2019 Sermons

December 29, 2019:  Christmas pageants are a tradition in many churches and there are always three main characters: Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. The cast usually includes some tinsel-haloed angels, bath-robed shepherds and gift-bearing visitors from the East. But there is one character that never gets included and is never on anyone’s Christmas card. However, it’s very important that we keep him in the Christmas story. Come hear who and why on this first Sunday after Christmas. Rev. Judy May preaches.

December 23, 2019:  A joy-filled, family service with Christmas classics with a jazz twist by The Paul Keller Ensemble, featuring vocalists Ramona Collins and Shelly Cowling. Invite your family and friends to this incredible worship service and celebrate Christmas in New Orleans. Rev. Erin Fitzgerald preaches.

December 22, 2019:  Unfortunately, this sermon recording is unavailable.

December 15, 2019:  Unfortunately, this sermon recording is unavailable.

December 8, 2019:  As we open the gifts of Christmas, we discover the gift of welcome this Sunday.  It’s one of God’s most special gifts.  Through Jesus all are welcomed into God’s family.  This is the hallmark of God’s inclusive hospitality: the doors are open for everyone.  Join us as we practice our hospitality and live out this wonderful gift with everyone around us. Rev. David Eardley preaches.

December 1, 2019:  Still working off that delicious Thanksgiving dinner? Or are you among the throngs filling the stores this holiday weekend? There’s no doubt: Christmas is coming! Anticipation is in the air, and it’s the initial focus in our new series, the Gifts of Christmas. Join us as we celebrate this most unique gift of “getting ready.” Rev. David Eardley preaches.

November 24, 2019:  We welcome guest preacher, Rev. Dr. Charles Boayue, Jr. who is the Greater Detroit District Superintendent. He will also be talking at 10 a.m. in Rickard Chapel and will be leading the Annual Church Conference at 1 p.m.

November 17, 2019:  The prophet Isaiah speaks of hope to a people struggling to make ends meet. Your story is far from over, and there are more pages to be written. God will make a way into a better future. Join us as we lean into this hope during the times of challenge, as we choose faith even when the way seems uncertain.  Rev. David Eardley preaches.

November 10, 2019:  November is a time where we celebrate gratitude, both as families and as a nation. This Sunday, we’ll focus on the Apostle Paul’s good words to a group of believers in Thessalonica. They were encouraging him by their faith, and he celebrated. Whose faith encourages your faith? Who helps you celebrate in your walk with Jesus?   Rev. David Eardley preaches.

November 3, 2019: This Sunday we are honored to have Rev. Dr. James Harnish preach.  His message is titled, “How Seekers Get Found,” which concludes our Disciple’s Path fall sermon series.  Rev. Dr. James Harnish most recently served Hyde Park UMC in Tampa, Florida and was the keynote speaker at our Disciple’s Path Conference on Saturday, November 2. 

November 2, 2019: Rev. Dr. James Harnish is keynote speaker at our A Disciple’s Path Conference on Saturday, November 2.  Rev. Dr. James Harnish most recently served Hyde Park UMC in Tampa, Florida.

October 27, 2019:  Albert Schweitzer wrote, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”  As we celebrate All Saints’ Sunday, we’ll be naming those among us who have served as Christ served us.   Their lives inspire us to live like Jesus and to lovingly serve our neighbors around us. Rev.David Eardley preaches.

October 20, 2019:  John Wesley wrote, “It is true, riches, and the increase of them, are the gift of God.  Yet great care is to be taken, that what is intended for a blessing, do not turn into a curse.”  Generous living is intentional.  It’s remembering that our possessions are not to possess us.  Generous living is a reflection of our Loving God who is the Giver of all good things. Rev.David Eardley preaches.

October 13, 2019:  God is present with us in every time and place.  In our daily lives, we can experience the gracious, holy, mysterious, powerful presence of the Holy Spirit moving through our church and community.  We sense that God’s Spirit is alive in and through our worship and our time together each week in fellowship, prayer, service, and study.  Rev. Erin Fitzgerald preaches.

October 6, 2019:  One of the most important relationships that we ever experience is with God in prayer.  Through Jesus, we trust that God listens, and that God speaks.  So, disciples pray, individually and in groups.  We pray to know God’s will.  We pray to be the answer to others’ prayers.  Rev. David Eardley preaches.

September 29, 2019:  Kenneth Collins has written, “The empowering grace of God is already present, even before we are fully aware of its presence.”  This is God’s unavoidable, all-ecompassing love at work around us.  Together, let’s take the first step along the Disciple’s Path, which is a step into God’s grace.  Rev. David Eardley preaches.

September 22, 2019: Do you feel the pace of change is way too fast these days? Or, do you feel like you’re in a rut and change would do you good? Jesus had important things to say about both questions. His answers might change your mind about change. Rev. Rick Kress preaches.

September 15, 2019: Have you ever started on a journey knowing where you wanted to go, but found yourself on a strange road as a result of detours, and suddenly realized you were lost? In our faith journeys we also get caught up in the detours of life, and we can’t seem to find our way back to the main road, and too often we travel in one direction and the next, with no rhyme or reason , failing to admit we are lost.  So it often is with our faith; too often refusing to believe the signs that give us a way out.  Rev. Carter Grimmett preaches.

September 8, 2019:  Is it possible to be authentic in today’s world?  Are we so comfortable moving from mask to mask, that we’ve forgotten who we are?  Have we become a mystery even to ourselves? Listen as the Apostle Paul guides along a better way, a road to authenticity, a road that unmasks us and reveals our true God-graced identity. Rev. David Eardley preaches.

A Humble Heart

This sermon is currently unavailable

September 1, 2019:  Jesus’ way is so simple and yet so demanding.  Being clearly counter-cultural then (and now, too), he challenges his followers to strive for humility.  Humility?  Won’t people step all over me!?  What’s the point?  Join us and discover what it means to live with a humble heart.  Rev. David Eardley preaches.

August 25, 2019: I have been praying for you this summer.  In particular, I’ve been praying for your soul to be fed during worship.  This Sunday your soul will be fed.  This Sunday you’ll be reminded about the power of worship to energize your faith and renew your relationship with God and with your church family.  This Sunday you need to be here… Need some encouragement?… I’m praying for you! Rev. David Eardley preaches.

August 18, 2019:  This Sunday’s text from Luke 12:49-56 is one of the “hard sayings” of Jesus. Let’s face it…some of the things Jesus said are hard to accept. Maybe they are difficult for us because we are just unwilling to listen and then obey. So just what did Jesus mean when he said he came to cause “division”? What happened to “gentle Jesus, meek and mild”?  Rev. Judy May unpacks just what Jesus is teaching us to consider.

August 11, 2019:  How many ways have you hear it said, “There’s nothing like hearing a good sermon to get you through the week”. I’m sure it is true, but what else can we expect from our church faith experience? How often have we heard,” I’ve done enough! I have retired and it’s time for someone else to take my place.” So, is there someone else? Am I finished? Will there be anyone to take my place? …Good question, but we may not be too pleased with the answer. Rev. Carter Grimmett preaches.

August 4, 2019:  Moses tried to do it all himself.  As a result, he was doing nothing well.  Have you ever been in that situation?  If so, then you’ll love the advice that his father-in-law Jethro offered.  Rev. David Eardley talks about the secret to healthy leadership

August 4, 2019:  Moses tried to do it all himself.  As a result, he was doing nothing well.  Have you ever been in that situation?  If so, then you’ll love the advice that his father-in-law Jethro offered.  Rev. David Eardley talks about the secret to healthy leadership

July 21, 2019:  Rev. Erin Fitzgerald explores ways to encounter Jesus in the midst of the most mundane and ordinary tasks.  Spirituality is about showing up for Jesus each day no matter what we’re doing, and choosing to joy and life He brings rather than the things that deplete or distract us.  Take time this week to tap in to the deep and abiding presence of the Lord, who gives you new and abundant life.

July 14, 2019:  When some of us are called upon to personally get involved with people we really don’t know much about, don’t like, or have fear of, we often find ourselves in an awkward situations, sometimes forcing us to make “on the spot” decisions in places and spaces we don’t know, and are not familiar with. Not only is it inconvenient, it can sometimes be scary, especially when we never had any real contact with these persons/people, and all we have to go on are the accounts of others. How do we navigate this real fear? Do we keep our distance, or do we wait for a more opportune time under more favorable circumstances?   Rev. Carter Grimmett preaches.

July 7, 2019:   They’re Back and Ready to Share! We celebrate our recently completed Youth Worktrip to the Rosebud Reservation in Mission, SD.  Be inspired by the experiences of our youth and adults.

June 30, 2019:  Peter reminds us that in our lives we can feel as if we are paralyzed by the rough seas of circumstances and situations of our lives. We get caught in a sea of fear and confusion to the point we lose confidence in ourselves and others. In short, we lose sight of Christ, and our confidence suffers. When we struggle and doubt ourselves, the faith community needs to be the encourager. We don’t live in a faith vacuum; our faith can be used to support and inspire others. Everyone needs a God inspired “hoorah” moment for their lives, so they too may experience the joy and power Christ Jesus gives us to share. Rev. Carter Grimmett preaches.

June 23, 2019:  It is no easy thing to be a recipient of God’s choice and call, to show and live the same pattern of care and empathy and sensitivity as displayed by God. Rev. Judy May looks again at the guideposts of a social order built on an ethic of unity with each other and a reverence for all of God’s creation.

June 16, 2019: “Come and see.”  With these words, Jesus first invited the disciples to follow him.  His words echo the ancient prophet Isaiah, who shared an earlier invitation to come and seek God.  Rev. David Eardley invites you to come and seek this amazing God and see that the Lord is good!

June 9, 2019:  There was a sound like a rushing wind… In these few words, Luke first describes the Holy Spirit at work among the believers, a work that continues to this day.  So wear your red, and celebrate Pentecost Sunday with us.   Be here as we also celebrate the Class of 2019 and consecrate them to continue in this great adventure of living by faith and not by sight. Rev. David Eardley preaches.

May 26, 2019:  One of the oldest questions we humans ask is, “How are we linked to God and what can we do to cross the chasm between the human and the divine?” The Apostle Paul answers, “There’s nothing quite as beautiful as a bridge!” Come hear what enables us to walk the bridge between fear and hope, despair and joy. Rev. Judy May preaches.

May 19, 2019:  God’s nature is love: that’s who God is. Jesus reflected that love. He showed us how to take on God’s character in the midst of our daily lives. Jesus gave us the secret to doing more than get by. Jesus taught us to flourish by inviting God’s love to shape us, now and always. Rev. Rick Kress preaches.

May 12, 2019:  God woos us with grace.  Over and over again, God invites us into a relationship which forever changes our lives.  This is the call of God’s love through Jesus Christ.  It is freely offered to everyone, because God’s love is that all encompassing.  Rev. David Eardley celebrates the power of God’s love within our lives and the joy of sharing this love with others.

May 5, 2019:  God’s grace is all reaching, all encompassing.  It is present and at work through our daily lives.  We are called into God’s love through this grace, and when we respond, our lives are never the same again.  We celebrate Confirmation Sunday, as our confirmands respond to this grace-filled invitation and become professing members of St. Paul’s.  Rev. David Eardley preaches.

April 28, 2019:  Have you ever felt left out?  Like you missed something important?  If so, then you know how Thomas felt, once he found out that he had missed seeing the Risen Jesus.  He was disappointed and questioned what the others had experienced.  Even though his friends were celebrating, he just couldn’t.  Find out what made the difference for him, and what makes the difference for us. Rev. David Eardley preaches.

April 21, 2019:  Simply put, this day changed everything, and it continues to change the world.  The dead are supposed to stay dead, but that’s not the way with Jesus.  Out of death comes life.  Endings are the first steps to a new beginning.  Easter is a beautiful day.  The Risen Jesus has a word for you, and it is this: “Live like you’re alive. Because of me you are.”  Rev. David Eardley preaches.

April 14, 2019:  From where he stood, Jesus could see the Temple on Mt. Zion.  It was time to enter Jerusalem.  It’s Palm Sunday, and Holy Week is beginning.  With each step, Jesus carries our hope, even as a cross lingers in the distance. Rev. Carter Grimmett invites us to join the procession and follow Jesus into this world-changing week.

April 7, 2019:  He had it all, seriously, like all the stuff he would ever need.  but still he found his life lacking.  He needed reassurance that he was on the right track, that he was doing the right stuff.  So, he went to see Jesus.  What do you do when Jesus puts a mirror to your life and exposes your pride?  How would you react?    Rev. David Eardley preaches.

March 31, 2019:  He basically told his father to die, and then left home, never planning to return.  How do you handle rejection, especially from those you love the most?  How would you react?  Rev. Eardley talks about how we delve into the pain and aftermath of rejection.  Is there potential for grace?

March 24, 2019:  “Why?”  It may be the hardest unanswered question.  Why did I lose my job?  Why did my spouse leave me?  Why won’t my child get better?  Why do I have terminal cancer? Jesus was no stranger to the weight of these unanswered questions.  Rev. David Eardley talks about how Jesus carries us in such times.

March 17, 2019:  Anxiety, uncertainty, fear.  These words may be the descriptors of our mindsets during the storms of life.  We think we have some control, and then the rug get pulled from beneath us.  Jesus often found himself in the storms of life, and he walked with those who were afraid.  Why not let Jesus walk with you?  Rev. Erin Fitzgerald preaches.

March 10, 2019:  Throughout Lent, we remind ourselves of the ways Jesus carries us through the daily challenges and temptations of life.  Jesus carries us, even as we waver and wander from his love, truth, and grace.  Join us as we lean into his strength.  Rev. David Eardley preaches.

March 3, 2019:  At the Transfiguration of Jesus, Peter, James, and John discover that Jesus is more than a good teacher.  Awed by his divinity, they see him as the Son of God. Rev. David Eardley celebrates that it is Jesus we worship, and it is his way that we follow now and into the future.

February 24, 2019:  Jesus said, “Love your enemies.” Okay. This is a tough one. Lord, do you know what those people have done to me? I bear their scars each day, broken relationships, lost trust, damaged reputation. How can you ask me to do this? Why do I have to take the first step? First, you’re not alone in your hurt, and second, Jesus really does a word for you that you must hear. Rev. David Eardley preaches.

February 17, 2019:  It is often difficult for us to see beyond personal or collective tragedies,or our temporal needs, especially when so many people are now experiencing the reality of living from paycheck to paycheck. In our humanness, we often find ourselves programed to first seek and accumulate those temporal things we believe will bring us comfort, and happiness. Yet, Jesus offers us a happiness, or blessedness in the darkest hours of our spirit, when our abundance, or poverty is not the determination of the quality of our lives or happiness. How can this be? In a practical world I guess you could say, “This Is a Strange Blessing?” Rev. Carter Grimmett preaches.

February 10, 2019:  Today we begin a new series, “Jesus said what??” We begin with his words to Peter as he called him to follow, “Do not be afraid…” Really? Have you seen the world around us? Do you struggle with fear and uncertainty in the little things and in the big things? Are you trying to do it all by yourself? Try this new way of being not afraid. Rev. David Eardley preaches.

February 3, 2019:  In the beginning and in the end, and everywhere in between, it’s all about love. We love because God first loved us. We soak in the Apostle Paul’s words about the power of love to transform people, couples, families, and communities. Do you want to be a world changer? Let God’s love guide you as you interact with friends and foes, for each is a beloved child of God. Rev. David Eardley preaches.

January 27, 2019:  The second of Wesley’s simple rules is this: Do Good, and yet, how often we struggle to do so!  It is an encouragement, a daily reminder, to see our part in changing the world for good.  Too often, we may hope that someone else will do the good that is necessary.  How do we respond when God calls us to be the doers of good in the world around us? Rev. David Eardley preaches.

January 20, 2019:  How does the world change?  The world changes by individuals making choices.  For John Wesley, there were three simple rules that guided his small groups.  This week we consider the first rule: Do No Harm.  What does it mean, and how might we live with such a rule in mind?  Rev. David Eardley preaches.

January 13, 2019:  Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome are three women who loves Jesus.  They honored his commandments, prayed for his earthly ministry, and walked with him throughout life and death.  They reflected his everlasting love and walked in light of his teachings.  What can we learn from their faithfulness? Rev. Erin Fitzgerald preaches.

January 6, 2019:  What path will 2019 have for you? Will you choose your path or let life simply happen? The New Year offers us the chance to consider the trail we are leaving after us. How can it be a trail to reflect Jesus and guide others? Rev. Rick Kress preaches.