We have arrived in our sermon series to a central theme of the show, This is Us and a significant part of the story of our own culture and church history: bias and racism. In this sermon, we look at Randall, the one triplet who is adopted and African American in an otherwise all white family.

So, struggling to begin the sermon, I gingerly typed into Google, "best sermons on race." Of the first 10 sermons listed, only one addressed racism, and the rest were based on Paul’s text, "I have run the race." I laughed at first and then pondered if this was a sad commentary on how seldom predominately white churches wrestle with our racial history as a country and a community.

Part of what I love about the This is Us TV series is that it doesn't shy away from the depth of the beauty of our diversity nor the pain of our brokenness. In my opinion, it doesn't always get it "right," but it wrestles all the same. One of our Scriptures for this sermon reminds us, "The poor and the oppressor have this in common: the Lord gives light to the eyes of both" (Proverbs 29:13). Come this this sermon to ponder race and culture through the lens of the Scriptures for this sermon and the modern show. These constructs have become are a part of "us," our culture, our church history, and more. And as you pray and prepare to listen, ask God to help you see something you have not yet seen about "race" within or around you. God will guide us in our exploration anytime we ask God to, for God, thankfully, is not done with "us!"

I love that we can seek God's light that reveals all truth together.

Oksana talks about her experience with Dinners for 8-ish as well as her husband's.

Insecurities!

We all have them and battle them in different ways. But what do our personal struggles have to do with our faith?

As we continue in our This is Us sermon series, we'll look this week at Kevin, one of the three siblings, who has succeeded on the surface. His character is the star in a wildly popular, very cheesy TV series that focuses more on his abs than his acting chops. He got the courage to quit to pursue a "real acting career." One clip shows him at a network party, and he's just heard from the producers that they won't let him out of his contract. He's trying to find his true self (the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful parts) and calls his adopted brother in New York. Then their sister, also at the party, joins in the call.

Kevin, like us, is fighting the temptation to give in to his pseudo-self (how others influence and define him) and, instead to trust his "solid self" (the unique person God made him to be). Who did his parents raise? Who helped his return to that truth and how? Who has our parent, God, created and raised in you? What / who helps you discover and remember your true, unique self? Read the Scriptures for this sermon, and ask yourself, "How can my connection with Christ and his crucifixion influence or impact my own insecurities and the role they play in my life and our lives together?"

Jill shares her experience of Covenant Bible Study in 2017-2018.

Who are you? Who am I? Who are we - as individuals and a faith family?

Starting with this sermon, we begin using the NBC series, This is Us as a jumping off point to explore our identities as individuals, as Christians, as citizens living in this complex world, as members of the CHUMC family and the United Methodist Church, etc. But, identity is never as clear-cut as the show’s title.

One truth about all of us is we have moments and subsequent choices that direct and define us. For John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, one of those moments was in college. He knew that his church experience was unsatisfying and almost meaningless, so he chose to respond to the situation by working to re-form the church and restore her to her true purpose. He saw the worst and sought to re-cover the best.

What about you? Are you a “re-former” at heart? I propose that God is. Our God is constantly working with the brokenness around us to re-from and redeem our true value and purpose, but we have the choice each day to join in or resist God’s re-formation work.

Our series starts off with a tragic situation of a couple blessed with triplets, but one of them dies in delivery. An old sage doctor attempts to offer some advice to the grieving father and challenges him to take "the sourest lemon that life has to offer and turn it into something resembling lemonade.”

Is that what redemption looks like - turning lemons into lemonade? Or is it something somewhat similar yet distinctively different and more substantive? Read the Scriptures for this sermon, and ask yourself, "How does God re-form the sourest that life has to offer? How does God re-form me? And am I a re-former, or how can I be?"

In this sermon, we have the great pleasure to meet our new Wesley Theological Seminary Intern, Sarah Mae Gabuyo. She will share about her call to the work of ministry and challenge and encourage each of us in the labors to which we are invited by God through this sermon. Check out the Scriptures and pause to ask, "God, what are you calling me to help build or plant this fall?"

As you may know, the Zambia mission team has returned safely and has loads of wonderful stories to share. It was a great honor and joy for me to be able to go as part of the team. The children of Lord’s Mountain Orphanage, along with Pastor Bernard and his wife Betty, as well as the staff and friends of LMO, all welcomed us so graciously and treated us like family from the moment of our arrival.

In this sermon, I share some stories from our trip and gleaning some of the key lessons learned. “Beyond the Great Commission” is an expression used by Pastor Bernard several times while we were at LMO. In part, he meant this literally, as Zambezi is so far “off the beaten path” that getting there is like traveling to the ends of the earth. But he also meant it metaphorically, suggesting that we are thinking about mission and relationships in new ways, ways that go beyond the old images of mission as evangelism and proselytizing. We are, and have been - thanks to David and Barbara Kennedy - developing a new kind of missional relationship that is a partnership. It is a relationship grounded in mutual respect and dignity, marked by holy listening and sharing, and above all, led by the Holy Spirit.

Ponder the Scriptures for this sermon, and listen as I share more on our new and deepening relationship with Lord’s Mountain Orphanage. And perhaps you will find your heart fluttering anew as the Holy Spirit is prompting you to consider joining the next mission trip to Zambia.

What’s "eternal life?" Or how do we "live forever?"

In this sermon, we dive deep into two passages (Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58) and see what our Scriptures say about how to live now, so that we might experience eternal life, resurrected life (hope, joy, peace, health) in this world and in the world to come. And we have a special treat. My dear friend and colleague, Rev. Rachel Cornwell, will be preaching.

Rev. Cornwell, a graduate of Emory Seminary, most recently served 11 years as the Lead Pastor of Silver Spring UMC, a Reconciling Congregation, doing incredible work in uniting two congregations, building a mission center with a robust feeding ministry, growing a diverse and flourishing worship, and much more. Currently, she is a Program Director with The James Company, helping local congregations in fundraising for mission. She’s been a community organizer, an adjunct Wesley professor and much more.

On top of all that, she is 1 of the 5 women in my "clergy posse," which also includes Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli and Rev. Donna Claycomb Sokol. We meet once a month to care for each others' souls and support one another in ministry. Rachel’s wisdom, humor, honesty, and faithfulness have made me a better pastor, person, and disciple. Hence, I’m so excited she gave this sermon for you all.