Delivering a message interwoven with the story of the arrival of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church, Pastors Melinda Giese and Cara Scriven reveal the results of an important vote taken by members of the two churches they serve.
Looking Past Death Toward the Harvest
This week, we continue to explore the Apostle Paul's letter to the church in Corinth (I Corinthians 15:20-26, 50-58) where he expounds upon the promise of the resurrection. Pastor Cara Scriven's message touches on the "sting of death," our culture's fascination with immortality, and the work of looking amidst change for the first fruits of what is to come.
Love Endures
In today's text (1 Corinthians 13:1-13), we encounter a familiar message about love from the Apostle Paul to the early Christian community at Corinth. In her sermon, Pastor Melinda Giese asks us to consider the different gifts of the Spirit and how God might be calling us to embrace a gift new to us in this season.
Same Mind, Same Purpose
For this week's message, we dig into the Apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthians (Acts 18:1-4 & 1 Corinthians 1:10-18). Living as we do in times where some actively create division, Pastor Cara Scriven reminds us that we have an opportunity and a calling to be united in purpose to affect positive change in the world.
The World Turned Upside Down
In our scripture from Acts this week (17:1-9), we travel with the Apostle Paul and Silas as they arrive in the Roman city of Thessalonica. Paul's preaching at the city's synagogue is both effective and threatening, winning converts and unsettling the social order. In her sermon, Pastor Melinda Giese asks us to consider how this work of turning the world upside down remains with the church today.
The Gift of Change
In Acts 3:1-10, Peter and John encounter a man who was crippled from birth begging for change. Refusing him some coins, Peter offers him the gift "of what he had." We all have something to give according to Pastor Cara Scriven. She challenges us to think beyond the ones that come easily to mind, to also consider those hard-earned gifts weathering change and struggle.
The New Normal
Preaching on Acts 1:1-14, Summit UMC Pastor Melinda Giese helps us to get into heads of Jesus' disciples as they slowly process the differences between the deliverance they expected and the more perfect gift Jesus was offering. Pastor Melinda challenges us to think about our current situation, and to consider how we can open ourselves up to new possibilities as well. Summit United Methodist Church in Tacoma and Puyallup United Methodist Church are sharing their pastoral leadership in online worship for the next several weeks.
Easter Message: Love Leaves Empty Tombs and Churches
Our Easter text this year comes from the 16th chapter of Mark's Gospel. The oldest version of the story of Christ's resurrection originally ends abruptly, leaving its audience with questions that were answered by early believers. According to Pastors Melinda Giese and Cara Scriven, a similar challenge faces us as our sanctuaries sit empty this Easter. This strange occurrence also has a reason we should be ready to share.
Summit United Methodist Church in Tacoma and Puyallup United Methodist Church are sharing their pastoral leadership in online worship for the next several weeks.