Sermons

Photo of light streaming through a dark forest.

How Do We Fit In?

The UMC is experiencing a shift, and in many ways is serving as a case study for how NOT to negotiate it. We can do better - we can live…
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Passage: Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-12
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Iconic image of the Woman at the Well

Where Is It Going?

The "compartments" in which we have placed ourselves are artificial. The divisions among various expressions of church are deteriorating, and a new eclectic theology is emerging.
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Passage: Galatians 3:23-29; John 4:5-26
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Photo of dandelion seed blowing in the wind.

Where Did It Come From?

Reform happens in cycles, and all this has happened before. This season is really just a part of the natural seasonal life of the church.
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Passage: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11; John 3:1-17
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Sunrise, the dawn of a new day.

Waiting for Morning

If we gloss over the pain and jump too quickly for the redemption, we are going to miss the point...we're going to miss God.
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Passage: Psalm 130
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Desert River painting by Peter Praisey

What Is Happening?

This season in the church feels unsettled, uncertain - it is a time of reform where we are examining assumptions and thinking differently about what church really is. And that's…
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Passage: Isaiah 43:15-21; Matthew 3:13-4:11
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Photo of wooden cross wrapped in purple.

New Again: What Is Happening

In the season of Lent, we want to take a genuine, honest, prayerful look at our lives, and the life of the church. It may be uncomfortable, but that's OK;…
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Passage: Isaiah 43:15-21; Matthew 3:13-4:11
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Photo of an alarm clock sitting on a beach with the sun rising.

Just Be

Do ever feel like there’s not enough time in your day to get everything done? Does the pace of your personal or public life leave you stressed? Discover a slower…
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Passage: Matthew 17:1-9
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Photo of hands holding a paper cutout of the word Hope.

Still I Rise

God gives strength to those who are weak, lifting up the oppressed, and giving victory to those who trust in God.
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Passage: Psalm 20
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Photo of the light dawning over the outline of Earth in space.

What Other Gods?

What does it mean for our hearts to turn away? What does it mean to be led astray, to bow down to other gods and serve them? Bowing down to…
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Passage: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Service Type:
Children walking down a road.

A Brave and Startling Truth

Human beings are “neither devils nor divines” in the scope of God’s glorious creation; our insignificance compared to the infinite space of God’s creative power is (ironically) empowering. Please read…
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Passage: Psalm 19
Service Type:
Man seated outdoors facing a beautiful sunset.

Humanity, Humility, and Hope

The Season of Lent can be a refreshing time of discovery. It's a time to step out of the fog of routine, take a deep breath, and make a change…
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Passage: Isaiah 58:1-9a
Service Type:
Byzantine mosaic of Christ.

Touched By An Angel

To discover and realize that you are loved by God is the most liberating, affirming experience one can have.
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Passage: Psalm 85
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Photo of child holding an adults hand.

God’s Expectations

How often do we ponder God's expectations of us? Does that feel risky? And let’s face it, you never know what God might ask of us. Maybe it’s better to…
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Passage: Micah 6:1-8
Service Type:
Black and white photo of caged bird.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Can we hear the caged bird sing? And having heard the cry, do we know why? The church of Jesus Christ must learn how to recognize the structures that are…
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Passage: Psalm 146
Service Type:
Kids lining up to pick teams.

Picking Teams

To be part of something that matters, to be included, to be part of a team, a family, a neighborhood, to feel cared for, loved and supported…this isn’t just kid…
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Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13
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Photo of river flowing past a rock and a tree.

On the Pulse of the Morning

Our connectedness to God, to the earth, and to one another, is a source of hope and assurance. It's what we seek as we head toward the horizon.
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Service Type:
Helping hand reaching down to another hand.

Out of the Mud and Mire

If our lives have gotten away from us, if we’re not living in a healthy way, body, mind and spirit, a pit might be the safest spot. But, it is…
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Passage: Psalm 40:1-11
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Image of water splashing, representing baptism.

Reboot the System

Baptism initiates and incorporates us as the Body of Christ; when we renew our baptismal vows we are re-incorporated, the body is renewed.
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Passage: Matthew 3:13-17
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Artwork of Jesus' baptism with the Holy Spirit descending as a dove.

Close Encounters of the Holy Kind

Close encounters, of the holy kind, occur regularly. Described by some as 'thin places;' sometimes we notice; more often we don’t. Life is like that, holy moments, come and gone.…
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Passage: Matthew 3:13-17
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photo of a foggy morning meadow with bare tree in the foreground

The Fourth Gift

There was a fourth gift brought by the Wise Men at Jesus' birth that's even more important than the gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
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Passage: Matthew 2:1-12
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Artwork of the flight from Egypt.

The Rest of the Christmas Story

The Christmas story doesn't end on December 26. There's so much more to learn from what happens immediately after the birth of Christ.
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Passage: Matthew 2:13-23
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Art depicting Isaiah the prophet.

And On Earth, Peace

The birth of Jesus is the inauguration of a reign of endless peace. It is not a culmination; it is a beginning, the beginning of the reign of the Prince…
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Passage: Isaiah 9:2-7, Psalm 96, Luke 2:1-20
Service Type:
The Nativity; artwork by Gari Melchens.

Emmanuel

Jesus is the embodiment of peace, “God with us.” Within the startling simplicity of a sign, the birth of a child, we get the Prince of Peace.
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Passage: Isaiah 7:10-15
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Art depicting a shepherd with sheep at night.

Do Not Be Afraid

God entered this world as a baby, grew up in a family, and worked as a carpenter. God knows what it is to be human. God knows what you need.…
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Passage: Luke 2:1-20
Service Type:
Photo of Santa with head in his hands, clearly stressed.

Weak Hands, Feeble Knees, and Fearful Hearts

God's peace is embodied, physical, and something we can feel. It's not just spiritual reality.
Preacher :
Passage: Isaiah 35:1-10
Service Type:
Child making a snow angel in the snow.

When Souls Magnify the Lord

When souls magnify the Lord, there is clarity, there is purpose, there is joy! How is it with your soul?
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Passage: Luke 1:39-56
Service Type:
Peaceable Kingdom painting by Edward Hicks

Tender Wolves, Tenacious Lambs

The image of tender wolves lying down with tenacious lambs implies both have changed: the wolf has become more gentle and the lamb has become bolder.
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Passage: Isaiah 11:1-10
Service Type:
Hand dipping fingers in a pool of water.

Remember, And Be Thankful

The Season of Advent is a powerful and sensory time, full of memories and meaning. Where is your heart and mind leading you? Take time to remember, and be thankful.
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Passage: Matthew 3:1-6, 11-12
Service Type:
Spinning wheel with hope and fear as choices.

Swords Into Plowshares

So profound will be the peaceful reign of the coming Messiah that there will be no need for weapons or for learning about war at all.
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Passage: Isaiah 2:1-5
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Image of a man with a fake smile pinned on with clothes pins at each side of his mouth.

Again I Say, Rejoice!

To “rejoice always” is not to live with an artificial happiness or to pretend everything is okay. It is to live with faith in God’s goodness.
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Passage: Philippians 4:4-9
Service Type:
A father holds his child close on a windy day.

Be Still, And Know That I Am God

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Always has been, always will be.
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Passage: Psalm 46
Service Type:
Roman statue with laurels around the head.

Press On!

Earthly gains are nothing; we must press on, leave them behind, and actively purse the heavenly call of God.
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Passage: Philippians 3:7-14
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Photo of shocked person backing off with a 'Not Me' expression.

Not Me

Arrrgh! The Apostle Paul can get pretty angsty when he’s busy, busy, busy setting an example that folks aren’t following. Are you an idler? Not sure? (uh-oh).
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Passage: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
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Joy Complete

The grace of God not only allows us to see God's vision for what this world should be, it also empowers us to do it, i.e. to act upon that…
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Passage: Philippians 2:1-13
Service Type:
Sea gull flying into the sunset.

Children of the Resurrection

When we leave this world, we are not leaving home. We are going home. Heaven could be something of a homecoming.
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Passage: Luke 20:27-38
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Good Work

God can work through any circumstances, good, bad, or otherwise.
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Passage: Philippians 1:3-11
Service Type:
Stained glass depicting of all saints.

An Ordinary Saint

“All Saints” is about God still at work in the world, and in our lives. And how all people have the potential in this life to be continually transformed.
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Passage: Luke 6:20-26
Service Type:
Photo of a child with a handfull of dandelions in a bouquet

Dandelion Bouquet

When it comes to prayer, what is beautiful and true is in the eye of the Beholder and the HEART of the giver.
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Passage: Luke 18:9-14
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When We Get It Right

When we get it right, generosity is both a response to God’s good gifts and a way we participate in God’s work in the world. We discover the joy in…
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Passage: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
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Getting It Right

Living simply isn't about not meeting your needs and wants. It's about having better clarity on your values.
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Passage: Matthew 16:24-27
Service Type:
Photo of chalkboard with 'Priorities' written on it with lines from 1-5.

Tethered to God

Giving generously aligns your life more closely with God. But, it takes planning for generosity and intentionality of giving to break free from the cycle of consumerism.
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Passage: Matthew 6:19-24
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Defying Gravity

Tethered to God Intentionally

Being tethered to God keeps us focused. People who give generously of their talent, time, and treasure know that all those require intentionality. Generosity does not happen by accident.
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Passage: Matthew 6:19-21
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Painting of Prodigal Son by Jorge Cocco

Breaking Free

Breaking free and aligning your life with Jesus is the most gravity-defying thing you can do. To break free is to allow God’s priorities to shape ours.
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Passage: Luke 15:11-24
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Defying Gravity

Breaking Free Now

It's time we break free. The Apostle Paul says the movement from the kingdom of self to the kingdom of God is the greatest gravity-defying moment of life. It is…
Preacher :
Passage: Philippians 2:1-11; Luke 15:11-24
Service Type:
woman happily holding $100 dollar bills

Discovering Gravity

There are forces in the world that pull us in many different directions, and not all of them are in the direction of God. Often, there’s a gap between the…
Preacher :
Passage: Matthew 19:16-24
Service Type:
Defying Gravity

Discovering Financial Gravity

“It has been the Lord’s intention from the beginning of creation that we live in the kingdom of God. Jesus is the force that leads us there.” -- Tom Berlin…
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Passage: Matthew 19:16-22
Service Type:
Painting by Sara Beth Baca depicting Lydia of Thyatira.

Live Like Lydia

Lydia welcomed Paul, Silas, and Timothy into her home, an example of extending hospitality beyond the superficial into relationship. We are all called to hospitality.
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Passage: Acts 16:11-15
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Photo of 'Thank You' written in the ocean sand.

It’s A Gift

What's the best gift you've ever received? How did you express your thanks?
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Passage: Luke 17:11-19
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Who Are You Callin’ “Wee?”

The story of Zacchaeus shows how hospitality can change the host. As Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus into his home, he himself was transformed.
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Passage: Luke 19:1-10
Service Type:
Homeless person on the street

The Company We Keep

How many of your close relationships are with those who look different, speak different, act different or believe different than you do?  Rev. Jim Peich explores what Jesus shows us…
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Passage: Luke 15:1-10
Service Type:

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Sunday 8:00am & 11:00am
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Sunday 4:00pm
Youth Group

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129 Woods Mill Rd.
Manchester, MO 63011
Tel: 636-394-7506

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Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday

Service Times

Sat. 4:00pm
 Traditional-Casual in Chapel

Sunday 8:00am & 11:00am
Traditional in Sanctuary

Sunday 9:30am
Modern in Sanctuary

Sunday 4:00pm
Youth Group

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