Podcast appearances and mentions of michelle morris

Acts 10:9-35 On this Fathers' Day weekend, what better way to celebrate than looking at this passage that is arguably the foundation for the best BBQ ever! Especially because neighbors can now truly eat beside one another.

Luke 24:28-32 and Genesis 14:1-8 These stories both have surprise guests who make an appearance. Luckily, both the people walking to Emmaus and Abraham were all ready for just such an event. Are we?

Acts 2:1-11 Pentecost empowers everyone to hear the Good News. How well do we do at making space for all of those voices to praise God together? As we open the doors to another service, let's recommit ourselves to affirming that All Are Welcome.

Exodus 2:23-25; Genesis 35:1-8 This Sunday marks one year from the tornado, but it is also Memorial Day weekend. Both invite us to reflection on what it means to remember and honor the past, and move forward at the same time.

John 12:23-28 On the other side of Easter, we will look at how things that look like death actually give rise to new life. This sermon will also include an update on the State of the Church, as we are in a season of tremendous growth and loss at the same time, and we will explore what it means to be Resurrection people in just such a season.

Luke 24:36-53 God took our worst disaster and turned it into our greatest hope. Not only did the disaster have no power; the mitigation of the resurrection transformed our world into something so much better – a life where we are saved by and can follow Jesus Christ!

Luke 23:13-25, 44-46 On this Palm Sunday, we often kick off our service with the celebration of the people shouting Hosanna. But shortly after that, many of those same people will be shouting “Crucify him! Crucify him!” That thunderous crowd calling down judgment on Jesus is the true storm of disaster. The crucifixion that follows is the destruction it unleashes. Everything is disrupted now.

Luke 10:25-37 When disaster hits, it is time to ignore those divisions among us and help our neighbors, beyond barriers and whatever the cost. The Good Samaritan models for us how to do that beautifully.

Luke 4:1-13 The temptation in Luke involves the Devil trying to mislead Jesus into different (ultimately disastrous) possibilities. Jesus is prepared to keep the Devil at bay. But the passage also ends with these ominous words: “After finishing every temptation, the devil departed from him until the next opportunity.” Disaster may have been averted for now, but it is coming.

Exodus 1:15-20 The story of Shiphrah and Puah show two women who were willing to do what God wants instead of what Pharaoh wants. As a result, the Israelites multiply and become stronger. What does God ask of us? To bring 10% of what we have to him. Imagine if we all actually did that? We would not have any issues of funding in our church. None. But while we work to that point, imagine if just 2 of us who are not giving do start tithing? What happens then? And what happens when we start tithing to our relationship with money? We get a peace we haven't had before. The conference is sure learning that.

Exodus 1:15-20 The story of Shiphrah and Puah shows two women who were willing to do what God wants instead of what Pharaoh wants. As a result, the Israelites multiply and become stronger. What does God ask of us? To bring 10% of what we have to him. Imagine if we all actually did that? We would not have any issues of funding in our church. None. But while we work to that point, imagine if just 2 of us who are not giving do start tithing? What happens then? And what happens when we start tithing to our relationship with money? We get a peace we haven't had before. The conference is sure learning that.

Genesis 6:17-22; Genesis 8:14-22 This sermon will introduce the stewardship emphasis in 2025, and how the pairs of animals will multiply and fill all the earth. But with such precious and limited cargo, why does Noah sacrifice animals first thing off the boat? Perhaps there is a lesson in trusting God.

Leviticus 14:1-9 Sharing a story of raising a child with a skin disease, Pastor Michelle shares how Leviticus turned from a book of harsh laws to a handbook for inclusive communal life. See our worship broadcasts at: https://www.youtube.com/@FUMCBentonville

Genesis 2:15-25 Sometimes we come across a story in the Bible that we are sure we know. When we actually read it though, it is full of surprises. And the more we learn, the more the story becomes. This week Pastor Michelle will take us through the Adam and Eve Creation story in a way that is probably new to you. Come and be surprised!

Luke 2:1-20 We finish with the best story - the birth of Christ! This is good news - news that would make us tear open the shutters and throw up the sash!

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Both Bentonville and Corinth get to draw strength from the incredible diversity and the energy of our towns. With such giftedness, there are no limits to what each church can do for Christ!

1 Kings 17:8-1 We will look at the story of miracles of care. When we are at our most desperate, so often a miracle occurs that saves our very lives.

Matthew 2:1-12 What gifts do we bring? We will look at how bringing something to the most vulnerable and the ones we love can make a small and a big difference – and both matter in God's world.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 We will reflect on the State of the Church, and in particular, we will look at how our work as a church where as to where "All Are Welcome" is going. If we are to be truly living into that reality, then we will have to face the fact that all of us will feel unwelcome sometimes. It is about having enough humility to love in the midst of difference.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Both Bentonville and Corinth get to draw strength from the incredible diversity and the energy of our towns. With such giftedness, there are no limits to what each church can do for Christ!

1 Corinthians 11:17-26

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Revelation 21:1-7 In the end, we find our hope! It is hard fought and we are battle-scarred, but ultimately, as followers of Christ, we know that we will find ourselves in a place of peace and healing. We will affirm this without belittling what we have been through. Suffering is very real, but so is the power of Christ's redemption and love.

Revelation 16:12-21 Ever find yourself in an awful situation, something you barely think you have the strength to survive? And then ever have ANOTHER awful thing happen to you? As we look at this stretch of Revelation, we will dive into times when things just seem to keep getting worse and worse. How do we find hope in those times?

Revelation 5:1-6:8 It is natural when we go through something hard to wonder what is making all of this happen. It is also natural to lay the blame at the feet of God. And it is natural to then question whether that makes sense at all too. As we explore this passage of Revelation, we will make space for that ambiguous reality in the midst of struggle.

Revelation 1:9-20   We open this series with some discussion on the value of seeing the Book of Revelation as a companion in the journey of difficult times in life. We will also address the struggle of interpreting this book, ultimately giving us permission to stop trying to unravel the mystery, and instead, let the story carry us along.

Genesis 11: 1-9 What is the First Commandment God gives humanity? It's not what you think. Listen and learn how we can better follow.

John 15:12-13 Both Jesus and Baymax are not merely human, but may be the most human of all of us. Both came to bring healing. And both give their lives for others – friends and enemies alike. There is no greater hero than these.

1 Samuel 16:1-13 These two characters seemed like the least of their families. Turns out, they were incredibly special. There's a lesson here: look with God's eyes, not ours.

Matthew 27:1-10; Acts 1:15-20 Two stories for each villain - one in which the character is unredeemably evil; one in which the character is misunderstood and sympathetic. With these figures, we will see the lines between hero and villain are often blurred.

Job 1:6-12; Revelation 20:7-10 We start out looking at those who appear to be friends or at least part of the group, but then become those we must battle against. Does that come from a change in them or a change in our relationship with them?

2 Kings 11:1-20 We hear a story from the Bible that is essentially the story of the Lion King (which is a retelling of Hamlet). What is it about this story of family destruction that is so deep in our human condition?

Genesis 1: 1-5 In the last of the sermons in this series, we look at the First Person of the Trinity: God the Creator. But we will also use this sermon to talk about what the Trinity means in the first place.

Romans 5:6-11; Hebrews 9:11-15; Philippians 2:5-13 In a small, unofficial poll of adults in our church in which Pastor Michelle asked about topics related to Jesus, unanimously people want to know more about how to understand atonement, which is the saving work Jesus does on our behalf. There is more than one way to approach the atonement, and we will examine 3 in this sermon.

Acts 28:11-16, 30-31 Paul finally makes it to Rome and settles into this place that was meant to be a stop on the road, but that became his destination. In the journeys we take, we often find that the end was not in the place where we stopped, but in the journey itself, much like a life of faith.

Acts 15:12-35 Barnabas and Paul are sent out with authorization from the apostles to preach to the Gentiles. The journey is underway!

Galatians 5:13-14 We will celebrate confirmation today as a choice that these youth have made of their own free will. But we will also affirm that the choice they have made is to love their neighbor as themselves.

Acts 9:1-30 Sometimes things happen in our lives that cause us to look at things and see them differently. It happened to Saul and this week it has happened to all of us. We will find our faith in that experience. Combined 

Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Sabbath is an economic statement. It lays claim to the need to care for ourselves in order to care for others and God's world. Yet for far too many of us, Sabbath is a luxury. How do we reclaim this gift God has given us?

Let's talk about your voice.  The voice that expresses what you know, how you think, and your unique POV.   For many, maybe most – the idea of using that voice Is not just uncomfortable, but downright terrifying.    LinkedIn Top Voice, Melissa Cohen and Julie Michelle Morris understand that terror and how to help hundreds become triumphant in establishing their thought leadership and how you can too.    Today, they're the co-founders of  DIY Influence, the fast growing community on a mission to help leaders become thought leaders.    Find out:    The good news about thought leadership on LinkedIn Why engaging in comments on LinkedIn is just as important as creating content. How to start your thought leadership journey with confidence to establish and amplify your voice. Why your thought leadership is so crucial whether you're in a career transition, or not Connect with Melissa Cohen  Connect with Julie Michelle Morris  Join DIY Influence here   Connect with Loren: Book a Discovery Call  Get Your Free eBook: How To Access The Hidden Job Market LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorengreiff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portfoliorocket/ Email: Loren@portfoliorocket.com

Genesis 1:28-31 We will look at aspects of our care of creation in our Social Principles in light of the very first set of instructions God gives to humanity – to be stewards of all of the earth.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 On this April Fools' Day eve, we will acknowledge how ridiculous our faith story seems on some level, and yet we cannot imagine living with any other story. This foolish story is the beginning of hope and faith, and the means of true love.

Joel 2:1-11 Getting ready for the eclipse the next day, and also coming out of the season of Easter, we look at how people have viewed heavenly events like eclipses as apocalyptic signs, but we will also discuss the prophetic call to prepare for the Day of the Lord. It continues the prophetic call to love and care for each other or face the consequences of a world turned upside down.

Mark 17:1-17, John 2:1-11 Casting demons into pigs to save one person and saving the best wine for last both prove that foolish love creates a tremendous amount of waste – wasteful grace.

Luke 15: 11-32; Matthew 5:38-42 The prodigal son story and the turn the other cheek teaching show that foolish love ignores offenses and just seeks to love, and love abundantly. Note: the definition of prodigal is wastefully extravagant. Prodigal is better applied to the father than the son in this story. Because this shares some of the themes of the previous week, this is a good time to reflect on the response of the older brother, which is too often our own response.

Mark 7:24-29; Luke 13:10-17 This week we will look at how love inspires us to break the rules. We will center not only in the stories of the Syrophoenician and bent over women, but also in the story of Liam Bruzatori, a beautiful child who continues to challenge us to love.

Matthew 5:21-24, 18:21-35

Mark 14:1-9

Mark 10:17-31, 12:41-44