First Olympia Sermons

This Sunday, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who continued our Pentecost worship series: Hope Rising by preaching on Matthew 9:5 - 10:14. In her message, Pastor Heather reflected on baggage and how the preconceptions we carry out into ministry weigh us down.

This Sunday, Andrew Sergienko preached while our pastors were out of town. He continued our Pentecost worship series: Hope Rising by preaching on Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26. Andrew reflected on the meaning of true hope and the tricky relationship between faith and doubt.

This Sunday, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who continued our new Pentecost worship series: Hope Rising by preaching on Matthew 28: 16-20. In her message, Pastor Heather preached on Trinity Sunday and its meaning in the strife of our world today.

This Sunday, we were joined by our missionary friend, Heather Askew, from Jojo's Sanctuary in Thailand who concluded our Easter worship series: Hindsight by looking back at her faith journey and how each step along the way God  led her to the work she does at Jojo’s Sanctuary. She also told us about the good work done by JoJo’s Sanctuary  to help strengthen families and give children opportunities...

This Sunday, our church participated in another co-op pulpit swap! We were joined by Pastor Denise from St Andrews UMC in Lacey who continued our Easter worship series: Hindsight by preaching on John 14: 1-14. In her message, Pastor Denise contemplated how we might have faith in Jesus as our way when we are searching for clarity.

This Sunday, we heard a sermon from Pastor Alexa who continued our Easter worship series: Hindsight by preaching on John 20: 19-31. In her message, Pastor Alexa reflected on the difference between wounds and scars and why Thomas might have only recognized Jesus through his wounds.

This Sunday, we heard a sermon from Pastor Alexa who continued our Easter worship series: Hindsight by preaching on Luke 24: 13-35. In her message, Pastor Alexa retold the walk to Emmaus and contemplated how we might "fine-tune" our senses so we can better see God's work as it’s happening in our lives.

This Easter Sunday, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who soft-launched our new Easter worship series: Hindsight by preaching on John 20: 1-18 & Matthew 28: 1-10. In her message, Pastor Heather told the story of the empty tomb and reflected on how we can witness God making all things new.

This Palm Sunday, we heard a sermon from Pastor Alexa who finished our Lenten worship series: House of the Lord by preaching on Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29 & Luke 19: 28-40. In her message, Pastor Alexa wondered if Jesus saw his entrance into Jerusalem as a kind of funeral procession and reminded us that it is our call to bless each other everyday with a good word.

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who continued our Lenten worship series: House of the Lord by preaching on Isaiah 43: 16-21 & John 12: 1-8. In her message, Pastor Heather told the story of Mary washing Jesus’ feet with perfume and the deeper meaning of such an extravagant gift.

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who continued our Lenten worship series: House of the Lord by preaching on Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32 & 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21. In her message, Pastor Heather spoke on the story of the Prodigal Son and the unearned, unending, reconciling Grace of God.

This week, we had a VERY special service led by the kids in our church community. Miss Brittney even gave the message with one of those wonderful kids and they continued our Lenten worship series: House of the Lord by preaching on Psalm 27 & Luke 1: 26-38. In their message, Miss Brittney and Charlotte shared what belonging means to the young people in our community.

This week, our pastors participated in a pulpit swap with the other co-op churches. We were joined by Pastor Kelly from Shelton UMC who continued our Lenten worship series: House of the Lord by preaching on Isaiah 55: 1-9 & Psalm 63: 1-8. In his message, Pastor Kelly gave us a history lesson on the exile to Babylon and played a little banjo.

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Alexa who began our new Lent worship series: House of the Lord on by preaching on Psalm 91 & Luke 13: 31-35. In her message, Pastor Alexa reminded us to treat God as our shelter—towering above violent tempests that rage in the world.

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Alexa, who concluded our Epiphany worship series: Beloved & Gifted on Transfiguration Sunday by preaching on Exodus 34: 29-35 & Luke 9: 28-36. In her message, Pastor Alexa led the congregation in a guided meditation to be formed for the work ahead.

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Heather, who continued our Epiphany worship series: Beloved & Gifted by preaching on Isaiah 6: 1-8 & 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11. In her message, Pastor Heather took a closer look at what it really means to have spiritual gifts of witness...

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Alexa, who continued our Epiphany worship series: Beloved & Gifted by preaching on Jeremiah 1: 4-10 & 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13. In her message, Pastor Alexa shared how we need those with gifts of outreach to remind us that no one is ever off of God's map.

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather, who continued our new Epiphany worship series: Beloved & Gifted by preaching on 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a & Luke 4: 14-21. In her message, Pastor Heather reminded us that, in the body of Christ, we need those with nurturing gifts to be our hearts.

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Alexa, who continued our new Epiphany worship series: Beloved & Gifted by preaching on 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11 & John 2: 1-11. In her message, Pastor Alexa invited us to listen to our individual callings and discern how they might serve God's works because this is not an end, but a continual beginning.

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather, who began our new Epiphany worship series: Beloved & Gifted by preaching on Isaiah 43: 1-7 & Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22. In her message, Pastor Heather reminded us that we are created by God to love and be loved exactly as we are.

In-between worship series this week, we were joined by Dr. Marcia McFee as part of a special weekend workshop held right here in our sanctuary. This Sunday, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who preached on Luke 4: 1-13 and reminded us that God always finds us "good enough" and that we are holy even in our ordinary lives.

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Denise who joined us from St Andrews UMC in Lacey as part of our regular co-op pulpit swaps. Pastor Denise concluded our extended Advent worship series: More Than Words by preaching on the theme of Faith in Ephesians 3: 1-12 & Matthew 2: 1-12. In her message, she told us the story of the Wise Ones and asked us to follow God’s signs like a sailor trusts a co...

This Christmas Eve, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather, who preached on John 1: 1-16. In her message, Pastor Heather explored the importance of telling the Christmas story each year and, more importantly, why we need to continually live into its message over and over again.

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Alexa, who continued our Advent worship series: More Than Words by preaching on the theme of Love in Micah 5: 2-5a & Luke 1 39:-55. In her message, Pastor Alexa compared love to attention and asked us to consider the focus of our attention as a 'portal' into which we see God's divine love for us all.

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Heather, who continued our Advent worship series: More Than Words by preaching on the theme of Joy in Zephaniah 3: 14-20 & Luke 3: 7-18. In her message, Pastor Heather introduced the idea of joy as a "time traveler" which gives us a glimpse of God's eventual kin-dom in our midst.