Westwood United Methodist Church | Counterpoint
Westwood Church
Westwood Church is a Christian community where all people are welcome, and is focused on becoming and making disciples committed to justice, kindness and walking humbly with God.
WE ARE Meant to Change
Sunday, February 16, 2025
Rev. Molly Vetter
The blessing that Jesus proclaims to the world comes with the promise of change. It gives us hope in what will be. It also reminds us of words that are sometimes comforting, and sometimes uncomfortable: that it won’t always be like this.
WE ARE Meant for Great Things
Sunday, February 9, 2025
Rev. Molly Vetter
The story of the church is a story of people like us, who respond to the call of God, and do things far beyond the capacity of what we believed ourselves capable of.
WE ARE meant to love
Sunday, February 2, 2025
Rev. Molly Vetter
This Sunday, we will read beloved words about love from 1 Corinthians 13. Though frequently read at weddings, they do not belong to ceremonies and celebrations where love is evident; they describe the high demands of love, give voice to what can go wrong to distance us from love, and set love as the standard for difficult times. They speak needed words, perfect for this moment in our city, nation and world.
WE ARE meant to liberate
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Rev. Molly Vetter
When Jesus reads from the Isaiah scroll in his hometown synagogue, repeating ancient words of divine hope, he sets a tone and course for his life and ministry: the good news he proclaims will lead to freedom. Still today, they are an invitation to take up belief in the power of liberation. Even (especially) when powerful voices seek to impose fear and control, the gospel speaks a clear message that calls us toward freedom, for ourselves and all our
WE ARE meant to shine
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Rev. Dr. Diana Holbert
We continue our epiphany with a reminder of our capacity to be the ones who bear light into the world. In the midst of the devastating fires in LA County, we are also seeing signs of incredible compassion and care. We are invited to continue to bear that light to our neighbors.
We are grateful to welcome Rev. Dr. Diana Holbert to our pulpit today. For the past five years, after her retirement from full time ministry, Diana has served as our Ch
WE ARE Pleasing to God
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Rev. Molly Vetter
This Sunday, following a week of unimaginable devastation in across communities in LA, we remember the words of affirmation and blessing that God speaks over us, as in our baptism. With sharp awareness of our vulnerability, and compassion for our grief, we dare to claim the joy that comes from remembering that God is “well pleased” with us. This Sunday in the Sanctuary, we have the joy of baptizing two young people: Olivia and Markie Hladnick.
The Road Isn’t Straight
Sunday, January 5, 2025
Rev. Molly Vetter
Life’s road was never meant to be a straight line from one point to the next. At best, that concept is aspirational; at worst it can induce shame and despair. I believe God is with us in every twist and turn; life is complicated and nuanced. There are many faithful paths; the Magi teach us that a faithful path can be one that resists deceptive and oppressive powers, one that follows God’s light wherever it shines.
In worship, we will celebrate Holy
Hope Is Worth the Risk
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
What if hope is not a flimsy emotion dependent on outcomes, but a robust spiritual practice? Could we instead think of it like a muscle we can flex and strengthen? We recognize that the practice of hope is not easy, especially if you are enduring unthinkable suffering like war, oppression, or famine. Can we practice hope on behalf of those who are weary and worn down, letting our expressions of hope become a liferaft for others? At the center of o
Do the Good that is Yours to Do
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
On Sunday, our Chancel Choir will be joined by chamber orchestra, harp and organ to bring us some incredible and beautiful Christmas music that will be woven through our morning worship, including Ralph Vaughn Williams’ beautiful “Fantasia on Christmas Carols.” In our scripture passage, we hear the same question asked three times: “What, then, should I do?” This season reminds us that small, ordinary actions add up; we must trust that we each have
We Can’t Go Alone
Sunday, December 8, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
The season of Advent whispers an ancient truth: We were never meant to journey these paths alone. In a pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps culture, choosing communal life is both radical–and deeply faithful.
You Are a Blessing
Sunday, December 1, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
Mary is described as “blessed among women” (Luke 1:28). She is neither wealthy nor powerful, and yet she is chosen to bear God’s child. Her story begins with blessedness and so does ours, for the prophet Isaiah declares that we are claimed by a God who calls our name. We are a blessing because we belong to God. When we’re rooted in our blessedness, we can treat every created being as a blessing as well.
More Than
Sunday, November 24, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
We believe in God’s presence in all creation, and also that God’s presence is more than we can fully understand. God’s power calls us to more than our own individualism, more than our fear, and more than our dreams. This Sunday, our Children and Grapple Choirs will sing during our one Westwood UMC worship gathering at 10am. Musicians and leaders from our Sanctuary and Loft communities will all be involved, and we get to welcome new members into the
For Good
Sunday, November 17, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
When everything seems to be falling apart, God is also at work birthing a new thing—in this world where we are created to contribute to the well-being of one another.
All Creatures Great and Small
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
In these days after a national election, when so many among us carry fear for our safety and well-being, our faith invites us to remember that we are all held in care by God. Our God celebrates all creation, great and small, and invites us to join in care for one another. We are invited to generously participate in the work of tending the needs of all, especially those with little power.
All Love
Sunday, November 3, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
On All Saints Day, we remember the lives of those who’ve gone before–the ancestors on whose shoulders we stand. We honor their lives, and how they have shaped ours, as we let our community be shaped by the commandment that is at the center of everything: to love God and neighbor with all that we are.
The Healing We Need
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
Trauma informed care gives us a framework for engaging with one another with compassion and thoughtfulness; I have been moved by ways that learning about this approach bring helpful changes to how we approach one another. This week, our scripture tells of Jesus healing a blind man named Bartimaeus, and invites us to think about the transformative power of divine love to heal us, too.
Weakness Is Our Strength
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
In contrast to their expectations, Jesus tells his disciples describes the leadership he calls us to: it is our capacity to serve, not our elevation to positions of prominence, that makes us great.
Helpful Perspective
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
This Sunday our scripture texts offer at least two significant points: First, that God knows us deeply, understands our struggles, and offers us grace. Second, that Jesus expects us to reassess our relationship to our things (and just about everything), and put our trust in God’s power.
Reflected Glory
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
Scripture tells us stories of leaders like Esther, who found their power and capacity to be a meaningful part of transformational change. In this moment in the story of our planet, we are invited to step into our own capacities to tend, restore, and support God’s work of redemption and justice.
Thoughts, Prayers, and Actions
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
Scripture tells us stories of leaders like Esther, who found their power and capacity to be a meaningful part of transformational change. In this moment in the story of our planet, we are invited to step into our own capacities to tend, restore, and support God’s work of redemption and justice.
The Good Life
Sunday, September 22, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
Scripture gives us examples of good, wise, compassionate, peaceable ways actions, and invites us to let our lives be a declaration of our faith. This Homecoming Sunday, we are invited to remember and share the stories of faithfulness that are a part of our community, that have shaped each of our lives, and that enable us to take action for the future of our planet.
When Will We Ever Learn?
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
Our series, “Holy, Worldly Wisdom” continues, and asks us to consider why we are so resistant to heeding the voice of God. In Proverbs, Woman Wisdom speaks in a voice that cries out in the street. James names the dangerous power of the words we use, when we don’t “tame our tongues.” In an era of sound bites, zingers, and sick burns, how do we listen for holy wisdom? And how do we speak up for good, for our neighbors and our planet?
Think Globally, Act Locally
Sunday, September 08, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
The Bible is full of instruction–from the wisdom of Hebrew Proverbs to the advice of the Epistle of James. Also, we continue to learn, using contemporary aphorisms to pass along the moral advice needed in the present moment. In all of these forms, we find good advice that asks us to look beyond ourselves and pay attention to the needs of others. And, they remind us to act!
Holy, Worldly Wisdom
Sunday, September 01, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
This Sunday begins a five-week series that interprets lessons from the book of James and ancient wisdom from the Hebrew Bible — as we seek insight about how to respond to the ecological crisis we face in the 21st century. With poetry and practical faith, their lessons speak through the centuries, bringing a steady focus for an uncertain time. This week, we begin with love poetry from Song of Songs, and practical wisdom from James..
Unexpected Strength
Sunday, August 25, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
In Ephesians, we are told how to prepare ourselves to face life’s battles: with righteousness, peace, and the word of God. This is an unconventional form of armor, but one that gives us an unexpected strength.
wise / weird
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
In Ephesians, we are admonished to live as wise people, and not be foolish. But our scripture also invites us to live in distinct ways that are certainly in tension with conventional expectations. From Weird Barbie to our national politics, we have a rich diversity of weirdness on display. Jesus invites us to be attentive to which wisdom we follow, and how we are called to live with each other.
A True Imitation
Sunday, August 11, 2024
Rev. Molly Vetter
In a culture that connects authenticity and originality, the directions in Ephesians that invite us to be “imitators of Christ” sound a bit strange. Nonetheless, we are invited to shape our lives in imitation of Christ-like love. What does that look like today?
What Kind of Bread Would You Like With That?
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Rev. John Woodall
We are very pleased to welcome Rev. John Woodall to our pulpit this Sunday. Rev. Woodall served as our Senior Pastor from 2006-2019, and currently serves as the CEO and President of our California-Pacific United Methodist Foundation. He will preach on John 6:24-35, in which Jesus speaks about his miraculous feeding of multitudes, and then describes himself as the “bread of life.” We will also share in the sacrament of Holy Communion.
#TenToesDown
Sunday, July 28, 2024
Pastor Molly Vetter
This Sunday’s reading from Ephesians includes some of my favorite lines from the Bible–phrases that are embedded in my memory and my heart whenever I think about my life of faith. I seek to be “rooted and grounded in love,” to dwell on “the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,” and a grace of God that is “far more than all we can ask or imagine.” These phrases have literal meanings, but also additional meaning that has been added by the people, pl