Unity Presbyterian - Denver, NC

This week, we turn to Paul's letter to the Galatians as we continue our journey through the New Testament. Paul reminds us that we are justified not by our efforts, but by God's grace revealed in Christ. The freedom Jesus gives is not permission to turn inward, but liberation from fear and yearning so that we can love boldly and serve one another. Where do you need the freedom that comes from grace?

This week, we jump ahead in our reading to the gift of the Holy Spirit, as we watch Jesus ascend into heaven. Is your God too small? How do you begin to understand all that God is doing? We watch as the disciples are mesmerized, staring into the sky when they should be moving out into the world. Are we so transfixed on one event that we miss everything else around us?

This week in worship, we look at the conflict between the Pharisee's way of religion and the way that Jesus offers. Which vision is shaping our lives? What values quietly guide our decisions, our priorities, our sense of success? The question before us is not whether we are religious enough, but whether our vision for our lives and our world is truly aligned with the vision of Christ. Do you focus on what really matters?

This week in worship, we learn about a man who went to great lengths to reach Jesus. Zaccheus was small in stature, but big on faith. What do you do to reach Jesus? How high or far will you go?

Who is Jesus? Is he a teacher, a prophet... or something more? This week in worship, we see Jesus' identity revealed as he continues to heal and serve. Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Who do you say Jesus is? 

In worship this week, we continue our series based on our New Testament readings with a dive into the Sermon on the Mount. You'll read these three chapters this week, where Jesus focuses on the heart. We'll talk about doing the bare minimum vs. living deeply for God.

Pastor David begins our walk through the New Testament on Sunday as Jesus begins his ministry, proclaiming the good news of God. This was Jesus' main purpose and the theme of his entire ministry. Join us as we begin our journey.

Worship this week is filled with JOY! Scripture reminds us that there are always those who have gone before who would wish to see what we now see. This was true in Peter's time, and it is true in ours. Who has come before us to give us the vision we are now living? And what vision do we leave for others? We take time to honor those who have been faithful to this vision of Unity over the past 20 years as we celebrate paying off our mortgage.

This week in worship it is the first week of Advent, the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. We read echoes of "Fear Not" throughout the Bible. The Israelites faced an enormous task before them: years of rebuilding homes, replanting fields, and restoring community after years of exile. And yet, amid all that hard work, Isaiah offers them something far greater — a vision of hope. A hope for a brighter future.  A hope of genuine peace, lasting joy, and contentment found only in God. We dig into why, instead of fear, we should live as people of Hope.

This week in worship, we are reminded that we should be living in a state of gratitude. It is so easy to see the struggles and the burdens, which make it very hard to see the blessings. But Paul reminds us to live with gratitude, because when we give thanks, we are choosing to see the world as a place filled with God's generosity. Come to worship this week as we build a new wardrobe out of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness.

What course are you on? Are you running a race of self-preservation or do you run the race of kindness and generosity? This week in worship, Pastor David takes a look at the Apostle Paul as he returns to prison in Rome. We will learn that the outcome of our lives matters much less than the purpose for which we live. Join us as we dive deeper into this topic on Sunday.

This week in worship, Pastor David begins a series on blessings, those we give and those we get. It is All Saints Day, and we explore the ways that we are called to be saints of the Lord, living our lives in a way that sets us apart from others.

Our Compassion, Peace, and Justice Team has worked with Pastor David to bring you services of peace this week. We all need more peace in our world, and that starts with peace in our own lives. Together we will explore the world through the eyes of those who are most vulnerable - the poor, the widow, the immigrant, and the orphan. 

This week in worship, we begin our season of Stewardship. Pastor David talks about our investment in God's kingdom, how what we give of not only our resources but also our time can shape the future of the world. There is nothing wrong with wanting a nice house or a new car, but we must recognize them for what they are…temporary. We have an opportunity to invest in things that will never end.

This week in worship, Pastor Dana takes a look at our prayer life. How do you pray? Do you always ask for things, or wait until you're in a bind before turning to God? You're not alone! We talk about the best ways to supercharge your prayer life as we meet in worship this week.

This week in worship, it is World Communion Sunday. This is a great chance for Christians around the world to come together, united through this holy sacrament. The message of Jesus is for the whole world. Our humanity depends on the humanity of all people. When we celebrate communion, we proclaim that we belong to a church much larger than just our local congregation or denomination—we belong to the worldwide body of Christ. 

This week in worship, Pastor David concludes our series on Philippians with a look at our thoughts. What do you dwell on? Do your thoughts produce anxiety or peace? Paul tells us the secret of becoming people who are content and at peace.

This week in worship, Pastor David moves to Philippians 3 as we look at the role models of our faith. Our truest identity is not found in earthly things but in Christ, who has claimed us as citizens of heaven. Like Paul and the saints who have gone before us, we press on toward the goal, keeping our eyes on Jesus. Following their example, we live now as ambassadors of God's kingdom on earth.

Pastor David moves to chapter 2 of Philippians this week as we take a look at the qualities of a church. According to Paul, the church should be unified in their priorities. Find out what priorities Paul valued and how we can follow his advice today.

This week in worship, we begin a new series from the book of Philippians. Philippians is Paul's warm and encouraging letter to the church in Philippi, written from prison yet overflowing with joy. He thanks them for their partnership in the gospel and urges them to live in unity, humility, and faithfulness to Christ. Over the next four weeks, we will explore the words of Paul as he emphasizes that true joy is not found in circumstances but in knowing Christ.

This week in worship, we conclude this series as Daniel faces the lion's den. He has faced some challenging circumstances, yet throughout it all, Daniel has remained faithful to God. This week, Daniel's greatest challenge becomes his greatest testimony. Daniel still speaks to us today, as he encourages us to be brave and remain unwaveringly committed to God. 

This week in worship, a hand writes a mysterious message on the wall that terrifies the king, and Daniel is there to interpret the dire warning. Don't you wish God was that obvious with his messages to us? Or does God send us messages that we fail to pay attention to? How can we tune in to God while liivng in a world filled with distractions?

This week in worship, Pastor David continues in the book of Daniel as we find Daniel interpreting dreams, not because he had the ability to do so, but because he asked God to give him the knowledge. He believed in God's ability to do the seemingly impossible. When we are faced with something that seems like it can't be done, do we turn to God in prayer or try to rely on our own abilities? Let's see what we can learn from Daniel this week about the supernatural power of God.

David is back from sabbatical this week as he begins a series on the life of Daniel. As we begin in the first chapter of Daniel, we find Daniel as a hostage, taken from his own country and brought to Babylon to be taught their customs. Daniel asks to eat his customary food instead of the king's food, remaining steadfast to God's ways. 

This week, we continue our series on joy as we explore the story of Mary and Martha. How can we find fulfilment in our lives by doing less? That sounds very counterintuitive to what the world would have us believe, but Jesus tells us that Mary, who chose to sit and listen to Jesus, chose the very best over Martha, who was working in the kitchen. Do we stop to listen and make time for Jesus in our day, or are we so busy that we forget to pause and listen?

This is the final week in our sermon series on the book of James, and Pastor Dana tackles the challenging topic of submitting yourself to God. What does it mean to submit? How do you surrender what you want to what God wants? What happens when we give up our wants and wishes and go with God? We discuss the choices between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God.

This week, we back up to chapter 1 in the book of James, where Pastor Dana talks about faith in action. We can't just sit still and hear about the word of God, but our faith requires us to move and act. Where are you living out your faith? What does being a servant of God mean you have to do? Where does the Spirit move you to work in the kingdom?

This week, Pastor Dana begins a new series from the book of James, taking a look at the power of our words. The world was created from a word. Our words have the power to heal or to hurt. How do you use your words? Do you think about it, or carelessly say things you don't mean?

This week, we celebrate our fathers, and the father of us all, our Father God. The word father has different meanings for us all, depending on our own family experiences, so it is important to see what the bible has to say about God and the qualities of a good father. We will dig into Psalm 103 as we explore the themes of love and compassion. Thanks to Pastor Reed Conley of Artisan Church for being our guest pastor this week.

This week is Pentecost, the day we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit, given to us by Jesus to be our advocate, our friend, and our guide. Pentecost is a powerful reminder that God is still moving, still breathing life into weary hearts, still stirring up courage in places we least expect. The Holy Spirit wasn't a one-time gift for a group of first-century believers. That same Spirit is still given to us today. So this week we ask "Where is God showing up in our lives today?"

This week, Pastor Dana begins a short series on the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the mysterious part of the Trinity and doesn't get talked about as much as God the Father and Jesus Christ, probably because the early church focused more on Jesus and his divinity. But it is the Holy Spirit who reminds us of Jesus' teachings, who urges us to open our minds and hearts, who helps us pay attention to the lessons around us. The Holy Spirit completes the Trinity in a way that keeps us in touch with our spirituality on a day to day basis.

Didf you need help finding a gift for Mother's day? Let's see what David came up with as we explore the story of Moses' mother Jochebed.

Do you have any strained relationships that could use some help? Well, so did Jesus! In fact, he was on the outs with his best friend, Peter. This week in worship, we watch as they reconcile their relationship, and Jesus gives Peter a new mission. 

This week in worship, Pastor David takes a look at the authority of Jesus. Where did Jesus get the power to speak? Who gave him the leadership ability to stand up to the Pharisees? What voices speak to you the loudest in your life?   

Happy Easter! Christ has Risen! How can you understand the resurrection The journey of faith begins with one step. Keep trying to learn more. Week by week you will be amazed what God will do through these times of worship and exploration. Find time to go open your Bibles. Read the Gospels— Matthew, Mark, Luke and John— to immerse yourself in Jesus' story. Finally, go outside and look for signs of resurrection happening in our world. New leaves, blossoms, and new life all point to resurrection. 

This week in worship is the fourth week of Lent, and we journey closer to the cross. Pastor Dana looks at the Power of the Cross, and the places we turn when we don't know where to go. 

This week in worship, we celebrate Commitment Sunday for our Capital Campaign. As we reflect on 261 years of faithfulness from the people of Unity, we recognize how amazing Unity is today because of those who came before us. With gratitude, we say “Thank You” for their dedication while making our own commitments to Unity's future. As we enter the third week of Lent, let this be a time of prayer and reflection, seeking the many ways God calls you into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

In this week's worship, we talk about the future. Most of us plan for our own future, but have you thought about what you're leaving for future generations? Not only as an inheritance, but as a legacy, a continuation of what your parents and grandparents taught you. Will your children, and their children, know that God was an important part of your life? Will God be an important part of their lives? Lent gives us time to reflect on our relationship with God and how we might grow closer and help our families in their walk of faith, too.

This week's worship continues with a look at generosity. What does it mean to practice generosity? What do you have to do? What happens when you're generous to others? We're in the middle of our sermon series surrounding the capital campaign and have a lot to discuss, not just about money, but about the state of our hearts.

We kick off a new sermon series this week based on our Capital Campaign - Our Legacy, Our Future: Faithfully Together. Unity has been a faithful church for over 260 years, and that doesn't happen by accident. There are many people who have intentionally worshiped, prayed, and given throughout these years to see that what we have today exists. We will talk about their faithfulness and ours as we begin this new series.

Our last metaphor for God is wind, which happens to share a definition in Greek with Spirit. Like the wind, God is an invisible force with a very visible presence, and also a bit of mystery. We don't know where the wind comes from or often where it is going, and we certainly don't have much control over it. But it can be used to power our lives in very positive ways.

"God is a consuming fire..." This is our metaphor for the week. Most of us have never refined silver or gold, but most of us have been through tough times where God is seeking to purify us. The fire can be a metaphor for the challenges or tough circumstances of life. This is the place where we come closer to God, reaching out to Him in a way that our comfortable lives don't allow.

Why don't we offer sacrifices to God the way the Israelites did in the Old Testament? Why you don't bring a lamb to church with you? Have you ever wondered how that changed? This week in our Indescribable God series, Pastor David looks at how we are meant to be a living sacrifice for God, and what that means we should do with our lives.

Another way we try to understand our indescribable God is by equating God to a loving parent. A nurturing mother. A loving father. A mentor we can follow. Someone who wants the best for us, who guides us and has our best interests in mind. We will look at this metaphor of God as our parent this week in worship as we continue our Indescribable God series.

We try to describe an immense God by giving him certain attributes and using similes and metaphors. In the second week of our series "Indescribable God," Pastor David takes a look at God as the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd watches over his flock, caring for them and making sure their needs are met and that predators are kept away.

How do you describe the indescribable? Throughout the Bible, the authors use metaphors to try to give us ideas about God - God is like a rock, or a loving father, or a lamb, or the wind. These give us a picture of a specific attribute of God. This week, Pastor David looks at God as our foundation, a steadfast rock on which we can always rely.

It's the third week of Advent and our characters this week are the Shepherds. These were outcasts, the poorest on the fringe of society, yet they were the first to hear of the birth of the Christ Child. Why were they chosen? What do we learn about how to treat others by looking at the shepherds? Who around us needs to be seen and needs the kindness of Christmas?

As we continue to look at the Characters of Christmas, Pastor Dana takes a look at Mary and Joseph. What trust did they have to have in the angels and in the promises of God? Do we put our trust in God or are we so skeptical that we miss the miracles God has planned for us?

The season of Advent begins this week, where we will take a look at the Characters of Christmas. We begin with the prophets, and their promise of the coming Messiah. 

This week in worship, we finish the story of Joseph as he comes face to face with his brothers after 20 years. How does he respond? Will he repay them for their evil toward him? Or will he find a way to reconciliation? And what about us? When evil is done to us, do we respond by putting out more evil in the world or can we find a way to bless our enemies?