United Methodist Church Of Westlake Village

Send us a textWhat's a pastor to preach after Easter? With Earth Day approaching, the answer seemed obvious – celebrate God's gift of creation during this feasting season. But any honest environmental sermon must confront an uncomfortable truth: we haven't been the best caretakers of God's garden.Genesis establishes humanity's purpose with startling clarity – God placed us in the garden "to till it and to keep it." We are stewards, not owners, of this remarkable planet. As Psalm 24 reminds us, "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it." We're merely temporary tenants with responsibilities to the divine landlord and future generations. Yet our environmental report card reveals serious failings: accelerating climate change, massive food waste, plastic pollution, deforestation, water insecurity, and more. Even our technological solutions come with new environmental costs.A visit to fire-ravaged Palisades reveals both devastation and renewal. What if we

Send us a textWhat does a gardener have to do with Easter? Everything, as it turns out. Moving beyond the familiar imagery of empty tombs and stone rolled away, we explore how John's gospel subtly portrays the risen Christ as a gardener – a profound theological statement inviting us back into Eden, but this time with Jesus tending the garden alongside us.Having journeyed through Lent using the Grace of Les Miserables as our guide, we reflect on the powerful garden imagery throughout scripture. From Eden's initial divine-human partnership, to Gethsemane's night of agonizing prayer, to Revelation's vision of restored paradise, gardens mark pivotal moments in our relationship with God. The Easter garden where Mary encounters the risen Christ completes this narrative arc, suggesting that resurrection isn't just about conquering death but about restoring us to our original purpose – co-creating with God.Easter begins a fifty-day season of feasting that follows Lent's period of fasting

Send us a textGardens hold a sacred place in our spiritual journey - they're where humanity first walked with God, where Jesus prayed before his sacrifice, and where Revelation promises we'll return to paradise. In this powerful culmination of our Les Miserables series, we explore how gardens serve as transformative spaces where divine encounters reshape human hearts.Victor Hugo's masterpiece consistently returns to the garden as a place of healing and renewal. For Jean Valjean, working in the monastery garden provided essential restoration after years of imprisonment and hiding. This sacred space prepared him for his ultimate act of selfless love - sacrificing his happiness so Cosette and Marius could experience the gift of romantic love. The final reprise of "Do You Hear the People Sing" takes on profound meaning when we recognize its transformation from a political battle cry to a celebration of love's victory. While the revolutionary cause appears defeated, something more sig

Send us a textWe explore the challenge of loving our enemies through the lens of Les Misérables, wrestling with how Christians can fight injustice while still loving those who oppose us. Jesus' radical command to love enemies confronts us with perhaps our most difficult spiritual challenge, especially when facing those who actively work against what we believe is right.• The French rebellion in Les Misérables represents the ongoing struggle between empowering institutions versus respecting human dignity• Students building barricades symbolize ordinary people standing against injustice with whatever resources they have• Jesus' teaching to "love your enemies" presents a counterintuitive challenge that goes against our natural instincts• We struggle with loving truly terrible people while still opposing their harmful actions• Christians often create exceptions to the love command, deciding when God's wisdom does and doesn't apply• Historical figures like Gandhi and MLK demonstrate t

Send us a textThe bright spot in our Lenten journey through Les Misérables has arrived as we explore God's gift of love through the romantic relationship between Cosette and Marius. Their love story unfolds against a backdrop of revolution and upheaval, offering a glimpse of hope amid darkness.Victor Hugo's masterpiece reveals multiple dimensions of love throughout its narrative. We witness romantic love between young Cosette and Marius, familial love through Fantine's ultimate sacrifice for her daughter, and agape love (godly, selfless love) when Jean Valjean rescues Marius from the barricade despite his personal desire to keep Cosette for himself. What's remarkable is how these seemingly different expressions of love share a common foundation.Turning to 1 Corinthians 13, we discover Paul's powerful message to an overconfident Corinthian church. His profound contrasts cut through spiritual pride: speaking in angelic tongues without love makes one merely "a noisy gong"; unde

Send us a textThe unnamed antagonists in our lives—systemic forces like poverty, racism, corruption, and trauma—shape our stories in ways we often fail to recognize. Drawing from personal experiences fostering rescue dogs, teaching high school students, and insights from Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, this message explores how these invisible forces impact those Jesus calls us to serve.Guest Preacher Ryan Blanck introduces us to Polly, a rescue dog whose fear of men revealed a history of abuse without speaking a word. Consider Fantine, whose desperate measures to support her daughter weren't moral failings but responses to a system designed to crush her. And there's Jay, a struggling student whose test scores tell almost nothing about the real challenges he faces daily. These stories challenge our comfortable assumptions that success comes simply through hard work and determination.When Jesus speaks about the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, and imprisoned in Matthew 25, he's not just calling

Send us a textThe tension between justice and mercy creates one of life's most profound spiritual dilemmas. Through the character of Inspector Javert from Les Misérables, we explore what happens when justice becomes divorced from mercy, and a system of rules becomes an idol.Javert's obsessive pursuit of Jean Valjean spans decades, even as he witnesses evidence of Valjean's transformation and redemption. Born into poverty himself, Javert responds by becoming rigidly committed to upholding the law without exception. Where Valjean learns to accept and extend grace, Javert cannot see beyond his black-and-white understanding of justice.The climax of their relationship arrives when Javert, finally showing mercy by allowing Valjean to rescue the wounded Marius, finds himself unable to live with this transgression against his principles. His suicide raises profound questions: Can justice without mercy ever be truly just? How do we create systems that allow for redemption while maintaining boundaries? W

Send us a textGrace transforms even the most broken souls, but only if we dare to believe we're worthy of it. This powerful truth emerges as we begin our Lenten journey through Victor Hugo's masterpiece, Les Misérables, examining how theological concepts manifest in this beloved narrative.Jean Valjean's story captivates us from his first appearance—a man imprisoned nineteen years for stealing bread to feed starving children. His graceless existence changes forever when a bishop not only forgives his theft but gifts him valuable candlesticks, offering redemption when punishment seemed more fitting. This unexpected grace becomes the catalyst for Valjean's transformation, mirroring how divine love operates in our own lives.The heart of our exploration centers on Paul's profound teaching to the Ephesians: "saved by grace through faith." These seemingly simple words contain life-changing power. Why must grace come through faith? Because unconditional love remains merely theoretic

Send us a textAre there moments in your life where you felt a divine presence? Join us as we explore the power of recognition through personal stories and biblical narratives that resonate with our experiences today. From brushes with greatness involving celebrities to the profound moment of transfiguration, we delve into how these experiences shape not only our perspectives but our faith journeys. Discover why we need to engage with the extraordinary in our ordinary lives and how each encounter can be a stepping stone to deeper spiritual awakenings.We reflect on the significance of transfiguration and how it relates to our journeys as people striving for a better life. The episode invites listeners to consider how seemingly mundane moments can awaken our spirits and connect us to something greater than ourselves. Special attention is given to the idea that we are all potential “transfiguration people,” transformed by encountering Christ's love. Through humor, personal anecdotes, and profound insights, t

Send us a textThe episode delves into the challenging teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Plain, highlighting the complexities of loving one's enemies and the struggle between instinctual responses and the call to resilience through love. It explores the nature of true power and encourages trust in the divine teachings to foster humility and authentic relationships. • Reflecting on the Walk to Emmaus experience • Exploring the essence of the Sermon on the Plain • Jesus’ call to love the unlovable and its challenges • Examining fears around vulnerability and power dynamics • Humorously discussing cultural references to power in relationships • Addressing concerns over Christian nationalism and authority • Distinguishing between mandated love and lived experience • Understanding temporary versus divine power • Encouraging trust in Jesus’ teachings for a better life • Highlighting humility as a path to grace and understanding Support the show

Send us a textAudio of Pastor Darren's message from 2/16/25, "Setting Course: Getting Outside Our Walls."Support the show

Send us a textAudio of Pastor Darren's message on 2/9/25: "Setting Course: Leave Everything and Follow."Support the show

Send us a textAudio of Pastor Darren's message on 2/2/25, "A Better Life: Getting Inside and Outside."Support the show

Send us a textAudio of Pastor Darren's message on 1/26/25, "The Better Life: Why This?"Support the show

Send us a textAudio of Pastor Darren's message on 1/19/25, "Seeing the Need."Support the show

Send us a textAudio of Pastor Darren's message on 1/12/25, "It Is Well."Support the show

Send us a textAudio of Pastor Darren's message on 12/22/24, "Promise."Support the show

Send us a textAudio of our Christmas Cantata, "Appalachian Winter," presented by the Chancel Choir -- Gloria Hilliard, musical director -- on 12/15/24.Support the show

Send us a textAudio of Pastor Darren's message on 12/8/24, "Passion."Support the show

Send us a textAudio of Pastor Darren's message on 12/1/24, "Preparations."Support the show