Sydenstricker United Methodist Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Sydenstricker United Methodist Church
Morning Services- "Let Us Remember"We will have a special service of remembrance and reunion as we honor and bless our 2024 confirmands.
Scripture: Hebrews 12: 1-3
Morning Services- "Deep Roots, Strong Wings"
What valuable life and faith lessons do mothers provide?Scripture: Exodus 20:12, Mark 3:31-35
Morning Services- "Who Will We Be?"
General conference has concluded. Who will we be as a denomination and how should SUMC face the future? Who do we need to become and what message do we need to send?
Scripture: Joshua 4:19-24
Morning Services- "Change"
Who wrote the United Methodist Book of Discipline and can it be changed? What changing it might mean to a faithful United Methodist congregation and why we might embrace the change.
Scripture: Exodus 3: 1-12
Evening Service- "What is Marriage and How Did It Come to Be?"Scripture: Genesis 2: 19-25
Morning Services- "The Chosen"Why were the Jews God's chosen people? What does it mean to be chosen?
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-3; Ephesians 3:7-13
Morning Services- "Called to Protect"We are called to protect our environment. How do we do that and what does God say about environmental stewardship?
Scripture: Genesis 1:26-30
Morning Services- "These Forty Days"
We will explore what Jesus did and who he encountered during the forty days that he walked the earth following His resurrection and before His ascension.
Scripture: Acts 1:1-5; 1 Corinthians 15:40-49
Morning Services-"Go Ye and Be Perfect"
How do we see Christ's resurrection as a call to be more like him ?
Scripture: Philippians 3:10-15
Morning Service- "What Does Jesus' Entrance Into Jerusalem Mean?"What is the significance of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem and how might people of his day seen it?
Scripture: Matthew 21:1-5
Morning Services- "Why Series: Do Not Be Anxious"What does Paul say about answering anxiety with prayer?
Scripture: Philippians 4:4-8
Morning Services- "Why Series: Broken But Flexible"
How do we mend a broken heart and how do we build and maintain meaningful relationships? What might the church do to mend brokenness in the world around us?
Scripture: Hebrews 12:17-19
March 3Morning Services- "Why Series: Why Do We Suffer?"
What did Paul mean when he wrote about the suffering of this life being replaced by Christ on the cross? How do we deal with suffering?
Scripture: Romans 5: 1-5
Morning Service- "Why Series: Will of God"How are we to follow the will of God? How do we interpret, discern, and understand what the will of God is?
Scripture: Matthew 7:7-8; Mark 11:24-25
Morning Services- "Why Series: Freedom From Worry"What did Jesus teach us about worrying versus living in God’s grace?
Scripture: Matthew 6:31-34; Philippians 4:5-7
February 11Morning Services- "End of Days Series: Coming World Order"
How is the world shaping up according to prophecy? What should be our response to what is happening?
Scripture: Revelation 13:11-18
Morning Services- "End of Days Series: What Did Jesus Say?"
What did Jesus say about His return and what is happening in our world regarding these predictions?
Scripture: Matthew 24:1-14
Morning Service- "End of Days Series: Daniel's Dream"What was Daniel’s dream? What does it mean and how does it impact us?
Scripture: Daniel 2:31-35
January 21Morning Services- "End of Days Series: What did God tell our Ancestors?"Why should we study Biblical prophecy?
Scripture: Genesis 3:12-19
Evening Service- "How Do I Share My Story?"
Scripture: Isaiah 55:11; Acts 1:8; Romans 1:16
January 14Morning Services- "Witnessing God’s Way"
Nathan was called to witness to a eunuch regarding the power of God. What does this highlight for us in our spiritual life? Who do we respond and to how?
Scripture: Acts 8: 26-40
Morning Services- "Baptism, Our Way"
What does the UMC believe about baptism? How is it administered and do we ever need to do it again?
Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
December 31Morning Service (at 10:00 a.m. only)- "The Rest of Christmas"What happens after the Christmas birth story is important in many ways. What prophecy does it fulfill and what impact does it have on the rest of the story?
Scripture: Matthew 2:13-22
Morning Service- "Messenger"John is brought into the world to pave the way for Jesus. His message was prophecy and proclamation fulfilled.
Scripture: Luke1: 62-80
December 17Morning Services- "The Women of Christmas- Mary's Song"
When we explore the life of Mary, who do we see? What does she bring to the world as the woman willing to bring Jesus into the world? How is her faith worth imitating?
Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
Morning Services- "Women of Christmas-Anna"
How do Anna and the other women of Christmas influence the story of Jesus' birth.
Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
December 3Morning Services- "The Women of Christmas: Elizabeth"How does Elizabeth fit in the story of Jesus birth and what might we learn and proclaim from it?
Scripture: Luke 1:39-45
Morning Services- "You Are Lord"What does it mean that Jesus is Lord? How do we understand Jesus' authority and rulership in the culture and life of today?
Scripture: Matthew 28:18; John 17:1-2
November 19Morning Services- "The Great Thanksgiving"
What does the prophecy of Isaiah on the mountain mean to you and me? What does the table look like and how do we know it is real?
Scripture: Isaiah 25: 3-8
November 12Morning Services- "A Victorious Heart"
How and why does Christ's resurrection bring victory into our lives?
Scripture: John 17:1-5
November 5Morning Services- "A Burdened Heart"What does it mean that Jesus takes on our burdens and becomes the smooth yoke? Do we respond like a young bull tugging against the older bull's guidance or do we learn from the wisdom of Jesus
Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30
Evening Service- "What Happened to the Ark of the Covenant?"
Scripture: 2 Maccabees 2: 1-8
Morning Services- "Do I Believe This?"Not everything Jesus teaches is something we can easily hear and absorb into our own lives. Some of His teaching is hard to hear, both for the disciples and for us. What does this tell us?
Scripture: John 14:1-15
Why does the UMC have Deacons? What do they do? Do they grow up to be pastors?
Scripture- Acts 6:1-6
Hebrews 11 is a testimony of faith of the ancients. What did they do and what did they receive? How does that bring God’s promise to us?
Confirmation Sunday is a time for renewal, surrender and looking forward to the journey. We will explore what it means to feel condemned by the world for believing in Jesus, what it means to know that we have been received by God into the Kingdom and what that ultimately means for our lives.
Scripture: Romans 8: 1-5; 28
What does it mean to follow Jesus? How should Easter be celebrated all year in order to transform us?
Scripture: John 20:19-31
What does the entrance into Jerusalem tell us about the message that Jesus wanted conveyed to the people, to the leadership and to us?
Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11
The Psalms were written in large part to offer praise to God. How can we use the Psalms in worship to praise God and how can we structure our lives in order to bring God praise?
The Psalms were written in large part to offer praise to God. How can we use the Psalms in worship to praise God and how can we structure our lives in order to bring God praise?
Scripture: Psalm 91
The whole range of human emotion is found in these beautiful poems. God is perfectly capable of taking on even our deepest lament and anger.
Scripture: Psalm 69
We will focus on phrases that have found their way into our consciousness through music and liturgy.
Scripture: Psalm 27:1, Psalm 19:14, Psalm 8: 1-5, Psalm51:10 and Psalm 100
What are the five books of the Psalms and what is their prophetic nature? What do the Psalms from David tell us about his personal relationship with God?
Scripture: Psalm 22
Using the parable of the Good Samaritan, we will reflect today on whether or not we are truly generous in the eyes of God. What does that mean? How do we share our abundance of money, gifts and talents?
Luke 10:30-37
Obstacles exist to discipleship, including lack of trust in God and the pull of society and the world.
Colossians 2: 20 – 3:3
How do we build our discipleship by becoming more like Christ in our lives? How do we learn what that means and put it in action?
How does the concept of being more like Christ make us better disciples? As disciples, how do we worship, prepare for worship and engage the body of Christ?
What does the Great Commission tell us about bringing people to God and how do we do that?
What does it mean to be hospitable and how does that relational understanding bring God to people?
Examining the first piece of the Sydenstricker UMC vision statement and exploring how scripture challenges us to do, and not just to be.
For some, the baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of his ministry. Why did he get baptized? What did he intend for you and I to understand about baptism of the Spirit versus baptism by water? What is the UMC understanding of baptism?
We have all heard the story of the Magi, the wise men who visited Jesus. Who were they? Why did they travel so far from home? Why did they go home a different way? How does the New Year allow us to go in a different direction?
At Christmas we celebrate the Light that has come into the world and we are called to understand that Light and to reflect that Light for others to see.
"Mary's Story"
Mary said yes! Can we even begin to imagine the kind of strength it took for her to say that?
What does the story of Simeon tell us about the young child Jesus? How has God prepared the world to anoint and proclaim Jesus to the world?
Jesus kept saying to the disciples, "Soon, you will not have me." He told them that he would give them peace within the crisis of their world. What does he mean by that? How can we have this peace?
The prophetic message of the Messiah. Who would come as Messiah is foreshadowed in the Old Testament. What did God reveal about Jesus that was fulfilled.
Is the death the final ending or is there more? We believe in the promise of salvation, but how do we know? What is the legacy we leave behind?
What do we take refuge in? Is it the Lord, as David reminds us, or is it something worldly? Do we believe in the transforming power of God for sanctuary or do we rely on the world?
The story of three men who withstood the test of faith and faced a fiery furnace. What does it mean to stand up to the world for your faith? What sacrifice will you make? How will God be with you during that time if testing?
Exploring the concept of grace and works righteousness. Which is correct? Is James on the side of works righteousness or in agreement with Paul about grace?
What does it mean to come to faith like a little child? Would life be less stressful if we faced it like children with open eyes, open hearts and dreaming big dreams?
Jesus' body and blood feeds the world with echoes of fulfilling God’s promises in the Psalms.
God said to Joshua, "Go into the land that I have given you and be strong and courageous and not afraid." God is calling us to new beginnings. How shall we act? What shall we do?
Can we find ways to find wellness and time for self in the midst of adversity and obstacles? What does Jesus say about self-care and letting God provide for us? Do you know the signs of burnout and depression? How does Liriope provide a great example of the world closing in?
Can we feel the strength and blessing of God even in the midst of the pandemic and the trials of life? When times are difficult, do we feel the rain or do we just get wet?
Scripture: John 20:24-29
We rest this Labor Day weekend from our work, but work itself is something God has ordained and given to us as part of our nature.
Scripture: Genesis 1:26-2:15
Methodists have long upheld that we have a responsibility to social justice spoken to us by Jesus. How have we been doing?
Sctipture: Matthew 25: 34-45
What does the parable of the servant and forgiveness tell us about how to live generously?
The parable of the five talents. To those who can handle it, much is given. What can we handle?
Matthew 25: 14-30
Everyone fails to live up to the Law, but God gives us grace. What does that mean and how do we as Wesleyans understand grace?
Scripture: Romans 3:10-24
Does Paul’s writing indicate that there may be other paths to heaven? Do we truly know the will of God in this area?
Scripture: Romans 2:6-16
Why did God send Paul to Rome? What did God have in mind that changed the course of history?
Scripture: Acts 28: 16-24
Why was Saul/ Paul the perfect Apostle for the Gentile movement.? What did Paul possess as skills and talents that none of the other disciples had? How does he connect with the Gentile world in ways others could not?
What are the results of Annual Conference and what is the vision for SUMC going forward?
Scripture: Revelation 21: 22-27
What is the world into which Paul/ Saul was born? What did the world that he grew up in look like and how did it impact his life?
Scripture: Acts 9:1-9
Persistence seems to be a virtue that Jesus lifts up in this parable. How might we use this story to focus our lives in the direction Jesus would desire of us?
Scripture: Luke 18-1-8
What is fair? How is Jesus focusing us on the truth of salvation?
Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16
What did Jesus mean using this analogy? How did the people of the first century understand it and how are we to understand it?
Scripture: Luke 5:37-38
How we react to the parable of the lost sheep and might it be an insight into whether we’re one of the 99 percent or the 1 percent?
Reverend Andrew Lee shares his experiences as a missionary in Cambodia.
Scripture: Matthew 14:14-18
There are times when we achieve sanctuary and become complacent. Then there are giants that we face. How can we trust God to lead us through these times?
Scripture: Psalm 23
Who are the bullies in our life and what does our walk through the wilderness look like? Where do we get the courage to move out of our comfort and follow God’s vision?
Scripture: Exodus 5: 20-23
What kind of soil are we and how can we become good soil?
Scripture: Matthew 13: 3-8; 18-23
Do you ever feel like you are Ordinary from the Land of Anybody and life is just passing you by? Do you ever feel like God is calling you to something greater but you are not sure what it is? We become complacent in our lives and often God calls us to something greater. Do we miss it because we are not tuned to God?
Scripture: Exodus 3:7-10
What is the message of resurrection given to Mary Magdalene?
Scripture: Matthew 28: 1-10
What is the message of Palm Sunday? What does the entrance into Jerusalem and the events of the week we call Holy Week mean?
Scripture: Matthew 28: 16-20
God loves and loves us deeply, and we are to love in exactly the same manner.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13: 1-7
Using examples from "The Lion King," we can find God's wisdom everywhere if we just take the time to look.
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Hebrews 2:17; Galatians 2:20, Isaiah 41:10
Exploring the Great Commission and what it means when Jesus says he will be with us always until the end of the age.
Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20
What is the true test of faith? How do we display our faith to the world around us? What are the visible signs of unconditional love?
Scripture: Matthew 25: 31-40