A place for my thoughts and sermons.
As we reach the end of Finding Your Faith, “As You Wish” brings us to an unlikely example of great faith. What can we learn from this example? Are we always as inviting and accepting as Christ asks us to be? Join us as we find our faith.
Our scripture reading comes from Matthew 15:10-28.
“On the Sea” continues in our Finding Your Faith series. This week, we talk about weak faith. What do we do when our faith is weak? Are we alone? How do we strengthen our faith again? Join us as we find our faith.
Our scripture reading comes from Matthew 14:22-33.
As we continue in Finding Your Faith, we look at how God has faith in us. Today’s message is “YOU Feed Them”, and it explores how we can falter in faith. If God wants us to go and do, do we expect God to equip us? Do we sometimes try to push things back on Jesus that he’s asked us to do? Join us as we find our faith.
Our scripture reading comes from Matthew 14:13-21.
We begin our Finding Your Faith series with today’s message, “The Kingdom Is…” What does it mean to have faith in the Kingdom of God? What can we learn from the many parables of Jesus? What is the Kingdom mean to you? Join us as we find our faith.
Our scripture reading comes from Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52.
Well, I’ve already started it. I’m doing a topical study at the Greenup United Methodist Church. Currently, we are exploring various topics to explore the original texts of the Bible and try to understand what the Bible says. We currently meet every Tuesday at 10 am and would be happy to have you join us! I’ll be updating when we get close to starting our next study as well. We will be looking at John 3:16, the Ten Commandments, Noah and the Flood over the coming weeks. The time table below will change if it turns out we need more time. This is just a current estimate. We may also add more lessons as we continue, so stay tuned for updates!
7/25/17 – God So Loved
8/1/17 – The Ten commandments
8/8/17 – Noah’s Ark & The Flood
8/15/17 – What’s in a Name?
8/22/17 – The Name of God
8/29/17 – Prophecy and Fulfillment
9/5/17 – Common Phrases
9/12/17 – Prosperity and Money
The last sermon in our Let Yourself Be series is “Be Hopeful. ” Our series comes together in hope. How does hope help us? What are we able to do with hope? How does hope bring us together? Can you let yourself be hopeful?
Our scripture reading comes from Romans 8:12-25.
The third sermon in our Let Yourself Be series is “Be Kind. ” Today we have an example of people who weren’t kind. How do we learn to be kind? How do we struggle to show kindness? Does a kind word make a difference in today’s world? Can you let yourself be kind?
Our scripture reading comes from Genesis 25:19-34.
The second sermon in our Let Yourself Be series is “Be Full of Grace. ” It explores the gift of grace. What does grace mean to you? How do we show grace to others? As we explore grace, we further explore our call to be together in Christ. Can you let yourself be full of grace?
Our scripture reading comes from Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30.
Finding Your Faith will be the sermon series from July 30th through August 20th. It will look at how faith can shape our lives. We will look at what we have faith in, as well as how much faith we have. Faith can be strong and it can be weak. But faith in Christ will always carry us through.
July 30th – The Kingdom Is…
Scripture: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
We explore what the Kingdom of God is. Where is it? What is it like? Can we really understand?
August 6th – YOU feed them
Scripture: Matthew 14:13-21
Jesus calls the disciples to have faith in what they are called to do. Even when the task seems impossible.
August 13th – On the Sea
Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33
We are called to have faith always, but our faith isn’t always strong. How do we handle weak faith?
August 20th – As You Wish
Scripture: Matthew 15:10-28
What does having great faith mean? What does it look like? Jesus gives us an unlikely example.
So, I thought I would say something here about firsts, as today was my first Sunday preaching at three new churches. It will never again be my first Sunday at any of those churches. Just like the first sermon I gave, I won’t ever give my first sermon again. I can undoubtedly say that I felt much more at ease today than I did with my first sermon. If you’re curious, you can watch it here. You can listen to toady’s sermon if you want a comparison.
What struck me toady was that today felt like a natural continuation of my ministry. I wasn’t starting over. I wasn’t “fresh off the boat” as I was in the video above. No, I was in a new place, but I was still doing God’s work. And that really hit me. As I was sitting here, I realized that I had grown in many different ways over the last few years. I had left behind the trepidation I had when I had first begun. I was there to preach God’s Word to God’s people. I realized that I had grown in my confidence, because I had grown in God. The friendly people of the United Methodist Church had helped me along through many firsts, and here I was today, confident because God’s children had helped me along. And I’m confident that as long as God calls me, I will follow.
For me, this is amazing. For those of you who don’t know, I have high anxiety. How high? My loving mother-in-law used to try to make sure I always had an isle seat whenever we went to see a show, so that if I wouldn’t feel trapped, and could make a quick exit if needed. I panicked at lots of things, especially firsts. But today? I was greeted with warm smiles, kind words, and loving hand shakes. I was welcomed, not into a buildings, but into families. My anxiety didn’t jump out and tell me to run. I was in a familiar place, because even if I was in a new church, I was still in God’s house, with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I’ve come to learn that because of that, I can be “at home” in the church.
I may still get a little nervous with my “firsts” but I’ve found that as I’ve gotten older, that many of my firsts now are opportunities to get to know brothers and sisters I just haven’t had the chance to get to know yet. So with one first behind me, I look forward to the next. Talk to you again soon. God bless.
Pastor Cam
