Posts from June 2023

This week we begin a new 6-week series called Unity in Diversity: The Beauty of The United Methodist Church. Through these coming weeks, we will explore the rich history and theology that we share as United Methodists. This first Sunday, we kick off this series in the perfect way: by welcoming new members into the congregation of La Jolla United Methodist Church! Some new members are Confirmands who are professing their faith; some are transferring their membership from other congregations;…

This week and next, we will remain in the Revised Common Lectionary before moving into our next series. This Second Sunday after Pentecost includes texts that remind us that God’s presence and call can rarely be described as expected or ordinary. (Side note: this season is often called “ordinary time” because it is a long season counted by ordinal numbers, not because it is common or uneventful.) Abram isn’t young when God calls him to leave everything he knows. Matthew…

This week our church will celebrate two special Sundays in one: Trinity Sunday, as celebrated by all mainline churches, and Peace with Justice Sunday, a special event the United Methodist Church. On Trinity Sunday we recognize the triune nature of God. On Peace with Justice Sunday we emphasize our “social holiness,” the practice of loving God and our neighbor through peacemaking efforts and justice-seeking activities. United Methodists relate to this special Sunday by seeking peaceful solutions, creating and supporting peace-related…