A people living through a long succession of occupiers. 

Diverse ways of life meet in the marketplace of ideas — and the actual marketplace. 

Competing ideologies struggle for ascension. 

Combine these elements and what do you get? A rage roiling just beneath the surface of society, waiting to boil over into violence on the streets. 

As the story of the early church trying to find its way in the world dominated by the Roman Empire continues, our main text for this week (Acts 17), tells us that violence is exactly what happened. 

Why? What was so threatening about Paul and Silas?

What role did the history of Thessalonica play in this story?

What could an ancient story from a city half-way around the globe possibly teach us today?

And perhaps most importantly, will we ever sing together again? 

Those are some of the questions with which Pastor Dave will wrestle this Sunday, May 3rd, in his sermon, “The World Turned Upside Down.” 

Join us on our Woodridge UMC YouTube channel as we live stream our worship at 10:00AM on Sunday.