Westwood UMC - Los Angeles, CA

Living Water: Entering the Stream

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 01:42:09 -0700

Water heals, restores, and makes creation flourish. But it also challenges us: to recognize ecological damage, to embrace our interconnectedness, and to immerse ourselves in the responsibility of caring for and restoring our Common Home. This Sunday, we join Christians from around the world in observing the Season of Creation 2026: Living Water as we "enter the stream" of God's grace.
Sunday, September 6, 2026
Rev. Molly Vetter

Leadership on the Edge

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 23:25:00 -0700

The kind of leadership God calls us to seldom looks comfortable or like we expect: in Moses we see a reluctant leader, skeptical that he's the right person for the job. In Jesus' disciples, we see them misunderstand what their leadership looks like. Still, God goes with them.

Sunday, August 30, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Power on the Edge

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:56:00 -0700

One way of telling the story of Moses leading the people of God to liberation begins with two subversive midwives, Shiphrah and Puah. Under threat from Pharaoh's oppression, they use the power that's theirs; it makes a way forward toward freedom.

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Healing on the Edge

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 01:22:00 -0700

What's comforting for one person in scripture is sometimes troubling for another; the story of Jesus healing a Canaanite woman is certainly a bit of both for many of us. At the same time it sets us on the edge, it invites us to see something more: a power of divine grace that brings healing and transformation to the world.

Sunday, August 16, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Longing for the Stillness

Westwood United Methodist Church — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:41:00 -0700

We are thrilled to welcome Rev. Effie McAvoy to our pulpit. Rev. McAvoy is a pastor of two United Methodist Churches in Lincoln and Hope, Rhode Island. She serves as Chair of the Commission on Religion and Race for her New England Annual Conference, and was a leader of the Queer Delegate Caucus at General Conference in 2024. She has several connections with our pastors, including that she was a campus pastor to Pastor Molly, at Boston University. Welcome to Westwood, Rev. McAvoy! Pastor Molly will be away on vacation until Sunday, August 16.

Sunday, August 9, 2026 Rev. Effie McAvoy

Seeking the Right Face

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 15:26:00 -0700

We are pleased to welcome back to our pulpit John Holbert, scholar of the Hebrew Bible and Professor Emeritus of Homiletics at Perkins School of Theology. This Sunday, he will invite us into a beloved, formative story of Jacob: as Jacob wrestled a man at the Jabbock River, he sought the face of God. What he found was hardly what he expected. Pastor Molly will be away on vacation until Sunday, August 16th.

Sunday, August 2, 2026 Rev. Dr. John Holbert

Convinced

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 19:17:00 -0700

As the voices seeking to persuade and convince us of what we need grow louder and bolder, our faith offers an alternative that grounds us is something else entirely: love.

Sunday, July 26, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

If I Take the Wings of the Morning

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 23:47:00 -0700

How is God a loving presence or a bargaining partner? We will look at the story of Jacob's ladder and Psalm 139 to see what the wings of the morning say about self love, God's love, and love for others.

We're grateful for Rev. Dr. Diana Holbert's preaching this Sunday while Pastor Molly Vetter continues to be away. She's with our youth and other adults on the Sierra Service Project trip to the Navajo community of Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. They return this Sunday evening.

Sunday, July 19, 2026 Rev. Dr. Diana Holbert

Deepening Our Roots

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 23:15:00 -0700

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus tells a story about a farmer who doesn't seem to be all that good at farming—he seems to waste a lot of seeds! Given what we know about the kinds of soil in which seeds take root, the question the story poses to us is what kind of soil we are.

Sunday, July 12, 2026 Rev. Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter

Welcomed & Loved

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 01:19:00 -0700

This year during Pride Month, we take lessons from Queer theology and Queer theologians, as we hear the call of the Gospel. It affirms that we are welcomed in God's love, and that our call is to extend welcome and care to others.

Sunday, June 28, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Valued & Unafraid

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:08:00 -0700

This year during Pride Month, we take lessons from Queer theology and Queer theologians, as we hear the call of the Gospel. It invites us to set aside our fear, and trust that we are valued and precious to God.

Sunday, June 21, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Sent Out

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:25:00 -0700

This year during Pride Month, we take lessons from Queer theology and Queer theologians, as we hear the call of the Gospel. It sends us out, boldly, to practice and proclaim the life-giving, healing power of God's love. (Plus, a special Drag Story Hour Time with Children!) Sunday, June 14, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Unlikely and Liberating

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 14:32:00 -0700

This Sunday, we celebrate Promotion Sunday, presenting new Bibles to our incoming 4th graders, and honoring our graduates. Senior Sharon Tam will speak, and Pastor Molly will preach, as we give thanks for God who calls unlikely people to experience incredible, healing, liberating good news.

Sunday, June 7, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Preaching the Gospel

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 31 May 2026 14:34:00 -0700

A Westwood sanctuary celebration of the 70th Anniversary of Women's Ordination in our Methodist tradition. With a resurrection-themed sermon from Rev. Dr. Sharon Rhodes-Wickett, Rev. Jane Voigts, Rev. Kathy Cannon, and Rev. Molly Vetter. Other special guests include: Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, Rev. Dr. Natalie Houghtby-Haddon, and Rev. Blair Stowe. Sunday, May 31, 2026 Revs. Sharon Rhodes-Wickett, Jane Voigts, Kathy Cannon, & Molly Vetter

Youth Sunday & Pentecost

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 24 May 2026 14:54:00 -0700

We celebrate Pentecost as the birth of the church. Our Grapple group will lead worship, with help from the Chancel Choir, organ, and Westwood Kids. Plus, we will celebrate the ritual of confirmation and sacrament of Baptism, as some of our youth become Professing Members of the congregation. Sunday, May 24, 2026 Nathan Salyer and Quinn Weatherford

Disciples Transform the World

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 17 May 2026 15:23:00 -0700

Charged by the Great Commission, disciples of Jesus Christ seek to live into the vision of the kingdom that our Lord proclaimed. This is a world-changing task, one we embrace with adverbial faith, as we love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously. Also, we will celebrate the sacrament of baptism.

Sunday, May 17, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Lead Courageously

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 10 May 2026 20:49:00 -0700

Leaning on the promise of God's presence and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, disciples find strength to lead courageously. Whether we lead from the front, from the middle, or from a distance, our call is to go out to the margins where God's work is being done. Pastor Molly is away on a spiritual retreat and will return May 15th.

Sunday, May 10, 2026 Rev. Blair Trygstad Stowe

Serve Joyfully

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 03 May 2026 21:25:00 -0700

Serving might sound like a duty to some, but to a disciple, it is an opportunity to model Christ, so we find joy in it. When our hearts are in it, we can serve joyfully.

Sunday, May 3, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Love Boldly

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 21:03:00 -0700

Who knew loving would be so dangerous? As disciples, we are called to love God and our neighbor, even when it means taking risks and going against social pressures. We will love boldly.

Sunday, April 26, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Give Attention

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:31:00 -0700

After the resurrection, Jesus encounters followers and disciples - but they do not always recognize him. Until they do. On Earth Day weekend, it is a call to give attention to how we belong on our shared planet.

Sunday, April 19, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Curing or Healing

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 18:22:00 -0700

Our Minister of Care will be preaching this Sunday, inviting us to consider our understanding of healing, with a new perspective.

Sunday, April 12, 2026 Rev. Dr. Diana Holbert

The Good News is Alive in the World

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 21:11:00 -0700

Join us to celebrate Easter with trumpet fanfare and a joyful procession in our beautiful sanctuary. Sing resurrection hymns and hear a word that speaks good news into our deepest grief. With beloved traditions, pageantry and holy communion, Easter offers good news no matter how you arrive this Easter morning. Children are welcome in our Sanctuary Gathering. Easter is an especially meaningful time to worship together. There are lots of things to notice, from the details of our stained glass windows to the Easter flowers to the trumpets and timpani and organ and choir. We will have kids worship activity kits that you can pick up on your way in, too. During our "Time with Children" we will invite young people to come forward to the chancel steps for a lesson with Pastor Molly; afterwards, they'll return to their pews to sit with you. Additionally, on-site childcare is available for children from birth through age 4. Sunday, April 5, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

The Good News is Inspiring Us All to Act

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 17:02:00 -0700

We celebrate Palm Sunday, as Jesus enters Jerusalem. The crowd responds to Jesus' authenticity and humility. Perhaps they can see through the pageantry of empire in a Roman parade; in contrast, the goodness of Jesus' leadership shines through, mobilizing the crowds to take action by throwing cloaks in the street and waving palm branches in the air. We are invited to shout "Hosanna" as wave branches, too. Jesus invites us to put his principles into action through physical embodiment--the good news compels us to move our beliefs into action. Also, our Westwood Kids will share a dance during worship for Palm Sunday.

Sunday, March 29, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Rooted in Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 20:29:00 -0700

As we move toward Holy Week, we acknowledge the ways Jesus' ministry was increasingly at odds with the religious leaders who prioritized loyalty to legality and perceived Jesus' teachings as a threat. We know that mercy, justice, and faithfulness should be at the heart of every rule. This Sunday, we celebrate the sacrament of baptism.

Sunday, March 22, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

The Good News Is: Protection and Care for the Vulnerable

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 18:53:00 -0700

When Jesus blesses a crowd of children, he reorients socially-constructed hierarchies to center the vulnerable. In our context, it may seem sweet that Jesus welcomed little children; however, in Jesus' setting, spending time with children would have seemed wasteful or useless. Throughout his ministry, Jesus emphasized the last, the least, and the lost, building upon the mandates of the Hebrew scriptures to care for the immigrant, widow, and orphan among you. If we're truly living out the good news, then anyone vulnerable will not only be protected from harm, but cared for so they have the chance to thrive. This Sunday, we celebrate the sacrament of baptism, and will have a guest speaker from Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice.

Sunday, March 15, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

The Good News Is: Together the Impossible is Possible

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:46:00 -0700

In the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, we see how Jesus prioritized meeting people's physical needs (not just spiritual needs), and we see his ability to mobilize a movement. This is a story that can teach us a lot about community organizing and communal care. While much of modern society ingrains in us the idea that we have to fend for ourselves, here Jesus has compassion for the crowd and insists that the disciples give them something to eat. Compassion is the energy source for collective care. And, the good news is, what the disciples have to offer—just five loaves and two fish—is enough. The good news is, everyone is fed.

Sunday, March 8, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

The Good News is: Great Love for God & Neighbor

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 23:05:00 -0800

Our scripture reading this Sunday shows a shocking, extravagant love that exemplifies the Greatest Commandment: to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself. Loving God goes hand in hand with loving neighbor. We've paired this story with Jesus' words in Matthew 25--when we care for the hungry, the naked, the imprisoned—each of whom are created in the image of God—we are showing love for God, too. This Sunday, worship will include the sacrament of Holy Communion. All are welcome at Christ's table.

Sunday, March 1, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

The Good News is So Good It Catches Us By Surprise

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:26:00 -0800

It may feel a bit lavish to start the season of Lent with a wedding banquet, but the good news begins with joy. Like a mustard seed, the good news can grow from the smallest seed into the tallest tree. Like an unruly weed, or fine wine saved for last, the good news is abundant and cannot be contained. As we sink into Jesus' teachings throughout the season, we may not always be comfortable, but we can trust that these teachings are good, rooted in love, and worthy of celebration.

Sunday, February 22, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

A Glimpse of Glory

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 15:22:00 -0800

On Transfiguration Sunday, we are reminded of the incredible, glorious beauty of God in Jesus Christ. It marks a moment when things were clear, and propels us forward with hope, even after we've come down from the mountaintop.

Sunday, February 15, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Clarify the Calling: Shine Bright

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 21:19:00 -0800

This is a season of revelation: of new insight and new clarity about the calling God sets before us. We are invited by God not to simply live in the world as we understand it. Instead, we are asked to envision the beloved community that becomes possible when we live with Christ-like love. Jesus tells us to let our lights shine, so that what God is doing through us might be visible to the world. We are called to make a difference for others.

Sunday, February 8, 2026 Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter

Clarify the Calling: Honor Blessing

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 01:09:00 -0800

This is a season of revelation: of new insight and new clarity about the calling God sets before us. We are invited by God not to simply live in the world as we understand it. Instead, we are asked to envision the beloved community that becomes possible when we live with Christ-like love. Even when they aren't the blessings we asked for, we are invited to honor what God is doing in and around us.

Sunday, February 1, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Clarify the Calling: Redefine the Mission

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 23:18:00 -0800

Familiar words of faith—especially the call to "do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God"—can suddenly feel newly urgent and radical, reminding us that the heart of the gospel is an uncompromising commitment to love, compassion, and care. Drawing on Jesus' proclamation of the "kingdom of heaven," this is not as a distant afterlife or political project, but as a present, lived obedience to God's expansive love that reshapes how we belong, act, and care for one another. Through examples ranging from the Martin Luther King Jr. lecture to prayerful public witness against violence and injustice, we see how the kingdom of heaven is "at hand" whenever communities choose solidarity, healing, and hope. Ultimately, we are called to clarify our mission in this season: to tend bodies and hearts, stand with the vulnerable, refuse exclusion, and hold on to one another in trust that God's dawn of justice and love is already breaking among us.

Sunday, January 25, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Clarify the Calling: Pay Attention

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 18:30:00 -0800

This is a season of revelation: of new insight and new clarity about the calling God sets before us. We are invited by God not to simply live in the world as we understand it. Instead, we are asked to envision the beloved community that becomes possible when we live with Christ-like love. We have to pay attention, because God doesn't always show up in the ways we expect; God is doing a new thing.

Sunday, January 18, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Clarify the Calling: Begin From Love

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 22:08:00 -0800

This is a season of revelation: of new insight and new clarity about the calling God sets before us. We are invited by God not to simply live in the world as we understand it. Instead, we are asked to envision the beloved community that becomes possible when we live with Christ-like love. We begin from love, the love of a God who chooses to be with us in it all, who knows us as we are, and who calls us beloved.

Sunday, January 11, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Fear Doesn't Stop Us

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:56:00 -0800

Christ is born, yet it feels as if the world has not changed. The temptation to give up is strong, especially in the face of violence. But the magi don't let Herod's fear-driven demands stop them from honoring the newborn Christ or returning home by a different way. They model for us what it looks like to be led by hope, moving through fear without letting it paralyze us. As our Christmas series ends and a new year begins, we proclaim: our journey continues, and fear won't have the last word.

We will also celebrate the sacraments, communion and baptism. It is our joy to baptize three children: Omotanwa Iara Bamgbose Woodley, Olujimi "Olu" Ayotunde Bamgbose Whitaker, and Olatunji "Tunji" Tonali Rios.

Sunday, January 4, 2026 Rev. Molly Vetter

Fear Can Move Us Towards Justice

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 21:07:00 -0800

The Holy Family fears for their safety and for their child's life, like so many refugees around the world. Their valid fears motivate them to move—and so they seek refuge in Egypt until it is safe for them to return home. Instead of trying to push fear away, what if we used it as fuel? What if we harnessed that incredible source of energy for good, fighting for a world where no one fears for their safety?

Sunday, December 28, 2025 Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter

Give Me Your Hand

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 15:34:00 -0800

Join us for one combined Westwood UMC worship gathering as we celebrate Christmas in joyful worship as the children retell this sacred story. With music from our Loft Band, and on our Sanctuary organ, we invite you to celebrate this holy day in our beautiful sanctuary.

This Sunday, our children share the Christmas story in scripture with their presence, as we celebrate the gifts of Emmanuel, God with us. "Give me your hand" might seem counter to how we usually respond to fear, but what if fear can result in connection instead of isolation? We don't live out our callings in isolation—our communal flourishing depends on each person stepping into their calling despite their fear. How can we offer support to one another? When do we need to accept an outstretched hand? And can we use our power and privilege to stand in solidarity with people whose lives are at risk?

Sunday, December 21, 2025 Rev. Molly Vetter

Even in Our Fear, We Are Called Forward

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:58:00 -0800

When we step forward in faith, we're not necessarily leaving our fears behind. In the calling of Mary and Elizabeth, we are reminded that most callings begin with some degree of self-doubt, trepidation, and uncertainty. When taking uncertain steps forward, we may be comforted to imagine the mother of God saying "yes" with a trembling voice. Whatever the reason she then retreats to her cousin Elizabeth's house, whatever the fears and threats she faces, she steps forward anyway, with the words of the Magnificat forming on her lips.

Sunday, December 14, 2025 Rev. Molly Vetter

God Is At Work

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 13:26:00 -0800

This Advent, we jump to the end of John the Baptist's ministry to hone in on a moment when deep fear and suffering cause him to question the impact of his life's work. With him, we also ask: "Have my efforts made a difference? Is God truly at work?" Even more: Is my hope solely dependent upon outcomes, tangible proof, or positive change? We are called to a hope that shimmers still, even when things feel impossible. We are called as a community to keep hope alive for one another.

Sunday, December 7, 2025 Rev. Molly Vetter

We Long For God to Break In

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 14:11:00 -0800

From global ecological disaster to national political crisis to local violence - and even the recent vandalism of our church sign - we, like those who first heard the Good News of Christ's birth, long for God to "break in" and stop the harm. What a strange and beautiful gift to remember that the good news of Christmas is made for a time like this: in the first chapter of Luke, verse five reminds us that the gospel story starts "in the time of Herod," a ruler remembered for his brutality and suspicion. Our Advent journey this year invites us to name our fears, trusting in the power of divine hope to break in, still.

Sunday, November 30, 2025 Rev. Molly Vetter

Building Beloved Community

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0800

Join us for our tradition of one, combined worship gathering this Sunday, as we celebrate generosity this Thanksgiving Sunday. With musical leadership from our organ, the Sanctuary Choir, and the Loft band, Pastor Molly will preach on our new Westwood UMC mission statement. It calls us to the work of growing Jesus' beloved community, a calling that unites us across our diversities in the shared work of justice and compassion. Our shared witness is a testimony of hope that has the capacity to change our world.

Sunday, November 23, 2025 Rev. Molly Vetter

Committed to Justice and Compassion

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 01:44:00 -0800

Our newly-adopted mission statement describes our values of justice and compassion, a pair of values that express our public and private commitments to Christ-like acts of mercy. These values are an expression of the ancient wisdom of scripture, including from Hebrew prophets and in Jesus life and witness. This Sunday, we continue a focus on our congregation's mission, as it invites each of us to be a part of this community and its "Chorus of Generosity."

Sunday, November 16, 2025 Rev. Molly Vetter

An Intergenerational Christian Community Committed to Radical Inclusivity

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 20:00:00 -0800

In this powerful sermon, theologian and author Kat Armas—drawing from her new book Liturgies for Resisting Empire—invites listeners to confront both the external and internal forces of empire that shape our imaginations, relationships, and faith. Reflecting on the story of the hummingbird and the mission of Westwood UMC, Armas reminds us that true liberation begins within: in the slow, sacred work of unlearning fear, hierarchy, and scarcity so we can embody God's abundance and kinship. Through the stories of Exodus, the wilderness, and the early church, she paints a vision of "kingdom" as kinship—a community of mutuality, justice, and love that resists domination and embraces difference. Her message calls us to be like the hummingbird: small but steadfast, carrying drops of courage and compassion to help heal the world, one act of resistance and love at a time.

Sunday, November 9, 2025 Special Guest preacher Kat Armas, with Rev. Molly Vetter

Weave After Weave of Blessing

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 18:47:00 -0800

We are pleased to welcome Sharon Rhodes-Wickett back to our Westwood pulpit for All Saints Day this year. Sharon was Senior Pastor of Westwood UMC from 1994-2006, and was a regular leader in our midst more recently in retirement. We are glad that she is returning to help us remember the saints who have gone before us.

We encourage you to bring photos or mementos of loved ones you remember on this occasion to set on the altar during worship; you can bring them up to the altar before or during the prelude. After worship, please reclaim your items to take them home.

Sunday, November 2, 2025 Rev. Dr. Sharon Rhodes-Wickett

Anti-Hero: The Humbled

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 16:02:00 -0700

In our Gospel lesson, Jesus uses parables to give essential and needed reminders about how God's dreams are different from our dominant culture. Jesus celebrates faithfulness that looks more like anti-hero than classic icon. This week, the gospel centers on and celebrates the great faithfulness that is shown through our vulnerable humility.

Sunday, October 26, 2025 Rev. Molly Vetter

Anti-Hero: The Persistent

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 19 Oct 2025 16:49:00 -0700

In our Gospel lesson, Jesus uses parables to give essential and needed reminders about how God's dreams are different from our dominant culture. Jesus celebrates faithfulness that looks more like anti-hero than classic icon. This week, the gospel centers on and celebrates whose great faithfulness comes through uncomfortable persistence.

Sunday, October 19, 2025 Rev. Molly Vetter

Anti-Hero: The Stranger

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 15:19:00 -0700

In our Gospel lesson, Jesus uses parables to give essential and needed reminders about how God's dreams are different from our dominant culture. Jesus celebrates faithfulness that looks more like an anti-hero than a classic icon. This week, the gospel centers on and celebrates a stranger (a foreigner, an outsider) who shows us the greatest faithfulness.

Sunday, October 12, 2025 Rev. Molly Vetter

Stubborn Hope

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 13:26:00 -0700

Our Season of Creation concludes with a feast of grace - a celebration of World Communion Sunday, and a call to trust in our capacity to be a part of God's dream of flourishing for the world. Even when it's difficult, even when our efforts seem so small, we are called to work for the well-being of all creation.

Sunday, October 5, 2025 Rev. Molly Vetter

Healing the Wounds

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 10:03:00 -0700

Our Season of Creation continues with lament—honest recognition of environmental harm and heartfelt compassion. Borrowing words from the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah, our lamentations give way to healing as our repentance points us toward God's justice, and a renewed commitment to God's vision for a flourishing world.

Sunday, September 28, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

Earth Mourns

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:21:00 -0700

Our Season of Creation continues, with an ancient prophet's call to pay attention to creation, and mourn for all that has been destroyed. And still, we claim hope in a God who refuses to make a "full end." Peace with creation begins with repentance and the restoration of right relationships—with God, each other, and the Earth—heeding the call to live justly and sustainably in God's world.

Sunday, September 21, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

Welcome Home

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 01:33:00 -0700

We celebrate Homecoming Sunday with a "Welcome Home" to our common planetary home. This Sunday, we begin our Westwood UMC celebration of the Season of Creation, with a focus on how to leave in peace with all creation. Come celebrate the integrity and beauty of creation!

Sunday, September 14, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

Quest: The Reflection

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 07:12:00 -0700

We continue our Quest series with reflection: When we begin to broaden our experience of lands and peoples in our travel, or in our own towns and cities, our experiences of new (often uncomfortable) things sometimes activate our own resistance. Yet, if we continue to reflect and open, what feels so different may not be as far from us as we first imagined. We hold values that are shared in common across many cultural and religious diversities: peaceful coexistence, food and shelter, love and compassion for those suffering and oppressed. How can deeper reflection about our own hesitation to connect to the wider human family free us to explore more possibilities for a better world?

Sunday, August 31, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

Quest: The Encounter

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 07:14:00 -0700

Jesus often crossed paths with others not from his "tribe." He did not shy away. Actually, he most often sought out these opportunities. He met people in their daily lives and locales, such as the Samaritan woman at the well and her community, and engage with them at the point of their deepest yearning. When we seek out and open to new encounters, new people, new relationships, we allow ourselves a spiritual rendezvous with humanity. And in this act, we discover more spiritual depth within us than we previously imagined. How can we shift our perception, redefining "strangers" as "friends we have not yet met?"

Sunday, August 24, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

Quest: Leaving Home

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 22:45:00 -0700

Whether you travel far away or see your local surroundings as if for the first time, pilgrimage has long been a spiritual practice, and "journey" a deeply-felt metaphor for our spiritual lives. "Quest" comes from the Latin root meaning "ask, seek." This week we begin a four-week worship series that will encourage us to open ourselves more fully to the curiosity and wonder, reflection and transformation that travelers–not merely tourists–experience when they choose to immerse themselves in soul-widening adventures. Step one: leaving home.

Sunday, August 17, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

An Unexpected God

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:29:00 -0700

In our life stories and the stories of Hosea and Luke, we are invited to see the very surprising and unexpected ways that God shows up in our lives. We are pleased to welcome our own Rev. Dr. John Holbert to the Sanctuary pulpit where he will preach from Hosea 11:1-9 and Luke 23:32-38. John is an active leader in our congregation in his retirement. He is also Professor Emeritus of Homiletics at Perkins School of Theology at SMU.

Sunday, August 10, 2025Rev. Dr. John Holbert

Some Advice

Westwood United Methodist Church — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 12:36:00 -0700

This week we conclude our series on New Testament letters, with some advice for life in Christ: it should make you a whole new person.

Sunday, August 3, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

Warning Letter

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:28:00 -0700

Our scripture includes an invitation to resist temptations common in chaotic times—including the temptation of easy answers— and instead remember the power of our life in Christ, grounded in divine grace.

Sunday, July 27, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

Letter of Encouragement

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 06:35:00 -0700

We are living through an era of profound religious and political polarization. Mending this division can feel impossible, and yet we know that all things are possible through God. That is the message given to the church community in Thessalonica, who were experiencing their own divisions. How might the advice within this letter be useful for us today?

Sunday, July 20, 2025Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter

Letter of Recommendation

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:28:00 -0700

The letters of the New Testament aren't abstract theology—they're real words, written by real people (Paul or someone in his footsteps), to real churches trying to live faithfully in challenging times. In Colossians, we hear a word of encouragement and blessing, like a letter of recommendation, affirming the faithfulness already present in the community and calling forth more of that good fruit: acts of justice, compassion, and steadfast hope. Paired with Psalm 82's cry for justice and care for the vulnerable, we're reminded that our work as the church isn't just about belief, but about how we live: how we show up, feed the hungry, stand with the oppressed, and love our neighbors relentlessly. We can look to examples, like the faithful women known as Las Patronas, who have been faithfully tossing food to migrants on the train across Mexico that is known as "The Beast," we're invited to persist in simple, holy acts that bear witness to God's reign. Friends, this is what fruitfulness looks like—and it is sweet.

Sunday, July 13, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

An Open Letter

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 08:59:00 -0700

This summer, we're diving into the New Testament letters—real, heartfelt correspondence between early church leaders like Paul and the communities they helped shape. Today we hear Paul writing to the Galatians, his handwriting literally on the page, urging them—and us—not to give up. He's reminding us that we belong to one another, not because we're the same, but because Christ has torn down all the old dividing lines. In a world that often feels like it's pushing us apart, Paul says: keep sowing seeds of compassion, justice, and mercy. It will matter. He pushes back on rigid religious gatekeeping and instead calls us to something deeper: a transformation of the heart, not the flesh. He wants a new creation, not a new rulebook. And that's the heart of our faith—not violence, not domination, but love that endures, even through death to resurrection. As we gather at Christ's table, may the bread and cup remind you of who you are and to whom you belong. You are already part of this body. You are already loved. And you're invited to keep going—to keep showing up with love, to keep planting hope, and to trust that, together, we are part of a story far bigger than ourselves.

Sunday, July 6, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

A Love Letter

Westwood United Methodist Church — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 21:23:00 -0700

This new sermon series focuses the epistles, exploring how the early church used personal, relational communication—like Paul's letters—to nurture faith and build community. Unlike the chaos of a group chat, letters offer depth, patience, and intimacy—much like a sermon grounded in lived relationship. In Galatians, Paul reminds us that life in the Spirit brings freedom—not self-centered isolation, but connection. The "works of the flesh" are not about condemning bodies but rejecting ego and division. The fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, kindness—are embodied, communal gifts. On this Pride Sunday, we celebrate the holy beauty of queer lives and recognize how our liberation is bound up together. Like dark matter holding galaxies in shape, God's unseen love connects us all. The gospel calls us to a radical, joyful love of neighbor—not abstractly, but in tangible action and solidarity. May we be drawn deeper into this mysterious, liberating love.

Sunday, June 29, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

Guest Preacher: Everest Harvey

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:20:00 -0700

Everest Harvey first came to Westwood in Fall of 2023, after finishing a year-long Fulbright teaching grant in Taiwan. They graduated from University of California Santa Cruz in 2022 with a double major in Literature and Sociology.

They have been involved in queer ministries since seventh grade, when they first noticed that the exclusion of LGBT+ people from Christian spaces didn't make any sense. They have been working to create queer-embracing, intergenerational, justice-centered spiritual spaces ever since. Their ministry work has also led them to facilitate youth programs centered around the radical idea that children and teenagers are people and deserve to be treated as such.

Everest seeks to build communities that prioritize growth, compassion, abundance, and curiosity. Outside of church, you can find them reading, sitting in a park, line dancing, or wandering the streets of Los Angeles in search of a nice place to think. They lead Grapple (the middle and high school group), Queer Group, the Westwood Organizing Team, and other community partnership and service opportunities at Westwood.

Sunday, June 22, 2025Guest Preacher: Everest Harvey

Playing Favorites

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 07:23:00 -0700

Rev. Karen Clark Ristine loves words, story, songs, music, and sacrament. One of her treasured spiritual practices is walking a labyrinth. Prayer and contemplation have always been central to her faith. She also loves words in the form of research and reporting. Karen worked for more than 20 years as a reporter and editor in newspaper journalism and was a founder of the genre of Solutions Journalism. She still loved journalism when she left her desk at The San Diego Union-Tribune to answer the call to ministry and attend Claremont School of Theology, where she graduated with a Master's of Divinity in 2008.

Rev. Karen was appointed to serve as a local pastor in 2007 at San Diego First United Methodist Church as an associate pastor. She served Mission Hills UMC in San Diego for 10 years, becoming the longest serving minister in the neighborhood church's 100-year-history. Her final appointment before retirement was to Claremont UMC, where she served as senior pastor. She is a member of the Queer Clergy Caucus of the United Methodist Church and helped Mission Hills UMC through the discernment process of becoming a reconciling congregation. She now serves on the new board of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History that is developing the LGBTQ Archives for the denomination.

Beyond the local church, Karen served on the South and East District Committees on Ordained Ministry. She enjoys helping people of faith discern a call to ministry. She previously served as Cal-Pac Conference Secretary and now serves on the Committee on Corrections and Editorial Revisions for the UMC. In this role, she attends General Conference and is delighted to have her name on the 2020/2024 Book of Discipline free of discriminatory language.

Rev. Karen is married to Dr. Marcia McFee and lives in Kansas City, Missouri. Her son Ryan, a musician and music educator, teaches in Santa Rosa County. Now retired, Rev. Karen holds her charge conference membership at Westwood UMC - we are glad to have her share her gifts in preaching this Sunday!

This Sunday, we also celebrate Promotion Sunday, and will present Bibles to our new 4th grade students. We hope you will stay after worship for a Promotion Sunday celebration reception on the courtyard!

Sunday, June 15, 2025Rev. Karen Clark Ristine

Pentecost and Youth Sunday

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 08:34:00 -0700

It's Pentecost, and this Sunday we celebrate the birth of the Church and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We get to welcome Senior Speakers, Oz Peterson and Lauren Pang-Le, as well as our youth preacher, Nathan Salyer, who collaborated with Quinn Weatherford to write the sermon. In addition, our Grapple Group wrote prayers, prepared the Time with Children, and will play an anthem on handbells.

Sunday, June 8, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

Revelation of Hope: Come, Lord Jesus!

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 11:12:00 -0700

As we come to the end of our journey through Revelation, we hold both the beauty and the discomfort of this wild, hope-filled vision. This last chapter can leave us uneasy—John's language of insiders and outsiders, of who gets in and who's left out, forces us to wrestle with how we label ourselves and others. But the deeper truth is this: the invitation of God is radical and wide-reaching. It's not about excluding people—it's about transforming all of us, letting what is fearful, harmful, or unloving in us be left at the gate. The river of life flows freely, the tree bears fruit for healing, and the cross stretches its arms to welcome us with love that changes everything. So come—come to the table, come to the feast, come to the hard and holy work of love and justice in this world, and trust that in the coming of Christ, we are all being made whole.

Revelation of Hope: All Things New

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 26 May 2025 09:20:00 -0700

As we near the end of Revelation, the beauty and power of John's vision continue to surprise usInot as a map of fear, but as a poetic unveiling of hope. Amid our world's pain, division, and ecological fragility, God's promise is not to scrap it all and start over, but to make all things new. Not all new things, but a renewal of what already is. In these final chapters, we meet a river and a tree—not as boundaries, but as sources of life and healing for all nations. This river of life doesn't divide; it nourishes. And as it flows through the city, it calls us to belong, to be transformed, to wade into God's grace and become people of inclusion, compassion, and courage. From the waters of baptism to the witness of people like one of Westwood UMC's treasured saints, Bishop Mel Wheatley. Just as he stood for justice, this river flows through history and into our sanctuary. It is here, now, calling us to carry hope, heal wounds, and live as if God's renewing work is already underway—because it is. So come to the river, friends. Step in. Be made new.

Sunday, May 25, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter

Revelation of Hope: Forever and ever. Amen.

Westwood United Methodist Church — Mon, 19 May 2025 10:30:00 -0700

The apocalyptic book of Revelation startles us with is vivid imagery. And while preachers and artists have frequently borrowed its images and themes to invoke fear, this Easter season we find someone wildly different: hope. The expansive community gathers to sing a new world into being, under the subversive power of the Lamb. Sunday, May 18, 2025Rev. Molly Vetter