Central United Methodist Church (Arlington, Virginia) Sermon Podcast

Sermon preached on 2020-04-12 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "The Heart of the Matter." Sermon, "Resurrection." Scripture, a Contemplative Reading of John 20:1-8 (original video located at https://vimeo.com/405057455 ). This short film tells the story of the empty tomb through time lapse art using the image, “Fullness of the Tomb” by Lauren Wright Pittman.  Sup...

Sermon preached on 2020-04-05 by Rev. John Conway. Worship series, "Come to the Table." Sermon, "Come to the table…and turn it upside down." Scripture, Matthew 21:1-13. Matthew 21:1-13 Common English Bible (CEB) When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus gave two disciples a task. 2 He said to them, “Go into the village over there. As soo...

Sermon preached on 2020-03-29 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Come to the Table." Sermon, "Come to the Table...at your house today." Scripture, Luke 19:1-10 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on...

Sermon preached on 2020-03-22 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Come to the Table." Sermon, "Come to the Table...set in the presence of my enemies." Scripture, Psalm 23 (Revised Standard Version). The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;     he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters;     he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of...

Sermon preached on 2020-03-15 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Come to the Table." Sermon, "Come to the Table...for all." Scripture, Acts 11:1-18 New International Version (NIV) "The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticize...

Sermon preached on 2020-03-08 by Rev. John Conway. Worship series, "Come to the Table." Sermon, "Come to the Table...of Love." Scripture, Luke 15:1-3; 11-32. Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable:  “Th...

Sermon preached on 2020-03-01 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Come to the Table." Sermon, "Come to the Table...of Grace." Scripture, Matthew 15:21-28. From there, Jesus went to the regions of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from those territories came out and shouted, “Show me mercy, Son of David. My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.” But...

Sermon preached on Ash Wednesday, 2020-02-26 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Come to the Table." Sermon, "Come to the Table...of Life." Scripture, Genesis 2:4-7. Support the show

Sermon preached on 2020-02-23 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Odd and Wondrous Calling." Sermon, "Word, Service, Discipleship, and Hospitality." Scripture, 1 Corinthians 12:4-27 “ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of...

Sermon preached on 2020-02-16 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Odd and Wondrous Calling." Sermon, "Word, Service, Sacrament & Order ." Scripture, 1 Timothy 4:1-16. "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose cons...

Sermon preached on 2020-02-09 by Rev. John Conway. Worship series, "Odd and Wondrous Calling." Sermon, "Word, Service, Justice & Compassion." Scriptures, Acts 6:1-6 and 1 Timothy 3:1-10. Acts 6:1-6 New International Version (NIV) In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widow...

Sermon preached on February 2, 2020, by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Won't you be my neighbor?" Sermon, "Who is my neighbor?" Scripture, Luke 10:25-37. 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answer...

Sermon preached on January 26, 2020, by Rev. Allie Rosner Bass. Worship series, "Won't you be my neighbor?" Sermon, “What do you do with the mad that you feel?” Scripture, Psalm 137. 1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. 2 There on the poplars we hung our harps,  3 for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said...

Sermon preached on January 19, 2020, by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Won't you be my neighbor?" Sermon, "Walk the Walk." Scripture, Philippians 2:12-16.  Philippians 2:12-16 New International Version (NIV)  12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation w...

Sermon preached on January 12, 2020, by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Won't you be my neighbor?" Sermon, "143." Matthew 22:34-40. Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord...

Sermon preached on 2020-01-05 by Rev. John Conway. Sermon, “Baptism and Communion.” Scripture, Ezekiel 36:25-28 and Romans 6:3-14. Support the show

Live recording of worship at Central United Methodist Church on December 29, 2019. Carols not included in this recording. Relighting the Candle of Hope Scripture, Isaiah 63:7-9 Reflective Reading, “The Christmas Spirit” by Ann Weems   Relighting the Candle of Peace Scripture, John 14: 25-27 Reflective Reading, “Unexpected” by Ann Weems Relighting the Candle of Joy Scripture, John 15:11-13 Reflecti...

Sermon preached on Christmas Eve, 2019-12-24, by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Heaven and Nature Sing!" Sermon, "The Lord is Come: Incarnate Joy." Isaiah 52:7-10 & Luke 2:1-20. After the scripture reading we played "The Christmas Scale" mini-movie ( https://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/35213/the-christmas-scale ) purchased from Igniter Med...

Sermon preached on 2019-12-22 by Rev. John Conway. Worship series, "Heaven and Nature Sing!" Sermon, “Make the Nations Prove: Peaceful Joy.” Isaiah 7:13-15 and Matthew 1:18-25. Due to technical difficulties the audio file only includes the scripture reading and not the sermon as preached. The sermon manuscript can be downloaded from this link. Reflection Questions: How can we take a deep...

Sermon preached on 2019-12-15 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Heaven and Nature Sing!" Sermon, "Make the Blessings Known: Unabashed Joy." Isaiah 35:1-10 and Luke 1: 46b-55. Reflection Questions: How can we personally tap into the strength of ever-present, God-given joy, especially in the midst of difficulty? How are we contributing to the oppression of others?...

Sermon preached on 2019-12-08 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Heaven and Nature Sing!" Sermon, "Repeat the Sounding Joy: Loving Joy." Isaiah 11:1-10 and Matthew 3:1-12. Reflection Questions: Who needs a message of love in your life? In the world? Why do we ration love as if it isn’t never-ending, ever-green? Like the tree adorned with ornaments, with what outwa...

Sermon preached on 2019-12-01 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "Heaven and Nature Sing!" Sermon, "Prepare Him Room: Hopeful Joy." Isaiah 2:1-5 and Romans 13:11-14.  Reflection Questions:  What, or who, needs to be lifted up in hope this day?  Where have we fallen down in celebrating the beauty of each being?  How can we find a unity where all are included, like t...

Sermon preached on 2019-11-24 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "A Season of Saints." Sermon, "Jesus, Lord of the Dance." Colossians 1:11-20. In this letter there is an explanation of what Christ has done for us, and it explains how we should act in the world to live out Christ’s salvation. This passage contains a hymn to Christ starting at verse 15, “He is the im...

Sermon preached on 2019-11-17 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen. Worship series, "A Season of Saints." Sermon, "Queen Liliʻuokalani." Psalm 150. From the beginning of Psalm 1 to the very end of Psalm 150, from “Happy is the one...” to “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord, alleluia!”, the book of Psalms is an invitation to let our faith breathe, and to praise God. Not beca...

Sermon preached on 2019-11-10 by Rev. John Conway. Worship series, "A Season of Saints." Sermon, "Rachel Held Evans." Acts 5:27-39. “Christianity isn’t meant to simply be believed; it’s meant to be lived, shared, eaten, spoken and enacted in the presence of other people.”  “Faith isn’t about being right, or settling down, or refusing to change. Faith is a journey.” -Rachel Held...