Mount Olivet UMC

Good morning and welcome to worship at Mount Olivet. We hope that you experience inspiration and gentleness in the work of our worship together this morning! We are contemplating the glory of God and the beauty we find in healing and God’s reconciling work.

We are contemplating the ways that God is calling us and beckoning us to follow Jesus. We are noticing the ways that God is at work in the world around us and discerning the ways we might join in that work. We hope that you experience inspiration and gentleness in the work of our worship together this morning!

As the season of Lent fast approaches, this is a time where we can begin to look deeper into our calls and understanding of the cost of discipleship. As we worship, pray, and sing today, let us contemplate our own sense of calling in relation to Christ. “Where have I heard Jesus beckoning me from?” With this question, not only do we discover that our call to discipleship is static but dynamic and always transforming. As Christ called his first disciples from their nets, he too calls us to a life of transformative discipleship in our walks with God.

As we honor the enduring legacy of Dr. King, we also delve into the sacred words of 1 Samuel 3:1-20, where young Samuel hears the call of the Lord. In this time of reflection and remembrance, let us open our hearts to listen, just as Samuel did, to the ways in which God is speaking into our lives today.

As we sing, worship, pray, and celebrate with the angels on high this morning let us lean into the question asked by Mary, “How can this be?” It is a question we tend to ask when we feel small, insignificant, or without purpose. The story of Mary’s encounter of Gabriel calls us to remember that all things are possible with God.

Welcome to the first Sunday of Advent and the start of a new year in the Christian calendar. As we await the coming of Christ, we hope you find moments of peace and inspiration in our time of worship together.

Today we celebrate Christ the King Sunday in anticipation of the beginning of the Advent season. We REJOICE in Christ’s rule over all of creation. We remember that Christ is a King with a servants heart—ruling through love and mercy, not power and might. May we follow his example in our own lives of service and care.

Jesus tells us a story, one about a wealthy land owner who goes on a journey and entrusts his riches to his servants. Each is expected not only to protect what has been given to him but to multiply it.

As we kick off our Stewardship season, we are contemplating the concept of “rebuilding.” We are literally rebuilding from the damage of the fire, but we are, with God’s help, always building our lives and communities in fresh ways. As we think about the great gifts God has given to us, we also consider the ways that we are stewards for those gifts.

As we observe All Saints Sunday, we are contemplating the words of Jesus “blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” We honor the connections we have with all of our “saints,” those past and present and the way that Christ holds all of us together.