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2024 Sermons

Click here to visit the Salem United Methodist Church YouTube Channel and view past services.


THANKS AND GIVING—Sermon Series

Sunday, November 24, 2024
Thanks and Giving
Scripture:  Luke 12:13-34

Sunday, November 17, 2024—Twenty-sixth Sunday After Pentecost
Thanks and Giving:  "Giving as Worship" (by Buck Bartley)
Scripture:  Matthew 6:19-34
Click here to view the service (starts at the 28:40 mark).


DO UNTO OTHERS—Sermon Series

Sunday, November 10, 2024—Twenty-fifth Sunday After Pentecost
Do Unto Others:  "Malice Toward None—Love"
Scripture:  Matthew 22:34-40
Click here to view the service (starts at the 31:48 mark).

Sunday, November 03, 2024—Twenty-fourth Sunday After Pentecost (All Saints Sunday)
Do Unto Others:  "Living Together on Uncommon Ground—Respect"
Scripture:  1 Corinthians 12:1-26
Click here to view the service (starts at the 29:10 mark).

Sunday, October 27, 2024—Twenty-third Sunday After Pentecost
Do Unto Others:  "Listen More, Speak Less—Humility"
Scripture:  Ephesians 4:1-6
Click here to view the service (starts at the 25:50 mark).

Sunday, October 20, 2024—Twenty-second Sunday After Pentecost
Do Unto Others:  "The Polarization Within—Compassion"
Scripture:  Isaiah 11:6-9
Click here to view the service (starts at the 25:40 mark).

Sunday, October 13, 2024—Twenty-first Sunday After Pentecost
Do Unto Others:  "Blue and Red Make Purple—Kindness"
Scripture:  Luke 6:31-36
Click here to view the service (starts at the 30:35 mark).

Our world seems to be consumed with division—often typified in the colors red and blue.  Rather than stay in our monochromatic silos, the Golden Rule in scripture challenges us to engage in conversation and seek to create whatever common good we can with our relatives, friends, and neighbors who we might consider to be on the “other side” politically and ideologically.  As we attempt to come together, the idea is not that we are obliterating either one or trying to change each other, but rather we discover the beauty that can be created when we work together to make the world a better place.  The “purple space” is where we cultivate kindness, compassion, humility, respect, and love for one another and for the good of all the world, no matter what.


PARADOX—Sermon Series

Sunday, October 06, 2024—Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost
Paradox:  "Unity in Diversity"
Scripture: : John 17:20-23
Click here to view the service (starts at the 26:00 mark).

Sunday, September 29, 2024—Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Paradox:  "Becoming Great Through Humility"
Scripture: : Philippians 2:1-11
Click here to view the service (starts at the 35:15 mark).

Sunday, September 22, 2024—Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Paradox:  "Finding Life in Losing It"
Scripture:  Matthew 16:21-28
Click here to view the service (starts at the 31:35 mark).

Sunday, September 15, 2024—Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
Paradox:  "The First Shall Be Last"
Scripture:  Matthew 20:1-16
Click here to view the service (starts at the 30:40 mark).

Sunday, September 08, 2024—Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Paradox::  "The Foolishness of the Cross"
Scripture:  1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Click here to view the service (starts at the 30:45 mark).

Sunday, September 01, 2024—Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Paradox:  "Strength in Weakness"
Scripture:  2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Click here to view the service (starts at the announcements).

This September, you're invited to dive into the paradoxes of our faith—where strength is found in weakness, life :in a cross, and unity in diversity.  In a world that demands us to pick sides, our faith calls us to something deeper, challenging us to embrace complexity rather than settle for false simplicity.  As we approach the November election, black-and-white thinking is only intensifying, but God invites us to get uncomfortable, ask new questions, and grow in unexpected ways.  Join us as we explore these paradoxes and discover the depth of God’s love and creativity.


WALK IN THE LIGHT—Sermon Series

Sunday, August 25, 2024—Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sermon Title:  "Kyle's Testimony"
Scripture:  1 Thessalonians 5:12-22
Click here to view the service (starts at the 25:00 mark).

Sunday, August 18, 2024—Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Walk In The Light:  "God's Dwelling"
Scripture:  Psalm 84
Click here to view the service (starts at the 28:30 mark).

Sunday, August 11, 2024—Twelth Sunday After Pentecost
Walk In The Light:  "Have Life"
Scripture:  1 John 5:9-13
Click here to view the service (starts at the 31:17 mark).

Sunday, August 04, 2024—Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
Walk In The Light:  "Linked in Love"
Scripture:  John 6:24-35
Click here to view the service (starts at the 15:45 mark).

Sunday, July 28, 2024—Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
Jennie Lyons will be guest preaching:  "Thirsty For Eternity"
Scripture:  John 4:3-15
Click here to view the service (starts at the 30:35 mark).

Sunday, July 21, 2024—Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
Hymn Sing!
Scripture:  Psalm 96
Click here to view the service (starts at the 30:45 mark).

Sunday, July 14, 2024—Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
Jennie Lyons will be guest preaching:  "Salted With Fire"
Scripture:  Mark 9:38-50
Click here to view the service (starts at the 30:08 mark).

Sunday, July 07, 2024—Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
Walk In The Light:  "Keep The Commandments"
Scripture:  1 John 5:1-6
Click here to view the beginning of the service (starts at the 31:00 mark).
Click here to continue viewing the service.
Click here to view the end of the service.

Sunday, June 30, 2024—Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
Walk In The Light:  "Love"
Scripture:  1 John 4:7-21
Click here to view the service (starts at the 31:22 mark).

Sunday, June 23, 2024—Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
Walk In The Light:  "Love With Action"
Scripture:  1 John 3:16-24
Click here to view the service (starts at the 33:10 mark).

Sunday, June 16, 2024—Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
Walk In The Light:  "Child of God"
Scripture:  1 John 3:1-7
Click here to view the service (starts at the 29:30 mark).

Sunday, June 09, 2024—Third Sunday After Pentecost
Walk In The Light:  "No Darkness in God"
Scripture:  1 John 1:1-2:2
Click here to view the service (starts at the 29:00 mark).

Sunday, June 02, 2024—Second Sunday After Pentecost
Walk In The Light:  "Like Fire Shut up in our Bones"
Scripture:  Jeremiah 20:9; Romans 12: 1, 9-12
Click here to view the service (starts at the 25:10 mark).

The Gospel of John tells us Christ is the light of the world.  The epistle, 1 John (pronounced “first John”), doubles down on this message and helps us to understand what it means to walk in the light of Christ.  Throughout this series we’ll see the way God shows up for and loves us deeply. : We’ll also see the ways we can care for each other in the same way.  In the end, that’s the major message.  It’s all about love.  So, this summer, as we approach the longest day of the year, let’s find ways to walk in the Light.


ON THE LOOSE—Holy Spirit In The World Sermon Series

Sunday, May 26, 2024—Trinity Sunday
On The Loose:  "Trinity"
Scripture:  2 Peter 1:16-18 Matthew 26:16-20
Click here to view the service (starts at the 22:40 mark).

Sunday, May 19, 2024—Pentecost
On The Loose:  "Just a Spark"
Scripture:  Acts 2:1-8
Click here to view the service (starts at the 23:28 mark).

Sunday, May 12, 2024—Seventh Sunday of Easter
On The Loose:  "Created for More" (Guest preacher: Jennie Lyons)
Scripture:  Gen 1:26-27, 31; Gen 2:7-8, 18, 21-25; Mark 3:31-35
Click here to view the service (starts at the 33:12 mark).

Sunday, May 05, 2024—Sixth Sunday of Easter
On The Loose:  "Inspiration"
Scripture:  Acts 4:5-12
Click here to view the service (starts at the 30:50 mark).

Sunday, April 28, 2024—Fifth Sunday of Easter
On The Loose:  "Patience"
Scripture:  Psalm 37:3-8
Click here to view the service (starts at the 1:43 mark).

Sunday, April 21, 2024—Fourth Sunday of Easter
On The Loose:  "Interruptions"
Scripture:  Acts 10:44-48
Click here to view the service (starts at the 17:30 mark).
[NOTE that the video freezes at the 32:13 mark but the audio is fine throughout the service.]

Sunday, April 14, 2024—Third Sunday of Easter
On The Loose:  "Revolution"
Scripture:  Luke 24:36-49
Click here to view the service (starts at the 30:06 mark).

Sunday, April 07, 2024—Second Sunday of Easter
On The Loose:  "Spirit"
Scripture:  Acts 4:32-35, John 20:19-31
Click here to view the service (starts at the 23:30 mark).

It’s on the loose!

That’s not normally a phrase we’re happy to hear.  We don’t want wild animals or captured things released and running wild.  And yet, that’s exactly what the Holy Spirit does.  On the day of crucifixion, the temple curtain is ripped in two.  Now, suddenly, the Holy Spirit will go wherever it wants.  It’s on the loose.

In the Hebrew scriptures God decided to live within the temple to be close to the people.  This was a magnificent gift from our nomadic God.  However, by the time Jesus is ready for crucifixion, God is ready for a change.  The Spirit is not willing to only be as close to the people as the temple.  Now the Spirit wants to live within the people themselves.

So, the curtain rips, and from then on we see the Spirit take the people through a wild ride that changes everything.  New people are invited into the family, the Spirit gets close enough to interrupt sermons, and the disciples learn new depth of forgiveness.

This loosed Spirit is here to change the world.  Will you join us?


LENT—A Season of Belovedness Sermon Series

Sunday, March 31, 2024—Easter Sunday
A Season of Belovedness:  "Don't Be Afraid, Beloved"
Scripture:  Matthew 28:1-10
Click here to view the service (starts at the 30:40 mark).

Sunday, March 24, 2024—Palm Sunday
Cristin Cooper of Coop's Soups will be guest preaching:  "Sacrifice"
Scripture:  Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 14 :32-52
Click here to view the service (starts at the 26:12 mark).

Sunday, March 17, 2024—Fifth Sunday in Lent
A Season of Belovedness:  "We Join The Family"
Scripture:  Isaiah 51:1-8; Romans 11:13-24
Click here to view the service (starts at the 31:35 mark).

Sunday, March 10, 2024—Fourth Sunday in Lent
A Season of Belovedness:  "Love Is From God"
Scripture:  Song of Songs 4:7–16; 1 John 4:7–12
Click here to view the service (starts at the 28:05 mark).

Sunday, March 03, 2024—Third Sunday in Lent
A Season of Belovedness:  "Nothing Can Separate Us From God"
Scripture:  Genesis 3:8–21; Romans 8:31–39
Click here to view the service (starts at the 27:24 mark).

Sunday, February 25, 2024—Second Sunday in Lent
A Season of Belovedness:  "It's All About Grace"
Scripture:  Genesis 3:1-7: Ephesians 2:4-10
Click here to view the service (starts at the 24:40 mark).

Sunday, February 18, 2024—First Sunday in Lent
A Season of Belovedness:  "You Are Called To Be Loved"
Scripture:  Genesis 2:7-9, 15-25; Colossians 3: 1-11
Click here to view the service (starts at the 27:30 mark).

This year, its all about BELOVEDNESS.  Who’s belovedness?  Yours.  And mine.  And hers, and his, and theirs.  Everyone’s belovedness.

One of our scriptures for this series is our famous John 3:16: “for God so loved the WORLD...”.  That includes you (and your unfortunate neighbor down the street. Sorry.)

This season, take a breath and wonder at the ways God’s love prepares us to understand the ultimate (and baffling) love of Christ on the cross.

In the ancient church, they took Lent as a time to prepare new members for their baptism and official entrance into the church.  You may be a new member, or you may not even remember the first time you stepped into a church.  Either way, this is a time for you to re-prepare yourself, to re-understand exactly what brought you to this place and the belovedness God has bestowed on you.

Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Joint Service at Salem UMC with St. Paul UMC and other churches
Pastor Will Newton preaching
Click here to view the service (starts at the 14:57 mark).

Sunday, February 11, 2024—Transfiguration Sunday (Scouting Sunday)
Cristin Cooper of Coop's Soups will be guest preaching:  "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"
Scripture:  Luke 10:1-12
Click here to view the service (starts at the 27:47 mark).


I've Been Meaning To Ask Sermon Series (Part Three)

Sunday, February 04, 2024—Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
I've Been Meaning To Ask (Part Three):  "Is God Even Listening?"
Scripture:  Psalm 139:1-6; 13-18
Click here to view the service (starts at the 45:15 mark).

Sunday, January 28, 2024—Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
I've Been Meaning To Ask (Part Three):  "How Do I Pray?"
Scripture:  Philippians 4:4-7; Romans 8: 26-28
Click here to view the service (starts at the 24:05 mark).

Curiosity is a gift God has given us!  It helps us make new discoveries about the world, about each other, and about God, Godself.  Now it’s time to ask about our lives.  How do we live?  Do I really need to deal with them?  And the perennial question: is God even listening?  Join us as we kick off the new year ready to start the year with curiosity.

Sunday, January 21, 2024—Third Sunday after the Epiphany—ONLINE Service
I've Been Meaning To Ask (Part Three):  "How Far Does Foregiveness Go?"
Scripture:  Romans 6:1-4
Click here to view the service (starts at the 22:44 mark).

It’s a New Year!  A chance to do something new!  A chance to renew our commitments, change our habits, open to God.

For us at Salem, it’s also a time to get curious.  In 2023 we did two rounds of “I’ve been meaning to ask.”  We asked about everything from origin stories to beliefs about heaven.  Curiosity is a gift God has given us!  It helps us make new discoveries about the world, about each other, and about God, Godself.  Now it’s time to ask about our lives.  How do we live?  Do I really need to deal with them?  And the perennial question: is God even listening?  Join us as we kick off the new year ready to start the year with curiosity.

Sunday, January 14, 2024—Second Sunday after the Epiphany
I've Been Meaning To Ask (Part Three):  "What Do I Do?"
Scripture:  Luke 15:3-7, 8-10, 11-32; Matthew 20:1; Matthew 22:34-46; Phil 3:4b-14; Romans 12:1-5-16
Click here to view the service (starts at the 33:00 mark).

I’ve been meaning to ask ... It’s a New Year!  A chance to do something new!  A chance to renew our commitments, change our habits, open to God.

For us at Salem, it’s also a time to get curious.  In 2023 we did two rounds of “I’ve been meaning to ask.”  We asked about everything from origin stories to beliefs about heaven.  Curiosity is a gift God has given us!  It helps us make new discoveries about the world, about each other, and about God, Godself.  Now it’s time to ask about our lives.  How do we live?  Do I really need to deal with them?  And the perennial question: is God even listening?  Join us as we kick off the new year ready to start the year with curiosity.


Sermon Archives—Hyperlinks to Historical Information

Click here to visit the 2023 Sermon Series Archive.

 

 
 

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