FirstChurch Message of the Week

While out on his travels, Jesus often encountered people from other faiths, traditions, and cultures. More often than not, it even seemed like Jesus sought these encounters. What does that have to teach us about how we can redefine “strangers” as “friends we have not met yet” – and how can that help us grow closer to God?  This weeks message of the week comes from Pastor Bryce Blank who shares a s...

When the people of Israel left Egypt, it wasn’t a fun adventure or some exciting trip they were embarking on. They were leaving that which they knew and which they had become comfortable with, no matter how difficult, for a pilgrimage with countless unknowns. As we place ourselves in that story, it invites us to wonder: how might God be calling us to leave “home” – that which is comfortable? What...

Proverbs 3 begins with a challenge; to trust. We don’t easily trust what we can’t see or don’t know. When we know God and seek him daily, that trust comes a bit easier. Life comes fast, and we make claims like, “I’ve got this,” or “I’ll do it myself.” Imagine when our efforts come alongside Gods call in our lives. When trust overcomes our self-righteous efforts it may not seem easy, but God will l...

Jesus was a pure example of acting in love at all times. The Apostle Paul knew this and noticed a detour in this regard from the church in Corinth. The people there were using their gifts for self-glory. In our time, do we do the same thing? What does true servanthood actually look like? Our intentions matter as we seek to minister to and love those around us. This weeks message of the week comes...

Jesus invites us to let our lights shine – but what does that mean? What does your light look for, and how are you being called to let it shine brightly, for all the world to see and know? This weeks message of the week comes from the book of Matthew, Chapter 5. Pastor Jen Tyler highlights what it means to add “flavor” to the world, reminds us to be the light in the darkest of places, and challeng...

We are all called to be better neighbors and to better care for those around us. There are a lot of ways to do this… and Martha and Mary show us some of the wrong ways here in this familiar passage from Luke. Today we’ll talk about the importance of honoring God by honoring those around us not by over-busying ourselves, but by taking time to serve, in the midst of the pause. Can we pause long enou...

The Holy Spirit loves to show up and surprise us in ways we don’t expect. More often than not, this comes in the form of a gift as God reminds us that while we all have hard times or suffering at various times in our own lives, God can use all for good. That does not mean God wants us to encounter difficult times… but it does mean we can always have hope – which “does not disappoint.”  This weeks...

This weekend, as we look forward to celebrating Independence Day, one may wonder what the founders of our country would think of where we are today – with all our social, economic, and political pressures. They had a vision to “form a more perfect union, establish justice…and establish this Constitution of the United States” and we may also wonder, are we there yet, or do we have a long way to go?...

Most of us have a mental picture of Jesus, and we probably have a general concept of God in our minds, but what about the Holy Spirit? Too often we neglect the Holy Spirit in our lives and don’t even recognize when the Holy Spirit moves in us or around us.  This weeks message of the week comes from guest speaker, Dr. Bruce Blumer, who challenges us to become aware of the Holy Spirit as a person of...

We often ask ourselves, “What might God be asking me to do? What will it cost me? How much time will it take? How much money? Will it cost me my reputation? Will people think I am crazy because of my actions?” Sometimes it feels like we don’t get an answer. More often, we succumb to “selective listening” where we choose to ignore or disregard an answer that God places before us. We think we have a...

The Woman Wisdom stands at the crossroads, calling all to listen and learn. Her teachings are an invitation to wonder at creation and to approach life with a spirit of discovery. How can we become wiser by seeing creation through the eyes of wonder? What is God’s Wisdom trying to teach us? This weeks message of the week comes from Pastor Abigail Ozanne who highlights the feminine attributes of the...

With Pentecost we celebrate the birth of the church, giving thanks for the ways we are different and the same. So it was at the first Pentecost, when all would hear the same message in their own language. How are we called to live similarly? Not just to get out of our comfortable boxes to see and understand one another despite our differences, but also to lean in to that – uniting together in Chri...

The last couple of chapters of the book of Revelation use a lot of imagery, which is consistent with the previous chapters. And just as usual: there is deeper meaning in these words that invite us to proclaim triumph in our lives here and now. We do so through the lens of words we close with, that mirror words the book opened with: “I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning a...

In this vision of a great multitude, we are invited to capture a glimpse of what the true church can look like. What makes up a faithful community that is called the “great multitude” – and what does this have to say to our church here today? Through gifts of community and diversity, we are called to be on a journey that grows more Christlike every day. In our Message of the Week, we continue our...

At the center of this text is a throne – but whose or what is it? What does that represent? Eventually, John (writer of Revelation) tells us that in the center of all that is… is a Lamb who sits on the throne: an unmistakable reference to Jesus. How do we live a life that reflects this scene, with all that we do and all that we are circling around, honoring the one – the only One – who sits on the...

Revelation calls us to hope and endurance for today – and always. Today we will have an introduction to the book of Revelation, reminding one another that while Revelation is most popularly interpreted to be a literal prediction of the future and the events that will unfold at the end of time… we are called to read and understand it in a similar way to how we do other scriptures: with context in m...

The beginning of the book of Joshua challenges us to “Be Strong and Courageous” – Verse 9 was chosen by the youth, and said together each week throughout the year as a closing prayer and benediction. It reminds us that no matter what may come, we are all called to be strong and courageous, and to remember always that we can do this because “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – with no...

Water is a significant theme throughout scripture; from God separating the waters to create the sky, the flood, Moses parting the Red Sea, as well as Jesus baptism with water by the Holy Spirit. So when Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar that He can provide an eternal, living water, we can know that this statement is significant as well. Although it is significant, it can also b...

Easter can be tricky when it comes to faith. We come for the happy ending–the “and then they lived happily ever after.” The resurrection story proclaims hope over despair and life over death! Yet… we know that life continued, and continues for us, as a story of spiking heartbreak moments that are not forever fixed. The nature of being created for love is that we will always hunger for more, that t...

Jesus orchestrated a low-budget parade into a city where he knew his days were numbered. “Get me a colt,” he said. Not a steed. Not a float. A young, green donkey. When he did, folks gathered, and his friends started some liturgical shouting that made the local priests mad. Life is hard and we all need friends… and sometimes big, loud, praying that will not be messed with. We are created for inter...

Jesus speaks the words no one wanted to admit: he was not always going to be around. “Oh, don’t say that,” so many of us have said to a loved one who speaks the truth about the fragility of life. Perhaps we get uncomfortable because it reveals the precious nature of the present moment, laying bare the beauty and horror of it all. The indescribable pain we know we will one day face invades our sens...

We can be pretty hard on ourselves when things don’t go as planned. Guilt, shame, and fear of being seen as a failure can leave us wallowing in the pig pen, so to speak. Our delusions of a perfectible life keep us disappointed in ourselves. The truth is, life is a big risk every single day and facing whatever each day holds is not only good enough, but worthy of love and grace. In our message of t...

There is so much shame for the unproductive fig tree. Cut it down! Make room for a more dedicated and hard-working fig tree! Yet… who among us is living up to our fullest potential? The productivity experts these days can diagnose the “what’s” … but the gardener offers an alternative medicine–nurture it slowly, and let it soak in the manure all around until it can get the good stuff out of it. Lyi...

As we continue reflecting on how we, who are created in God’s image, are in fact “Good Enough,” today we are reminded that Jesus is not only God, but also fully human. That means he shared our human experiences including our pains, grief, and frustrations. One thing Jesus wasn’t, though – was afraid. Instead, Jesus knew that God was always with him, and always in control. Jesus trusted in that so...

We find ourselves hungry for many things that we believe will bring us satisfaction. The devil lays a bet that Jesus will jump at the chance for glory, fame, and the quick fix. Who wouldn’t? But Jesus keeps up the pithy one-liners long enough that the Tempter just has to slink away. What are the temptations that catch your ear, singing out promises that your life should be more special than it is?...