Thank you to all who participated in the June I ❤️My City Project - Farming to Feed the Hungry! UPC partnered with the Hunger Task Force and many if you worked hard together at tilling, weeding and hoeing a whole field!
At UpChurch, we believe we need to be the hands and feet of Jesus and show His love by serving our communities and those in need. When we work together, more lives are touched!
Hunger Task Force is the only food bank in Wisconsin to operate a farm for the express purpose of growing fresh produce to feed the hungry. All of the fresh produce harvested from their fields is distributed free of charge throughout a network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters across Southeastern Wisconsin. Volunteers are essential in making this happen so thank you again for all your hard work!
Our next I ❤️ My City Project will be announced soon so stay tuned and help us serve our community and show the love of Jesus to Milwaukee and surrounding areas!

This past Sunday was an awesome time! We wrapped up the book of Jonah and even though the story does not give us that fairytale ending, it gives us something far more valuable. It gives us a mirror into our own hearts.

Jonah had just received God's Mercy when he was rescued from the fish but was upset when God extended mercy to someone he despised - the people of Nineveh.

Jonah had a heart problem. We can relate to Jonah in so many ways. We are all guilty of one sided mercy at times. How often do we pray for those that we dislike with the same prayer language we use over our loved ones? Or like Jonah, how often do we get spiritual amnesia where we suddenly forget what God has done in the past when shaken with circumstances?

Have you ever used an Etch-a-sketch? You have this beautiful picture but once it's shaken, it's gone. Sometime we can have an etch-a-sketch heart! We get shaken and we forget what God has done.

Everyone can be faithful on mountain top but can you be faithful in valley?
We need to change our default setting and be honest with God.
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Jonahs default was anger, self pity, stubbornness and a lack of compassion. We can so relate!

Let's learn from Jonahs example and listen to God and let Him work on our hearts.

Join us THIS SUNDAY for some BIG NEWS! Bring a friend and worship with us! Whether you are on a mountain or in a valley right now, we want to encourage you!

This past Sunday we celebrated Father's Day at UPChurch! We continued on Jonah with The God of Renewal, had donuts with the dads, powerful worship and hung out with friends.
The previous week, Pastor'a Key Thought was: If you avoid (run from) God, expect to be swallowed up by your circumstances. And that's what happened to Jonah!
However, in the belly of the fish, Jonah concludes something about himself:
In order to get out of his situation he needed God. "As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD." Jonah 2:7

What can we take away from this?

POINT 1:
God will often keep you in your messed-up situation, until you are ready to fulfill your vows.
God will not bless your mess! Some people like to fight a losing battle with God, rather than correct their path. You will stay in your messed-up situation, until you are able to fulfill your vows and start remembering God, his commandments and His ways.

POINT 2: God is a God of second chances.
"Then the LORD spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” This time Jonah obeyed the LORD’s commandand went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all." Jonah 3:1-3
God doesn’t stop pursuing you, and using you, regardless of your wandering ways. He will keep after you.
We may get sick of pursuing God, but God never gets sick of pursuing us. Reluctant obedience is still obedience.

​For 3 days, Jonah did the bare minimum! He didn’t even present the same type of mercy to Nineveh that he just finished getting for repenting when God rescued him from the fish. Let's learn from Jonah and give God our best! It may not always be easy but know that His plans are good.

Join us this Sunday at 1 PM as we wrap up Jonah and invite a friend! Everyone has someone in their circle that could use some encouragement. See you Sunday!