For These Saints For All Saints Day we honor the beloved members of our congregation who have died in the last year, giving thanks for their lives and the legacy they have left. We’ll read the names of our congregation’s beloved members, and we’ll light a candle to symbolize the eternal light of God’s love. We remember and give thanks…
Living Faith All people who follow Jesus are called to be ministers of the Gospel – to offer themselves for God’s work in the world. Join us in worship for Laity Sunday as we celebrate the gifts we all have to lead and serve in the church and in the world. Join us live at 10:30 on October 27 or…
Love Knows No Boundaries There are no borders in the Kingdom of Heaven, no divisions between “us” and “them.” Rather, God’s divine love removes the boundaries we’ve drawn and invites us to live in deep connection with all of God’s children. Pastor Clay and Pastora Keren Rodriguez of Aloha UMC will be preaching together and reflecting on the ways that…
What Must I Do to Inherit When Jesus asks the rich man to give all of his possessions to the poor and follow him, we probably wonder whether he’s even talking to us. But what happens if we look more closely at the man’s question, ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ and reflect on how we might go…
Bigger Than Us World Communion Sunday is a celebration of the global Church – a reminder of the gift of the variety of cultures, languages, and peoples of the church. In the rich tapestry of the Church, we can see God’s desire for our world – an interwoven community where our diversity is the very source of our strength and…
But Why Here? There are dozens of churches in Lake Oswego, and hundreds more within an easy driving distance. Why are we part of THIS congregation? What is it that makes LOUMC distinctive? Should we even TRY to be different? And why can’t all the churches just get together? Join us live at 9:00 on September 22 or watch…
“John Who Now?” What are United Methodists? What makes us distinct? What do we believe? And what’s all this weirdness about “going on to perfection?” Is this John Wesley guy actually helpful when it comes to being a faithful Christian? (He is.) Join us live at 9:00 on September 15 or watch the replay any time after. Download the…
What’s This All For? What is all this church stuff for? Why do we gather in worship? Why have a building? Why read and study Scripture together? Why have small groups, or ministry teams, or a staff, or ESPECIALLY why have a pastor? What does it even mean to be a church? What does it mean to be the Church?…
Dirty Words The Pharisees and Scribes confront Jesus about the disciples not properly washing their hands. Jesus turns the tables on them (of course) and challenges their understanding of sin and holiness. Jesus teaches that it is our own hearts that are the source of sin, not something outside of us that defiles us. Humans love to focus on the…
Disarmed Paul encourages the Ephesians to put on the whole armor of God – but he’s using language subversively here. The armor Paul suggests is not armor at all. Instead, it is righteousness, peace, truth, faith… Paul is perhaps suggesting that to be a follower of the Prince of Peace requires us to live differently. We may not wear armor these…
Properly Drunk In Paul’s letter to the Christians in Ephesus, he encourages them to live a life of wisdom, guided by the Gospel and the Holy Spirit. He encourages them to be filled with the Holy Spirit in the way that they might have once been filled with wine. For Paul and the early Christians, there was exuberance and joy…
“How Will We Talk to One Another” With the Olympics and the ceaseless commentary, the Presidential Debates, the Political Parties’ Conventions, and the coming Presidential Election people are talking but how are they talking and what are they trying to do with their talking? How Does Paul say we should talk with and to one another? In this polarized time…
