Worship and the Word from Clinton UMC

We continue looking at 1 Peter (1:13-25) to see how the new birth calls us to a life of discipleship.

This week we begin our exploration of 1 Peter (1: 1-12) by looking at the bedrock of Peter's argument about how we are to live in the world as Christians.

This morning we look at the original ending of Mark (16: 1-8) to see how this version of the Easter story speaks into our lives today.

On this Palm Sunday we look at what it meant for Jesus to enter Jerusalem on the back of a donkey (Matthew 21: 1-11), and what it continues to mean for us.

This morning we look at the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11: 1-45) to ask where should we slow down in reading this story and where should we shout out loud.

This morning we think about how Jesus' healing a blind man (John 9) is a challenge to systems of oppression.

This week we consider some lived examples of what it means to be sustained on the living water of Jesus (John 4: 4-42)

We go back to our Methodist roots to hear a modernized version of John Wesley's "The New Birth" in order to understand what Jesus tells Nicodemus in the Gospel of John. (John 3:1-21)

This week we see how Jesus deals with temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4: 1-11) in order to learn how we can handle temptation.

This week the gospel of Matthew (17: 1-9) presents us with a story of transformation that resists meaning and asks us to dwell in mystery.

The Deuteronomist (30: 15-20) reminds us that following God requires us to make choices to do good.

God speaks through the prophet Isaiah (58: 1-12) to bring a complaint against the people of Judah who have made a mockery out of holiness.

We look at the three simple (but difficult rules) that the book of Micah (6:1-8) tells us are good and required of us.

Isaiah (9:1-7) gives us an oracle that guides us in our thinking about what it means to have godly authority.

Through Isaiah God proclaims a light to the nations (49: 1-7), so we consider how we can shine our lights. 

Lay Servant Todd Morgan explores John the Baptist's feelings of inadequacy when asked to baptize Jesus in order to explore the times in our own lives when we feel inadequate and should turn to God. 

Clinton Administrative Board chair, Sheila Stasak, speaks about the meaning of the twelve days of Christmas and the gifts brought by the wise-men on Epiphany.

This week we reflect on the flight into Egypt and the slaughter of the Holy Innocents to see how these darker parts of the Christmas story reveal the message of the gospel. (Matthew 2: 13-23)

Rev. Blanchard wades through the genealogy of Jesus and the history of Judah to ask what it means for us to call Jesus the "God who is with us"

For the final Sunday of Advent we look at how Joseph responds to the news that his wife is pregnant with someone else's child.

This week Rev. Blanchard explores another story about John the Baptist (Matthew 11: 2-15) to see what God has to say to us in our moments of doubt.

This week John the Baptist tells us about the coming Kingdom of God. (Matthew 3: 1-12) Rev. Blanchard unpacks the invitation that John gives us to change our hearts and lives.

For the first Sunday in Advent, Rev. Blanchard explores the message from Jesus (Matthew 24: 36-44) that we must be vigilant as we wait for the reign of God. Also included after the sermon are some brief thoughts upon communion.

For Christ the King Sunday we look to the ancient hopes of Jeremiah (23: 1-6) to remind us that no matter how much bad news is in the world we still have hope.

We hear God's promise from Isaiah that a new heaven and new earth are being created (Isaiah 65: 17-25), and talk about what that invitation means for us.