August 9th marks the 11th Sunday after Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series, "Crowded Table", Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "Get Out of the Boat" will focus on Matthew 14:22-32. The most dangerous place in this story is not the water — it is the boat, where the disciples huddle watching someone else take the risk of showing up fully. Isolation feels like safety, but it is its own kind of drowning. Jesus does not wait on the shore for Peter to get his faith together. He co

August 2nd marks the 10th Sunday after Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series, "Crowded Table", Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "Everybody Eats" will focus on Matthew 14:13-21. We live in a world of carefully managed scarcity — not enough time, money, or room — and we have learned to protect what little we have rather than share it, because sharing feels like losing. Jesus takes what is insufficient, gives thanks anyway, breaks it, and distributes it until everyone has enough

July 26th marks the 9th Sunday after Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series, "Hiding in Plain Sight", Rev. Dr. Rula Colvin will be our special guest pastor. Her sermon will focus on Matthew 13:31-33. Our service will include a special Children’s Moment with a the Back-to-School Blessing of the Backpacks. As we pray over our children and all those beginning a new school year, we ask for God's protection, peace, and guiding hand to accompany them every day. We welcome guest

July 19th marks the 8th Sunday after Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series, "Hiding in Plain Sight", Rev. Rula Colvin will be our special guest. Will focus on Matthew 13:24-30. Meditation on "Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven" arr. J. Jeyakumar for the Prelude. Worship Service will also include the hymns The God of Abraham Praise, Spirit of Faith, Come Down and Sweet, Sweet Spirit. A Musical Offering, How Great Thou Art by Terry Lewis, Harmonica.

July 12th marks the 7th Sunday after Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series, "The Wrestler", Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "A New Name" will focus on Genesis 32:22–31. Hymn notes: “Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown” (UMH 386) Last Sunday, Jeff Harris sang and today WE sing what many consider Charles Wesley's masterpiece. Written in 1742, just four years after his own life-changing conversion, the hymn retells the mysterious story of Jacob wrestli

July 5th marks the 6th Sunday after Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series, "The Wrestler", Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "What Goes Around" will focus on Genesis 29:15–28. The strategies we use to get what we want have a way of becoming the strategies others use against us — and God does not always rescue us from the consequences of the world we helped create. God is working even in the reversals. The twenty years Jacob spends in Haran are not a detour from the promise. Th

June 28th marks the 5th Sunday after Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series, "The Wrestler", Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "Running into God" will focus on Genesis 28:10-19a. We assume that our worst moments — the ones where we are most alone, most exposed, most deserving of abandonment — are precisely the places where God is not. God shows up on the road away from everything, to a fugitive sleeping on a rock, and says: I am with you. I will not leave you. Not when you get

June 21st marks the 4th Sunday after Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series, "The Wrestler", Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon " God is Greater (The G.O.A.T.) " will focus on Isaiah 40:28-31 and John 1:6-12, 29. Notes from the Bench This Sunday, we welcome guest organist Johnson Joseph Jeyakumar, who will share his own arrangements of The Love of God is Greater Far, and How Great Thou Art. These beloved hymns remind us of God's immeasurable love, Christ's saving grace, and the

"Born Grabbing" June 14th marks the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series, "The Wrestler", Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon " The Lie That Changed Everything " will focus on Gen. 27:1–40. We are capable of becoming someone we are not in order to take something that isn’t ours — and the worst part is that it works, at least for a while. God does not erase the consequences of Jacob’s deception. But the promise made before Jacob was born is not revoked by what J

"Born Grabbing" June 7th marks the 2nd Sunday after the Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series, "The Wrestler", Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon " Born Grabbing " will focus on Genesis 25:19-34. We come into the world reaching — for security, for advantage, for more than our share — convinced that if we grab the right thing, we’ll finally feel like enough. God names the grabber before he has done anything to deserve it, and plants the promise in him anyway — not because of who

Trinity Sunday Hymn Sing May 31st marks Trininty Sunday. This week, we celebrate Trinity Sunday by studying Matthew 28:16-20. A selection of hymns honoring God, Our Creator; Christ, Our Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, Our Sustainer will be the musical focus for our Hymn Sing Worship Service. The Arts in Worship “Revealing God’s grace through our eyes and ears.” Last week the church was ablaze with the fire of the Holy Spirit. We celebrated Pen

Pentecost: The Ultimate Surprise Party / Aldersgate Day / UM Heritage Sunday May 24th marks the Pentecost. This week, in the sermon series "Surprise! The Unexpected Acts of God" Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "The Ultimate Surprise Party" will focus on Acts 2:1-21. All the astonishing events in Acts (and in the church since) can be traced back to this one surprising moment. The Arts in Worship “Revealing God’s grace through our eyes and ears.” T

The 7th Sunday of Easter / Mother's Day May 17th marks the 7th Sunday of Easter. This week, in the sermon series "Surprise! The Unexpected Acts of God" Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "An Ironic Escape" will focus on Acts 16:16-34. Sometimes those who seem free are truly enslaved, and those who seem to be in chains are truly liberated. The Arts in Worship “Revealing God’s grace through our eyes and ears.” For the past seven weeks, the season of

The 6th Sunday of Easter / Mother's Day May 10th marks the 6th Sunday of Easter. This week, in the sermon series "Surprise! The Unexpected Acts of God" Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "An Amazing Detour" will focus on Acts 16:9-15. The power of conversion is still God's building block to change the world one person at a time! Notes from the Bench This Sunday, we celebrate An Amazing Detour alongside Mother’s Day, reflecting on Acts 16:9–15, where Paul’s journey takes an unexpecte

The 5th Sunday of Easter May 3rd marks the 5th Sunday of Easter. This week, in the sermon series "Surprise! The Unexpected Acts of God" Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "An Astonishing Imitation" will focus on Acts 9:36-43. By imitating Christ, we become more like him and bring other people's attention to his glory. Notes from the Bench This Sunday’s organ music highlights two pillars of the repertoire, offering both expressive depth and vibrant energy. The prelude is the Fugue fr

Native American Ministries Sunday April 26th marks the 4th Sunday of Easter. This week, we have a special guest preacher Rev. Tweedy Navarrete "Native American Ministries Sunday". Notes from the Bench Today, we celebrate Native American Ministries Sunday, honoring the rich heritage, faith, and musical voices of Indigenous communities. We are grateful to welcome guest pastor Tweedy Navarrete, whose presence deepens this observance. Our gathering hymn, Amazing Grace, is sung in

The 3rd Sunday of Easter April 19th marks the 3rd Sunday of Easter. This week, in the sermon series " Surprise! The Unexpected Acts of God" Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "A Surprising Friendship" will focus on Acts 9:1-20. God often brings us the surprising gift of friendships we never expected. Ananias and Saul were natural enemies. They were headed for a collision course, not a bromance. Saul had stood guard over the execution of Stephen, the first Christian martyr and one of

The 2nd Sunday of Easter April 12th marks the 2nd Sunday of Easter. This week, in the sermon series " Surprise! The Unexpected Acts of God" Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon "A Surprising Turnaround" will focus on Acts 5:27-32. The resurrection can spark changes in our beliefs and behavior that surprise even ourselves. What a turnaround! From running away from the cross to standing in the temple courts telling the story of the resurrection. Peter has been surprised by God for so l

Easter Sunday April 5th marks Easter Sunday. This week, in the sermon series " Face to Face & Heart to Heart," Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon " When Mary Magdalene Met Jesus " will focus on Matthew 28:1-10. In the gospel of John, Mary Magdalene is the first to meet the resurrected Christ. Christ reveals himself to her by calling out her name, lifting her out of despair and towards wonder. Ultimately, however, Christ does not allow Mary Magdalene to stay where she is. He calls h

Palm Sunday March 29th marks Palm Sunday. This week, in the sermon series " Face to Face & Heart to Heart," Rev. Dr. Sam Parkes' sermon " When Jerusalem Met Jesus " will focus on Matthew 21:1-11. After several weeks in John, this story from Matthew can feel brief and half-finished. Yet Matthew reveals a city in turmoil, half-exultant at Jesus’ approach, half-terrified. Jerusalem meets Jesus with a parade, but quickly turns against him as the week progresses, with “hosanna” t