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Arapaho UMC

Arapaho UMC

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Progressive theology and engaging Sermons & podcasts from an inclusive church in Richardson, Texas. We are intentional about our faith development: we ask questions, develop deep and lasting friendships, and work together to make a positive difference in our community. Nobody is perfect here, but being a part of this place brings out the best of us.
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show series
 
Thanksgiving can be a hard time around the table. This sermon reflects on the challenges of relationships during the holiday season, drawing from Jesus' teachings to emphasize the importance of reconciliation, love, and peace. It encourages us to focus on nurturing healthy, authentic connections rather than striving to be "right," and to approach d…
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Bridges are essential for connection, both in our world and in our relationships. Just like a physical bridge that links two sides of a town, relational bridges link us across divides. Right now, many of our bridges are broken—whether it’s in society or our personal lives—and that creates distance and disconnection. Jesus challenges us to build the…
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We are all shaped by the lives of others—those who pour their wisdom, love, and faith into us. These people are our saints, not because they were perfect, but because they were used by God to nurture and guide us, leaving a lasting impact. In the Bible, the word "saint" comes from hagias, which means "set apart" or "used by God." It’s a word for th…
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In this message, we learn how Jesus calls us to shift our focus from the narrow concerns of everyday life and anxiety to the broader horizon of God’s kingdom, which is rooted in justice, peace, and joy. Using the imagery of the lilies, Jesus teaches us to trust in God’s abundant love, freeing us from the constant grip of worry. When we seek God fir…
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What about our own experience? We all have wisdom of our own and our own "theology" — that is, thoughts about God. That wisdom is valid. And our own experiences can help us test whether something works (is life-giving) or whether we should think again. In fact, the Methodist tradition says that this is *our theological task* — our part to play is t…
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What about other things we might learn? As the early followers of Jesus taught: "All truth is God's truth". That means that if something is true, then it is true — and our assumptions must adapt. This may seem simple, but it has been a place of wrestling throughout history. Partly because we are always learning more. We need to listen to science an…
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"What is God's plan for my life?" No question brought more anxiety to my younger life. What if I miss it? What if I don't like it? What if? We often quote Jeremiah's famous verse about God's big plans, without noticing that it is a part of this message of digging in right where we are. Plans are not about some far off future, but helping pull near …
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Another way Jeremiah invites us to seek the holistic universal flourishing of our community is to "pray for the city". I don't know about you, but as a person seek to be a good neighbor in a pluralistic world, the idea of praying for someone can give me the heebeegeebees. But there are two liberating secrets in this idea: 1) that our faith is to be…
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God’s invitation to us is to be "for our city"—to seek the holistic flourishing of our neighbors and communities. Jeremiah explains that that looks like planting gardens and building houses — to dig in and make a home. What does this look like in action? Jesus once shared a parable that helps unpack this idea of digging in—that the kingdom of God i…
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We don’t always know exactly what we are supposed to do — where we are, right now. We look ahead to future dreams or back to more certain times. But what about here and now? The book of Jeremiah describes a critical time in the history of the people of Israel, when they found themselves asking the very same questions. Israel had been conquered by B…
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The Gospel of Luke introduces us to two new characters at nearly the end of the story, which is an odd choice, to be sure. Weirder still is the lengthy encounter they have with a stranger on their road back home, and how this stranger changes the course of their journey and ours. We might think we know how the story ends, but resurrection might jus…
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After the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, many of the disciples got back to their old lives, which for some meant fishing. The disciples in John are shown fishing and pulling up empty nets, until they encounter a “stranger” and… well, the story changes. Let’s talk about what it feels like to “fish with empty nets,” and how resurrection can invite …
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The word for “bless” in Hebrew is closely related to the word for “kneel.” The idea is that to praise someone and to receive a blessing is the same body posture… kneeling. We will look at the passage from Psalm 103 that underscores this linguistic lesson, as well as the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet as a practical example of how kneelin…
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The “man with the withered hand” is one of the stories in the Gospels used to illustrate Jesus’ conflict with strict religious adherence (and adherents). He uses his hands not only to heal the hurting around him, he also uses his hands to wrestle with and overcome the leaders who would treat faith as a punishing list of rules. As we reflect on the …
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Our ability to communicate is one of the gifts of humanity, and we find ourselves with a greater capacity and platform for communication than ever before. I can pick up my phone and communicate with people (strangers even) around the world instantly, sometimes with very little responsibility for the outcomes of my communication. As people of faith,…
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Whether we hear with our ears, eyes, or heart, in the Bible, the concept of “hearing” is attached to our being attuned to the movement of God in our midst. Samuel was given “ears to hear” by the older Eli, who could be pulled out of sleep by the whisper of the Spirit. Paul reflects on the power of the “word of Christ” in the promise it offers to th…
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The holidays can be a season of intense joy, and also intense grief. A prophet named Isaiah connected the grief we feel to the passion God has for justice, in our personal lives and throughout the world. This week, let’s talk about why grief is something we can choose to embrace as a holy part of the human experience, and how it could lead us into …
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The holidays can be a season of intense joy, and also intense grief. A prophet named Isaiah connected the grief we feel to the passion God has for justice, in our personal lives and throughout the world. This week, let’s talk about why grief is something we can choose to embrace as a holy part of the human experience, and how it could lead us into …
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All Saints Sunday is a day in the life of the Church when we remember those we have lost in the last year. It’s also a natural time of reflection for our own lives, and how we hope to live with purpose and to find meaning in our day-to-day. This week, we’ll take a look at a passage in Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus tells his people “not to worry.” W…
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