Sermons by Reverend Rob Phillips
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Sermons by Reverend Rob Phillips

The Rich Man and Lazarus

Sunday, August 16 Traditional worship service. This Sunday we continue our Summer Sermon Series, “Short Stories by Jesus” by looking at the parable of “The Rich Man and Lazarus”.  Join us in person or online this Sunday for worship! Psalm 133 Luke 16:19-31

The Wedding Feast

Sunday, July 19 Traditions worship service in the CLC. This Sunday we continue our Summer Sermon Series, “Short Stories by Jesus” by looking at the parable of “The Wedding Feast.”  Join us in person or online this Sunday for worship! As a reminder, our 11 AM English speaking service will be in the Christian Life Center for the next several weeks while ceiling repairs are underway in our sanctuary. Psalm 139:1-12 Luke 14:16-24

The Sower

Sunday, June 21 Traditions worship service in the CLC. This Sunday we continue our Summer Sermon Series, “Short Stories by Jesus” by looking at the parable of “The Sower.”  Join us in person or online this Sunday for worship! As a reminder, our 11 AM English speaking service will be in the Christian Life Center for the next several weeks while ceiling repairs are underway in our sanctuary. Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

The Great Commission

Church on the Street Sunday, May 31 Traditions worship service. Join us for Church on the Street Sunday! Pastor Rob will share a message on Matthew 28, the Great Commission, where Jesus commands us to go out into the world and make disciples. Matthew 28:16-20

Unbound: Longing for Community

Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 15 tradition worship service. Join us in worship this Sunday for the fourth Sunday of Lent as we continue our Unbound series – Longing for Community. This Sunday we read the story from the ninth chapter of John’s Gospel where Jesus heals a man born blind. John 9:1-41

Unbound: Longing for Mystery

Second Sunday in Lent, March 1 tradition worship service. Join us for the second week of our Lenten sermon series, Unbound. This Sunday we will be talking about the Longing for Mystery. Psalm 121 John 3:1-17

Stepping Out of Darkness into Light

Sunday, January 25 Traditions online worship service. Due to inclement weather conditions, the service this Sunday was pre-recorded for viewing online starting at 8am Sunday or anytime after. Isaiah 9:1-5 Matthew 4:12-23

Lessons and Carols

Sunday, December 28 Traditions worship service. Join us for a service of Lessons and Carols. We hope to see you at 9:00 or 11:00 am for worship at White Plains UMC.

Second Sunday of Advent – The Voice of John the Baptist

Sunday, December 7 Traditions worship service. This Sunday, December 7th, is the second Sunday in Advent and we will encounter John the Baptist. Join us as we listen for John’s voice and hear his message for us today. We continue our Advent Sermon Series, Voices of Advent based on Matthew Skinner’s Book “Voices of Advent: The Bible’s Insights for a Season of Hope”. Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 Matthew 3:1-12

All Saints Sunday

Sunday, November 2 Traditions worship service. November 2nd is All Saints Sunday at White Plains UMC. Pastor Rob will share a message of hope and encouragement as we share in Holy Communion and remember those who have gone before us. Hebrews 11:1 – 12:1

The People for whom the World is our Parish

Sunday, October 5 Traditions worship service. This Sunday, October 5th, we continue our sermon series, #BeUMC – Committed People of God. In this fourth week of the series, we will be talking about being “The People for whom the World is our Parish.” Isaiah 2:1-5

WholeHEARTed Series Wrap Up

Sunday, September 7 Traditions worship service. This Sunday, September 7th, we will wrap up our sermon series, wholeHEARTed, inspired by Brené Brown’s bestselling book The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. We will take a look back at the values we’ve cultivated the past 11 weeks and the thoughts and behaviors we need to let go in order to make room. We hope to see you in person or online! Proverbs 3:5-6 Philippians 4:4-9

Cultivating Play and Rest

Sunday, August 10 Traditions worship service. This Sunday we will continue our sermon series, wholeHEARTed, inspired by Brené Brown’s bestselling book The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are.  During this series, we will explore ten guideposts found in scripture for Wholehearted living to help us let go of who we think we are supposed to be and embrace who we already are. This Sunday, we are at Guidepost 7: Cultivating Play and Rest: Letting Go of Exhaustion as a Status Symbol and Productivity as Self-Worth. Matthew 11:28-30 Matthew 18:1-5

Trinity Sunday

Sunday, June 15 Traditions worship service. “All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” – John 16:15 The word “trinity” doesn’t appear in the Bible but our faith in the God who is three who is one is at the core of our beliefs. Join us this Sunday on Trinity Sunday as we lift our hearts to God and hear what Jesus had to say about this mysterious union during his last night with his disciples. This Sunday we are back to our regular three services: 9:00 am contemporary in the Christian Life Center, 11:00 Familia en espanol in the Chapel and 11:00 am service in the Sanctuary or online on YouTube or Facebook. See you in Church! Psalm 8 Proverbs 8:1-4,22-31 John 16:12-15

Fifth Sunday in Easter

Sunday, May 18 Traditions worship service. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:35 Jesus shared this “new commandment” with his closest friends during their last meal together. So what does it mean to love as God loves? If we are to be known as followers of Jesus Christ then we better talk about it. Join us in worship for the 5th Sunday in Easter at 9:00 am for contemporary worship in the CLC or for the Sanctuary service at 11:00 am in person or on live stream. Psalm 148 John 13:31-35

Second Sunday in Easter

Sunday, April 27 Traditions worship service. Again, Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” – John 20:21 The cross is the inflection point of history. Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus defeated evil, darkness, and death for all time. in the words of the great Easter Hymn “Love’s redeeming work is done, fought the fight the battle won.” And yet we acknowledge that evil, death, and darkness remain powerful realities for many in this world. This is why Jesus appears to his disciples multiple times after his resurrection. This is why he sends us forth in his name – to proclaim the good news. Join us in worship in person or online this Sunday as we proclaim the Easter message – Christ is risen indeed – Alleluia! Psalm 150 John 20:19-33

The People of God in Community – Colossians

Sunday, March 2 Traditions worship service. This Sunday we continue our With-God life series on the people of God in community as we focus on Paul’s letter to the Colossians. This short epistle is a theological masterwork that proclaims the universality and sovereignty of Jesus Christ. Join us in the Sanctuary at 11am or online as we wrestle with the idea of ultimate truth in a culture of competing ideologies. We hope to see you in worship! Colossians 1:9-23

The People of God in Community – Galatians

Sunday, February 9 Traditions worship service. This Sunday we continue this section of the With-God Life called the People of God in Community. Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia is a textbook on Spiritual Formation. If we are living the Gospel rightly as individuals and in community then the Holy Spirit will be working in and through us, shaping and working us into the people we’re called to be as followers of Jesus Christ. In this beloved letter, Paul warns us of pitfalls along the path and lists the qualities, the “fruit” that the Spirit will bring forth in our lives. Join us in the Sanctuary service at 11:00am or watch the live stream on Facebook or Youtube. Galatians 3:23-29, 5:13-26

Baptism of the Lord Sunday

Sunday, January 12 Traditions worship service. “Behold, the Lamb of God!” That’s how John the Baptist acknowledges Jesus after baptizing him in the Jordan. This Sunday we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, yet another example of God’s upside-down kingdom where the divine is baptized by the human. We can identify with John in our unworthiness but we are called to remember who we are in Jesus, that we share in his frailty as well as his victory. Today we reaffirm our pledge to resist evil in all its forms, repent of our sin and live into the service God has called us to. Matthew 3:13-17 John 1:29-34