St. John United Church of Christ

St. John United Church of Christ St. John United Church of Christ has been a cornerstone of Wyandotte, MI since 1870. Come join us!

We are known for great Sunday messages as much as for our friendly fellowship. John UCC is a great church where families and people of ages, wages & stages enjoy spiritual vitality.

Come check out our upcoming Craft Show on October 10!
09/13/2026

Come check out our upcoming Craft Show on October 10!

09/06/2026

Sunday morning message for 9-6-2026
Message title: "Mindful Love"

09/06/2026

Sunday Message Supplement for 6 September 2026

Bible verses for the message: Romans 13: 8-18

Paul confirmed love’s pervasive power: “[F]or the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8b). Paul emphasized love because there is nothing greater. All the Old Testament Law is fulfilled when people love God and one another (Jesus was emphatic about this).

Love is God’s essence. Jesus declared that when people love one another, they are also loving God. Jesus taught the greatest commandment, which is to love with heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:29-31). Similarly, there’s the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12), which instructs us to do onto others as we want done to us. Treating people well is a form of love.

Consistent loving is not easy. If it were, then everyone would be doing it. Love must become a revitalizing presence that energizes the core of our existence. Compassion is love in action, and God’s followers can set the example in receiving and sharing love. This is the heart of Jesus’ message, and there’s no substitute.

Now consider Paul’s encouragement about waking from spiritual slumber: “Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep” (Romans 13:11a). Time is critical. Each day, we can make progress toward a better version of ourselves. Be awake and aware of the splendid task of living and loving. Resist the temptation to be detached or in denial. Don’t live in fear, but rather be a light in a dark world.

Psychology reveals much about awareness, a form of which is known as mindfulness. Being mindful of who and what we are is vital to achieving a great life. People often avoid mindfulness because it takes consistent practice. A life of wellbeing requires that we not only know who we are but that we also realize how our choices impact others. As a form of elevated awareness, mindfulness helps connect our thinking, sensations, and feelings to who we are physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Paul wrote that he was prepared for the world’s demise. Christians of his day expected the imminent end of history. The world didn’t end shortly after Jesus, despite what believers wanted, based on what they thought Jesus said before his crucifixion. Ever since, many people gratify themselves by concocting scenarios for the end times, deceiving themselves and others that it’s just around the corner, as if they can’t wait for the apocalyptic destruction. It’s a macabre fantasy to yearn for a front row, heavenly seat witnessing earth’s destruction.

It is better not to be anxious about dubious future events, despite how the sense of urgency in the unfulfilled New Testament writings. Jesus hasn’t returned, and no one has definitive evidence as to if or when that will happen. In the wake of such uncertainty, we needn’t capitulate to hopelessness or corrosive cynicism. Instead, take Paul’s advice to “live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness” (Romans 13:13a).

Living a great spiritual life doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Envisioning the future can be a benign form of entertainment. Just be aware that mindful love is our responsibility rather than the fool’s errand of trying to pin-point Jesus’ return or promoting an outlandish prophecy seminar. Take Paul’s advice to simply be ready for your end; the universe will take care of itself.

Discover who and what you are and choose to walk a path of continuous improvement. Be mindful of the redemptive love of God. We’re invited to choose long-term fulfillment over short-term, distracting indulgences. A life of wellbeing means that we are thinking and acting in a holistic manner, that our mind, body and spirit are doing their part contributing to a better world.

Prioritize love and you will be on the right path. You needn’t hold your breath waiting for the trumpet to sound, heralding Jesus’ destruction of earth. Embrace God’s spirit right here, right now; emphasize love and life over death and destruction. Be in the present as a way of fulfilling what God most wants from us, which is to receive and share love.

--Reverend Larry Hoxey

09/01/2026

Sunday Message Supplement for 30 August 2026

The Bible verses for today’s message: Romans 12: 9-21 & Matthew 16: 21-28

The verses from Romans suggest that ancient Christians argued among themselves. It is strangely reassuring to know that even Jesus’ earliest followers struggled with interpersonal conflict.

Many people are surprised when they learn that the early church was divided among various opinions. There was no golden age of Christianity where everybody got along as if living a fairytale. Then as now, people experience similar problems.

Paul offered wonderful encouragement: be zealous in serving God, outdoing one another in showing honor, acting with genuine love, rejoicing, persevering, being hospitable, living harmoniously with humility, being peaceably, avoiding vengeance, redeeming enemies, and overcoming evil with good. Whew! That’s quite a list that Paul offered.

Getting along with people, even with other Christians, is as challenging as ever. If treating people right were easy, then everyone would do it (regrettably, not enough do). There are no easy solutions. The Old Testament failed in its attempt to legislate morality. It’s also a struggle to implement the New Testament message of love because of our human weaknesses.

As people of faith, we are to emphasize love above all else. Yet this has always been difficult. In some ways, it would be easier to just follow rules, such as the Ten Commandments, rather than trying to figure out how to love our unruly neighbors. Love requires us to avoid evil and “hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9b). The problem is in policing our own behavior. We can react harshly when facing people’s hypocrisies and inconsistencies, which is the discrepancy between what a person says and how they choose to act. This is why we need to manage ourselves first and foremost.

Now for a shift to the Matthew portion of today’s message, which reveals an encounter between Jesus and his dear friend Peter, who heard from his Lord how the Jerusalem priestly bureaucrats would seize and kill Jesus. Peter was rightly horrified by such talk, but Jesus responded by calling Peter “Satan.” This is a shocking response to Peter, who was supposed to be one of Jesus’ closest followers.

Why dis Jesus reply so harshly to Peter? Jesus seemed frustrated about Peter’s questioning because Jesus was determined to die a martyr; Peter’s remarks challenged that mission. After correcting Peter, Jesus instructed his friend about the necessity of sacrificing lesser priorities for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. What Jesus said to Peter remains one of the most significant statements about proper priorities: “For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?” (Matthew 16:26a).

Jesus’ stirring words can also motivate us to reflect on our priorities. When Jesus used the phrase “forfeit their life” he wasn’t speaking merely about ordinary biological existence, but rather a transforming life fulfilled by God. Jesus’ stark message echoes through the ages and is worth paraphrasing: What would you be willing to exchange for your soul? You answer should be a decisive response of, “Nothing!” To elevate the best priorities requires that we tirelessly evaluate ourselves.

We all need to examine our priorities and make changes in how we think and act. It is hard to give an honest, unbiased assessment of ourselves. Nonetheless, the difficult task of introspection requires hyper-awareness of who and what we are at any given moment. I pray that you, I, and all other people of faith will manage ourselves toward the most loving, life-enhancing priorities.

--Reverend Larry Hoxey

08/24/2026

Sunday morning message for 8-23-2026
Message title: "Living Sacrifices"

08/23/2026

Sunday Message Supplement for 23 August 2026

Bible verses for today’s message: Romans 12: 1-8

Consider Paul’s discussion about living sacrifices, with his point being that we can please God by managing ourselves as a precious expression of our spirit-infused humanity.

Why does the Bible make incessant references to sacrifices? Many religions have embraced animal sacrifice, including ancient Judaism, wherein the creatures prepared for slaughter had to be without blemish. Jewish priests at the Jerusalem Temple inspected the costly animals brought to them by worshipers, who were dependent on the elite priests to do the dirty work of ritually killing the animals, spilling their blood and burning the carcasses to generate a ghoulish aroma, supposedly pleasing to God (Leviticus 1:9).

But a sacrificial religion is a bloody mess, and this contributed to a tension in Judaism because not everyone accepted the finality or legitimacy of the sacrificial cult. Some of the more spiritually enlightened among the ancient Jews realized that it was superior to honor God with proper thinking and behavior, rather than animal butchery (1 Samuel 15:22).

Paul emphasized how those desiring to follow God should manage themselves as a way of expressing their dedication and sincerity. Paul’s reference to living sacrifices is a grisly analogy, yet he believed that, figuratively speaking, God’s people should consider themselves as living sacrifices, oriented to “spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1).

Many modern people of faith believe that killing for religious reasons is wrong and even more so given Jesus’ emphasis on love; closeness to God doesn’t require wasteful, repetitive sacrifices. Nonetheless, Paul’s writing about living a more responsible lifestyle remains valid.

Paul’s discussion helps clarify how we can serve the Almighty through every part of our lives. Expressing love is far superior to any form of sacrifice. Ironically, love often demands investing our time and other resources, making it a costly and messy process. Yet, there’s no better life than that manifested by receiving God’s love and sharing it with others.

Consider Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. . . .” Followers of God strive toward renewal through reformed thinking and behavior. Often, this type of revitalization occurs through an inside/out process that begins with thoughts. Have you experienced such a life-change? In modern terms, we can translate and update Paul’s idea of a living sacrifice into a form of holistic wellbeing, which is health in mind, body and spirit.

Paul invited readers to change their perceptions by renewing their minds. This is great advice because people often fall into mental traps and dysfunctional thinking. Living a great life requires a combination of personal faith and reason.

To capture the best of both faith and reason, there is the mental state of mindfulness, which is a marvelous way to manage your inner life. Mindfulness contributes to better conscious choices, through enhanced awareness and the courage to adapt to ever-changing circumstances. All of this is closely tied to cultivating a godly conscience, which means that we internalize timeless virtues such as love, truth, and justice.

Together, we help create a supportive church community by fulfilling Jesus’ gospel, as we share God’s love with every living creature. Everything we put toward this goal involves various sacrifices. We can each do our part joyfully to strengthen our church while simultaneously enhancing our attitudes and behaviors. The result will be a blessed state of personal transformation.

--Reverend Larry Hoxey

08/17/2026

Sunday morning message for 8-16-2026
Sermon title: "Rinse & Repeat?"

08/13/2026

Sunday Message Supplement for 16 August 2026

The Bible verses for the message: Matthew 15: 10-20

Consider an example of how Jesus responded to critics. The issue was ritual purity, specifically hand-rinsing, which does little for germ reduction. Until relatively, recently people had no clue about invisible pathogens. There is no evidence that anyone in the ancient world understood germ theory, which is the science of how microorganisms cause infections.

Jesus was criticized by the conservatives and fundamentalists of his day because he was perceived as a progressive, an innovator, a role detested by the stuck-in-the-mud traditionalists. The idiots pestering Jesus thought that people needed elaborate rituals just for the sake of . . . what? Oh, because God supposedly told them to do it. Thankfully, the Almighty isn’t to be blamed for silly rules intended to shackle people into a prison of religion.

Hand rinsing was among many dubious regulations amid the vast swamp of Old Testament law. For instance, in Jesus’ day as much as now, there remains a peculiar belief that certain foods are intrinsically impure and spiritually polluted. This is just one area among many where there’s profoundly wrong thinking (and it persists to this day!). Science can reveal much of what is good to consume and what is not; religion is not helpful in this regard.

Surface dirt is visible, but it is the unseen microscopic bacteria and viruses cause most illnesses. Hands simply rinsed in contaminated water are not sanitized. Ritualistic hand rinsing is incomplete and a false source of confidence. This reveals just one way how pesky Old Testament priests and their modern followers are not supported, either by divine decree or scientific scrutiny.

Examine many world religions and you will find precious souls entrapped by burdensome and nonsensical beliefs and practices. There’s a beautifully vast universe to manage and God is not an executioner of people who violate kitchen protocols. What properly guides eating should be nutritional science, not religious folly. All this emphasizes how people of good faith must be wary of religious rules, rites and rituals.

The idea that God demands food restrictions masks what’s really going on: human folly. Religious extremists demand slavish obedience to their agenda. Jesus warned to not confuse strictness with truth. Reactionary critics who oppose faith freedom reject anything that doesn’t fit their ideology. The perpetrators shout that people aren’t supposed to question the religious authorities or their institutions.

Avoid religious demagoguery by being wary. Many people can’t seem to make good choices and instead wait for someone to tell them what to do. Too many people surrender their autonomy when they are fearful of a tumultuous, uncertain world. Life is hard. Life is complex. This partially explains why it is tempting to accept an overly simplified, black/white perspective, seductively packaged by religious extremists.

It isn’t good for your health to be bound by harmful beliefs or practices. Often, folks forget why it is that they do or believe something; mindless repetition is a problem. Many beliefs and practices are kept alive by the momentum of habit. If a religious requirement, rule, or ritual does not ultimately enhance life then it should either be discarded or made optional.

Humanity would be better situated if more people would alter their beliefs and practices based on evidence. This is another way of saying that we can benefit from becoming more mindful, more responsible, more responsive to truth (and all truth is God’s truth). The alternative is to feed darkness and ignorance, which can be far worse than contracting a bacteria or virus.

Are you ready to wash your hands of the germy problem of ritual rules? Don’t abandon your struggle to make rational choices, even when religious bureaucrats or political leaders threaten to infect your soul and imprison your spirit. Build up a resistance to such viruses of the heart and mind.

--Reverend Larry Hoxey

08/12/2026

Sunday Message Supplement for 9 August 2026

The Bible verses for the message: Matthew 14:22-33 &
Romans 10:5-15


Today’s message highlights our challenge to overcome fearful distractions. The scene in Matthew has Jesus miraculously walking on the Sea of Galilee to join his disciples, who were waiting in a boat. The disciples were fearful because they thought that Jesus was a ghost, hovering across the waves. Then Jesus reassuringly announced himself, after which he granted Peter’s request to walk on the water toward him. Unfortunately, Peter became fearful of the wind and began to sink. Jesus reached out and rescued Peter, saying, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”(Matthew 14:31b).

The water-walking seems utterly fantastic, but it has also become ingrained into our culture. After all, haven’t you heard the saying “walking on water?” Yes, this is the biblical story where that term originated. When a person is said to be walking on water, it usually means that they are extraordinarily special. Peter was Jesus’ closet friend, but even that didn’t guarantee that Peter would remain afloat without divine intervention.

Peter’s plight reminds us that even those people who walk on water are still limited. Peter began sinking when he focused on the prevalence of threatening external circumstances. A lesson here is that danger is real, but fear is optional. We can choose to not be fearful. Even when we are scared, God can rescue us from whatever is pushing us under. Our challenge is to remain focused on the promises and possibilities rather than succumbing to the perils.

Now turn to Romans, where Paul wrote, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Thankfully, Peter learned this lesson in the midst of his sinking. Have you ever felt that life was so overwhelming that you risked being overwhelmed by weighty burdens? Take heart! You can keep your attention on God and resist the fearful distractions pushing you down. Any of us can draw close to God’s saving grace, which restores us from imminent destruction. Paul encouraged his readers to proclaim joy. When hopefulness arises from a sincere person’s heart, then that can help restore an awesome connection to God. Such faith can be as a spiritual lifeline, similar to what Peter experienced.

Paul’s discussion raises the issue of immanence, meaning the power and presence of God that is immediately within each of us, every moment, waiting to be revealed. Humans have a core spiritual nature, the very essence of God. Therefore, we are all invited to unleash the Almighty’s awesomeness, through receiving and sharing love and by living a virtuous life.

Paul then turned to a liberating statement about access to redemption: “For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’ “(Romans 10:13). The backstory here is that God does not distinguish between Jewish and non-Jewish people. This may not sound radical to us, but in Paul’s day it was revolutionary, given the prevalent view among many Jewish people that only those of the Jewish faith were God’s favored. Such elitism gave way to the faith liberation inaugurated by Jesus, which transcended the Old Testament law and opened the path for everyone to receive God’s blessings.

Paul highlighted the virtues of messengers who proclaim God’s truth. This is another invitation to spread the wonderful message of compassionate love. We can respond to God’s call by announcing to the world—through our attitudes and actions—that we are followers of God and not merely self-righteous religious people, Christian in name only.

Let’s joyfully proclaim the promises and possibilities of spiritual power; We can be ready, willing and able to leverage all that God has for us. We can choose to focus on the promises rather than the perils.

--Reverend Larry Hoxey

Address

2744 4th Street
Wyandotte, MI
48192

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 3pm
Wednesday 10am - 3pm
Thursday 10am - 3pm
Sunday 9am - 12pm

Telephone

+17342825838

Website

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