 Fruitland United Methodist Church July 26, 2026 *(Please stand if you are comfortably able.) Prelude: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” Welcoming the Light of Christ and inviting the neighborhood to worship. Welcome and Announcements Jay W. & Jorge R. Call to Worship Leader: In a world filled with fear and uncertainty, we gather in the name of Christ. People: Our hope is in the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Leader: When we are weak, the Spirit prays for us. People: When we are afraid, God’s love surrounds us. Leader: Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God. People: Let us worship the God whose love never fails! *Sharing the Peace of Christ Leader: The peace of Christ be with you always. People: And also with you. (Please share the peace of Christ with one another.) *Opening Hymn: “Song of Hope” TFWS 2186 Opening Prayer: Faithful and loving God, we thank You for gathering us once again in Your presence. In a world filled with anxiety and division, remind us that our hope is found not in human power but in Your unfailing love. Open our hearts to Your Word, strengthen us through Your Holy Spirit, and teach us to live as faithful witnesses of the Kingdom of God. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 1st Scripture Reading: Psalm 105:1-11 UMH 828 Jay W. Story Time with Young Christians: Pastor Jorge Community Expressions Jay & Jorge Hymn: “Holy, Holy, Holy/ Santo, Santo, Santo” TFWS 2007 Thanksgiving and Celebration. Prayers for healing and wholeness. Prayers for our community and the world. Let us pray. The Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father, who art in heaven . . . “ Invitation to Generosity Pastor Jorge As God has freely given us every good gift, let us respond with grateful hearts through our tithes and offerings, trusting that God will use them to bring hope and healing to the world. Offertory: “Be Still, My Soul” *Doxology: “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow . . .” UMH 95 *Prayer of Dedication: Gracious God, receive these gifts as signs of our gratitude and trust. Use them to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to serve our neighbors, and to build Your Kingdom of justice, mercy, and peace. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen. 2nd Scripture Reading: Romans 8: 26-39 (Pew bible 1757) Jay W. Hymn of Preparation: “Sanctuary” TFWS 2164 Sermon: “Nothing Can Separate Us from the Love of God” Rev. Jorge R. Romans 8:26-39 We are living in times when many people feel afraid—afraid of the future, the economy, social change, immigration, the loss of influence, and those who think differently. When fear enters the heart, we often begin to look for security in the wrong places. We look for security in power, governments, borders, weapons, strong leaders, and political parties. Sometimes even the Church can fall into the temptation of believing that, in order to save the Christian faith, we must control the government, gain political power, or confuse the Kingdom of God with a nation, a flag, an ideology, or a political party. This way of thinking is often called Christian nationalism. Christian nationalism blends faith in Jesus Christ with national identity. It presents one nation as specially chosen by God and may suggest that defending the interests of the nation is the same as defending the interests of God. But we must ask: Can the Kingdom of God be reduced to one nation? Can the cross of Christ become a symbol of political power? Can the Church fulfill its mission by controlling the government? Can the gospel be protected by force? The apostle Paul wrote Romans 8 to a Church that had no political power. The Christians in Rome did not control the government, the army, the courts, or the emperor. They were a small and vulnerable community. Yet Paul did not tell them to take control of Rome. He told them, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness.” The hope of the Church was not in the emperor, but in the Holy Spirit. The security of the Church was not in the Roman army, but in the love of God. The strength of the Church was not found in controlling structures of power, but in Christ crucified and risen. Paul says, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know what we ought to pray for.” There are moments when we do not know what to say. There are moments when words are not enough. There are moments when suffering is too deep. We see violence, injustice, deportations, discrimination, war, and families being separated, and we do not know how to pray. Yet the Spirit intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. God hears the prayers we cannot speak. God hears the mother who fears for her child. God hears the immigrant who lives in fear. God hears the person who has lost a job. God hears the one waiting for a medical diagnosis. God hears the lonely, the tired, and the discouraged. When our words come to an end, the Spirit continues to pray. Christian nationalism often presents a faith that is strong, triumphant, and powerful, a faith that always has answers and never admits weakness. But Paul gives us another image: a Church that confesses, “We do not know. We cannot. We need help.” True faith does not begin by saying, “We have all the power.” True faith begins by saying, “We are weak, but the Spirit helps us.” Paul also says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” This does not mean that everything that happens is good. Illness is not good. Injustice is not good. Racism is not good. The separation of families is not good. The abuse of power is not good. War and death are not good. Paul is not saying that God causes all suffering. He is saying that suffering will not have the final word. God can bring life where others have planted death. God can bring hope where others have planted fear. God can bring reconciliation where others have planted division. God does not abandon God’s people in suffering. God enters into suffering, hears the groaning, accompanies those who weep, and sustains those who have lost their strength. Our hope does not depend on everything turning out the way we want. Our hope depends on God remaining with us. Paul asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” These words have sometimes been used in the wrong way. Some say, “God is on the side of our nation,” or “God is on the side of our political party.” But the better question is not only, “Is God on our side?” The question is, “Are we on God’s side?” Are we on the side of justice, mercy, truth, the hungry, the stranger, the poor, and those who have no voice? God cannot be owned by a nation. God does not belong to any political party. God is Lord of all nations and loves all peoples. Every human being is created in the image of God. When Paul says, “If God is for us,” he is not celebrating the superiority of one people over another. He is proclaiming that no power can destroy the loving purpose of God. Paul continues, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all.” Here we find the heart of the gospel. God did not save the world by sending an army, conquering a government, or imposing a religion. God saved the world by giving himself in love. Jesus did not come riding on a war horse. He entered Jerusalem on a humble donkey. Jesus did not call his disciples to dominate, but to serve. He did not conquer from a palace, but from a cross. When the Church seeks power in order to protect the gospel, it runs the risk of losing the gospel while gaining the power. When the Church gets too close to the throne, it may move away from the cross. When the Church blesses the actions of the government without questioning them, it stops being a prophetic voice. The Church is not called to serve power. The Church is called to serve Christ, and to serve Christ means to serve “the least of these.” Paul then asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Shall trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword? Paul does not promise a life without difficulty. He does not say that believers will never suffer or that a Christian government will prevent our trials. He declares that none of these things can separate us from the love of Christ. Our security is not that nothing bad will ever happen to us. Our security is that, no matter what happens, God will not abandon us. Our security is not in controlling the future. Our security is in belonging to Christ. Our security is not in a strong nation. Our security is in a love that never fails. Paul declares, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” To be conquerors does not mean dominating other people, imposing our beliefs, defeating political enemies, or always being in control. We are more than conquerors when hatred fails to turn us into hateful people. We are more than conquerors when fear fails to take away our compassion. We are more than conquerors when violence fails to make us violent. We are more than conquerors when power fails to corrupt our witness. We are more than conquerors when we continue to love, serve, forgive, and defend human dignity. The world may say that winning means dominating. Jesus teaches us that winning means loving to the end. The world may say that winning means destroying the enemy. Jesus teaches us that winning means loving the enemy. The world may say that winning means standing above others. Jesus teaches us that winning means kneeling to wash the feet of others. Paul concludes by saying, “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Not governments. Not political parties. Not elections. Not social changes. Not economic crises. Not borders. Not persecution. Not the powers of this world. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. We do not need to live in fear. We do not need to cling to power. We do not need to turn the Church into a political instrument. We do not need to defend God as though God were weak. God does not need us to conquer the world for him. God calls us to love the world with him. Our mission is not to build a Christian nation. Our mission is to bear witness to the Kingdom of God—a Kingdom where the last are first, the poor receive good news, the stranger is welcomed, enemies are loved, mercy triumphs over judgment, and power is expressed through service. In these times of division and fear, let us remember who we are. We are the people of the cross. We are a community guided by the Spirit. We are people sustained by the love of God. Our hope is not in Washington, any president, any political party, military strength, the economy, or borders. Our hope is in Jesus Christ. When we do not know how to pray, the Spirit prays for us. When we suffer, God is with us. When the powers of this world try to divide us, the love of Christ holds us together. When fear tells us to protect ourselves by rejecting others, the gospel reminds us that we are called to love. And when we think that everything is lost, we hear the promise again: Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. May our highest loyalty always be to Christ. May our highest banner be the cross. May our strength be the Holy Spirit. And may our way of overcoming always be love. Amen. Prayer of Affirmation of Faith Gracious God, we thank You for the assurance that nothing can separate us from Your love in Christ Jesus. Strengthen our faith, renew our hope, and fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we may live as faithful disciples, serving You with courage, loving our neighbors with compassion, and proclaiming Your grace wherever You send us. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. Song of Response: “Make me a Channel Of your Peace” TFWS 2171 *Benediction: Go into the world with confidence, knowing that the Holy Spirit prays for you when words fail, Christ walks beside you in every trial, and the love of God will never let you go. Neither life nor death, neither things present nor things to come, nor anything else in all creation can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen. *Song of Blessing: “Everything We Do is for the Glory Of God” (No hymn number) Postlude: “Blessed Assurance” Pastor Jorge Rodriguez [email protected]
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 Fruitland United Methodist Church July 19, 2026 Prelude: “Come, ye Thankful People Come” by George Elvey *(Please stand if you are comfortably able.) Welcoming the Light of Christ and inviting the neighborhood to worship. Welcome and Announcements Liturgist Call to Worship Leader: The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. People: We come to worship the Creator of heaven and earth. Leader: God’s creation declares God’s glory day after day. People: We join all creation in offering our praise. Leader: Christ calls us to live as faithful stewards of all God has entrusted to us. People: Fill us with your Spirit, O Lord, that we may care for your world and reflect your love. *Sharing the Peace of Christ *Opening Hymn: “Shout to the Lord” TFWS 2074 Opening Prayer: Creator God, every good and perfect gift comes from you. Open our eyes to see your presence in the beauty of creation and in the people around us. Teach us to live as faithful stewards of all you have entrusted to us. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so that our lives may reflect your love, our hands may serve with compassion, and our hearts may rejoice in your goodness. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Official Announcement Rev. Jorge Rodriguez Scripture Reading: Psalm 8 Read responsively. UMH 743 Liturgist Children’s Time: Pastor Jorge Community Expressions Leslie & Rev, Jorge Hymn: “Holy, Holy, Holy/ Santo, Santo, Santo” TFWS 2007 Thanksgiving and Celebration. Prayers for healing and wholeness. Prayers for our community and the world. Let us pray. The Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father, who art in heaven . . . “ Invitation to Generosity Pastor Jorge Offertory: “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by William Runyan, arranged by Marianne Kim *Doxology: Praise God, from whom all blessings flow . . .UMH 95 *Prayer of Dedication: Gracious God, all that we have comes from your generous hand. Receive these gifts and our lives as offerings of thanksgiving. Use them to care for your people, proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, and bring hope to your world. In the name of Christ we pray. Amen. Scripture Readings: Romans 8: 12-25 (Pew bible 1757) Liturgist Hymn: “Grace Alone” TFWS 2162 Sermon: “When Creation Groans” Pastor Jorge Romans 8:12–25 There are some questions that sound very modern, but in reality they are deeply spiritual. Why should I care about the environment? What difference does it make if I recycle one bottle, turn off one light, or use a little less water? My small effort is not going to change the world. Some people tell us that climate change is exaggerated. Others say the science is still uncertain, so perhaps we should simply wait and see. And besides, aren't we Christians? Shouldn't we be more concerned about heaven than about earth? After all, this world is temporary. One day God will create a new heaven and a new earth. So why worry about this one? Those are honest questions. If anyone were going to tell us not to worry about this world, it would probably be the Apostle Paul. After all, Paul constantly points us toward eternity. He tells us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ, to press on toward the goal, and to live for the Kingdom that is to come. So we might expect Paul to say, "Don't spend too much time worrying about the earth." But Paul surprises us. He writes these remarkable words: "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God... We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now." The whole creation is groaning—not just people, not just believers, but creation itself. The forests, the rivers, the oceans, the skies, and every living creature are waiting with hope. They are not waiting for a new government, a scientific breakthrough, or a technological invention. Creation is waiting for the children of God to become who God created them to be. This tells us something important. Salvation has never been only about getting our souls into heaven. God's plan has always been much bigger than that. Through Jesus Christ, God is reconciling, restoring, and redeeming all creation. Everything God has made is included in His plan of redemption. At the same time, we must be clear about something. We do not worship nature. We are not tree worshipers or mountain worshipers, nor do we believe that the earth is divine. We are disciples of Jesus Christ, and we worship the Creator alone. Yet because we love the Creator, we honor His creation. Think about visiting an art museum. No one would touch a priceless painting with dirty hands or intentionally damage a masterpiece. We honor the artist by caring for the artwork. In the same way, every mountain, every river, every forest, every flower, every bird, and every sunrise bears the fingerprints of God. Psalm 8 reminds us, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers... what are human beings that you are mindful of them?" Whenever we stand before the beauty and greatness of creation, we discover two truths at the same time. We realize how great God is, and we realize how small we are. Yet the psalm continues by saying that God has crowned humanity with glory and honor. Imagine that. The God who created galaxies also knows your name. Then we encounter a word that has often been misunderstood: dominion. For many people, dominion has meant permission to exploit, consume, and destroy. But that is not the biblical meaning. God exercises authority by loving, protecting, providing, and caring. Therefore, when God gives humanity dominion over creation, He is calling us to care for His world as He cares for us. We are not owners of the earth; we are stewards. The world still belongs to the Lord. Paul gives us another beautiful image when he says that creation is experiencing the pains of childbirth. He does not describe the pains of death but the pains of birth. There is an enormous difference. Birth pains announce that something beautiful is about to happen. God has not abandoned this world. He is preparing its restoration. Until that day comes, He invites us to participate in His work. Every tree we plant, every stream we protect, every act of kindness toward God's creatures, every effort to reduce waste, and every decision to live more simply becomes a small sign of God's coming Kingdom. Not because we believe we can save the planet—only Jesus Christ can fully restore creation—but because citizens of God's Kingdom are called to live differently. Someone may still say, "Pastor, I'm only one person." That is true. One person cannot change the whole world, but each of us can make a difference in the small part of the world God has entrusted to our care. A family can teach children to respect creation. A church can reduce waste. A neighborhood can plant trees. A believer can choose gratitude instead of endless consumption. The Kingdom of God has always begun with small seeds, and Jesus never despised small beginnings. Sometimes I imagine creation as one great choir. The mountains sing. The rivers sing. The birds sing. The trees sing. Even the wind sings. Everything God has made proclaims His glory. Yet Paul reminds us that today this choir sings through groans. Creation is waiting for us to sing our part. When God's sons and daughters live according to the Spirit, creation itself begins to breathe hope once again. Brothers and sisters, our calling is not simply to wait for heaven. Our calling is to bring a little bit of heaven to earth. We worship the Creator, and because we worship Him, we care for what He loves. Every act of care becomes an act of worship. Every responsible decision becomes a testimony of faith. Every thoughtful choice proclaims that this world still belongs to the Lord. For creation is still waiting—waiting for the revealing of the children of God. May God help us to be those people. Amen. Prayer of Confession: Merciful God, we confess that we have often taken your gifts for granted. We have failed to love our neighbors as ourselves and have not always cared for the world you created. Forgive us for our selfishness, our wastefulness, and our indifference. Renew us by your Holy Spirit so that we may live as faithful disciples, honoring you by caring for your people and your creation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Words of Assurance: Hear the Good News: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven, renewed, and called to live as God’s beloved children. Through the Holy Spirit, God gives us the strength to walk in newness of life and to serve faithfully in God’s Kingdom. Thanks be to God! Amen. Closing Hymn: “For the Beauty of the Earth” – UMH #92 *Benediction: Go into the world as children of God, filled with the Holy Spirit. Honor the Creator by caring for one another and for the world God has entrusted to us. May your lives reflect the hope of Christ until the day when all creation rejoices in God’s glorious freedom. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen. *Song of Blessing: “Go Tell it on the Mountain” UMH 251 Postlude: “The Heavens are Telling” by Franz Josef Haydn Pastor Jorge Rodriguez [email protected]  Fruitland United Methodist Church Sunday, July 12th Preaching: Rev. Jorge Rodriguez Liturgist: Letha Essinger Sermon: “HOW MUCH IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT WORTH?” Scripture: Psalm 119: 105-112, Genesis 25:19-34  Fruitland United Methodist Church
Sunday, July 5th *(Please stand if you are comfortably able.) Prelude: “America the Beautiful” by Samuel Ward, arranged by Carolyn Stevens Welcoming the Light of Christ and inviting the neighborhood to worship. Welcome and Announcements Holly H. Call to Worship from Pastor David Tripp O God, Searcher of all our hearts, you have formed us as a people and claimed us for your own. Congregation: As we come to acknowledge your sovereignty and grace, and to enter anew into covenant with you, reveal any reluctance or falsehood within us. All: Let your Spirit impress your truth on our inmost being, and receive us in mercy, for the sake of our Mediator, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. *Sharing the Peace of Christ *Opening Hymn: “Lift Every Voice and Sing” UMH 519 Opening Prayer: Faithful God, when we face mountains we do not understand, remind us that you are with us. Give us courage to trust when answers are few, hope when the path is difficult, and faith to believe that you will provide. Open our hearts to your Word and guide us by your Spirit. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Scripture Reading: Psalm 72 Read responsively. UMH 795 Time With Young Christians: Chase (Please write prayer concerns and celebrations on yellow notepads, to be collected.) Community Expressions Chase and Holly Hymn: “Holy, Holy, Holy/ Santo, Santo, Santo” TFWS 2007 Thanksgiving and Celebration. Prayers for healing and wholeness. Prayers for our community and the world. Let us pray. The Lord’s Prayer: “Our Faither, who art in heaven . . . “ Invitation to Generosity Chase Van Weerdhuizen Offertory: “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” by Randy Travis *Doxology: Praise God, from whom all blessings flow . . . UMH 95 *Prayer of Dedication: Gracious God, all that we have comes from your hand. Receive these gifts and use them for the work of your kingdom. Help us to be faithful stewards of your grace and instruments of your love in the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Scripture Readings: Romans 7: 15-25a Liturgist Matthew 11: 16-19 25-30 Hymn: “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love” TFWS 2162 Message: “Our American Story” Chase Van Weerdhuizen Prayer of Confession by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thou eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being, we humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds; and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us. All: And so, as we look within ourselves, we are confrontd with the appalling fact that the history of our lives is the history of an eternal revolt against you. But thou, O God, have mercy upon us. Forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be. Give us the intelligence to know your will. Give us the courage to do your will. Give us the devotion to love your will. In the name and spirit of Jesus, we pray. Amen *Sing: “Battle Hymn of the Republic” UMH 717 *Benediction: Lord God Almighty, we pause with grateful hearts to thank You for the gift of freedom and blessings of this great land. We remember the sacrifices of those who came before us and honor the vision of liberty that inspired them. We pray for your continued protection over our nation, and for your guidance in righting our wrongs. May our lives shine as a light in the world. In your name. Amen Postlude: “Ring the Bells of Heaven!” by George Root Pastor Jorge Rodriguez [email protected] |