Acts 28:11-16, 30-31

Paul finally makes it to Rome and settles into this place that was meant to be a stop on the road, but that became his destination. In the journeys we take, we often find that the end was not in the place where we stopped, but in the journey itself, much like a life of faith.

Acts 16:6-15

Paul and his companions can’t go to Asia, no matter how hard they try. Nonetheless, their detour leads to the baptism of Lydia’s whole household. We often find blessings in the detours we have to take unexpectedly.

Acts 15:12-35

Barnabas and Paul are sent out with authorization from the apostles to preach to the Gentiles. The journey is underway!

Acts 9:1-30

Sometimes things happen in our lives that cause us to look at things and see them differently. It happened to Saul and this week it has happened to all of us. We will find our faith in that experience.

Galatians 5:13-14

We will celebrate confirmation today as a choice that these youth have made of their own free will. But we will also affirm that the choice they have made is to love their neighbor as themselves.

1 Corinthians 12:13-22, Mark 2:1-12

As we close out our series on the United Methodist Social Principles we will discuss The Social Community. We will take a close look at the story of the paralytic man in Mark 2:1-12 who is lowered through the roof by his friends to gain access to Jesus and reflect on this as a picture of our United Methodist DNA.

Micah 6:6-8 (CEB), Luke 6:31

What does the Lord require of the political community and the aspirations of the United Methodist Church? Micah 6:8 is an excellent summary of these detailed and subtle political statements in the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church. We generally try to avoid “being political“ in the religious community; however, these statements are concerned with addressing public justice and not partisan politics. Our heritage calls us to both private and social holiness.

Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15

Sabbath is an economic statement. It lays claim to the need to care for ourselves in order to care for others and God’s world. Yet for far too many of us, Sabbath is a luxury. How do we reclaim this gift God has given us?