Claremont United Church of Christ

Sermon from Claremont United Church of Christ

Like Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross of Jesus, we are called to be cross bearers. As a church community we carry each other's burdens when they are too heavy to carry alone, and we carry the burdens and problems of society when we can't fix them by ourselves. This is who we are!

Our faith tradition is built on stories of our ancestors acting bravely in times of trouble because they understood it was the right thing to do. Join us this Stewardship season as we remind ourselves who we are and why we live the way we do!

We conclude our "Bless this Mess" sermon series on Easter morning! Part of the messiness of the spiritual journey is that we don't always know for sure what we believe. However, part of having faith is understanding that faith and doubt can coexist within us at the same time.

This Sunday Pastor Jen will be preaching on

Bless This Mess: "He Wept"

Is there much to be grateful for in a world where so much is going wrong? Is it privileged of us to take time out of our days to be grateful when so many people are suffering? Join Pastor Jacob in our Bless this Mess sermons series as he explores the importance of gratitude as a spiritual discipline.

GUEST PREACHER:

REV. DR. KATHERINE GEORGIA A. THOMPSON

The Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson is the General Minister and President and the Chief Executive Officer of the United Church of Christ. Rev. Thompson is the first woman and first woman of African descent to serve as leader of the denomination. She is a writer, poet and theologian who has contributed to numerous publications. Her book of poetry Drums in Our Veins was published in 2022.

Prior to this call, Rev. Thompson served in the national setting of the United Church of Christ for 14 years – two years as Minister for Racial Justice, eight years as Minister for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations, and four years as the Associate General Minister for Wider Church Ministries and Co-Executive for Global Ministries. She was elected as Associate General Minister in 2019. As General Minister and President of the UCC, Rev. Thompson is the head of communion and the spiritual leader of the church, as well as the executive leader of the church.

Her passion for justice and equity moved her work on behalf of the UCC into a global context when she served as Minister for Racial Justice. This passion for justice was a catalyst for her global advocacy to reduce the marginalization experienced by African descendant peoples and other communities globally. She continues to participate globally bringing her leadership to addressing a variety of issues including global racial justice, gender justice, and human rights.

Before joining the national staff in 2009, Rev. Thompson served in the Florida Conference United Church of Christ as a Pastor and on the Conference staff as the Minister for Disaster Response and Recovery. She also worked in the nonprofit arena for over 10 years in leaderships positions.

Rev. Thompson earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College in New York, a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York. She also studied Public Policy at Duke University and earned her Doctor of Ministry at Seattle University. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Heidelberg University in 2023.

This Sunday Pastor Jen will be preaching on Bless This Mess: "Wreck the Ship"

This Sunday Pastor Jen will be preaching on

Bless This Mess: "Not My Circus"

In Ezekiel Chapter 37, God brings Ezekiel to a valley full of dry, dead bones and asks him, "Can these bones live?" As we survey the chaos and country of our world, God asks us the same question, "Can these bones live?"