Zao MKE Church

Naked As We Came: Unashamed

"Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there" - Job 1:21

 

We are born naked into this world - unashamed, vulnerable, and ready to be loved. Through the worries and wounds of our lives, we acquire shame, emotional armor, and a fear that we are unlovable. The love of Jesus calls us to return, naked and unashamed, into the embrace of our loving God. Join us this Sunday as our pastors return from parental leave and reflect on what it means to be born and born again.

How To Come Back

Guest sermon by Rev. Hannah Kardon

We aren't the first people to, in fits and starts, begin to return to old ways of life after a long and traumatic disruption. A few thousand years ago, the Israelites under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and The Temple after seventy years of exile. From them, we can learn a bit about what is needed to make a new life out of rubble, to remember and re-build what we've lost, and find strength to change all the things that weren't so wonderful in the first place. This Sunday we spend some time with God, Nehemiah, and one another, to see where we might go from here together.

Reclaiming Church

J.J. Warren preaches from Acts 11, challenging us to be like Peter: to respond to the voice of God, which calls us to move beyond the boundaries that keep us apart from our fellow humans and the doctrines that keep queer people out of UMC pulpits.

You are the Light of the World

Guest sermon by Derrick Scott

The folks who received the Sermon on the Mount were probably surprised to hear these words being said to them. The call to be salt and light for the sake of the world goes out to everyone, but especially to everyday, ordinary individuals. And the world is waiting on us to respond.

Hot Body Summer: Un-learning: the Haunting Journey to Self-love

Guest sermon by Rev. Dr. Jay Williams, Pastor at Union Church Boston

Loving self (body) is a process of unlearning… self criticism, self hate, self loathing - it is the rejection of how we’ve been shaped by society. Being beloved of God and the body of Christ is accompanied by transformation of the mind.

Hot Body Summer: Attending to Our Sacred Bodies

Guest sermon by Cor Christophe, Zao community member

We believe God created us and most of us claim, believe, and/or have been told that because God created us, our bodies are sacred/holy. But what does it mean to have a sacred body? Are all bodies truly sacred? And how do we care for our sacred body? Join us this Sunday as we explore these questions, and examine how we may attend to our sacred/holy Bodies that God created.

Hot Body Summer: Binding the Strongman

Guest sermon by Rev. Jason Butler

Our bodies represent a power but our question is always, “How will that power be used”? For good or not so much? When Jesus encounters the religious leaders he is facing strongmen who are oppressing the people. How does Jesus respond? And where are our bodies in this story?

Hot Body Summer: Your Body Was Always Enough

Guest sermon by Bryan Minan, Zao community member

The love of God has always and will always be given and extended to us all. Especially to those communities who have been historically hurt, oppressed, and had religion weaponized against them. Join us for a message about that love that promises to always be there, from a community that wants to do the same.

Hot Body Summer: The Gift of Our Scars

Guest sermon by Rev. Victoria Sun Esparza

What do our scars tell us about God’s transformative work? What happens when our scars only remind us of our painful past? Join us as we talk about transformation, the story of our bodies, and what we do with the scars left behind.

Hot Body Summer: Curing Pity

Guest sermon by Rev. Tyler Sit, Pastor at New City Church

How do we cure pity in our society? What alternatives does the Bible offer to paternalistic charity? Join us to see how Jesus answered those questions!