First Sermons

What a ride 2023 has been! We’ve experienced incredible highs like the world premiere of the “Requiem” this Spring which is a beautiful piece of music our congregation commissioned to honor the lives lost during the pandemic and claim hope and light for the future. We’ve also faced challenging lows like UMCs in our community and beyond who’ve chosen to disaffiliate from our denomination, a situati...

What a ride 2023 has been! We’ve experienced incredible highs like the world premiere of the “Requiem” this Spring which is a beautiful piece of music our congregation commissioned to honor the lives lost during the pandemic and claim hope and light for the future. We’ve also faced challenging lows like UMCs in our community and beyond who’ve chosen to disaffiliate from our denomination, a situati...

As a faith family, we’re called to fix our vision and sight on God’s goodness and practice living in the example of Christ. (Phil 4:2 urges us to agree with one another and above else, no matter what our differences, to keep the main thing the main thing in letting our gentleness be evident to all.) Paul urges the church in Philippi to amplify what is true, honorable, just, and pure; creating a pa...

As a faith family, we’re called to embrace the Big Hairy Audacious Goal of pressing on toward perfection or in other words, becoming more and more like Christ. By calling us to imitate himself, Paul is calling us to imitate Christ – to embody the Gospel in a way to demonstrate the love of God to the world. Our desired impact should be matched with commitment – we are in this with one another for t...

As a faith family, we’re called to place the greatest value on knowing Christ above all else. How does this knowledge give us the courage to be our most authentic selves and give others the space to do the same? What does it mean to break down the barriers between us and them to become a “we” through the authentic acceptance of Christ?

As a faith family, we’re called to respond to the questions and challenges of life by seeking to find Christ in the midst of them. Our best action is to move in close to where God is, to seek God’s redemption and solution. 

As a faith family we’re called to live in community by taking on the attitude of Christ. Paul encourages us to be humble – looking to the interests of others above our own. What’s the difference between life-affirming, self-sacrificial service and life-denying, self-deprecating service?

As a faith family, we’re called to appreciate what makes us strong, unique and creates the biggest impact for Christ on our campus, in our community, and around our world. Additionally, in the beginning of this letter, Paul models the importance of being thankful for those in ministry with him and each other.

The sermon series uses some of Forrest’s most famous quotes in our exploration of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The Galatians passage is used weekly, along with another scripture passage in which the “fruit of the day” is evident. May our faith be more “fruit-full” as we run the race s...

The sermon series uses some of Forrest’s most famous quotes in our exploration of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The Galatians passage is used weekly, along with another scripture passage in which the “fruit of the day” is evident. May our faith be more “fruit-full” as we run the race s...

The sermon series uses some of Forrest’s most famous quotes in our exploration of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The Galatians passage is used weekly, along with another scripture passage in which the “fruit of the day” is evident. May our faith be more “fruit-full” as we run the race s...

The sermon series uses some of Forrest’s most famous quotes in our exploration of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The Galatians passage is used weekly, along with another scripture passage in which the “fruit of the day” is evident. May our faith be more “fruit-full” as we run the race s...

The sermon series uses some of Forrest’s most famous quotes in our exploration of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The Galatians passage is used weekly, along with another scripture passage in which the “fruit of the day” is evident. May our faith be more “fruit-full” as we run the race s...

The sermon series uses some of Forrest’s most famous quotes in our exploration of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The Galatians passage is used weekly, along with another scripture passage in which the “fruit of the day” is evident. May our faith be more “fruit-full” as we run the race s...

The sermon series uses some of Forrest’s most famous quotes in our exploration of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The Galatians passage is used weekly, along with another scripture passage in which the “fruit of the day” is evident. May our faith be more “fruit-full” as we run the race s...

The Easter season is about living into the new reality of the resurrected Christ. The shocking news that death isn’t the end of the human story takes some reorientation to begin to understand the implications of such a profound truth. So, the 50 days of Eastertide is when we let this knowledge wash over us, and we begin, with joy, to embrace this new way of living. This series will explore this li...

The Easter season is about living into the new reality of the resurrected Christ. The shocking news that death isn’t the end of the human story takes some reorientation to begin to understand the implications of such a profound truth. So, the 50 days of Eastertide is when we let this knowledge wash over us, and we begin, with joy, to embrace this new way of living. This series will explore this li...

The Easter season is about living into the new reality of the resurrected Christ. The shocking news that death isn’t the end of the human story takes some reorientation to begin to understand the implications of such a profound truth. So, the 50 days of Eastertide is when we let this knowledge wash over us, and we begin, with joy, to embrace this new way of living. This series will explore this li...

The Easter season is about living into the new reality of the resurrected Christ. The shocking news that death isn’t the end of the human story takes some reorientation to begin to understand the implications of such a profound truth. So, the 50 days of Eastertide is when we let this knowledge wash over us, and we begin, with joy, to embrace this new way of living. This series will explore this li...

The Easter season is about living into the new reality of the resurrected Christ. The shocking news that death isn’t the end of the human story takes some reorientation to begin to understand the implications of such a profound truth. So, the 50 days of Eastertide is when we let this knowledge wash over us, and we begin, with joy, to embrace this new way of living. This series will explore this li...

The Easter season is about living into the new reality of the resurrected Christ. The shocking news that death isn’t the end of the human story takes some reorientation to begin to understand the implications of such a profound truth. So, the 50 days of Eastertide is when we let this knowledge wash over us, and we begin, with joy, to embrace this new way of living. This series will explore this li...

The Easter season is about living into the new reality of the resurrected Christ. The shocking news that death isn’t the end of the human story takes some reorientation to begin to understand the implications of such a profound truth. So, the 50 days of Eastertide is when we let this knowledge wash over us, and we begin, with joy, to embrace this new way of living. This series will explore this li...

The Easter season is about living into the new reality of the resurrected Christ. The shocking news that death isn’t the end of the human story takes some reorientation to begin to understand the implications of such a profound truth. So, the 50 days of Eastertide is when we let this knowledge wash over us, and we begin, with joy, to embrace this new way of living. This series will explore this li...

Lent is a bi-directional season. Or at least it should be. That isn’t how we usually experience the season, however. Too often, we see the Lenten journey simply as a journey inward. While that’s a great start or an important component to a powerful Lenten experience, it can’t be the whole story. Examining your soul is more than just looking inward; it is also considering the state of your soul as...

Lent is a bi-directional season. Or at least it should be. That isn’t how we usually experience the season, however. Too often, we see the Lenten journey simply as a journey inward. While that’s a great start or an important component to a powerful Lenten experience, it can’t be the whole story. Examining your soul is more than just looking inward; it is also considering the state of your soul as...