The Verdugo Community Church’s Podcast

Superintendent Jon Sato – “Priming the Future” – Verdugo Community Church August 25, 2024

In his sermon, “Priming the Future,” Jon Sato, Superintendent of the Free Methodist Church in Southern California, challenges us to both continue our efforts and to reach out for new ways to engage our neighbors, using the well known passage in Ephesians 6 about putting on the whole armor of God. Instead of viewing this in the context of medieval fortresses and defensive protection, as is sometimes done in Vacation Bible School, we should instead take it as ways to overcome obstacles and confidently pursue the Kingdom of God here where we live. A church like Verdugo should not just rest on its past accomplishments, but should continue to be open to helping everyone we encounter.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343, or by email at pastorgail50@yahoo.com or our church email set out above.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by Jon Sato and Verdugo Community Church.

VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP AND CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION SERVICE AUGUST 25, 2024

Verdugo Church is marking a century of service to the Eagle Rock, Glassell Park and Glendale neighborhoods. We begin our service and Centennial celebration with song. Pastor Gail Whitcome Linstrom welcomes all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. Luisa Fernandez calls us to worship with a reading of Psalm 100. Chaplain David Saltzman opens us in prayer. Heidi Sandoval, Nick Baltazar, Ed Manacop, Jessica Jimenez and Marvin Juan lead us in our praise singing. Greg Hart leads us in a corporate expression of the concerns of the church and our world in the Prayers and Praises of the People. We have a reading of Psalm 111 by Dale Reynolds and after a short video presentation about our history, Pastor Gail provides us with an in depth appreciation of what the church has done and meant to our neighborhood.

 

In his sermon, “Priming the Future,” Jon Sato, Superintendent of the Free Methodist Church in Southern California, challenges us to both continue our efforts and to reach out for new ways to engage our neighbors, using the well known passage in Ephesians 6 about putting on the whole armor of God. Instead of viewing this in the context of medieval fortresses and defensive protection, as is sometimes done in Vacation Bible School, we should instead take it as ways to overcome obstacles and confidently pursue the Kingdom of God here where we live. A church like Verdugo should not just rest on its past accomplishments, but should continue to be open to helping everyone we encounter.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343, or by email at pastorgail50@yahoo.com or our church email set out above.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by Jon Sato and Verdugo Community Church.

Pastor Gail Whitcome Linstrom – “Will We be a Neighbor?” – Verdugo Community Church August 18, 2024

In her sermon, “Will We Be a Neighbor?” Pastor Gail asks, as Verdugo church celebrates its Centennial, how Verdugo should fulfill its goal to “make and grow disciples by loving and living in community with our neighbors.” She reminds us of Paul’s admonitions in Ephesians 6 on how Christians should act out of love towards others just as God, our Father, has loved us. When we pray that God’s Kingdom come, we are committing to do all we can to see that his Kingdom of justice and love is growing. This requires us to reach out to our neighbors here at Verdugo in possibly new ways. God has a plan for Verdugo, and it is up to us to seek it out and follow it.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343, or by email at pastorgail50@yahoo.com or our church email set out above.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

 

VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE AUGUST 18, 2024

We begin our service with song. Pastor Gail Whitcome Linstrom welcomes all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. Laura Vasquez calls us to worship with a reading from 1 Chronicles 16. Michael Blanco opens us in prayer. Nick Baltazar and Ed Manacop lead us in our praise singing. Albert Ramseyer takes up the praises and concerns of the church and our world in the Prayers of the People.

 

In her sermon, “Will We Be a Neighbor?” Pastor Gail asks, as Verdugo church celebrates its Centennial, how Verdugo should fulfill its goal to “make and grow disciples by loving and living in community with our neighbors.” She reminds us of Paul’s admonitions in Ephesians 6 on how Christians should act out of love towards others just as God, our Father, has loved us. When we pray that God’s Kingdom come, we are committing to do all we can to see that his Kingdom of justice and love is growing. This requires us to reach out to our neighbors here at Verdugo in possibly new ways. God has a plan for Verdugo, and it is up to us to seek it out and follow it.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343, or by email at pastorgail50@yahoo.com or our church email set out above.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

Andrew Mumm – “Bread for the Journey” – Verdugo Community Church August 11, 2024

In his sermon, “Bread for the Journey,” Andrew Mumm looks at 1 Kings 19 to show how God provided what Elijah needed when he fled from Queen Jezebel after his confrontation on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal. Elijah feared for his life and he was discouraged because his actions had not changed how the King regarded God, and, he feared for his life. He slept and then was awakened by an angel who twice provided him with bread and water. Elijah was able to make a 40 day journey to Mount Horeb to meet God. When we are discouraged and feel that we cannot go on to do the things we feel God wants done, we should be open to taking care of ourselves and accepting support and help from others, who like the angel in this story are being sent by God for that purpose. And, when we encounter others who need encouragement, we should remember we are to step in and provide it, becoming their supporting angels.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343, or by email at pastorgail50@yahoo.com or our church email set out above.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by Andrew Mumm and Verdugo Community Church.

 

VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE August 11, 2024

We begin our service with song. Albert Ramseyer welcomes all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. Michelle Hensley calls us to worship with a reading from Psalm 150. Luisa Fernandez opens us in prayer. Nick Baltazar and Ed Manacop lead us in our praise singing. Albert Ramseyer takes up the praises and concerns of the church and our world in the Prayers of the People.

 

In his sermon, “Bread for the Journey,” Andrew Mumm looks at 1 Kings 19 to show how God provided what Elijah needed when he fled from Queen Jezebel after his confrontation on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal. Elijah feared for his life and he was discouraged because his actions had not changed how the King regarded God, and, he feared for his life. He slept and then was awakened by an angel who twice provided him with bread and water. Elijah was able to make a 40 day journey to Mount Horeb to meet God. When we are discouraged and feel that we cannot go on to do the things we feel God wants done, we should be open to taking care of ourselves and accepting support and help from others, who like the angel in this story are being sent by God for that purpose. And, when we encounter others who need encouragement, we should remember we are to step in and provide it, becoming their supporting angels.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343, or by email at pastorgail50@yahoo.com or our church email set out above.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by Andrew Mumm and Verdugo Community Church.

Pastor Gail Whitcome Linstrom – Lectio Divina – “Waiting and Listening for the Lord” – Verdugo Community Church August 4, 2024

Pastor Gail leads us in a Lectio Divina focused on “Waiting and Listening for the Lord,” using Psalm 62. Lectio is an ancient worship practice where the same text is read by different voices. The passages from Psalm 62 are read by Greg Hart, Nick Baltazar, Luisa Fernandez and Albert Ramseyer. After each reading we pause to meditate and listen to what God has to say to us, and sing a song of response.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343, or by email at pastorgail50@yahoo.com or our church email set out above.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Lectio Divina introductory comments copyright 2024 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE AUGUST 4, 2024

We begin our service with song. Pastor Gail welcomes all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family and calls us to worship with words from Psalm 34. Michael Blanco opens us in prayer. Nick Baltazar and Ed Manacop lead us in our praise singing. Greg Hart takes up the praises and concerns of the church and our world in the Prayers of the People.

 

Pastor Gail leads us in a Lectio Divina focused on “Waiting and Listening for the Lord,” using Psalm 62. Lectio is an ancient worship practice where the same text is read by different voices. The passages from Psalm 62 are read by Greg Hart, Nick Baltazar, Luisa Fernandez and Albert Ramseyer. After each reading we pause to meditate and listen to what God has to say to us, and sing a song of response.

 

Chaplain Dave Saltzman leads us in the sacrament of communion, and you are invited to participate as well.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343, or by email at pastorgail50@yahoo.com or our church email set out above.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Lectio Divina introductory comments copyright 2024 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

Pastor Nikki Ramage – “God Has Not Forgotten You” – Verdugo Community Church July 28, 2024

In her sermon, “God Has Not Forgotten You,” Pastor Nikki Ramage, from the Santa Barbara Free Methodist Church looks to Isaiah 40 to remind us that God does not forget his people, but is loving and compassionate toward them, whatever hard and challenging times they go through Isaiah knows that the Israelites have been in Exile for fifty years and question whether God has forgotten them. In response, God sends the prophet as a herald to announce that his people should be comforted, that their sins have been forgiven, and that they will be rescued from exile by him just as a shepherd leads his flock home. In the Gospels, Jesus is identified as our great shepherd, savior and deliverer. God does not abandon us but sends the Holy Spirit to comfort and empower us to share this Good News with others.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343, or by email at pastorgail50@yahoo.com or our church email set out above.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by Nikki Ramage and Verdugo Community Church.

VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE JULY 28, 2024

We begin our service with song. Pastor Gail welcomes all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. Laura Vasquez calls us to worship with a reading from Psalm 27. Michael Blanco opens us in prayer. Marvin Juan and Ed Manacop lead us in our praise singing. Albert Ramseyer takes up the praises and concerns of the church and our world in the Prayers of the People.

 

In her sermon, “God Has Not Forgotten You,” Pastor Nikki Ramage, from the Santa Barbara Free Methodist Church looks to Isaiah 40 to remind us that God does not forget his people, but is loving and compassionate toward them, whatever hard and challenging times they go through Isaiah knows that the Israelites have been in Exile for fifty years and question whether God has forgotten them. In response, God sends the prophet as a herald to announce that his people should be comforted, that their sins have been forgiven, and that they will be rescued from exile by him just as a shepherd leads his flock home. In the Gospels, Jesus is identified as our great shepherd, savior and deliverer. God does not abandon us but sends the Holy Spirit to comfort and empower us to share this Good News with others.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People have been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of those participating or mentioned. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s CCLI license # 2486815.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343, or by email at pastorgail50@yahoo.com or our church email set out above.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by Nikki Ramage and Verdugo Community Church.