Lakeside United Methodist Church

Luke 1:13-17, 39-45   The headliners of the opening of Luke's Gospel are Mary and Jesus, but Mary's relative Elizabeth giving birth to Jesus' cousin John was no less a gift from God. And in both Elizabeth and John, we see a humble, self-giving love that supported Mary and Jesus. During the season of Advent, we are invited to keep our eyes open for the people in our lives who need our love and supp...

John 18:33 We all have lenses through which we see and interpret the world around us. They shape how we understand things, how we respond emotionally, and even what we think is or is not possible. One of the ways we can become aware of the lenses we and others are looking through is to examine the questions we ask.

1 Corinthians 8~ The dinner table is where we come to share about our days, be surrounded by our loved ones, and of course eat. It can also be a place where family tensions linger. As Thanksgiving approaches and we prepare our homes and hearts for time with our families, we'll look to Paul's letter to the church in Corinth for wisdom.

Esther 4:12-17   The story of Esther is, in part, a reminder that we can be stewards of the resources, influence, and opportunities we have been given no matter the circumstance. On this Stewardship Sunday, Pastor Dan and Finance Committee Chair Audrey France-Lanas reflect on practical ways we can all make a difference.

Matthew 25:35-40 When we think about serving impactfully, it is easy to picture the mission trip or the big service project. But the opportunity to serve and make a difference isn't just occasional or out-of-town, but it can be a part of our everyday lives. As we wrap up our Wesley Rooted series, we embrace the opportunity to continue the centuries-old tradition of Wesleyan Methodists making a dif...

2 Timothy 3:16-17   The vast majority of Christians, United Methodists included, believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. But what does that mean, and what does it not mean? And how does that meaning affect the way we engage with Scripture and allow it to guide and shape our lives?

Acts 2:47 As we gather to give thanks to God and celebrate 25 years of ministry, we reflect on the cycle recorded in Acts that demonstrates how churches survive and even thrive. Though there are a million details and challenges to living it out, staying faithful to the calling of all churches can begin to build momentum. The partnership of God's grace and a faithful community can lead to long-stan...

Preacher┃Rev. Jeremy Green Scripture┃Luke 15:20-24 As Christians, we are called to love God and neighbor, but who exactly is our neighbor? Our Wesleyan heritage guides us toward casting a wide net and accepting all. As we explore the words of John Wesley and the parables of Jesus, we'll consider how we can be unified in love despite our deeply held differences.

Whether we are talking about the literal roots of plants, the places and people that shape us, or the foundation upon which we have built our lives, roots are vitally important. Roots are the conduit for what sustains us, they are essential to growth, and they are meant to provide stability and strength. Therefore, it is also vitally important that we are rooted and grounded in the right thing.

It can be easy to feel like we should be further along in our faith journey, especially when we read some of the stories in the Bible. We see the bold faith of Peter, the courageous self-sacrifices of Paul, or the calm love of Mary, and we ask why we aren't like them. And it is the subtle twist into comparison that steals away our ability to grow into the disciple God has made and called us to be.

A good bit of anxiety stems from feeling like we aren't getting what we need. And so we get reactive, seeking to meet those needs through our own effort. Essentially, we become like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, giving up our access to God's presence by seeking to grasp things for ourselves.

One of the primary reasons we don't experience the particular love of God is because the voice of God is one among many in our heads and hearts. The stories we tell ourselves and the "committee members" who provide running commentary on our lives do their best to crowd out the only voice that truly matters. We must focus on the One who has the first and final word.

There are four common dynamics that not only stress our relationships, but they often put us in a false reality. When we learn to locate and surface these dynamics, we can begin to dispel the illusion and return to the truth. Jesus promises that, through our faithfulness to him, we can know the truth, and the truth will set us free.

Speaker:  Rev. Dan Wunderlich Scripture:  John 5:1-9 Description: It is easy to think that your faith in God is your deepest belief—the one you base your life on. But if you start to pay attention to how your mind and body reacts in various situations, you might discover that your faith in God is your most precious belief, but it is not actually your deepest one. The first step in closing the gap...

When Jesus wanted to help his disciples—including us—understand his death, he did not give us a lecture. He gave us a meal. And in this meal, we don't just learn about but we experience the love of God for us.

Baptism is one of the central practices of the church. But there is such a wide range of ideas about why we do it and what actually happens. When we look at the baptism of Jesus and see the connections to the rest of the biblical story, we get a clearer picture of the deep meaning of this act.

Gen Z college students are overwhelmed with social media stress, financial burdens, and mental health crises, all while tackling the usual challenges of young adulthood. How can we, as a church, offer them rest and resilience through Christ's love? Discover how we can make a difference in their lives and lighten their load, just as Jesus promised.

If orientation was a time of peace and abundance, and disorientation disrupts all of that, it would be understandable to assume that reorientation is about putting everything back the way it was. However, while reorientation does pull us out of the depths, it is almost always surprising. It is about receiving the gift of new life God has to offer.

Grief and loss are aspects of the human experience that each of us know all too well. When the most difficult things in life happen, we can find ourselves wishing for yesterday and with little hope for tomorrow. However, we are not alone in this. Our ancestors in faith also had intimate experience with the heavy burdens life has to offer, and were so inspired to write Psalms of disorientation. Pai...

In a world of disarray, it is easy to point to optimistic perspectives, like the song "What a Wonderful World," and think: yeah, right… so naive… the world hasn't been that wonderful in a long time! But what if that is part of the point? There was goodness out there, it may still be there if we look for it, and at the very least it offers hope for that goodness to return.

Sermon Title : Time After Time Scripture : Psalm 84: 1-4…10-12 The Psalms are some of the most vulnerably human sacred writings we have. Within them we find deeply expressive poetry about almost every human emotion from joy to crushing sadness. What we learn from studying them is that no matter what we may be experiencing in life, God is always present with us.

Sermon Title: Repent!! (Or: Change Your Mind!) Speaker:  Rev. Matthew Kern Scripture:  Luke 3:1-9 "Repentance" can be a loaded word, sometimes understood with only being a precursor to a life of faith. But John the Baptist gives us a hint into how our lives as disciples are in fact characterized by this repentance, or, "change of mind."

Sermon:  Until Speaker:  Rev. Dan Wunderlich Scripture:  Luke 15:1-10 Description:  The parables of the lost sheep and lost coin may be familiar to some of us, but there is one simple word in those stories that is key to understanding God's love for us. It should also serve as a motivator to those of us who are called to share that love in the world.

Sermon:  Ask the Pastor (and Friends) Speaker:  Rev. Dan Wunderlich, Jeremy Green, Amanda Stallard Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-16a Description:  Pastor Dan, Jeremy, and Amanda respond to questions from the congregation!

Sermon Series:  Vision Sermon:  Beyond the Fulfilled Vision Speaker:  Jeremy Green Scripture:  Luke 2: 25-38 Description:  Scripture tells us that if we stay committed to the vision that God has shown us it will come to pass. What does it look like for us to remain faithful and steadfast in the space between the revelation of the vision and its fulfillment?