There is a long history of the use of labyrinths in Christian worship. The purpose of the labyrinth is to slow us down and, in this season, we contemplate the themes of Advent. The Advent and Christmas scriptures are rich with home metaphors and imagery. In these scriptures, home is both physical and metaphorical, something […]
Young Adults are invited to gather with Pastor Matt Weiler and Mandakini Brophy most Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm in the Youth Lounge (located on the lower level of First United Methodist Church of Kalamazoo) for “Manna.” In the Bible, Manna represents God arriving to a people who were yet discovering who they were. Manna was […]
On this first Sunday in Advent, we will set our hearts to the rhythm of a new liturgical season. This practice is the response to our Lukan text imploring us to “...be on guard, so our hearts are not weighed down...” There is indeed much from which to guard our hearts; the worries of an […]
On this first Sunday in Advent, we will set our hearts to the rhythm of a new liturgical season. This practice is the response to our Lukan text imploring us to “…be on guard, so our hearts are not weighed down…” There is indeed much from which to guard our hearts; the worries of an […]
Deb Search Willoughby and David Lundquist will lead an Academy Class on Sunday, November 20 at in the Parlor. This class will provide the opportunity to hear more about what is happening within the denomination, to discuss and ask questions, and to learn how the UMC’s future may or may not impact First United Methodist […]
“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him, God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things…” Colossians 1: 19a What does it mean to speak of the Christ who reigns or Christ the king? The Gospels will undoubtedly tell us that Jesus redefined what it meant to […]
Join us for worship on this special Second Sunday. Pastor Matt and the Second Sunday team will guide us to contemplate Jesus‘s words “I am the bread of life“ and consider what it means for Jesus to be the nourishment of our souls along with our real need to be physically nourished. Our change the […]
All Saints is a day of remembrance for the saints. We celebrate the communion of saints as we remember the dead and celebrate our connectedness as Christians. The Christian festival of All Saints Day comes from a conviction that there is a spiritual connection between those on heaven and on earth. It is also an […]
In this final Sunday of our “Stewards of a Grace-filled Life” Stewardship Season, we turn to the story of Zacchaeus. This is a man whose encounter with Jesus led to radical life transformation manifested through generous giving to his community. On this Sunday, the congregation is invited to determine how we are each being called […]
The teachings of Jesus are central to the Christianity, yet how much do we know about Jesus in his own time? In "The Challenge of Jesus," John Dominic Crossan pinpoints the history and circumstances that helped Jesus’ message of nonviolent resistance to evil have such a powerful impact against Imperial Rome. Moving beyond Jesus as […]
Join us this Sunday in worship as we hear from our local Wesley Foundation Director, Rev. Jeremy Simpson. Jeremy is not only the Wesley Foundation Campus Minister, but he is also an accomplished organist, pianist, choir director and all-around church musician. Also in worship this Sunday our 3rd graders will be gifted with new Bibles, […]
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. ~John 9:1-3 Jesus said, ‘I […]
