FirstChurch Message of the Week

Jesus not only has a lot to teach us about life and faith, but also, teaches us how to live into and embrace it through the gift of questions – and assuring us it is ok to not have all the answers.   In this message of the week from September 12th, Pastor Jen Tyler shares from John Chapter 3, and the story of Nicodemus. This is an example of Jesus as teacher in our lives, no matter our age or expe...

Being a Christian is more than claiming Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Our faith needs to be lived out. It should affect every part of our lives and what we do each day. In this message of the week from September 5th, Pastor Abigail Ozanne shares from James, Chapter 2, and how God calls us to be people of Faith-In-Action.

When we think of the armor of God, we often thing of tangible kinds of armor like a night in shining armor. But really, God is inviting us to pray at all times, to know that God is with us, and to trust in the “armor” of the gifts of faith, truth, and love. When we trust in these, we are assured not that life will be easier, or even that troubles will stay away from us, but that God will walk alon...

God fills us with the Spirit, bringing joy and thankfulness to our ordinary days. In this message of the week from August 22nd, Pastor Abigail Ozanne shares from the book of Ephesians, chapter 5, and how the Holy Spirit can lead us to be members of a faith community and guide us in wise living. She highlights the importance of seeking joy in the Lord and giving thanks at all times and for all thin...

God calls us to unity, requiring humility and acceptance of one another. In this message of the week from August 15th, Pastor Jen Tyler shares from the fourth chapter of Ephesians and how our individual gifts and callings are different but equally important in the body of Christ. When we remember that we have different callings but THE SAME goal, unity arises and the body of Christ is built up.

In this message of the week from August 8th, Pastor Jen Tyler shares from the third chapter of Ephesians and Paul’s prayer for all believers, that they would be grounded in love and that God can do things through us we cannot imagine.

God reconciles divided people, breaking down barriers and uniting us as we are reminded of the wideness of God’s mercy that is never ceasing. In this message of the week from August 1st, Pastor Jen Tyler shares from the second chapter of Ephesians that we are all united and no matter where we come from, Jesus has broken down the walls that divide us in order to unify us.

We are kicking off our “No Longer Strangers” sermon series that focuses on the book of Ephesians. The book of Ephesians teaches us about living as a community of faith that is not without conflict, but is full of faithful followers of Jesus who long to move from strangers to God and one another… into embracing the gift of a family of faith. As children of God, we are all “adopted” into the family...

Who are we, as individuals, and where have we been that makes us who we are? Who are we as a people of God, and how has God stretched us, prepared us, and made us into who we are as a Church? What happens when we listen to God, and… what happens when we share the seeds of the Good News on fertile soil? In this message of the week from July 18th, Pastor Abigail Ozanne shares from the book of Mark c...

What do our own personal faith stories say about us? What story do the tell about God’s miraculous work in our lives? We all have stories that mean something to us, but what does it mean to share them others… and does it make a difference? In this message of the week from July 11th, Pastor Abigail Ozanne shares a story from the book of Mark chapter 5 about a demon possessed man who experiences Jes...

Paul welcomed all he met, and all who came to him, “with boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31). We, too, have an opportunity to live into bold welcome here in our church – and beyond.

How we live our lives – from the words we use, the ways we talk about others, and even the way we hold our heads high (or don’t) – are a witness to others around us. Are we living out our faith in ways that others take note of, and want to be a part of? We have an opportunity to not only walk the walk as believers, but to also share that in our hope-filled prayers for all we meet.

We are “Emmanuel” people. You have probably heard the good news that God is with us always, but… How do we know when God is with us? Do you ever experience times when you feel like God is not with you? How can we know when God is or isn’t with us? In this message of the week from June 20th, guest speaker, Rev. Melissa Gall shares from the book of Acts chapter 19 to help us answer these questions.

The world is so divided. We categorize people into those we agree or disagree with; those who are right or wrong. This is not new in personal or corporate ways… but as people of faith, we have opportunities to be faithful in the midst of disagreement. To choose gentleness and listening, over anger or division. It is important to know when we are called to speak through this, and when we are called...

Podcast Trailer! Find out what to expect from the FirstChurch Message of the Week Podcast.

Acts 11:1-18 Often, we like neat, clean, rules and regulations and ways of doing things… but often, ministry is messy and looks very much like we think it couldn’t – or shouldn’t. Peter learns this as he relies on the Holy Spirit who guides him in ministry that looks nothing like he previously imagined.