Mark 13: 24-37
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

I recently read in a magazine about a middle-aged woman named Deborah, a mother of two kids, a faithful and loved wife, a former-nurse and caregiver, who was arrested for a violent crime she had committed when she was 19. She had been arrested back then too – but she had managed to escape several times, and finally ran far enough away that she was able to start her life over. Her neighbors knew nothing of her past. Her family – even her husband – knew nothing about her past. And now, here she was – with a life, a family – and her past had found her. (more…)

Our altar looked so beautiful with the fresh fruit and vegetables brought by the congregation for Thanksgiving. Our fresh produce was delivered to the “Day Break Adult Care Center” two doors from our church, which sent a bag of fresh produce home with each of its clients.

The West End Community will come together on December 13th at 4:00 p.m. at United Methodist Church of Hartford, 571 Farmington Avenue, to celebrate the holiday season with a joyous, festive event combining the best of secular holiday music with the brightest traditional carols. The Brightest and Best program will feature the children of Noah Webster MicroSociety Magnet School Advanced String Orchestra, United Methodist Church of Hartford’s Adult Choir, a singing quartet, community storytellers and supplemental musicians. A free-will offering will be taken, with all proceeds going to buy musical instruments for the Noah Webster music program. In addition guests are encouraged to bring canned goods for the West End Food Pantry. Following the musical program, there will be a “food and beverage” reception, as well as the opportunity to become acquainted with a variety of community organizations….Supplemental parking will be available in the parking lot diagonally across the street from the church behind the Bank of America….The Brightest and Best Program is a combined effort of United Methodist Church of Hartford, the Noah Webster School, the West End Civic Association, and the Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice.

Matthew 25: 31-40
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

I want justice and peace in my life and in my community. I have a feeling that almost any of us would agree with that. And yet, our definition of what justice and peace are will vary widely. These are two very abused words. And yet they are words at the center of much of the Bible and much of our religious tradition. What does it mean for us to bear fruit of justice and peace? (more…)

1 Corinthians 3: 1-9
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

Like many of you, I watched with some amazement as Barack Obama was announced as our president-elect. Regardless of your political views, it was a historic moment for our country – a moment when we as a nation set aside our racist past, and elected someone based on the content of their character. Many of you can remember a time when blacks where denied access to education, to public services, even to their right to vote. And all of us know that racism is still alive in our communities and in our culture. But no one could deny last week that we have grown – that we have changed – that some small frame of Martin King’s dream has come into focus.

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Acts 16: 9-14
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

Paul had a vision – he heard the cries of the people of Macedonia, and he dropped everything he was doing and he gathered his resources and friends, and they went off to Macedonia, and they travelled around a bit, and found Lydia. And she opened her heart and listened eagerly to what Paul had to say.

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