Ever feel as though we are all alone and/or no one could possible understand our situation? In the next-to-last installation of our "Be it Therefore Resolved..." series, we catch five brief verses from Hebrews that address the reality that we are, indeed, not the first, as in Christ God experienced the reality of full humanity and every emotion.…

Drawing upon the old-fashioned party line that was reality for so many Americans in the 20th century, we see in this week's excursion to Mark's gospel that following Christ means that as we follow his example and his teachings, life will change and it will be noticed because encountering and embracing Christ is a transformative experience.…

The first of two consecutive Sundays in the first chapter of Mark's gospel calls us to the reality that if we are truly serious about following Christ, many things in our lives will change...and this change comes about because our motives behind our actions are transformed as our souls are awakened to the presence and power of God's grace at work w…

In the second of our "Be it Therefore Resolved..." New Year's worship series, we find in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians the sometimes uncomfortable yet absolutely essential reality that as ones who have been given, by grace alone, God's eternal and relentless love through salvation by faith we have responsibilities that transcend our person…

In the first of our New Year's worship series - Be it Therefore Resolved: Beliefs and Truths that Can Transform Your Life in the New Year - we explore Ephesians 3:1-12 and discover that through Christ's life, death, and resurrection, ALL are invited and welcomed to share in God's creative and redemptive story, no matter where we have been or what m…

Christmas Eve - the culmination of the Advent journey! We finish our "Why?" series by addressing the most fundamental question of all - "Why Him?" Why the one born in the most unlikely of circumstances to the most unlikely of people? Why would God go about saving the world in THIS way???By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver

One of the great challenges for the faithful when Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday is the natural inclination to look at the morning and evening as the same day - but yet in order to get to Christmas Eve/Day we must journey through the Fourth Sunday of Advent, on which we light the candle of Love. A few verses from later in the first chapter of Luke…

The third installment of our "Why? A Worship Journey to Christmas" worship series leads us into the words of the Psalmist as found in Psalm 126, words about Joy that sometimes elude us in the helter-skelter of life. Remembering, Attention, and Attitude are central to our embracing and manifesting the joy found in Christ alone.…

In the second of Why? A Worship Journey to Christmas worship series, as we light the candle of Peace we explore 2 Peter 3 and find that peace is far from the simple absence of violence...Perspective, Reflection, Manifestation, and Gift are some ideas that we discover from these timeless words as we await Christmas...…

Our Advent worship series - "Why? A Worship Journey to Christmas" series with, "Why Hope?" Drawing from Christ's words in Mark 13:24-37, we see the rationale that an Advent wreath begins with the candle of hope, for finding hope in anyone or anything other than Christ has profound and lasting implications.…

We wrap up the Christian year on Christ the King Sunday by exploring briefly Christ's words about the second coming as recorded in Matthew 25. Specifically, we come into realizing that Christ's coming in glory is a WHEN not IF scenario, that when Christ comes again it will be evident who has truly followed him, and how our attitude towards the marg…

In the last of our series on "The Most Heavenly Harvest - Reaping the Bounty of that Which God Has So Graciously Sown in Our Lives" series, we explore the final vow that United Methodists make when they join a local congregation - the vow to support our congregation with our witness. Through Paul's words found in Colossians 2, we are reminded that …

We begin with a story about our pastor helping his grandfather clean up a church parking lot after an ice storm almost 24 years ago and conclude with some wisdom from Kid Rock to explore the fourth of the membership vows one makes when becoming part of a United Methodist congregation - the vow to support the ministries of this congregation through …

In the third of our series, "The Most Heavenly Harvest," we explore the membership vow of supporting our church through our gifts - specifically the tithe. Diving into Deuteronomy 8:10-18, we find out some hard yet essential truths about the spiritual implications of our attitudes and practices towards tithing and giving to support the ministries o…

In the second of our 'The Most Heavenly Harvest' we explore the first eight verses of Romans 12 to discover how making the vow of supporting our church with our presence has profound implications not only for the life of the church, but our own spiritual development.By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver

In the first of our latest sermon series, which is focusing on the five vows of membership we make when joining any local United Methodist Church, we look at the gift of prayer and it's essential role in the life of the Christian and the church. Drawing from Paul's words to the Ephesians, we see there are multiple facets of prayer that are crucial …

In the finale of our "Does the Bible REALLY Say That?" series, we use Paul's words in Second Corinthians as a way to dive into the false idea some have that life gets easier when you decide to follow Christ, realizing instead that life in the here and now may actually get harder when you follow Christ - and that's ok because our focus is no longer …

Continuing our "Does the Bible REALLY Say That?" series, this week we encounter variations on, "Well, if the Lord didn't want it to happen..." By digging into the third chapter of Genesis, we see quickly that stuff happened pretty much from the beginning that God most assuredly did not want to happen. But...what in the story of Adam and Eve in the …

In the third of our "Does the Bible REALLY Say That?" series, we explore the reality that "The Lord Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle" is absolutely indefensible in the light of scripture, drawing from wisdom found in Proverbs as well as one of Paul's most well-known passages, Philippians 4:13.…

In the second of our five-part series, "Does the Bible REALLY Say That? Rethinking the Myths and Inaccuracies that Do More Harm Than Good" worship series, we explore matters of life and death through the lens of some well-known words from 1 Corinthians 15:53-58, while identifying up front that no where in the bible does it hint that God has people …

We start a new series - Does the Bible REALLY Say That? Rethinking Myths and Inaccuracies that Do More Harm Than Good - with one that has been around for many generations: The Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves. The question before us this morning is not simply about whether or not the bible says this; we must also examine what we are saying abou…

Labor Day. A uniquely American holiday. The traditional end of the summer. What, if anything, is there for the community of faith, the church, to glean from this secular holiday? How is it that we might be able to draw upon our faith to live out Christ's mission in the midst of this weekend's celebration?…

In the last of our Behind the Music series where we have been examining our faith through the lens of our favorite hymns and songs, we dive into a hymn from America's centennial in 1876, God of Our Fathers (God of the Ages) with an eye towards discerning what faith are others going to inherit from us, and what faith we have learned from those who w…

What was originally written as an exploration of the theology and message of two beloved hymns (He Touched Me and How Great Thou Art) as part of our Behind the Music series transformed into some reflections in the shadow of Charlottesville, forcing us to confront the incongruity of singing sentiments like, "He touched me, and o the joy that floods …

The shortest song of our Behind The Music series - the chorus to On Eagle's Wings - has been a sentimental favorite of many across the ecumenical church since it first came on the scene 38 years ago. Based on the the visual language of God's providential care found in Exodus 19, these words are always timely to recall as there are times when each o…

Along with last week's 'What a Friend We Have in Jesus,' this week's installation of our Behind the Music Series - In the Garden - regularly appears on lists of popular hymns of the Christian faith. Through the lens of Psalm 105, we explore some of the deep truths revealed through the words of this treasured favorite, reflecting upon how our lives …

In this week's installment of our Behind the Music: Exploring God's Witness through Our Favorites we encounter one of your most requested hymns...What a Friend We Have in Jesus. This sentimental favorite of multiple generations of the church brings words of comfort and peace whenever it is sung, comfort and peace that transcends any circumstance, c…

Our Behind the Music series continued this week with a relatively newer (1985) hymn from our friends in the Lutheran tradition - I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry. The words of this beautiful hymn serve as a deeply-moving reminder of God's view of humanity and God's abiding presence through all seasons and circumstances of our lives.…

Our Behind the Music summer worship series continues with a peek at "We've a Story to Tell to the Nations" through the lens of the Great Commission, found in the last words of Matthew's gospel. The story we have to tell is rooted in the truths found in these five verses that conclude the first gospel of the New Testament.…

On a weekend where the citizens of the United States of America are preparing to celebrate their political independence from England, three short verses from Matthew's gospel bring to us Christ's specific words about the spiritual discipline of welcoming others because when we welcome others we welcome Christ.…

We wrap up our journey through God's Maker Fun Factory Vacation Bible School by recalling the words discovered in Romans' eighth chapter, wherein we are reminded that none of us have been put here by accident - we all have been given a divine purpose, and we have all been given a future with hope!By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver

As Christ ascends into heaven, through these words we find in Acts 1, he leaves his disciples with the encouraging word that although he is no longer going to be physically with them they will not be alone because of the presence of the Holy Spirit which is to come upon them.By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver

Our Easter series continues this week with a glimpse into the fourteenth chapter of John's Gospel, where our Lord challenges his disciples to live up to the high calling and standards put before them, assuring them that to love and follow Christ is worth it - BUT - he won't force anyone to follow.By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver

In the short span of six verses, Luke conveys the disturbing account of the result of Stephen’s ministry as well as the truly miraculous final words of this saint of God and how these final words kind of put us on the spot with respect to how we respond to those who ‘kill’ us.By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver

In the latest installment of our He is Risen...and... Easter worship series, we dive into words expressed to Peter as encouragement for those times where things are tough and we question the suffering through which we seem can be overwhelming and never-ending - and discover that through the proper perspective we are people of hope, not circumstance…

A week after Easter Sunday, we encounter Christ in one of the most misunderstood but most gracious encounters with one who gets a bum rap, and how by correcting the record we are on the way to a glorious future!By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver

The Psalmist guides us through this familiar day of celebration, which acknowledge God’s work in taking the rejected and exalting it, calls us to give thanks to God for divine eternal love, and brings us to celebrate it all!By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver

Ezekiel’s encounter with God in the valley of dry bones confronts us with the reality the task of the faithful is to trust that God can bring life in the midst of where we see death, pointing to resurrection. SCRIPTURE: JOEL 2:1-2, 12-17By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver

God’s calling of David instructs us to look for God’s anointed not through the standards of the world, but through the lens of God’s power to take the most unlikely in the sight of humanity to be the one to lead God’s people.By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver

Today's message brings us to the story of Moses and the wandering of God's people through the desert, and how there are distinct truths from their time in the wilderness that are highly relevant to our journey with Christ individually and as a community.By Rev. Lamar C. Oliver