White Rock UMC

This week concluded Chapter 7 of our Unfold series. Throughout the chapter we have look at various aspect of "radical." This week, Rev. Phil Dieke looked at radical hospitality through the lens of Genesis 18:1-8 and Luke 10:1-12.  

What image emerges when you think of hospitality, much less radical hospitality?  

How have the actions of our country, our state, even our church aligned, or failed to align, with this notion of radical hospitality?

Rev. Kerry Smith takes a look at one of the most familiar parables, the parable of the Good Samaritan, as she explores what radical compassion looks like in our lives and our church.

How are you showing radical compassion in your community? 

The statement "Thoughts and Prayers" has become a divisive statement in a country desperately in need of action. Can the statement "Thoughts and Prayers" be reclaimed for a radical faith? Rev. Kerry Smith addresses this in her sermon as she considers Romans 8:26-27. 

What do you think of the statement "Thoughts and Prayers"?

This week Rev. Kerry Smith takes a look at radical non-violence, specifically through the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:38-48.   

Is non-violence a viable option in our world today, or is it just too radical?

Rev. Dara Austin joined us as a guest preacher to kick off chapter 7 of our Unfold series. Dara introduced this chapter by inviting us to consider what is radical about our faith, what mad Jesus radical for his time, and how might we apply his radical love in our lives, today? 

Let us know your thoughts on "Radical." Email us at [email protected]

In our final sermon from chapter 6, "Cosmic Wisdom," Rev. Kerry Smith embraces the wisdom from the book of Job. She preached from Job 28:20-28 and invited us to consider the deep wisdom from this tradition.  How are we to respond to pain and suffering? What does it have to teach us?

Let us know your thoughts on Job, and the wisdom associated with it.

Rev. Kerry Smith continued our look at Cosmic Wisdom, this week focusing on wisdom that comes from unlikely places. Rev. Smith preached from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, drawing on the wisdom of "the teacher" she invited us to recognize the power of community and the collective wisdom that surrounds us.

This week we begin a new chapter in our Unfold series, a chapter specifically focusing on Cosmic Wisdom. The Hebrew Scriptures, our Old Testament, has much to say about wisdom. We begin this chapter focusing on the wisdom of Proverbs. This wisdom comes from the Deuteronomistic Theology that professes when we do good and live according to the law we will have a good and blessed life. Conversely, when we break the law bad things will happen to us. 

Rev. Smith preached from Proverbs 3:1-6. Let us know what you think about the wisdom of Proverbs.

In this final installment of Chapter 5, Cheap but Costly, Rev. Kerry Smith dove into Sanctifying Grace. John Wesley believed this was the grace that continues to work on us throughout our lives. After we have been wooed by prevenient grace (though God never stops wooing), after we have responded to God's justifying grace (though this is sometimes a daily occurrence), we are empowered and made holy by God' sanctifying grace. This form of grace continues to make us into the person God created us to be. 

Rev. Smith preached from Romans 12:2, 9-21. Let us know your thoughts on sanctifying grace.

In this third sermon of Chapter 5, Free But Costly, Rev. Kerry Smith looks at justifying grace. John Wesley talked about justifying grace as the grace that produces a response in us, while prevenient grace woos us, justifying grace creates a response in us, we turn toward God and make a conscious response to accept God's grace.  

Rev. Smith preached from Ephesians 2:1-10. Let us know your thoughts on justifying grace.