2023 Breakthrough Calendar
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New Year’s Series
Who doesn’t want a fresh start, a clean slate? That is exactly what Jesus offers us; he gives us the chance to begin anew every single day. But this is no ordinary fresh start. When we say yes to God’s new beginning in our lives, we are saying yes to an adventure that will require courage, perseverance, and boldness. We are saying yes to having our world turned upside down and inside out. We are saying yes to being stirred up and to stirring things up. And one thing is for sure: this fresh start is so worth it. So, let’s make it count.
Week 1: Are You Sure You’re Up for This | Mark 8:27-38
Week 2: Hens and Chicks | Luke 13:31-35
Week 3: Ten Lepers. How Many Miracles? | Luke 17:11-19
Week 4: Salvation in the House | Luke 19:1-10
Series for Lent and Easter
Who is God? Why do bad things happen to good people? How can I face the future? Asking questions is a normal part of human life. Having doubts is part of the human experience. We do not have to be ashamed of our doubts or hide our questions before God. In fact, God fully welcomes them and welcomes us. This Lent, we will practice bringing some of our biggest questions and doubts to God. We will practice embracing this deeply human part of ourselves as we move together toward the great and joyous mystery of Easter resurrection. Click here for sermon series.
Ash Wednesday: Living with Questions Doubts | Isaiah 6:1-8; Matthew 6:1-6
Week 1: Who is God? | 1 John 4:7-19
Week 2: Is the Bible Reliable? | Hebrews 4:12-14
Week 3: Why Should I Go to Church? | Psalm 100
Week 4: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? | Psalm 137
Week 5: How and Why Do I Forgive? | Matthew 6:9-15
Week 6 (Palm/Passion Sunday): Why is Jesus Special? | Mark 11:1-11
Maundy Thursday: Are You Scared of the Future? | John 13:1-7, 31b-35
Good Friday: Why Did Jesus Have to Die? | Colossians 2:13-14
Week 7 (Easter Sunday): Why Be a Christian? | Mark 16:1-8
Spring Series
“…just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life,” (Romans 6:4b). The Bible is full of stories of redemption, change, and hope. Through four of those stories, we will discover how faith in a Risen Jesus can transform our lives for the better here and now. No matter how big or how small we fall, God outstretches God’s hand, ready to raise us up.
Week 1: Rising from Skepticism (Thomas) | John 20:24-28
Week 2: Rising from Denial (Peter) | John 21:15-19
Week 3: Rising from Hatred (Saul/Paul) | Acts 9:1-22
Week 4: Rising from Quarreling (The Church) | Acts 15:1-21
Summer Series on Women in the Bible
Heroes do not just belong in comic books and blockbuster movies. We have them in real life too – people whose courage, strength, and resilience we can look up to as models for our own lives. In this summer series, we will meet four outstanding heroes from our faith story. Their readiness to listen to God’s voice in their lives and act on it inspires us to do the same. Coming soon!
Week 1: Deborah | Judges 4:4-11 and Judges 5:1-9
Week 2: Rahab | Joshua 2:1-14
Week 3: Lydia | Acts 16:13-15, 40
Week 4: Esther | Esther 3:13; 4:13-17
Each year, the United Methodist Church celebrates the ministry and witness of laypersons everywhere through a special service, typically observed on the third Sunday of October, although you can pick an alternative date that works for your church. This year's Laity Sunday resources focus on how God calls and equips us to share God's love and good news with those we meet along life's path. We are reminded that all the world needs our witness. Our witness matters.
Following a powerful partnership journey to Tanzania, the United Methodists of Greater New Jersey have set forth on an ambitious mission: the “For Tanzania 2024” campaign.
The following is worship resources to aid in bringing this campaign to your local worshipping community. Together, we can build a church, support pastors, and make a lasting difference for our siblings in Christ across Tanzania.
Fall Kick-Off Series
The idea of talking about our faith and sharing it with others can cause strong reactions. Fear. Nerves. Excitement. Uncertainty. Let’s face it, telling the Good News of the Gospel can be difficult for lots of reasons, even when our faith is at its strongest. Yet a faith worth having is a faith worth sharing! Thankfully, scripture not only tells us to share our faith, it also helps us learn how, for our own time and place. Coming soon!
Week 1: The Great Commission | Matthew 28:16-20
Week 2: The Good News is for Everyone | Acts 10:30-48
Week 3: Meet People Where They Are | Acts 17:16-28
Week 4: The World Needs the Good News | John 3:11-20
Stewardship & Generosity Campaign Series
We get lots of messages about what is important, what the “good life” is, and everything we need to do – and have – to achieve it. Still, so many of us remain unsatisfied, chasing after the next thing in search of fulfilment. But there is good news for us! God desires for us to have lives of contentment, freedom from worry, and joy in abundance. And Jesus shows us the way there. As we learn how to find our contentment in God, we will also discover the beauty in giving. Our lives will be evidence that the good life is the generous life – a life through which the grace of God flows into the world.
Week 1: Living in a World of and with Scarcity | Matthew 6:24-34
Week 2: Finding Our Contentment with God: Spiritual Maturity | 1 Timothy 6:6-12
Week 3: The Gift of a Self-Emptying God | Ephesians 3:5-12
Week 4: Abundance is Communal and Connectional | John 6:1-14
Advent & Christmas
Anyone who has hosted a Christmas dinner or party can tell you, there is a ton of preparation that goes into throwing these holiday celebrations. Many of us find ourselves doing lots of preparing in this busy season of lights, tinsel, and wrapping paper. Yet, what are we really preparing for?Who are we really preparing for? This Advent, hear God’s call: “Prepare!” – for the coming one, Jesus. Hear this imperative as an invitation to strip away all the fuss and ready your heart and life for the change that is coming when Jesus gets here. Coming soon!
Week 1: Keep Awake | Mark 13:24-37
Week 2: Get Ready | Mark 1:1-8
Week 3: Testify | John 1:6-8, 19-28
Week 4: Be Courageous | Luke 1:26-38
Christmas Eve: Go! | Luke 2:1-20
Week 5: Worship and Bless | Luke 2:22-40