Bethany UCC

Pastor Vince preached on Psalm 27 this week, describing the ways our monsters can show us the way forward.

We welcomed our new student pastor Annika Fuller to the pulpit this Sunday, where she shared her recent experience going viral for the wrong reasons and a call to be a nightlight illuminating the monster in the night for what it is: a jacket hanging in the closet.

This week, we celebrated World Communion Sunday by inviting Bethany congregation members to tell stories of shared meals together. Our first story teller chose to remain anonymous. Our second story is told by Tom Miles, and our third story is told by Adam Motz.

Pastor Rebecca shares a strange truth in her sermon: weird can be a good thing, and sometimes even bring you closer into community.

This week, Pastor Vince preached for the ordination of long-time Bethany member Xander King. His sermon proclaims that ministry isn’t about trying to control the outcome, but rather about being a witness to God’s great gifts.

This week in worship, Pastor Vince and Pastor Rebecca celebrated 10 years of ministry at Bethany. Vince preached on the ways that following Jesus calls us to love in unexpected ways.

Pastor Rebecca preaches 4 mini-sermons about how worship shapes and transforms us and why, as a church, we do what we do.

Introducing our Keep Church Weird worship theme for September, Pastor Vince’s sermon reflects on the first time he realized it was “weird” to be a church person, and on the many ways that Jesus calls us to stick out in love.

This week, Pastor Rebecca preached 4 mini sermons about how worship shapes and transforms us and why, as a church, we do what we do.

The kind of sermon that elicited applause from the congregation! Rev. James Pennington preached from the book of Luke* for the final week of Show and Tell: a faith made for sharing. Joining the disciples who walked the road to Emmaus on the first Easter, Rev. James said we better pay attention, we better look around, because Empire teaches us to categorize, but Jesus teaches us to recognize. Instead of labels, Jesus gives us names. Give it a(nother) listen and then ask yourself, “Were not our hearts burning within us???”

* Luke 4:18-19, Luke 24:13-16, 30-32