Epworth News

Our: A Celebration of Community Second in a series on the theme of “Reclaiming Our Why” 1 Thessalonians 4:9-13 November 12, 2017 Rev. Kristin Stoneking Epworth UMC, Berkeley, CA As a campus pastor at UC Davis, I found that many of my students, attracted to Davis because of an interest in agriculture or sustainability were fans of Wendell Berry, the writer and philosopher. They shared quotes in our weekly worship and programs. His piece Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberati

Taking Refuge Psalm 23 Rev. Kristin Stoneking Epworth United Methodist Church, Berkeley, CA October 15, 2017 On KQED one morning this week, a couple from Santa Rosa shared their story about the fires. Like many, they had virtually no notice, and fled their home in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They lost their home and everything in it. While still in shock, they felt lucky to have their lives. What I found significant about their story w

The Spirituality of Work Matthew 16:21-28 Rev. Kristin Stoneking Epworth United Methodist Church September 3, 2017 Born in 1921 to a mother of German Catholic descent and an Irish Catholic father who was an active trade union member, Daniel Berrigan grew up in New York. At the age of 18 he joined the Jesuits, and after the long process of education and formation of that order was ordained a priest at age 31. Perhaps best known for his activism in the peace movement and referr

THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME DR. DIANNE RUSH WOODS JULY 16TH Hello everyone. I am Dianne Rush Woods. A little of my background. I am a lay leader, mother to two boys, Alex, Cory and foster mom to Eiji. Grand aunt to Taylor Chavez and Jordan Jerrels, sister and friend to many, and daughter of Tommie Dorsey Rush and Alice Rush. I was born and raised a Baptist and I carry a lot of that theological orientation with me to this day. I am also an advocate for the poor, th

Genesis 21:8-21 Sunrise, Sunset Have you ever been to the North Pole? About 15 months ago, Claire and I were flying home from the Maldives. Our journey included a 16 hour flight from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco that flew over the North Pole. I was awake at the time and happened to look out the window. Being 37,000 feet up and over the top of the globe, you could basically see all 24 time zones at once. It was dusk. Looking ahead toward to the west, I could see the glow of the

Casting Out Fear Acts 2:44-47a Epworth United Methodist Church November 13, 2016 Linda Loessberg-Zahl I don’t need to tell you that it has been a shocking week. The election heightened our divisions and sent shock waves through our country and around the world. There are divisive fault lines running through our country, our regions, and many of our families. The Woodhouse family divide runs right between brothers Brad and Dallas. Brad ran a pro-Clinton Super PAC and Dallas i

Setting the Table Hebrews 12:1; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 Epworth United Methodist Church November 6, 2016 Linda Loessberg-Zahl When I was growing up we lived near the home of my grandparents for only a few years. The table set by my grandmother Loessberg for Thanksgiving or Christmas was a great delight and a marvelous wonder. First, the delight: Dessert, lots of dessert, was set on the table right next to the vegetables and main courses, instead of being hidden away as usual

Undercover Greatness Luke 22:24-27 Epworth United Methodist Church October 30, 2016 Linda Loessberg-Zahl After the death of his father in 1999, King Abdullah II of Jordan took several tours of Amman. There’s nothing surprising about that, except that he went incognito. He donned a scraggly, white beard and rather shabby Arab robes, wardrobe that a common Jordanian might have worn in those difficult economic times. A palace aide was his taxi driver. He visited Jordan's stat

Revealed in Prayer Ephesians 3:14-21 Epworth United Methodist Church; October 23, 2016 Ron Parker I saw a bumper sticker. It said, "Don't believe everything you think." Every sermon should start off with a scripture and a bumper sticker. Don't believe everything you think. Good advice for the election season. And then from our scripture for the day: "God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams—more than you co

Non-conformist? Romans 12:1-8 Epworth United Methodist Church August, 7, 2016 Linda Loessberg-Zahl Today we are going to send forth some of our high school graduates. Think back to when you were that age. What do you wish someone had told you? What would you tell your younger self? To those who are that age: what do you wish someone would tell you? Many people have offered their wisdom to graduates ready to make their mark on the world: “The road to success is dotted with