As we enter into Holy Week, we join Jesus in longing for the Kin-dom of God. Pastor Kyle invited us to not rush to the end of the story, and to take our time with the story this week so we don't miss out on what the story is demanding of us in our world today. 💜 About Union: The Union Combined Parish is a multisite United Methodist congregation in Boston committed to love and liberation—historically Black, multicultural, and LGBTQ+ empowering. Learn more about Union at https://unionboston.org. 🔗 Connect with us: We are a family of believers from all walks of life from all over the world. Let us get to know you, become a member of Union, or find community in person and online at https://unionboston.org/connect. 💪 To give to Union's mission of love, justice, and service, go to https://unionboston.org/give.

Discipleship Pastor Kyle Walden preaches from the story of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus. In her story, we find ourselves longing for care while we care for others yet still. 📖 Preaching from John 12 1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” 💜 About Union: The Union Combined Parish is a multisite United Methodist congregation in Boston committed to love and liberation—historically Black, multicultural, and LGBTQ+ empowering. Learn more about Union at https://unionboston.org. 🔗 Connect with us: We are a family of believers from all walks of life from all over the world. Let us get to know you, become a member of Union, or find community in person and online at https://unionboston.org/connect. 💪 To give to Union's mission of love, justice, and service, go to https://unionboston.org/give.

Daniela Harrigan, a seminarian at the Boston University School of Theology, closes out Women's History Month at Union with a powerful word on flourishing. Weaving together womanist theology and the Exodus narrative, Daniela invites us to work against modern-day pharaohs as we are God's loving justice. 📖 Preaching from Exodus 1 8 Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. 9 He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. 13 The Egyptians subjected the Israelites to hard servitude 14 and made their lives bitter with hard servitude in mortar and bricks and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them. 15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and allowed the boys to live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.” 💜 About Union: The Union Combined Parish is a multisite United Methodist congregation in Boston committed to love and liberation—historically Black, multicultural, and LGBTQ+ empowering. Learn more about Union at https://unionboston.org. 🔗 Connect with us: We are a family of believers from all walks of life from all over the world. Let us get to know you, become a member of Union, or find community in person and online at https://unionboston.org/connect. 💪 To give to Union's mission of love, justice, and service, go to https://unionboston.org/give.

The Rev. Ashley Renée, Union's Deacon-in-Residence, invites us into deeper connection with each other, reminding us that we are each other's gift from God. 📖 Preaching from Luke 8 43 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, and immediately her flow of blood stopped. 45 Then Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” When they all denied it, Peter[m] said, “Master, the crowds are hemming you in and pressing against you.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I noticed that power had gone out from me.” 47 When the woman realized that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed. 48 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” 💜 About Union: The Union Combined Parish is a multisite United Methodist congregation in Boston committed to love and liberation—historically Black, multicultural, and LGBTQ+ empowering. Learn more about Union at https://unionboston.org. 🔗 Connect with us: We are a family of believers from all walks of life from all over the world. Let us get to know you, become a member of Union, or find community in person and online at https://unionboston.org/connect. 💪 To give to Union's mission of love, justice, and service, go to https://unionboston.org/give.

The Rev. Laura Everett delivers a powerful word on wholeness, bodies, and worth continuing our Lenten sermon series, "Longing." "God" by Doechii: https://youtu.be/7cdBJ9cwxKI?si=1iuSgtDwNENB2_Gu ABOUT LAURA The Rev. Laura E. Everett serves at the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches. A graduate of Brown University, Laura received her Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School. Ordained by the United Church of Christ, Laura is formed by many parts of the Church. She is happiest exploring somewhere new, preferably by bike. A dedicated urbanist and bicycle evangelist, Rev. Laura is the author of “Holy Spokes: The Search for Urban Spirituality on Two Wheels.” Committed to the renewal and thriving of vibrant Christian institutions, she serves as an advisor with Leadership Education at Duke Divinity School. Laura is also the co-host of the podcast “Can These Bones” with Bill Lamar, from Faith & Leadership at Duke Divinity School. Laura aims for attraction not persuasion. A moderately competent seamstress, Laura loves working with her hands. 📖 Preaching from 1 Corinthians 6 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we[b] are the temple of the living God, as God said, “I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 7v1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God. 💜 About Union: The Union Combined Parish is a multisite United Methodist congregation in Boston committed to love and liberation—historically Black, multicultural, and LGBTQ+ empowering. Learn more about Union at https://unionboston.org. 🔗 Connect with us: We are a family of believers from all walks of life from all over the world. Let us get to know you, become a member of Union, or find community in person and online at https://unionboston.org/connect. 💪 To give to Union's mission of love, justice, and service, go to https://unionboston.org/give.

The Rev. Nikki Renée, Union's Preacher-in-Residence, begins our Lenten sermon series, "Longing," by preaching on clarity in listening for God's voice. 📖 Preaching from Luke 4 1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tested by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over he was famished. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” 4 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’" 5 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered him, “It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ 9 Then the devil led him to Jerusalem and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ 11 and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” 12 Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time. 💜 About Union: The Union Combined Parish is a multisite United Methodist congregation in Boston committed to love and liberation—historically Black, multicultural, and LGBTQ+ empowering. Learn more about Union at https://unionboston.org. 🔗 Connect with us: We are a family of believers from all walks of life from all over the world. Let us get to know you, become a member of Union, or find community in person and online at https://unionboston.org/connect. 💪 To give to Union's mission of love, justice, and service, go to https://unionboston.org/give.

The Rev. Nikki Renée, our Preacher-in-Residence, begins Women's History Month at Union urging us to find ourselves in the margins to be in solidarity with those who need us. 📖 Preaching from Luke 9 28 About eight days after saying this, Jesus took Peter, John and James and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 While Jesus was praying, his face changed in appearance and the clothes he wore became dazzlingly white. 30 Suddenly two people were there talking with Jesus-Moses and Elijah. 31 They appeared in glory and spoke of the prophecy that Jesus was about to fulfill in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and the others had already fallen into a deep sleep, but awakening, they saw Jesus' glory-and the two people who were standing next to him. 33 When the two were leaving, Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, how good it is for us to be here! Let's set up three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah!" Peter didn't really know what he was saying. 34 While Peter was speaking, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and the disciples grew fearful as the others entered it. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice which said, "This is my Own, my Chosen One. Listen to him!" 36 When the voice finished speaking, they saw no one but Jesus standing there. The disciples kept quiet, telling nothing of what they had seen at that time to anyone. 💜 About Union: The Union Combined Parish is a multisite United Methodist congregation in Boston committed to love and liberation—historically Black, multicultural, and LGBTQ+ empowering. Learn more about Union at https://unionboston.org. 🔗 Connect with us: We are a family of believers from all walks of life from all over the world. Let us get to know you, become a member of Union, or find community in person and online at https://unionboston.org/connect. 💪 To give to Union's mission of love, justice, and service, go to https://unionboston.org/give.

Lead Pastor Jay Williams preaches a comforting word about the God that cares for us, caring for ourselves, and caring for one another—especially during these times. 📖 Preaching from 1 Peter 5 1 I send a word of advice to the elders among you. I, too, am an elder, as well as a witness to the sufferings of Christ and a partaker of the glory that will be revealed. 2 Shepherd the flock entrusted to you. Shepherd it, not just out of duty, but eagerly, as God would have it. Don’t do it for money, but do it freely. 3 Don’t be pompous or domineering, but set an example for the whole community to follow. 4 Then when the chief Shepherd comes, you will receive a crown of unfading glory. 5 Let the young among you respect the leadership of the elders. Let all of you clothe yourselves in humility toward each other, for “God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore, humble yourselves before God’s mighty power, that you may be exalted by God on the appointed day. 7 Cast all your cares on God, who cares for you. 8 Be sober. Be watchful. For your adversary the Devil roams about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. 9 Stand up to the Devil as one strong in faith, fortified with the knowledge that your sisters and brothers throughout the world share the same afflictions. 10 But the God of all grace, who called you to eternal glory through Jesus Christ, will fulfill, restore, strengthen and establish you after you have suffered a little while. 11 To God be glory and dominion forever and ever! Amen. 💜 About Union: The Union Combined Parish is a multisite United Methodist congregation in Boston committed to love and liberation—historically Black, multicultural, and LGBTQ+ empowering. Learn more about Union at https://unionboston.org. 🔗 Connect with us: We are a family of believers from all walks of life from all over the world. Let us get to know you, become a member of Union, or find community in person and online at https://unionboston.org/connect. 💪 To give to Union's mission of love, justice, and service, go to https://unionboston.org/give.