Sermon Podcast - First United Methodist Church of Olympia

Harvest of Blessing

November 17, 2024

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who wrapped up our Stewardship series: Cultivating a Future of Hope by preaching on Psalm 126. In her message, Pastor Heather called us to sow seeds of hope for God's kingdom even (and especially) while we grieve.

Plant Gardens

November 10, 2024

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Alexa who continues our Stewardship series: Cultivating a Future of Hope by preaching on Jeremiah 29: 4-7. In her message, Pastor Alexa reminds us that, while we may feel the urge to escape, God asks us to plant gardens with hope for the future.

Mustard Seed Faith

November 3, 2024

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who continued our Stewardship series: Cultivating a Future of Hope by preaching on Mark 4: 30-32. In her message, Pastor Heather told the parable of the Mustard Seed and how God's faith grows into unexpected things one day at a time.

They Do Not Know How

October 27, 2024

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Heather who continues our Stewardship series: Cultivating a Future of Hope by preaching on Mark 4: 26-29. In her message, Pastor Heather spoke on how being sowers of God's word requires immense faith in things unseen.

Threats and Challenges to the Harvest

October 20, 2024

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Alexa, who continued our Stewardship series: Cultivating a Future of Hope by preaching on Mark 4: 13-20. In her message, Pastor Alexa reflected on some challenges our church faces in our ministry this season.

Sowing Generously

October 13, 2024

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who began our Stewardship series: Cultivating a Future of Hope by preaching on Mark 4: 1-9. In her message, Pastor Heather described sowing God’s grace generously… and with a little chaos, to reach far and wide.

The Table of Joy

October 6, 2024

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who concluded our Fall worship series: Come to the Table by preaching on the theme of Joy in Philippians 2:1-13 & Matthew 21: 23-32. In her message, Pastor Heather invited us to celebrate World Communion Sunday as equals at God’s table.

The Table of Grace

September 29, 2024

This week, we heard a sermon from our Director of Children’s Ministry, Miss Brittney who continued our Fall worship series: Come to the Table by preaching on the theme of grace in Philippians 1: 21-30 & Matthew 20: 1-16. In her message, Miss Brittney asserted that God’s Table of Grace is open to all — no matter how long you’ve been sitting down.

The Table of Peace

September 22, 2024

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Alexa who continues our Fall worship series: Come to the Table by preaching on the theme of Peace in Romans 14: 1-12 & Matthew 18: 21-35. In her message, Pastor Alexa compared “Pax Romana” and “Pax Christi” and explained how the Peace of Christ will always triumph over the false peace of empire.

The Table of Love

September 15, 2024

This week, we participated in another pulpit swap around the South Sound United Methodist Co-op. While Pastors Heather and Alexa were away, Pastor Kelly Dahlman-Oeth joined us from Shelton UMC and continued our Fall worship series: Come to the Table by preaching on Romans 13: 8-14 & Matthew 18: 15-20. In his message, Pastor Kelly introduced the Table of Love and how to question the ‘rules’ that separate us from one another.

The Table of Hospitality

September 8, 2024

This week, we heard a sermon from Pastor Heather who kicked off our next worship series: Come to the Table by preaching on the theme of hospitality in Romans 12: 9-21 & Matthew 16: 24-25. In her message, Pastor Heather shared some of the many ways we eat together in both worship and fellowship and how that community reveals a deeper part of our humanity.

Hymn Sing

September 1, 2024

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Heather who introduced our next worship series by preaching on Colossians 3: 12-17. In her message, Pastor Heather reminded us that God’s table is open to all who gather around it. We’re in between worship series this week. In this transition, we held a hymn sing and began looking ahead to our next series: Come to the Table. When we say “yes” to a place at Christ’s table, we accept a way of life that embraces God’s definition of love, peace, grace, and joy.

Longing For Celebration

August 25, 2024

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Heather who wrapped up our Summer worship series: Camp FUMCO by preaching on Pilippians 1: 3-11. In her message, Pastor Heather shared with us some of the lessons our kids learned at Vacation Bible School last week and the celebrations we have to share with one another.

Longing For Change

August 18, 2024

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Heather as she continues our Summer worship series: Camp FUMCO by preaching on the theme of injustice in Numbers 27: 1-11. In her message, Pastor Heather invites us to consider our prayers as petitions—asking God for guidance and a commitment to act according to God’s will.

Longing For Guidance

August 4, 2024

This week, we hear a sermon from Pastor Alexa who continued our Summer worship series: Camp FUMCO by preaching on the theme of guidance in 1 Kings 3: 3-15. In her message, Pastor Alexa shared some Biblical context for the kings of Israel, reminded us that Solomon was both a wise and fallible leader, and asked us to consider putting our humble trust in a God we cannot see.