Join us this week for Epiphany Sunday!  As we bring to a conclusion the seasons of Advent and Christmastide, we acknowledge that sometimes it feels as if the world has still not changed, even with the birth of Christ.  When the temptation is to give up, let's take some wisdom from the Magi who visited Jesus.  They model for us what it looks like to be led by hope, moving through fear without letting it paralyze us.  Taking a cue from the Magi, this Sunday we'll receive star words for 2026.  A star word is a prayerful nudge from God to be open to new possibilities.  Additionally, if you had a star word from 2025 that was impactful to you, you can share about that during our joys and concerns time.Our scripture reading this week is Matthew 2:1-12, 16-18.  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 asfd

📍10:00 p.m. – Our late-night Christmas Eve service is one of the most magical services of the church year. It features a re-telling of the sacred story through poetry, song and scripture. This service is marked by a traditional solo of “O Holy Night.” We welcome Christmas in by gathering at the table for Holy Communion and lighting candles while singing sacred songs. 🍪 WHAT TO EXPECT: - We have two large parking lots off Chapel Street. Follow the lighted luminaries into the sanctuary. - Cookies & Cocoa: Warm up at our hot cocoa bar (with all the fixings!) and enjoy some delicious goodies from the Brick House Bakery. - Radical Hospitality: You’ll receive a warm welcome and a community that affirms, anchors, and empowers you. - The Story of Christmas: Familiar carols, a meaningful message, and the tradition of candle lighting. 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 asfd

Fear may be loud, but good news is louder!  That is the profound declaration we make tonight as we welcome the hope Christ brings into the world on Christmas.  Join us to welcome the Christ child and God’s great love made known in us.    📍7:00 p.m. – Join us for our traditional Lessons & Carols service with special music from the choir and handbells. Pastor Anna will bring a Christmas homily, children are welcome forward for a special story, and we’ll close the service by lighting candles while singing “Silent Night”. Nursery Care is provided at this service. 🍪 WHAT TO EXPECT: - We have two large parking lots off Chapel Street. Follow the lighted luminaries into the sanctuary. - Cookies & Cocoa: Warm up at our hot cocoa bar (with all the fixings!) and enjoy some delicious goodies from the Brick House Bakery. - Radical Hospitality: You’ll receive a warm welcome and a community that affirms, anchors, and empowers you. - The Story of Christmas: Familiar carols, a meaningful message, and the tradition of candle lighting. 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 asfd

Join us in a service on the longest night as we give ourselves permission to grieve while recognizing that God offers light even in the darkest of seasons. 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 asfd

Are you ready to SLEIGH this Sunday with your festive fashion!?  Adorn yourself in festive attire and join us for a merry morning of costumes, carols, and celebrations of my kinds.  Our youth will bring us the Christmas story through a very sweet and slightly silly "Dear Diary" pageant.  We'll also recognize the fabulous staff of CUMC and award scholarships to our college students home over the break. What a day! 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 asfd

Sometimes saying "yes" to God's call fills us with fear. This week we'll hear from Mary who feared she wasn't enough when called her to do something hard.  We, too, worry that we'll be alone when we say yes to a new and scary thing.  And yet, God calls us forward, inviting us to live fully into who we are created to be and promising to be with us every step of the way as we move through our fear. Too often we talk about bravery and courage in terms of hero narrative or big actions, but each day presents many moments to practice small, quiet acts of courage.  May we say "yes" to God, even when our knees shake and our voices tremble. Our scripture readings this week are Luke 1:26-39 and Jeremiah 1:4-10  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 asfd

On this Second Sunday of Advent we ask how to keep hope alive.  We'll hear a less common part of John the Baptist and Jesus's relationship, one that dealt with questions like : Is all this work worth it? Does anything I do matter? Am I on the right track? We'll hear the good news: We can’t always see the fruits of our labor, yet God is at work anyway. How might we, like Jesus and Isaiah, point to the places where God is at work in our world?  Our scripture readings this week are Matthew 11:1-11 and Isaiah 43:19-21. 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 asfd

Welcome to our First Sunday of Advent!  Both Luke and Matthew begin their gospels by orienting us within “the time of King Herod,” and so we begin Advent by fleshing out what it might have been like to live in the days when Jesus was born—a time not all that different from our own. As an elderly priest, Zechariah had witnessed the fall of Judean independence and the beginning of Roman occupation. He longed for the coming Messiah, and he longed for a son. The author of Lamentations cries out in personal pain while his homeland is under Babylonian rule. Our global and personal heartache are intertwined, and the wait for promised rescue is hard to bear. We, too, we long for God to break through the fear and bring us hope. Our scripture readings this week are Luke 1:5-13 and Lamentations 3:33-57.  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 asfd