Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Self-Esteemies - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarboror watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary:

Pastor Donnell Wyche continued the Unfinished series on Simon Peter, focusing on Luke 5:11. He explored a key shift in the passage—the pronouns moving from “Simon” to “they”—emphasizing that faith is not a solitary journey but a communal experience. Jesus calls us not just to personal transformation but to a collective identity, where we find ourselves through relationships with others. The sermon highlighted that discipleship is not self-actualization but participation in the diverse, multi-generational, and multi-ethnic community that Jesus is forming.

Pastor Donnell then examined how our self-image shapes our faith journey. He illustrated this with personal stories, including his own realization of aging and vision changes, drawing a parallel to how we often construct false identities based on external validation. He cautioned against the influence of curated images in social media and advertising, reminding the congregation that our worth is found in God, not in how others perceive us. Using the story of Peter’s encounter with Jesus, he emphasized that true discipleship requires leaving behind not just material possessions but also the false self we construct for security and approval.

The sermon concluded with a call to embrace our true identity in Christ. Just as Peter had to surrender his old self to follow Jesus, we, too, must let go of self-centered pursuits and the layers of pretense we build around our identity. Pastor Donnell encouraged the congregation to see themselves as God sees them—beloved and whole. He ended with a practical exercise: taking a selfie, not as a tool of vanity, but as a reflection of God’s love for each of us as we are.

Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - I Am a Sinner - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarboror watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary:

In this week’s sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche explores the transformative encounter between Simon Peter and Jesus in Luke 5:1-11. The message unpacks the profound moment when Simon recognizes his own sinfulness in the presence of the divine, confessing, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.” Through the lens of proclamation and demonstration, Jesus reveals God’s boundless generosity, freedom, and joy, offering Simon an invitation into a life shaped by trust in God rather than self-reliance. This encounter challenges Simon—and us—to embrace God’s grace in the midst of our imperfections and fears.

Pastor Donnell Wyche highlights how Jesus’ actions mirror His words. He proclaims God’s good news to the poor and oppressed and then demonstrates it through the miraculous catch of fish, showing Simon that the kingdom of God is one of abundance and freedom. Simon’s confession of sin arises not just from the miracle but from a deeper realization of God’s intimate care and presence, which disrupts Simon’s worldview and invites him to trust God in the “deep waters” of life—spaces where control falters, and faith is required.

The sermon concludes with a powerful reminder that we are seen and loved by a God who meets us in our brokenness, not to condemn but to redeem. Just as Jesus reassured Simon with the words, “Don’t be afraid,” He extends the same comfort to us, inviting us to lay down our defenses and step into a fuller, freer life. The call is clear: trust in the God who sees you, loves you, and demonstrates His goodness in both ordinary and extraordinary ways.

 

Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Are you Willing? - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarboror watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary:

This week, Pastor Donnell Wyche shared the story of Simon Peter’s life-changing encounter with Jesus in Luke 5:1-11. As Jesus teaches from Simon’s boat, He commands Simon to lower his nets into the deep water despite Simon’s skepticism and prior fruitless efforts. The miraculous catch of fish that follows demonstrates both Jesus’ divine authority and His personal care for Simon. Pastor Donnell highlighted how this moment challenges the false separation between the divine and the secular, showing that God’s presence infuses every aspect of our lives, from our work to our relationships.

Through the story, Pastor Donnell emphasized that Jesus meets us where we are, entering our world and using what we know to reveal God’s kingdom. For Simon, this meant realizing that his skills as a fisherman had new meaning in the context of God’s purposes. This encounter is not about Simon’s worthiness but his willingness to trust and follow. Despite Simon’s initial sarcasm and doubt, Jesus calls him into a deeper life of dependence on God, transforming his priorities and inviting him to join a mission far greater than himself.

The sermon concluded with a reflection on the grace of God, who accepts us as we are but also calls us to live differently. Just as Jesus told Simon, “Don’t be afraid,” He extends the same invitation to us, asking if we are willing to live in the fullness of God’s kingdom. Pastor Donnell urged listeners to read and reflect on Luke 5:1-11, allowing the story to reveal how God’s blessings and invitations meet us in our everyday lives.

Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - You Aren’t Who You Think You Are (Luke 5:1-3) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarboror watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary:

In the opening sermon of the Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples series, Pastor Donnell Wyche reflected on Luke 5:1-3, where Jesus begins His relationship with Simon Peter by asking for his help. Pastor Donnell explained how this simple yet profound invitation reveals the heart of God. Jesus communicates to Simon that He trusts him, believes in him, and sees him—not just as a fisherman but as someone with a greater purpose in God’s unfolding story. This moment challenges us to consider our own identity and worth through God’s eyes, reminding us that God meets us where we are, even in our frustration, disappointment, or uncertainty.

Pastor Donnell highlighted Simon’s reluctance and irritation at being asked to assist Jesus after a long, unsuccessful night of fishing. Yet, even in his weariness and doubt, Simon agrees to Jesus’ request. This sets the stage for a transformative encounter. Through this act of obedience, Simon begins to see himself in a new light—not defined solely by his profession or failures but as someone invited into partnership with the divine. Pastor Donnell emphasized that Jesus calls us to discover who we truly are, not in isolation but in relationship with God, who knows us better than we know ourselves.

The sermon concluded with a practical spiritual exercise, inviting listeners to meditate on Luke 5:1-11. Pastor Donnell encouraged the congregation to reflect on the story by imagining themselves in various roles—Simon, Jesus, or even an observer. This practice allows us to explore how Jesus’ words, “I trust you,” “I believe in you,” and “I see you,” speak to our own lives. Pastor Donnell urged everyone to embrace the ongoing journey of discipleship and discover their identity in the presence of God.

A New Your for the New Year - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarbor or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary:

Pastor Donnell Wyche welcomed the congregation into the new year with a message of hope and transformation, inviting everyone to embrace the promise of “A New You for the New Year.” Drawing on the spirit of renewal inherent in the season, Pastor Donnell highlighted how the new year offers us the opportunity to leave the past behind and step into a future filled with hope, promise, and potential. He explored how Jesus’ desire for us aligns with our resolutions: to live lives of joy, meaning, and freedom from worry, rooted in trust and dependence on God. Using John 10 as a central text, Pastor Donnell unpacked Jesus’ role as the Good Shepherd, who offers us abundant life, care, and protection, inviting us to experience life in its fullness.

In a reflective and practical exercise, Pastor Donnell encouraged the congregation to examine the fears and struggles they carried from the past year. He led them to write down what disrupted their peace in 2024 and the missed opportunities to trust Jesus. This act of naming the challenges was a step toward letting go of burdens and stepping into 2025 with renewed trust in God’s provision. Pastor Donnell emphasized that Jesus knows each of us intimately and is present in every moment, ready to transform our fears into opportunities for growth and trust.

The sermon concluded with an invitation to discernment. Pastor Donnell encouraged the congregation to listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit, step into the gaps in the world where God’s kingdom has yet to fully break through, and take risks to reflect God’s generosity and love. Through practical acts of faith and obedience, we can cultivate a deeper sensitivity to God’s presence and experience the abundant life Jesus promises. The new year is an opportunity to let go, take risks, and live as joyful, free, and faithful disciples.

The Good News Worth Sharing - A Christmas Message (Luke 2:1-20) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarbor or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary: In this Christmas Eve message, Pastor Donnell explores the nature of genuine good news through Luke's nativity narrative, contrasting it with today's overwhelming information landscape. Drawing from Luke 2, he unpacks three essential qualities of authentic good news: its relevance for today, its reliability, and its inherent shareability. Through the lens of the shepherds' experience, he illustrates how God's news breaks into our lives unexpectedly but precisely when needed.

The sermon delves into the practical implications of trustworthy news in our "post-truth" era. Using the shepherds' journey to find Jesus as a metaphor, Pastor Donnell emphasizes how specific, verifiable details - like the manger mentioned three times in Luke's account - serve as reliable markers guiding people to truth. He challenges the congregation to consider their role as bearers of reliable truth in a world saturated with misinformation.

The message culminates in a powerful Christmas prayer focusing on practical love and empathy. Pastor Donnell weaves together themes of neighborly love, enemy love, and self-awareness, emphasizing that true good news transforms how we treat others and ourselves. He concludes by encouraging the congregation to embrace humility, practice forgiveness, and trust in God's unchanging love, even in moments of failure.

Advent Sermon #4 - The Loving Gospel (John 3:16-17, Luke 1:26-27) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarbor or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary: In this final Sunday of Advent, Pastor Donnell explores the transformative power of love through the Christmas narrative. He challenges our understanding of love beyond mere feelings, presenting it as an active force that moves toward us, exemplified perfectly in God's decision to enter human history as a child. Through engaging illustrations, including a conversation with a four-year-old about the nature of love, he demonstrates how love transcends emotion to become tangible action.

The sermon traces humanity's complex relationship with God, from the Garden of Eden through various covenants, leading to God's ultimate expression of love in sending Jesus. Drawing from John 3:16-17 and Luke 1:26-27, Pastor Donnell illustrates how Christmas represents God's decisive move toward humanity, choosing vulnerability over power to demonstrate perfect love. This divine approach reveals that love isn't passive but actively seeks connection, transforms relationships, and overcomes barriers.

The message culminates by exploring how God's love enables our own capacity to love others. Referencing Matthew 22:36-40 and 1 John 4:18-19, Pastor Donnell explains that authentic love flows from experiencing God's love first. He concludes with a practical breathing exercise designed to help listeners internalize God's unconditional love, emphasizing that receiving God's love forms the foundation for loving others effectively.

Advent Sermon #3 - The Joyful Gospel Revealed (Luke 2:10-11) - Jonathan Hurshman - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarbor or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary: In this third Sunday of Advent, Jonathan Hurshman challenges the common Christian cliché that "joy is not based on circumstances." Drawing from both scripture and neuroscience research by Dr. Alan Shore, he presents joy as "the experience of being with someone who is glad to be with you." Through the Advent narrative of the shepherds receiving good news of great joy, he demonstrates how this understanding of joy aligns with God's consistent desire to be present with His people.

The sermon weaves through biblical examples from Luke 2, Philippians 4, and the story of the Prodigal Son to show how joy is fundamentally relational rather than circumstantial. Hurshman explains that joy can coexist with other emotions, including sorrow, because it's rooted in God's presence rather than the absence of difficulty. Using Rembrandt's "Return of the Prodigal Son" and insights from early church teachings about the Trinity, he illustrates how God's joy in being with us enables our joy in being with Him.

The message concludes with practical applications for cultivating joy through breath prayers, building genuine community, and developing our imagination of God's gladness to be with us. He emphasizes that while we cannot directly manufacture joy, we can create space for it to grow by staying connected to God and others, understanding that "God is more glad to be with us than we can imagine."

Advent Sermon #2 - The Peaceful Gospel (Luke 1:7-13) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarbor or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary: In this second Sunday of Advent, Pastor Donnell revisits Zechariah and Elizabeth's story, exploring how their season of silence and waiting became the fertile ground for God's peace. Through their narrative, he illuminates that peace isn't the absence of trouble but rather the presence of God in our circumstances. The sermon challenges the oversimplified notion that knowing God automatically equals peace, acknowledging the complex journey of developing peace through relationship and dependence on God.

Luke's account strategically uses Elizabeth's barrenness to illustrate God's creative power and divine timing. Pastor Donnell explains how, just as Israel yearned for rescue, this story reveals how God births peace from barren places, demonstrating that divine interruptions often occur in life's ordinary moments. Zechariah's encounter with the angel while performing his routine priestly duties exemplifies how God's peace arrives unexpectedly, transforming our perspective even when circumstances remain unchanged.

The message concludes by contrasting worldly paths to peace with God's approach of finding peace through divine presence. Pastor Donnell offers practical guidance through an ancient breath prayer exercise, reminding us that peace isn't an achievement but a Presence we receive. Drawing from Philippians 4:4-9, he emphasizes that God's peace transcends understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, even amid life's interruptions and struggles.

Advent Sermon #1 - The Hopeful Gospel Revealed - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarbor or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary: In this first Sunday of Advent, Pastor Donnell explores the inherent hope found within the gospel through the lens of Zechariah and Elizabeth's story. Drawing from Luke 1, he examines how this faithful couple's journey from barrenness to blessing mirrors our own experiences of waiting and divine intervention. Through their narrative, we discover that God's silence doesn't equate to God's absence, and that hope often emerges in unexpected places and ordinary moments.   Pastor Donnell challenges us to choose between nihilism and hope, sharing personal insights about finding God in life's mundane moments – even while washing dishes. He presents three key ways the gospel brings hope: God enters our story, our current circumstances don't define our future, and God's redemptive work encompasses all of creation. Through engaging storytelling and thoughtful reflection, he illustrates how the gospel guarantees that God's promises find their fulfillment in Christ.   The sermon concludes with a practical spiritual exercise called "be in the room," teaching listeners how to rest in God's presence amidst life's distractions. Pastor Donnell shares accessible techniques for managing wandering thoughts during quiet time with God, comparing them to boats passing by while we remain anchored on the shoreline. This timely message reminds us that during Advent's darkening days, hope shines brightest when we learn to trust in God's presence in both light and darkness.

Back to Basics: Why Do We Pray? - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarbor or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard

Summary: Pastor Donnell explores the question "Why Do We Pray?" through an engaging and personal approach, beginning with the intriguing observation that Jesus' disciples had to specifically ask him to teach them to pray. With characteristic warmth and humor, he introduces the concept that prayer is "appetite-driven" – not something forced upon us, but rather an invitation that awakens something deep within us as God patiently waits for us to acknowledge our need for connection.   Through three main themes drawn from Psalm 139, Pastor Donnell illustrates that we pray because we are fully known, because God is with us, and to be transformed. He emphasizes a particularly powerful point: not only does God love us, but God likes us just as we are. Using personal stories, including one about his grandmother Pearl who wouldn't let go of a hug until she knew her love had been fully received, Pastor Donnell paints a picture of a God who accepts us completely, even in our anxiety, fears, and imperfections.   The sermon culminates in exploring how prayer serves as a transformative practice, but not in the way many might expect. Rather than focusing on correct words or postures, Pastor Donnell describes transformation as something that happens when we finally let our guard down in God's presence – similar to the way we relax with someone we've learned to trust. He concludes with a practical evening prayer exercise, while humorously adding that if people don't want God to answer and reveal truths about themselves, they might want to pray instead: "God, keep me ignorant of my ways. Don't reveal any truths to me today. Just let me know you love me instead."