Today, we are in week 4 of our series Get Off Your Donkey 2.0.

In 2023, we spent six weeks looking at Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan—a Samaritan man traveling along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho and finds someone lying on the side of the road—robbed, beaten, and left for dead. Instead of continuing on his way (like those before him), the Samaritan gets off his donkey, cleans up the man’s wounds, and takes him to an inn where he can recover.

Jesus uses this parable as an illustration to show that our faith is not just about what we believe, but also about what we do—our faith calls us to get off our donkey and care for others, particularly those in need.

We’ve brought back this “Get Off Your Donkey” series as a way to remind ourselves that sometimes, faith-in-action looks like meeting immediate needs, and other times, it looks like doing systemic work—advocating so that all might have the things they need to thrive, and working to change systems that cause harm.

Our United Methodist social principles are a great way to illustrate this work. These principles aren’t church law, but they call each of us to engage with the world around us, and to live like Jesus—compassionately working for justice for each and every one of God’s creations.

This week, we are taking a look at how our faith calls us to work for food justice. And with me this week, I have my husband, Chef Rasul Welch, to help teach us about food justice and give us ways we can each make a difference in this area.

In 2023, we spent six weeks looking at Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan—a Samaritan man traveling along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho and finds someone lying on the side of the road—robbed, beaten, and left for dead. Instead of continuing on his way (like the priest and religious man before him), the Samaritan gets off his donkey, cleans up the battered man’s wounds, and takes him to an inn where he can recover.

The Samaritan didn’t have to do any of this. But he does because that’s what our faith calls us to do—to get off our donkey and care for others, particularly those in need.

We’ve brought back this “Get Off Your Donkey” series as a way to remind ourselves that sometimes, faith-in-action looks like meeting immediate needs, and other times, it looks like advocating for others and doing the internal work of rethinking assumptions and preconceived notions.

This time around, we’re exploring our United Methodist social principles. These principles aren’t church law, but they represent the prayerful efforts of the United Methodist Church to speak to contemporary context.

They call each of us to engage with the world around us, and to live like Jesus—compassionately working for justice for each and every one of God’s creations.

This week, we are taking a look at how our faith calls us to honor our mental health.

Get Off Your Donkey - a Woman's Place by BrecksvilleUMC

Get Off Your Donkey - Healthcare by BrecksvilleUMC

If this is your first time with us, know that today is not a “regular” Sunday. Just one week ago, we celebrated Easter together—singing, praying together, and connecting scripture with our daily lives.

And while we will do all those things today, we are also acutely aware of just how much can change in a week.

This past Tuesday, Dana Schwendeman, our Youth Director for the past 8 ½ years, passed away suddenly. Each time someone in our community passes, it leaves a void. When that person is on staff, and has been for the better part of a decade, I’m discovering that void is much larger. Dana was someone who helped us to understand who God has called us to be… she loved us and formed us… her finger prints are all around us.

And so today, as we gather to worship our God like we do each and every Sunday, we do so with deep sadness in our hearts.

One of our values is Honest Worship—we invite everyone to participate in worship authentically and holistically; heart, mind, soul, and body. Today, we are reminded that sometimes, worship isn’t “happy,” but there is joy and comfort to be found when we are together.

Everything In Between Grief and Hope by BrecksvilleUMC

PALM / PASSION SUNDAY

everything in between shouting & silence

Luke 19:29-40 (Jesus enters Jerusalem)

Jesus doesn’t instigate his own parade. Instead, just his quiet presence alone inspires the multitude to shout out and praise God. When the religious leaders try to silence the crowd, Jesus tells them that the noise level isn’t the point—even the stones would cry out if they were silent. It takes wisdom to know when our voice is needed and when it’s just noise.

The story of Zacchaeus and Jesus - Luke 19:1-10

The crowds grumble at Jesus’ self-invitation to stay with Zacchaeus, and their righteous indignation isn’t without cause. As a tax collector, Zacchaeus has extorted money and acted in collusion with the empire, using his position to oppress his own people. It is important to call out oppression, and yet, Jesus offers mercy. That mercy then begets more mercy as Zacchaeus, unprompted, offers to return what he took, and then some.

Our Sermon Series, Everything In Between, is studying stories and parables found in the Gospel of Luke. Each story shows how Jesus addressed the polarities people were living in, challenging his listeners to think of things in a new way.

So for us– thousands of years later–this series invites us to spend Lent navigating the polarities in our own lives with more faith, intention, and openness… so that we might be transformed.

Each week, the story or parable invites us to look at two supposed binaries—ideas we usually consider opposing—this or that, either/or, black or white. And we’ll be challenged to look at these dichotomies with nuance and complexity.

Because that space in between the “this” or “that” is like a doorway through which God is beckoning us into something new.

Today, we focus on a very appropriate polarity for the beginning of spring: rest and growth.

THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT

Luke 10:38-42

(Mary & Martha host Jesus)

In many translations, Jesus says that “Mary has chosen the better part,” which has been used to create a divide between Mary and Martha. However, in the Greek, Mary has chosen the “good portion,” and Martha’s tasks are called “ministry.” Therefore, perhaps Mary represents our faith, our desire to know God intimately, and Martha represents our good works, our desire to transform the world. Both are needed, and both are good.