Online Services - Livestream and Vespers
Worship Services Online
St. Paul’s is now live-streaming the 10 a.m. Sanctuary worship service.
Find live-streamed services on Facebook at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church-Rochester beginning at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
Services can also be viewed using the links below.
June 2023 Services
June 4, 2023: In Jesus’s last hours on earth, he challenged his followers to heed a calling to take the gospel to the world. Along with it came a special promise. How are you to live a life that honors that calling and takes advantage of that promise? Rev. Rick Kress preaches.
May 2023 Services
May 28, 2023: This week, we’re celebrating the birthday of the Church as we remember how the Holy Spirit came down among the first disciples and sent them out as apostles into the world. Like the wind, we can’t always see the Spirit, but there are indicators of the Spirit’s presence at work among us. How might we be on the lookout for the movement of the Spirit among us in our lives? Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
June 1, 2023: Do you have a problem with inertia, that deflating feeling that makes any significant change or improvement in your life so hard to begin? By starting small, you can chip away at whatever your goal is. Consider how Jesus did this with his closest followers and what you can learn from it. Rev. Rick Kress.
May 21, 2023: The Acts of the Apostles begins with an inditement towards action with a wild, straight out of a science fiction graphic novel event. As the disciples are chatting and spending time with Jesus, he is raised up, floating right up to the sky “returning from where he came.” Join us on Confirmation Sunday as we celebrate the youth who have been pondering big questions, acting in service and growing in faith over the past year. Rev. Dr. April Gutierrez preaches.
May 25, 2023: Once your boundaries start to form, it might be difficult to communicate them to people who need to know about them. Consider biblical wisdom for how to tell people about your boundaries. Rev. Rick Kress.
May 14, 2023: Families are often situated in multiple locations (states, countries), but the love in a family compels each person to stay connected. Connection happens because individuals want it to happen. In the church family, people are connected by the life and ministry of Jesus, and this is expressed in worship, small groups, service projects, prayer, and fellowship. As United Methodists, we celebrate our family connections all around the globe. It’s hard to be part of a family and not be connected because the other members of the family need you! Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
May 7, 2023: Growing up in my family, I cherished the extended family dinners that we had each week. Often, even friends and neighbors were invited to join us. At times, it could make for interesting family dynamics at the table. Yet, we were always excited to pull out more another leaf for the family table. Join us as we discover again what happened when St. Peter expanded the table in the early Church. How might God be inviting us to expand the table today? Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
May 11, 2023: Boundaries are difficult to create and stick with, but they’re essential for a healthy life. Consider ways that God can help you avoid some boundary traps. Rev. Rick Kress.
April 2023 Services
April 30, 2023: Jesus chose the disciples and they were quite a “different” bunch of people. Still, Jesus called them together as a new family with a new identity and task. Who is it that is excluded from the family? What might it mean to share at a family table that “welcomes all”? How do we extend the table? Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
May 4, 2023: Everyone needs joy to lift their spirits, but how do you get more of it? God intends that our lives have joy to buoy us in all the ups and downs we experience. Tune in to consider ways to build more God-given joy into your life. Rev. Rick Kress.
April 23, 2023: How is it that United Methodists come to understand faith issues? What sources do we use to understand what we believe? Come, let us reason together, as we dive into the scriptures, seeking to understand our traditions as well as our experiences in light of the faith that we have received and which continues to grow in us. Rev. Rick Kress preaches.
April 27, 2023: In the mundane things of daily living, we often neglect the need for wonder and awe. There are mountain-top experiences, but most of life isn’t lived there. Tune in to consider how you can experience wonder in the ordinary parts of everyday life and experience God along the way. Rev. Rick Kress.
April 16, 2023: We find ourselves firmly planted in grace even when we find ourselves struggling to believe. Thomas doubted and is met by Jesus whose grace turned doubt into a strong faith. Acts of grace are transformational for us. In the sanctuary during worship and after worship in Hickey Hall, we’ll have the opportunity to meet Nikita, a Ukrainian student, who is now studying at Adrian College as a result of connecting with one of our United Methodist missions in the Czech Republic. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
April 20, 2023: Every life is confronted with obstacles of all kinds. Sometimes, life seems to be defined by struggles, doesn’t it? Still, with God’s help, obstacles can be a path to greater faith and resilience. Tune in to consider how to deal with obstacles as a way to spiritual maturity as you walk through them with God’s help. Rev. Rick Kress.
April 9, 2023: As the women leave the empty tomb, filled with shock and breathless joy, they begin a new journey. In these moments, their personal wilderness blooms with beauty and promise. As Easter people, the journey for us never ends. With the Spirit luring us forward, we celebrate the glimpses of resurrection sprouting up in the dry and cracked spaces of our lives. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
April 13, 2023: Everyone wrestles with doubts about God. Instead of ignoring those doubts, you can learn to embrace them as a necessary part of growing in faith. Tune in to consider how God reacts to doubt and how doubt can actually be a positive thing for you. Rev. Rick Kress.
April 2, 2023: Palm Sunday fills our hearts with joy as we watch our children wave their palm branches high. Our souls and spirits soar as we join the parade. Yet, the week ahead will be difficult for our King. Join us as we face down Friday holding out the hope and victory of Easter. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
April 6, 2023: In this series, The 5 Intentions, we consider how to waste time with God. Instead of going by a checklist and doing things, resting in God is an intentional way of deepening a personal relationship with God. Tune in to ponder different ways to take a break and find renewing rest. Rev. Rick Kress.
March 2023 Services
March 26, 2023: In a world of violence and injustice, it’s hard to think of winning a revolution that is beyond wars and weapons of warfare. How do we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us while still calling out for justice and accountability? Does “turning the other cheek” allow for abuses of power? Let’s discover how Jesus turns our expectations of the world upside down as he stands before the power of an empire. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
March 30, 2023: In this series, The 5 Intentions, we consider how expanding our spirituality beyond ourselves can enrich us. Life with God, in community, is what Jesus intended. Tune in to ponder how you can be a more closely connected part of the community of faith. Rev. Rick Kress.
March 19, 2023: We often say that “God is love,” but what does that mean? Everyone seems to have her or his own definition of what “love” is. How might our human experiences of love reflect God’s story of love for the world? How might God’s love move us beyond even our limited definitions of love? Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
March 23, 2023: In this series, The 5 Intentions, we consider how to fully develop a life with God. By intentionally taking small, first steps, God’s Spirit is able to reshape your outlook. Tune in to ponder how to take be open to taking the steps necessary to fall in love with God. Rev. Rick Kress.
March 12, 2023: Sometimes life situations are not always as they seem. How do our own experiences and understandings reflect how we interpret the understandings of others? Gather together with us as we inspire others to dream anew when life has put their dreams on hold. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
March 16, 2023: In this series, The 5 Intentions, we consider how to be intentional about find a satisfying life with God. Opening to God is spiritual and practical, a way to enrich your life. Tune in to ponder how you can open more fully to God. Rev. Rick Kress.
March 5, 2023: In Les Miserables, the punishment by the law (in the person of Javert) is unyielding as Jean Valjean tries to build a new life. In a Gospel story, a woman caught in adultery comes face to face with Jesus. Those who accused her demanded her death according to the law. What would Jesus do? How does Jean Valjean’s story mirror this Gospel story in John 8:1-11? Can justice and grace exist together? Rev. Rick Kress preaches.
March 9, 2023: Do you have so much stuff going on every day that there’s little, if any, time for God? Tune in to consider how you can change that by being intentional about carving out time for God and spiritual pursuits. Rev. Rick Kress.
February 2023 Services
February 26, 2023: As we begin this Lenten season, we journey with Jesus to Jerusalem and to the cross. It’s often difficult to see the hope of Easter when we’re facing what feels like the end of the road. Join us as we rediscover grace when we’re looking down. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
February 22, 2023: The in-person Ash Wednesday service has been cancelled due to inclement weather. An online service is available on our Facebook page beginning at 7 p.m. Find us on Facebook at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church-Rochester.
February 19, 2023: Who is Jesus? Early in their time with Jesus, the disciples thought they knew. In their gospel accounts of Jesus, we hear Matthew, Mark and Luke tell of a mountaintop experience for Peter, James and John. Jesus invites this inner circle of disciples to a time away. There, on the mountain, the three experience an epiphany…Moses and Elijah appear, Jesus is transformed, transfigured, and God’s voice identifies Jesus as the beloved Son, with whom he is well pleased. The disciples are told to listen to Jesus. It’s a beautiful sight indeed. Peter wants to stay in that moment. Who wouldn’t? But Jesus says, “No, down the mountain we go!” What are we to do with our mountaintop experiences of Jesus, when we have epiphanies of who Jesus is for us? Come hear Jesus give the instructions for going down the mountain, carrying our own transformation into our daily lives. Rev. Judy May preaches.
February 12, 2023: Why do bad things happen to good people? Is suffering God’s will? How can God allow evil to happen to faithful people? Is there a purpose to our suffering? Join us as we search for faith in times of suffering and struggle. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
February 5, 2023: If you could ask God one question, would it be, “Why? I prayed but got no answer.” What happens to faithful pray-ers when God is silent? Or, what happens when faithful pray-ers hear “no” or “wait”? Let’s gather to examine what prayer really is and see how the apostle Paul and Jesus dealt with unanswered prayer. We will also celebrate the Eucharist, where everyone is welcome at the table of Christ! Rev. Judy May preaches.
January 2023 Services
January 29, 2023: Do all religions believe almost the same thing? Do all faiths lead to the same place? What will happen to my family and friends who follow other faith traditions? What about heaven and hell? Join us as we discover faith in Jesus in a diverse world. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
January 22, 2023: Is the Bible God’s word? How does God speak to us through the Bible? Is the Bible infallible? What do we do with the contradictions we have seen in the scriptures? Is the Bible relevant today? Join us as we wrestle with these questions and more about the Bible and its role in our faith and life as Christians. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
January 15, 2023: Does God exist? Does God love me? How do we know? What is doubt and faith? Is it okay for faithful people to doubt? Join us as we reflect on how doubt can be the fertile ground of faith. Rev. Judy May preaches.
January 8, 2023: What is baptism? What happens at baptism? The week, we’ll dive into the waters of Jesus’ baptism and rediscover who we are as we celebrate and remember our baptism together. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
January 1, 2023: Joseph is faced with a decision for his young family: move to Egypt with Mary and Jesus or risk the wrath of Herod. Forced to flee, the holy family became refugees in exile. In the land of Egypt, there is safety and a new beginning for them. The king of a nation is sent out into the world. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
December 2022 Services
December 25, 2022: Join us to celebrate on Christmas morning with a service of Lessons and Carols. Rev. Dr. April Gutierrez leads worship.
December 24, 2022: Christmas Eve 10 p.m. Candlelight service in the Sanctuary. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
December 18, 2022: When Scrooge faces the Ghost of Christmas Future, he cringes in fear before his own grave and what is becoming of his life. He realizes what happens when there is not a change in his heart. Yet, the night always seems darkest before the dawn. When he awakes in the morning, Scrooge is given a second chance. How do we respond when we awake from our own fearful nights to a new morning? Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
December 11, 2022: The Ghost of Christmas Present forces Scrooge to look upon him and to know him better. While the ghost seems to have abundance, the ghost calls out the vast difference between those who experience abundance and those who live in poverty. God has a heart for those in poverty and injustice. In the Christmas story, we rediscover a God who meets us in those who live on the margins. Are you searching for God this Christmas? Join us as we look to the margins. Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.
December 4, 2022: Christmas brings with it all the joy of the season. Yet, it also brings memories of lost dreams and times of struggle for others. When visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, Scrooge had some regrets about his life. How does Christmas continue to break into our lives and bring hope from moments of heartbreak, shame, or regret? Rev. Elbert Dulworth preaches.