From The Pulpit of DUMC

This week we continue our series on the parable of the father who had two sons found in Luke 15. We’ll focus our attention more closely on the elder brother and his response to the gracious welcome his younger, wayward brother receives from the father. Here Jesus wants us to consider what it means to be spiritually lost. It’s clear to those listening in that little brother is lost, but Jesus sugge...

On Sunday we continue our exploration of the parable of the father who had two sons, paying particular attention to Luke 15:11-18, 25-29a. Here Jesus depicts the sin of both sons, not only the younger, wayward brother. Of course, the younger brother’s alienation from his father seems obvious. And yet, what Jesus hopes we’ll see is that both sons are caught in their own sin and brokenness and the e...

What happens when Kevin and Karen are replaced by their daughters on the show? Find out on this special episode of This Thing Called Church when David sits down with Anna Liz Turner and Sarah Payne. They discuss what it's like being a youth at DUMC and how they would like others to see their perspective of being a teenager and a Christian.

This week we begin our series focusing on the parable Jesus tells in Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. We’re, of course, using Tim Keller’s book, The Prodigal God, as our reference. I commend the book to you and hope you’ll read along as it really is a kind of primer on the Christian faith. So, over the next five weeks we’ll explore how in this parable, Jesus is doing so much more than merely interpreting the d...

Because of Jesus, who is the embodiment of the reign and will of God, the Kingdom is already among us, it is already here, today. Christ makes this claim in this week’s gospel (Luke 4:14-21), drawing on Isaiah 61. It’s hard to ignore and we should probably pay attention. The promise of freedom, of good news for the poor, of the ability to see as God sees, and of liberation for all who are oppresse...

David, Kevin, and Karen are back and kick off 2022 with a new episode! On today's episode the three recap the holidays and then discuss the new churchwide book study that is starting at the end of the month. The book is called The Prodigal God and it's not too late to get a copy, join a small group, or follow along on your own. A book study is a great to start your new year!

This Sunday in worship we will read John 2: 1-11, the story of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. This is one of the most well-known narratives of the Bible, to be sure. And because it's such a familiar story, perhaps we've never asked ourselves: Why would Jesus do such an odd thing? We're accustomed to reading about Jesus' healings and other miraculous deeds, but turni...

This week we gather and hear the story of Jesus’ baptism. Like Jesus, who was claimed at his baptism as God’s beloved Son, in baptism, we too have been claimed by God. The most basic truth about who we are comes not from what we have, or what we do, or even what we’ve failed to do, but our truest and most basic identity comes from whose we are. Like Jesus we are God’s own beloved sons and daughter...

On Sunday we will hear the story of the Magi from Matthew’s gospel. It’s often read around January 6th, or a holy day, that in Eastern Christianity, rivals Christmas as a day of celebration and significance. In some traditions it is known as Three Kings Day. We have it on our calendars as the Feast of the Epiphany. The word epiphany simply means appearing or appearance, or to make manifest, or to...

For the last episode of the year, David, Kevin, and Karen discuss the meaning of incarnation, if Jesus was really human, and why it is so important to understand. Kevin features his special holiday apparel which also ties into what "national day" it is. Thank you to everyone who has watched and supported us this year. We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!

While the world is scrambling around trying to buy happiness, Mary, the favored one of God, sings. She sings not a song of sentimental Christmas happiness, but a song of joy, because she expects that things will be different, things will change through the birth of her son. Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46b-55) is the radical proclamation that, in her son, the world is forever changed, turned upside d...

Our lives are pointing to something or to someone. We are telling a story by the way we live. And make no mistake about it, our neighbors are listening to what the Church says, and are watching what the Church does. Right or wrong, fair or unfair, they are drawing conclusions about the truthfulness and the usefulness of the gospel based upon what they see and hear in us. They’re drawing conclusion...

David, Kevin, and Karen recap their Thanksgivings, and Karen gifts David another cup for his coffee cup collection. We are now in the season of Advent and the three discuss preparing for this special time and what it means. David and Kevin also give some tips on how to keep a holy Advent and not be caught up in the busyness and stress of the holiday.

On Sunday, we enter the season of Advent, or the Church’s four-week-long season of preparation for our celebration of the birth of Jesus. We’ll begin the season exploring a passage from the prophet Jeremiah who, in the face of devastation, imagines an alternative reality: the restoration of Israel, the practice of justice and righteousness, and the flourishing of life in the land that God has prom...

This Sunday, November 21, we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. This Sunday marks the bridge between ordinary time after Pentecost and the beginning of Advent that starts the new church year. This Sunday’s purpose is to celebrate the reign of Christ as King. This service will use scripture and song to offer a worshipful reflection on the fulfillment that Christ brings to the reign of God. Our scrip...

Sunday is Christ the King Sunday and David, Kevin, and Karen discuss its meaning as well as its significance. Kevin brings something for show and tell which helps explain the discussion around the liturgy calendar and how the church calendar year works.

In this week’s reading from the Gospel of Mark, Jesus and his disciples are in the Temple in Jerusalem. The disciples took all of what they could see before them, the grand and ornate Temple complex, as a sign and symbol of the presence of God’s Kingdom – a Kingdom they believed would be grand and powerful – much like the Kingdoms we build. But Jesus was unimpressed saying, “Not one stone will be...

This week we will be discussing missions. We will reflect on Psalm 127, a theology of missions, how our church lives out missions, next steps for missions, and where God may be calling us to serve. Missions is part of the framework of our church and this Sunday we will reflect on how we live out missions and where we are going.

David, Kevin, and Karen start with a conversation about Halloween candy and Karen shares how much candy people purchase and consume. They move on to discuss this past Sunday's All Saints' worship service. Kevin talks about what goes into the beautiful music that was performed by the choirs and orchestra and David explains the meaning behind All Saints' and why we celebrate it and the differences b...

Completing our sermon series last week on The Five Practices of Fruitful Living, we now return this Sunday to the Revised Common Lectionary, looking specifically at Mark 10:46-52; a familiar and beloved story to many readers of the Bible. Jesus' years of ministry are drawing to a close as he and his disciples begin leaving Jericho, making their way to Jesus' last stop in Jerusalem. But before they...

Today may be the oddest National Day "item" as David, Kevin, and Karen get off track on that discussion. "The sacraments" are the real topic for today's episode and David and Kevin do an extraordinary job of explaining why baptism and communion are significant and what they mean on a deeper level. They also share some comical stories of baptisms gone awry. David gives a brief highlight of the Land...

We’ve come to the final week in our series on Bishop Robert Shnase’s book, Five Practices of Fruitful Living. Radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity represent a wholistic way of life, a way of experiencing God’s love, and living a life that matters, a life of meaning and purpose that makes a difference in...

This Sunday we’ll explore extravagant generosity or the fifth practice in our series on Five Practices of Fruitful Living. Bishop Robert Schnase defines extravagant generosity as “…our un-selfish willingness to share and give from all of our resources in a way that exceeds all expectations. Extravagant generosity describes lavish sharing, sacrifice, and giving in service to God and our neighbor.”...

David, Kevin, and Karen record in-person in a new location! During the weekend recap, learn how Kevin saved the day during the Fernando Ortega concert. The topic for this episode is The Way of Salvation. David and Kevin break down what it means, how is it that God saves us, and how can we continue working on salvation.

As we move along in our Church-Wide Study on Bishop Schnase’s Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, this week we will be looking at the fourth practice: Risk Taking Mission and Service. We will learn from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16 verses 24-27, what it really means to be a disciple. Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. F...