Children are always bursting with questions. This Sunday in our family-friendly worship service, we continue our sermon series on seeking and embracing the questions that we have. We hear Jesus tell his disciples to seek after the kingdom of God. How does seeking shape our faith? Can seeking lead us to new discoveries, more creativity, deeper relationships? I think so! Join us in worship as we celebrate questions and partake in Holy Communion together.
This week we'll hear the story of Jesus tempted by the devil. He resists the persistent voice of the tempter, but it's not an easy task. In a world drowning with noise and temptations, who do we choose to listen to? What sources do we seek for news, information, media? Whose voices and messages take up too much space in our heads?
As we wrap up our series on belonging, we will close with a key ingredient to the recipe of belonging: empathy. Without empathy, it is hard for us to create an environment of belonging and connection. The prophet Micah reminds us that kindness and humility are asked of us.
This week we have our monthly family-focused service, created with more interactive elements. Join us for music, prayers, a Bible story, and reflections as we continue our series on belonging. We'll hear the scripture tell us that a body needs different parts to function together—the same is true of a faith community!
This is our week to celebrate and give thanks as we dedicate our newly renovated space. We'll hear the story of the woman at the well and reflect on how both she and Jesus had to work at creating a sense of belonging for each other. The Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus will bless us with their music. We'll welcome new members and share in communion together. It's a full Sunday to represent the fullness of faith and community present at Excelsior United Methodist Church.
In Genesis, at the very beginning of creation, God says that it is not good for us to be alone. We need each other. We also need to remember and act like we need each other.
We are excited to have another Social Justice on Broadway music service, which we hope to offer a few times each year. The music and the messages of the plays we are discussing all talk about belonging.
We celebrate in worship that we all belong to God. An important message for all of us, it'll be especially meaningful to explore this theme in our family-friendly worship. We'll celebrate a baptism and discuss how baptism is a reminder that each of us belong to God and are loved by God our whole lives through.
Sometimes it can feel like we have to hide the difficult parts of our stories until they are cleaned up. But what about creating a place of belonging for one another while we are still working through the messes of our lives? Jesus welcomed people from a wide variety of situations and life stories—it's our hope to be able to do the same.