June is Pride Month across our nation, with parades, banners and many celebrations occuring in various locales. For a little history, I share the next 4 paragraphs, which come directly from the United Methodist Church & Society website: Since the year 2000, the United States has recognized June as LGBT PrideMonth. The month was chosen in memory of the 1969 riots at Stonewall Inn in Manhattan, widely considered one of the touchstones for the history of the LGBTQ rights movement. In the midst...
about 2 months ago • 10 min read
Summer is approaching, and a change in seasons brings a different rhythm, for better or worse. While summer is a great reprieve for some of us, the heat and lack of structure in the schedule provide stress for others. No matter what summer means for you, I encourage you to look at the season as an opportunity to practice Sabbath. Pastor Adam and I have been putting together a sermon series on the topic of Sabbath that I will be kicking off this Sunday. I have been reading Sabbath by Wayne...
about 2 months ago • 9 min read
I just want to use this space and time today to put a BIG shout out to Jacob Carroll, West Side's Director of Music! This Sunday will be the last Sunday of our choir as they head into summer break. Jacob of course continues on in the summer months to provide special music, musical guests and overall support with our summertime praise music as well! But in reflection of the work and passion he brings week to week -- supporting our Biblical passages, Christian calendar/lectionary themes,...
2 months ago • 10 min read
Thank God that humanity continues to evolve in how we interpret and apply the Bible to our lives!But I honestly grieve that it has taken centuries to get this point! Please note that there is still work to do on the most recent United Methodist polity change - each pastor and church at this time has a choice to comply with being inclusive and affirming. Because of this, while yet many of our LGTBQIA+ friends and family members are thankful, the reality is they still have to check with each...
2 months ago • 10 min read
What an amazing capital campaign we have just completed here at West Side Church! Last Sunday we had a special moment in worship when folks could bring their pledge cards forward to place in the offering box. Following worship, we had a celebration luncheon, where we announced that over $458,000 has been pledged to our AccessAbility Campaign!! This incredible news means that we can move forward with our projects, and soon we will figure out at what rate the pledges will come in - so we can...
3 months ago • 11 min read
One of the many blessings of being United Methodist is that we are a part of an international church, with ministries across the globe. We are not just flying solo here in Ann Arbor, but instead are connected to a family of churches and diverse ministries that exponentially multiples our faith journey and outreach. As Marilyn Kirking shared last week, currently there is a meeting called General Conference that has UMC delegates from all over the world gathered in one place, discussing,...
3 months ago • 14 min read
JOIN US AT WORSHIP THIS WEEK FOR COSTA RICA SUNDAY...APRIL 28TH! We will hear stories from our Costa Rica Mission Team this Sunday, sing some songs that they learned while serving and worshipping there, and be inspired into more faithful living! April 28 is also youth Sunday (every 4th Sunday), so they'll be assisting in worship leading as well!! AccessAbility Update By now you hopefully have received a pledge card in the mail for our AccessAbility Capital Campaign. We hope to receive those...
3 months ago • 8 min read
West Side United Methodist Church has a strong history here in Ann Arbor, dating back to 1846!If you would like to learn the detailed history of this congregation and it's origins, please let me know as we have a booklet to loan you!Our longevity and history here speaks volumes to the legacy of faith that has carried us forward. As someone who has been involved in the starting up new ministries and churches, it is such a reaffirming feeling for me to know we have a such a great foundation...
3 months ago • 8 min read
As a part of our AccessAbility Campaign, we are asking folks to share about the impact of West Side Church. Susan Pieh shares here why’s she grateful for West Side Church, along with a glimpse into her spiritual journey: Father, may I see your word as instruction, may I not see it as things to do. Westside has been a blessing in my life. I found Westside by driving around Ann Arbor when I moved here in 2004. I visited the church, the people were friendly and welcoming. My family and I became...
4 months ago • 10 min read