This message was shared on Sunday, January 10, 2021 at First Wayne Street UMC. One of the first things we see in today’s Scripture reading is John carrying out the ministry to which he was called. John had a passion for his purpose. He possessed a courageous commitment to his position. He was “all in”…
This following message was shared on Sunday, January 3, 2021 at First Wayne Street UMC. Our Scripture reading from John 1:1-14 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. In just fourteen verses, there are so many great verses to commit to memory. One of my go to verses is verse 5 – The light…
This is the message Pastor Jason shared during our Christmas Eve virtual gathering. Merry Christmas Eve! What an amazing evening to join together for worship! For many, we are on the verge of the “big day” of our year! We are so excited to shower our family and friends with gifts…even if we have to…
Richard Foster wrote, “Joy, not grit, is the hallmark of holy obedience. We need to be light-hearted in what we do to avoid taking ourselves too seriously. It is a cheerful revolt against self and pride.” I have a feeling Foster would love to join us in our joy-filled “ugly Christmas sweater, crazy Christmas outfit”…
What is your idea of a picture-perfect Christmas? All the decorations are perfect. You were able to find just the right gift for everyone on your list. Everything was on sale. You are surrounded by family and friends. The kids get along. The cat behaves. The new recipe you tried out works and everyone loves…
This morning, our Advent focus is hope. Too often, it seems like we confuse hope and wishing. I hope Emily buys me a new Corvette for Christmas. Seriously…have you seen the new Corvettes? They are absolutely incredible! And, it’s totally on my Christmas list. I shared it with my family and my dad said, “Okay”,…
In 1741, John Wesley shared a message called, “The Almost Christian.” In this sermon, Wesley explored how many followers of Jesus are “almost” rather than “altogether” Christian. In the pursuit of becoming “altogether Christian”, Wesley urged people to follow Christ with all they had…It’s truly a message for all generations. Wesley’s desire was that we…
On Monday, November 16th in a Coronavirus Townhall hosted by Bishop Julius Trimble and a team from IU Health, Bishop Trimble called on all Indiana United Methodist congregations to suspend in-person worship gatherings effective on Sunday, November 22nd. With rising positivity rates and our healthcare networks being stressed to the point of maximum capacity, the…
Matthew 7:1 is a verse that even non-Christians like to toss around. ”Do not judge or you too will be judged.” In many ways, this is an attempt to proclaim, “Mind your own business.” We tend to like to use it when others call out our “less-than-righteous” or inappropriate behaviors. If someone tells me I’ve…
There’s a good chance you have heard the phrase, “God helps those who help themselves.” There’s a good chance you’ve heard that phrase quoted by a pastor, a Sunday school teacher, a well-respected Christian. One poll indicated that 80% of Americans believe the Bible teaches this message. The Barna Research Group reports that 52% of…