Bethany UCC

We're focusing on Disability Justice this month at Bethany. In her sermon this week, Pastor Rebecca reflects on the ways churches and communities often ask 'how can you fit into how we do things' rather than asking 'how can we do things in ways that include the most people possible?'

In her last sermon as Bethany student pastor, Kelli Manning delivered a sermon asking: what does sanctuary look like when we are surrounded by the wilderness? Can Sanctuary and Wilderness coexist?

Citing the Potawatomi botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer, student pastor Xander King invites us to consider our church and it's community as verbs rather than nouns, to imagine them as living, changing things.

In her Easter sermon this week, Pastor Rebecca shares how God reveals much more than we could know or imagine on our own.

"This is not a sermon about what you should do but it is a sermon about what can happen. How, without much planning, or even the skills you think you need, you can end up following Jesus just one step at a time. A sermon about what could happen when God speaks through you and you draw the attention of the Empire. So, I guess, it’s a warning. That if you give up everything, you’ll have nothing left, except the way of love."

-Pastor Rebecca

In his sermon this week, Pastor Vince shares the controversial opinion that we aren't required to do all that we can do.

In her sermon this week, Pastor Rebecca preached on releasing control. She cites the poem "Welcoming Prayer" by Mary Mrozowski.

Pastor Vince shared the story of St. Francis' conversion, how he felt compelled to give up even his clothes to show his devotion to God. Vince doesn't think God requires all of that from us, but rather that we be "radically available" should the moment come.

In her sermon this week, Pastor Rebeccas shares the story of a friend asking her to help discard some spooky items. In doing so, she tells a story of loss, change and knowing when to let go.

On our first Sunday of Lent, Kelli explored the theme of less by acknowledging the many hats and labels we wear and inviting us to look underneath them all.