Bulletin for June 21

“All the nations that You’ve made will come and bow down before You, Lord; they will glorify Your name!”  – Psalm 68:35 (CEB)

Prelude Music

Welcome & Announcements

*Call to Worship                                                                  

God calls us in every moment— in every hour, in every breath. We come, needing God’s presence in our lives. In times of joy and in times of struggle, God is near and faithful. We come, needing God’s grace and strength. When we feel strong and when we feel weak, God is our help and our hope. We come, needing God’s guidance and peace. Let us worship the One who walks with us every hour. We come to worship, for we need You, O God, every hour.

 *Hymn: “Faith of Our Fathers,” #710

Prayer for Father’s Day: - Rev. Dr. Libby Grammer, First Baptist Church, Martinsville, VA

We give thanks today… For fathers who showed up, played and danced, ran and twirled, taught and learned; for fathers who kissed boo-boos and held us in strong arms when we were weak; for fathers who believed in us and trusted us with our own futures, even as they taught us how best to live; for fathers who exhibited the very best of what it means to be men, and tossed aside toxic masculinity in favor of a strength in love and empathy; for fathers who had high standards, yet deep compassion; for fathers who taught us rules to live by, and with integrity lived by these rules themselves; for fathers who protected us and sought after our welfare; for fathers who were never related to us by blood or by law but stood in as a father figure; for fathers who were not always present but by grace came back into our lives. Amen.         

*Gloria Patri: #70   

*Passing the Peace of Christ

Joys and Concerns

Pastoral Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer                                                

Invitation to the Offering

*Doxology: #95 

*Offertory Prayer

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 10:24 – 39 

Hymn: “I Need Thee Every Hour,” #397 (Chosen by Gloria Sharp)

Epistle Lesson: Romans 6:1b – 11

Sermon: “Living It Up”

*Hymn: “Take Up Thy Cross," #710

*Benediction

*Choral Amen

Postlude Music

 

“The worship is ended; let the service begin.”

*Please rise in body or in spirit.

What does Juneteenth mean for Christians today?

It’s an opportunity to celebrate freedom, confront injustice, and align our hearts with God’s ongoing work of liberation.

Learn more with this resource from the United Methodist General Commission on Religion and Race: https://www.r2hub.org/library/what-is-juneteenth

Minnesota Annual Conference - Day 3

TED-style talks share unique, inspiring perspectives

At this year’s Minnesota Annual Conference, three speakers—Revs. Elizabeth Macauley, Chris Carr, and Dana Neuhauser—presented their unique stories through TED-Style Talks. These teaching presentations highlighted the special expertise and experiences of the speakers, designed to inspire and equip listeners to “Serve Joyfully” in ways that they might not think about.

Rev. Macauley spoke about Singing Resistance at Hennepin Avenue UMC in Minneapolis. Rev. Carr explored how the concept of security should be based not on fear, but as something joyful. Rev. Neuhauser explored the idea of “subversive joy” in the midst of oppression and the forces of Empire. Read summaries

Awards given for serving joyfully

Six individuals and seven congregations received awards at the 2026 Annual Conference in recognition of their faithful service, discipleship efforts, and evangelism. They are noteworthy examples of United Methodists serving joyfully while making a difference in their communities across Minnesota.  Read about these remarkable ministries and individuals

2026 Minnesota Annual Conference legislative actions

Conference legislation is an important part of Minnesota Annual Conference. Voting members in attendance approved all pieces of legislation before them. This year's legislation included the passage of Answering the Call of Kairos Palestine II, the recommended apportioned budget, the consent calendar, and the updates to the elected leadership lists. Read legislation summary and results

Minnesota Annual Conference: Day 2

On Wednesday evening, the Minnesota Annual Conference met for the Celebration of Life in Ministry. This worship service meaningfully acknowledged the unique gifts, work, and impact of those who have spent their life in ministry in The United Methodist Church, as well as those just beginning on the path.

The evening began with singing as the worship leaders, honorees, and clergy processing into the room.

Bishop Lanette called on us all “To remember our baptism and to be thankful.”

Read more at this link.

Day 3 Schedule: Thursday, June 18 9-10 a.m. Worship: Conference Preacher Pastor Genia Garrett, Love Offering, and Commissioning of Deaconesses 10:30 a.m.-noon Plenary: Reports, Midwest Mission, TED-Style Talk, Awards Noon-1:30 p.m. District Lunches (will not be live streamed) 1:30-4 p.m. Plenary: TED-Style Talk, Legislation, Reports 4-5 p.m. Setting of Appointments, Communion & Blessing If you’re not in St. Cloud, watch the live stream on the Minnesota Conference Facebook page (a Facebook account is not required). You can also access English closed captioning when the sessions are live (note: you must refresh the captioning link each day). Spanish translation is being provided to attendees on-site.

Special Anniversaries at Annual Conference

From the Minnesota Conference website:

This year has been a special one for anniversaries, and attendees of the 2026 Minnesota Annual Conference shared a celebration of each with attendees of the conference—70 years of women’s ordination, 30 years of the Order of Deacons, and 50 Years of United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM). 

Read more at this link: Special Anniversaries at Annual Conference: 70 years of Women’s Ordination, 30 Years of the Order of Deacons, and 50 years of United Methodist Volunteers in Mission

Wednesday with the Wesleys

By admitting the impropriety of women’s preaching, etc., we condemn that most useful body of people called Methodists; both that part of them which allows women may be endowed with authority from on high to preach, as well as that part of them which totally denies as all such authority, seeing the whole body of them allow and approve of women’s speaking to edification and comfort. Witness their love feasts, class and band meetings; they are all religious services; and I cannot see how we can allow the one, and reject the other.

Lastly, let all those daughters and handmaidens of the Lord, who think it their duty to pray, prophesy, or preach in his name, occupy the talent God has given them, to his glory. As long as you are sensible that your hearts are sincere, your intentions pure, your lives holy, that you have no other end in view than gaining proselytes to Jesus Christ; continue to follow the openings of Providence, and the immediate teachings of his Spirit. If devils are cast out; souls saved; and the people willing to hear you; let no man stop you, without producing his authority from the King of heaven; and giving you good and sufficient security that he will answer for your neglect of service in the church of Christ, at the divine tribunal, in the day of awful and righteous retribution...

From what has been advanced, I think it appears, (at least to me) that female preaching, in some extraordinary cases, (and this is all I contend for) is both reasonable and lawful, consonant to Scripture, and the practice of primitive times; and I certainly think if any person could so far divest himself of any preconceived opinion on the subject, so as to weigh impartially in the balance of the sanctuary the Scriptures cited in this pamphlet, will be led to decide in the same way; ...

I trust I am endeavoring to follow scriptural truth wherever it may lead me. I know the conversion of sinners is the work of God — it is his to begin, carry on, and establish it. It is his to choose the instruments, and means of doing it. And all the glory must be ascribed to him....

- Zachariah Taft (The Scripture Doctrine of Women’s Preaching)

He was married to the well respected and well-known preacher, Mary Barritt Taft.

Minnesota Annual Conference: Day 1

Bishop Lanette Plambeck gave a compelling Episcopal Address on June 16 as she looked back to our past Conference theme of “Loving Boldly,” and how this has truly been a year of bold love. She also examined the word “Ecclesia”, which means a summons onto us from God. This summons calls us into reorienting our hearts to God’s service. This forming and action by God calls us into the 2026 Annual Conference theme of “Serving Joyfully,” as Bishop Lanette noted that when God calls people together, God does it so that big things can happen in our world.  Read article

Day 2 Schedule: Wednesday, June 17 9-10 a.m. Worship: Sermon by Bishop Bridgeforth & Baptism 10 a.m.-noon Plenary: Historic Questions, Women’s Ordination Anniversary, Missional Report Noon-1:30 p.m. Lunch (will not be live streamed) 1:30-3 p.m. Plenary: Teaching Session by Bishop Bridgeforth, UMVIM Anniversary 3-5 p.m. Workshops (will not be live streamed) 7 p.m. Celebration of Life in Ministry Worship Service (reception to follow) If you’re not in St. Cloud, watch the live stream on the Minnesota Conference Facebook page (a Facebook account is not required). You can also access English closed captioning when the sessions are live (note: you must refresh the captioning link each day). Spanish translation is being provided to attendees on-site.