First United Church - Bloomington, Indiana

09/08/2026

This past Sunday, September 6, Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai continued our sermon series exploring the Gospel of Luke. Experience her sermon, "Get the Log Out" on our YouTube channel. The text of the day was Luke 6:27-32 & 41-42.

Sermon preached by Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai at First United Chur...

09/02/2026

On Sunday, August 30, Jada Bee shared about some of the impactful work of People's Cooperative Market, one of First United's space-sharing partners. Check it out on our YouTube channel:

Jada Bee shares about some of the impactful work of People's Cooper...

09/01/2026

This past Sunday, August 30, Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai continued our new sermon series exploring the Gospel of Luke. Experience her sermon, "The Danger of a Mission Statement" on our YouTube channel. The text of the day was Luke 4:16-30.

Sermon preached by Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai at First United Chur...

08/31/2026

08/31/2026

President KIm Yaussy Albright shares an update on where we are in the process of "Finding Focus": our Thriving Congregations Grant Project.

Thank you all for thoughtfully and faithfully engaging in this process of focusing our congregation's justice efforts and for continuing to be actively involved as we discern more fully where we are gifted and called to address food insecurity as we follow Jesus, do justice, and build community.

08/27/2026

We had a fabulous time sharing First United’s Open, Welcoming, and Affirming identity during Bloomington Pride this past Saturday. Many thanks to all who helped pull it all off (only a few of whom are pictured here)!

08/26/2026

This past Sunday, August 23, Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai began our new sermon series exploring the Gospel of Luke. Experience her sermon, "Think Globally, Act Locally" on our YouTube channel. The text of the day was Luke 2:25-35.

Sermon preached by Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai at First United Chur...

08/25/2026

At long last, you can experience Rev. Shelli Yoder's sermon "Jesus Came Forward," the final sermon in our series exploring the Gospel of Matthew preached on Sunday, August 9, 2026. The text of the day was Matthew 28:16-20. Check it out on our YouTube channel:

Sermon preached by Rev. Shelli Yoder at First United Church in Bloo...

08/25/2026

We are deeply grateful for the tremendous leadership offered by Rev. Shelli Yoder throughout the recent sabbatical time. And, we were delighted to welcome back Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai after this time of rest and renewal.

May we remain open to God’s steadfast guidance and blessings as we continue seeking to follow Jesus, do justice, and build community.

07/16/2026

Doing Justice

Member and retired minister Byron Bangert gave First United Church’s sermon on Sunday, July 12, 2026. He shared thoughts on the practice of justice.

“[Our practiced system of] justice simply [is] not in keeping with the best insights of our Christian faith,” as found in the prophet Micah and, especially, the teaching and ministry of Jesus. These days, this failure is particularly evident in the administration of policies pertaining to immigration and deportation.

Reviewing various understandings of justice that focus on punishment, he noted that even on their own terms, e.g. justice as fairness and impartiality, they fail to measure up. “In proportion to their numbers, people of color are much more likely to be arrested, much more likely to be convicted, much more likely to be imprisoned, and much more likely to be sentenced to death for their crimes. How can that be just?”

“God’s justice seeks to restore, not retaliate or punish. It exposes
punishment and retribution as cruel and vengeful, hateful and
self-righteous.” “It is about the better ordering of our life
together. . . It informs and reforms what love requires.”