Church of the Messiah UMC

Disappointment happens when our expectations aren’t met. Daily - things that should be done don’t happen. Daily - things that shouldn’t have been said are expressed. It’s natural to express the disappointment, and stop there. But Jesus gives us a different model. What if we moved through our individual and collective disappointment toward love for those who haven’t measured up to our expectations...

Just when things settle into a routine … something happens. The boat gets rocked. The cheese gets moved. Something reliable becomes unreliable. And we wonder: why me? Jesus is with us in seasons of change, helping us navigate, helping us not be afraid, helping us grow and stretch to meet new challenges. It isn’t that God inflicts change on us. It is that God is faithfully present in the changes an...

Lots of things will happen in our everyday lives this year – individual and collective. Some things will make us smile. Other things will make us shake our heads – in disappointment, regret, sadness. Through it all – the daily good, the daily bad, the daily neutral – let’s choose patient, joyful trust that God is working in and through it all, for our good and for the good of our world.

Sometimes we get it wrong. It’s part of every day. It’s part of every life. It’s part of every community. What "getting it wrong” is NOT is a reason to stop in our tracks. God points out the “wrong” in our lives, but never stops us there. While we are called to account, we’re also always invited by God to make things right and to try again. What if this truth encouraged us not only to begin again...

2022 was quite a year in the life of Church of the Messiah. Together we built homes and dug wells and shared food and clothing and other resources for those without. We’ve nurtured kids and youth, both here at Messiah and outside the walls of our building. We’ve made space for new and unconnected people to know Jesus. We’ve prayed for and supported those celebrating and struggling. We’ve worshiped...

The Magi followed a star. Maybe a bright star, impossible to ignore, like a beacon shining in the night. Maybe a faint glimmer, just there, on the horizon, barely enough to see. Bright or faint, this sign from God helped them find their way on a dangerous journey. They arrive at the manger with gifts! Royal gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And, the gift of themselves as they pay homage to t...

Christmas reminds us that God couldn’t wait for the end of war, suffering, or human injustice. God couldn’t wait, so God broke through the shadows to bring light and love. God couldn’t wait to be love in flesh—and neither should we.

As Christmas draws near, we meditate on the courage required of both Joseph and Mary. When Joseph learns of Mary’s pregnancy, he decides to avert scandal and dismiss her quietly. But when an angel comes to him in a dream, he chooses to trust the angel and act counter to social and gender norms—all so that the world might know love. How might we practice courageous, counter-cultural love? How can w...

As Christmas draws near, we meditate on the courage required of both Joseph and Mary. When Joseph learns of Mary’s pregnancy, he decides to avert scandal and dismiss her quietly. But when an angel comes to him in a dream, he chooses to trust the angel and act counter to social and gender norms—all so that the world might know love. How might we practice courageous, counter-cultural love? How can w...

Isaiah points to a peace this world has yet to know—peace where the wolf lies with the lamb and a child shall lead us. John the Baptist invites us to believe in this vision of peace, but first, we must repent of the ways we turn away from God and do harm to others and ourselves. Only through honest confession can we seek reconciliation and become vessels of God’s peace, facilitators of the Kingdom...

These texts speak of God’s promised day—a day when wars end, swords are beaten into plowshares, and spears become pruning hooks. On the first Sunday in Advent, we focus on the need to hold onto hope, to continue dreaming of and reaching for God’s promised day where there will be peace and all will know love. How does unrelenting hope change us? How does it change our world?

Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of Lords, has been faithful to us in so much. The only response is faithfulness in turn - with who we are, what we can do, and what we have. You’re invited to be faithful to Jesus through your faithfulness to the church.

As faithful followers, we are instructed to make a joyful noise, to be filled with the Spirit, and to sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs together (not alone). The music extends beyond the four walls of our church. How can we be faithful to continue to let the music ring out?

We have a rich inheritance through Jesus Christ - an inheritance of forgiveness, mercy, truth, hope. The saints of our church lived into this inheritance in the ways they were faithful to sharing Jesus through our church. How can Messiah continue to be faithful with our inheritance? 

The family (parents, grandparents …) of a child are the primary spiritual influence in a child’s life. But they’re not the only influences. The church community as a whole has a responsibility to be faithful to our children. We affirm this in their baptism vows. How can Messiah continue to be faithful to help our children grow?

We are, along with the disciples, called to make disciples of everyone, baptizing, teaching, etc. Jesus is with us in the effort. "Mission" is not just an event. How can we live into the mission as a lifestyle?

God’s faithfulness to us knows no bounds. We’ve experienced that faithfulness in our individual lives, and in the life of Church of the Messiah. During this six-week series, we’ll hear a story from someone in our church family who has experienced God's faithfulness through Messiah’s ministries of music, mission, and discipleship. Each week, one of our pastors will encourage us in the work of conti...

Where we draw our nourishment from, and where we focus our attention, affects how we experience the world around us. Are we drawing our nourishment from things that are loving, true, honorable, just, excellent, praiseworthy … or not? As we close out the Anxious for Nothing series, let’s explore what it means to “meditate on these things.” Read Philippians 4:4-8 and John 15:1-8 for your preparation

It’s hard to explain, and it’s true: there are times when we’re navigating a difficult situation that we experience a sense of calming peace, for no good reason. When we say “yes” to Jesus, God does not promise us a life free from difficulty (we wish). God does promise to be with us as we face those difficulties. When we know we’re not alone, that we belong to God, and that we are in God’s service...

When we pray - whether we’re celebrating or mourning, in a moment of triumph or a moment of challenge, God listens. Can you trust that God listens to your prayers in moments of anxiety? This week, we’ll explore the story of the Apostle Peter as he steps out of the boat in faith, and prays to God for deeper trust. Read Matthew 14:22-26 for your preparation.

We’ve got a choice - pick up every disappointment, stress, and frustration which is tossed our way, or not. We’ve got a choice - not only how we perceive trials, but also how we react to them. Paul invites the Philippians to a seasoned, composed, and gentle spirit in the face of hardships. This Sunday, we’ll focus on what it means to pursue a gentle spirit, which comes from trusting that God is ne...

The Bible is the most highlighted book on Kindle. Philippians 4:4-8 is the most highlighted passage. Why? Probably because it’s a beautiful reminder of God’s presence in every situation, especially in the midst of our anxiety, fear, and doubt. We’re beginning a five-week conversation about worry and anxiety called, "Anxious for Nothing." This Sunday, we’ll focus on remembering who is God (God) and...