Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:26-31

What does it mean to look in the mirror and truly believe that what you see is "very good"?

As we conclude Pride Month, we return to the very beginning of the sacred text—not to look through the lens of original sin, but to reclaim our original goodness. In this Sunday's sermon, we anchor ourselves in the creation account of Genesis, where God fashions humanity in the divine image (Imago Dei) and pronounces the vast, diverse spectrum of creation as holy, intentional, and completely good.

Far too often, religious spaces have conditioned people to believe they must fix, hide, or apologize for who they are to be accepted. But the creation story tells a radically different truth: You do not have to earn your sacred worth. You were intentionally crafted by a loving Creator who delights in your existence, and you were beautifully born this way.

Join us as we discuss:

• The Full Spectrum of the Imago Dei: How the beautiful diversity of human identity reflects the infinite creativity of a expansive God.

• Original Goodness over Original Shame: Reclaiming the truth that God’s first, most foundational word over your life is "Very Good."

• Dismantling the Divine Mistake: Stepping away from theological frameworks that weaponize faith against identity, and resting instead in inherent belovedness.

• Rolling Up Our Sleeves in Celebration: How embracing our own created goodness compels us to show up for our neighbors, fight for local equity, and build a community where everyone can safely live in their truth.

You are a masterpiece of divine poetry, exactly as you are. Step out of the shadows of shame, celebrate the unique reflection of the Divine that only you can bring to the world, and rest in the love of the One who made you.

• Primary Topic: Sunday sermon celebrating inherent human worth, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and the foundational goodness of creation.

• Scripture Focus: The creation of humanity in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-31).

• Community Connection: Concluding Pride Month with a message of original goodness, deep neighborly love, and authentic local inclusion.

We welcome a guest preacher today, Rev. Nancy Hodgkinson.

Rescue | Genesis 21:8–21

In this sermon, “Rescue,” we turn to the difficult and powerful story of Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis 21:8–21. Cast out into the wilderness, Hagar reaches the end of what she can see, only to discover that God has not abandoned her or her child. God hears the cry of the vulnerable, opens her eyes to what is life-giving, and makes a way where there seemed to be no way.

This message invites us to reconsider what divine rescue really looks like. Rescue may not always arrive as escape from every hardship, but as presence, provision, courage, and the opening of our eyes to the well already near us. For anyone who has felt pushed aside, unseen, excluded, or afraid, this sermon offers a reminder: God hears, God sees, and God remains present in the wilderness.

Rooted in a progressive Christian understanding of Scripture, this sermon reflects on radical love, divine compassion, and the God who stands with the vulnerable, the rejected, and the beloved.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 9:35–10:8

What happens when we move from being observers of the crowd to active participants in the healing of the world?

In this Sunday's sermon, we look closely at the moments when Jesus encounters a weary, scattered crowd and is moved with a deep, visceral compassion. He doesn't just see a mass of people; he sees individuals who are lost, hurting, and "like sheep without a shepherd." But the Gospel doesn't stop with Jesus feeling pity. Instead, his compassion transforms into a commission as he turns to his disciples and says, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."

When the world feels increasingly divided and heavy, the Gospel offers a completely different posture: a call to see one another with genuine empathy and to step forward in faith.

Join us as we explore:

• Moved by Compassion: Moving past abstract, polite sympathy to experience the raw, active compassion modeled by Jesus in the face of human suffering.

• From Disciples to Apostles: Understanding the crucial shift where we move from being passive learners ("disciples") to sent messengers of hope and healing ("apostles").

• Freely Received, Freely Give: Grounding our service, our equity, and our labor in the profound truth that we love and serve out of the abundance of grace we have already received.

• Rolling Up Our Sleeves for the Harvest: How structural equity, neighborly care, and tangible acts of justice are the concrete ways we answer the call to labor in God's harvest field today.

You are not an outsider to this work, and you do not have to wait until you are perfect to be sent. Come step into the harvest field, embrace your call to mutual care, and rest in the truth of a love that has already been freely given to you.

• Primary Topic: Sunday sermon focusing on compassion, discipleship, and stepping into the harvest field of service.

• Scripture Focus: Jesus commissioning the twelve disciples (Matthew 9:35–10:8), God's love poured out (Romans 5:1–8), and a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:2–8a).

• Community Connection: Transitioning from passive observation to active neighborly love, mutual care, and local justice initiatives.