome! The Apostle Paul visited many places in his life and each time an enthusiastic church came to life. He encouraged “Radical Hospitality” long before it became a common phrase of the modern church. Imagine an enthusiastic church practicing radical hospitality that is guided by gentleness\, invested in strength-based method and steadily gives thanks to God. Let’s imagine and live enthusiastically into a church community that welcomes all people. \nJoin us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/habits-of-hospitality-welcoming-all-the-people/
CATEGORIES:Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/welcome-905562_640.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210912T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210912T110000
DTSTAMP:20210912T121434Z
CREATED:20210909T160755Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210912T121434Z
UID:4867-1631440800-1631444400@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Habits of Hospitality: Offering Peace
DESCRIPTION:“If anyone is there who shares in your peace\, your peace will rest on that person.”  ~Luke 10: 6a \nJesus sends more than seventy out on a mission of peace. He says\, “Whatever house you enter\, first say\, “Peace to this house!” They are to offer peace\, receive peace and reassure all that “The Kingdom of God has come near.” The mission and invitation are as simple as it is every time we make it: when you endeavor to love your neighbor and live in peace with each other\, there’s always room for you\, no matter whether you think you “fit” or not\, no matter whether you’ve been coming to church a long time or not in a long time\, whether you worship online or in person. Welcome home. Peace be with you. Jesus moved forward with hope and promise. And so shall we. Come\, join us for “Hospitality Sunday” this Sunday and each Sunday. God loves all people. And so do we. \nJoin us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am. You are invited to our Hospitality Sunday kick off event on Sunday\, September 12 at 9:15am on the church front lawn. Learn more through this link. \nNote: We will be collecting prayers of joys and concerns. If you are coming to the church to worship\, please bring a written prayer with you if you would like to share. There will be a basket at the door to collect the prayers. If you are worshipping from home\, you can add your prayers to the chat box on YouTube or submit them through our online form.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/habits-of-hospitality-offering-peace/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210905T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210905T110000
DTSTAMP:20210905T134829Z
CREATED:20210901T175145Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210905T134829Z
UID:4695-1630836000-1630839600@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:When John Wesley Lost His Mind
DESCRIPTION:Faith without works is dead. One of the most often quoted bible verses from one of the shortest books in the New Testament. It becomes a mantra of sorts from churches that like to get things done. And there’s nothing wrong with getting things done. Jesus calls us to do justice and so we do. But sometimes we can get so caught up doing justice that it comes at the expense of our own personal spiritual lives. Our Wesleyan tradition calls us to a balance or a praxis whereby we reflect of the love God in our lives\, we respond to this love by doing justice\, and in turn we reflect on the work of justice making and the love of God within the work. So may our faith be found alive\, and fueled by a reflective practice of being loved by God and being the love of God. \nJoin us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am. \nNote: It is a communion Sunday. Communion will take place right after worship outside in the picnic table yard at FUMC. For those joining us for livestream worship online\, please bring bread and juice to your home worship space.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/when-john-wesley-lost-his-mind/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210829T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210829T110000
DTSTAMP:20210829T142539Z
CREATED:20210824T153842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210829T142539Z
UID:4623-1630231200-1630234800@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Begin Where God Begins
DESCRIPTION:John Wesley said once that “Religion if it is not to be the pious form of worldliness\, if it is instead to be the response to the action of God\, must begin where God begins\, among the poor\, the despised\, the oppressed\, and the marginalized.” The key words in his teaching are begin where God begins. God began by taking on the form of human flesh and living with and as one with the poor\, the despised\, the oppressed and the marginalized. God began by proving to the world that God is not some distant overbearing unknown figure rather that God is here\, right here with us and within in\, listening and being with us. God did not begin with a snap-of-the-fingers quick fix\, or a financial distribution program\, or a soup kitchen rather God began by simply being with. This is where God begins and so this is where we are to begin – with.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/begin-where-god-begins/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210822T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210822T110000
DTSTAMP:20210822T123909Z
CREATED:20210810T013349Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210822T123909Z
UID:4442-1629626400-1629630000@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Love and Hard Things
DESCRIPTION:Truth\, Righteousness\, Peace\, Faith\, Salvation\, Spirit. All these words are packed into these final verses of the book of Ephesians. These are among the most pious and abstract words in all Christian grammar. Truth like a belt\, righteousness like a breastplate\, peace like a pair of shoes\, faith as a shield\, salvation a helmet\, and the spirit a sword. Together these theological words are according to this disciple of Paul (more on that to come in the sermon) the “…full armor of God.” And why do we need the full armor of God? That we might live in the power of God. And this word – power – is the most intriguing of them all. The church has a peculiar relationship to this word\, power. We embrace power and we are embarrassed of power. We leverage power and we say that power is not Christlike. We claim power in our baptism\, we confront power\, we deny power. This book of the Church\, the book of Ephesians concludes by imploring us to embrace the power of God. Your baptism asks if you accept the power of God. So what is this power? And to what\, or where does it lead us?
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/armor-of-god/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210815T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210815T110000
DTSTAMP:20210818T131002Z
CREATED:20210810T010703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210818T131002Z
UID:4439-1629021600-1629025200@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Live as Children of Light
DESCRIPTION:“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible\, for everything that becomes visible is light.”  -Ephesians 5: 13-14a \nWe are called to live as children of the light and we are to shine the light on that which brings darkness. Join us for worship as we light candles in prayer\, exposing and naming some of the darkness and despair that may keep us awake at night or certainly troubles our soul. Join us as we proclaim the psalms\, sing hymns and make melodies to God\, giving thanks and rekindling our light so that we may shine for the world and for Christ who is our center point. Let us look for the light\, in the stars\, in the time we share with friends or by beginning a gratitude journal and by holding onto a hope that will not let us go. As we worship\, we will claim the light\, cultivate the light and celebrate the Light of the World. If you are worshipping from home\, bring some candles into your worship space so that you may bear witness to the Light.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/live-as-children-of-light/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210808T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210808T100000
DTSTAMP:20210810T152354Z
CREATED:20210802T191517Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210810T152354Z
UID:4379-1628416800-1628416800@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:The Fragrance of Christ
DESCRIPTION:On this Coffeehouse Sunday we hope to bring in the aroma of herbs from our gardens\, patio boxes or even from the wild. We invite you to bring offerings of herbs with you as you come to the sanctuary or if you will be worshipping from home\, add some herbs to your worship space. A life worthy of our calling means that as Christ followers our lives offer a sweet-smelling fragrance to the world that is a kindness and tenderheartedness that will not be quickly forgotten\, but will be savored by those whom we encounter. Along with our herbal offering\, we will also receive an anointing so that our prayer may be “Jesus\, help me to spread your fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with your spirit and your love.” For those worshipping in the sanctuary\, you will be invited to the front lawn to receive an anointing for those at home\, please gather oil or lotion so that you may anoint yourself at home. We will also be collecting prayers of joys and concerns. If you are coming to the church to worship\, please bring a written prayer with you if you would like to share. There will be a basket at the door to collect the prayers. If you are worshipping from home\, you can add your prayers to the chat box on YouTube or email them to prayer@umc-kzo.org. May we live in love and be a fragrant offering to Christ and the world.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/the-fragrance-of-christ/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210801T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210801T110000
DTSTAMP:20210801T135949Z
CREATED:20210726T141533Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210801T135949Z
UID:4289-1627812000-1627815600@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:AXIOS
DESCRIPTION:“…lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called…” (Ephesians 4:1). In the book of Ephesians\, the Greek word used by the author for worthy is AXIOS. Axios is a reference to a set of scales on which one would place a set of weights on one tray\, and an item to be weighed on the other. When the item is equal to the weight it is worthy (AXIOS) of the weight. Live a life worthy (in AXIOS) of the calling to which you have been called. It is the question we ask of ourselves in worship today. Is the life I am living worthy of the calling to which I have been called? The rest of the passage\, as does the worship\, offers several bits of good news in response to the question. 1. God has called each one of us. 2. All of us in the body of Christ are called collectively. 3. By God’s grace we are forgiven and renewed again and again when our lives fall short of their calling. All of this is proclaimed and affirmed in the Bread and Cup of Communion which will we share this Sunday. \nJoin us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am. \nNote: It is a communion Sunday. Communion will take place right after worship outside in the picnic table yard at FUMC. For those joining us for livestream worship online\, please bring bread and juice to your home worship space. 
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/axios/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210725T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210725T110000
DTSTAMP:20210725T135116Z
CREATED:20210719T143756Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210725T135116Z
UID:4212-1627207200-1627210800@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Doing Justice as Prayer
DESCRIPTION:For this final sermon in our summer preaching series The Renewing Work of God\, we turn to the work of Doing Justice as Prayer. Throughout this series we have been encouraged to set the intention of prayer while doing everyday ordinary things such as planting seeds\, going for walks\, making music and art and eating. Today we turn our attention to the act of doing justice and wonder how the work of justice itself can be prayer. The late congressman John Lewis who marched across the bridge to Selma in March of 1965 was known for likening that walk to prayer. “When you pray move your feet” he would say. Sometimes the work of doing justice can be met with terrible violence as Lewis experienced on that bridge. Sometimes justice making can happen quietly and almost unnoticed. Either way\, the work of doing justice is a participation in God’s ongoing plan to mend our broken universe to wholeness. Setting the intention of prayer while doing justice is intentionally tapping into God’s ongoing work. It brings rest to our weariness\, peace to the chaos surrounding us\, and the assurance that this is God’s work and not ours alone. Doing Justice is Doing Prayer.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/doing-justice-as-prayer/
LOCATION:MI\, United States
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210718T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210718T110000
DTSTAMP:20210718T140817Z
CREATED:20210706T152930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210718T140817Z
UID:4009-1626602400-1626606000@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Beyond Doing
DESCRIPTION:“Be still and know that I am God.” \nAs we pray\, we are seeking love\, we are drawn into God because we are called by love\, we come out of prayer filled by love and ready to impart that love. Throughout this series we have explored the many adventurous ways to pray. Yet\, it is love that centers us and at times stills us\, so that we may be filled with God. It is good to do prayer and it is also worthwhile to be still so that we may be filled with God. When God is our home place\, we will be filled and we become prayer in our living and breathing. Let us experience God’s love as we worship. \nJoin us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/beyond-doing/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210711T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210711T110000
DTSTAMP:20210711T134623Z
CREATED:20210706T150959Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210711T134623Z
UID:3994-1625997600-1626001200@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:The Prayer of Planting
DESCRIPTION:“Blow upon my garden that its fragrance may be wafted abroad.” \nHave you ever planted a garden and even though you know what you put into the ground\, still you marvel at the way in which those seeds magically produce beans and squash and tomatoes and peppers and…all the amazing things? Of course it isn’t magic–it is God’s handiwork doing what it is supposed to do. This is how planting\, be it in a giant outdoor garden\, or a shoot of basil in your kitchen window\, can be prayer because planting seeds is tapping into the ancient and holy and sacred work of God that stems back to God’s first acts of creation. In worship today\, we hear a parable of a sower whose work of planting was done with a kind of joyful reckless abandon. The sower scattered seeds in all kinds of soils and rocks trusting that God could make anything grow anywhere at any time. We also celebrate Kathryn Sappington’s two years of ministry with us as a Global Mission Fellow\, celebrate and acknowledge the seeds she has planting among us\, and send her off to grow in her new adventure in seminary. Join us this Sunday online and in person for this special Coffeehouse Worship Experience.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/the-prayer-of-planting/
CATEGORIES:Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210704T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210704T110000
DTSTAMP:20210704T134922Z
CREATED:20210621T192635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210704T134922Z
UID:3684-1625392800-1625396400@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Holy Food
DESCRIPTION:“If we live by the Spirit\, let us also be guided by the Spirit.” \nToday\, we gather around the table of grace to receive the bread of life and the cup that overflows with blessing and love. It is a holy feast. What if by way of doing prayer we made every meal an extension of the Communion table? From “Beyond Words” the author writes\, “Consuming food becomes a sacred activity\, one that combines intention\, gratitude\, and celebration as the main courses.” The Eucharist is the centerpiece of our faith. Jesus called us to a table of remembrance\, all of us\, from the faithful to the one that is betraying and invites us to eat and drink\, remembering that grace is food for the soul. As ways of doing prayer\, let us establish tables of grace each time we settle in to eat and drink\, sharing the love of God through one of the most basic of human needs. Come\, receive from the table of grace. \nJoin us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am. \nNote: It is a communion Sunday. Communion will take place right after worship outside in the picnic table yard at FUMC. For those joining us for livestream worship online\, please bring bread and juice to your home worship space. 
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/holy-food/
CATEGORIES:Service
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210627T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210627T110000
DTSTAMP:20210627T135206Z
CREATED:20210621T190818Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210627T135206Z
UID:3679-1624788000-1624791600@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Sacred Healing
DESCRIPTION:“Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!” \nI spent a week at Wesley Woods High School Camp recently with a large group of teenagers and every morning and evening we sang. (Don’t worry\, we were outside and a strong majority were vaccinated!) We sang contemporary worship songs by the fire with guitars and we sang “Amazing Grace” a cappella. One of our staff members shared with me that he was not much of a singer\, but for some reason\, the singing drove him to tears (he’s also not much of a crier). A most memorable moment of singing came on the Friday Night after party. We strung lights and lit up balloons by the lake front at midnight and had a Par-ty! And when a certain Taylor Swift tune came on\, every kid on the shore belted it out word for word. These were all acts of prayer. I don’t know if they all consciously knew they were acts of prayer\, but I am clear that God was there in those moments. It was prayer. It was also prayer when we stopped and listened to the bullfrogs in the evening when the sun went down and then again when we covered a slip-n-slide with shaving cream (yes…). Prayer is singing and prayer is listening\, as author Kristen Johnson Ingram reminds us. This week in worship we will look at moments when scripture points us to this truth\, and examine how we can set an intention of prayer in our singing\, our listening and in our playing.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/sacred-healing/
CATEGORIES:Service
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210620T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210620T110000
DTSTAMP:20210619T175830Z
CREATED:20210607T180712Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210619T175830Z
UID:3571-1624183200-1624186800@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Making Art
DESCRIPTION:We worship a creating God who calls us into this same creative\, spiritual energy. Creativity comes from God and is expressed in a myriad of ways and means. Children have this distinctive sense that they are creative and will find ways to express themselves. The trouble is that as we age\, we are often not encouraged to continue to be creative without having to become an expert. Let the children lead us into re-discovering our imagination. Author Kristen Johnson Ingram writes\, “When you long to create something visual and tangible\, I think that impulse comes straight from the Holy Spirit\, who fills us with life and expectation and invention. Art doesn’t require expensive materials or a background in painting or sculpture. Art as prayer demands only two things: intention\, of course\, and the belief that God gives you the ability to create.” Let us begin the work\, knowing and trusting that God will be with us. Let us worship our creating God.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/making-art/
CATEGORIES:Service
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210613T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210613T110000
DTSTAMP:20210612T211310Z
CREATED:20210607T155105Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210612T211310Z
UID:3568-1623578400-1623582000@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Walking Prayers
DESCRIPTION:You’re invited to join us for Coffeehouse Worship! \nSo if anyone is in Christ\, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see\, everything has become new. \nOur theme for worship is this week is “Doing Prayer” with an emphasis on “Walking Prayer.” This is not praying while walking\, rather\, setting the intention of our walking in and of itself being an act of prayer. This means paying attention to the holiness around us while walking\, and being open to an encounter with the living God while walking. In accordance with our text for the day is being open to the newness of God\, or walking into the newness of God at work around us. Join us and learn how to turn your walking into prayer. We also celebrate and bless our graduates this Sunday and we celebrate Pride Month.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/walking-prayers/
CATEGORIES:Service
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210606T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210606T110000
DTSTAMP:20210605T224134Z
CREATED:20210601T131723Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210605T224134Z
UID:3479-1622973600-1622977200@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Doing Prayer
DESCRIPTION:This Sunday we explore living by a spirit that calls us to adventure beyond the spoken prayer and embrace that every moment has potential to be holy as we become prayer. Doing prayer means we are desiring to find the place that we are most ourselves and God is fully present. Doing prayer can be intentional or spontaneous and should be approached with delight and expectation. As we explore doing prayer\, let us be led by the Spirit of God and discover ways that our prayers might be more intentional and consecrated. Even our mission statement proclaims doing prayer by experiencing\, celebrating and sharing God’s love. Join us for worship! Note: It is a communion Sunday\, please bring juice and bread to your worship space if you are able.  \nOn Sunday\, June 6\, we will also offer communion in the picnic table yard after Worship and Watch concludes and until 11:45am. Please join us in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup\, remembering that we are the bread and the love freely poured out in the world in the name of the Christ who redeems. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/second-sunday-of-pentecost-doing-prayer/
CATEGORIES:Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/prayer-1308663_640.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210530T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210530T110000
DTSTAMP:20210530T012245Z
CREATED:20210524T173656Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210530T012245Z
UID:3318-1622368800-1622372400@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Trinity Sunday: An Economy of Freedom and Love
DESCRIPTION:We are members of a divine economy of freedom and love. In this economy there is abundance\, there is shared power\, there is mutuality and creativity\, and most importantly\, there is a sharing of life with the very source of our creation. Every year on the Sunday after Pentecost we celebrate Trinity Sunday\, the Sunday in which we acknowledge\, celebrate and attempt to make sense of the God is wholly three in one and one in three. What is challenging\, is that Christians have been trying to make sense of it for 2\,000 years and at some point we have to just raise our hands\, stop trying to make sense of it and simply live into it…live into creation’s constant renewal and newness\, live into love’s triumph over evil\, live into grace poured out on an infant’s head. The Trinity is a divine economy – alternative to the world’s economy. A mystery\, yet so good.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/trinity-sunday-an-economy-of-freedom-and-love/
CATEGORIES:Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/church-window-511751_640.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210523T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210523T110000
DTSTAMP:20210522T175248Z
CREATED:20210517T145152Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210522T175248Z
UID:3170-1621764000-1621767600@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Pentecost: When the Spirit Moves
DESCRIPTION:Pentecost has arrived. It is the fiftieth day or the seventh Sunday from Easter Sunday. As modern Christians we observe Pentecost as a holiday\, not to celebrate a wheat harvest\, but to remember when the Holy Spirit invaded the church as the story is told in the second chapter of Acts. The Spirit is alive and moves among us as it did in the early church. We are a church that can proclaim resurrection hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. As the spirit is poured out\, the body of Christ moves and shifts and brings an amazing beauty to the world around us. Pentecost is an invitation to take flight and soar on the winds of hope and promise\, through the Spirit of Christ we can bring together a broken world. As we worship\, let us connect with others who seek to fly into a kin-dom way of living.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/pentecost-when-the-spirit-moves/
CATEGORIES:Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/pentecost-3409407_640.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210516T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210516T110000
DTSTAMP:20210515T175810Z
CREATED:20210331T203804Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210515T175810Z
UID:2263-1621159200-1621162800@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Seventh Sunday of Easter: Imagine the Joy. Imagine the Power.
DESCRIPTION:Jesus is praying for us! What an amazing thing. And Jesus is leaving\, but Jesus is with us. It is Ascension Sunday. Jesus takes his place at the right hand of God\, returns to the circle of the Trinity\, but at the same time continues to be present with us. This final Sunday of Eastertide is a celebration of living the Resurrection with the Resurrected one at our side. We are reminded that we are not alone\, that we continue to journey with the one who calls us and the one who saves us; even as we look forward to the one who will empower us to continue the work of building toward the kin-dom of God. May our hearts ascend with the Resurrected one as we worship together.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/seventh-sunday-of-easter-we-are-yours/
CATEGORIES:Service
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210509T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210509T110000
DTSTAMP:20210508T195925Z
CREATED:20210331T203430Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210508T195925Z
UID:2260-1620554400-1620558000@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Sixth Sunday of Easter: No Greater Love
DESCRIPTION:You’re invited to join us for Coffeehouse Worship! \nWe are called this day to celebrate the love that has been poured out on us and then to strive to exemplify this love in our lives. How do we shape a life of loving in a difficult world? We embrace the idea of “no greater love” found in the person of Christ and the life he lived and gift he gave. We also celebrate love that is nurturing\, caring\, supportive and that we have been blessed with mothers\, motherly figures\, and motherly love role modeled in many human beings who have walked among us. We are blessed and can be a blessing as we offer the world a love that desires to sustain and is bound up in the well-being of all. Note: You are encouraged as we gather to worship to have a writing utensil and paper. We will also be anointing ourselves for the work of love and service to the world\, please bring some lotion for the anointing of your hands. Let us experience\, celebrate and share God’s love.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/sixth-sunday-of-easter-no-greater-love/
CATEGORIES:Service
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210502T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210502T110000
DTSTAMP:20210501T204331Z
CREATED:20210331T203140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210501T204331Z
UID:2258-1619949600-1619953200@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Fifth Sunday of Easter: Abide in Me
DESCRIPTION:Abiding in the presence of Christ is our call this week. How do we abide? More importantly\, what does abide mean? Let’s spend some time abiding in Christ. Silence\, music and Scripture can lead us to the ways of abiding. We are practicing this abiding in Christ as we worship together with the hope that it will continue after the benediction is pronounced and the postlude ends. Cultivating habits for lifelong worship is a part of what we do when we gather for worship\, even as we gather “together” in our own homes. Let us worship steadfast hearts that seek to abide with the One who calls us to life. Note: It is a communion Sunday\, please bring juice and bread to your worship space if you are able.  \nOn Sunday\, May 2\, we will also offer communion in the parking lot from 12:30-1:30pm. We will use both driveways as entrance ways. Pastor Julie Kline and Pastor Matt Weiler will be at one of the driveways to offer you communion. Please stay in your cars\, with masks on and they will serve you in your vehicle. Please join us in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup\, remembering that we are the bread and the love freely poured out in the world in the name of the Christ who redeems.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/fifth-sunday-of-easter-abide-in-me/
CATEGORIES:Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/hands-2667461_640.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210425T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210425T110000
DTSTAMP:20210424T193349Z
CREATED:20210331T202653Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210424T193349Z
UID:2256-1619344800-1619348400@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Fourth Sunday of Easter: Listen to My Voice
DESCRIPTION:We continue the sensory journey through Eastertide and come to hearing this week. In Jesus’ parable of the good shepherd\, he says that the sheep listen to his voice. He is speaking of those in front of him and those of other folds. Who are these others? We don’t really know. There is lots of speculation about who these other folds might represent. But the truth is\, we don’t know. Jesus often hints that determining who is in and who is out is not really our job. We are to invite and include as widely as possible. We also celebrate the Festival of God’s Creation. April 22 is Earth Day\, and we can hear the voice of God through the natural world. If we are to take seriously hearing God through the world around us\, then we have to take seriously the care of the planet. Let us worship with ears to listen.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/fourth-sunday-of-easter-listen-to-my-voice/
CATEGORIES:Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/EarthDay.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210418T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210418T110000
DTSTAMP:20210417T164816Z
CREATED:20210331T202124Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210417T164816Z
UID:2253-1618740000-1618743600@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Third Sunday of Easter: Touch and See
DESCRIPTION:Last week the Gospel lesson emphasized seeing; today the focus is on touching. Jesus is trying to ground the disciples’ faith in the reality of his presence\, in the concreteness of his being. He told them to touch him; he ate in front of them. He was announcing that he was real. Our lives are still being touched; our hearts are still being touched by Jesus. It is also Native American Ministries Sunday. Through prayers and litanies\, we will hope to bridge the gap between our Native American brothers and sisters. This is part of what it means to touch and see. Touch another tradition; touch another perspective; take hold of something that takes you out of yourself long enough to embrace the realities of another’s existence. Overcoming racism is an ongoing process of education and a constant reminder that embracing those of a difference race or ethnicity involves stretching ourselves and our practices to include and embrace diversity. We are challenged by our bishops to continue the task of ending racism in us and in our society. Let us worship with open hearts and open minds.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/third-sunday-of-easter-touch-and-see/
CATEGORIES:Service
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210411T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210411T110000
DTSTAMP:20210410T234908Z
CREATED:20210331T201612Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210410T234908Z
UID:2248-1618135200-1618138800@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Second Sunday of Easter: Unless I See
DESCRIPTION:You are invited to join us for Coffeehouse Worship! \n“Thomas\, one of the twelve\, was not with them when Jesus came. So\, the other disciples told him\, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them\, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands\, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side\, I will not believe.” \nOur theme for worship this week is Thomas and his need to see something real before his belief can kick in. If we are truthful\, we all want that. We all find it easier to believe when we can see something. So\, then this will be a worship that celebrates showing. We will show the gospel at work in people’s lives. We show the difference it makes in how we live each day. We show a motivating hope that keeps joy at work in the community of faith. Today we show our story\, our own people\, our mission and service. There are stories to tell\, even during this time of pandemics. Hope rises and clings ahold even in difficult situations\, most especially in difficult situations. Faith is alive\, let us hear the stories\, tell the stories and create the stories that show God’s love being shared.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/second-sunday-of-easter-unless-i-see/
CATEGORIES:Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/hands-5216585_640.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20210404T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20210404T110000
DTSTAMP:20210404T025604Z
CREATED:20210329T203310Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210404T025604Z
UID:2219-1617525000-1617534000@umc-kzo.org
SUMMARY:Easter Sunday: Christ has risen!
DESCRIPTION:In person Communion @ 8:30-9:15am at FUMC\nOnline Worship @ 10am \nChrist the Lord is risen! Alleluia. Come\, join us for Easter as we sing our praise and raise our joys and triumphs high with trumpets declaring that love’s redeeming work is done. We will celebrate the Risen Christ with a virtual choir\, brass\, handbells\, the majestic organ and a “Hallelujah Chorus” from earlier days. Easter begins in the dark and moves into our lives as the dawn lights up the sky and our hearts are filled once again with the hope that Christ leads us to a redemptive love. Please join us for online worship at 10am as we come to the table of life joining with each other and seeking communion with God. Gather bread and juice for home communion\, or plan to meet Pastors Julie and Matt as they serve communion in the church parking lot before worship at 8:30-9:15am. Invite your friends and family to join us for worship as we remember that we rise with the Resurrected One to be renewed\, redeemed\, and enlivened people who serve the God of love. \nPlease note: There will be no Zoom fellowship before Easter worship as we hope to see you face to face for Communion from 8:30-9:15am at FUMC! Events taking place at church will be located on the lawn off the parking lot. As with previous outdoor events\, masks and social distancing are required and we will not have use of the bathrooms. Gluten free bread will be available for in person Communion.
URL:https://umc-kzo.org/event/easter-sunday-christ-has-risen/
CATEGORIES:Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/EasterAltar2resized.jpg
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