Church of the Reconciler

We are very excited to begin partnering with to help our community access and understand their prescription medication! Their first day here this week was a huge success. They met lots of our members, started forming relationships, and already helped get someone their inhaler!

Thank you!

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Alanah meets with Genelle and Joseph about their pharmacy questions in the sanctuary. Joseph is holding up his bicep to show how strong he is! We’re stronger together as we seek solutions out of poverty and homelessness

Yesterday, Rea (our Seminary intern) and Xyrus (Rea’s guide dog) teamed up to give a sermon on working with God’s creation!

Rea told two stories: the parable of the shepherd and the sheep, and her own story of getting a guide dog for the first time. She used these stories to discuss the importance of relying on God’s creation just as much as God’s creation relies on us. In orther words, the shepherd needs the sheep, and the sheep needs the shepherd.

Rea also talked about how sometimes, God’s creations do not act the way we want them to, but when that happens, the best thing for us to do is to act in love, like the shepherd did for his lost sheep.

It is beautiful to witness the relationship of Rea and her guide dog. We hope you will be inspired by her and notice other ways that God has made creation and humanity to work in mutual relationships.

You’re always invited join us for worship Sundays at 9:30!



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1) Rea is preaching in the COTR pulpit, and Xyrus is to her right lounging and staring thoughtfully at the congregation
2) Rea has her arms around Xyrus and both are smiling at the camera
3) Rea and Xyrus touch noses as Rea holds Xyrus’s front paws and Xyrus stands on her hind legs.

Xyrus is a fully black, long-haired German shepherd. She is considering formally joining the COTR membership.

We love it when friends reunite here! Yesterday we had some members very glad to see our friend Stuart Parker who came by to check on our AV Tech

Thanks, Stuart!

(Apparel choices of our membership do not indicate support as a church for any particular football team! But Roll Tide, anyway 🤪 Football season coming soon!)



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Pictured left to right are Vince (wearing his “War Eagle” shirt and offering a peace sign), Stuart (showing double peace signs, despite Vince’s clothing choice), and Kim (showing sign language for “I love you”)

We love these guys!

“I Love You. I Love You. I Love You.”
In Sunday’s sermon Pastor Sarah invited us to say these words each morning as we wake up this week.

The first “I love you” is for yourself, because loving yourself is vital to your wellbeing. God made you in love and wants you to feel love for yourself.

The second “I love you” is directed to the God who made you, loves you, and sustains you each day.

The third “I love you” is for the world - creation, our community, our surroundings. We greet them with love and pray for their wellbeing.

We hope that beginning the day with this love will guide our thoughts and decisions for the whole day, and over time maybe even lead to some positive changes in our lives. This Sunday we’ll talk about what we noticed after the first week of this prayer practice.

For bonus points you can use these images to add embodiment to your prayer. When you say “I love you” to yourself, hold your hands over your heart. When you say, “I love you” to God lift your hands and your gaze. When you say, “I love you” to the world, open your arms wide as if to hug.

I love you
I love you
I love you



descriptions:
1) a woman wearing a white and blue striped shirt has her hands folded over her heart. The words “I love you” are on the left
2) a silhouette of hands lifted toward the sky with the words “I love you” above them
3) a man with long dread locks holds his arms open toward the viewer. The words “I love you” go across his body.

Happy Disability Pride Month everyone!

If you didn’t know, July is Disability Pride Month, which is when the disabled community takes time to both reflect on how far they have come, and what all still needs to be achieved. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in July of 1990, which provided support for disabled people and anti-discrimination policies.

It is important that all places are accessible to everyone. Accessibility is the standard, and Disability Pride Month reminds us of that!

One example of how Church of the Reconciler offers accessibility is including image descriptions in our social media postings. People who are blind and vision-impaired also love to use social media, and they can more fully participate with image descriptions that can be read by a screen reader.


Photo description: an image of the Disability Pride Month flag. The flag has five parallel stripes of different colors on a faded charcoal gray or black background with a diagonal band that runs from the top left to the bottom right corner. The red stripe represents physical disabilities, the green stripe represents neurodiversity, the white stripe represents invisible disabilities, the blue stripe represents emotional disabilities, and the green stripe represents sensory disabilities.

Where should you be this Sunday? Right here, where will be preaching! Rea is a candidate for ordained ministry in the North Alabama Conference of the UMC .pics
This Sunday Rea’s home church (that’s us!) will hold a special charge conference to affirm that Rea is a great candidate for ordination! We would love for you to worship with us at 9:30 Sunday July 14

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Rea is wearing a white, pink, and yellow floral dress. She stands in the Church of the Reconciler pulpit, where she has already preached a few times, holding her arms toward the left as if to say, “come on, join us!”

Happy Pride everyone! Pride is a time in which we celebrate and commemorate the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community, but it is important we take a moment to understand why we celebrate Pride in the first place. Today is the perfect day to reflect on why we celebrate Pride, as it is Pride Day!

On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, which was a gay bar in New York City. The patrons and employees, who had been subject to anti-LGBTQ+ policies and actions for decades prior, began an uprising. This spread to venues in the neighborhood surrounding Stonewall Inn, resulting in the event now knows as The Stonewall Uprising, and this lasted for a total of six days.

One year later, LBGTQ+ people gathered in New York and Chicago to participate in the first pride marches. It is important to celebrate Pride, but it is even more important to remember why we have Pride month to begin with.

If you are interested in learning more about Pride Month, or Pride Day, feel free to check out the resources in our bio!


Photo description: a graphic that has the colors of the rainbow fading into one another in the background. In the center is a quote from Harvey Milk written in white text that reads: “how can people change their minds about us if they don’t know who we are?”. In small, cursive writing underneath that it say “Happy Pride Day”. underneath that phrase, there is a small swooping yellow line.

“Juneteenth is important, because it reminds us of what we came through and what we can achieve.” – Mary M. Elliot, Museum Specialist in American Slavery

On June 19, 1865, union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas. They were taking control of the state, ensuring freedom for African-Americans, this also ensured that all enslaved people would be freed from that point onward. This came 2 and ½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Today, we know this holiday as Juneteenth.

It is important that we recognize Juneteenth and all of the history that goes along with it. Doing this reminds us how freedom was often limited in our nation’s history, and allows us to evaluate the type of freedom that is in our nation today.

If you want to learn more about the history of Juneteenth and why it is important, check out the link on our story!


Photo description: the graphic has a yellow background with three drawn hearts in the center. The first heart is green, the second is black, and the third is red. The hearts have the appearance of being colored in, so there are some spaces where the yellow background is visible through the other colors. Underneath the hearts in small red text is “June 19th”. Directly under that, in large black capital letters, it says “Juneteenth”. Finally, underneath that, in samaller, cursive letters, it says “freedom day”.

What words would you use to describe Jesus?

We are so happy that Rea is back with us after her first year in seminary. She will be interning with us all summer! In her sermon on Sunday June 9, Rea talked about taking a more human look at Jesus and everyone around us!

We don’t often look at the human aspects of Jesus, but when we do, it allows us to see the humanity in others. We can find comfort in the fact that Jesus has felt all of the emotions that we have felt: overwhelmed, anxious, joy, and love. Emotions are a part of being human, and Jesus experienced humanity just like we do.

We also talked about the importance of finding people who go on the journey of our lives with us, supporting us and challenging us when we need it. We are not alone in anything that we do, we have people in our community who accompany us on our journeys, just as we accompany them!


Image description. Rea is preaching at the Church of the Reconciler pulpit with the blue dove and key logo in front of her and lavender lighting in the background. There are bright zinnias on the altar, and Rea is looking toward the left with a big smile.

It’s June, and that means it is Pride Month!
Pride is a very important time in which we commemorate the years of struggle that our LGBTQIA+ siblings have endured. At Church of the Reconciler, everyone is welcome and loved. Everyone has a place within our walls, as well as within God’s human family.
At the 2024 United Methodist General Conference, anti-LGBTQIA+ language was removed from our Book of Discipline, which we are so happy about! We have always stood with the LGBTQIA+ community, and it brings such joy to see those values reflected at General Conference and beyond.
If you would like to learn more about Pride Month, you can check out the LinkTree in our bio, which features resources on the history of Pride, why it is important to celebrate it now, and different organizations dedicated to inclusivity that you can get involved with!


Photo description: The Church of the Reconciler logo (a blue circle featuring a dove with a key emblem) has a rainbow gradient over it. The colors go diagonally. From top left to bottom right, they are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Last Thursday, the Church of the Reconciler band played at opening worship at North Alabama’s United Methodist Annual Conference! It was great getting to hear our band perform some classic worship songs, as well as an original song written by Jim! Having our band play us into Conference was such a special and wonderful way to kick off the event, and everyone did such a great job.
Thank you so much to Jim, Tyler, Stuart, Billy, and Kelly for starting Annual Conference off so well and introducing new people to some of our favorite songs at Church of the Reconciler. Thank you to Asbury’s music director Nancy Beard, for jumping in on piano when our pianist was unable to come. The highlights include “My Redeemer Lives”, “Shining Son”, and “Give Thanks"


Photo descriptions
Image 1: COTR Band in the chancel of Asbury UMC’s sanctuary. Band members left to right: Jim (band leader & guitarist), Tyler (Bass), Kelly (vocals), Billy (vocals), behind Billy Nancy Beard, Asbury’s pianist on keyboard. In the background a large colorful round stained glass window with a cross frame. In the foreground the altar has a large picture of the globe painted on outstretched hands, flowers, fruits & vegetables, many colors of cloth, a wooden cross on the right of the globe, and an old stained glass window on the left of the globe.
Image 2: COTR Band on the chancel of Asbury UMC’s sanctuary, taken from the side with bandleader Jim in the foreground. Back left Tyler on bass, back right Kelly and Billy singing.
Image 3: COTR Band standing in front of the altar at Asbury UMC. Left to right: Tyler, Stuart (drummer!), Jim, Billy, Kelly, and Jerry (their incredible band-transportation-master.

Yesterday at Prayer Circle, we did a prayer using Genesis 1:1-2a! We heard the verse read out loud, and after the phrase “and God said...” people were invited to share words and phrases that emerged for them. These words and phrases were written down and layed out so everyone could read them. After some meditation over these words, we spent time in prayer. Participants were invited to speak the words and phrases out loud, so everything that was written down could be heard again, following the words, “and God said...” Pictured below are the words and phrases that emerged for people in our community. Some of these reflections relate to their experiences of poverty and addiction.

Prayer Circle is a wonderful time in which we are in community with one another, hearing each other’s voices, and praying together. You are welcome to join us on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:00 in the sanctuary!


Photo Description: papers are laying on the floor of the sanctuary at Church of the Reconciler. Each paper contains a different word or phrase that people thought of during the activity. The words and phrases are as follows (going clockwise from the top right): “I love you”, “don’t put that dope in!”, “listen”, “keep the light on”, “grab hold of reality”, “God is the creation of life”, “LOOK”, “check your self value”, “outside, nature, creation”, and “let there be light”.

In case you saw this article, we want you to know:

The Church of the Reconciler United Methodist Church is aware of the public health incident that occurred outside of our property on Tuesday night May 15, 2024. It was reported that multiple people were complaining of being sick and five people were transported to area hospitals. We understand the sickness our beloved community members were battling last night was the disease of addiction. Five people nearly lost their battles with this terrible disease and experienced overdoses.

However, it was not reported how quickly and valiantly other community members responded to the life threatening situation. Because of their calls to 911 and care given until the paramedics arrived each person experiencing an overdose was given a chance to survive. At this time we do not know the health status of these individuals. But we will keep them in our prayers and hope that they enter long term recovery very soon.

We at Church of the Reconciler UMC do not believe that prayers are enough and that is why we welcome all people experiencing the consequences of poverty into our ministry. We do not tell people that are usually thought of as problems and eyesores in the downtown community to leave our property. Instead, we open our doors Monday through Thursday from 9am until 2pm to form relationships with the most vulnerable in downtown Birmingham so that we are trusted to help people begin the journey of recovery.

If you are tired of seeing homeless people in downtown Birmingham like we are, then we invite you to give of your time to offer positive and encouraging relationships to people struggling with the consequences of poverty. Our community is a rich, untapped resource of hardworking, resilient people who are ready to contribute to the magic of this city. Come discover what's preventing them from moving forward. You may be the one that inspires the call to the Recovery Resource Center for someone in our community. We want to see people thrive and flourish in life and we hope you’ll join us in this meaningful work.

We’re turning 30 on Pentecost! Church of the Reconciler’s first worship service was on Pentecost 1994. Help us celebrate!

Learn more about us & share monetary gifts at www.churchofthereconciler.com

Image Descriptions & Text:
Dark blue background with colorful text, confetti, cupcakes, and gifts. Arrows at the bottom show to swipe.
1. Celebrate COTR’s 30th Birthday! Swipe for ways to celebrate.
2. Worship with us. Sun. 5/19 9:30 am. Church members will share testimonies of gratitude.
3. Give a gift of supplies. Coffee: sugar, creamer, paper cups, napkins
4. Give a gift of supplies. Cleaning: Paper Towels, Disinfecting Wipes, Dish Soap, Liquid Bleach, Pinesol
5. Give a gift of funding: General fund allows the unhoused to have daily relief from weather, restrooms, phone & WiFi usage, mailing address, pastoral care, prayer, AA
6. Give a gift Of bus passes: bus passes help people get to jobs, interviews, medical visits, government services. $3.50 for an all day pass
7. Share your COTR Story. Share this post and add your own COTR memory

We hope you’ll join us next week and subsequent Tuesdays for a new Bible study time and theme!

This earlier time allows our community members who must check in at overnight shelters to participate in Bible study. We’ve always enjoyed having conversations about scripture and faith with a diverse community. We think it will be even better earlier in the day! Come on by if you’re free Tuesday afternoons. We’ll share some snacks too.

description of Text & Images from the picture:
NEW BIBLE STUDY TIME
Tuesdays
April 9, 16, 23, 30
2:15 pm
A star shape contains “starts next week!”
Image of a bit of soil and a small green plant growing from an open Bible
April Theme: God’s Creation
* Bible studies on Tuesdays occur every other month

For today’s International Women’s Month post, let’s learn about Dorothy Day!!

Day had always been aware of poverty, and this awareness would ultimately go on to shape the work she did in her life. She converted to Catholicism, at the age of 30, and started, what she would call, “houses of hospitality,” ”, which were places where people could go if they needed somewhere to eat or stay. She was also a prominent figure in the Catholic Worker Movement and started The Catholic Worker newspaper to educate people on the social injustice that surrounded them. Day’s work has been described as a “nonviolent revolution” comprised of working with the poor, and a dedication to social change.

Dorothy Day is still studied today for her work with people in poverty, political systems, and religion!


Photo description: a black-and-white image of Dorothy Day, speaking into a microphone. Her eyes are closed and she appears deep in thought

The Commission on the Status and Role of Women (COSROW) is a committee within the North Alabama Conference that advocates for full and equal participation of women within all areas of The United Methodist Church. COSROW is dedicated to including everyone within the life of the Church, as everyone is a treasured member of God’s family.

Since 1972, GCSRW (the denomination’s General Commission on the Status and Role of Women) has been pursuing efforts to monitor and research, as well as advocate to eradicate sexism within the UMC as a whole. Each conference has their own Commission and works to ensure inclusion for everyone within all aspects of the UMC.

If you visit the COSROW website, which is linked in our bio if you’re interested, you may spot a familiar face! Rev. Sarah Smoot is one of the Co-Chairs of COSROW, along with Rev. Christy Noren-Hentz! Do you want to learn more about COSROW and what they do? Well go take a look at their instagram page () or website!!

This month North Alabama’s COSROW is accepting nominations for the Louise Branscomb Barrier Breaker Award, which recognizes women of the North Alabama UMC who are making a difference in women’s and minority communities’ quality of life. They would love for you to nominate a woman you know who stands up for what is right.


Photo description:
This is a graphic for GCSRW! The GCSRW purple and black thin line cross logo with an open circle at the center of all the arms of the cross. The name General Commission on the Status and Role of Women is to the right of the cross. The United Methodist Church, with the UMC cross and flame logo is below that. At the bottom there is a purple banner that says “51st Anniversary September 2023.” In the background are faint images of diverse women of the UMC in action.

Just over $25,000 was our final count, less expenses, from our Celebrity Waiter Fundraiser last Thursday. Again, we are so thankful to all who supported us through this event, especially our Presenting Sponsors , King Simmons Law, and the Central/South-Central Districts of the UMC

Thanks for these lovely photos!



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1. Table of women supporters from New Beginnings UMC
2. Table of supporters from raising their hands in joy
3. Two supporters in conversation
4. Plate of delicious food by
5. Nursing professors and speaking at the mic about what their students gain by practicing community health at COTR
6. , , and Rev. Clay Farrington, Rev. Terri Milstead, & Trey Lemmon engaging in fun-fundraising
7. Another table from Palmerdale Methodist featuring our fall ‘23 intern Elizabeth Crosby
8. Kathy Jackson from and Rev. Mike Holly from have a hula hooping contest (Kathy is definitely winning)
9. Table center piece of pink, white and green florals in a recycled plastic power pot by , recycled cross sponsor thank you gift, and COTR promotional pamphlet featuring our beloved pianist, Peter

Happy March everyone! March is such an exciting month, with the start of Spring and so much more! March is also important because it’s International Women’s Month, and we want to make sure we are spotlighting the importance of women within our own church, and the United Methodist Church at large!!

Officially, women were able to be ordained in the UMC in 1956, but they had leadership roles in the Church long before that. Women have occupied higher positions in the Church for quite awhile, including preaching! Sarah Mallet, for example, was a female preacher who was very close with John Wesley!

During this Women’s History Month, we want to shine a light on the women who have and continue to hold leadership roles within the church and beyond, as well as different resources available to women within the UMC!


Photo description:
A graphic with a white background and text in the center. In small, pink letters, the graphic says “international”. In much larger, but still pink letters, it says “women’s”. And in small, swirly black letters, it says “month”. There are small pink designed sprinkled throughout the words!

Thanks so much to all who helped and donated to our first ever Celebrity Waiter Luncheon. Together you’ve helped us raise over $22,000! We have not yet calculated online donations. We are so blown away by your generosity and all the fun we had today!

Thank you for being our host and a presenting sponsor. Thank you also King Simmons Law and the Central and South Central Districts of the North Alabama UMC, our other Presenting Sponsors. See previous “Thank you” post for list of all sponsors

Thank you and for being our Emcees!

Thank you all celebrity waiters (pictured)! For bringing out your communities to support Church of the Reconciler.

Your gifts today help people overcome poverty and homelessness and regain stability.


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Celebrity Waiters, Emcees, and Pastors Sarah Smoot and Adam Burns are gathered and smiling at the camera, and $22,000 & counting is in red text below the people

For today’s Black History Month post, we want to take a look at a story that Mary Jones told us during announcements at Worship on Sunday!

Have you visited St. Helena Island in South Carolina? Well, Martin Luther King Jr spent time there during the Civil Rights movement, and this is where he would strategize and plan for events and speeches relating to the movement. Penn Community Service Center is where he drafted his “I Have a Dream” speech and strategized the March on Washington. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, as well as other protest groups, used this quiet place to meet and plan their next steps. The decision to work on this island was not an accident. The Penn School, which would later become the Penn Community Service Center, was one of the first places where newly emancipated people in the late 1800s could receive an education.

The work that King and other activists did needs to be remembered and continued. We also recognize the places and ways that they prepared for their work. These leaders had intentional time apart to carefully and prayerfully plan how they would work for change.

How are you getting the peace that you need to be a change maker?


Photo description:
Mary Jones standing on the stage during worship (February 25), sharing the story of Helena Island during announcements!

We are so excited about our upcoming fundraiser hosted at First UMC Birmingham and made possible by these wonderful sponsors. We have a few spots left at this lunch, where you can have fun, enjoy a great meal, and support and learn more about our mission with people who are experiencing poverty and homelessness. At Church of the Reconciler we see that No One Is Poor. To join us Thursday email Pastor Sarah Smoot [email protected]




Cream colored text on a cornflower blue background reads:
Thank you, sponsors! Celebrity Waiter Fundraiser.
Helping: Asbury UMC, Irondale UMC, Canterbury UMC, New Beginnings UMC, Forest Lake UMC, Methodist Foundation
Supporting: Bluff Park UMC, Alabaster First UMC, Palmerdale Methodist, Vestavia Hills Methodist
Presenting: First UMC Birmingham, King Simmons Law, Central & South Central Districts of the UMC
Thank you for helping us show Birmingham that: No One Is Poor
Celebrity Waiter Lunch. 2.29.24. 12pm. First UMC Bham. RSVP Required.

For today’s Black History Month post, let’s take a moment and learn about James Bevel!

James Bevel was a minister and a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference! Bevel was a key player in the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama and Nashville. He organized multiple campaigns, form the Birmingham Children’s Crusade in 1963, to the Salma Voting Rights Movement in 1965, and Salma to Montgomery marches in 1965.

Bevel was a wonderful preacher, often weaving the religious and political together in his sermons. He spoke to many congregations and audiences across the south, speaking about the Cvil Rights Movement and the need to take action.


Photo description:
A photo of James Bevel, who is on the left, in front of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Salma, Alabama.

For today’s , we want to focus on what we are exactly. We are a United Methodist Mission Church!

At Church of the Reconciler, we invite other churches and people to collaborate with us in mission to our local community. We provide a safe and welcoming space where we build relationships with those experiencing poverty and homelessness. We want to bring people together, to foster an environment of collaboration and care.

Keeping with our theme of collaboration, we have a VERY exciting announcement…on Thursday, February 29, we will have a lunch time fundraiser at First Church Birmingham!! We are so thankful for our Presenting Sponsors, including First Church, King Simmons Law, and the Central and South Central Districts of the UMC!! Stay tuned to hear more about all our sponsors in the next few days!

If you want to learn more about the fundraiser, or would like to attend, please feel free to reach out to Pastor Sarah Smoot ([email protected]). It is so wonderful to be a place of constant collaboration, and we hope that you will be a part of that collaboration as well!!

Photo description: a photo taken in the sanctuary during Breakfast Church! Community members are sitting around tables finishing up their breakfasts after a worship service! Some are looking at the camera, while others are continuing to chat and eat!