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Dear Friends,

While we in the church look to the Gospels for inspiration and direction on how to live our lives,
I think we can all admit that some of the teachings from Jesus seem especially challenging. We are told to love and pray for our enemies and to turn the other cheek. We are told that whoever wants to be a disciple of Jesus must deny themselves and take up their cross daily. We are told that if we are rich (which most of us in this congregation are when we compare what we have to what others have on a global scale) that it is difficult to enter the Kingdom of God. We are even told that we cannot be accepted by both Jesus and the world. None of these teachings are easy and some feel downright impossible to follow.

When looking at these teachings and many others as recorded in the four gospels, some might ask who would be crazy enough to follow them? Some might even look at these instructions and think that it must be miserable to live a Christian life. So why do we do it? Why do we try to follow these instructions from a man who walked the Earth 2000 years ago?

This week in worship, it is my hope that we can begin to answer those questions together as we reflect on what Jesus said about his own teachings and the impact that they can have on our lives. I look forward to sharing more with you on Sunday.

Blessings,

Luke

Dear Friends,

I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to be with you this Sunday for our Fall kickoff that includes the launching of our Sunday School program and our family bagel breakfast! I look forward to seeing some new faces (even if they are masked) as well as continuing to get to know those of you who I have already had the pleasure to meet.

Speaking of Sunday school, when I was a child growing up in the church, I remember thinking that if God is good then God must have to be fair as well. Now, as a dad of young children myself, I can say that my boys are following in my footsteps as one of the most common exclamations in our house these days is “BUT THAT ISN’T FAIR!”

But what if the good news of the gospel is that God is NOT fair? What if God’s love goes beyond fairness? In worship, we will be looking at a parable told by Jesus which challenges us to think about this idea and so much more. It is a short Bible story with BIG implications. I look forward to sharing more about what this story might teach us about God and about ourselves on Sunday morning.

In Peace, Joy and Hope,

Luke

Dear Friends,

This Sunday I will be away for a prior engagement but I am excited to let you know that my predecessor Rev. Dave Slorpe will be with you to deliver a message based on the familiar words found in the 6th chapter of Micah.

As you prepare to engage this sacred text that invites us to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God,” I invite you to think about some of the places you have seen (or perhaps experienced) injustice taking place. How did you respond in that moment? Looking back, was there anything you’d change in your response to it? In what ways do you think God assists us in being a people of justice, kindness and humility?

As you reflect on those questions may you remember that the way of Jesus does not call us to stay on the sidelines when we see injustice taking place. We are invited to be a part of God’s amazing restoration taking place on the Earth each and every day. May you know that the journey of the Christian faith is meant to be active and life changing!

In Peace and Hope,

Pastor Luke

Dear Friends,
Throughout the month of August, we have been looking back at some of the most well-known stories in the Bible during our sermon series entitled “Back to Sunday School.” One of the great things about this series is that we have discovered new background information, details and insights that enliven the stories in fresh and exciting ways. I want to thank all of you who have shared with me what these stories meant to you in your youth and how that meaning has changed or deepened throughout the years.

We will be concluding this series by looking at a story that is so well known that there are churches, charities, hospitals and even laws named after it: The Parable of the Good Samaritan. As we prepare to encounter this familiar tale once again, I invite you to think about the folks in your neighborhood. How well do you know them? Do you know them at all? When was the last time your neighborhood put on a block party? And if you do know your neighbors, what kind of things do you talk about and what issues feel the most important for you as a community?

It is my hope that in reencountering this parable and in reflecting on those questions that we might discern how God is calling all of us to take the bold step of seeing, meeting and getting to know our neighbors in genuine and meaningful ways. For we cannot come to love our neighbors, if we don’t first take the time to see them and learn about who they are and what they value.
I look forward to sharing more with you on Sunday.
In Peace, Hope and Love,

Pastor Luke

P.S. I want to thank Winnie Konopath and Sue Ernst for all of their wonderful work on designing our altar during this sermon series. It has greatly enhanced our worship space and I am so grateful for the talent that they share with us.

Dear Friends,

This week we will make a major shift in our “Back to Sunday School” sermon series. Up until this point, all of our stories have been from the Hebrew (Old) Testament, but this week we will be looking at Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding in Cana as recorded in the New Testament Gospel of John.

As we revisit this familiar story of Jesus turning water into wine, I look forward to sharing some of the ways that the author of John’s gospel intended for this story to have meaning far beyond Jesus simply being “the life of the party.” After exploring the major implications of this story, I will then invite us to ponder where the miracles of today might be found as well.

Our ministry team is also excited to let you know that we will be bringing back the wonderful weekly tradition of having our young people gather up dry and canned food donations for our local Food Bank during the children’s moment, so please feel free to bring a gift with you. We plan to take up a food collection each and every week so don’t worry if you can’t make it this Sunday.

Finally, if you haven’t had a chance to do so, I invite you to check out our list of pastoral “meet-and-greet”as I look forward to getting to know more about each of you in smaller groups. If none of the listed opportunities work for your schedule, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at luke@mtumc.org and we can set up a time to get together and grab a coffee or lunch (my treat!).

Have a safe weekend and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

In Peace, Hope and Joy,

Pastor Luke

Dear Friends,

This Sunday we will be continuing our sermon series “Back to Sunday School” by looking to the familiar story of David vs Goliath. Out of all the scriptures passages in this series, there is little doubt that this is the most well known by churchgoers and non-churchgoers alike.

While the main focus for the reader usually centers on the stone striking Goliath, I hope to share an important detail before the actual battle, that you may have missed previously. It is my hope that in examining David’s wisdom before the actual fight, that we can be better prepare ourselves for the social, spiritual, and emotional battles we face in life as we strive to follow the ways of Jesus.

I look forward to sharing more with you on Sunday.

In Peace and Hope,

Pastor Luke