FaithWestwood UMC

July 22, 2018 It feels safe to go with what’s worked for us before. We do what we know. Give us a formula and we’ll follow it. But when we’re transitioning to the new, we can’t rely on old ways. The thirsty Israelites cried out for water, and God heard them. He told Moses what to do, but instead of obeying, Moses did what had worked for him in the past. It turned out to be a costly lesson.

Student Mission Sunday - July 15, 2018 by FaithWestwood UMC

July 8, 2018 Few experiences are as frightening as letting go of our limitations and moving into freedom. After centuries of slavery, the ancient Israelites faced the transition of entering the Promised Land. Will it be a land of milk and honey? Or a place of fortresses and giants? And where is God when we’re about to enter new territory?

July 1, 2018 U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a United Methodist, recently referenced Romans 13, about our Christian responsibility to obey governing authorities. Without playing politics, let’s take a closer look at that passage and how it fits within the entire scripture story. What do we owe our government?

June 24, 2018 Summer’s an ideal time to connect with neighbors. Everybody gets outside, and you bump into each other more often. Summer’s perfect for backyard barbecues and evenings around the fire pit. Jesus said how important it is to let our neighbors know we love them. Don’t let summer slip away without bringing some BLESS to your neighborhood. God works in amazing ways when we show a little l...

June 10, 2018 // Guest Speaker Jim Koontz Partnering with God by Giving and expanding His Kingdom.

June 3, 2018 - Guest Speaker: Susan Sapp We love Jesus because He calls us into freedom. He doesn’t call us to be conformed to man-made rules. He loves us with an unceasing love that gives us the freedom to be our authentic selves, to let go of the past, to tell the truth about who we are, to surrender control, and to live the life He calls us to live.

May 27, 2018 - Special Guest Reverend Jarell Roach God's LOVE REALITY dominates everything around us, just as His invisible kingdom dominates the kingdoms that we can see. Our mission is to bring His love reality into everyday living & learning.

May 20, 2018 Families fight! Right? Everybody’s pointing the figure at the other. “These people are so hard to live with!” What if your family could begin communicating in a way that lowered the tension level? We’re going to learn what flawed but following families do with conflict.

May 13, 2018 In many homes, there’s a pile bigger than the dirty laundry. It’s the load of unresolved issues, unrepaired grievances, and unhealed hurts. Flawed families that follow Jesus find that doing that their relational laundry often and quickly makes for a happier home.

May 6, 2018 There’s more than a little selfishness in all of us. It’s one of our deepest flaws. And it affects our families. But flawed families that follow Jesus learn mutual submission and service. What a radical concept! You might want to give it a try.

April 29, 2018 Fear stops us dead in our tracks. It paralyzes us. So before we can carry out Jesus’s command, we must first put away our fear. When our reaction is to fall down and become immobilized, he says, “Don’t be afraid! Go and tell!”

April 22, 2018 Many today consider it silly to fear God, but people of ancient times knew better. Those encountering the majestic, divine presence were leveled by it. Sometimes God gets too close for comfort. His brilliant holiness illuminates our sin, leaving us no place to hide. That’s when Jesus touches us. He says, “Get up. Don’t be afraid.”

April 15, 2018 We fear what we don’t understand. We prefer our circumstances to be safe and predictable. But how seldom they are! Whether we’re afraid of the eerie or our own inadequacy, Jesus reaches out his hand and says, “It is I. Don’t be afraid!”

April 8, 2018 Once you speak up for someone, you may be left out and lied about. Once you stand up for something, you may be pushed around and pushed aside. People with power may hurt you, but Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid of them. They can only kill you.”

April 1, 2018 You’ve been wounded. You’ve known betrayal, grief, loss, hopelessness. Then God sends you someone who’s walked their own path of pain, and through their comfort you receive your own healing – still wounded but healing. The Bible says of Jesus, “By his wounds we are healed.” By his wounds, he heals our broken relationship with God. By his death, he heals our broken way of life. And am...

Good Friday 2018 - March 30, 2018 by FaithWestwood UMC

Maundy Thursday 2018 by FaithWestwood UMC

March 25, 2018 We watch movies and read books because we love getting wrapped up in a good story. Stories inspire us. They move us and make us see ourselves differently. When we identify with people and their stories, we are changed. Jesus was a storyteller. His stories connected with people more deeply than factual instruction ever could. Your life in Christ has created a string of personal stori...

March 18, 2018 When a friend shows up to help, what a wonderful surprise that is! It means so much to know you’re not alone. Their presence says, “You’re important to me.” Their generosity says, “I’m a friend you can count on.” Jesus made it his mission to serve. His disciples have been serving ever since. And the miracle is the spiritual curiosity it creates.

March 11, 2018 It’s a mysterious truth. Nothing establishes rapport quite like eating together. Conversation flows freely. We laugh together. Barriers are broken. We let each other into our trusted circle of friends – all because we gathered around a table to share a meal. Eating together was Jesus’s top way of saying, “I accept you.” And it has much the same impact today.

March 4, 2018 People feel most valued when they’re listened to. By listening to someone’s stories, we discover that person’s deepest self. Those stories come out when we get beyond functional communication and focus on the individual, when we ask questions and then not interrupt. And God will always let us know what’s next when we learn to listen.

February 25, 2018 One thing is sure. Someone has prayed for you – a parent, friend, grandparent, teacher. And you were blest. The Bible says that Jesus is praying to the Father on your behalf. And you are blest. In the same way, you can bless someone who may be far from God through persistent, heartfelt prayer. Your best opportunities to bless begin with prayer.

February 18, 2018 You are blest. You may not receive every blessing you wish for, but you are blest every day. Does God have a purpose in the blessings you receive? Yes! Four thousand years ago God promised to bless Abraham and through him to bless others – so that someday all peoples of the world would be blest. Now, you’re a part of that promise.

Ever find that it’s too hard to keep up with Jesus? He expects so much, and you always end up feeling like a failure. Sometimes you just want to quit. Or sleep. Or try something less demanding. If find yourself willing but weak, Jesus says, “Follow me.”