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Playing Chess Series Intro
April 20, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Playing Chess: Checkmate
Playing Chess: Checkmate” celebrates the ultimate victory of Jesus’ resurrection. Rising from the dead, He delivers the final, decisive move in God’s plan for redemption. This is not the end of the game but the beginning of new life, as Jesus triumphs over sin and death, securing eternal victory for everyone.
Good News Statement: Jesus rises from the dead so that we may share in the victory of eternal life and the defeat of sin and death.
Good Friday
April 13, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Playing Chess: The Crucifixion
On the cross, Jesus declares, “It is finished,” completing the mission He has carefully orchestrated. This is not a moment of defeat but the culmination of His strategic plan to redeem the world. Through His willing sacrifice, Jesus secures victory over sin and death, offering new life to all.
Good News Statement: Jesus gives up his spirit so that we can be saved from sin.
April 6, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Playing Chess: Torture & Humiliation
Jesus endures torture and mockery, not as a helpless victim but as the King who willingly takes on suffering for the sake of humanity. His silence in the face of humiliation reveals His strength and commitment to the cross, where the ultimate victory over sin and death will be won.
Good News Statement: Jesus endures torture and mockery so that we may see the extent of His love amid the brutality of abused power.
March 30, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Playing Chess: The Truth Piece
March 23, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Playing Chess: Condemned
As Jesus faces condemnation, He remains calm and composed, fully aware that this moment is part of a greater plan. He allows the injustice to unfold, knowing that His silence will speak volumes. Jesus isn’t defeated; He is orchestrating the path to our salvation with divine precision.
Good News Statement: Jesus willingly accepts condemnation so that we may know Jesus’ call to perfect obedience
March 16, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Playing Chess: The Garden
In Gethsemane, Jesus steps forward to be arrested, not as a victim, but as one who knows the stakes and embraces His role in God’s plan. By submitting to the Father’s will, He prepares the final move in the battle for our redemption, displaying courage and divine purpose in every step.
Good News Statement: Jesus steps forward to be arrested so that we may know His authority over life and death.
March 9, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Playing Chess: The Last Supper
At the Last Supper, Jesus sets the stage for His ultimate sacrifice, offering Himself as the new covenant. He washes His disciples’ feet, demonstrating that true power lies in humble service. This deliberate moment shows Jesus’ deliberate path toward the cross, fully aware and fully in control.
Good News Statement: Jesus washes feet in humble service so that we may understand true leadership and love.
March 2, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Defining Moments: Cleanses the Temple
“Defining Moments: Cleanses the Temple” (Luke 19:45-48) shows Jesus taking bold action to cleanse the temple, driving out corruption and restoring its sacred purpose. In doing so, He calls us to restore holiness and integrity in our spiritual practices, ensuring our lives reflect what matters most to God.
Good News Statement: Jesus cleanses the temple so that we may restore holiness and integrity in our spiritual practices.
February 23, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Defining Moments: Claiming to be God
“Defining Moments: Claiming to be God” (John 5:1-18) reveals Jesus exercising His divine authority, not just in words but in transformative actions. Through His healing power, Jesus shows that His divinity brings restoration and redemption, inviting us to experience the fullness of life in Him.
Good News Statement: Jesus exercises His divine authority so that broken lives may be restored and redeemed.
February 16, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Defining Moments: Working the Sabbath
“Defining Moments: Working the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:1-14) reveals Jesus teaching that the Sabbath is for life-giving acts, designed for our benefit, not just as a ritual for God. By embracing this, we align our lives with mercy and compassion, prioritizing humanity over legalism.
Good News Statement: Jesus teaches us that the Sabbath is for life-giving acts so that we may align our lives with mercy and compassion.
February 9, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Defining Moments: Speaks Truth to Power
“Defining Moments: Speaking Truth to Power” (Matthew 23:23-28) captures the boldness of Jesus as He confronts hypocrisy and injustice head-on. In speaking truth to power, Jesus empowers us to find the courage to stand for justice in our own lives, challenging us to live with integrity and conviction.
February 2, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Defining Moments: Wedding at Cana
“Defining Moments: Wedding at Cana” (John 2:1-12) invites us to witness the first miracle of Jesus, where He speaks words of transformation, turning water into wine. This act reveals the abundant grace of God, reminding us that when Jesus speaks, ordinary moments become extraordinary with divine grace.
January 26, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Defining Moments: Temptation in the Wilderness
“Defining Moments: Temptation in the Wilderness” (Luke 4:1-13) explores how the Holy Spirit supports Jesus through His trials in the wilderness, offering us a model for our own struggles. Just as Jesus was supported, we too can rely on the Holy Spirit’s strength when we resist temptation in our lives.
Good News Statement: The Holy Spirit supports Jesus through temptation so that we may be supported when we resist temptation.
January 19, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Jesus’ Early Years: The Beloved Son Revealed
“Jesus’ Early Years: The Beloved Son Revealed” (Luke 3: 1-6, 21-22) focuses on the moment when God reveals Jesus as His Beloved Son. As the Holy Spirit descends, we are reminded that we, too, are loved and chosen by God. Explore how this divine revelation shapes our understanding of God’s love and our identity in Christ.
Good News Statement: God reveals Jesus as His Beloved Son so that we may know we are also loved and chosen by God.
January 12, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Jesus’ Early Years: Lost and Found
“Jesus’ Early Years: Lost and Found” (Luke 2:41-52) reminds us that Jesus is never lost, even when we can’t find Him. God ensures Jesus is always within reach so that we may discover we are never lost but on journey of learning and growth in grace.
Good News Statement: God ensures Jesus is always within reach so that we may discover we are never lost but on journey of learning and growth in grace.
January 5, 2025 – A Year with Jesus: Jesus’ Early Years: Crowned King of Kings
“Jesus’ Early Years: Crowned King” (Matthew 2:1-12) celebrates the revelation of Jesus as King of Kings. God reveals Jesus as King so that people of all nations may be drawn into God’s redeeming love. Reflect on the visit of the Magi and the universal call to recognize and worship Christ the King.
Click here to find the December 29 Shared Worship Service on Batavia UMC’s YouTube page.
December 24, 2024 4pm Cheerful Candlelight Christmas
December 22, 2024 – Preparing our Hearts for Jesus: Mary’s Song: A Response of Love and Faith
“Mary’s Song: A Response of Love and Faith” (Luke 1:26-38, 46-56) explores how God chooses us as an act of love to bring about His redemptive purposes in the world. Reflect on the Annunciation and how Mary’s story invites us to embrace our role in God’s ongoing work of salvation.
Good News Statement: God chooses us as an act of love to bring about God’s redemptive purposes in the world.
December 15, 2024 – Preparing our Hearts for Jesus: Cantata: Myrrh From The Forest
December 8, 2024 – Preparing our Hearts for Jesus: Preparing the Way: John the Baptist’s Call to Peace
“Preparing the Way: John the Baptist’s Call to Peace” (Luke 1:57-80) highlights how God prepares the way through John’s message of peace so that we may be ready for the coming of Christ. Discover how John’s prophetic role calls us to embrace the peace that Christ brings into our lives today.
Good News Statement: God prepares the way through John’s message of peace so that we may be ready for coming of Christ.
December 1, 2024 – Preparing our Hearts for Jesus: Hope Through the Ages: Jesus’ Genealogy Unveiled
“Hope Through the Ages: Jesus’ Genealogy Unveiled” (Matthew 1:1-17) explores how Jesus connects us to the promises of the past so that we can live with hope for the future. Discover the significance of Christ’s lineage and how it empowers us to trust in God’s ongoing work in our lives today.
Good News Statement: Jesus connects us to the promises of the past so that we can live with hope for the future.
November 24, 2024 – You’ve Got a Friend in Me: When Friends Blow It
Even a good friend will make a mistake. Jesus’ friend Peter had a propensity to blow it -a lot- and with much heartache. Jesus shows us how friendships can be restored. Join us this Sunday as we conclude this series on what the Bible shows us about friendship.
November 17, 2024 – You’ve Got a Friend in Me: When Friends Betray Us
Sometimes, without even knowing why, a good friend will betray us. Jesus was betrayed with kiss by his friend Judas and unfortunately, we don’t see them ever having the chance to reconcile. Join us this Sunday as we find hope to give ourselves to others when we experience betrayal.
November 10, 2024 – You’ve Got a Friend in Me: Can We Still Be Friends?
No matter the outcome of the 2024 Presidential Election, there is a good chance good friendships could be broken. Of course, politics aren’t the only things that divide friends. Paul and Barnabas were once good friends, partners even, and eventually they had to go their sperate ways. Join us this Sunday as we see how God redeems broken friendships.
November 3, 2024 – You’ve Got a Friend in Me: What Happens When Friends Die?
Earlier in this series we explored the friendship between Jonathan and David, one of the closest friendships in the Bible. Now David loses his best friend in battle and it nearly wrecks him. Join us for this All-Saints Sunday where we will see how God sustains us in our grief.
October 27, 2024 – You’ve Got a Friend in Me: I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends
For as much as we want to be independent and self-sufficient, sometimes we need help. In fact, there are times we wouldn’t make it without people to carry us. The Beatles sing the truth of this in their famous hit, but Jesus shows us the power of the faith of our friends in this sermon.
October 20, 2024 – You’ve Got a Friend in Me: Praying Friends
Daniel was between a rock and a hard place. Desperate, he turned to his friends and asked them to pray for him. God heard the prayers of his friends. From this story we learn the power of praying friends. Join us as we visit with Daniel before the lion’s den and learn how to be praying friends.
October 13, 2024 – You’ve Got a Friend in Me: Best Friends Forever
The friendship shared between David and Jonathan is enviable. They became very close, very fast. It is a friendship that lasted all their days. It was like God made them for each other and as a result they were bound together by a covenant. Join us this Sunday as we examine one of the most intimate friendships in the Bible.
October 6, 2024 – You’ve Got a Friend in Me: Fierce Friends
Ruth and Naomi’s relationship began as in-laws. But a shared tragedy forged them into fierce friendship who clung together through thick and thin the rest of their lives, just as God clings to us through the thick and thin in our lives. Join us as we open this series on friendship.
September 29, 2024 – Happy Anniversary: Bishop Dan Schwerin
Bishop Dan Schwerin Preaching. Our Director of Music Scott Stevenson’s new arrangement of “What Gift Can We Bring” was written especially for this occasion. It will feature our Chancel Choir, Sanctuary Ringers and Howard Clark III on organ, with Stevenson conducting. The hymn was originally written in 1980 by Jane Marshall for the 25th anniversary of her home church in Dallas.
An Evening of Homecoming & History – Friday, September 27
We will be joined by clergy and staff that have served United Methodist Church of Geneva over the years! It will be a fun homecoming and reunion!
Update: We will be joined by Bill & Kay Obalil, Jenny Weber, Steve Good, and family members of Larry Hilkemann.
At 6pm we will have a special program that will include a a history snapshot of the church, recognition of church members and clergy and a proclamation from Mayor Kevin Burns. This program will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in-person. You will find the service on our Online Worship Page.
Throughout the building we will have a history exhibit that celebrates many areas of our ministry with displays and videos for people to check out.