Once again Jesus, by his own words, seems to be cold and inconsiderate. Countless generations of Christians have wrestled with the implications of Jesus’ words here in Matthew. Was Jesus telling us that there will always be poor people, and we just need to accept that? Perhaps this text makes us despair that the suffering […]

The loss of a loved one is painful and the Church recognizes the human need to mourn, so why does Jesus seem to have such a cold response to one of his disciples’ request to go home and bury his father?  The Church places the utmost importance on funerals, called Services of Death and Resurrection.  […]

This Sunday we tackle a huge speed-bump head on: the role of women in the Church! The United Methodist Church has been ordaining women as clergy, Ministers of the Word, since 1968, but many Christian denominations reject this practice. Are we in flagrant violation of God’s law? Do we need to get a new pastor? […]

Just when we thought we had wrestled enough with the concept of “eye for an eye,” Jesus adds a whole new twist!  We invite you to join us as we dig deep into the words of Jesus and what he asks us to do in light of the command of an “eye for an eye.”  […]

When we feel wronged, then this Sunday’s text can feel​ like justice.  However, when we are the one who had committed the wrong, we are not so anxious to enact the words of Exodus.  So do we just ignore it, or apply it without consistency?  Neither!  Join us as we discover the truth behind this […]

This Fall we confront those parts of the Bible we do not like, that make us uncomfortable, even embarrassed.  Those verses which seem to be unhelpful, even hurtful.  What do we do with them?  We cannot ignore them, so we confront them.  Join us as we deal head on with the parts of Scripture that […]

​Often the Kingdom of God conjures images of cities in the clouds or streets paved with gold, but the Bible paints a different picture based upon the gifts of righteousness, peace, and joy to be found in perfect harmony and ultimate fulfillment in the Kingdom God rules.  This Sunday we dig into the depths of […]

You may have heard people say every word in the Bible is true. What does that really mean? In the United Methodist Church, we believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and that it reveals divine truth, but it requires work, such as reading it in community, prayerfully and with the guidance […]

Righteousness is often maligned with self-righteousness, its antithesis. Yet righteousness in the Bible is meant to be the ultimate form of freedom, which we can encounter only through God’s grace. As we dig deep into the truth of righteousness this week, we invite you to discover how righteousness can be yours, and what God has […]

For generations the people of God awaited the Messiah.  The title has been used in countless sermons and lessons, but what does it really mean?  It literally means “anointed one.”  The Messiah was foretold in the prophetic words of the Old Testament, the one who would come to set God’s people free, bring about the […]