We are an Open and Affirming Congregation
Where no matter who we are or where we are on life's journey...we are welcome here.
Worship Services
We live stream our Sunday Worship.
SUNDAYS
Worship 10:00 AM
135 E Larch St, Rhinelander, WI 54501
FELLOWSHIP TIME
Enjoy coffee and conversation following worship.
At a time when religion is too often portrayed as narrow-minded and exclusive, we are raising our voices for alternative vision. One where God is all-loving and inclusive. Where the Church of Jesus Christ welcomes and accepts everyone as they are. Where your mind is nourished as much as your soul. Where Jesus the healer meets Jesus the revolutionary. Where together we grow a just and peaceful world.
Every visitor is also invited to share in the Sacrament of Holy Communion on the first Sunday of each month. We live stream our Sunday Worship to our Facebook page. You are welcome to join us on Facebook on Sunday or view it anytime during the week. Join us by clicking on the Facebook page above.
See you here!
The Annual Meeting of the Congregation will be next Sunday, January 26, 2025, following worship. Plan to attend to address the 2025 budget, get updates from our hard-working Boards and leadership, and learn what our next steps will be.
Next 7 Days of Events
Unresolved
Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid…” – Matthew 1:19-20 (NRSV)
When Joseph heard about Mary’s pregnancy, he was not thrilled. I’m quite sure he did not greet the news like Elizabeth, with jubilant affirmation, or like Mary, with a song of prophetic joy. To him Mary’s pregnancy was a disgrace. As far as he could tell, his betrothed had been unfaithful. He must have been devastated.
Thank God Joseph had the wisdom and faith to listen to the angel and wait it out. Think of what he would have missed if he had gone ahead and “resolved” the big problem that was the Son of God.
The season of Epiphany invites us to look for the places where God is unfolding before us. It’s natural to look for God in places that feel exciting or promising—an engagement, an acceptance letter, a new job.
But don’t forget: God is at work in the disappointments and failures, too. God is in the midst of the divorces and rejections and that most recent round of layoffs. Moments that feel humiliating, heartbreaking, or downright hopeless can be the very moments when God is cooking up something beyond our wildest dreams.
If you are in a low place right now, listen to the words of the angels: “Do not be afraid.” They’re not just for our biblical protagonists. They’re for us, too.
Prayer
Holy One, may I trust you far more than I do myself, because you have way better ideas than I do. Amen.
About the AuthorRev. Kate Kennedy is a New Hampshire-based UCC pastor pursuing a career in family therapy.
ABout UCC
A church of firsts and of extravagant welcome. A church where "they may all be one" (John 17:21).
The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a distinct and diverse community of Christians who come together as one church to join faith and action. With over 5,000 churches and nearly one million members across the U.S., the UCC serves God in the co-creation of a just and sustainable world.
Since 1957, the United Church of Christ has been the church of firsts, weaving God’s message of hope and extravagant welcome with action for justice and peace. Together, we live out our faith in ways that effect change in our communities. Our church works to help make a difference in local, national and global communities.
