Walnut Creek United Methodist Church

08/31/2026

06/19/2026

Gentleness and Self-Control
Galatians 5:22–23

Scripture teaches us that gentleness and self-control are not signs of weakness, but marks of a life being formed by the Holy Spirit. In our Wesleyan tradition, these are not merely personality attributes; they are graces that grow as prevenient grace awakens us, justifying grace pardons us, and sanctifying grace steadily reshapes us into the likeness of Christ.

As John Wesley taught in his sermon “The Means of Grace,” the Spirit commonly deepens holiness through prayer, Scripture, the Lord’s Supper, Christian conferencing, and works of mercy.

Gentleness is strength surrendered to God for the good of others. It is the meekness of Christ, who says, “I am gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). This gentleness is not passivity or silence in the face of wrong; it is Spirit-formed power that refuses domination, contempt, or cruelty. Gentleness becomes a holy way of speaking truth with compassion, listening before reacting, and honoring the image of God in every person. It means we do not seek to win arguments at the expense of people. We seek to love our neighbor well, especially when convictions are strong and differences are real.

Self-control is the Spirit’s gift of holy governance over our desires, words, habits, and actions. It is the freedom not to do whatever we want, but to love God and neighbor well. The Spirit trains us so that our impulses do not rule us; grace does. John Wesley called this the work of grace moving us toward holiness of heart and life, and even toward Christian perfection—not sinless flawlessness, but a heart so filled with love that our wills are increasingly aligned with God’s.

Self-control is what keeps anger from becoming harm, desire from becoming bo***ge, and fear from becoming cruelty. It is the steady forming of a life that can be trusted with freedom. These fruits matter deeply.

Gentleness and self-control are how we stay at the table with one another when we disagree. They shape how we speak about sexuality, race, politics, family, doctrine, and every tender place where people carry wounds. The church does not become faithful by becoming harsh. We become faithful by becoming Christlike: truthful, tender, disciplined, and full of grace and truth.

So today, ask the Spirit to tame your reactions, soften your tone, and strengthen your resolve. As you abide in Christ through Scripture, prayer, Communion, and accountable fellowship, God will make you both tender toward others and steadfast over yourself.

05/19/2026

Church women urged to resist authoritarianism
By Heather Hahn
May 18, 2026 | INDIANAPOLIS (UM News)

United Methodists Stacey Abrams and her mother, the Rev. Carolyn Abrams, challenged United Women in Faith to disrupt rollbacks to voting rights. Elizabeth Eckford, one of the Little Rock Nine, also shared her story of bravery in the face of brutality.

05/15/2026

Ascension Sunday- May 17th
Luke 24: 44-53, Atcs 1: 1-11

These passages remind us of the fulfillment of God's plan for salvation and the commissioning of the disciples to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth.
John Wesley emphasized the importance of personal holiness and social justice in the Christian life. As we look at these scriptures, we can see how they align with Wesley's teachings and provide us with guidance for our own journey of faith.
In Luke 24:44-53, we witness Jesus instructing his disciples to remember the words he had spoken to them while he was still with them. He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures and reminded them of the fulfillment of prophecy in his life, death, and resurrection. This passage serves as a reminder to us to continually seek understanding of God's Word and to remember the teachings of Jesus in all that we do.
In Acts 1:1-11, we see Jesus giving his final instructions to his disciples before ascending into heaven. He tells them that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and commissions them to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This words challenges us to be bold in sharing the Gospel and to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us in our mission.
As followers of Christ, we are called to continue the work that Jesus began on earth. We are called to be his hands and feet in a broken world, sharing his love and message of salvation with all people. Just as the disciples were empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out their mission, we too are equipped with the same Spirit to fulfill our calling as ambassadors of Christ.
Let us take inspiration from the example of the disciples and the teachings of John Wesley as we go forth into the world, spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. May we be faithful witnesses, living lives of holiness and justice, and proclaiming the hope that is found in our risen and ascended Christ, proclaiming his love and grace to all those around us. Amen.

05/07/2026

https://climate-cnumc.org/may-2026-newsletter/

Our May newsletter includes articles about Fossil Fuel Transition Conference, Feast of Creation, US Forest Service, Lawn to Garden Rebates, & more.

05/01/2026

Two years ago today, the United Methodist Church made history by removing language from the Book of Discipline that had mandated the exclusion of LGBTQ+ people from ordination and ministry for decades.

It was over 50 years in the making. We celebrate it fully and without apology.

And we're also realistic about where we are: GC2024 removed mandated discrimination. It didn't end discrimination. Q***r candidates are being ordained in some conferences and are still unsafe to come out in others. Same-gender weddings are being celebrated in some sanctuaries and declined in others. Whether someone experiences a truly welcoming church still depends almost entirely on their zip code.

The policy changed. The work hasn't stopped.

RMN exists for this moment — resourcing, equipping, and leading the movement until every child of God, in every community, finds a church that means it when they say "you belong here."

If this work matters to you, will you help sustain it?
→ https://hubs.li/Q04f83Dn0

04/29/2026

It's that time again. Don't want to prepare breakfast at home? Come join us! You don't even need to do the dishes!