Announcing our 2025 Stewardship Campaign: “The Next 60 Years”

Calendar of Events and Worship Themes

On the heels of celebrating our 60th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary celebration, we want to look ahead at our next 60 years. What can we do now to ensure a vibrant and spirit-filled congregation for future generations?

They say that the wise not only live for the present moment, but plant seeds that blesses many generations to follow.

C’mon out and join us for the next few weeks for our 2025 stewardship campaign, “The Next 60 Years.” Like always, a vibrant children’s program and Sunday School are offered every Sunday morning during our worship hour, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Sunday, November 3rd at 10 a.m. at church: “The Next 60 Years” Part One

Saturday, November 9th at 10 a.m. at church: United Women in Faith Gathering

Sunday, November 10th at 10 a.m. at church: “The Next 60 Years” Part Two. At this service, third graders will also receive their very first Bibles!

Saturday, November 16th at church: A baby shower for Pastor Lydia at 1 p.m., whose baby girl is scheduled to arrive between Christmas and January! Here is a link to their family’s baby registry.

Sunday, November 17th at 10 a.m. at church: “The Next 60 Years” Part Three. At this service, finance leaders, Chris Green and Renu Taghaboni will also present budget charts to show the congregation how our tithes strengthen our ministries.

Sunday, November 24 at 10 a.m. at church: Stewardship Campaign Finale! Congregants will be invited to come forward to dedicate their pledge commitments for 2025. After the service, we will celebrate with a Thanksgiving potluck!

Saturday, November 30th at 10 a.m. at church: Everyone is invited to church for coffee, donuts, Christmas crafts and decorating the church for the season of Advent! Kids will also make their own Advent wreaths!

Fall at Walnut United Methodist Church

The season of fall has traditionally been celebrated with gatherings, harvests, abundance, and reflection. Join us for these exciting events together, as we sink our feet into all the blessings of fall.

Beginning Tuesday, September 24th, Pastor Lydia will host one hour drop-in Lectio Divina Bible Studies on zoom. These will take place every Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. Join whenever you want and are available. To join on zoom, go to: www.zoom.us/join

(ID: 856 0216 1210 and Passcode: 088200)

Sunday, September 22nd at 10 a.m. at church: A Sunday service ushering in the season of Autumn

Sunday, September 29th at 10 a.m. at church: Our traditional Sunday service

Sunday, October 6th: 60th: Diamond Jubilee Anniversary Celebration beginning at 10 a.m. at church! Lunch and entertainment to follow.

Saturday, October 12 at 10:00 a.m. at church: United Women in Faith Gathering

Sunday, October 13th at 10 a.m. at church: Blessing of the Animals service! Companion animals invited to our service to be blessed!

Sunday, October 20th at 10 a.m. at church: Laity Sunday! The kids and youth will also have a pumpkin patch during Sunday School!

Sunday, October 27th at 10 a.m. at church: All Saints Sunday, where we remember all of those who transitioned from this life to the next in 2024. You are also invited to wear Halloween costumes to church! The kids and youth will celebrate with a Halloween party during Sunday School!

Join us for our new summer series!

As we celebrate the Summer Solstice on June 20th, we officially mark the start of the summer season. Historically and agriculturally, summer has been a time set aside for rest and play as a way to celebrate the hard labor we put in during the spring season. The summer weather also facilitates such energy! We schedule vacations to relax and times to go to the beach to watch the waves and play in the sand.

The Bible has a lot to say about rest and renewal, and it would be beneficial for us to harken back to these important passages to resist the modern pressurized culture we live in now that links our worth with what we produce.

Join us for this important, life-changing series.

June 23, 2024: The Sabbath Was Made for People, Not Vice-Versa (Mark 2:23-3:6)

June 30, 2024: The Point of Prayer (Matthew 11:28-30)

July 7, 2024 (Pastor Lydia’s husband, Dr. James Rogers to preach on this day!): Our Strength Lies in Our Weakness (1 Corinthians 1:20-29)

July 14, 2024: Meditation (Psalm 77:11-15)

July 21, 2024: Celebration (Psalm 95:1-7)

Our Newest Sermon Series: Let’s Do This

The Spring equinox just took place on March 19th and agriculturally, the spring is a time to plant seeds and do the hard work of growing an abundant harvest that we can gather in the fall. Growing a healthy garden not only includes putting in the labor; it requires having the foresight to plant in nourishing soil, to have the courage to prune when necessary, and finally, practice patience as we wait for results.

When my son is ready to do something fun but requires commitment and diligence on his part, he rolls up his sleeves and yells, “Let’s Do This!”

The hibernation season of winter is over. The adventurous days of summer have yet to arrive. The harvest gathering of the fall is two whole seasons away. Let’s fully live into the spirit of spring by rolling up our sleeves and putting in the hard work of making our lives and the lives of those around us better. Let’s do this! And most importantly, together! Let’s do this together!

Sunday, April 7th: Decide to bloom where you are planted (Jeremiah 29:1-7). This is also a Communion Sunday! (Our Director of Young People Ministries, Navraj Kaler will preach and The Rev. Miguel DeGuzman will preside over communion.)

Sunday, April 14th: Know that you are chosen (Isaiah 6:1-8)

Sunday, April 21st: Make changes (Luke 19:1-10) and celebrating Earth Day!

Sunday, April 28th: Take responsibility (Matthew 7:3-5)

Sunday, May 5th: Trust God to provide everything you need along the way (Exodus 4:1-17)

Journey with Us Through Lent to Easter

In the very middle of the Bible, we open it up to the book of Psalms, which Bible scholars state, most reveals the heart of God.

Songs of praise, songs of grief, songs of repentance, the Psalms contains every human emotion and how God meets us wherever we are at.

Throughout this season of Lent, we will explore the following renown Psalms to draw nearer to the heart of our God.

In addition to these services, our Lenten Bible Study will take place every Thursday between February 15th and March 21st at 7 p.m. on zoom. To join on zoom, go to www.zoom.us/join and type in this info: Meeting ID: 856 0216 1210. Passcode: 088200

Ash Wednesday, February 14th at 12 p.m. A Service of Ashes (Psalm 51)

Sunday, February 18 at 10 a.m. The Trees (Psalm 1)

Sunday, February 25 at 10 a.m. God Alone (Psalm 62)

Sunday, March 3 at 10 a.m. God’s Dwelling Place (Psalm 84)

Sunday, March 10 at 10 a.m. The Angels (Psalm 91) *A reminder that today is Daylight Savings.

Sunday, March 17 at 10 a.m. Being Known (Psalm 139)

Sunday, March 24 at 10 a.m. Palm Sunday (Psalm 98) On this Sunday, the children will prepare for Easter Sunday by decorating Easter baskets in Sunday School.

Thursday, March 28 at 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday. A service of remembering The Last Supper.

Friday, March 29 at 7 p.m. Good Friday. A service of remembering Jesus’ crucifixion.

Sunday, March 31st at 10 a.m. Easter Sunday. A potluck breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the kids’ Easter egg hunt will follow the service.

Happy New Year!

Join us for our brand new sermon series: “The Spiritual Wisdom of Our Favorite Children’s Books”

Before I had children, I never read children’s books in my adulthood. After I had children, I was inundated by them and occasionally, I came across one that stopped me in my tracks and brought tears to my eyes. The beauty and art of children’s books is that they seem simple on the face of it but are packed with layers of meaning and wisdom. So, let’s begin the new year by enlivening our child-like nature and enter into a world full of enchantment and wonder!

Sunday, January 7: Stone Soup

Sunday, January 14: How Tom Beat Captain Najork and His Hired Sportsmen

Sunday, January 21: Where the Wild Things Are

Sunday, January 28: Little Owl Lost

Sunday, February 4: The Velveteen Rabbit

Sunday: February 11: Katy No-Pocket

Join Us for Advent and Christmas!

Our Sunday Services are at 10 a.m. and a vibrant Sunday School and nursery are offered for kids of all ages.

Sunday, December 3rd at 10 a.m. “The Heart that Grew Three Sizes” Part One: “The Grinch Within Each of Us.”

Sunday, December 10th at 10 a.m. “The Heart that Grew Three Sizes” Part Two: “When Christmas Isn’t Christmas.” The choir will also present an Advent mini-cantata this morning!

Sunday, December 17th at 10 a.m. “The Heart that Grew Three Sizes” Part Three: “When Light Shines.”

Sunday, December 24th at 10 a.m.“The Heart that Grew Three Sizes” Part Four: “Joy Is Our Song,” featuring the children’s Christmas pageant!

Sunday, December 24th at 7 p.m. Our candlelight Family Christmas Eve service. This is one of the most beautiful and joyful services of our year.