Kearney First UMC Podcasts

Teacher: The Beatitudes

Welcome to the Sunday sermon podcast!  In this sermon, Pastor Jo Ellen invites us to "read it again!"  Think back to your favorite story from childhood, the story you wanted to hear over and over.  Then think about reading or listening to that story now. How has your perspective changed?
Our perspectives and contextualization changes as we grow and learn.  How we read scripture is the same way.  Read through Matthew 5:1-20 and look for what resonates with you in this season of your life.  Which beatitudes have you resonated with before that you may not resonate with as much now?

Sermon on the Mount and the Camino de Santiago Part 1

Welcome to our midweek podcast!  This is the first of a two part series looking at Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and Pastor Matt's experience walking for four days on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.  In this first part, Pastor Matt explores the difference between "Wisdom Literature" and "Rule Books."  Wisdom literature is useful at any point in life and invites continual interaction or pondering where rule books are applicable in specific situations and circumstances.  While waiting for part 2, take some time to ponder what you have been carrying in your life.  What do you need help carrying and are you willing to share the burden?

Testimony and Call to Connect: A People of Healing

Welcome!  In this Sunday podcast, guest speaker Gene Tillotson shares some of his personal experiences in serving the community and a Chat GPT assisted script about why individuals come to church.

Jesus as Teacher: Believing in Us More Than We Believe In Ourselves

Welcome to our midweek podcast!  In this episode, Pastor Matt looks at Jesus calling the first disciples and how it show us about being us.  Peter, Andrew, James, and John left everything behind to follow Jesus perhaps because when a system told them they were not enough to become rabbis, Jesus saw them and said they were enough. Jesus believes in us more than we believe in ourselves.  How different would the world be if we treated others like that?

Teacher: In The Wilderness

Welcome to our Sunday Podcast!  In this sermon, Pastor Jo Ellen looks at Jesus' temptation in the wilderness.  Jesus' temptation was a big event and he needed time to recover after.  When have we had big things in our lives that required us to take a step back, prepare, experience the event, learn from it and recover after?  The sabbath is a blessed time to rest and allow our souls to catch up with our bodies in our lives of hurry.  Do we find ourselves making time to follow Jesus, or are we too busy to follow Jesus?

Jesus in Matthew: The Light is Near

Welcome to our midweek podcast!  In this episode, Pastor Jo Ellen looks at Jesus' temptation in the wilderness.  She comments that Jesus is the light of the world and we no longer have to fear the darkness. Jesus is God's light come near to us and we can have peace and comfort in Him.

Jesus' Baptism and Ours

Welcome to our Sunday Sermon Podcast!  We have begun the Matthew half of our sermon series.  In this sermon, Pastor Matt asks you to remember the vows that are often said at baptisms in the United Methodist Church.  If you have been baptised or have taken these vows, how can we live into them?  How can we as a community act on these vows as God's beloved?

Jesus In Matthew: Jesus as a Teacher

Welcome to the mid-week podcast!  In this episode, Pastor Jo Ellen introduces the second half of this year's reading plan as we begin going through the book of Matthew.  She invites us to view Jesus as our teacher and think about "What am I supposed to be learning?" or "What is Jesus teaching me?" as we read through scripture.

On Pentecost: Living Into Jesus' Promise

Welcome to the Sunday podcast!  In this sermon, Pastor Matt shares Pentecost was not a single event, but the beginning of a new chapter.  The Holy Spirit equips each of us to live into Jesus' promise and calling through relationships.

Pentecost: Excitement of the Holy Spirit

Welcome to our midweek podcast! In this episode, Pastor Jo Ellen shares part of Acts 2 which tells the Pentecost story.  How often are we excited about the Holy Spirit and the work the Holy Spirit does?  How often do we forget just how powerful the Holy Spirit is?  The coming of the Holy Spirit is the life of God reaching out to us.  No one is beyond the reach of the Holy Spirit and how exciting is that!