St. Stephen's UMC Houston Sermoncast: Recent Episodes
St. Stephen's United Methodist Church
This is the sermon podcast for St. Stephen's United Methodist Church in Houston, TX. If you're in Houston, join us in worship on Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11 a.m.
Visit us at our website, stsumc.org, for more information
After a year off, our podcast is back! This Sunday, we talk about Abram.
Show notes: Our church website is www.stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 11 on YouTube (www.youtube.com/stshtx) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/stshtx), and in-person again beginning May 23!
Week 5 of the series, week 2 of social distancing. John 15:1-8, I am the true vine, and why maybe the pastor isn't the best arborist we have.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this livestream only worship service, Nathan talks about the Good Shepherd in the time of Coronavirus. He starts and stops and circles back several times, because of connectivity issues with the stream. John 10:1-10.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
Pastor Suzi shares her first sermon with St. Stephen's, in which she shares her own testimony and talks about Jesus Christ being the light of the world.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this second sermon from "The God We Can Know," Nathan talks a lot about bread, agrarian society, satisfaction, and other such things. Scripture was John 6:27-59.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this first (slightly early) sermon from our lenten "The God We Can Know" series, Nathan talks about a God who truly and desperately wants to be known by you. Yes, YOU! Scripture is Exodus 3:1-14.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
Nathan walks all the way through the wild and wacky story of Samson (Judges 13-16) in this final sermon from the Judges series.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
Nathan talks about one of his least favorite stories in the Bible this week, and about what it is we can learn from stories that are hard and messy. Judges 11:24-12:7.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
First sermon from a 3-part series on Judges, and we talked about Deborah and the context of the book. Judges 5:1-9, Deborah's song, was the text.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this final sermon from the Childlike Faith Series, Nathan talks about what it means to really make a joyful noise, and why singing is the scariest thing on earth. Psalm 71:14-24.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This sermon is about how we are all, without exception, beloved Children of God. Scriptures were Psalm 131 and Matthew 19:13-15. The book referenced, "God's Dream" by Desmond Tutu is available from many online book sellers.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
First sermon from the Childlike Faith series, where Nathan talks about what it means to become like a child in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Scripture was Matthew 18:1-5, 10.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this Epiphany sermon, Nathan talks about how King Harod and the Persian Magi might just be exactly who we should learn from this year.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon, Pastor Nathan talks about the birth of Jesus and his general preaching schtick. Luke 2 was the text, like it is most Christmases.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com. Visual art for the bulletin and this podcast comes from sanctifiedart.org
Pastor Nathan's Advent sermon on Isaiah 7 to close out the Emmanuel Series.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
Advent sermon by Rev. Lindsay Smith on Isaiah 11.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This is the first sermon in our Advent worship series, where we'll be reading selections out of Isaiah. Scripture was Isaiah 2:2-5. The video referenced is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93sXg8qW5qQ
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
Last sermon from the Romans Series. Nathan talks about the people that make up the church. Romans 16:1-16.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon Nathan talks about a passage that's easy to understand, which is, well, the problem. Romans 12:9-17.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon, Nathan talks about how important it is to relax. The text came from Romans 10.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
Lindsay talks about a court that's even stranger than Judge Judy's in this week's sermon. Romans 8 was the text.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
Nathan clearly wrote the title for this sermon before he actually wrote the sermon. Text was Romans 5:1-5 and 6:22-23.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This sermon from the Romans series, on 4:13-25, focuses on what it really means to base our hope in faith, rather than in our actions — or anyone else's.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
First sermon from the Romans series. Nathan talks about not judging, Karl Barth, and baseball. Romans 2:12-24.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
Final sermon from the Enough series, and Nathan talks about what actually makes up a good life.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this penultimate sermon from the "Enough" series, Nathan talks about being made to be generous and giving generously. Scriptures were 1 Timothy 6:17-19 and Proverbs 11:24-25.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon from the Enough series, Nathan talks about how much he loves his grill and why we shouldn't be so invested in material things. He also talks about the witness of St. Mark's UMC and how it can inspire us. Scriptures read were Luke 12:15 and Ecclesiastes 2:10-11.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this second sermon from the Enough Series, Nathan talks about aligning our resources with our purpose. Proverbs 21:5 & 20 were the scriptures.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This is the first sermon from our "Enough" series, where we'll be talking about how counter-cultural it is to eschew our desire to keep up with the Joneses. This week, we focused on how the American Dream can be skewed and manipulated to lead us in unwise directions.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This was a great Sunday! It was a day in which we celebrated the completion of our work on our prescriptions from the Vibrant Church Initiative, a program designed to help us focus our mission and vision and serve God and our neighbors as well as we can. We talked about who Jesus invites to his parties, and we followed worship with a big celebration, lunch, and all sorts of fun! The scripture was Luke 14:1, 7-14.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this final sermon from the "I've always known you" series on Jeremiah, Nathan talks about what it means that, in spite of all of our mistakes — personal and societal — God really and truly wants the best for us. Scripture was from Jeremiah 29.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon, Nathan talks about the fact that choices have consequences, and that God loves us and wants great things for us. The text was Jeremiah 18:1-12.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this first sermon in the series "I've always known you," Nathan talks about The Lion King, God's call on Jeremiah, and God's call on us. He realizes he accidentally said Mustafa instead of Mufasa one time, but he corrected himself eventually. Scripture was Jeremiah 1:4-10.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
To wrap up the action required series, Nathan talks about generosity of heart and action. Luke 12:13-31 was the scripture.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon, Pastoral Intern Logan Brabson reflects on his summer serving at St. Stephen's and on the incredible importance of prayer. Text was Luke 11:5-8.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
On this Sunday, we arrived to find the air conditioner not working, so it was warm for the early service. The 11 o'clock service happened in the Fellowship Hall, so it wasn't recorded. But we talked about Mary & Martha and a church focused on Jesus. Luke 10:38-42.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this first sermon from the "Action Required" worship series, Nathan talks about the Good Samaritan, how people really didn't like Samaritans, and how we're called to love — and to be — Samaritans in a polarized world. Luke 10:25-37.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
Pastor Nathan shares how our plans for what we think God should do can often get in the way of the plans God has already planned for us.
Our Pastoral Intern Logan Brabson shares how our excuses don't work on a God who created us in his image.
In this first sermon in the Intervention worship series, Lindsay talks about how Solomon wasn't David's eldest son, but he became king anyway. God doesn't play by our rules, and chooses us even when we feel like the "wrong" one. Scripture was 1 Kings 1.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this Pentecost Sunday, Nathan wraps up the re: fresh series by talking about Hockey, of all things. Oh also and Pentecost and what it means to live a life in the Spirit. The article and video referenced can be found here.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
On this baptism and confirmation Sunday, Nathan talks about Kelvin Doe (google him, he's awesome), record players, creating, and following the call of the Spirit in our world. The scripture was Romans 8:9-19.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this first sermon from our Re:Fresh worship series on the Holy Spirit, Nathan talks about experiencing God in and through feminine images, why we don't talk about the Spirit more, and whether or not you can say Her about God. Scriptures read were Proverbs 8:1-11 and John 14:8-17.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this final sermon from the "As Promised" series, Nathan talks about scouts, why you should call your parents, shame, guilt, vunerability, Brene Brown, and Peter. The scripture was John 21:15-19.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
On this Mother's Day, Nathan talks about why it doesn't always work to go home and following Jesus over and over again. The text was John 21:1-14.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon, Lindsay talks about how lots of people in today's world want proof, whether it's about the origins of avocados or the latest hot topic. Thomas wanted proof too, and what he got was a revelation that Jesus was more than just a teacher; Jesus is God. Text was John 20:24-31.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this second sermon in our Eastertide series, Nathan talks about a beautiful wedding, a bad hotel, and the shalom-filled Kingdom of God. Text was John 20:19-23.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this first sermon in our Easter Series, "As Promised," Nathan talks about the hope of the resurrection in the midst of the Good Friday world. Text was John 20:1-18.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this final sermon from the "On the Way" Lenten Worship Series, Nathan discusses joining the throngs of disciples who were at Palm Sunday and the days that followed. Text read was Luke 19:28-40.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon from the "On The Way" series, Nathan talks about Kodak, Judas, Mary, nard, spiritual growth, and sacrificing something good for something great. The passage of scripture was John 12:1-8.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon on Luke 15:11-32, Nathan talks about Juarez, BBQ, helping people, and believing in abundance instead of scarsity.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon, Nathan talks about hens, foxes, lions, and squirrels for some reason. The text is Luke 13:31-35.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon on the transfiguration from Luke 9:28-38, Nathan talked about building things for the past instead of the future.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In our lenten worship series, we'll be following Jesus's ministry in Luke as we head towards Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This first Sunday we talked about the temptation in the desert, proof texting, The text was Luke 4:1-13.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
To wrap our Daniel series, Nathan talked about Daniel 10:1-19, the end of the world, apocalyptic writing, general conference, and loving children well.
Show notes: Our church website is stshtx.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
When Daniel refused to submit to any authority but God, he found himself surrounded by lions. Daniel trusted that God could be his rescuer, and then guess what? God showed up! God was able to rescue Daniel and God is able to rescue us too. Despite our human failings, God is able!
In this sermon about Daniel 3, Nathan talks about the fiery furnace, Shadrach Mesach and Abednego, Pauli Murray, and Idolatry.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com. To fast with us or subscribe to our devotionals, visit stsumc.org/devotionals.
In this second sermon from the Daniel series, Nathan talks about squirrels (again), dreams, Frank Robinson, prayer, and listening for the voice of God instead of inserting ourselves. Daniel 2:24-49 was the text.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com. To fast with us or subscribe to our devotionals, visit stsumc.org/devotionals.
This is the first sermon in our 5 week series on Daniel. If you're interested in joining our devotional email list that we talk about in the sermon, or in joining us in one of the fasts, visit stsumc.org/devotionals. The text was Daniel 1:1-21. Sorry about the gap in the middle of the audio!
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this final sermon from the Life in the Valley worship series, Nathan talks about the 23rd Psalm, anxiety, Jason Isbell, Mary Oliver, and plumbing problems. The Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit song he quoted is called “Anxiety,” and the Mary Oliver poem is called “I worried.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this message from our Life in the Valley series, Lindsay talks about Moses, Dr. King, and views from the top of the mountain towards the valley. The scripture was Deuteronomy 3:23-29.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon on Ezekiel 37:1-14, Nathan talks about the valley of dry bones, the value of scripture, and not lifting the lid. The Texas Monthly article referenced can be found here: https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/of-meat-and-men/
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this first sermon from our January worship series "Life in the Valley," Nathan talks about the magi, Persia, fleeing violence, having to give away a pet, and that God provides in the darkest of times. The text referenced was Matthew 2:1-18.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In our Christmas Eve sermon, Nathan talks about the reasons why Mary had to give birth in the manger and how the way God chose to come to Earth is good news for all of us.
In this sermon from the All in the Family series, Nathan talks about the roles Jesus' earthly parents played in his life and the pressures they may have felt given their unique situation.
In this sermon from the All in the Family series, Nathan talks about what made John the Baptist so weird. The text was from Luke 3.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This Sunday, we talked about how Joseph ended up in Nazareth, and why that matters. The scripture was Micah 5:2-5.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
Welcome to the beginning of Advent! In this first sermon from our Advent series, Nathan talks about being related to Pocahantas, Jesus's lineage, and how incredible it is that God was born to such a normal family. The scriptures read were Jeremiah 33:14-16 and Matthew 1:1-16.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this final sermon of the "Weird Church Words" worship series, Nathan talks about how the Christian Year can set us free from a world obsessed with our purchasing power.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In week 2 of the weird church words series, we talk about worship practices and how all of them ought to lead us back to the vastness and closeness of God. The scriptures was John 1:1-15.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
To start our November worship series, "Weird Church Words," where we talk about weird words church people use, pastors Lindsay and Nathan discuss church textiles, sartorial choices clergypeople make, why we worship the way we do, and what in the world a narthex is. The scriptures were Psalm 145 and Philippians 2:1-11.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In our last sermon in the "From Galilee to GOOF" series, we celebrate All Saints Sunday, and Nathan talks about 610, the beach, the raising of Lazarus, and a God who loves us in the heartbreak even while promising us a bright future.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this episode, we talk about the ancient city of Jericho, Mytiburger, Bartimaeus, and following after Jesus wherever he calls us. The text read was Matthew 10:46-52.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this second sermon in the "From Galilee to GOOF" series, Nathan talks about the diverse and interesting group of disciples, our diverse and interesting neighborhood, and wonders why a couple brothers would ask Jesus for such a weird thing. Scripture: Mark 10:35-45.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This is the first sermon from the "From Galilee to GOOF" Worship series, where we'll be looking at biblical geography and the geography and demographics of our own neighborhood, and seeing what they tell us about what God is up to. The scripture passage was Mark 10:17-31.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this final Sunday of the "Core Strengths" series, Nathan talks about the story of Esther, including the part about Vashti.
Also, for reference, the video we have been mentioning all series and the complete vision statement can be found at stsumc.org/our-vision/
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this penultimate sermon from our Core Strengths series, Family Ministries Director Steven Fisher preaches from Mark 9:30-37, and talks about the value of worship, the value of including children in worship, and makes several jokes along the way.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon in the Core Strengths Series, Nathan talks about what it looks like to expect God to be at work beyond our walls. The scripture read was James 1:17-27.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon from the Core Strengths series, Nathan talks about the fact that the church doesn't belong to us, but that we belong to it. The scripture read was Colossians 1:15-20.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon from the Core Strengths series, Nathan talks about what it means to address ourselves and others as beloved, with some help from Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Mr. Rogers.
We had some technical difficulties, so the scripture read didn't transfer. It was 1 John 4:7-21.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This is the first sermon in our Fall Core Strengths Worship Series. We talk about the great commission, the values of our church, and where we're headed! The video referenced can be found here: https://vimeo.com/286775728. The scripture read was Matthew 28:16-20.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this final sermon in The Faith We Sing, our Summer Worship Series, Nathan talks about his favorite hymn, In the Midst of New Dimensions. The scripture read was Numbers 14:1-14.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon, Rev. Lindsay Smith talks about the Korean Hymn Jukkeso Wangwiye and we continue our summer series where we are preaching through pieces of sacred music. The scripture was Matthew 5:1-16.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This is our third sermon from our "The Faith We Sing" summer worship series, and it was a conversation between Nathan and Lindsay about Charles Wesley, why singing matters, and why folks ought to come to church and sing! The scripture was 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
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This is the first sermon in our summer series "The Faith We Sing," where we'll be preaching from some of our favorite songs and hymns. The first song we used was the song Reckless Love: https://youtu.be/Sc6SSHuZvQE
The scripture read was Luke 15:1-7. Johnathan Lowe was the preacher.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
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In this sermon from the Making Our Mark worship series, Nathan references a (mostly) appropriate Cross Canadian Ragweed song, talks about Jesus's incredible frustration with Nazareth, and asks us to consider who we're treating like a perpetual teenager in our own lives. The text was Mark 6:1-13.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon from our Making Our Mark worship series, Rev. Lindsay Smith talks about bravery, the stories of two very different women and their encounters with Jesus, and what that can teach us today.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this continuation of the "Making our Mark" worship series, Nathan talks about having faith, the Sea of Galilee, and ministry in that region. The scripture was Mark 4:35-41. '
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this sermon, Nathan talks about lessons he learned from his father, the crisis of separating families at the Southern Border, and Jesus's own father. The text read was Mark 4:26-34.
The UMC Council of Bishops' statement on what's happening at the border can be found here.
More information from the UMC can be found here.
The statement from the UMC's General Board of Church and Society can be found here.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This was the first sermon in our worship series "Making Our Mark." We'll be following the lectionary texts in Mark and seeing what it has to say to us in our world today. This week's text was Mark 3:20-35, and we talked about "the unforgivable sin." The book referenced by Sara Miles is available here.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
On Sunday, June 4, 2018, we had a couple of incredible worship services! We were led in music by the incredibly gracious and talented Ken Medema (kenmedema.com) and confirmed 8 young people into the church. It was a great day! Our scriptures were 2 Corinthians 4:5-12 and Mark 2:26-3:6. At the end of the sermon, an improvised musical response from Ken is part of the podcast!
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This is the message from our youth-led worship service on May 27, 2018. Nathan still preached. The scripture read was Romans 8:18-30, 37-39.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This is the second in our two-part series "Spirit." In it we talk about Pentecost, the particular and universal nature of the work of the Holy Spirit, and the shooting in Santa fe.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
On Mother's Day, we started a short two week series on the Holy Spirit and an expansive understanding of God. This first week, we talked about our perceptions of God, our favorite names for God, and how incomplete a picture of God we're always working from.
The scripture, read by Rev. Lindsay Smith, was Proverbs 8:1-35.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
This is the final sermon in our Easter Season, "Yeah, but what about..." worship series. In it, Nathan preaches on John 3:1-17, and talks about the point of following Jesus Christ. He suggests that fire insurance is not the primary reason to believe the Gospel.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this third sermon in our four-part, "Yeah but what about..." series, Rev. Nathan Lonsdale Bledsoe talks about Christian hypocrisy, King David's colossally bad choices, vulnerable people, and seeking God's hopes for even the people the world calls "monsters." The scripture was 2 Samuel 11:25-27, but all of 2 Samuel 11 was referenced.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.
In this second sermon in our four-part, "Yeah but what about..." series, Rev. Lindsay Smith digs into the kinds of questions that swirl around conversations about science, faith, meaning, doubt, and the like. The text for this morning was Psalm 8.
Show notes: Our church website is stsumc.org, check us out! Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 8:30 or 11:00 am at 2003 W. 43rd St. in Houston, Texas. The music in our intro is from bensound.com.