First Cary

Join us in worship this month, as we are guided by a new series “Beyond Sunday,” meant to inspire us to carry our worshipful expectancy into the ordinary fabric of our lives.

Welcome to First Sanctuary Worship with First Cary – Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

What if the fear that we’re not enough keeps us from believing we have a place at the table? In 2 Samuel 9, Mephibosheth, the disabled grandson of Saul, is living in obscurity, likely expecting to be forgotten or even eliminated. Instead, David seeks him out, restores what was lost, and invites him to eat at the king’s table. This story reminds us that God’s grace moves toward those who have been forgotten, offering belonging where we expect rejection. This Sunday, we’ll explore the courage it takes to make room for others - and to trust that there is room for us, too.

Welcome to First Sanctuary Worship with First Cary – Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas find themselves in prison. An earthquake erupts. Doors are flung open and chains are unfastened. They could have escaped – but they choose to stay in jail. Instead of fearing for their lives, they have the courage to remain, trusting God with their lives. Their courage ends up bringing life to the fearful jailer and his whole household, who are saved and baptized. The jailer’s fears are overcome; he has new-found courage, taking Paul and Silas into his own home, caring for them, washing their wounds and setting food before them. When we take courage, we often do so for the sake of others.

Welcome to First Sanctuary Worship with First Cary – Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Take Courage: What does it look like to trust God in the face of our deepest fears? Through the stories of Moses, Paul and Silas, and Mephibosheth, we’ll explore what it means to say yes when we feel unworthy, to stand firm when we fear there isn’t enough, and to extend welcome when others doubt their place. Again and again, Scripture shows that courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to trust God within it - often alongside others - and to discover how God brings life, restoration, and belonging through faithful, courageous steps.

Welcome to First Sanctuary Worship with First Cary – Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost