Sermons

Reckless Love

Jesus calls us to BE LOVE. If we are to live out the Great Commandment to love God and neighbor, we need to embody the kind of love Jesus is so famous for exhibiting. His is a reckless love; one that drives us to cross imposed or implied boundaries for the purpose of loving as God loves and commands us to love. This Lent, you’re invited to join Community United Methodist Church for an all-church study of Tom Berlin’s Reckless Love: Jesus’ Call to Love our Neighbor. “Love God more deeply by learning to love your neighbor” (back cover).

Jagged Edges: Piecing Together the Brokenness in Our Lives

One in every five U.S. adults experiences mental illness each year. Mental health is a subject of great importance yet is too often brushed under the rug by society, family, friends and the Church. This January, we will consider topics such as loneliness, grief, eating disorders and suicide. We’ll examine stories from the Bible related to mental health and develop a mental health tool kit for personal use. Jesus calls us to be a neighbor to all. Join us as we ponder how we might proactively begin the New Year with a greater awareness of and compassion for those affected by mental health challenges.

Unwrap the True Meaning of Christmas

The weeks leading up to Christmas remind us that we are journeying toward a new way of being. We look back and celebrate Jesus’ birth while also looking forward, knowing there is more to come. Too often, however, we plow through December cleaning and decorating our homes, squeezing in Amazon orders during lunch, standing in lines and spending dollar after dollar after dollar…. It’s not uncommon for us to get overwhelmed, fall into a season of grief, get into an argument with a family member or even wish it was all over. This isn’t what God has in mind for our lives or for our celebration of Christ’s birth. God wants more for us and God wants more from us. Join us for a new sermon series, Unwrap the True Meaning of Christmas, and together we’ll explore what Christmas really is all about.

Hidden in Plain Sight: The Parables of Jesus

Jesus was a master storyteller. He knew just how to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. And though life in first-century Palestine was very different from life today, many traditional interpretations of Jesus’ stories fail to honor that reality. Join us as we discover Jesus’ short stories, or parables, anew and delve into what they might mean for our lives today.

Earn.Save.Give.

“Earn all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.” These timeless words of John Wesley, the founder of the movement that became The United Methodist Church, sound straightforward. In fact, some of us might even say we’re already following his instructions! But in a time where wants are mistaken for needs and consumerism and status win the day, the hard truth is that most of us could use a refresh in how we think about and handle our finances. This fall, bring an open mind and an expectant heart to worship and your life group discussions as we prayerfully consider how God might be challenging each one of us in the ways we’ve come to understand money.

Animating Faith: Pixar Illuminates Scripture

When Pixar released Toy Story, the world of animation changed forever, bringing with it films we’ve come to love and cherish. Deep within the storyline of each Pixar film are traces, if not overt messages that are also found in the Bible. This summer, bring your imagination and creativity as we seek to understand Scripture with fresh eyes and animate our faith in new ways. God has the power to take us To infinity and beyond!

The Story: Under Construction

Jesus has given his disciples the Great Commission. We are to go and make disciples for the transformation of the world. With our mission before us and our everyday tasks, expectations and stressors mounting, how can we best participate in the continuation and growth of the Church in the world? How can we prioritize Jesus and his message in our lives? Or maybe the better question is, how can we not?

The Story: The Heart of the Story

Having finished our study of the Hebrew Scriptures, we now turn our attention to the New Testament Gospels. Through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, humanity is given the opportunity to see and hear the heart of God. Jesus teaches us how to live, love, learn, listen and lead with integrity and intentionality. No one’s life has had a greater impact on the course of human history than his. Jesus is the heart of the story and the beat of our hearts.

The Story: Are We Listening?

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, we’ve read about the doubts, temptations, mistakes and violence of God’s people, followed by the forgiveness God inevitably grants them. It has begun to feel like an endless cycle; a playlist on repeat.

Here’s the thing: we continue to select the same songs today! Why is it so hard for us to change our ways?

Join us for a new sermon miniseries, Are We Listening?, as we consider how different life might sound if we tune our ears to the will of God.

No Invitation Required

What might Jesus’ birth have been like and what could his birthday celebration look like today? As you prepare for the coming of Christ and the new life he offers this Christmas, we invite you into a time of preparation and celebration. Join us as we prepare Birthday Bags for the local food shelf to help others celebrate their birthdays. And while you’re at it, why not make time in your own life to truly honor the one birthday that changed and continues to change everything? Let’s get ready to celebrate the most important birthday in all of history! This is one birthday party with no invitation required.

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