NOTE: Unfortunately we had technical difficulties with the audio for about 10 minutes of this service, from minute 35 to minute 45. Consequently, there is no audio for first few minutes of Pastor Tony’s sermon.
In this Sunday's worship service, we are joined by guest preacher Ayanna Watkins, who helps us wrestle with a scripture reading about what it means to be children of God. We sing songs about how it feels to be a stranger, how it feels to be welcome, and what it might mean to be a Christian. We lift up our joys and concerns in community. We offer a blessing for the indigenous & Hispanic immigrant students who will receive our school supplies donations this week.
It's so tempting, isn't it? Particularly if you're feeling the pressure of sadness or anger or perfectionism. It's so tempting to just name all your feelings aloud, to just riff and, along the way, lose sight of whether or not you're actually being heard. In this Sunday's scripture reading, Paul does just that. Join us as we explore how our faith invites us to think about what it means to name and to stay grounded in what's true in our relationships, particularly at a time like this.
This worship service was recorded on July 12, 2026 at First Congregational Church (UCC) in Memphis, TN.
The country gathers to celebrate independence this weekend. The thing is, though, the story of this nation's founding - not to mention the story of our very lives - is a narrative of interdependence. This Sunday we look at stories of shipwreck, from the Bible and from American History, as we consider what wisdom we can glean from the effort to rebuild life in the midst of difficulty. Join us this Sunday as we celebrate communion, commission our new Congregational Care Circle, and ask what it might look like to need each other — whether at sea, on the shore, or on land.
There are some songs that just have staying power. Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" is one such song. Sampled, covered, and re-released over 500 times, by some estimates, it's clear that those lyrics resonate deeply. The title is just a fact, isn't it? Change is inevitable. That much is clear. What's not so clear, though, is whether we will have the courage, the strength, and the faith to receive change--and, even, to let ourselves be changed, too. Join us this Sunday for a story about an ancient vision, Peter's resistance to it, and God's endless creativity.
This worship service was recorded on June 28, 2026 at First Congregational Church (UCC) in Memphis, TN.
How would you describe yourself? Think for a moment. Now, think for a moment about others might describe you. Would those two descriptions sync up? This Sunday we come together to think about the stories we are telling, not just with our words but, even more, with our actions and with our time. Join us as we look at the story of Tabitha, one of the earliest followers of Jesus, and consider what it means to be the authors of our own lives. This worship service was recorded on June 21, 2026 at First Congregational Church (UCC) in Memphis, TN.
Check out our worship bulletin for this service here: https://files.constantcontact.com/178f6dea001/b6da9fe3-7ac2-42da-89d5-fcd0eadabde4.pdf?rdr=true
Do you re-read your emails two to three (maybe four) times before hitting “send”? After a conversation, do you find yourself replaying things you’ve said, wondering how they might be interpreted? Have you ever believed that you need to “earn” your value in a relationship, in a community, in the world? If so, then you might be a perfectionist, at least in some ways. This Sunday we think together about the word perfect, a word that appears in the Bible almost 100 times (depending on your translation). We will look at the Apostle Paul and consider how our stories might deepen, expand, and include more love when we adopt a more God-centered view of what it means to be “perfect.”
This worship service was recorded on June 14, 2026 at First Congregational Church (UCC) in Memphis, TN. Check out our worship bulletin for this service here: https://files.constantcontact.com/178f6dea001/e687f0dc-f879-4278-b358-5486b95e676d.pdf?rdr=true
You can join us for worship live at 10:30am on Sunday mornings in person or on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/87269437026
For the next few Sundays, we will embark on a worship journey through the Book of Acts, exploring what it means to sink into our sacred stories. This Sunday, as we kick off the first Sunday of Pride month, we take up the question of what it means to join our individual stories with the larger story of God. Let us gather together and sink into the power, liberation, and connection we can find in sewing our lives together!
This worship service was recorded on June 7, 2026 at First Congregational Church (UCC) in Memphis, TN.
You can join us for worship live at 10:30am on Sunday mornings in person or on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/87269437026