First United Methodist Church of Kalamazoo

What Herod Heard ~ ASP
2024-07-14 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Detroit) | MI
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am in-person or online.
“King Herod heard about this…” Jesus has sent the disciples out in pairs to share the good news of the gospel and Herod on his seat of power heard about it, was threatened, and became fearful of the Jesus movement. We are sent then into a call back to John the Baptist’s arrest and execution. On either side of the story there is movement towards the Kingdom of God. Disciples are sent, 5,000 are fed with a few loaves and some fish. So goes the work of God; goodness and newness often interrupted with resistance. This Sunday we examine the Christian life generous in its commitment to sharing the good news yet sure to meet resistance. We also celebrate and commission those Youth and Adults headed to Eastern Kentucky to volunteer with Appalachian Service Project.

A Sent Community: Giving Freely
2024-07-07 10:00 - 11:00
This midsummer worship series will find us leaning into the challenges and the joys of being a Christ-centered community sent into the world to serve with love and generosity. The lectionary readings for July lead us to explore the Biblical threads of “sentness” and dependence upon God as we go out into the world. The sending of God is always to service. As we are sent, we are called to trust in the providence of God and those around us. The world is a treacherous place. Evil, injustice, and oppression are expressed in many forms. We are called to resist in love, by love, and for love as we are sent out in Jesus’ name. As we share God’s love we thrive when we commit ourselves to an abundant God and live as citizens of God’s reign.
After Worship this week, we want to honor and celebrate our Outreach Team Ministry (it’s a big one), so stop by after church and learn how you can get involved in the many teams this ministry has. Make sure to check the insert in this bulletin for more detailed information and a form you can fill out.

Outta My Way Satan
2024-06-30 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am in-person or online for a special worship service as we close the month of June. This week, we reflect on the themes of inclusion, community, love, and justice, drawing inspiration from Mark 3:20-35.
In this passage, we witness a profound moment where Jesus redefines the concept of family, not by blood but by the shared commitment to doing God’s will. He emphasizes that true kinship transcends traditional boundaries and is found in the collective pursuit of righteousness and love.
As we gather, let us embrace the spirit of unity that Jesus exemplified. Let us be a community that welcomes everyone as brothers and sisters, forming a family bound by the desire to support one another, spread love, and uphold justice in all our actions.
This Sunday, we celebrate the strength found in our diversity and the beauty of a community that comes together to honor every individual’s worth. We affirm our commitment to being a place of refuge and acceptance, where all are invited to join the family of faith.

Juneteenth Sunday
2024-06-23 10:00 - 11:00
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am in-person or online for worship. This Sunday we honor Juneteenth,. We want to honor and celebrate this important date in the history of our country—one that often goes unexplained or unnoticed by the mainstream. However, this day holds immense importance as a significant stepping stone in the progress of our nation.
We will observe Juneteenth as a sign of solidarity and hope for all of God’s people. On June 19, 1865 a Union soldier rode into Galveston, Texas, declaring that all Confederate legislative acts of the previous four years were void. Freedom was announced to the slaves, overdue by centuries, freedom had finally come. Juneteenth is the oldest and most well-known American holiday, celebrating the end of slavery in the United States.
Our Creator God is with those who suffer, calling us to be attentive, concerned, and active to end suffering in all the ways we are able. Job has endured the longevity of suffering and laments with his friends as they seek to find the answer to Job’s suffering. Into this drama, God reminds Job that God is Creator. The work of creating, even amid suffering, is never done. We are called to be co-creators with God, laboring for the liberation of those who are oppressed. Let us hear from the cosmos the clang of the freedom bell.

Pop-Up Free Store
2024-06-19 09:00 - 15:00
Join us on June 19th, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, for our Annual Free Store event, complemented by a hotdog lunch from noon to 2:00 pm.
Starting June 16th, we welcome donations at Wesley Hall. We accept clean clothing, shoes, toys, books, and small appliances. Your generosity supports our community efforts.
Volunteers are needed for sorting donations, assisting guests, and event wrap-up. Your time and effort are greatly appreciated.
Note: We cannot accept car seats, cribs, large furniture, or damaged items.
Thank you for your support.

Graduation Sunday
2024-06-16 10:00 - 11:00
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am in-person or online for worship. This Sunday is Graduation Sunday, a day when we celebrate those who have completed a step in their educational journey. Let’s honor their efforts and commitment.
Hear these words from Bishop Karen Oliveto of Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church. Bishop Oliveto is the first openly gay, and married bishop of the denomination. “
We humans see the image of God as through a mirror dimly (I Corinthians 13: 12). God is so much bigger than our limited comprehension. The God who created the world in all its diverse flourishings has imprinted on each human God’s own image. The more we encounter and enter into relationship with each other, the deeper we look into each other’s eyes, the clearer God’s image emerges. We gain a bigger picture of who God is, particularly when we include those who don’t look like us, think like us, or love like us
There are people of all ages in your community who are looking for a grace-filled community that allows them to ask questions, to be able to take tentative and shaky steps to explore who God made them to be, to find themselves in a community who will cheer them on when they do so. Will you and your church be that community?
Let me tell you: there is amazing joy waiting for you if you are willing to do so. For wherever there is new life, whenever someone says yes to being their full God-created self, when someone is finally able to proclaim out loud to God “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” the angels sing and the saints dance.”
Let us share the peace of Christ with one another today, and as we do so, may we truly see one another for the image of God each one bears.

Pride Sunday
2024-06-09 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am in-person or online to celebrate PRIDE Sunday. We will have Rebecca Wilson as a Guest preacher.
Rebecca Wilson (she/her) is a proud Michigander, rooted in Flint and grounded in Detroit. She is a queer extra-ordinary poet and enchanting storyteller whose writings weave together her life experiences with scripture and spirituality. Her pursuit of justice and wholeness is driven by her upbringing in the Vehicle and Motor Cities. At a young age she discovered her love for words and the transformative power of belonging to a faith community.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Hispanic Studies from the University of Michigan and completed a Master of Divinity, with a concentration in Urban Ministry, at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.
She has lived out her calling in diverse and unique ways. She was baptized, confirmed, and commissioned as a deacon in the United Methodist Church. Her ministry in the UMC included serving in local churches and on denominational staff, where she became a leader and sought-after motivating presenter in Disaster Response.
In 2017, just before examination for full ordination, realizing she was called to live authentically and no longer deny her queer identity, Rebecca made the decision to come out as lesbian and surrender her provisional credentials due to the denomination’s anti-LGBTQ+ positions and policies. The decision was the most difficult and liberating of her life. It came with profound loss and even greater hopes.
The church’s rejection propelled her to a dry and lonely wilderness. While there she found thirst quenching wells in surprising places and an expanded understanding of God, community, spirituality, and living water. She also recognized the systems that harm us cannot be our source of healing. Bravely and boldly she sought a new path toward healing. Her determination to heal and commitment to the journey inspires others to begin and map their own.
In summer 2022, Rebecca founded 10 Camels, where her gifts for writing, teaching, preaching, and speaking are turning words into water for a thirsty world. She is offering authenticity and creativity to the world through educating, empowering, and entertaining others. With gentleness and humor, with honesty and seemingly effortless skill she captivatingly engages her audience.

Children's Musical Sunday
2024-06-02 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am in-person or online to celebrate the Children’s Musical. Where they will be performing Through the Roof ! a play based on Luke 5:17-26 written by Terry Kirkland.
The play recalls the story of when Jesus was in Capernaum teaching, among the attendees were Pharisees and teachers of the law from various regions. Amidst this gathering, a group of men arrived carrying their paralytic friend. Unable to navigate through the crowd, they ingeniously lowered their friend from the roof directly in front of Jesus. Recognizing their faith, Jesus declared the man’s sins forgiven, causing a stir among the religious leaders present.
Addressing the silent accusations of blasphemy, Jesus posed a question to the Pharisees and teachers of the law, challenging their understanding of His authority. To demonstrate His divine power to forgive sins, He commanded the paralyzed man to rise, pick up his mat, and return home. The man did just that, leaving the crowd in awe. This event left a profound impact, not only showcasing Jesus’s healing powers but also affirming His authority to forgive sins. The crowd, filled with reverence, acknowledged that they had witnessed something truly extraordinary that day.

Trinity Sunday: Born of the Spirit
2024-05-26 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am in-person or online to celebrate trinity Sunday.
Trinity Sunday, the first Sunday after Pentecost, is a day dedicated to understanding the concept of the Trinity. It’s a complex idea that describes the interrelationship of God. While it’s challenging to fully explain, we can understand it as God’s relationship with us. The focus of this day is not just about God, but also about us and what we do in the name of God. By focusing on God, we gain a better understanding of ourselves.
All Christians have a vocation or a divine call to God’s service or a calling to follow Christ. These stories are varied. Our Scripture passage today involves the calling of the prophet Isaiah in which there are seraphs, a heavenly throne, robes of glory and a hot coal upon the lips. No matter the manner of calling, each calling is an intersection of God’s providential care for and reconciliation of the cosmos and an individual’s purpose in the world. Hear the calling of Isaiah from the Book of Isaiah, chapter 6: 1-8.

Confirmation Sunday/Pentecost: Who is Speaking and Who is Listening?
2024-05-19 10:00 - 11:00
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am as we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. This day is a special one as we not only commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ, but also celebrate confirmation Sunday. Our scripture for the day will be Acts 2:2-21, a passage that beautifully encapsulates the essence of Pentecost.
In celebration of Confirmation Sunday, we invite you to stay after worship. We will be having a reception with cake for the confirmands. Please make sure you wear the colors of fire (orange, red, yellow) to make this Confirmation Sunday/Pentecost even more special.
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
5 Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Seventh Sunday of Easter: "Loving Boundaries"
2024-05-12 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am as we welcome Rev. Michelle King. Rev. King is a Deacon in Kalamazoo, specializing in mental health ministry. She travels to churches across Michigan preaching on topics related to mental health and mental wellness. Michelle graduated from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in 2018 with a Masters of Divinity. She is a Spiritual Care Provider at Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E., where she provides pastoral support to older adults in Kalamazoo County.
Luke 5:12-16
Once when he was in one of the cities, a man covered with a skin disease was there. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I am willing. Be made clean.” Immediately the skin disease left him. And he ordered him to tell no one. “But go, show yourself to the priest, and, as Moses commanded, make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds were gathering to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. Meanwhile, he would slip away to deserted places and pray.

Conquering Love & Complete Joy
2024-05-05 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday for the sixth Sunday of Easter. Service will begin at 10:00 am and you may join us In-person or online, after the service stay for one of our Sunday School classes.
“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.”
-John 15: 9-10

Making our home in God’s love is residing in sacred space that allows us to be fully present and belong. Jesus bids us to be fully vested in this holy dwelling that finds home within us and then gives us the agency to create this sheltering place for others as well. We are commanded to be present to one another in love. Here in our church community and there in our world that longs for safety. As we worship this Sunday, we come to the sacred place in the broken bread and the cup of blessing. We pray that the Holy Spirit will be poured out on us, that we may be for the world the body of Christ. Come, the table of grace awaits our presence.

Fifth Sunday of Easter ~ Festival of God’s Creation
2024-04-28 10:00 - 11:00
This Sunday, if you are able, walk to church, ride your bike to church, call a friend and carpool to church. We celebrate the Festival of God’s Creation as we come to God in praise for the beauty of life unfolding around us. We offer thanksgiving for the creation that sustains us and makes life possible. Our worship calls us to hear from Jesus, the Real Vine that brings forth life even while pruning us for the well-being of all. We are the branches of the Vine, sustained, nurtured and pruned by Love. Let us celebrate.
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Children and Families Ministry Sunday
2024-04-21 10:00 - 11:00
Join us this Sunday for a special celebration dedicated to our Children’s and Families Ministry. It’s a time to honor and uplift the vibrant souls who are the heart of our church’s future.
Come experience the joy and energy as our CFM team leads us in worship. Together, we’ll recognize the blessings they bring to our community and the vital role children play in our faith journey.
In addition, we’ll take a moment to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated volunteers who generously give their time and love to nurture the minds and hearts of our children.
Let’s come together in celebration and appreciation this Sunday, as we affirm our support for our children, families, and the volunteers who guide them with love and wisdom. Your presence will make this day even more special.

Third Sunday of Easter: The Essence of Resurrection
2024-04-14 10:00 - 11:30
“What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready…” 1 John 3: 2
We are children of God. Through the love of God, we are claimed and called God’s children. “See what love” is the opening of this passage in the first letter of John. It is proclaimed with amazement and joy that this love is freely given. This is Eastertide, a living and leaning into the essence of resurrection which requires an eager anticipation for the revelations of Christ. As we are attentive, awake, and alive in Christ we become like him. We are a Christ centered community; may we look forward to his comings and stay steady in love. Let us celebrate this Easter love!

Second Sunday of Easter: How We Respond
2024-04-07 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday, April 7, at 10 am for worship, either in person or online. We’ll celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter, reflecting on the themes of unity, generosity, and divine mercy as portrayed in Acts 4:32-35 and 1 John 1:1-2:2. Let’s come together to explore the transformative power of Christ’s resurrection and the call to live out our faith in community.
In Acts 4:32-35, the passage describes the early Christian community living in unity and harmony, sharing their possessions and resources with one another. They held everything in common, and no one among them was in need because those who owned land or houses sold them and brought the proceeds to the apostles, who distributed them according to each person’s need. This narrative highlights the spirit of generosity and communal living that characterized the early followers of Jesus, emphasizing the importance of caring for one another and sharing resources in Christian community.
In 1 John 1:1-2:2, we reflect on the nature of Jesus Christ, emphasizing his divinity and humanity. The passage speaks of the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to humanity through Jesus Christ, the Word of life. John declares that they have seen, heard, and touched this Word of life, bearing witness to the reality of Jesus’ incarnation. Furthermore, the passage addresses the concept of sin and forgiveness, asserting that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This underscores the theme of divine mercy and forgiveness, inviting believers to acknowledge their sins and receive God’s gracious pardon through Christ.

Sunday, March 31st ~ Easter Sunday
2024-03-31 10:00 - 12:00
Christ the Lord is risen! Alleluia. Come, join us for Easter as we sing our praise and raise our joys and triumphs high with brass, choir, organ, and timpani declaring that love’s redeeming work is done. 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. Invite your friends and family to join us for worship as we remember.
Join us in person or online at 10:00 am

Maundy Thursday
2024-03-28 19:00 - 20:30
Join us in person or online March 28, 2024 at 7:00 PM
With water and a basin, we remember that Jesus tells the disciples that he wants to wash their feet. They are bewildered by this gesture of humility and service that reverses all normal roles of authority. In humility, we symbolically wash our hands and hear the call to serve and love. Breaking the bread and lifting the cup of grace, Jesus says, come and eat with me for this grace can transform you. As our worship closes, we strip the sanctuary by removing all ornaments, linens, and paraments. This is symbolic of the humiliation of Jesus at the hands of the soldiers.

Kalamazoo FUMC Sunday, March 24th ~ Palm Sunday
2024-03-24 10:00 - 11:30
Led by: Rev. Matt Weiler
Bulletin: https://umc-kzo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Bulletin_March_24_2024.pdf
It is Palm Sunday, a time when we remember Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. And so we, like those who hailed Jesus on that day wave our palm branches, shouting “Hosanna – Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” However, by the time we come to the end of worship our hearts are heavy as we enter into Holy Week, the week of Jesus’s suffering and death. In the gospels, those who celebrated Jesus mostly left him abandoned at the cross. Will we do the same? Or will we walk through Jesus through his trial of suffering? We enter worship in triumph. We leave worship with heavy hearts.
Join us in person or online at 10:00 a.m.

The Call of Love and Life
2024-03-17 10:00 - 11:00
“Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies it bears much fruit” ~John 12:24
We are called to experience, celebrate, and share God’s love. This is our mission as First United Methodist Church of Kalamazoo. Our call to life is love. Yet, Jesus is beginning to talk of death and the fruitfulness found in endings, surrender and trust. Plants have much to teach us about resurrection. The signs of spring are unfolding all around us. What was dormant is now coming to life. We are called to a life of love that has beginnings and endings, seasons of dormancy and seasons of fruitfulness. Our mission calls us to be open to the wonders of living through experience, celebration and sharing. As we worship this week, let us renew our commitment to our mission as Kalamazoo First United Methodist Church.
Join us in person or online at 10:00 AM.

Justice: What the Cross Means for Justice
2024-03-10 10:00 - 11:30
In the Old Testament, when Moses raised the staff of the serpent any who had been bitten by a venomous snake could gaze on the staff and be healed of the serpent’s poison. It is a strange reference to an obscure story. The point is, those who look to Jesus who was lifted up on a cross, will be healed. The Lent journey involves us, the church, gazing at the cross of Jesus, that we may be made whole on the day of resurrection. It is also the work of the church to raise the cross of Jesus for the healing of the world. On this 4th Sunday of Lent as we also celebrate our congregational value of Justice: Restoration of Equity and Wholeness, we raise the cross knowing, trusting, that Christ died for an unjust world, and that we, the body of Christ, carry the cross in the name of Justice. When a hurting world turns their gaze towards the church, will they see justice and be made whole?
Bulletin_March_10_2024
Join us in person or online at 10:00 AM.

Inclusion: Bent on Mercy
2024-03-03 10:00 - 11:30
Inclusion seems to be a buzz word of the time with many organizations and entities claiming inclusion as a value. For Christ followers, inclusion is an ancient spiritual practice that was embodied by Jesus. His life and ministry consistently exemplified that love and community must include the marginalized as they too were God’s beloved. Jesus walked in forbidden territories, healed broken hearts and bodies and nourished all in body and spirit, in the name of radical inclusion. On this third Sunday of Lent, we find Jesus enraged in the temple and we find ourselves contemplating our own angry reactions and how they may become opportunities for wholistic change rather than creating further harm. As we worship, let us set our heart and minds on the challenge of living inclusively in a polarized world as we find our sustenance at the table of grace.
Join Us in person or online at 10:00 AM

Community: We are the story we tell
2024-02-25 10:00 - 11:00
This second Sunday of Lent we raise the congregational value of COMMUNITY. How fitting then to celebrate the baptism one of our youngest disciples as the community reaffirms our own baptismal covenants and welcomes a child into the covenant. In our Baptism we put on the grace of God through Jesus Christ, and we commit ourselves to the radical nature of Christian Discipleship. Jesus’ words to Peter in the Gospel reading today remind us that Sacred Christian Community demands that we deny self, take up our cross and follow Jesus, and, in following, we will know a life fuller than we could have imagined.
Join us in person or online at 10:00 AM.

First Sunday of Lent
2024-02-18 09:30 - 11:00
The story of Jesus’ baptism and the Spirit driving him out is certainly brief in the Gospel of Mark but there is plenty of drama. With the clearing away of details, we find ourselves focusing on Jesus. This is the meaning of the season of Lent. The opening verses of Mark are demanding our attention, calling us to focus in this holy season. Please rise in body and in spirit for the reading of the Gospel.
Join us in person or online at 10:00 AM.

Transfiguration Sunday
2024-02-11 10:00 - 11:30
Join us in person or online at 10:00 AM.
Elisha saw an astonishing thing take place right before his eyes when Elijah, the greatest of the prophets did not die but was swept away into the heavens by a chariot of fire. The student was so devastated he tore his clothes in two. The next time we see Elijah is on the mountain with Peter and James and Jesus. Elijah stands on one side of Jesus ministering to him while Moses stands on the other. When all is finished Jesus tells the disciples, “Don’t speak a word of this until after resurrection.” There are some things we can never understand until after resurrection. Chariots of fire. The law and the prophet ministering to Jesus. The voice of God proclaiming “This is my son, listen to him.” And what does the resurrection tell us of these things? That surely God was there. And if God was there, then perhaps God is here. And if God is here, then perhaps God will always be here – bringing us to the other side, ministering to us in our distress, carrying us away in chariots of fire. Resurrecting our lives and our stories that they too might minister to those who follow.
The Worship Planning Team is hoping that folks of all ages might consider lending us a copy of your favorite story (or stories) to use for visuals during the season of Lent. If you are willing, please bring them to the Welcome Desk on Sunday (with your name on it, so it can be returned). Thank you, one and all, for being part of building a meaningful worship.

Belonging: Manna and More
2024-02-04 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM for a special Sunday, where our Young Adult resident, Jonathan Townley, will be preaching.
We will also have a reading from “This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us” by Cole Arthur Riley, the first of the writers we will continue to feature throughout the month of February in celebration of Black History Month.
Join us in person or online at 10:00 AM.

Heal Us and Strengthen Our Love
2024-01-28 10:00 - 11:30
“I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” Mark 1: 24b
We need healing. One of the beauties of being a Christ follower is recognizing that we are wounded, and that Christ is the healer of our every ill. When we can recognize our own woundedness and accept the vulnerability that comes from seeking wholeness, we are set free. When we hide our fears, our doubts, our hurts, and our despair, we give them further command to wound ourselves or others. Jesus readily embraced those who needed healing, he turned toward them, not away. Our worship will embrace our need for healing as we have a time of anointing, accepting the balm of compassion. As wounded healers, we then go into the world with the eyes of love. Come, let us celebrate the love of God.

Third Sunday After Epiphany
2024-01-21 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday in person or online at 10:00 am
Our understanding of God and God’s all-embracing grace can be so limited, and when this is the case then so too can our own efforts to be God’s love in the world. This was certainly a problem for Jonah, a preacher who didn’t want to preach in Nineveh because he didn’t believe the Ninevites should be included in God’s love. He believed this theologically and he believed this politically. Yet in spite of his reluctance and in spite of a very terrible sermon, God managed to use Jonah for the transformation of an entire city. Today we’ll hold this story in tension with another story about some much more eager disciples who dropped everything immediately at the word of Jesus. They too held limited imaginations for just what they were being called to do. In this third Sunday after the Epiphany, the season when we discover the nature and character of God through Jesus Christ, we open our imaginations to the possibilities and the expansiveness of the one who calls us.

Human Relations Sunday
2024-01-14 10:00 - 12:00
“You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.” Mark 1:11b
“But the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age. It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., from “Facing the Challenge of a New Age,” 1956
Remembering our baptism, we remember we are personally God’s beloved. Baptism is a personal experience that is enacted within a communal setting with the community of believers promising to nurture, guide and instruct those who are baptized. Belovedness then becomes communal. God calls us to find ourselves within beloved community that will lead us to deep gladness and an ending of oppression and evil that destroys all. Are we listening? Do we remember how to hear the voice of the Divine calling us to purpose and to community that is redemptive? Come, let us practice the art of listening.
Pastor Julie will refer to a video essay in her sermon entitled, “The Life Span of Loneliness,” by Adam Westbrook and Emily Holzknecht. If you would like to watch this please stay and shortly after worship, we will play it. It is five minutes long. Alternately, for those of you worshiping remotley you can find it by clicking HERE.

Baptism of the Lord
2024-01-07 10:00 - 12:30
In our baptism, we are claimed by God, we are reassured that we are God’s Beloved. Let us gather this Sunday to remember the mark of baptismal water upon our foreheads and live into the grace and abundance that is God given. Remembering our baptism, is a renewal of our awareness of God’s faithful love for us. Remembering and embracing this love allows us to accept ourselves, others, and the invitation to live into the call to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus has been named and claimed, we too must hear this same call upon our lives. Let us celebrate God’s love and weave our story to God’s story.
Join us in-person or online at 10 am !
