The Stoppable Church and the Unstoppable Holy Spirit
Listen to Francis Chan talk about the Unstoppable Holy Spirit and the bold movement of the early church.
Francis Chan – #CatWest ’09 from Catalyst on Vimeo.
Here’s a clip from Francis Chan’s #CatWest talk in 2009. Very challenging message about our dependence on the Holy Spirit and the need to disciple mature believers in the Church who can lead and teach others.
District Gathering with Bishop Gwinn
A Day With Bishop Gwinn is slated for The Raleigh Districton Monday, April 19th at Benson Memorial UMC located at 4706 Creedmoor Rd, Raleigh, 27612. The clergy of the district will meet with Bishop Gwinn in the church sanctuary from 2-4:30pm with an informal time of fellowship beginning 30 minutes prior to the gathering. At 7:00pm laity from across the district will join Bishop Gwinn in worshipful conferencing around the opportunities and challenges facing us all. Rainbow Covenant Churches will receive recognitions during the evening session with the Bishop. Clergy should begin to name, call and empower leaders to attend the evening session.
Confession for Week 3
I am lost without you, Lord.
I am unfounded, ungrounded, disconnected, roaming aimlessly in a world of chaos without you.
The world teases me. It tempts me with gold and silver, material goods with instant gratification, and lustful relationships more shallow than a tablespoon. There is no hope here without you.
Forgive me, Lord.
Forgive us for seeking home without you. Forgive us for seeking joy beyond you. Forgive us for trying to live without you guiding the way.
Forgive us, Lord.
Guide us and transform us. Place upon our hearts a mark that always takes us back to you no matter how far we get away from you. While you won’t place a fence to keep us in, let us see how wonderful living within your presence was, and is, and forever will be, so we might grow at home with you.
With you, Lord, I am never lost.
With you, Lord, I am founded, grounded, connected, going with your grace into a world in need of transformation. Thank you, Lord.
Confession for Week 2
God of grace, we are humbled by your gift of love. We do not deserve your welcome. We keep running away from you. We seek our way. We seek worldly abundance. We seek fulfillment through everything but You.
Forgive us.
Forgive us, Lord, for thinking we know more than you.
Forgive us, for acting on our own behalf more than yours.
Forgive us, for questioning your welcome.
We beg of you to transform our hearts. Let us be the welcoming father. Let no stranger be separated from your table because of us. Let our words be inviting, our hearts overflowing with crazy Jesus love, and our minds filled with heavenly wisdom. We want to be a people of grace where the younger and elder brothers are becoming more like our brother Jesus. Forgive us, heal us, make us whole.
March-April Newsletter
The March-April edition of our church newsletter The Wesley Courier is available online. Please CLICK HERE
Costly Discipleship
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
The words of Luke make my guts get all twisty. My mind begins a reel of images that bring joy and fear. My heart begins to race.
Following Jesus is the greatest joy of life. My days following his lead provide more joy in the worst of times than anything I do on my own in the best of times. Still, I get caught here in Luke 14 wondering what else does it take? read more » »
Confession for Lent Week 1
Lord, you call.
You whisper, yell, scream, holler, plead patiently – sinner come home. We resist. We take our wild selves and go out on our own. We play until we are lost. We work until we hurt. We go with the flow until the well is dry. Concurrently, we hold to form. We follow in the ways you showed. We hold tradition. We stay the course.
Forgive us, Lord.
Forgive us for forgetting that you are the Lord of the Dance, the author of all creation, and the hand that calms the storm. You are the party and the anchor. You are the host and the guest of honor. You are amazing.
Forgive us for going our way when your way leads to life eternal.
Forgive us for holding on to our way when your way leads to all things new.
Forgive us for not listening.
Forgive us for judging when it is we who should be judged.
Forgive us, Lord.
We want the joy of your salvation. Take us, shape us up, and dress us for the celebration of life that comes in walking with you. Amen.
Ash Wednesday Homily
Today I broke a glass. Actually, I broke the glass holder that held a candle. Not sure how I did it. But, it happened; it broke. The sides of the cylindrical container broke into many pieces. Luckily the shards were large enough to see and sweep up. I guess if this had been a really valuable piece of glass I could have pulled out some super glue and put ‘humpty’ back together again. This was an inexpensive candle, with no sentimental value, that could be swept away into the trash.
This candle was one of many candles in the environment of our Ash Wednesday worship design. There are several in the room, so one lost did not seem too big of a deal. We went with candlelight for ambience creating a humble and reverent space for Ash Wednesday worship.
Tonight we come to worship absent the normal celebratory tone of an Easter people. We come to a room dimly lit. Your colorful pastor is dressed in black. You are sitting shoulder to shoulder in the round void of anyone behind or in front of you – no one between you and the table of our Lord. While no one stands between you and the table, there is still space. None of you are close enough to touch the table from your seats. You could take a step or two closer and be seated at the table. Then again, the separation is long. It is so vast that you wish the table legs would take life and bring the table to you. read more » »
The Prodigal God is COMING February 17
The joy of the Father is for all of us! This Lenten season come remember our Heavenly Father’s joy as Wesley explores the story of the Prodigal son and the joy of The Prodigal God. Our journey begins with Ash Wednesday worship at 7 PM and continues Sundays through February and March.
Go deeper with a group study on Wednesday nights beginning February 24. Dinner begins at 6:00 with study and discussion at 6:30.
Watch the preview video by CLICKING HERE
Closed for Snow
The offices and meeting spaces of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church are closed until the snow and ice melt away from the parking lot. Voicemail left at the church will retrieved periodically and return at an appropriate time. If you need to contact Pastor Dennis, please call 919.827.1492 or dennis@wesley-church.org.