We mean it when we say, “Everyone is Welcome here!”

July 15 – 21, 2026

This Week @ First Church

Wednesday July 15

Mindful Meditation – 6 p.m.

Come every Wednesday evening and leave the troubles of the world outside as you spend an hour in meditation. Enter the church through the Delaware Street entrance.

Sunday July 19

Worship Service – 10 a.m.

Worship Service In-Person and on Facebook

SERMON: “Waiting Room” by Kathy Rogers

Based on  Romans 8:12-25 and Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Note for Romans 8:12–25

Romans 8:12-25 is a profound foundation for belief in creation justice, divine inclusion, and active hope.

Romans 8:12–25

We must not be ruled by our sinful selves. We must not live the way our sinful selves want. If we use our lives to do the wrong things we will die spiritually. But with the Spirit’s help to stop doing wrong things leads to true life.

True children of God are led by the Spirit. It does not make us slaves to fear, instead it joins with our spirits so we become God’s children. 

We receive the blessings God and Jesus give believers. But we must suffer as Christ suffered to have glory as Christ has glory.

We suffer now. But it will not compare to the great glory that will be given to us in Heaven. Everything God made is waiting with excitement for the time when He will reveal his children to the world.  

Everything God created was made useless because He wanted it to happen that way. But we still have hope that everything will be set free from ruin and have the freedom and glory belonging to God’s children.

We know that everything God makes waits in pain, like a woman giving birth. Receiving the Spirit is the first part of God’s promise to us. Now we wait for God to set our bodies free. For in hope we were saved, but if we see what we are waiting for, it is not really hope. 

People do not hope for something they already have. We wait patiently as we hope for something we do not have yet.

Note for Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

In Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Jesus explains why good and bad exist together in our world, assuring us God will sort them out at the end of time.

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Jesus told them the Parable of Wheat and Weeds saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field. When everyone was asleep his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat. Then the enemy went away. 

After a time the wheat grew tall. But at the same time the weeds also grew. Then the man’s servants came to him and said, ‘You planted good seed in your field. Where did the weeds come from?’ 

The man answered, ‘An enemy planted weeds.’ 

The servants asked, ‘Do you want us to pull up the weeds?’ 

The man answered, ‘No, because when you pull up the weeds, you might also pull up the wheat. Let the weeds and the wheat grow together until the harvest time when I will tell the workers this: First gather the weeds and tie them together to be burned. Then gather the wheat and bring it to my barn.’”

The disciples asked Jesus to explain the parable to them after he left the crowds. He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 

The Son of Man will send his angels to sort out of his kingdom all evildoers. They will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth. The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”