Medina UCCC Weekly Sermons

Why does biblical context matter, and what happens when Scripture is taken out of its story and used as a weapon? In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon begins with a Bible fight and a prosperity preacher who accidentally quotes Satan. From there, he explores Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness, Paul’s letter to the Romans, Passover and Exodus. Luke asks a challenging question: What if we are not the Israelites in the story, but the Egyptians? This message invites us to confront the assumptions that keep others bound and hear Scripture as a living witness calling us out of fear, comfort and empire and into the liberating love of Jesus Christ. *To support our mission or help create more podcast content like this, donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

In this sermon, the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon explores why the Bible should be read as a living conversation rather than a book with only one voice. By uncovering Scripture’s distinct styles, perspectives, and even humor, he shows how reading the Bible on its own terms can help us listen more openly to God and one another. *To support our mission or help create more podcast content like this, donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

What happens when thousands of strangers suddenly arrive at your door? On September 11, 2001, 38 planes carrying nearly 7,000 passengers were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. What followed became the heart of the Broadway musical Come From Away: ordinary people opening their schools, churches, homes, kitchens, and hearts to people they had never met. In this sermon from Rev. Meghan Malone, she explores what Gander can teach us about one of the central calls of the Gospel: loving our neighbor not only in words, but by meeting real human needs. From Leviticus and the teachings of Jesus to food, blankets, phone calls, shared meals, prayer, and unexpected community, this is a reflection on solidarity, generosity, and what becomes possible when people choose to show up for one another. Because when the world feels like it is falling apart, the Gospel can look remarkably ordinary: an open door, an open heart, and the willingness to say, “What can I do?” Donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Meghan Malone? Meghan Malone is the Associate Pastor of Youth and Mission at the United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. She has a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Religious Studies from The Ohio State University and a Master of Divinity Degree from The Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Meghan previously served as a minister for The United Church of Granville, finishing her time there as their Transitional Pastor in January 2022. During the pandemic, Meghan completed her Clinical Pastoral Education at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and worked there as a chaplain resident and contract chaplain. Meghan enjoys telling the stories of the Bible through queer and feminist lenses, talking about mental health, and helping others to fall in love with the Bible again. She and her husband Logan both grew up in Johnstown, Ohio.

What does bold faith look like when the future is uncertain? From Lin-Manuel Miranda’s unlikely idea for Hamilton to the revolutionary courage of the early church, this message explores what it means to refuse to shrink back, tell a better story, and help shape the future with faith, humility, and love. Works Cited [1] PBS NewsHour, “Hip-Hop and History Blend for Broadway Hit ‘Hamilton,’” PBS NewsHour, February 16, 2016, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/hip-hop-and-history-blend-for-broadway-hit-hamilton. *To support our mission or help create more podcast content like this, donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

What does it mean to be fully seen and still fully loved? Drawing from Dear Evan Hansen, Psalm 139, and the story of Nathanael, this sermon explores loneliness, mental health, judgment, forgiveness, and the God who meets us in our hidden places. The Good News is not that we have to prove our worth. It is that God already knows us, stays with us, and reminds us that we have been found. *To support our mission or help create more podcast content like this, donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

In this sermon curated by the Rev. Meghan Malone, the story of Wicked becomes a lens for examining the stories we are told about migrants, goodness, and evil. Reflecting on a church youth trip to the Arizona border, she invites us to look beyond fear, recognize our shared humanity, and follow Jesus by becoming the neighbors our world needs. *To support our mission or help create more podcast content like this, donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Meghan Malone? Meghan Malone is the Associate Pastor of Youth and Mission at the United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. She has a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Religious Studies from The Ohio State University and a Master of Divinity Degree from The Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Meghan previously served as a minister for The United Church of Granville, finishing her time there as their Transitional Pastor in January 2022. During the pandemic, Meghan completed her Clinical Pastoral Education at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and worked there as a chaplain resident and contract chaplain. Meghan enjoys telling the stories of the Bible through queer and feminist lenses, talking about mental health, and helping others to fall in love with the Bible again. She and her husband Logan both grew up in Johnstown, Ohio.

What makes a tradition worth passing on? Using Fiddler on the Roof, Scripture, and the tension between faith and traditionalism, the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon explores how belief remains alive across generations. Tradition is not about preserving ashes or following someone else’s coattails. It is about carrying the fire of Christ’s love, mercy, and grace into a changing world. *To support our mission or help create more podcast content like this, donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

In this message, the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon connects Hadestown, the Garden of Eden, and the story of Christ to explore a timeless human struggle: our tendency to choose control and judgment over trust, mercy, and life. Through the stories of Orpheus, Eurydice, Adam, and Eve, Luke reminds us that the old patterns keep repeating. But in Christ, we are offered a new way forward. Every day, we stand before two trees. One promises the satisfaction of being right. The other offers the gift of life. *To support our mission to create more podcast content like this ⁠Donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

In this reflective and story-rich sermon, the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon's message centers on Jesus’ use of parables, the mystery of God, and why grace is often so hard for people to accept. Through the image of a seminary chapel glowing mysteriously at night, the story explores how fear can become prayer, how certainty can block humility, and how faith often begins where our understanding ends. Rooted in the theology of mystery, the episode reminds us that the Kingdom of God cannot be reduced to simple answers, rigid rules, or easy explanations. Instead, Jesus invites us into deeper questions, deeper trust, and deeper community. The heart of the message is that we do not have to know everything because God has given us Scripture, prayer, grace, and perhaps most beautifully, one another. Works Cited Robert Farrar Capon, Kingdom, Grace, Judgment: Paradox, Outrage, and Vindication in the Parables of Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2002. Robert Farrar Capon, Between Noon and Three: Romance, Law, and the Outrage of Grace (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).   *To support our mission to create more podcast content like this ⁠Donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

What does it really mean to show up for one another? In this UCC Medina sermon, Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon reflects on Medina Pride, a young man searching for belonging, the loneliness that divides us, and the quiet power of presence. Drawing from Noah Kahan’s song “The Great Divide,” Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, and the Road to Emmaus, this message explores how misunderstanding can separate us and how love slowly teaches us to cross back over. From shared tables and long conversations to forgiveness, reconciliation, and simply being present, this sermon is a reminder that community is not built in grand gestures alone. It is built when we listen a little better, stay a little longer, and help one another remember they belong. Don’t wait to connect. Heaven may be closer than you think. Works Cited Jean-Paul Sartre, No Exit, trans. Stuart Gilbert, in No Exit and Three Other Plays (New York: Vintage International, 1989). Thurman, Howard. Meditations of the Heart. Boston: Beacon Press, 1953.   *To support our mission to create more podcast content like this ⁠Donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

What if one of life’s greatest mysteries isn’t the universe, God, or even eternity… but the people sitting right beside us? In this week’s message, Rev. Meghan Malone explores what it means to truly see one another beyond labels, assumptions, and the stories we create about people we barely know. Through the parable of the Good Samaritan, we’re reminded that compassion does not require full understanding, and that perhaps loving our neighbor begins with recognizing that every person we encounter is living a life just as complex, beautiful, and mysterious as our own. A thoughtful reflection on empathy, curiosity, community, and what Jesus teaches us about caring for people across difference. Donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Meghan Malone? Meghan Malone is the Associate Pastor of Youth and Mission at the United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. She has a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Religious Studies from The Ohio State University and a Master of Divinity Degree from The Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Meghan previously served as a minister for The United Church of Granville, finishing her time there as their Transitional Pastor in January 2022. During the pandemic, Meghan completed her Clinical Pastoral Education at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and worked there as a chaplain resident and contract chaplain. Meghan enjoys telling the stories of the Bible through queer and feminist lenses, talking about mental health, and helping others to fall in love with the Bible again. She and her husband Logan both grew up in Johnstown, Ohio.

In this episode the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon reflects on what it means to live with the complicated mix of mind, body, spirit, memory, labels, expectations, and inner criticism that shape how we see ourselves. Drawing from Paul’s words in Romans, Jesus’ words in the garden, the Heidelberg Catechism, and even the familiar question, “Why do I do that?”, this message explores the struggle of being human and the comfort of knowing we are not defined by our worst thoughts, our old wounds, or the voices we have internalized along the way. At the heart of this sermon is a simple but powerful reminder: before anything else, before every label, every insecurity, every failure, and every attempt to become enough, you are beloved by God. *To support our mission to create more podcast content like this ⁠Donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Works Cited Paul D. MacLean, The Triune Brain in Evolution: Role in Paleocerebral Functions (New York: Plenum Press, 1990); Joseph E. LeDoux, The Deep History of Ourselves: The Four-Billion-Year Story of How We Got Conscious Brains (New York: Viking, 2019). Daniel Rojas-Valverde et al., “Examining the Interaction between Exercise, Gut Microbiota, and Neurodegeneration: Future Research Directions,” Biomedicines 11, no. 8 (2023): 2267, ⁠https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11082267⁠; Vincenzo Monda et al., “Exercise Modifies the Gut Microbiota with Positive Health Effects,” Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2017 (2017): 3831972, ⁠https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/3831972⁠. Lee C. Barrett III, trans., The Heidelberg Catechism: A New Translation for the 21st Century (Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2007), 29. Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness: An Essay on Phenomenological Ontology, trans. Hazel E. Barnes (New York: Washington Square Press, 1992). Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

What happens when God refuses to fit inside the categories we create? This week at Medina UCC, we move from the mythic world of Poseidon and the gods of the ancient world to Moses standing barefoot before a burning bush in the wilderness. Moses asks God for a name, but the answer he receives is not a title, a territory, or a job description. It is mystery itself: I Am That I Am. This message explores a God who cannot be reduced to an image, a doctrine, a rulebook, or a single definition. Instead, God is revealed in wonder, creation, community, justice, compassion, and the holy moments we often overlook. From a house being built in a church parking lot to baptisms, funerals, shared meals, Pride, and the sacred image carried by every person, this episode invites us to ask a simple but powerful question: Can you see where God was? *To support our mission to create more podcast content like this ⁠Donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

In this thoughtful sermon, Rev. Meghan Malone reflects on gentleness, self-control, and the surprising truth that the only thing we can truly control is ourselves. Drawing from Paul’s words in Corinthians, motherhood, exhaustion, spiritual discipline, and even an unexpected lesson from Olaf in Frozen 2, Rev. Malone explores why true strength is often found not in domination, but in restraint, compassion, rest, and the daily choice to respond instead of react. ⁠Donate using our secure portal: ⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Meghan Malone? Meghan Malone is the Associate Pastor of Youth and Mission at the United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. She has a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Religious Studies from The Ohio State University and a Master of Divinity Degree from The Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Meghan previously served as a minister for The United Church of Granville, finishing her time there as their Transitional Pastor in January 2022. During the pandemic, Meghan completed her Clinical Pastoral Education at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and worked there as a chaplain resident and contract chaplain. Meghan enjoys telling the stories of the Bible through queer and feminist lenses, talking about mental health, and helping others to fall in love with the Bible again. She and her husband Logan both grew up in Johnstown, Ohio.

What does faithfulness really look like when the pressure to conform is everywhere? In this Pentecost sermon, the Rev. Dr. Luke Linden reflects on loyalty, fidelity, courage, and the Spirit’s call to become a church that does not simply repeat old patterns, but listens again for the living God. Works Cited: “Social Conformity Experiment.” YouTube, 2:55. Posted by Mind Warehouse, August 18, 2015. *To support our mission to create more podcast content like this ⁠Donate using our secure portal: ⁠⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

What does it mean to be a truly good person in a world shaped by outrage, projection, performance, and power? In this thoughtful and timely sermon, the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon explores the biblical idea of “goodness” as more than morality or appearances. Drawing from Galatians, Romans, Exodus, and the Gospel of John, Luke reflects on servant leadership, grace, political division, projection, and the quiet strength of integrated people whose character remains steady wherever they go. This sermon invites listeners to consider how compassion, integrity, and spiritual wholeness still matter in modern life — and why authentic goodness may be one of the most radical acts left in our culture today. *To support our mission to create more podcast content like this ⁠Donate using our secure portal: ⁠https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now⁠ OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

What if kindness isn’t soft at all? In this sermon, the Dr. Luke Lindon explores the surprising strength hidden inside real kindness through stories about Mr. Rogers, Pope Francis, a motorcycle club, and a fearless pastor who understood that truth and compassion belong together. This message challenges the idea that kindness is weakness and reminds us that, in a world obsessed with being nice, genuine kindness may be one of the most radical acts left. *To support our mission to create more podcast content like this ⁠Donate using our secure portal: https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon? The Rev. Dr. Luke Lindon serves as the senior pastor of United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. Prior to coming to Medina in April 2017, he was the associate pastor at Sylvania UCC in northwest Ohio. Luke earned his Doctor of Ministry through the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with an emphasis on transformational leadership in 2022. His thesis was on adaptive leadership and ecclesiology. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. Before seminary, Luke worked as a tool and fastener sales representative and store manager for Capitol Building Supply in Washington, D.C. Luke and his wife, Kate, have two children. Luke grew up in Dennison, Ohio, and enjoys sports, music, and Dungeons and Dragons. He is a member of the UCC Next Generation Leadership Initiative.

What does it mean to wait on God in a world that moves fast? This sermon delivered by the Rev. Meghan Malone, explores patience through the lens of faith, trust, and spiritual growth. From the wisdom of scripture to everyday life moments, this message reflects on how waiting seasons shape us, strengthen our faith, and ultimately reveal the beauty of God’s timing. *To support our mission to create more podcast content like this ⁠Donate using our secure portal: https://onrealm.org/uccmedina/-/form/give/now OR Texting UCCMEDINA to 73256 Who is the Rev. Meghan Malone? Meghan Malone is the Associate Pastor of Youth and Mission at the United Church of Christ Congregational in Medina, Ohio. She has a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Religious Studies from The Ohio State University and a Master of Divinity Degree from The Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Meghan previously served as a minister for The United Church of Granville, finishing her time there as their Transitional Pastor in January 2022. During the pandemic, Meghan completed her Clinical Pastoral Education at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and worked there as a chaplain resident and contract chaplain. Meghan enjoys telling the stories of the Bible through queer and feminist lenses, talking about mental health, and helping others to fall in love with the Bible again. She and her husband Logan both grew up in Johnstown, Ohio.