West End UMC Podcast Audio Podcast

West End UMC
  • 4,5 (11)
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Messages presented by Senior Pastor Carol Cavin-Dillon and other speakers during worship at West End UMC in Nashville, TN

  1. -1 j

    Serve Joyfully

    Serve Joyfully – We continue our walk through the New Testament and, currently, through the writings of the apostle Paul, with a reading from Philippians 2. Last week Carol reported on the United Methodist Council of Bishops’ creation of a new vision statement in May of 2025 (appearing on today’s bulletin cover), and in three Sundays we are exploring the three features of the United Methodist Church’s Vision Statement, today taking on “Serve Joyfully,” and the Rev. Will McLeane, our Pastor of Spiritual Formation, is preaching. He begins by telling about a recent family vacation with many young girls (daughters and their cousins), with crafts and activities, and a point when there was a realization of the beautiful mountains. He also talks about the joy of the FIFA World Cup this summer. In contrast, there are times when our lives are in tension, as in times of stress with elections and such. The city of Philippi was founded as a place where Roman veteran soldiers were honored. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, written when Paul was imprisoned, encourages them, no matter their situation, to act as Jesus did. We, too, are often drawn to rise and achieve, according to our ambition, but our loving and serving one another, as exemplified by Jesus, is fundamental. Will gives numerous examples of West End groups loving and serving, lifting others up.

  2. 9 août

    Love Boldly

    Love Boldly – We continue our walk through the New Testament and, currently, through the writings of the apostle Paul, with a reading from Ephesians 4. Carol reported on the United Methodist Council of Bishops’ creation of a new vision statement in May of 2025 (appearing on today’s bulletin cover), and in the next three Sundays we are going to explore the three features of the United Methodist Church’s Vision Statement. Jesus certainly exemplified “Love boldly,” and pretty much everything he said or did demonstrated that. Paul, too, loved boldly, as we saw in his words to the Galatians we read last week. What would that look like in our own lives? We’re called to love boldly out in the world, bearing witness to the love of God, working to transform the world. West End UMC’s bedrock belief, “God loves everyone unconditionally,” is an example. In this section of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul encourages the believers to love each other, which, at times can be challenging. We are also called to love ourselves boldly.

  3. 2 août

    The Fruit of the Spirit

    The Fruit of the Spirit – We continue our walk through the New Testament and, currently, through the writings of the apostle Paul, with a reading from Galatians 5. Today is also another celebration of Communion as we’ve been considering the theme of gathering around the table as Paul wrote about table gatherings. Carol first shares a story about her parents early in their relationship, highlighting what people did and did not do in those days to show that they were Christians. Those kinds of things have changed through the generations, but there are always boxes to check and rules to follow to show that people are Christians. Jesus, however, taught that love is the basis for one’s faith. When he healed on the Sabbath, he was confronted for breaking one of the rules. Paul wrote that even gentiles were enveloped by God’s love, but gentiles who entered the faith in Galatia were challenged by those who wanted them to abide by the rules. Paul’s letter to the Galatians was very emotional, expressing anger against those who applied the rules rather than realizing that God’s love calls believers to freedom from checklists to prove themselves worthy. It is God’s grace for us to accept.

  4. 26 juil.

    One to All the World

    One to All the World – We continue our walk through the New Testament and, currently, through the writings of the apostle Paul, with a reading from 2 Corinthians 5. Today is also another celebration of Communion as we’ve been considering the theme of gathering around the table as Paul wrote about table gatherings. Carol recounts her week with her family reunion and camp meeting, where she baptized 15 kids. It’s an annual event that has taken place for 200 years. She said that among those hundreds of people there have been arguments and conflicts. Such disagreement and conflict can also happen at our Thanksgiving gatherings, for example. The story of Adam and Eve reveals that they turned on each other, as later did their sons, Cain and Abel. Paul’s writing in 2 Corinthians evidences that kind of thing, too. The Christians in that context were from vastly different backgrounds, and Paul is clearly heartbroken at how divided they are. He begs them to remember that we are all one in Christ, and it is through the power of Christ that they (and we) can live into oneness. We are called to be reconciled with one another – right relationship with one another – by remembering that we are reconciled to God through Christ. We are, through this, encouraged to move toward each other, to examine our lives to see where we need to move toward another through reconciliation.

  5. 19 juil.

    One in Ministry

    One in Ministry – We continue our walk through the New Testament and, currently, through the writings of the apostle Paul, with a reading from 1 Corinthians 13. Today is also another celebration of Communion as we’ve been considering the theme of gathering around the table as Paul wrote about this. The Rev. Stacey Harwell-Dye, our Pastor of Mercy and Justice Ministries, is delivering the Communion Meditation today and she cited some writings and actions by Clara Ester, who was with Rev. Martin Luther King when he was assassinated. She also cites an action by a couple in our church who acted out of love some years ago to help Stacey. The Greek word, agapé, that is translated “love” in this Corinthians passage, points out that our own love is based on and fulfilled by God’s love. Love is an equalizer, putting us together as one in ministry, whether we’re ordained as ministers or not. Stacey says that her own work means nothing unless it’s done through God’s love. And God’s love is not something we have to earn through our own actions because it is God’s gift to all. ...

  6. 12 juil.

    One with Each Other

    One with Each Other – We continue our walk through the New Testament and, currently, through the writings of the apostle Paul, with a reading from 1 Corinthians 11. Today is also another celebration of Communion as we’ve been considering the theme of gathering around the table as Paul wrote about this. In this section of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he is quite critical of the gatherings of the believers in that they are not really treating each other equally, and here Paul is describing God’s economy to this diverse group. In the churches, all should be equal. Carol describes what may well have been happening in Corinth in those early gatherings. It isn’t simply that everyone can gather, but that all are equal. At the table the Holy Spirit weaves all into one body. That is who we are called to be, and through this meal we are called to be witnesses to and participants in God’s economy. Throughout today’s communion service, we receive commentary from Carol and Rev. Aimee Baxter about the history, meaning, and reason for the various pieces of our communion service.

  7. 5 juil.

    One with Christ

    One With Christ – We continue our walk through the New Testament and, currently, through the writings of the apostle Paul, with a reading from 1 Corinthians 12. Today is also Communion Sunday. Much of Paul’s letter has to do with gathering around the table, and we will be gathering around the table through this month in reflection of that. Today’s section of 1 Corinthians is the familiar description of the parts of the body and how important each one is. As we read this, we’re listening in on a conversation that is directed toward the new Christians in Corinth. Paul spent about 18 months pulling together the diverse believers as that early congregation was being formed, and he offers pastoral instructions to help them. Saying that Jesus is Lord was somewhat dangerous in the Roman empire, and to say that every part of the body is as important as every other part would have been quite revolutionary. Paul ends by saying that we are the body of Christ, so that for the world to be changed by Christ it is up to us as the body of Christ to enable that to happen.

  8. 28 juin

    A Life Shaped by Grace

    A Life Shaped by Grace – This past week was our annual Vacation Bible School, and much of today’s service reflects that, including the Children’s Moment, led by Maggie Jarrell, our Minister with Children and Families. We continue our journey through the writings of Paul with a further look at his Letter to the Romans. Although this is the first of Paul’s letters in the Bible, it was the last one he wrote, and, perhaps it is first because it’s the longest. But it reflects the maturity of Paul’s ministry. The overarching theme is the grace of God, who loves us unconditionally, and in this chapter, Paul tells us how the grace we are given transforms our lives and our acts. It goes way beyond being nice, setting aside one’s own purposes for the sake of others. The large challenge governs our acts for those in the world, and Paul instructs us in how to treat our enemies, to love our enemies. We likely could not do this on our own, but Paul says it is through the grace of God that we have been given the ability.

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À propos

Messages presented by Senior Pastor Carol Cavin-Dillon and other speakers during worship at West End UMC in Nashville, TN

Informations

  • Création
    West End UMC
  • Années d’activité
    2010 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    299
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © West End United Methodist Church
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    West End UMC Podcast Audio Podcast