The Verdugo Community Church’s Podcast

Pastor Gail Whitcome Linstrom – “Taking a Stand for God” – Verdugo Community Church January 26, 2025

In her sermon, “Taking a Stand for God,” Pastor Gail looks at Luke 4:14 – 21, where after his baptism Jesus’ first public words are at the synagogue in Nazareth where he grew up. He begins with the prophetic words from Isaiah 61 identifying himself with the person who is full of the Spirit who will announce good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners and oppressed, sight for the blind. Then he proclaims, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus clearly has a purpose to his life and is not ashamed to express it. As his followers we need to recognize his purpose for our lives. Because Jesus announces that these are being fulfilled at the moment, not in some future time, we also need to not let the mistakes of our past or the possibilities of the future distract us from doing what God wants us to do today to advance his Kingdom on earth. That means as disciples of Jesus we need to act and be known for our generous mercy, kindness, compassion, and willingness to care for others.

 

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

 

All song titles, lyrics, and music are used with permission. 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.

 

Worship service copyright 2025 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2025 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE JANUARY 26, 2025

We begin our service with Pastor Gail Linstrom welcoming all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. Pastor Gail calls us to worship with verses from Psalm 95. Dale Reynolds centers our thoughts with a reading from Nehemiah 8, and Luisa Fernandez 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, our city, and our world in the Prayers of the People.

 

In her sermon, “Taking a Stand for God,” Pastor Gail looks at Luke 4:14 – 21, where after his baptism Jesus’ first public words are at the synagogue in Nazareth where he grew up. He begins with the prophetic words from Isaiah 61 identifying himself with the person who is full of the Spirit who will announce good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners and oppressed, sight for the blind. Then he proclaims, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus clearly has a purpose to his life and is not ashamed to express it. As his followers we need to recognize his purpose for our lives. Because Jesus announces that these are being fulfilled at the moment, not in some future time, we also need to not let the mistakes of our past or the possibilities of the future distract us from doing what God wants us to do today to advance his Kingdom on earth. That means as disciples of Jesus we need to act and be known for our generous mercy, kindness, compassion, and willingness to care for others.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons and select worship services available to you on Facebook at https://facebook.com/verdugochurch 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 song titles, lyrics, and music are used with permission. 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.

 

Worship service copyright 2025 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2025 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

Pastor Gail Whitcome Linstrom – “Experiencing God’s Abundance and Generosity” – Verdugo Community Church January 19, 2025

In her sermon, “Experiencing God’s Abundance and Generosity,” Pastor Gail reminds us that God uses ordinary people engaged in ordinary activities to advance his Kingdom. In John 2 we see this when Jesus changes water into wine. She notes that Jesus did this miracle behinds the scenes, asking the servants to fill up the large water jars used for ritual cleansing, and then take some of the wine to the master of ceremonies. Only Jesus, his family, the disciples present, and the servants knew the full story. And Jesus created an abundance of wine, gallons of it, not just the minimum needed for the party. He models for us that God can use ordinary people doing ordinary activities and will abundantly provide the resources needed to accomplish his plans for us: “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. (Jeremiah 29:11). When, as now, we face the challenges of fires and windstorms and disagreements in our society, we need to follow the advice that Mary gave to the servants when Jesus was going to act:”“Do whatever he tells you.”

 

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

 

All song titles, lyrics, and music are used with permission. 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.

 

Worship service copyright 2025 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2025 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE JANUARY 19, 2025

We begin our service with Pastor Gail Linstrom welcoming all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. Dale Reynolds calls us to worship with a reading from Psalm 36. Albert Ramseyer 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, our city, and our world in the Prayers of the People.

 

In her sermon, “Experiencing God’s Abundance and Generosity,” Pastor Gail reminds us that God uses ordinary people engaged in ordinary activities to advance his Kingdom. In John 2 we see this when Jesus changes water into wine. She notes that Jesus did this miracle behinds the scenes, asking the servants to fill up the large water jars used for ritual cleansing, and then take some of the wine to the master of ceremonies. Only Jesus, his family, the disciples present, and the servants knew the full story. And Jesus created an abundance of wine, gallons of it, not just the minimum needed for the party. He models for us that God can use ordinary people doing ordinary activities and will abundantly provide the resources needed to accomplish his plans for us: “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. (Jeremiah 29:11). When, as now, we face the challenges of fires and windstorms and disagreements in our society, we need to follow the advice that Mary gave to the servants when Jesus was going to act:”“Do whatever he tells you.”

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons and select worship services available to you on Facebook at https://facebook.com/verdugochurch 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 song titles, lyrics, and music are used with permission. 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.

 

Worship service copyright 2025 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2025 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

Pastor Gail Whitcome Linstrom – “Wise Ones Worship” – Verdugo Community Church January 12, 2025

In her sermon, “Wise Ones Worship,” Pastor Gail uses Matthew 2: 1 – 12 to look at the prophecies concerning where Jesus will be born and at who came to worship him at Bethlehem. We have a series of journeys: Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the journey by the ordinary shepherds who heard the angels and left their flocks to see and worship the newborn Jesus, and the long journey by the wealthy wise ones from the East who saw and followed a star to find the new born king of the Jews, fulfilling the prophecy found in Isaiah 60. The meaning of Christmas is that God entered our world to have a relationship with all kinds of people, including ordinary people living ordinary lives in harsh times. It is up to us to accept this relationship and journey with God through our own lives, trusting him to guide us.

 

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

 

All song titles, lyrics, and music are used with permission. 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.

 

Worship service copyright 2025 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2025 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE JANUARY 12, 2025

We begin our service with Pastor Gail Linstrom welcoming all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. Dale Reynolds calls us to worship with a reading from Psalm 36. Pastor Gail then lights the Christ Candle in celebration of Jesus’s arrival. 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, “Wise Ones Worship,” Pastor Gail uses Matthew 2: 1 – 12 to look at the prophecies concerning where Jesus will be born and at who came to worship him at Bethlehem. We have a series of journeys: Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the journey by the ordinary shepherds who heard the angels and left their flocks to see and worship the newborn Jesus, and the long journey by the wealthy wise ones from the East who saw and followed a star to find the new born king of the Jews, fulfilling the prophecy found in Isaiah 60. The meaning of Christmas is that God entered our world to have a relationship with all kinds of people, including ordinary people living ordinary lives in harsh times. It is up to us to accept this relationship and journey with God through our own lives, trusting him to guide us.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons and select worship services available to you on Facebook at https://facebook.com/verdugochurch 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 song titles, lyrics, and music are used with permission. 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.

 

Worship service copyright 2025 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2025 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

Pastor Gail Whitcome Linstrom – “Preparing to Be Agents of Our Father’s Business” – Verdugo Community Church January 5, 2025

In her sermon, “Preparing to Be Agents of Our Father’s Business,” Pastor Gail challenges us to find what God wants the Verdugo Church to do within its own neighborhood. God is interested in everything we do and in every season of our lives, as illustrated in Ecclesiastes 3. He wants us to help bring his Kingdom to earth by expressing his love for all in concrete ways by practicing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience toward each other doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,and giving thanks to God the Father. . As we take stock of the conditions in our neighborhood, we need to find the best ways to reach out and help our neighbors.

 

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

 

All song titles, lyrics, and music are used with permission. 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.

 

Worship service copyright 2025 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2025 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE JANUARY 5, 2025

We begin our service with Pastor Gail Linstrom welcoming all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. Dale Reynolds calls us to worship reading Psalm 25. On this second Sunday of Christmas, Pastor Gail lights the Advent Candles. 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 her sermon, “Preparing to Be Agents of Our Father’s Business,” Pastor Gail challenges us to find what God wants the Verdugo Church to do within its own neighborhood. God is interested in everything we do and in every season of our lives, as illustrated in Ecclesiastes 3. He wants us to help bring his Kingdom to earth by expressing his love for all in concrete ways by practicing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience toward each other doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,and giving thanks to God the Father. . As we take stock of the conditions in our neighborhood, we need to find the best ways to reach out and help our neighbors.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons and select worship services available to you on Facebook at https://facebook.com/verdugochurch 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 song titles, lyrics, and music are used with permission. 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.

 

Worship service copyright 2025 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2025 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.

Chaplain David Saltzman – “Ch–Ch–Ch–Changes?” – Verdugo Community Church December 29, 2024

In his sermon, “Ch–Ch–Ch–Changes” Chaplain David Saltzman explores the changes that the birth of Jesus caused, and pointed out that following him will lead to changes in our lives too. In Luke2:41 – 52, in the only Bible story about his childhood, 12 year old Jesus is inadvertently left behind in Jerusalem when his family begins their journey back to Nazareth. They find him sitting in the Temple among the teachers, listening to them and amazing them with his understanding. He reassures his parents that he was supposed to be in His Father’s house. God does not change, and his love endures forever. But he also allows for change in our circumstances, because change is essential for our spiritual growth. Jesus is the source of change, replacing hatred of enemies with the command to love them, and by renewing our minds to see God’s plan for our lives.

 

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

 

All song titles, lyrics, and music are used with permission. 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.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by David Saltzman and Verdugo Community Church.

VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE DECEMBER 29, 2024

We begin our service with Pastor Gail Linstrom welcoming all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. Dale Reynolds calls us to worship reading Psalm 98. Dale and Pastor Gail light the Advent Candles and the Christ Candle. Michael Blanco gives our opening prayer. Nick Baltazar, Ed Manacop, and Michael Minasyan 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, “Ch–Ch–Ch–Changes” Chaplain David Saltzman explores the changes that the birth of Jesus caused, and pointed out that following him will lead to changes in our lives too. In Luke2:41 – 52, in the only Bible story about his childhood, 12 year old Jesus is inadvertently left behind in Jerusalem when his family begins their journey back to Nazareth. They find him sitting in the Temple among the teachers, listening to them and amazing them with his understanding. He reassures his parents that he was supposed to be in His Father’s house. God does not change, and his love endures forever. But he also allows for change in our circumstances, because change is essential for our spiritual growth. Jesus is the source of change, replacing hatred of enemies with the command to love them, and by renewing our minds to see God’s plan for our lives.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons and select worship services available to you on Facebook at https://facebook.com/verdugochurch 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 song titles, lyrics, and music are used with permission. 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.

 

Worship service copyright 2024 by Verdugo Community Church. Sermon copyright 2024 by David Saltzman and Verdugo Community Church.