This summer while attending the General Synod of the United Church of Christ (the national setting of the UCC), I heard a term I had not ever heard before and it caused me to think deeply about my life and my (current) position of privilege. That term is “Temporarily Abled Person.” The context in which this term was used made it all the more disturbing: it was a presentation on one of the UCC’s four commitments to inclusion in ministry called “Accessible to All,” sometimes shortened to “A2A.”

Read more...

This Sunday we are celebrating World Communion, and we will read from the Scripture passage in Matthew 26 of how it all started. The night before his crucifixion Jesus had one last dinner with his disciples. Every time we celebrate Communion we are remembering that last meal. Eating dinner together didn’t look anything like what we are used to today. There were no utensils; you read correctly, no knives, no forks, also no individual plates or bowls. Nope, everyone shared one bowl – it was the custom of the time to serve meals in one large common bowl. Everyone sitting around the table would tear off a piece of bread which they would use as a scoop. Then, leaning forward, you would reach into a common bowl, scoop up some food, and then eat it.

Read more...

I hope you’ll join us for our annual fall worship service and picnic in Griffith Park. Former WHPC member Garry Orange, who now lives in Las Vegas, began this great tradition and is coming in from Las Vegas to join us! Thank you Garry and we look forward to seeing you!

This Sunday we’ll be joined by our friends from Altadena Community Church, so it’s also a really special opportunity to worship with them and share stories about what it’s like to be a member of the United Church of Christ. We had a fabulous time at Altadena and we expect an equally great time together this coming Sunday.

THERE WILL BE NO WORSHIP SERVICE AT THE CHURCH THIS SUNDAY!

Read more...

There has always been something about the Biblical story of the Ethiopian Eunuch that led me to suspect this guy was gay. But let me take us on a little diversion, then I’ll come back to this “gaydar experience” I had.
In the early 1990’s I was having a conversation with members of the gay and lesbian clergy association of LA that Rabbi Denise Eger and I formed. I shared with my colleagues that I was bored to death with explaining how the five “texts of terror” (the five primary passages in the Christian Scriptures that are used to oppress and denigrate gay and lesbian people) had no relevancy to our current understanding of homosexuality. From the conversation that ensued, I knew I had just spoken of a burden we were all carrying.

Read more...

The way the Holy Spirit works in and through our lives never ceases to amaze me! At the request of many members, months ago I planned our three week series on Spiritual Discernment. People were asking me, “What is Spiritual Discernment?” and “How does it work?” So after talking with some of the most gifted people I know who lead ministries of spiritual discernment, I distilled it down to three main points:
1. Sensing God’s Call or Leading in our Lives – a process that often begins with an experience of “dislocation.” Something doesn’t feel right. I’m not content with where I am spiritually or personally. Something’s out of sync. That’s usually how it begins.
2. The second dynamic is about “releasing:” Letting Go and Leaving Behind so we can embrace the new.
3. The third dynamic is following where the Holy Spirit is leading you/us.
This Sunday we focus on the second dynamic: “Letting Go and Leaving Behind so that we can Embrace The New.”

Read more...

Ever wonder what God is thinking? What God is feeling? What God is saying? I think about that a lot. I can’t imagine the anguish God feels when God sits through the kind of experience we had last Sunday after worship with our Presbytery’s Engagement Team. God’s heart must be breaking! Is this really what Christianity is about? As I’ve shared with so many of you this past week, what we experienced on Sunday was not “of God,” it is the Church’s fighting to retain control, dominance and the subordination of our lives.

Read more...

Do you ever feel “small?” Do you ever feel like your life has no, or little, significance? How does your life compare to Jesus’?

This Sunday we’re going to focus on those questions. Or more accurately, on Jesus’ answers to those questions.

In John’s Gospel there is a large section (chapter 14, verse 1 thru chapter 17, verse 26) that is called “Jesus’ farewell discourse and prayer.” This “farewell discourse” is an amazingly intimate conversation Jesus has with his followers right before his own death. It’s one of those last “heart to heart” conversations that everyone yearns to have before the death of a loved one. It’s that “one last,” that one “final” chance to tell someone how much you love them and perhaps to leave them with final words of love, thanks, blessing or request.

Read more...

This Sunday we will once again explore the topic of heaven and hell. It’s not the easiest topic to preach on since the Bible doesn’t provide us with a clear picture on the subject. In fact, Scripture doesn’t seem to dwell much on the subject at all (most of Scripture is focused on this life) and the texts that do refer to “heaven” and “hell” are a bit confusing. Take for instance the odd passage we looked at last week in which Jesus tells a wealthy young person to sell his stuff, hand it out to the poor, and follow him to gain “treasure in heaven.”

Read more...

Rob Bell rocked the religious world earlier this year with the release of his book “LOVE WINS – a book about Heaven, Hell and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived!” For progressives, Rob’s writing wasn’t all that revolutionary; but Rob is not a progressive. He’s one of an emerging group of clergy called “the young, new evangelicals.”

Historically and within church circles, the word “evangelical” (lower case “e”) refers to Christians whose primary emphasis is on salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as one’s personal “Lord and Savior.” When the term “evangelical” first began being used it was in no way connected with the religious right as a political party or movement. It was in fact, used by Baptists, Four-Square Gospel churches and others who found “earthly things and certainly politics” quite suspect of sin and the work of the devil. Their emphasis was on “witnessing” and inviting others to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Some people know that as “being born again.”

Read more...

We join in Worship & Communion with the Members of Altadena Community Church (United Church of Christ)
10 AM worship service!
Following Worship there will be a time of conversation with members of West Hollywood Church and Altadena Church.
Location: Altadena Church is located at:
943 E. Altadena Drive
Altadena, CA 91001
* There will be NO WORSHIP at WHPC this Sunday! *

Read more...