Exploring Our Worship and Sermons
Updated: Sep 3
Each week, we explore different holy text within the Bible as part of our weekly Sunday sermons. While we base our discussions on the teachings of the Bible, we connect them to our hectic, confusing modern day lives. Our worship services combine reflection on the scripture, singing, praise, praying and a message. Both the pastor and lay people (men, women and children) participate in and lead in worship , service and spiritual growth. Please join us Sundays at 10:00 a.m.!
Would you like to support our church and help us to continue serving our community?
These donations are vital to our daily operations and greatly appreciated.
Please click the button below and donate today.
PLEASE NOTE: We are meeting in the Sanctuary for worship. Please feel free to come out and join us. If you have questions, please contact us through our Facebook page (@SantaPaulaFCC), email us at fccsp.doc@gmail.com, or call our pastor, Rev. Jenny Crosswhite at 805-351-5501.
This page is regular updated with some of the most recent sermon topics.
SUNDAY, September 6, 2026
Scripture: Romans 12: 9-21
Sermon: LOVE THAT SEEKS PEACE
Our text for this week sounds beautiful but it can feel unrealistic. “Live at peace with everyone.” Really? Have you met everyone?
Most of us aren’t dealing with dramatic enemies. We’re dealing with the person who keeps interrupting us, the family member who knows exactly how to push our buttons, the coworker who gets on our nerves, or the friend who says something that hurts.
To that end, maybe peace looks like not sending the angry text. Maybe it’s taking a breath before responding. Maybe it’s having a difficult conversation instead of complaining about someone behind their back. Maybe it’s being willing to say, “I was wrong.” Or choosing not to bring up an old argument again.
Sometimes peace means setting a boundary, because avoiding conflict isn’t the same as making peace. Paul says, “If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” We can’t control other people. But we can control what we contribute.
SUNDAY, August 30, 2026
Scripture: Jeremiah 29: 4-7
Sermon: LOVE THAT SEEKS THE WELFARE OF OTHERS
What if loving our neighbor means learning to see the whole community as our neighbor?
Jeremiah tells people who are far from home to seek the welfare of the city where they now live. Not because Babylon is perfect. Not because they agree with everything happening there. Not because they chose to be there.
That work includes building houses, planting gardens, raising families, and, perhaps most surprisingly, to “seek the welfare of the city.” Pray for it. Work for its good. Help it flourish.
Jeremiah reminds us that we really are connected. When our neighbors flourish, we flourish too. Love doesn’t just look inward. It seeks the good of the whole community.
The question becomes not just, “How can I make my life better?” But “How can we make our community better and what part can I play?”
SUNDAY, August 23, 2026
Scripture: Esther 4: 9-17
Sermon: LOVE THAT SPEAKS
Speaking up is rarely easy. Most of us know what it’s like to stay quiet because we’re afraid of making things worse, damaging a relationship, or facing criticism. Silence often feels safer.
Esther understood that feeling. When Mordecai asked her to approach the king and speak on behalf of her people, she knew it could cost her everything. Entering the king’s presence without being invited wasn’t just uncomfortable, it was dangerous. Part of what makes Esther’s story so powerful is that she doesn’t pretend to be fearless. She asks others to fast and pray with her before she goes and after taking time to prepare, she chooses to be courageous.
Sometimes love requires us to speak for the vulnerable or when something is wrong. Love speaks truth not to win an argument but to protect and restore. Esther’s example reminds us that courage doesn’t mean we aren’t afraid. It means we trust God enough to do the right thing, even when there is a cost.
SUNDAY, August 16, 2026
Scripture: Matthew 25: 31-46
Sermon: LOVE THAT SEES
It’s easy to overlook people. We often hurry through our days, focused on our schedules, our worries, and our to-do lists. Jesus invites us to slow down and really see the people around us.
In Matthew 25, Jesus says that when we feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, visit the sick, or care for someone in need, we are serving him. The surprise is that those who loved well didn’t realize they were serving Christ. They simply responded to the person in front of them with compassion.
Every day there are opportunities to see someone others might miss: a lonely neighbor, a stressed cashier, a child who needs encouragement, or a friend carrying a hidden burden. Love begins by noticing. Each day, may we ask God to open our eyes to see the people who need kindness, encouragement, and care today.
No matter who you are or where you are on your faith journey, you are invited to join us on Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Matthew 25:31-46 and the theme, “Love that Sees.”
SUNDAY, August 9, 2026
Scripture: Micah 6: 6-8
Sermon: LOVE THAT DOES SOMETHING
When the world feels overwhelming, it’s easy to wonder whether one person can make a difference. Micah reminds us that God is not asking us to fix everything. God simply asks us to live faithfully: “Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.”
Justice begins closer to home than we often imagine. It is found whenever we treat another person with dignity, speak up for someone who is overlooked, offer compassion instead of condemnation, or choose reconciliation over resentment. These ordinary acts become holy when they are rooted in God’s love.
The good news is that we don’t walk this path alone. Christ goes with us, giving us courage when we are afraid, wisdom when the way is unclear, and grace when we fall short. As we walk humbly with God, our lives become quiet witnesses to a love that does more than speak. It heals, restores, and invites others to experience God’s kingdom.
SUNDAY, August 2, 2026
Scripture: Luke 22: 14-30
Sermon: THE TABLE THAT SENDS US OUT
Throughout Luke’s Gospel, Jesus has used tables to demonstrate belonging. He has welcomed tax collectors and sinners, challenged the self-righteous, fed the hungry, praised grateful outsiders, and invited those who had been pushed to the margins. Now, on the night before the cross, Jesus gathers to share a meal with his closest disciples.
This table, Jesus offers the bread and cup as signs of a new covenant. Even knowing that one disciple will betray him and others will soon fail him, he does not withdraw the invitation. As the disciples begin arguing about who among them is greatest, Jesus offers another lesson. He reminds them that true leaders become servants, just as he himself serves those at the table.
We are reminded this week that the table is never the destination. It is where we are nourished, forgiven, and formed into Christ’s body so that we can carry his welcome into the world.
SUNDAY, July 26, 2026
Scripture: Luke 17: 11-19
Sermon: MORE THAN HEALING
Leprosy did more than affect a person’s body. It separated them from family, worship, work, and even shared meals. To be healed meant more than healthy skin. It meant the possibility of sitting at the table again.
In this week’s text, Jesus heals ten people, sending them to the priests, as the Law required, so they could be declared clean and welcomed back into the community. One, however, a Samaritan who was already considered an outsider, returns when he realizes he has been healed, praising God and thanking Jesus. While all ten receive physical healing, this one receives something more. His gratitude opens the door to a deeper relationship with Jesus and a fuller experience of God’s restoring grace.
May we be reminded this week to pause and give thanks to the One who time and again offers healing, welcome, hope, and an invitation into a deeper relationship. God’s table is not only a place where broken people are welcomed; it is also a place where grateful hearts discover that true belonging grows through a relationship with the One who calls us home.
SUNDAY, July 19, 2026
Scripture: Luke 15: 1-10
Sermon: WHO'S MISSING MATTERS
Jesus tells two stories: a shepherd leaves ninety-nine sheep to search for one that is lost, and a woman carefully sweeps her house until she finds a single missing coin. Their actions seem excessive. Why risk leaving the flock? Why spend so much effort for one small coin? Jesus uses these stories to reveal something profound about the heart of God: who’s missing matters.
The religious leaders grumbled because Jesus welcomed people they believed did not belong. Yet Jesus insists that God notices every absence.
Belonging is more than welcome; it means noticing who is not here or has drifted away. Who feels forgotten or unseen? It’s not enough to celebrate who gathers. We must also lovingly seek those who are missing. This week, may we ask God to open our eyes to someone whose absence matters. A phone call, a note, an invitation, or an act of kindness may remind them that they are deeply loved and never forgotten.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Luke 15:1-10 and the theme, “Who’s Missing Matters.”
SUNDAY, July 12, 2026
Scripture: Luke 14: 15-24
Sermon: ROOM AT THE TABLE
While once again sharing a meal at the house of a Pharisee, Jesus tells a parable about a great banquet. As was the custom, the invited guests had already accepted the first invitation. But when the second announcement came that the meal was ready, they began making excuses and chose not to attend.
Rather than cancel the feast, the host widens the invitation. The poor, the differently-abled, the overlooked, and even strangers are welcomed in. And when there is still room, the invitation extends even farther.
This parable reminds us that belonging begins with God’s invitation. The table is not filled with people who earned their place but with people who accepted the host’s grace. God’s kingdom is a feast where there is always room for one more.
SUNDAY, July 5, 2026
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31
Sermon: DIVRSITY IS ESSENTIAL
I have been thinking a lot recently about what truly holds a community together. Sometimes it seems especially difficult these days. In our text for this week, Paul invites us to imagine a community bound not by geography or politics, but by God’s Spirit.
Paul describes the church as one body with many parts. Every member is different, yet every member belongs. No one is unnecessary or forgotten. The parts that seem least important are given special honor, reminding us that God’s way often turns our assumptions upside down.
Belonging is more than being welcomed through the door. It is knowing that your presence matters and that your gifts, your story, and even your struggles contribute to the life of the whole community. When one person rejoices, we all celebrate. When one person suffers, we all share the pain.
This week, consider how you can help someone experience that kind of belonging. It may begin with a conversation, an invitation, a listening ear, or a simple act of kindness. Together, we become the body of Christ, not because we are all alike, but because God’s Spirit has joined us together in love.
SUNDAY, June 28, 2026
Scripture: Luke 12: 35-40
Sermon: SHAPED BY THE COMING FEAST
When Jesus tells stories, they often challenge his audience’s expectations. This week is no different. In the parable, the servants keep their lamps lit, anticipating their master’s arrival. When the master finally comes and finds the servants ready, he does something no one expects. He seats them at the table and serves them himself.
This parable reveals the heart of the Kingdom of God. Jesus came not to be served but to serve. Once again, he turns expectations about God’s kingdom upside down. Here, a place at the table is not bought or earned. It is received as a gift of grace.
The promise of God’s coming kingdom shapes how we live now. We keep our lamps lit by practicing faithfulness, kindness, and hope, trusting that one day Jesus himself will welcome us to the feast. As we wait, we stay attentive to opportunities for love, justice, mercy, and compassion. We treat others as fellow guests at God’s table rather than competitors for a place of honor.
Living in expectation of God’s feast means allowing that future promise to shape our present lives.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Luke 12:35-40 and the theme, “Shaped by the Coming Feast.”
SUNDAY, June 21, 2026
Scripture: Luke 11: 37-54
Sermon: BELONGING BEYOND APPEARANCES
In our text for this week, Jesus accepts another invitation to dine with a Pharisee, but this time he more directly invites them to see their blind spots. He had been gently warning them for some time, but they were not hearing his message. When he calls out their outward religious observance without the inward transformation that leads to justice, compassion, and the love of God, he does so from a place of love and grief, not hatred.
Jesus mourns what these leaders have become and the harm they are causing. Most startling of all, he compares them to unmarked graves. They are “unclean” without even realizing it. The very people most concerned with purity have failed to see the condition of their own hearts.
This passage reminds us that true belonging is not built on appearances, performance, or avoiding hard conversations. Following Jesus invites us into continual inner renewal that results in a faith that seeks justice, extends grace, and creates pathways for others to draw nearer to God.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Luke 11:37-54 and the theme, “Belonging Beyond Appearances.”
SUNDAY, June 14, 2026
Scripture: Luke 10: 38-42
Sermon: LOVED, NOT JUST USEFUL
Many of us can relate to Martha. There is always something that needs to be done, someone who needs help, a responsibility that cannot wait. Martha’s hospitality was a gift, yet somewhere along the way her service became a burden. She became distracted, frustrated, and worried that she was carrying the weight alone.
Meanwhile, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, listening. In a culture where women were not typically welcomed into the role of disciple, Jesus affirmed her place there. He protected her right to belong, learn, and simply be present.
Jesus’ words to Martha are not a rejection of service but rather an invitation to remember that our worth is not found in what we accomplish. We belong because we are loved. Before we do anything else, Jesus invites us to come, to sit, to learn, to receive grace, and to rest in God’s presence. Today, remember this: you are loved, not just useful.
SUNDAY, June 7, 2026
Scripture: Luke 7: 36-50
Sermon: FORGIVENESS THAT MAKES SPACE
Simon was a respected religious leader and everyone at his table seemed to know their place. The woman who entered uninvited, however, had a reputation that made others uncomfortable. When she knelt at Jesus’ feet with tears and costly perfume, the room filled with tension. Her presence raised the questions: Who belongs here? Who deserves honor? Who should be kept outside?
Jesus reshaped the table by not denying the woman’s past but allowing her to be transformed as well. He saw her love, courage and longing for grace. While others guarded status and appearances, Jesus made space for forgiveness, which made space for belonging.
In God’s kingdom, tables are not reserved for the worthy. They become places where peace is spoken, dignity is restored, and people are welcomed to experience forgiveness that creates room for relationship, healing and community.
SUNDAY, May 31, 2026
Scripture: Luke 5: 27-32
Sermon: BUILDING BELONGING
Jesus did something many considered shocking at Levi’s table: He stayed. Surrounded by tax collectors, outcasts, and people labeled “unclean,” Jesus did not keep His distance. He ate with them. In the ancient world, sharing a meal meant acceptance, relationship, and peace. While religious leaders demanded separation, Jesus practiced invitation.
Levi’s story reminds us that belonging often begins before transformation. Jesus called Levi while he was still sitting at the tax booth. Grace came before change. Presence came before perfection. The table was open before anyone had their life together.
SUNDAY, May 24, 2026
Scripture: Acts 2: 1-21
Sermon: A VISION OF BELOVED COMMUNITY
On Pentecost Sunday we celebrate the experience that breathed new life into the disciples and gave them courage, connection and hope. That day they were empowered to continue to be the Beloved Community even without Jesus’ physical presence. We celebrate how people came together across differences, including language, and truly heard and understood one another.
Today, Beloved Community can feel like a distant or unrealistic goal but Acts 2 tells us that the Holy Spirit is already creating and calling us into a fully inclusive, mutually supportive community. As we remember Pentecost, may we be renewed in our courage to go forth and welcome, speak, invite and love like Jesus.
SUNDAY, May 17, 2026
Scripture: John 21: 15-19
Sermon: HOPE AFTER FAILURE
After failure, we often expect distance from others, from ourselves, even from God. Peter knew that feeling all too well. Around another fire, not long before, he had denied even knowing Jesus. Now, beside a charcoal fire again, Jesus meets him, not with condemnation, but with questions.
“Do you love me?” Three times Jesus asks him this not to shame him but to meet him where he is. Each time the response becomes an invitation: Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Love is not proven by perfection, but by a willingness to keep showing up, to care, to follow.
Restoration here is not just about giving and receiving forgiveness, it’s about being trusted again. Jesus doesn’t erase the past, instead he redeems it. He doesn’t push Peter away, he recommissions him. Hope here is not about avoiding failure but discovering that it doesn’t get the final word.
Where might Jesus be meeting you, not to revisit your failures, but to restore your purpose?
SUNDAY, May 10, 2026
Scripture: John 21: 1-14
Sermon: HOPE AFTER THE EMPTY NIGHT
After everything that had happened, the disciples went back to fishing. It makes sense. When everything falls apart, you go back to what you know. But after a long night, these professional fishermen hadn’t caught a single fish.
Early in the morning, someone appeared on the shore, but they didn’t realize it was Jesus. He called out to them and told them to try again, this time on the other side. Suddenly, their nets were overflowing. When they made it back to shore, Jesus met them with a breakfast of bread and fish. He didn’t start with questions or corrections. He simply fed them.
Hope, here, isn’t dramatic. It looks like a meal shared after a long, frustrating night. It looks like being met with grace, not judgment. It looks like presence. Someone showing up and saying, “Come eat.”
Maybe that’s what hope looks like today. Not everything fixed, but Jesus meeting us right where we are, reminding us we aren’t alone.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore John 21:1–14 and the question, “Hope After the Empty Night.”
SUNDAY, May 3, 2026
Scripture: Isaiah 65: 17-25
Sermon: HOPE THAT REFUSES TO GIVE UP
Isaiah speaks to a people who have known devastation. They have experienced exile, loss, and the tough work of rebuilding a life that no longer looks like what it once was. Their present reality is marked by grief and uncertainty. Into that collective weariness, God does not offer a quick fix, but a vision: “I am about to create new heavens and a new earth.”
Hope, here, looks like imagination. It is the courage to believe that God is not finished yet. Houses will be lived in. Work will matter. Children will grow in safety. Even creation itself will be reshaped toward peace. This week’s text speaks words of restoration that are grounded in God’s promise to heal what has been broken.
We know something of that same weariness today. Headlines, heartbreaks, and personal losses can make it hard to imagine anything new. But Isaiah reminds us: God’s future is not limited by our present. Hope dares to see beyond what is and picture a world remade, trusting that God is already at work bringing it to life.
SUNDAY, April 19, 2026
Scripture: Luke24: 13-35
Sermon: HOPE THAT WALKS WITH US
On the road to Emmaus, two of Jesus' disciples are leaving Jerusalem, the place where their hopes and dreams seemed to have unraveled. As they walk, Jesus begins to travel with them. At first, they didn’t recognize him. Hope here is a patient voice asking questions, listening to their grief, and gently retelling the story in a new way.
Jesus does not rush them out of their sorrow. He walks at their pace. He lets them speak their disappointment out loud. And somewhere along the road, meaning begins to return, quietly, steadily, like a small flame rekindling.
It is only later, at the table, in the breaking of the bread, that their eyes are opened. Only then do they realize that hope had been with them all along.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Luke 24:13–35 and the question, “Hope That Walks With Us.”
SUNDAY, April 12, 2026
Scripture: John 20: 19-23
Sermon: Hope That Breaks Through Fear
The disciples knew that the tomb was empty. Simon Peter had seen it with his own eyes. Mary Magdelene had also told them that she had seen the risen Lord. Yet they were hiding behind locked doors. They were together, but they were gripped by fear. They were alive, but they weren’t living. They weren’t moving forward. They were uncertain about what to do next without Jesus physically there leading the way.
In that closed space, Jesus appears, saying, “Peace be with you.” Jesus meets them in their fear. It’s Jesus’ very presence and the empowering of the Holy Spirit that give them the courage to go forth and carry on Jesus’ work in the world. The Spirit restores what fear had taken from them.
Fear does not mean faith has failed. Sometimes it simply means we are human. The good news is this: even locked doors cannot keep resurrection out.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore John 20:19–23 and the question, “Hope That Breaks Through Fear.”
SUNDAY, April 5, 2026
Scripture: Luke 24: 1-12
Sermon: WHY DO YOU LOOK FOR THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?
Early in the morning, the grieving women go to the tomb, carrying spices and believing that death has had the final word. Instead, they find an empty tomb and an angel who asks, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” They are invited to reimagine what is possible. The loss they experienced was real. What changes is that they are invited to look for life.
How often do we too cling to what is familiar even when it no longer gives life? We return to old fears, old wounds, and old stories, because they are known. Easter asks us to imagine a way forward beyond what we already understand.
Christ, now risen, is not found where the women expect. He has gone ahead of them. Resurrection offers us a way of life shaped by hope that refuses to stay buried. Easter does not ask that we have everything figured out, it invites us to pay attention to the quiet, persistent signs of life already breaking forth.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Luke 24:1–12 and the question, “Why Do You Look for the Living Among the Dead?”
SUNDAY, March 29, 2026
Scripture: Matthew 27: 45-50
Sermon: THE QUESTION FROM THE CROSS
From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness covered the land. In that silence Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” These aren’t polished religious words. They’re raw and honest. On the cross, Jesus gives voice to a question many people carry but are often afraid to say out loud. When suffering comes, when prayers seem unanswered, when the world feels broken beyond repair, the question rises within us: Where is God?
Jesus doesn’t avoid that question. He voices it. The cross doesn’t answer every question we have about suffering. But it tells us something just as important: when we feel abandoned, we’re not alone. God has already been there.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Matthew 27:45–50 and the question, “The Question From the Cross”
SUNDAY, March 22, 2026
Scripture: Ezekiel 37: 1-14
Sermon: CAN THESE BONES LIVE?
God’s question to Ezekiel is asked in a valley of collective despair. The bones are dry and hope feels unreasonable. The question is not whether the bones should live, but whether life is even imaginable anymore.
This is a question for communities as much as individuals. It speaks to seasons when exhaustion outweighs optimism, and grief has lingered too long. God does not demand certainty from Ezekiel, but he asks him to participate by speaking words of hope.
Lent acknowledges how real despair can be, while refusing to let it have the final word. God specializes in bringing life where none seems possible. Resurrection often starts quietly, with a willingness to speak hope aloud even when we are unsure.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Ezekiel 37:1–14 and the question, “Can These Bones Live?”
SUNDAY, March 15, 2026
Scripture: Matthew 16: 13-20
Sermon: WHO DO YO SAY THAT I AM?
When Jesus’ first disciples decided to follow him, they didn’t know exactly who he was or where following him would take them. They didn’t understand the full cost. Just like us, their understanding of him evolved over time. Finally, he asked directly, “Who do you say that I am?”
Like the first disciples, our understanding of Jesus changes over time. Experiences of loss, love, failure, and hope reshape how we trust. Lent offers space to revisit this question honestly. It asks us to ponder who Jesus is to us in this season of our life.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as Marques Guy leads us in exploring Matthew 16:13–20 and the theme, “Who Do You Say That I Am?”
SUNDAY, March 8, 2026
Scripture: John 5: 1-9
Sermon: DO YOU WANT TO BE MADE WELL?
“Do you want to be made well?” The question that Jesus asks the man sitting beside the pool can sound harsh. Of course he wants to be made well… doesn’t he? Jesus knows that after years of suffering and disappointment, hope can feel risky. Sometimes healing requires change and change, even good change, can be difficult.
The question here is not about blame, it’s about readiness. The healing process can be complex. We can even become accustomed to our brokenness. Lent invites us to consider not only what we want God to fix, but what we are willing to release. Healing is not always instant, and it is not always simple. Yet Jesus meets us with compassion, asking whether we are open to new life, even if it disrupts what we know. Where might healing require change that I am hesitant to embrace?
SUNDAY, March 1, 2026
Scripture: John 1: 35-39
Sermon: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
When the first disciples begin to follow Jesus, he turned and asked a deceptively simple question: “What are you looking for?” It was a question that reached beneath curiosity and into desire. Before Jesus calls anyone to belief or obedience, he invites them to reflect on what they are truly seeking.
We often move through life guided by unexamined longings for security, belonging, meaning, or relief. Lent offers space to slow down and notice what has been driving us. Not all desire is selfish or shallow. Some longings are holy. Others may be misplaced. Jesus does not shame the disciples for their answer. Instead, he invites them into relationship: “Come and see.”
Faith grows not by denying our desires, but by bringing them into the presence of Christ. Lent asks us to pay attention to what we are chasing and to consider whether it is leading us toward life.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore John 1:35-39 and the theme, “What are you looking for?”
SUNDAY, Feb 22, 2026
Scripture: Genesis 3: 8-13
Sermon: WHERE ARE YOU?
We begin Lent with a question, “Where are you?” It’s the first question God asks in Scripture. It is spoken not in anger but to invite honesty. Adam and Eve are hiding, ashamed and afraid, and God comes seeking. The question is one of relationship. God invites honesty where there has been avoidance and presence where there has been hiding.
To this day we still try to hide. We conceal our doubts, our grief, our exhaustion, our disappointment. Sometimes we even hide ourselves. Lent doesn’t demand immediate change, it invites us to notice and to name where we are emotionally, spiritually and relationally. As in our scripture, God doesn’t wait for us to step into the light. When necessary, God moves into the shadows with us.
This Lenten season, may we stop hiding and allow ourselves to be found.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Genesis 3:8-13 and the theme, “Where Are You?”
SUNDAY, Feb 15, 2026
Scripture: Luke 19: 1-10
Sermon: TURNING POINTS
As Jesus was passing through Jericho on his way to somewhere else, he encounters Zacchaeus. At first, all we know is that Zacchaeus (a wealth chief tax collector) really wants to see Jesus, but he is too short, so he decides to climb a tree. This undignified, almost comical act interrupts Jesus’ journey and changes Zacchaeus’ life forever.
Jesus notices Zacchaeus, calls him by name, and invites himself to Zacchaeus’ house. What follows is Zacchaeus joyfully (and very publicly) naming and making up for his wrong doings. Zacchaeus thus demonstrates his commitment to changing his ways and taking a new path.
This story leaves me wondering about the turning points in our own lives. The moments when we have encounters with the divine in unexpected ways that leave us forever changed. Zacchaeus’ story asks us to consider where Jesus might be inviting us to pause, to share a meal, or to walk a new path.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Luke 19:1–10 and the theme, “Turning Points.”
SUNDAY, Feb 8, 2026
Scripture: Luke 10: 25-37
Sermon: WHAT KIND OF NEIGHBOR WILL I BE?
The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was steep, isolated, and dangerous. Jesus chooses that road on purpose. Faith, he suggests, is not only lived out in safe places, but in vulnerable spaces where suffering interrupts our plans.
The priest and the Levite saw the injured man and did nothing. It is the Samaritan (an outsider, unlikely hero, and inconvenient neighbor) who does not debate responsibility or ask if the man deserves help. He sees, he is moved, and he acts.
In this passage, Jesus reframes the question. The issue is not who qualifies as my neighbor, but what kind of neighbor will I be? On the road, to love God fully is to notice the wounded along our path and respond with care, courage, and generosity. Jesus’ final words are simple and unsettling: Go and do likewise.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Luke 10:25–37 and the theme, “What Kind of Neighbor Will I Be?”
SUNDAY, Feb 1, 2026
Scripture: Luke 9: 57-62
Sermon: FORWARD TOGETHER
Our scripture for this week can sound abrupt, even unsettling. It has an urgency that we are unaccustomed to. Jesus had set his face on Jerusalem. He knew the risks and suffering he was facing. These were honest, not casual, invitations. There wasn’t time for life to be more settled before people decided to follow him. Things were about to change forever.
We often tell ourselves, “I’ll follow more closely later, when things calm down, when I have fewer responsibilities, when I feel more ready.” Discipleship isn’t about having everything resolved; it’s about having direction and moving forward.
We must also remember, we aren’t on this journey alone. We walk forward together, each carrying our doubts, our questions, and our unfinished goodbyes, while trusting that God meets us on the road. It’s a call to let our lives be oriented toward love’s deepest source, toward God, one step at a time.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Luke 9:57-62 and the theme, "Forward Together.”
SUNDAY, Jan 25, 2026
Scripture: Luke 9: 1-6
Sermon: TRAVELING LIGHT
As someone who likes to pack everything I might need when taking a trip, Jesus’ instructions to his disciples in Luke 9 feel unsettling. He tells them to take nothing extra: no bag, no bread, no money. This sounds irresponsible. But on reflection, I don’t think Jesus was giving them a packing list. He was inviting them to trust the journey.
We often carry too much on our own journeys: expectations, anxieties, fears, the need for approval, or pressure to succeed. These burdens can weigh us down and keep us from noticing where God is already at work. Jesus’ invitation to travel light asks us to consider what we might need to set down so we can walk more freely.
To travel light today is to walk with open hands, ready to give, ready to receive, and ready to trust that God is enough for the road ahead.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Luke 9:1-6 and the theme, “Traveling Light.”
SUNDAY, Jan 11, 2026
Scripture: Mark 1: 1-13
Sermon: CLAIMED BY LOVE
Before doing anything, he is claimed by God and called “Beloved,” not for what he has done, but for who he is.
Too often, we believe we must earn our belovedness. We think we must prove ourselves worthy through faithfulness, productivity, or moral certainty. Yet in baptism, God meets us before our striving. God claims us in the midst of unfinished lives and imperfect faith. Baptism is not a reward for holiness; it is a declaration of belonging.
Baptism doesn’t spare us, or Jesus, from trials and testing, but it reminds us who we are when we face them.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Mark 1:1-13 and the theme, “Claimed by Love.”
SUNDAY, Jan 4, 2026
Scripture: Colossians 3: 16 and Matthew 18: 20
Sermon: SPIRITUALITY VERSUS CHURCH
In our current time spirituality is more popular than “organized religion”. I had a friend once who told me he didn’t need or like organized religion – but he was spiritual. He didn’t really explain what he meant by spirituality, but in simple words, it’s about that feeling of being connected to something bigger than yourself – nature, humanity or a higher power and finding deep meaning, purpose or peace in life.
But church is more than spirituality. Instead of a solo journey, we are a community of people who have experienced and continue to experience God’s presence in our lives. We are not in this alone – we have God and each other. Our journeys are not necessarily traveled in the SAME way, but rather in many different ways, demonstrated by the stories we tell and the things that move us.
And as a Christian church, we do share and embrace the belief that through Jesus, God came among us and God’s character and saving power were revealed to humankind.
Join us on Sunday, January 4th and ponder not only the difference between spirituality and church, but what the experience of church can offer for all of our spiritual journeys through this life.
SUNDAY, Dec 28, 2025
Scripture: Matthew 2: 1-12
Sermon: A STAR FOR THE JOURNEY
In Matthew’s Gospel, the Magi are not guided by a map or by certainty, but by a star. The light in the dark sky invites them forward into the unknown. It invites them to trust that God is present in the journey itself, not just the destination. Their story reminds us that faith is rarely about having all the answers and more often about learning to follow the light we are given, one step at a time.
As we prepare for 2026, we will again this year be given the opportunity to choose a star word to guide our reflection. Like the star that led the Magi to Christ, may these words help orient our hearts toward God’s presence as we journey into a new year, attentive to the light that still leads us.
Join us this Sunday at 10am as we explore Matthew 2:1-12 and the theme, “A Star for the Journey.”
SUNDAY Dec 14, 2025
Sermon: UNQUENCHABLE JOY
Advent joy doesn’t come to us because life is easy. In fact, some of the deepest joy in Scripture grows out of stories that feel anything but joyful. Bathsheba’s story is one of them. She was drawn into a situation she didn’t choose, harmed by someone with power, and left to carry the consequences. Her grief was real. Her pain mattered. Yet out of her sorrow, God speaks a new word of love and promise, ushering in a future and joy that cannot be extinguished.
This is the heart of Joy Sunday. We don’t light the pink candle this week because everything is perfect. We light it because God’s joy showings up even in messy, painful, complicated places. Bathsheba reminds us that human injustice cannot stop God’s redemptive work. The light shines, and no darkness can quench it.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore 2 Samuel 11:1–15, 26; 12:19, 24–25 and the theme, “Unquenchable Joy.”
SUNDAY, Dec 7, 2025
Scripture: Joshua 2: 1-24; 6:1-2, 25
Sermon: THE PEACE OF CHOOSING A NEW STORY
This week, we light the second Advent candle, the candle of peace. The peace God offers isn’t passive or quiet. It’s the kind of peace that meets us in hard places and invites us to take a brave step toward something new. Rahab shows us this kind of peace in action.
Rahab lived in Jericho, a fortified city that was preparing for conflict, and she carried her own story of struggle and marginalization. Yet when two Israelite spies came to her home, Rahab made a surprising choice. Instead of letting fear shape her response, she reached for a different future. She acted with courage and protected the spies, trusting in the God she had only heard about, and aligned herself with a new story. That choice led to Rahab being welcomed into a new community and woven into the family line of Jesus.
Advent reminds us that peace isn’t just the absence of trouble. It’s the courage to believe that God can write a new story with our lives. May we, like Rahab, find the peace that comes from choosing that story.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Joshua 2:1–24; 6:1–2, 25 and the theme, “The Peace of Choosing a New Story.”
SUNDAY, Nov 30, 2025
Scripture: Genesis 38: 1-30
Sermon: HOPE BREAKS THROUGH
Advent begins in the dark. Before angels sing, or stars appear, or shepherds hurry toward a manger, we are invited to remember stories where hope feels distant, fragile, and almost impossible to find. One of those stories comes from Genesis 38, the story of Tamar, one of the four women named in Jesus’ genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew.
Tamar’s story is difficult. It is filled with injustice, power imbalance, and devastating heartbreak. Yet it also invites us to pause and remember how hope breaks through even in the most painful and complicated circumstances.
As we gather this week, we will light the first candle of Advent, the candle of hope, not because everything is perfect, but because even in the darkest times, God’s light refuses to be extinguished.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Genesis 38:1–30 and the theme, “Hope Breaks Through.”
SUNDAY, Nov 23, 2025
Scripture: Luke 10: 17-24
Sermon: LEARNING TO GIVE THANKS LIKE JESUS
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, many of us feel the tension between wanting to be grateful and the reality that life can feel heavy or overwhelming. In this week’s scripture, we witness a moment when 72 disciples return from preparing the way for Jesus’ ministry. Jesus first reorients their joy, inviting them to see what truly matters, and then pauses to give thanks to God. It’s a rare moment when the Gospels offer us a clear glimpse into Jesus’ heart.
When we gather, we’ll explore what it means to learn to give thanks like Jesus—a gratitude not rooted in success or pretending everything is fine, but grounded in God’s presence, love, and work in the world. If you’re longing for a deeper kind of thanksgiving, one that can hold both joy and struggle, we invite you to join us.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Luke 10:17–24 and the theme, “Learning to Give Thanks Like Jesus.”
SUNDAY, Nov 16, 2025
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14: 26-40
Sermon: ORDER FROM CHAOS
When everyone talks at once, it doesn’t take long for excitement to turn into chaos. That’s what was happening in the church at Corinth. Their worship was full of life—people praying, singing, and prophesying—but it had become noisy and confusing.
Paul wasn’t trying to curb their enthusiasm; he wanted them to remember why they had gathered in the first place. He called them to create the kind of order that makes space for every gift, every voice, and every act of worship to build up the body rather than turn into chaos or competition.
In today’s world of constant noise, God still invites us to live and worship in ways that reflect His peace. We are called to bring order from chaos and harmony from the many voices that make up the church.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore 1 Corinthians 14:26–40 and the theme, “Order from Chaos.”
SUNDAY, Nov 9, 2025
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11: 17-34
Sermon: MORE THAN A POTLUCK
Potluck Sundays were some of my favorite memories growing up. I didn’t realize then that they were much closer to the early church’s communion gatherings than our weekly rituals today. In those first Christian communities, believers met regularly for what they called agape feasts (meals of love). They weren’t just sharing food at these gatherings but sharing their lives. There were times for fellowship, faith, and remembering Jesus. When done well, they were a place where everyone had a seat at the table, no matter their background or status.
But in Corinth, something had gone wrong. Some ate their fill while others went hungry. Paul reminded them that the Lord’s Supper was never meant to divide but to unite, calling the church back to the heart of Christ’s love.
Today, as we gather to celebrate communion, may we also recover the spirit of the agape feast where love is lived out in welcome, generosity, and community.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 and the theme, “More Than a Potluck.”
SUNDAY, Nov 2, 2025
Scripture: Hebrews 12: 1-3
Sermon: LIVES THAT INSPIRE
This week we are invited to remember the “great cloud of witnesses” who have gone before us. Whether we celebrate All Saints Day or Día de los Muertos, we pause to honor the impact others have had on our lives and the ways they have shown us what it means to live with faith, love, and perseverance.
In the chapter that comes before this week’s text, we are reminded of the many saints of Scripture, including Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Rahab, and countless others whose stories of trust and courage still inspire us today. Their lives remind us that even when the road feels long, we can keep going. Remembering them, and our loved ones, is not about holding on to the past, but about letting their example shape how we live with courage, grace, and hope right now.
Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Hebrews 12:1–3 and the theme, “Lives That Inspire.”
We will gather at 829 Railroad Ave, Santa Paula, CA. Please email Rev. Jenny Crosswhite at fccsp.doc@gmail.com with questions. You can also connect with us at www.firstchristianchurchsp.com or call Pastor Jenny at 805-351-5501.
SUNDAY, Oct 26, 2025
Scripture: Philippians 2: 1-16
Sermon: FAITH THAT WORKS
Someone called me once while preparing for a Bible study on Philippians 2, feeling puzzled. They had just read, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you.” They said, “I’ve always thought that once I made my profession of faith, I was good to go—so what does this mean?”
I explained that Paul isn’t saying we must earn our salvation. He’s reminding us that faith isn’t a one-time event. It's a lifelong journey of living out our faith in response to how God is working in us. God plants faith in our hearts, but we’re called to nurture it, practice it, and let it shape our daily lives.
When we choose kindness over pride, service over self, and unity over division, we show that faith is alive and growing. Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Philippians 2:1–16 and the theme, “Faith That Works.”
SUNDAY, Oct 19, 2025
Scripture: Isaiah 64: 8 & 2 Corinthians 4: 5-10
Sermon: GOD'S POWER IN CLAY JARS
Working with clay has a lot to teach us about life and faith. Before a potter can shape anything, the clay must be centered on the wheel. If it’s off-balance, it wobbles and falls apart. Working skillfully, the potter shapes the clay with pressure from the outside and support from the inside. The potter knows that clay needs just the right amount of moisture. If it dries out, it cracks and if it’s too wet, it loses its form.
One of my favorite things about clay is that even cracked pots can be mended and made beautiful again both before they are fired, and after. We learn through studying clay that in God’s hands, even the broken pieces of our lives can become something new. We see that in our weakness God’s light shines through.
Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Isaiah 64:8 and 2 Corinthians 4:5–10 and the theme, “God’s Power in Clay Jars.”
SUNDAY, Oct 12, 2025
Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:3-12, 17-19
Sermon: RICH IN GOOD DEEDS
You’ve probably heard it said, “Money is the root of all evil.” But what the Bible actually says is that it’s the love of money that’s the problem. When our love for wealth replaces our love for God and neighbor, it always ends badly. Chasing after wealth and stuff may boost our status, but it can never truly satisfy. Greed always whispers, “Just a little more.”
In our scripture for this week, Paul offers a different kind of wealth: godliness with contentment. Instead of chasing what fades, we’re invited to pursue what lasts—righteousness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Real success isn’t measured by what we own, but by who we’re becoming. Real wealth is found not in what we hold on to, but in what we give away for the good of others and the glory of God.
Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore 1 Timothy 6:3–12, 17–19 and the theme, “Rich in Good Deeds.”
SUNDAY, Oct 5, 2025
Scripture: Romans 8: 18-28
Sermon: GOD OF REDEMPTION
I used to think the phrase, “Everything happens for a reason” was comforting, and then life happened, and it became cold comfort. Did God really cause or allow THAT for a reason? I was a freshman in college, and I was struggling with that possibility. I raised the question at Bible study that week, “Does everything REALLY happen for a reason?” I was deeply relieved by the answer I received, and it helped me to build a stronger foundation for my faith journey and the even more difficult things I would face in the future.
So, what does the Bible say about the truly difficult and/or terrible things that happen in our lives? Join us on Sunday at 10am as we explore Romans 8:18-28 and the theme, “God of Redemption.” What we learn is that the Bible doesn’t say that everything that happens is good, or that God causes it. Instead, it says that no matter what happens, God is at work bringing healing, weaving hope, and writing redemption into our stories.
Comments