July Sermon Series – “Identity”
This sermon series reminds us of our identity as children of God, servants of God, heavenly citizens (who belong to God’s world), and the Church of God while Wesley’s new pastor Jiyeon Kim shares her life and faith journey and her identity development from her young age up to this point.
Join us in our four weeks of conversation! Looking forward to worshiping with you and to growing with you.
July 3 – “Identity: We Are Children of God”
Holy Communion will be served during the service
Special Liturgy: New Appointment Celebration
Scripture: Romans 12:9-18 (NRSV)
Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn (NIV),” is the key verse of Jiyeon’s ministry and the goal of Jiyeon’s pastoral life since she was in college. Jiyeon shares God’s grace and love she has experienced and how all the experiences and realizations have shaped who she is now as a child of God. She also shares whom she hopes to be as a person and a pastor and her pastoral vision at Wesley and reminds everyone of who we are as precious loving children of God.
July 10 – “Identity: We Are Servants of Christ”
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 (NRSV)
As a second part of the sermon series, this sermon addresses our identity development from children of God to servants of Christ. Not only as receivers of God’s love and grace but as givers, we are called to serve the world as servants of Christ. Talking about Apostle Paul’s teaching on the ministry of the apostles to the church of Corinth, Jiyeon shares how her calling to ministry and church ministry has changed her identity and challenges our life and ministry as servants of Christ.
July 17 – “Identity: We Are Heavenly Citizens”
Scripture: Philippians 3:20-4:1 (NRSV)
When Jiyeon studied at the seminary as an international student, she deeply realized the true meaning of heavenly citizenship that we all freely receive without exception. It was not an intellectual understanding of the scripture but a heartfelt acceptance. This sermon particularly shares Jiyeon’s first three years in the United States, from 2009 to 2012, and how her experience as a foreigner changed her thoughts and opened her life to receive God’s unconditional and universal love fully. This is an expansion of her identity that does not belong to this world we live in, but heaven that our God prepares a place for all of us. The same love of God is given to all, and heaven is promised to all who seek God’s will on earth. Where do we hope to join eternally?
July 24 – “Identity: We Are the Church”
Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17 (NRSV)
This sermon reminds us of the meaning of the Church, not as an individual, but as One Church in God. Each of us comes from different backgrounds, cultures, and history, and God calls all of us to be the Church beyond differences. God’s Church doesn’t require uniformity; rather, it harmonizes our differences and transforms them into one beautiful masterpiece in God’s hands.
