This week we have a wonderful service planned, with some very special guests! The New Day Singers, a wonderful local a’capella singing group, will be filling our sanctuary with beautiful music throughout the service. Our message will be delivered by Chris Cash, focusing on being present to the presence of God in our daily lives, sometimes in surprising ways. Our Scripture reading for today is John 20:19-31 Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-734781. All rights reserved. CCLI Copyright License #11108520 and Streaming.

We have good news!  Actually, the best news! Jesus is Risen! Love is alive in the world! The very worst things that will happen will never be the last things that happen. Join us for Easter worship as we celebrate this best news. Children and families will join together for a worship service full of beautiful music, an altar full of colorful flowers, a communion meal at God’s table, an Easter message from Pastor Anna, and a surprise waiting for the children.  Come early for a delicious potluck breakfast from 9:30-10:30. An egg hunt for the children will follow worship.  Our Scripture reading for today is Matthew 28:1-10. Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-734781. All rights reserved. CCLI Copyright License #11108520 and Streaming.

Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-734781. All rights reserved. CCLI Copyright License #11108520 and Streaming.

.Join us this week for Palm Sunday!  Those who are able will meet on the front steps of the church to receive palms and process into the sanctuary during our opening hymn with the children leading the way.  During the service we will hear the story of Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday with scripture readings, poems, special music and beloved hymns.  We look forward to worshipping with you, our beloved church family! Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-734781. All rights reserved. CCLI Copyright License #11108520 and Streaming.

This week in worship we hear the story of a woman who has made a mistake.  The legal authorities want to punish her in an extreme way.  Jesus intervenes and asks everyone that would punish her in this way to examine their own lives first.  We all make mistakes. The question is more how will we rise see one another’s humanity in the midst of our mistakes and find a path forward that brings restoration for all.  Join us on this Fifth Sunday of Lent for a message about the inconvenience of mercy and the radical justice Jesus offers.  Look ahead at our two scripture readings: John 8:2-11 and Matthew 23:23. Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-734781. All rights reserved. CCLI Copyright License #11108520 and Streaming.

This week we continue to explore what is at the root of Jesus’ Good News. In scripture, we learn that Jesus consistently and frequently emphasized a preferential care for the vulnerable.  This week we’ll hear classic scriptures, one of which finds Jesus welcoming the little children. In many modern contexts, this just seems sweet; however, in Jesus’ setting, spending time with children would have seemed wasteful or useless. When Jesus blesses a crowd of children (after the disciples rebuke them and try to send them away), he once again reorients socially-constructed hierarchies to center the vulnerable. Throughout his ministry, Jesus emphasized the last, the least, and the lost, building upon the mandates of the Hebrew scriptures to care for the immigrant, widow, and orphan among you. Deuteronomy repeatedly reminds the Israelites, “you were once slaves in Egypt.” Their memory of oppression should impel them to provide for anyone under-resourced or cut off from the protection of a household. Similarly, Jesus uplifting children is a reminder that we were all once children and we have all been vulnerable at some point in our lives, relying on the protection and care of others. If we’re truly living out the good news, then anyone vulnerable will not only be protected from harm, but cared for so they have the chance to thrive. Look ahead at our two scripture readings: Matthew 19:13-15 and Deuteronomy 24:17-22. Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-734781. All rights reserved. CCLI Copyright License #11108520 and Streaming.

This week in church we hear another classic and foundation story of Jesus in action.  In the feeding of the five thousand, there are two key characteristics of Jesus’ ministry that we need to emphasize: how Jesus prioritized meeting people’s physical needs (not just spiritual needs), and his ability to mobilize a movement. This story can teach us a lot about community organizing and communal care if we let it.  This week we will be led in worship by our District Superintendent, Rev. Bob Kolvik-Campbell, while Pastor Anna is attending her grandmother's funeral in Kentucky. Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-734781. All rights reserved. CCLI Copyright License #11108520 and Streaming.

As we move into Lent this Sunday, we find in the Gospel of John that Jesus’ ministry doesn’t begin with the temptation story (as other gospels do). Instead Jesus’ ministry begins with a wedding miracle. It may feel a bit lavish to start the season of Lent with a wedding banquet, but the good news begins with joy. This week we focus on the subversive and playful nature of the good news. The kingdom of heaven is so good it should catch us by surprise! Like a mustard seed, the good news can grow from the smallest seed into the tallest tree. Like an unruly weed, or fine wine saved for last, the good news is abundant and cannot be contained. As we sink into Jesus’ teachings throughout the season, we may not always be comfortable, but we can trust that these teachings are good, rooted in love, and worthy of celebration. Our scripture will be Matthew 13:31-32 and John 2:1-11. Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-734781. All rights reserved. CCLI Copyright License #11108520 and Streaming.