Which Part of the Body?

In Romans, chapter 12, the Apostle Paul asks us to "...present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God..." What does it mean to present our bodies to God? We say we are the Church Universal, the Body of Christ, the hands and feet of Jesus, one body - this Sunday, we explore this idea both literally and figuratively within the context of our sermon series, Beyond the Walls. See you Sunday!

"... and I by my works will show you my faith." - James 2:18
As we enter the month of September, we enter a season of service for First UMC.  Each year in the fall, we host our annual Worship Outside the Walls event. It is only fitting that this month, we prepare our hearts and minds for service and consider how the church reaches beyond the walls of our building.  In the first of a three-part series titled "Beyond the Walls", this Sunday's sermon explores which comes first, faith or works? See you Sunday!

Life is full of seasons, and this Sunday's reading from Ecclesiastes reminds us that each one has its own purpose. As a child, you may have experienced the death of a pet or grandparent. At a young age, we learn that life is temporary and will one day come to an end. This doesn’t have to be a heavy thought—it can actually free us to live more fully and faithfully in the time we’ve been given. In this final sermon in our series, Back to Basics, we ask the question, "How is God calling us to live within the time we have now?"

Remember the wonder of planting a seed in a cup at school, watching roots push down and a sprout push up? Jesus uses this same image in the parable of the sower, teaching us that His Word takes root in people’s hearts in different ways. We are not called to judge whether someone’s heart is ready—we are simply called to scatter the seeds, nurture growth, and trust God to bring the harvest. God invites us to look with wonder at His creation and at the ways He brings life and growth all around us. See you Sunday for the 4th in a series of sermons on Back to Basics.

We’ve all hit that breaking point—the moment when the pace of life feels impossible to keep up. In 1 Kings, the prophet Elijah reached that place too. He wondered if he could keep going, even to fulfill God’s calling. What do we do when we find ourselves there? This week, we’ll look at how God sustains us and gives us what we need to keep living out His mission.

On Sunday, we will explore a concept so fundamental to our teaching of young children through one of the most well known of Jesus' fables.  The story of the Good Samaritan teaches us both how to share our hearts and resources with others, but also how we should define the "others".  Join us Sunday as we continue going "Back to Basics" to re-learn some of the basic teachings of our faith.