The Vine UMC Podcast

Staying for Community | Do I Stay Christian? Week 6

Inspired by Brian McLaren’s book Do I Stay Christian?, this 8-week series wrestles honestly with the doubts, disappointments, and wounds that make faith difficult, while also uncovering the hope, love, and possibilities that remain. Together we’ll explore why people leave, why others stay, and how we can live a faith worth holding on to.
Join a small group: https://thevineumc.church

Staying for Love | Do I Stay Christian? Week 5

Inspired by Brian McLaren’s book Do I Stay Christian?, this 8-week series wrestles honestly with the doubts, disappointments, and wounds that make faith difficult, while also uncovering the hope, love, and possibilities that remain. Together we’ll explore why people leave, why others stay, and how we can live a faith worth holding on to.
Join a small group: https://thevineumc.church

Why Stay In The Church? | Do I Stay Christian? Week 4

Inspired by Brian McLaren’s book Do I Stay Christian?, this 8-week series wrestles honestly with the doubts, disappointments, and wounds that make faith difficult, while also uncovering the hope, love, and possibilities that remain. Together we’ll explore why people leave, why others stay, and how we can live a faith worth holding on to.
Join a small group: https://thevineumc.church

Overcoming Disappointment In The Church | Do I Stay Christian? Week 3

Inspired by Brian McLaren’s book Do I Stay Christian?, this 8-week series wrestles honestly with the doubts, disappointments, and wounds that make faith difficult, while also uncovering the hope, love, and possibilities that remain. Together we’ll explore why people leave, why others stay, and how we can live a faith worth holding on to.
 
Join a small group: https://thevineumc.church

When Christianity Harms | Do I Stay Christian? Week 2

Inspired by Brian McLaren’s book Do I Stay Christian?, this 8-week series wrestles honestly with the doubts, disappointments, and wounds that make faith difficult, while also uncovering the hope, love, and possibilities that remain. Together we’ll explore why people leave, why others stay, and how we can live a faith worth holding on to.
Join a small group: https://thevineumc.church

Questions We're Afraid To Ask | Do I Stay Christian? Week 1

Inspired by Brian McLaren’s book Do I Stay Christian?, this 8-week series wrestles honestly with the doubts, disappointments, and wounds that make faith difficult, while also uncovering the hope, love, and possibilities that remain. Together we’ll explore why people leave, why others stay, and how we can live a faith worth holding on to.
 
Join a small group: https://thevineumc.church

Nancy's Story: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus | This Is Our Story Week 6

Behind every ministry is a story, a journey shaped by calling, struggle, hope, and grace. In this six-week preaching series, This Is Our Story, the pastors of The Vine will share their personal paths to ministry: our gifts, our passions, and the moments that shaped our call. As we open our lives to you, we will also reflect on how these stories are woven into the larger story of The Vine, a hybrid faith community rooted in healing and belonging. Through our stories, may you hear echoes of your own and be reminded that God is still writing a story in all of us.
 
Pastor Nancy shares about a calling that grew out of tragedy and disorientation. It was a journey that required turning to new ways and visions of life found in Christ which resulted in great mercy and grace. As the 26+ years of ministry have unfolded the spiritual need to intentionally create moments of quiet and stillness to allow for deeper reflection and connection to the divine has been central to receiving the Holy Spirit’s guidance. This Celtic understanding of the ‘thin place’ has deepened Nancy’s faith and calling. This turning to Jesus has helped cultivate a ministry of faithfulness and beauty.
 
Join a small group and connect: https://thevineumc.church
 
#church #Jesus #worship #faith #SermonOnTheMount #church #story

Monica's Story: Called In A Dream | This Is Our Story Week 5

Behind every ministry is a story, a journey shaped by calling, struggle, hope, and grace. In this six-week preaching series, This Is Our Story, the pastors of The Vine will share their personal paths to ministry: our gifts, our passions, and the moments that shaped our call. As we open our lives to you, we will also reflect on how these stories are woven into the larger story of The Vine, a hybrid faith community rooted in healing and belonging. Through our stories, may you hear echoes of your own and be reminded that God is still writing a story in all of us.
Pastor Monica shares her unfolding call which is rooted in the greatest commandment to love—love for God, love for everyone else. Pastor Monica was called to believe that these words of Jesus are not only a foundation for faith but a blueprint for ministry: to go to others and lead them in seeking Jesus; people in the neighborhood, people on the margins knowing that is where Jesus will be found. In answering this call, Pastor Monica steps into a life shaped by radical love and active obedience, seeking to live out the gospel not just in word, but in deed; not to invite and wait for people to come, but to find - and lead others to redemption through the loving grace of Jesus Christ.
Join a small group and connect: https://thevineumc.church
#church #Jesus #worship #faith #SermonOnTheMount #church #story

Carlos' Story: Trusting God's Calling | This Is Our Story Week 4

Behind every ministry is a story, a journey shaped by calling, struggle, hope, and grace. In this six-week preaching series, This Is Our Story, the pastors of The Vine will share their personal paths to ministry: our gifts, our passions, and the moments that shaped our call. As we open our lives to you, we will also reflect on how these stories are woven into the larger story of The Vine, a hybrid faith community rooted in healing and belonging. Through our stories, may you hear echoes of your own and be reminded that God is still writing a story in all of us.
Pastor Carlos shares his journey of discerning his call to ministry while pursuing his passion for culinary arts. Balancing life between the kitchen and the pulpit, Carlos found himself at a crossroads, wondering if he was truly worthy of serving as a pastor. Through a surprising encounter in the most unexpected place, God made it clear that the call was not about his qualifications, but about bringing Jesus to others. His story is a reminder that God’s faithfulness often meets us in the middle of our uncertainties, inviting us to trust and obey.
Join a small group and connect: https://thevineumc.church
#church #Jesus #worship #faith #SermonOnTheMount #church #story

Lynn's Story: Could You Repeat That Please? | This is Our Story Week 3

Behind every ministry is a story, a journey shaped by calling, struggle, hope, and grace. In this six-week preaching series, This Is Our Story, the pastors of The Vine will share their personal paths to ministry: our gifts, our passions, and the moments that shaped our call. As we open our lives to you, we will also reflect on how these stories are woven into the larger story of The Vine, a hybrid faith community rooted in healing and belonging. Through our stories, may you hear echoes of your own and be reminded that God is still writing a story in all of us.
 
Lynn came to intentional organized ministry after many years and experiences of God’s love and interacting with God’s people. Existential wonder as a small child and witnessing parental responses formed the very beginning of her faith journey. Life’s challenges and significant people added and subtracted growth at various times for moments or longer seasons. Lynn hopes to share some of the influential episodes that she feels helped to form her faith journey, which she hopes you will find relatable. Some are silly and some are profound, but most of them can reveal the presence of the Holy Spirit. Lynn is grateful to be connected to the Vine as it reflects many of life’s twists and turns, but more importantly it represents our connectedness to one another and our continued growth through the love of God.
 
Join a small group and connect: https://thevineumc.church
 
#church #Jesus #worship #faith #SermonOnTheMount #church #story