A healthy dose of gratitude is good for the soul. Yet so much is going on in the world that leaves us disheartened and longing for something more. Let’s take some time to decompress, refocus and cultivate the healing practice of gratitude in our lives. Together, we’ll connect with God, with one another and with the world in soul-refreshing and transformative ways.
*Based on the book "Grateful: The Subversive Practice of Giving Thanks" by Diana Butler Bass
We’ve all heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and it’s true! None of us can get through life alone, let alone raise children alone. We need the support of the church and other influential adults to help disciple and raise young people who love and follow Jesus. Let’s examine some of the stories and instruction found in Scripture about what to do, what not to do and how to trust God—not only with our own lives, but with the lives of our children too.
Many of us have said, “I’m ready for 2020 to be over.” With nearly six months left, it’s almost as if we have resigned ourselves to a year of disappointment and pain. But that’s not the future God dreams for us! When was the last time you allowed yourself to dream; to imagine a different outcome than the one the world anticipates? This five-week series focuses on the story of Joseph and will guide our examination of the very real challenges of hurt and forgiveness, temptation, pandemic and family relationship dynamics. Together we’ll see that even when we aren’t “living the dream,” we can trust that in all things, God works for good, and we can dream again.
Sometimes it feels like the world is falling apart. Living in the midst of a pandemic, most of us know this feeling all too well.Our tightly-knit plans unravel and we’re left with only loose threads. What do we become when our identity or the path we’re on comes undone?
But what if our fears don’t become our reality? Is it possible that in our unraveling, we might come face-to-face with unexpected hope, joy and love; a new beginning we couldn’t ever have imagined? Sometimes we need God to unravel us, for we need or even long to be changed.
This Easter season, we will explore biblical accounts of unraveled shame, identity, fear, grief, dreams, and expectations. Together, we’ll see that God can meet us in our spiraling, unraveling our plans—and us—into something new.
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).
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.
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.
