First United Methodist Church Beaumont - Podcasts & Sermons: Recent Episodes
First United Methodist Church Beaumont
Pastor Jon reminds us that as we go through life we are going to have spills, and for our spills to be an outpouring of glory, strength, joy, gratitude, love, peace, and hope.
TEXT:
Colossians 1: 9-20 – The Message
Pastor Jon’s message recharges us to go out into the midst of our city, and share God’s love. His message reminds us that an attitude of gratitude begins with remembering that God is always with us.
TEXT:
Psalm 46 NRSV
Pastor Jon reminds us that the things we think, say, and do are directed and driven by God so that we might bring glory to Christ, and in bringing glory to Christ, show others Jesus.
TEXT:
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
This All Saints’ Sunday, we remember the lives, not just those who have died this last year, but the lives of all the saints who have gone before us. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid.” - Rev. Jon Stouffer
TEXT:
John 11: 17-27 NRSV
Pastor Jon reassures us to be kind to ourself – “Changing habits is hard work and there is grace that abounds that we might continue to grow in Christ.”
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Luke 18: 9-14 NRSV
Pastor Jon shares how the laundry and the dishes are like love and forgiveness – providing covering and nourishment for our lives. He reminds us to surround one another with a community of love and forgiveness.
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Luke 18: 1-8 NRSV
Pastor Jon reminds us to turn back to God, to turn back to Jesus, and to cry out when we need help and hope.
TEXT
(Luke 17: 11-19 NRSV)
Pastor Jon reminds us that we have faith enough to fulfill God’s call upon our lives today – to reach out into this city, and to love this city with the heart of Christ.
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Luke 17: 5-10 NRSV
Pastor Jon speaks to heal, comfort, and strengthen us as we recover from tropical storm Imelda. He reminds us that God is our hope and our help in difficult times.
TEXT:
Isaiah 40 (NRSV)
Pastor Jon explores faithfulness and how being authentic in all of our life is to live and become the one Christ is calling us to be.
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Luke 16: 1-13 NRSV
Pastor Jon reminds us that God is not finished with us yet, and that we are called to a life of continued transformation.
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Luke 14: 25-33 NRSV
Pastor Ruby challenges us to examine the intentions behind our humility and hospitality.
Luke 14: 7-14 NRSV
Pastor Jon explores “Jonah syndrome” and how God has appointed and equipped each one of us to show His love to the world.
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Jonah 4: 1-10 NRSV
Pastor Jon shares how the completeness of God’s forgiveness is independent and separate from the completeness of our repentance through Jonah’s story.
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Jonah 3:1-10 NRSV
Pastor Jon uses the story of Jonah and illustrate how to praise God, even when we’re in the belly of a big fish. God hears us and God answers us because God loves us.
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Jonah 2:1-10 NRSV
Pastor Jon reminds us that God is willing to go the ends of the earth to seek us and willing to send us right next door to seek others on God’s behalf. God seeks people and God sends us to seek people.
TEXT:
Jonah 1:11-17
Pastor Jon shares that after we ask, seek, and knock, it’s time for us to invite and share the treasure we’ve been given. It’s not meant to be kept to ourselves.
TEXT:
Luke 11:1-13 NRSV
Pastor Jon challenges us, as Jesus did, to take initiative to forgive ourselves and others so that we may more fully love others with the love of Christ.
TEXT:
Luke 11:1-13 NRSV
Pastor Jon teaches us how to seek Jesus, become more like Him, and distinguish between God’s provision and our acquisition.
TEXT:
Luke 11:1-13 NRSV
In preparation for our upcoming VBS, Pastor Jon shares how in becoming children again, the kingdom of God becomes more real and we become more present to that reality.
TEXT:
Luke 11:1-13 NRSV
Pastor Jon shares how God intends for us to enjoy the fruit of the Spirit each and every day.
TEXT
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Pastor Jon shares the importance of listening to the still, small voice of God. When we take a moment to listen, we can hear God’s call.
TEXT
1 Kings 19:1-15 NRSV
Having fewer choices increases our odds of satisfaction. Lucky for us, we only have two choices. We can choose to rejoice in God and receive His joy, or not.
On Pentecost Sunday, Pastors Jon and Silverio discuss how the Holy Spirit empowers ministry and what it means to be a “sent” people.
TextActs 2:1-21
On Ascension Sunday, Pastor Silverio leads us in opening up the Psalms to consider our allegiance to Jesus as the Lord of our lives.
Text Psalm 97
Pastor Jon continues our exploration of Christ’s peace and how this gift is most completely present in us when we resolve to share it with one another.
TextJohn 12:23-29
Pastor Jon preaches about the new commandment that Jesus gives his disciples and reminds us that there is not a single person that God does not name as lovable.
TextJohn 13:31-35
Pastor Jon continues to explore the gift and calling of Christ’s peace. Change happens when we begin to believe that God has placed us right where we are to be a witness to the transforming peace of Christ to the world.
TextLuke 24:36-49
Pastor Silverio shares an important lesson from Scripture about how we all need people who will point us to Jesus. The beloved disciple did this for Peter after he recognized Jesus standing and talking to them from the shore of the sea they had spent the night fishing in. Thanks be to God for the people in our lives that point us to Jesus!
TextJohn 21:1-19
Pastor Jon teaches on Jesus’ words to his disciples after His resurrection, “Peace be with you.” The risen Christ is not only bringing us peace, but is also sending us to be agents of peace in our city.
TextJohn 20:19-23
On Easter Sunday, Pastor Jon leads our celebration by teaching from the Gospel of Luke’s account of Christ’s Resurrection. It is the Resurrection, not the empty tomb, that gives life and breath to our very lives today and everyday.
TextLuke 24:1-3
Pastor Jon begins Holy Week by teaching on the story of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry. Praising God begins with cultivating a daily attitude of gratitude.
TextLuke 19:28-40
Pastor Jon leads us in exploring what the fruit of faithful discipleship actually looks like.
Text John 12:1-8
Pastor Silverio uses three of the most familiar parables Jesus ever told to talk about how we can confront sin and be free to grab on to Jesus’ promises for our lives.
Text
Luke 15:1-32
Pastor Jon explores how Jesus impresses on us the urgency of always living with a penitent heart and right attitude.
TextLuke 13:1-9
Pastor Jon continues our Lenten teaching series and shares that Jesus says “stay the course, keep the faith, and be transformed into the ones God calls us to be."
TextLuke 13:31-35
Philippians 3:17-4::1
Pastor Jon begins a new series of lenten teachings from the words of Jesus in the Gospels called “Jesus Says,” and explores how God shapes our lives with the power of beauty, grace, and redemption found in God’s holy scriptures.
TextLuke 4:1-13
On this Transfiguration Sunday, Pastor Jon leads us in opening the Scriptures and asks us to consider what we can do to cultivate a deeper faith.
Text 2 Peter 1: 16-21
Luke 9:28-36
Reflecting on the Old Testament story in which Joseph reunites with his brothers who sold him into slavery, Rev. W.C. Hall teaches on the importance of forgiveness.
TextGenesis 45: 1-11
Pastor Silverio teaches from the Gospel of Luke about the power of Christ and the only hope for the Church in the world today.
TextLuke 6:17-26
Pastor Jon teaches from the Scriptures and explains the relationship between the light of Christ in us and our calling to make disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world.
TextLuke 5:1-11
Pastor Silverio continues our sermon series about cultivating the light of Christ in us, around us, and beyond us. When Christ comes and shines his light in our lives, he fully intends for that light to stay on. The Holy Spirit works in us so that we trust God enough to leave the light on for good.
TextLuke 4:21-30
Pastor Jon explores the story of Jesus returning to his hometown synagogue to read from the Book of Isaiah. Jesus declares that Isaiah’s words of jubilee have now been fulfilled and has included us in this promise with him.
TextLuke 4:14-21
Pastor Jon teaches from the Gospel of John on the first miracle of Jesus at the wedding at Cana. By offering the kind of grace that sheds light on God’s mercy and glory, Jesus invites all of us to do the same.
TextJohn 2:1-11
God makes a big fuss about us the same way God made a big fuss about Jesus at his baptism. Living like we know this is the first step in cultivating the light of Christ in us.
TextLuke 3: 15-17; 21-22
As we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord, Pastor Jon invites us to intentionally see, seek, and shine the light of Christ for the sake of God’s kingdom.
TextMatthew 2:1-12
While reflecting on his own journey of coming to know Christ, Pastor Jon offers that the biggest shift we can make for ourselves in the New Year is to become fully convinced that we are chosen, we are sacred, and we are beloved by God.
TextColossians 3:12-17
On Christmas Eve, Pastor Jon looks at the ordinary people that played a supremely miraculous role in the birth of Christ. God’s miraculous work of redemption can be found in the ordinary lives that we live.
TextLuke 2:1-20
On the fourth Sunday in Advent we open up the Scriptures together for guidance on what to do while we wait for the things that really matter.
TextMicah 5:2-5a
On the second Sunday in Advent, Pastor Jon teaches from the prophet Malachi’s words in the Old Testament that remind us that we shall find God in our midst when we seek God. To know that is to be a people with a message from God to all the world.
TextMalachi 3:1-4
On the first Sunday in Advent, Pastor Jon teaches from the Scriptures and invites us to examine the ways in way we are planning to share the treasure of Christ’s love with others this Christmas. The world is hungry for peace. Who else will share the gift that Christ brings to the world if not us?
TextJeremiah 33:14-16
On Christ The King Sunday, Pastor Jon teaches from Jesus’ words in the Gospel on John and reflects on what it means for Christians to respond to Christ as our king.
TextJohn 18:33-38
Pastor Silverio teaches from the Scriptures about how Christ comes to heal our restlessness.
TextHebrews 10:11-25
Pastor Jon teaches on the story of Jesus and the poor widow’s offering. Sometimes being a faithful follower of Jesus feels like it would be easier if it were more like completing a to-do list. However, Scripture reminds us that everything we are and already have is enough in order to follow Christ faithfully.
TextMark 12:38-44
On All Saints Sunday, Pastor Jon explores Jesus’ pick for most important commandment. An important reminder that those who seek to live in the Kingdom of God will do all they can do, and all they know how to do, for their faith to work through love.
TextMark 12:28-34
The Rev. Alicia Besser, our District Superintendent, closes out our Feet to Faith lessons with a look at how James talks about the Church as a people who have been knitted tougher as a family of faith. Those who believe in Jesus Christ carry with them certain marks such as a fervent commitment to praying for one another.
TextJames 5:13-20
Pastor Jon continues our Feet to Faith teachings from the book of James. Like hiking, walking in faith demands us to be practical about a lot of things.
TextJames 4:1-12
Pastor Jon teaches on the purpose of the Church and what the connection is between our Baptismal vows and the path towards Christian perfection in this life.
TextJames 3:13-18
In Part 3 of our Feet to Faith series, Pastor Silverio explores why we often struggle to get our faith to be in sync with our works. If we’re open to the transforming work that the Holy Spirit wants to do in us, this doesn’t need to be a struggle anymore. That’s really good news!
TextJames 2:14-26
Pastor Silverio continues the Feet to Faith series with an important message from James’ letter on anger, sanctification, and jumping into the “deep end” of the presence of God.
TextJames 1 : 19-25
At First Methodist, we are beginning a six-week teaching series called, “Feet To Faith: Practicing Faith According to the Letter of James.” This week, Pastor Jon begins by making some observations regarding sustainable faith practices which include prayer, the reading of Scripture, as well as our presence and service to others.
TextJames 1:2-18
As we celebrated a Golden Milestone of 178 years of continuous ministry in Beaumont and 50 years of worship and service in our current building in downtown, Bishop Scott Jones reminds us that we are much more than what we have become. Scripture teaches us that the grace of God is at work in us, changing us so that we might become what God intended, and that is precisely why we need to belong to a church community.
TextMatthew 28:16-20
Pastor Jon uses the lenses of poetry to reflect on a couple of Jesus’ miracles: casting out a demon from the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter and the healing of a deaf man.
TextMark 7:24-37
What is saving your life today? If our answer is anything other than the Word of Life alone, then we are already lost. Pastor Jon finishes up a series of teachings on Jesus as the Bread of Life and explains why.
TextJohn 6:56-69
A good feast always includes the 3 G's: good food, great stories, and God's people. A good feast also teaches us a lot about what it means to live in Christian community together and be part of the body of Christ.
TextJohn 6:51-58
Pastor Jon continues teaching from Jesus' Bread of Life sermon in the Gospel of John and explores the spiritual practice of fasting. Fasting is a way that we make room within our lives to come to Jesus with our thirst and hunger. Fasting is resting in God's presence as God's creation, and acknowledging our dependence in God as our Creator.
TextJohn 6: 35, 41-51
Pastor Jon Stouffer begins a series of sermons based on Jesus' Bread of Life teachings in the Gospel of John. The Bread of Life which is present at Holy Communion invites us to make space for intentional quietness, that we might allow the deeper part of our souls to listen.
TextJohn 6:24-35
We continue the Backpack Sermon Series with a reading from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans. Listen as Pastors Jon and Silverio consider this passage for the first time this week and begin to explore Paul's teaching regarding the prayers of the Holy Spirit.
TextRomans 8:26-31
BACKPACK SERMON SERIES Since January, 2018, our First Kids have been leading in worship by sharing an object from home that Pastors Silverio and Jon see for the first time and spend a moment with the children learning about God’s love and grace. During our January Sunday School Collective, someone shared with the pastors the idea of having a “backpack sermon,” where the Scripture Reading to be shared during worship remains unannounced until it is read. With an element or two between the reading of Scripture and the sermon, Pastors Jon and Silverio will read, pray, and consider the passage. During the sermon time, our pastors are modeling the means of grace we know as “Searching the Scriptures.”
During the week, our pastors are keeping their normal rhythms of prayer, study, and Christian conferencing to be well prepared for worship on Sunday. In addition to their normal rhythms, Pastors Silverio and Jon fashion an order in which they will lead during the sermon. The main difference between a normal week of preparation and this manner of preach is that the inquiry process is shortened to the time during worship. Pastors Silverio and Jon fashion an “order of the sermon” so they know who is beginning and who is finishing.
Searching the Scripture as a means of grace is an essential part of the disciples life. As a congregation, we encourage the use of this means of grace through our Bible Reading Plan. This summer, we are reading through the Psalms. Many keep this rhythm as well as reading throughout the Scriptures. There are many apps available on various electronic devices that have Bible Reading Plans such as: the Bible in 90 days, the Gospels in 40 days, and the Bible in one year. The importance of Searching the Scriptures is the continuity of the rhythm, not the amount of reading that is accomplished each day.
July 22, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer & Rev. Silverio Sanchez - We continue the Backpack Sermon Series with a reading of the Gospel of Luke's telling of Jesus' parable about the Prodigal Son. Listen as Pastors Jon and Silverio consider this passage for the first time this week and are led to explore our rhythms of mourning and celebration. When we invite others to join us in these rhythms, we will grow in our trust of God and service of others as we become more aware of how our lives of mourning and celebration are interwoven with one another.
July 15, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer & Rev. Silverio Sanchez - A few months ago, a faithful First Methodist came up with the idea of taking the backpack Children’s Sermon concept (where the kids bring the pastor a surprise toy from home and they have to use it in a Scripture lesson for them) and make a sermon series out of it. Each week, someone will bring a Scripture passage to worship and Pastors Jon and Silverio will teach from it without having known what that passage is beforehand.
Listen to the first Backpack Sermon as Pastors Jon and Silverio lead us in searching the Scriptures together and teach from Psalm 100.
July 8, 2018, Pie Wars Sunday - Rev. Jon Stouffer - On our annual Pie Wars Sunday, Pastor Jon considers what a good pie can teach us about the beauty of the Church.
July 1, 2018 - Rev. Silverio Sanchez - Pastor Silverio continues our exploration of what it looks like to regularly practice taking time for holy rest. As we rest, it is beneficial to incorporate time for playfulness and pretend. For one thing, this helps us counter our tendency to worry. As Christians, pretend play also helps us make space and time for looking at our lives and world from the vantage point of heaven, the place in which worry, fear, and death do not exist.
June 24, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Pastor Jon continues a series of teachings on our need for holy rest.
June 10, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Pastor Jon begins a short series of teachings anchored around the need for clarity of purpose and rhythm of practice in order to faithfully follow Christ. One rhythm that we often neglect or ignore, partly due to a lack of clarity, is regularly keeping Sabbath rest. Sabbath is more than just taking a day off, it's about regularly relinquishing the things that are not ours to control.
June 3, 2018 - Rev. Silverio Sanchez - Pastor Silverio teaches on the importance and power of our words. As we continue to grow in our trust of God and the Holy Spirit continues to transform us, the things we say will become more in sync with the things we already believe about God.
May 27, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - On Trinity Sunday, Pastor Jon teaches from the Scriptures on the beauty and importance of God revealing Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Pentecost Sunday, May 20, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - On Pentecost Sunday, we opened the Scriptures to the beginning of the Book of Acts to hear the birth story of God's Church. Today, God continues place within the followers of Christ the desire to build God's kingdom and to share the good news of God's love with everyone. We may not always realize this desire, but when God dreams and we happen to catch it, we will find ourselves filled with the power, poise, and the words to go out into the world burning with love for the sake of Christ.
May 13, 2018 - Rev. Silverio Sanchez - Pastor Silverio examines the prayer the apostles prayed before choosing a replacement for Judas. Sometimes we pray and God's answer is clear. Sometimes we pray and God's answer isn't clear or immediate, so we do our best as we continue to move forward. Both instances require us to trust God fully. Our trust in God flourishes when we have the clarity and rhythm with which to live as Christians in this world.
May 6 , 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - We continue our exploration of the Book of Acts and consider the story of Peter and Cornelius, one of the first persons to become a follower of Jesus outside of the Jewish community. Pastor Jon provides some guidance on important questions that arise from reading this passage of Scripture such as: "What does it mean that the Sprit fell down on them?" and "What does it mean that they were speaking in tongues?"
April 29, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Pastor Jon considers the story from Acts about Phillip the Apostle asking an Ethiopian man if he understood the Scriptures he was reading. The man replied to Phillip: "how could I, unless someone guides me?" Guiding people to Jesus is an important part of God's plan for redeeming this world. How can those that live around us come to know Jesus, or hear the good news about what Christ offers unless someone is willing to tell them?
April 15, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Pastor Jon teaches from the book of Acts and explores a familiar story of a man that was healed after spending much of his life begging outside the Temple. In this season of Easter, God intends to refresh our lives and our ministry to our city with new ways of sharing the love of the Risen Christ.
April 8, 2018 - Rev. Silverio Sanchez - On the second Sunday of Eastertide, Pastor Silverio explores the story of Thomas and the rest of Jesus’ disciples after the Resurrection. An important message about faith, doubt, and what Christians can do in a season of unbelieving.
Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - On Easter Sunday, Pastor Jon explores what it means to be a follower of the Risen King. Because King Jesus did it first, we're called to rise up into a life of healing and wholeness in order to proclaim new life to dead places and freedom from the bondage of sin.
March 25, 2019 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - On Palm Sunday, as we remember the mighty acts of God through Jesus Christ during Holy Week, Pastor Jon invites us to consider how we might walk alongside of Jesus and seek to become involved in God's redemptive activity in the world today. The real question for Christ followers is not whether they are optimistic or pessimistic about whether God is at work in our midst, the real question is whether we are wiling to be a part of God's work.
March 18, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Pastor Jon continues our series of Lenten teachings from the Scriptures and reminds us that God is still at work today in our city. For 178 years now, the people called Methodists in Beaumont have understood their greatest mission to be making disciples of Jesus Christ that love the city with the heart of Christ. Today we get to choose if that mission continues or if it stops right now with us. We remember that we stand before a God that has carried this mission in the past in a mighty way. Therefore, our greatest work involves praying this simple yet powerful prayer: “Do it again, God! Do it again!”
March 11, 2018 - Rev. Silverio Sanchez - Pastor Silverio explores the practice of providing one another with the kind of Christian accountability that is good for our souls. We usually think of accountability on the basis of what we've experienced in the many settings we have been in throughout our lives. In God's family, however, accountability is not a stern lecture but an invitation to come stand on holy ground again. Here we can find a loving and powerful reminder of God's presence, God's holiness, and our sacred worth in God.
March 4, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Pastor Jon teaches from the Scriptures on the story of Jesus flipping tables and clearing out the temple. As we seek to declutter our lives during Lent, we learn from Jesus that clearing out sometimes involves sacrifice. We see this in the early Methodists who set out to be a people who prayed together and served the world in the name of Jesus Christ. They set out to recover the sacredness of God's temple among faithful followers of Jesus.
February 25, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Pastor Jon talks about the Church's greatest battle for doing ministry in the name of Christ today. Just like Christ overcame His greatest battle on the cross, we too can overcome the challenges presented by our differences and diversity. His victory means we get to welcome and minister to everyone in our city with the love of Christ.
February 18, 2018 - Rev. Silverio Sanchez - Pastor Silverio invites us to remain no longer at the isolated fringes of life and community where there is only lonely chaos, destruction, and a living death and instead come to the center of God’s heart where there is authentic community, deep healing, great hope, and true life that is lost in the love of God alone.
February 11, 2018 - Rev. Silverio Sanchez - Pastor Silverio talks about how crucial it is to belong to a Christian community of love and forgiveness. Life hits all of us hard sometimes, this community is truly the arms that keep us from falling apart even when the cracks of our faith start to show.
February 4, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - When we remember how much God loves us we soar like eagles. This practice of remembering is vital to our our growth and strength in Christ.
January 28, 2017 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Pastor Jon preaches about living out our Baptismal Covenant and focuses on living in a rut. Ruts are actually good for us when they are the right ones.
January 21, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Pastor Jon talks about the prophet Jonah in the Old Testament and reflects on the ways in which we tell our faith story to others. We all know someone that would come to church if they were invited. In fact, 1 out of every 5 people in town that don't have a church actually would very much like to have a place in which to participate in faith practices, They are just waiting for your invitation.
January 14, 2018 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Pastor Jon explores the stories of the prophet Samuel hearing the voice of God as a young boy as well as the Gospel story of Phillip inviting Nathaniel to come and see Jesus for himself. God still speaks to us and sends us out into the world to tell others about His great love.
January 7, 2018 - Rev. Silverio Sanchez - Pastor Silverio teaches from the Scriptures on the Lord's Baptism in the Gospel of Mark and on the Spirit of God in the story of creation in Genesis. The power of God that created life is sustaining our lives right now. That's why things are already better than we think they are.
December 31, 2017 - Rev. Silverio Sanchez - The Christmas season can be a painful reminder of what we don't have and all the ways that we are hurting right now. The birth of Christ, however, reminds us that we are children of God. Therefore, we can grab on to Christmas, even in the midst of sorrow and pain, to be reminded that we are beloved sons and daughters of God.
December 24, 2017 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - In the Christmas Eve morning gathering, Pastor Jon shared stories of different ways God is at work at First Methodist and also looks to the future that, because of the power of Christ at work in all of us, is filled with much promise and hope.
December 17, 2017 - Rev. Silverio Sanchez - As we anticipate the return of Christ and celebrate the light that came into this world at his birth, Pastor Silverio provides a list from the Scriptures of ways that we can successfully live in this light and do battle with the darkness that tries very hard to overwhelm us.
December 10, 2017 - Rev. Jon Stouffer - Sometimes it seems easier to believe that God became human in the form of a baby than to believe that God can perfect us in this life...but God can. The birth of Jesus shows us that our efforts, our work, and our religious practices can't save our lives and earn God's love, only God can. Living like we believe God can means our efforts and our work become about ensuring that everyone we know experiences the same saving love of God.