United Church Podcast

Join us on this Christmas Eve as Pastor Leonce shares a message about hope—a gift we all long for, especially during the holiday season. In a world filled with challenges, this "living hope" offers peace, stability, and renewal. Learn how to cultivate a life rooted in faith through prayer, scripture, and worship while embracing the Christmas story’s transformative power. ___________ Subscribe to o...

In this sermon titled "Love", you'll explore how love is at the very heart of the Christmas story—God's love for humanity expressed through the birth of Jesus. Pastor Leonce challenges us to embrace this love in practical ways: by forgiving, serving, showing kindness, and putting others first. Let this message inspire you to practice and receive Jesus’ love this season, creating a ripple effect th...

In this sermon "Joy", Pastor Matt explores the true meaning of joy during the Christmas season, drawing from John 15:11. While holiday happiness can often feel fleeting, Pastor Matt reminds us of the unshakable joy found in a relationship with Jesus. This Christmas, apply this practical three-step approach to experiencing this lasting joy. Don’t settle for fleeting moments of happiness. Embrace th...

Have you lost the sense of wonder that made Christmas magical? In this powerful message, "Peace", Pastor Leonce invites us to rediscover the awe and joy of the season as an antidote to the cynicism that often creeps into adulthood. At the heart of this message is a reminder that Jesus’ peace is more than just the absence of conflict. It’s a holistic, transformative calm that can alleviate anxiety...

Drawing from Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians, Pastor Leonce challenges us to reflect on what it means to become “all things to all people” for the sake of the Gospel. This sermon "Be All Things" invites us to ask: Are we willing to give up our comforts and preferences to reach others for Jesus? Listen in to be inspired to embrace the call to selfless adaptability for the Kingdom of God. __________...

Have you ever felt the nudge to share your faith but held back, unsure how to start? In this sermon "Tear the Roof Off", Pastor Leonce shares his powerful testimony of how a friend named Judah’s unwavering dedication to Jesus led him to faith. This sermon will unpack the challenges many believers face in sharing the gospel and the profound openness many non-believers have to hearing about Jesus. T...

In this Harvest series sermon "Work with Jesus," Pastor Leonce explores Jesus’ vision for humanity, encouraging us to respond with compassion to those who are distressed and dejected. Through Matthew 9:35-38, we’re reminded that our life with Jesus is fulfilled when we embrace His mission—not as a duty, but as a beautiful invitation to help restore the world. In a time when so many face anxiety, f...

In this Sunday's sermon, Pastor Matt Adair dives into the topic of greed and the misconception that life is defined by what we own. Drawing insights from the Gospel of Luke, Pastor Matt examines the societal pressures that drive our constant pursuit of more—whether it's wealth, success, or status—often leaving us feeling empty and dissatisfied. He highlights how the relentless desire for more can...

In the final message of Among Kings, Pastor Leonce draws from Daniel's story in Daniel 6:10 -28 to inspire a faith that stands firm, even under pressure. He challenges us to go beyond resisting political pressures, calling for unity, compassion, and a commitment to Jesus' teachings over division. With a call to align our choices with Christ’s love and justice, this message equips us to be agents o...

In this powerful sermon, “A Distinguished Life”, Pastor Leonce explores how we can maintain a godly reputation in a world of political division, drawing inspiration from Daniel’s story (Daniel 5:1-6:9) of unwavering faithfulness in a constantly shifting political landscape. By contrasting Daniel’s integrity with that of modern figures, Pastor Leonce urges us to cultivate a reputation that reflects...

In this sermon, "When Sovereignty Isn't Enough," Pastor Leonce explores God's sovereignty in a politically divided world, drawing from Daniel’s experience serving under King Nebuchadnezzar, a ruler he didn’t choose. The message highlights the importance of inviting God's sovereignty into our daily lives to find peace and make confident decisions, even amid external chaos.   Tune in to be challenge...

In this sermon, we dive into Daniel 3:13 -18, the story of Daniel's friends who courageously refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's statue, standing firm in their faith despite the threat of death. Their unwavering devotion to God reminds us that true worship belongs to Him alone, not to political figures or parties. Get ready to be challenged to reflect on how misplaced worship, or placing...

As we navigate our politically divided world, the central question is: how do we maintain peace and seek wisdom when circumstances are challenging? The narrative of Daniel interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar’s troubling dream illustrates that wisdom comes from God. In a moment of crisis, Daniel chooses to pray and seek divine guidance rather than succumb to panic or fear. It may be difficult to resis...

We continue with part two of our seven-week series, Among Kings: How to be a Whole Christian in a Politically Divided World. Pastor Leonce uses the story of Daniel 1:8-21 to highlight the importance of choosing allegiance to God over earthly leaders, even in challenging times. Listen in to explore how Daniel's integrity in Babylon serves as a guide for us today, urging us to resist cultural pressu...

We kick off our seven-week sermon series, Among Kings, exploring how to live as a faithful Christian in a politically divided world. Using the biblical story of Daniel (Daniel 1:1-8), who served under four different kings he didn't choose, we examine the tension between faith and politics. Daniel’s life provides a powerful example of maintaining integrity, faithfulness, and trust in God, even unde...

On Foster Care Sunday, we welcomed WinShape Homes to share about the importance of foster care. We also heard moving testimonies from foster and adoption parents, showing the impact of opening their homes to children in need. James 1:27 reminds us to "look after orphans and widows in their distress," encouraging us to live out this call to care for the vulnerable. Interested in learning more? Join...

Hebrews 10:23-25 emphasizes the importance of holding onto hope and encouraging one another in love and good deeds, especially during times of societal upheaval. Unfortunately, the growing trend of isolation among Americans can lead to a loss of community and faith. During challenging times, the solution is to gather more frequently rather than retreat into solitude. Tune in as Pastor Doug reminds...

Churches want to grow, to meet people far from God and introduce them to Jesus; to help them take first steps and next steps in practicing Jesus’ way of life; to invite them to participate in our common work of helping each other grow healthy and mature so we can do the work that God has given us to do as his people and his partners. This church wants to grow. You want to grow, healthy and whole....

Duplicity is defined as deceptive, double-dealing, funny business, or fraud. At its core, duplicity is failing to be who we say we are. We need to be keenly aware of the dangers of duplicity. Though this may seem aimed more at those of you who follow Jesus, if you are not a Christian, there is something helpful for you, too. You want to be known as a person who is trustworthy and deals honestly wi...

Your heart desires to share your person and possessions and love people freely. After all, Jesus said, “​It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). If Jesus has changed your life, I believe you aspire to be like Him and live by His words. But here is our reality: Our culture has groomed us to keep instead of release. We intuitively know that there is little satisfaction beyond a cer...

Luke tells us that Peter and John showed extraordinary courage under fire during the interrogation in Acts 4:29-31. Boldly, they told the religious leaders that there was no salvation apart from Jesus. Peter sharing Jesus’ resurrection caused issues for the Sadducees. They did not believe in a resurrection of any kind and certainly could not ascribe to a resurrected Messiah, especially that Messia...

We're continuing our sermon series on The Jesus Revolution! The last time we were in Acts, we saw that the tone of Luke’s record shifts. Until this point in Acts four, there had been no resistance to Jesus’ people. Indeed, the picture is of the general acceptance and favor given to them by the people.  Yet, in chapter four, the picture changes. The political leaders, posing as religious figures, t...

How can we, in our own contexts, prioritise the well-being of others?  The question is born of what I believe is your deep desire: to put others before yourself. I believe that beneath many layers of cultural sediment, our deepest desire is to regard others' interests over our own, particularly if we practice the way of Jesus. Our issue in activating that desire is that our host culture taught us...

The vocational calling of all of God’s people is to represent Him in this world as He brings the kingdom fully to fruition. We are integral to God’s plan to reconcile all things to Himself, and get as many people as possible back to Him.  If you practise the way of Jesus, I believe you want to accept this mandate. You want to see your one more come to know God’s love. You want to invite them to me...

Life is simply too busy to serve. Consider a typical week: juggling work deadlines, family responsibilities, and social commitments.  By the time the weekend arrives, the thought of adding one more task, like serving at church, can feel overwhelming. It's easy to feel like there's no room left to give  And yet an undeniable truth calls to us—Serving is Essential to The Way of Jesus. I understand t...