I welcome you to First United Methodist Church (FUMC). I pray that our worship leads you to an awareness of God’s presence in your life and among us.
If you are looking for a Church home, I hope you find First UMC to be that place. Our Church doors and communion table are open to you.
Sincerely in Christ’s love,
Rev. Mark B. McFadden
Pastor
Let us pray that our lives do not turn our faith into a lie: Lord God, through the Holy Spirit, you keep speaking your Word to us, revealed in Jesus Christ. May we listen to that Word, and may it change our mentality and our ways for all to see and follow. May it be the living power that leads all to give you praise and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Claretian Publication, alt.)
Prayer is at the very heart of the ecumenical movement. Jesus prayed that we – his followers – may all be one. When we pray with and for one another, we can feel God’s gift of unity.
Sunday Reflection upon Matthew 23:1-12
The Matthean community was encouraged to heed the teachings of the Pharisees and Scribes but not to imitate their hypocritical actions. On reflection, I believe many of us have encountered Christians who act self-righteously, and, if we are honest, we have likely shown such behavior ourselves by expecting from others what we would not do. Perhaps Jesus is instructing us to refrain from judging others harshly for actions we believe they should or should not take. We mislead ourselves if we prioritize maintaining appearances over discerning and pursuing what is right.
How can we avoid relying excessively on religious appearances, especially since Christians seek to honor God and Christ’s Church? We must be honest and transparent about our limitations and failures. A frequently misunderstood aspect of Christ’s Church is that, despite our imperfections, God continues to work through us. Although we are not perfect, we strive toward “perfection” despite our flaws. Recognizing our imperfections reminds us that God’s grace works in our lives, keeping us from spiritual arrogance and self-righteousness. The appropriate spiritual response to such grace is to treat others with compassion, including those we may not favor. Our actions are more important than appearances. How we treat others matters to God, and by that standard we are judged.
