We believe in love first.
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Some people’s stories in the Bible stick with you, even when we don’t know their names. I don’t know when I first read this story about the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She shows up in three of the Gospels, and Matthew’s Gospel actually has the least to say about the story in general. He only gives us the sparse details. But he does give us something we so rarely get in scripture — he tells us what she thinks. “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
Genesis 12: 1-9
Matthew 9: 18-23
Today is Trinity Sunday. It’s a day heavy with theology. That can be an intimidating, maybe even polarizing word, one I have become deeply familiar with over this last year in seminary. In class, my theology teacher, Dr. Brian Bantum, described many kinds of theology: historical, moral, systematic, and constructive. He taught us that, boiled down, theology is simply the study of God, and God’s world. But specifically, constructive theology is the work of trying to understand who God is in light of a certain problem or context. The context we are looking at today is our human obsession with certainty and fortresses. And the study of God—the Trinity, and the study of God’s world—creation, are inviting us to loosen our grip on what we think keeps us safe.
Genesis 1:1-2:3
from The Peace Table Bible
Matthew 28: 16-20
These long lists of ethnic identities from Acts can be reminiscent of of some of our Old Testament origin stories with the long lists of so and so, begot so and so, and on and on and on to the point of loosing our attention all together, but our list today is very poignant because it represents a much larger picture. This long list of nations seems like the most important part of the story declaring that the proclamation or miracle of Pentecost was not to erase difference but the creation of connection across difference. Pentecost wasn’t just for some, it was for all...
Acts 2:1-12
John 7:37-39
On May 17, we’ll have a special opportunity to see that truth come alive in a fresh way. Our children and youth will lead us in worship: preaching, reading scripture, offering prayers, sharing their many gifts, and guiding us through the service. This isn’t just a “cute” Sunday (though there will surely be joy, energy and cuteness!). It’s a powerful reminder that the Spirit speaks through all ages, and that ministry truly belongs to all of us.
Psalm 100
Romans 5:1-8
1 Samuel 3:1-10
On May 3rd we will celebrate the confirmation of five young people in our church community. Each year (though many of the elements remain constant) it is always an absolute joy to see what questions and wonderings our youth have as well as their hopes and dreams for the future of the church.
Psalm 139:7-12
New International Version
1 John 3:1-3 The Message
This month we will be reading the book “The Serviceberry” by Robin Wall Kimmerer and have a worship series based on its blessing and based in our own scriptures which lift up the earth as our neighbor. It is a short book; it is a profound book; it is a book with a beautiful invitation for us as people who follow Jesus to once again claim that all flourishing is mutual. Come participate, in this season of spring and Earth Day and the resurrection, as we explore how to retrain ourselves to fall in love with the flourishing of the earth as we worship our God.
April 12 - Gift Economy
Genesis 2:4-8, 15-17, 19
April 19 - Reciprocity
Luke 12:13-21
April 26 - Interdependence
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
The series continues in May!
May 10 - Hope for Creation
Isaiah 55:10-13
This Lent we will be reading some amazing stories from our faith — stories of the ways Jesus interacted with people; of the surprising way that God sneaks into our lives; stories of questions and hesitation and missteps that we often make in this dance of faith. And I suspect that as we hear these stories, we will remember who we are; we will be surprised by this mysterious One that we worship; we will have our hearts broken again as we allow the Holy Spirit to enter our lives and transform us. That’s what every good story does - lead us into transformation and liberation. I hope you’ll come and be changed by these amazing stories.
Feb 22 - 1st Sunday in Lent
Matthew 4:1-11
March 1 - 2nd Sunday in Lent
John 3:1-21*
*from The Peace Table Bible
March 8 - 3rd Sunday in Lent
John 4:4-42*
March 15 - SNOW DAY!
March 22 - 4th Sunday in Lent
John 11:1-44*
March 29 - Palm Sunday
Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-40*
April 5 - Easter
Matthew 28:1-10*
Our guest speaker, Rev. Dawn Houser, will share about the intersection of intergeneration trauma in the American Indian community and the church. Rev. Houser is a descendent of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa and serves as the lead pastor of Aitkin United Methodist Church. A committed Ojibwe Christian, Dawn lives at the intersection of Christian faith and Native spirituality, working to bring healing, understanding, and cultural restoration to both church and community. She chairs the Minnesota Conference Committee on Native American Ministries, and co-chairs the North Central Jurisdiction Committee on Native American Ministries.
February 15 - UWF Sunday
Psalm 124; Jeremiah 31:15-17
This life of faith was never intended to be a solitary journey. From the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus called people to gather, to follow him in ways that challenged injustice, broke down barriers, and lifted those pushed to the margins. He fostered community and lived out a ministry rooted in justice, equality, and mutual care. Through so much of his life, Jesus reminds us that our collective call was never meant to be carried out in isolation.
This month we will explore what it means to desire transformative action in our relationships, communities and world. Join us in being reflective about:
▪️ Who are we?
▪️ Who is around us?
▪️ Why do we do what we do?
▪️ How do we as followers of Christ and a love
first community best lead transformation?
January 11 - Who are you?
Matthew 3: 13-17; Acts 10:34-38
January 18 - Who is around you?
1 Corinthians 1:10-18;
Matthew 4:12-23
January 25 - Why do I do what I do?
Matthew 5:1-12; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
February 1 - Influence
Matthew 5:13-20; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
February 8 -
Celebration of Mission & Ministry
Matthew 17:1-9
Together we can do far more than we can separately, and we often find it easier to access joy and laughter and meaning because there are people traveling with us. A few years ago I wrote down the quote, “Hope is like a road in the country. At first it doesn’t exist, and then it comes into being because people travel on it.” I apologize that I don’t know who said it, but I do know it to be true! This Advent as we travel through the familiar stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth; Caesar and John; Mary and Joseph; may we learn the wisdom of those who have come before us. They struggled to find hope too - and so it is in their struggle and their dreams and their lived out hope that we can find a way through. Thanks be to God!
November 30 - Advent 1
Luke 1:5-13; Lamentations 3:55-57
December 7 - Advent 2
Matthew 11:1-11; Isaiah 43:19-21
December 14 - Advent 3
Luke 1:26-39; Jeremiah 1:4-10
December 21 - Pop-up Pageant
Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 41:5-10
CHRISTMAS EVE Services
3:30pm Ensembles & Candles
5:00pm Choirs & Candles
December 28 - Service of Blessing
Matthew 2:1-20
January 4 - Epiphany - Star Words
Matthew 2:1-12
For three weeks in November we are taking time to dig deeper into the words of Isaiah.
November 9: The Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 6:1-8; Isaiah 9:2-7
November 16: The Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 40:1-8; Isaiah 55:1-13
November 23: The Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 61:1-11
This month we will celebrate All Saints’ Day, naming the ways in which those who have come before us have blessed us and created the present where we now stand; and we will continue our Visioning Process, where we will claim a future we have yet to see. May this be a month of blessing, of peace, of challenge, and of living out our faith. May we be moved by love to become love!
November 2: Blessed and Beloved
Ephesians 1:11-23; Luke 6:20-31
2022-2023
Fall Series
“When Jesus was about to die, he went to a garden. He told everyone who followed him to stay awake. It was hard to stay awake. They’d done so much, and all of this was emotionally exhausting. Jesus went off and prayed hard, crying with God and having all sorts of spiritual revelations, and the disciples kept sleeping. Three times Jesus came back, saying “No seriously, this time don’t sleep.” But they kept sleeping. And even now, more than 700,000 nights later, wherever you are in the world, Jesus never stops asking you to stay awake: awake to the suffering of the world, to our own souls, to the amazing miracle of being alive.”
~Tyler Sit, from the Introduction to
"Staying Awake: The Gospel for Changemakers”
Summer Sermon Series: Fruit of the Spirit
