Blue Ocean Church Ann Arbor Sunday Sermons

Progress, not perfection is the path to sanity. Like the U.S. Constitution, we start off with flaws that can only be corrected by amendments. Making amends, step by step. Ken […]

Christine Modey, leader from St Clares and President of the Genesis board (our facility hosts) shares the interfaith vision that made a place for Blue Ocean Faith—yet another expression of […]

AA is a part of a change-is-possible spirituality that dates back to Abraham, called to follow a Higher Power to a land he hadn’t heard of. Steps 4, 5, and […]

Guest speaker Molly Morton shares her personal struggles with deprecating self-talk, and misguided views of God, in “The Power of Stories: Participating in God’s Story, and Letting God Reshape Ours.” Learn […]

Ken Wilson gives the second sermon in our series, “The 12 Steps for Anyone: How to Say More-with-Less About God (Steps 1–3).” The genius of AA: helping us with things […]

We’ve all been affected by AA: Think: easy does it, one step at a time, keep it simple stupid. In our new sermon series we’ll look at the movement that […]

When your faith makes the feel-bad worse, it may be the shadow-gospel, not the real thing. Jesus lived under the shadow of moral suspicion his whole life, and his message […]

We all need people to look up to. A person is often revealed in spontaneous moments, chance interactions, like these three from the gospel of John in the run up […]

Emily Swan shares from her personal experiences about the value of prayer in connecting to her true self, in the fifth week of our sermon series,“Prayer: The Shaping of Desire.” […]

In week four of our sermon series,“Prayer: The Shaping of Desire,” Ken Wilson shares how he learned to calm himself after developing anxiety—employing 4 daily practices. Learn more about Blue […]

In week three of our Lenten Series, Ken Wilson looks at the power of song with “Singing Our Prayers: Recovering What Used to Be Natural,” or, how the professional ideal of […]

In the second week of our Lenten sermon series, “Prayer: The Shaping of Desire,” Emily introduces us to what is probably the most biblical form of daily prayer unknown to […]

Need a ready-made prayer for inner turmoil? The Serenity Prayer might scratch your itch. Ken Wilson delves into the value of ready-made prayers in the first sermon of our Lenten […]

Ken Wilson introduces our Lenten sermon series with “Ready, Set, Lent!”—how to get ready for a season of reflection and connection in the run-up to Easter. Suggested practices to sample […]

In the sixth, and final, week of our series, “The Elements of Worship,” Emily Swan takes an in-depth look at the Lord’s Prayer. Her exploration encourages us to view the […]

The fifth sermon in our series, “The Elements of Worship,” looks at the sermon. Ken Wilson examines the historical practices of readings and/or lessons in both Jewish and early Christian […]

This week Emily Swan explores the origins and power of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul,” emphasizing that it’s not telling us to cover our feelings of concern […]

In the third sermon in our series, “The Elements of Worship,” Ken Wilson takes an in-depth look at the Gospel Hymn, “I Will Arise (Come Ye Sinners).” His examination cites […]

Emily Swan continues our series on The Elements of Worship, exploring the origins, symbolism, and purpose of Communion, from the Passover Meal to the Last Supper to our modern day […]

Ken Wilson opens our latest sermon series, “The Elements of Worship,” with a look at the 8th century origins, and deeper meanings of, the Sarum Prayer—one of the regular elements […]

Ken Wilson brings us the third sermon in our Advent Series, “Taking Advantage or Sharing It: An Alternative Approach to Power.” This week he looks at Philippians 3 and Paul’s […]

On the second Sunday of Advent, Emily Swan reminds us that during Advent we can actively desire hope, peace, joy, and love in the midst of darkness and despair. Our […]

Our Advent Series this year is titled, “Taking Advantage or Sharing It: An Alternative Approach to Power.” Ken Wilson begins the series with a reading from Philippians 2 and an […]

In his sermon, “On Being, in Relation to God, Sheep,” Pastor Ken Wilson reminds us to rest from our constant striving and relax into our identity as sheep in God’s […]

Pastor Emily Swan concludes our sermon series, “Understanding Our Limits: Humility as the Path to Love,” reminding us that, as Jesus followers, we are called to bear witness, not to […]

In the third sermon of our series,“Understanding Our Limits: Humility as the Path to Love,” Pastor Emily Swan draws from the life of Moses to examine how humility recognizes we […]

Pastor Ken Wilson continues our sermon series, “Understanding Our Limits: Humility as the Path to Love,” emphasizing that it’s not our heroic accomplishments, but our day-to-day contributions—the steady accumulation little […]

Pastor Emily Swan introduces our new sermon series, “Understanding Our Limits: Humility as the Path to Love,” by looking at obstacles that keep us from loving the best way we […]

Pastor Ken Wilson looks at Jacob’s wilderness experiences in Genesis while highlighting the importance of shared vulnerability (often resulting from significant personal loss) in deepening our walk with God and […]

In week 4 of our sermon series “Braving the Wilderness” (based on Brené Brown’s latest book), Pastor Emily Swan encourages us to strengthen our connection to others by showing up […]

Pastor Emily Swan teaches from John 8:1–11 while warning against setting up false dichotomies in the third week of our sermon series based on Brené Brown’s latest book “Braving the […]

Pastor Ken Wilson continues our sermon series based on research professor Brené Brown’s latest book in “Braving the Wilderness: Week 2.” This week’s message looks at the importance of setting boundaries […]

Pastor Ken Wilson introduces our annual membership sermon series focusing on community and belonging. The year’s series, “Braving the Wilderness,”is based on research professor Brené Brown’s latest book. Learn more […]

Pastor Emily Swan reminds us that we are all “fiercely wanted” at the banquet table of God, and guest speaker Brandon Carruth share his experiences of learning to see (and […]

Pastor Ken Wilson shares about his early experiences navigating the minefield of religion in search of a Christianity focused on “being loved,” rather than “being right,” in week four of […]

Guest Speaker Rachel Murr tells the story of her journey as a gay Christian, from experiencing conflict and rejection to finding acceptance and love, in the third week of our […]

Pastor Emily Swan shares from her personal experience of the Holy Spirit and the mystical aspects of Christianity in week 2 of our sermon series, “WhyChristian?” Learn more about Blue […]

Pastor Ken Wilson begins our new sermon series with an overview of the life and writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the search for a religion-less Christianity in week 1 of […]

Guest speaker Andy Deeb shares his struggle to find peace in God in the face of ongoing violence and oppression in his message, “Hatred Will Not Overcome Us.” Learn more […]

Integrating gratitude and praise and rest and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our minds into seeing the entire creation—not just humans—as God-given, is essential to our spiritual practice. The […]

Pastor Ken Wilson continues the pursuit of a life-savoring connection to God, in contrast with a religious approach, highlighting our freedom of principled dissent and our freedom to pursue happiness, […]

In the third week of the sermon series, “Savoring Life: Sabbath,” Pastor Emily Swan stresses the importance of creating space for God while emphasizing the transient nature of our lives […]

Pastor Ken Wilson reads from Matthew 11:28–12:14 to help us learn to distinguish between the voice of religion and the voice of Jesus in order to savor life a little […]

Pastor Emily Swan promotes the physical and spiritual necessity of rest in her sermon, “Savoring Life: Sabbath.” Learn more about Blue Ocean Faith, including service times and locations, at a2blue.org.

In his sermon on “John 20,” Pastor Ken Wilson explores the connectedness of Jesus’ actions in sending out the disciples, giving them the spirit, and empowering them to forgive. Learn […]

Pastor Ken Wilson continues our sermon series on the Spirit as our advocate, focusing this week on Hebrew scholar Robert Alter’s translation of the 23rd Psalm, in his sermon, “Psalm […]

In her sermon, “God’s Preferential Option for the Poor,” guest speaker Rev. Brooke Pickrell preaches from the Beatitudes with a call to respond to our current political climate from the […]

Pastor Ken Wilson encourages us to view the Spirit as our defender and advocate, not an accuser, in this week’s sermon, “The Radical Revision of Our Image of God.” Learn […]

In “God is Everywhere,” Pastor Emily Swan asserts that the radical significance of Pentecost—that God is present everywhere and in everyone—changed the idea of “who belongs” in the family of […]

In his sermon, “The Things You Can Get Away With Saying in a Psalm,” Pastor Ken Wilson looks at Psalm 137, and it’s surprising ending, to explore how God allows […]