Pastor Bert Cloud offers a preview of this Sunday's worship service!

Pastor Bert explores Jesus's baptism in Luke 3:21-22, explaining how baptism was rooted in Jewish cleanliness practices before becoming a Christian sacrament of adoption into God's family. Through baptism, God claims us as beloved children just as He claimed Jesus, saying "You are my son, whom I dearly love," initiating us into Christ's universal church not through our merit but through God's gracious initiative.

Pastor Bert Cloud offers a preview of what you can expect this Sunday, August 24th, in worship.

Pastor Bert explains the meaning and practice of Holy Communion in the United Methodist tradition, emphasizing its deep historical roots and theological significance. He walks through the Great Thanksgiving liturgy, highlighting how communion represents thanksgiving to God, remembrance of Christ's sacrifice, the spiritual presence of Jesus, and anticipation of God's future kingdom.

Pastor Bert Cloud shares a preview of what you can expect in worship this Sunday, August 17th!

Our guest pastor this morning, Rev. Dr. Ryan LaRock, explores the transformational journey of Saul (later Paul) from a persecutor of Christians to an apostle, highlighting how God's grace can unravel our misguided convictions. Through stories of Saul's encounter on the Damascus road and a modern neo-Nazi's redemption, the sermon reminds us that the church is called to embrace all people—even those who have harmed it—because everyone is created in God's image.

Pastor Bert shares a preview of what you can expect in church this Sunday, August 10th!

Pastor Bert explores how we can have a genuine relationship with Jesus while still wrestling with questions and uncertainties. Using the Pentecost story from Acts, he demonstrates how questions like "what does this mean?" can become doorways to deeper faith rather than signs of faithlessness. The sermon concludes by encouraging believers to bring their difficult "why" questions about suffering and evil directly to Jesus and to fellow believers, living in relationship with Christ even amid life's mysteries.

Pastor Bert shares a preview of what you can expect in worship this Sunday, August 3rd.

Pastor Bert explores the painful disconnect between Jesus' teachings and the behavior of Christians throughout history and today. He acknowledges the hypocrisy that exists within churches and among believers, from institutional scandals to everyday gossip disguised as prayer concerns, while reminding us that the church is "more like a hospital than a museum" - a place where broken people gather for healing rather than a showcase for saints who have it all together.