The Safe House Podcast

Live Service for April. 29th, 2026 Text: Mark 2:1-12 “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for April. 15th, 2026 Text: James 5:13a – “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for April. 8th, 2026 John 11:28-37 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” Conversation  It is difficult to be a vessel when wrestling with the feelings of sadness, guilt, anger, and conflict. Timing becomes subjective to the person who is the recipient. Blessing is seen through the lens of the entitled and not the movement of God. Tears can be shed for multiple reasons.  Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for March. 18th, 2026 Mark 13:1-13 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” Signs of the End of the Age And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for March. 11th, 2026 Text: Proverbs 18:24 “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” That verse forces us to wrestle with a simple but powerful question: What kind of relationships actually sustain our lives? Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for March. 4th, 2026   Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper   Text: Matthew 14:1–21 The Death of John the Baptist 14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,[a] 4 because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. 6 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, 7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. 10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.   Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.   Context Overview   In one continuous movement, we see: •The execution of John the Baptist •The paranoia of Herod Antipas •Jesus attempting to withdraw •The crowd refusing to disperse •The feeding of the 5,000   This is not just a miracle story.   This is a leadership-under-pressure story.   This is grief interrupted by responsibility.   This is ministry while bleeding.   ⸻   Core Proposition   Pressure does not signal the absence of God. It often reveals how heaven moves through us when we are being pressed.   Ubuntu Lens Question   How do we respond when grief, responsibility, and expectation all press on us at the same time?   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Feb. 25th 2026 Pastor Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper Patrick English Joshua 1:1 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant,   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above  

Live Service for Feb. 18th 2026 Pastor Charles W. Ferguson   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Feb. 11th 2026 Pastor Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper Patrick English   Scripture: Hebrews 12:1–2 (NRSV) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith…”   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Feb. 04th 2025 Pastor Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper Patrick English   Scripture: Hebrews 12:1–2 (NRSV) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith…”   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Jan. 28th 2025   Pastor Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper  Patrick English   Text: Luke 2:10–14 (ESV) Reflection The announcement of Jesus has always been political. “Good news” is not neutral language—it directly confronts empire. Peace proclaimed by heaven stands in contrast to peace enforced by violence. God does not side with domination; God sides with those crushed beneath it. Societal Lens Modern empire hides behind bureaucracy, nationalism, and enforcement agencies that claim security while producing fear. When ICE operates without accountability, when power targets the vulnerable, the gospel stands in opposition. Faithfulness means choosing people over policy when policy destroys lives. Spiritual Practice Commit one act of nonviolent resistance or solidarity this week. Attend a community meeting, accompany an immigrant family, or support organizers working for justice. Let your faith interrupt the machinery of harm. Conversation Questions •How does the gospel challenge the way power is exercised today? •What risks come with choosing compassion over compliance? •Where is God calling you to stand, even if it costs you? Prayer God of peace, dismantle every system that profits from fear. Reorient our courage toward justice and our obedience toward love. Let Your reign be visible through our actions. Amen.     Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Text: John 1:5 (ESV) “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”   Reflection Light is not decorative—it is disruptive. Light exposes what thrives in secrecy. Jesus does not merely comfort the suffering; he reveals the truth about the systems that create suffering. When light shines, excuses collapse. Silence is no longer possible.   Societal Lens Darkness today is found in policies that criminalize existence, in enforcement agencies that operate without accountability, and in rhetoric that dehumanizes whole communities. ICE abuses do not persist because people do not know—they persist because too many refuse to see. But the light keeps shining, and the truth keeps demanding a response.   Spiritual Practice Identify one injustice you have been avoiding because it feels “too political” or uncomfortable. Pray—and then act. Speak, write, show up, or support those directly impacted. Light requires participation, not observation.   Conversation Questions What truths are being exposed in this moment that can no longer be ignored? How does fear tempt us into silence? What does faithful resistance look like where you live?   Prayer Light of Truth, expose what harms and embolden what heals. Strip away our comfort where it competes with compassion. Make us brave enough to stand where Your light stands. Amen.

Text: Luke 2:6–7 (ESV) “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” Reflection Jesus enters the world because there is no room for him in respectable spaces. Long before borders, detention centers, and enforcement agencies, the story of Jesus begins with displacement. The manger is not sentimental—it is evidence of exclusion. God arrives where systems fail, where policy refuses compassion, and where power decides who belongs and who does not. Societal Lens “No room” is not just a phrase—it is a practice. It shows up when families are separated, when migrants are detained without dignity, and when ICE raids terrorize communities under the banner of law and order. Faith that ignores this reality is not neutral; it is complicit. The question is not whether Jesus is present—but whether we will recognize him in the displaced, the undocumented, and the targeted. Spiritual Practice Support an immigrant defense fund, legal aid organization, or rapid response network. Learn who in your community is vulnerable—and commit to showing up if they are threatened. Faith must move beyond sympathy into protection and presence. Conversation Questions Where are people being denied dignity in your city today? How does displacement challenge your understanding of faith? What responsibility does the church have when government power causes harm? Prayer God who dwells among the rejected, sharpen our moral clarity. Refuse to let us spiritualize injustice or remain silent when Your children are harmed. Teach us to make room where systems refuse. Amen.  

Live Service for Dec. 3rd, 2025 Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Text: Matthew 1:23 (ESV) “‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).” Reflection:
God’s presence changes everything. The incarnation is divine proximity—God entering our brokenness, not avoiding it. Presence heals what absence wounds. Jesus’ birth reveals that redemption begins when we show up where pain lives. Societal Lens:
Many enter the holidays with grief, loneliness, or anxiety. “God with us” must become “we with each other.” In a world of digital connection but relational isolation, being fully present is counter-cultural ministry. Spiritual Practice:
Reach out to someone who feels unseen. Don’t fix—listen. Bring warmth through presence rather than solutions. Conversation Questions: What does “God with us” mean in your daily experience? How can the church embody presence in a hurting world? What practices help you remain emotionally available to others? Prayer:
“Emmanuel, You are the presence we crave. Help us to be present for others as You are for us. Amen.” Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Text: Psalm 130:5–6 (ESV) “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.”   Reflection:
Advent invites us into holy waiting. The psalmist teaches that waiting deepens trust. Our culture equates waiting with failure, but God uses it for formation. Waiting tempers impatience and births discernment. It reminds us that divine timing cannot be forced.   Societal Lens:
We live in an on-demand world—instant gratification, immediate answers, same-day delivery. This pace erodes our spiritual endurance. The capitalist clock accelerates desire while the divine clock matures hope. Advent slows us to rediscover sacred time.   Spiritual Practice:
Establish a “waiting ritual.” Each morning, sit in silence for five minutes before checking your phone or beginning work. Whisper, “My soul waits for You.”   Conversation Questions: How does waiting stretch or strengthen your faith? In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust God’s timing? What spiritual disciplines help you remain patient and hopeful? Prayer:
“Lord, slow our racing hearts. Teach us to see delay not as denial but as divine preparation. Amen.”  

Text: Luke 12:15 (ESV) “And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’”   Reflection:
Jesus’ warning challenges our modern obsession with accumulation. Advent calls us to strip away illusions of worth defined by wealth. Christ’s birth in a manger reveals that simplicity is sacred. “Enough” is not mediocrity—it is freedom from striving for what cannot satisfy.   Societal Lens:
Consumerism has turned Advent into an economic event. Black Friday, endless wish lists, and social media comparisons form a spiritual trap. Many will overspend to prove love or status. Yet Jesus’ message interrupts this cycle: life’s meaning isn’t measured in more.   Spiritual Practice:
Take a “gratitude inventory.” Name five things money cannot buy that sustain you. Practice generosity in a way that costs comfort but not contentment.   Conversation Questions: What drives our collective fear of not having enough? How might simplicity become an act of faith? What does “enough” mean in your spiritual journey?   Prayer:
“God of abundance, free us from the tyranny of more. Teach us to see provision in Your presence and sufficiency in Your grace. Amen.”

Live Service for Nov 5th, 2025 Special Guest: Fadi Suleiman podcast notes https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Oct. 22th, 2025 Special Guest—Rev. Derrick K. Holmes   podcast notes https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Episode 75 – Heart Conditions: When God Doesn’t Cosign Your Words Scripture: Proverbs 16:1 “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” ⸻   Proposition A corrupt heart produces a distorted message. We can’t expect God to bless what the heart has already poisoned.   Main Question What happens when the heart’s motives block God’s message? ⸻   Scripture Foundation Cross-References: Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things…” Luke 6:45 – “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Proverbs 4:23 – “Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God…”   Word Study: “Heart” (לֵב / leb): center of the human will, desire, and decision-making. “Plans” (maʿarakah): arrangement, intention—what the heart constructs. “Answer” (maʿaneh): a divine response, revelation, or reply. “Tongue” (lashon): a physical organ of speech and a metaphor for spiritual expression.   Context Notes: Solomon distinguishes human intention from divine inspiration. The heart may devise plans, but God determines what words (and outcomes) align with truth. When the heart’s filter is unclean, even good-sounding plans can carry manipulative motives. ⸻   The Big Questions What if our plans sound holy but are rooted in ego or insecurity? How do we discern when our words are Spirit-led versus self-led? Can God’s truth come through a heart that refuses correction? Why does the heart’s condition determine whether the tongue speaks truth or poison? What does it mean to let God purify your motives before you speak your plans? ⸻ Insights & Commentary Biblical Insight: The verse shows divine restraint—God doesn’t cosign every word, even when spoken in His name. Theological Insight: The tongue may move, but only a purified heart can carry God’s authority. Practical Insight: People can use the right vocabulary (“God told me,” “I’m walking in purpose”) with the wrong heart. Illustration: Pharaoh’s magicians mimicked Moses’ miracles—same performance, wrong power source. Reflection: The Spirit doesn’t edit deceit. God’s voice will not harmonize with our hidden motives. ⸻   Community Connection Cultural Context: In our era of platform-driven Christianity, motives matter more than methods. Many claim divine endorsement without divine intimacy. Local Lens: In ministry and leadership, heart posture affects how messages are received. A self-centered agenda can distort the gospel message. Social/Digital Connection: People often post scripture as validation for pride or revenge—proof that the heart behind the post corrupts the power of the Word. ⸻   Takeaways & Application Individual: Check your heart before you speak for God. Corporate (Church): Teach discernment—not just doctrine. The question isn’t “Did you say it right?” but “Did you mean it right?” Action Challenge: Spend time in prayer this week asking God, “What in my heart needs healing before I speak again?” ⸻   Engagement Elements Audience Questions: How do you check your heart before you make a decision or post a message? Have you ever realized your words were right but your motive was wrong? Shareable Quote: “God doesn’t cosign deceit, even when it’s dressed in scripture.” Song Suggestion: “Give Me a Clean Heart” (Donnie McClurkin) or “Refiner” (Maverick City Music). ⸻ Prayer & Reflection   Prayer: “God, examine our hearts. Remove every deceitful intention and every selfish motive that blocks your truth from being heard. Purify our plans, and let every word we speak carry your peace and power. Amen.”   Devotional Thought: The tongue reveals what the heart conceals. If your speech doesn’t sound like heaven, it’s time to let God heal the source. ⸻  

Live Service for Sept. 24th, 2025 podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Episode 72 – Transitions— For Better or Worse: When the Water Is Healed Text: II Kings 2:15–22 Lens: Community resistance to new leadership; unhealthy nostalgia vs. healthy acceptance; what it takes to validate leadership. Scripture Foundation Text (ESV): Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him… they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.”… They urged him to send men to look for Elijah… but they did not find him… Then Elisha healed the water… and the water has been healed to this day. Cross-References: Joshua 1:1–9 – God affirms Joshua after Moses. Acts 1:23–26 – Community confirms Matthias as apostle. 1 Timothy 4:12–16 – Paul urges Timothy not to let anyone despise his youth. Word Study: “Rest” (nuach, Hebrew): to settle, dwell, remain. The Spirit’s resting validates Elisha. “Heal” (rapha, Hebrew): to make whole, restore, repair. Context: Prophets recognize Elisha yet resist closure (searching for Elijah). Elisha shows leadership patience, then demonstrates authority through miracle. Healthy transition requires both recognition and fruitfulness. The Big Questions Why do people resist new leadership—even when God confirms it? What does it take for a leader to be validated in the eyes of the people? How do nostalgia and denial keep churches from moving forward? Why must new leadership be both patient with resistance and bold in action? What does healing the water teach us about the role of leaders in times of transition? Insights & Commentary Biblical Insight: The prophets bowed (respect) but also begged (resistance)—mirroring how communities honor leaders while clinging to the past. Community Leadership Insight: Elisha’s patience (“Send them…”) shows pastoral wisdom; he doesn’t shame them, but lets reality confirm the truth. Practical Leadership Insight: Elisha’s first act was not self-promotion, but service (healing the city’s water). True leaders bless the people. Modern Parallel: When pastors or leaders are transitioned (via itinerancy, firing, or retirement), congregations often struggle—“searching” for the old leader even when God has moved on. Community Connection Church Parallel: Like the prophets, congregations may resist a new pastor, waiting for the old one to “come back.” This creates tension and delay. Contemporary Example: In situations like Pastor Joel Tudman’s departure, or Methodist itinerancy, the congregation’s denial can be as disruptive as leadership’s decisions. Local Angle: How can Clair or similar churches move past grief to embrace new beginnings? Takeaways & Application Individual: Don’t waste energy searching for what God has already moved. Embrace what is before you. Corporate (Church/Community): Validate new leadership through fruitfulness, not favoritism. Judge leadership by life-giving acts. Action Challenge: Ask: What “water” in your life/community needs healing—and how can you step into that role instead of longing for the past? Engagement Elements Audience Questions: Have you ever resisted a new leader or season because you were still searching for the old one? What “water” in your life needs healing right now? Shareable Quote: “True leadership in transition is proven when the water is healed, not when egos are preserved.” Possible Song/Clip: “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” — a hymn of God’s leading through transitions. Prayer & Reflection Prayer: “God of continuity and change, forgive us when we cling to the past instead of embracing your present work. Help us honor those who came before us without resisting those you’ve called now. Make us life-givers, healers of the water, in every place you’ve planted us. Amen.” Devotional Thought: The surest sign of God’s Spirit in new leadership is not control, but healing. Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for June 11th, 2025 podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Reflection Time Philippians 3:12-16 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Conversation  1. Have we become the Safe House? 2. What have been the conversations that have stood out the most? 3. How do we continue to make this space safe? 4. Are you safe here? Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Episode 69 Rise Up: The Resurrection Moment Mark 5:35-43 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. Conversation  Recap of Annual Conference  What are we resurrecting? When lament turns to laughter  The Atmosphere to foster a Resurrection moment  Will we rise truly?

Live Service for May 21st, 2025 order The Cross and the Lynching Tree https://a.co/d/4xn5nVL podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper The Conclusion or The Beginning  Philippians 3:13-16 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Conversation  1. How are you feeling? 2. What does the cross mean to you now? 3. The Gospel is not for the privileged… 4. Reclaim the Sword… 5. Begin Again… Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for May 14th, 2025 order The Cross and the Lynching Tree https://a.co/d/4xn5nVL podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Chapter 5 Judges 4:4-9 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, 

Episode 66 Chapter 4 (Part II) Ezekiel 37:11-14 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”   Discussion  Revisit Last Week Open for Questions/Reflections Can We Unite With Different Gifts? What Is the Message Now?

Live Service for April 30th, 2025 order The Cross and the Lynching Tree https://a.co/d/4xn5nVL podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Episode 65 Chapter 4 Ezekiel 37:8-10 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Discussion 1. The Winds of Prophecy  2. An Interesting Intersection  3. Putting the Message Where You Can Get 4. Uniting as One (Truly!) Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for April 23th, 2025 order The Cross and the Lynching Tree https://a.co/d/4xn5nVL podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Episode 64 Chapter 3 Galatians 2:15-21 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. Discussion  1. Crucifixion (Lynching) as a catalyst for movement  2. Identifying with Christ through crucifixion  3. Discipleship & Suffering 4. All the Way to Calvary Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Episode 63 Chapter 2 (Part II) Micah 6:6-8 With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Discussion The Stress of Inner Conflict (Niebuhr has a complex perspective on race—at once honest and ambivalent, radical and moderate. On the one hand, he says that “in the matter of race we are only a little better than the Nazis”; and, on the other, he is urging “sympathy for anxious [white] parents who are opposed to unsegregated schools.” In terms almost as severe as those of Malcolm X, Niebuhr speaks about “God’s judgment on America.” He calls “racial hatred, the most vicious of all human vices,” “the dark and terrible abyss of evil in the soul of man,” a “form of original sin,” “the most persistent of all collective evils,” “more stubborn than class prejudices,” and “the gravest social evil in our nation.” “If,” he concluded, “the white man were to expiate his sins committed against the darker races, few white men would have a right to live.”[24] But, unlike Malcolm, Niebuhr also says that the founding fathers, despite being slaveholders, “were virtuous and honorable men, and certainly no villains.” “They merely bowed to the need for establishing national unity” based on “a common race and common language.” He even says that the 1896 Supreme Court doctrine of “separate but equal,” which made Jim Crow segregation legal in the South, “was a very good doctrine for its day,” since it allowed “the gifted members” among ex-slaves, a “culturally backward” people, to show, as a few had done in sports and the arts, “irrefutable proof that these deficiencies were not due to ‘innate’ inferiorities.” In my view these latter views amount to a moral justification of slavery and Jim Crow.) Compromise vs. Justice (Niebuhr praised the 1954 Supreme Court decision ending segregation in public schools, which he claimed “initiated the first step in the Negro revolt.” Yet he was also pleased by the Court’s added phrase, “with all deliberate speed,” which “wisely” gave the white South “time to adjust” (while also opening a loophole to delay integration). “The Negroes,” Niebuhr said, “will have to exercise patience and be sustained by a robust faith that history will gradually fulfill the logic of justice.” Niebuhr’s call for gradualism, patience, and prudence during the decade when Willie McGee (1951), Emmett Till (1955), M. C. “Mack” Parker (1959), and other blacks were lynched sounds like that of a southern moderate more concerned about not challenging the cultural traditions of the white South than achieving justice for black people. He cited the distinguished novelist William Faulkner and Hodding Carter, a Mississippi journalist “with a long record of fairness on the race issue,” in defense of gradualism, patience, and prudence, so as not to push the southern white people “off balance,” even though he realized that blacks were understandably smarting under such a long history of injustice: “We can hardly blame Negroes for being impatient with the counsel for patience, in view of their age-long suffering under the white man’s arrogance.”) Environmental Immersion (German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, during his year of study at Union (1930-1931), showed an existential interest in blacks, befriending a black student named Franklin Fisher, attending and teaching Bible study and Sunday School, and even preaching at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. Bonhoeffer also read widely in African American history and literature, including Walter White’s Rope and Faggot on the history of lynching, read about the burning of Raymond Gunn in Maryville, Missouri (January 12, 1931), in the Literary Digest, “the first lynching in 1931,” and expressed his outrage over the “infamous Scottsboro trial.” He also wrote about the “Negro Church,” the “black Christ” and “white Christ” in the writings of the black poet Countee Cullen, read Alain Locke and Langston Hughes, and regarded the “spirituals” as the “most influential contribution made by the negro to American Christianity.” Some of Bonhoeffer’s white friends wondered whether he was becoming too involved in the Negro community.[30] Niebuhr, in contrast, showed little or no interest in engaging in dialogue with blacks about racial justice, even though he lived in Detroit during the great migration of blacks from the South and in New York near Harlem, the largest concentration of blacks in America. He attended socialist and leftist meetings when W. E. B. Du Bois and A. Philip Randolph were present and included such writers and artists as James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes, and Countee Cullen of the Harlem Renaissance in his course Ethical Viewpoints in Modern Literature (a course that Bonhoeffer attended). But Niebuhr cites no black intellectuals in his writings. He repeatedly writes about “our Negro minority” (not “our brothers,” as he referred to Jews), a phrase that suggests white paternalism. Although Niebuhr allowed his name to be used for the support committee of the Legal Defense Fund of the NAACP (1943), he did not join the organization or attend any of its conferences dealing with racial justice. He often used the word “negro” in the lower case, at a time when the NAACP fought hard to establish its capitalization. He seemed only marginally concerned about justice for black people, even though he firmly opposed racial prejudice in any form.)

Live Service for April 9nd, 2025 order The Cross and the Lynching Tree https://a.co/d/4xn5nVL podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell D. Harper Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. Mark 8:31-33 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. Discussion  Can’t Talk About What You Will Not Acknowledge  Change At Deliberate Speed Hard Conversations or Uneasy Agreement  Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for April 2nd, 2025 order The Cross and the Lynching Tree https://a.co/d/4xn5nVL podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Episode 61 Chapter 1 Acts 10:34-42 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. Conversation 1. Why did the meaning of lynching change in society? 2. Expression as a form of protest 3. Instrument of Destruction to Image of Hope and Victory 4. Wrestling with Who God Is? 5. Coming to Grips with an Adjusted Faith Journey  Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for March 26th, 2025 order The Cross and the Lynching Tree https://a.co/d/4xn5nVL podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Romans 3:24-25 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. Conversation 1. How did we get here? 2. Blackness and Christianity  3. Separation within the Community 4. The Dichotomy of the Cross 5. Viewing Faith through a Lens of Reality  Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for March 19th, 2025 podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchel Harper Genesis 45:4-20 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’ And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him. When the report was heard in Pharaoh's house, “Joseph's brothers have come,” it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’ And you, Joseph, are commanded to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. Have no concern for your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’” Exodus 1:8-10 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Conversation 1. Comfort in a Foreign Land  2. Maintaining Uniqueness vs. Assimilation  3. When the Threat Level Rises Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for March 13th, 2025 podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harvey ESV For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. MSG “Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.” ‭‭ AMP “It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed].” ‭‭ Conversation 1. Difference between Freedom and Liberation  2. Why do we continue to promote Spiritual Freedom and not Total Liberation? 3. Do we know what bondage really is? 4. Have we taken the yoke of bondage as a gift or a curse? 5. Why must we champion true liberation without fear? Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for March 5th, 2025 podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Feb 26, 2025 Guest - Jamar Turner podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Luke 15:1-7 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Proposition  Many people are looking for shepherding in their journey. Yet, many times we are not prepared for what that might mean today. Relevant Question What the basic elements of being shepherded today and beyond? Engagement 1. Introduction  2. Hopefully some form of sharing your artistic talent  3. Deal with the text 4. Discuss our perspectives  5. Introduce the relevance of art, history and blackness in connection to our faith.  Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Feb 16, 2025 Guest: Valerie Boyer podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Luke 22:39-43 39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.  Proposition We have been told that we cannot question God. It was a statement to keep us from genuine and authentic relationship with God. If your god can’t handle your questions, it’s not the true God.  Relevant Question What can we learn from an inquisitive Christ? Synthesis 1. Questions Are Not a Sign of Doubt 2. Trust Is Not the Absence of Clarity  3. God Provides Help When We Struggle Forward Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Feb 12, 2025 Guest: Pastor Anthony Hendrix a.k.a Priest podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Luke 23:26-27 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. Proposition  The Gospel that is preached can be based on the perspective of how they are found in the story. Relevant Question How do we get the story straight? Engagement 1. Introduction  2. Hopefully some form of sharing your artistic talent  3. Deal with the text 4. Discuss our perspectives  5. Introduce the relevance of art, history and blackness in connection to our faith.  6. Q&A Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Feb 4, 2025 Guest: Stevi Knighton a.k.a DearMsStevi podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Reclaiming Freedom and Community—Moving Toward the Kingdom God Intended Psalm 133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Proposition  Our faith and liberation comes together when we engage in healthy stages of community. Relevant Question What does God ordained, liberating community look like? Engagement 1. Introduction  2. Hopefully some form of sharing your artistic talent  3. Deal with the text 4. Discuss our perspectives  5. Introduce the relevance of art, history and blackness in connection to our faith.  6. Q&A Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Jan 29th, 2024 podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell Harper Proposition  When we get a wrong perspective of the future/opportunity, we find ways to sabotage our God given opportunity to live in the blessing provided.  Relevant Question  What are the toxic results of grasshopper thinking? Synthesis  1. Corrupt a Generation  2. Delay a Generation 3. Cause Division Between the Generations  4. God Squashes the Rebellion 5. God Elevates the Faithful Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Jan 22th, 2024   podcast notes https://drive.google.com/.../1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1T...   Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchel D. Harper   Numbers 13:25-33   25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.” 30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”   Proposition Grasshopper thinking interferes with the opportunity to acquire the promise of God. The fear of success and completion interferes with the shift into a new season.   Relevant Question Why do we entertain this type of sabotage?   Synthesis 1. We Don’t Want the Commitment to Advancement of Our Community 2. We Are Content with Psuedo-Martyrdom 3. We Are Afraid of the Responsibility to Complete the Task   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Jan 15th, 2024 podcast notes  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson  Mitchell D. Harper And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. Behold, the Lamb of God The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” Proposition  The unveiling of our mission and purpose to the world is accompanied by supporters, observers, and interference. When we are marked and identified, we are open to the issues of our environment.  Relevant Question  How do we rise to the occasion to unveil the future to others? Synthesis  Point the World in the Right Direction  Be Secure in Your Role Set the Platform for the Gamechanger

Live Service for Jan 8th, 2024   podcast notes https://drive.google.com/.../1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1T...   Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell D. Harper   Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men[a] from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose[b] and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.   Proposition We have a responsibility to protect what God loves and desires to use to transform the world. We are deputized to secure the means God wants to use.   Relevant Question How do we preserve the future of transformation?   Synthesis 1. Find a Home Among Our People 2. Never Assist the Murderous Intentions of the Empire 3. Repeal the Scheme of Elimination   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above  

Live Service for Dec 18th, 2024   Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell D. Harper   On Assignment Part II—Assignment: Covering   Matthew 1:18-25 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ[a] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed[b] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:   23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.   Proposition We have the assignment to cover our responsibilities. Covering is not rooted in origin DNA. It is rooted in being the exact person necessary to carry a task to fulfillment. Covering does not enhance the ego, but it establishes our worth to the task and assignment entrusted to us.   Relevant Question How do we find ourselves grounded as a covering?   Synthesis 1. The Mission Is Bigger than Our Ego 2. The Task Requires Clarity 3. Our Trust in God Will Guide Us Through the Uncertainty of the Moment   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Dec 11th, 2024   Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper   Luke 1:39-45 39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”   Proposition We have a commitment to celebrate anyone or any entity sent on assignment to advance the Kingdom of God. The nature of genuine celebration can reveal our connection and partnership in the journey of serving God.   Relevant Question What does genuine celebration reveal?   Synthesis 1. Your Partners in Service 2. Your Support in Birthing 3. Your Enhancement to Your Purpose and Assignment   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Dec 4th, 2024   Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper   Matthew 25:14-15 14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.   Romans 12:3 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.   Proposition Every person has a certain level of capacity to fulfill purpose and destiny. Many times we do not promote working within that level of capacity, because we believe that individuals must always expand beyond their limits. Since most people are not usually aware of their capacity, we must find ways to aid one another in proper assessment   Relevant Question How do assess our capacity to fulfill our purpose in God?   Synthesis 1. Have a Healthy Recognition of Our Ability (We need to recognize our gift/skill set from the beginning; understand that our ability has not reached its maximum capacity in the beginning; our ability will only be known by how we work it) 2. Have Humility Regarding Our Capacity (We can not extend our capacity without God doing so; we should not attempt to prove our capacity to others based on their expectations, preconceived notions, or assumptions; we know that 3. Understand Our Faith Is Connected to Our Capacity and Ability (Faith expands the potential of our ability and capacity to handle situations and circumstances)   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Nov 20th, 2024   Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper   Proposition God created us as a unique package to carry the power of God through a troubled world.   Notes Types of Clay Earthenware Stoneware Porcelain Ball Clay   Attributes of Stoneware 0. Sturdier than porcelain and earthenware 0. Less porous and durable 0. The beginner pottery maker is given stoneware clay because of the ability to finish in final form 0. Firing temperature: 2124-2264 degrees F 0. Used for cooking, baking, and storing liquid 0. Withstands external heat and elements   Question How do we reflect Christ through our clay?   Synthesis 1. Our Willingness to be Molded 2. Our Ability to Stand Up to Heat 3. Our Capacity to Withstand the Elements   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Nov 13th, 2024   Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper   Question What is God watching?   Discussion 1. The moves of the righteous 2. The acts of the wicked 3. The attitudes of the clueless 4. The delusion of the religious 5. The intentions of the soul   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Oct. 30th, 2024   Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper   Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above