First Cary UMC

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – July 5, 2026 Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-20

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander – July 5, 2026 Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-20

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Brittany Absher-Baer – June 28, 2026 In Matthew 22, the Sadducees challenge Jesus with a tricky hypothetical situation in an attempt to disprove his claims about resurrection. Jesus changes the terms of the discussion by pointing to a living God whose power changes our understanding of eternity and life itself. What happens when we stop challenging J...

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander – June 28, 2026 In Matthew 22, the Sadducees challenge Jesus with a tricky hypothetical situation in an attempt to disprove his claims about resurrection. Jesus changes the terms of the discussion by pointing to a living God whose power changes our understanding of eternity and life itself. What happens when we stop challenging Jesus and...

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer  – June 21, 2026 Jesus says something in Matthew 16 that feels almost impossible to hear: “Take up your cross and follow me.” In a world that tells us to protect ourselves, build our brand, and chase comfort, Jesus offers a very different path - the way of surrender, sacrifice, and true life. But what if losing your life for Christ...

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Kristyl Kepley  – June 21, 2026 Jesus says something in Matthew 16 that feels almost impossible to hear: “Take up your cross and follow me.” In a world that tells us to protect ourselves, build our brand, and chase comfort, Jesus offers a very different path - the way of surrender, sacrifice, and true life. But what if losing your life for Christ isn’...

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – June 14, 2026 When James’ and John’s Mother challenges Jesus about promoting her sons, and when the disciples erupt in a feud of jealousy, Jesus challenges them to see how he offers a different way than worldly greatness. How can we model our lives after the one who came to serve?  Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander  – June 14, 2026 When James’ and John’s Mother challenges Jesus about promoting her sons, and when the disciples erupt in a feud of jealousy, Jesus challenges them to see how he offers a different way than worldly greatness. How can we model our lives after the one who came to serve?  Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – June 7, 2026 When the Pharisees challenge Jesus about violating the Sabbath, he fires back by forcing them to think about the purpose of the Sabbath. How can we rise above the letter of the law and  honor God’s intent? Scripture: Matthew 12:1-8

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander  – June 7, 2026 When the Pharisees challenge Jesus about violating the Sabbath, he fires back by forcing them to think about the purpose of the Sabbath. How can we rise above the letter of the law and  honor God’s intent? Scripture: Matthew 12:1-8

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer  – May 31, 2026 We are inundated with words clamoring for our attention. Words we know, but words that know nothing about us. God’s Word is different. In Hebrews 4 we’re reminded that God’s Word doesn’t just speak to us - it knows us. It cuts through our defenses and reveals what is real, not to shame but to set free. The author of...

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Carl Frazier – May 31, 2026 Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander – May 24, 2026 The Risk of Witness: Speaking Boldly Through the Spirit On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), God’s Spirit breaks in, empowering the timid disciples to become witnesses as tongues fall like fire. There is amazement, there is confusion, and there is skepticism. Peter, the same man who denied Jesus now risks everything to procl...

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Kristyl Kepley – May 24, 2026 The Risk of Witness: Speaking Boldly Through the Spirit On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), God’s Spirit breaks in, empowering the timid disciples to become witnesses as tongues fall like fire. There is amazement, there is confusion, and there is skepticism. Peter, the same man who denied Jesus now risks everything to procl...

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – May 17, 2026 The Risk of Asking for Help: Courage to Receive  In Mark 10, we encounter a blind beggar on the side of the road named Bartimaeus. As Jesus passes, Bartimaeus asks for help and cries out to Christ, even while others try to silence him. “Son of David, have mercy on me!” It’s risky. It’s vulnerable. It’s humiliating. A...

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander– May 17, 2026 The Risk of Asking for Help: Courage to Receive In Mark 10, we encounter a blind beggar on the side of the road named Bartimaeus. As Jesus passes, Bartimaeus asks for help and cries out to Christ, even while others try to silence him. “Son of David, have mercy on me!” It’s risky. It’s vulnerable. It’s humiliating. And Jesus...

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Martha McLean – May 10, 2026 The Risk of Formation: Passing Down a Bold Faith : God has called us as First Cary to invest in the generations. As such, we are called to pass down our faith, which means taking the risk of forming others - and allowing our faith to ripple beyond what we can see. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, we hear of Timothy’s g...

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander– May 10, 2026 The Risk of Formation: Passing Down a Bold Faith : God has called us as First Cary to invest in the generations. As such, we are called to pass down our faith, which means taking the risk of forming others - and allowing our faith to ripple beyond what we can see. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, we hear of Timothy’s gra...

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – May 3. 2026 The Risk of Friendship: Choosing Vulnerability : There’s a popular joke that Jesus’s greatest miracle was keeping twelve close friends in his 30s. In the digital age, analog friendships are becoming increasingly rare. True friendship requires risk - the risk of vulnerability, loyalty, and love that mirror the enfleshe...

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander– May 3, 2026 The Risk of Friendship: Choosing Vulnerability : There’s a popular joke that Jesus’s greatest miracle was keeping twelve close friends in his 30s. In the digital age, analog friendships are becoming increasingly rare. True friendship requires risk - the risk of vulnerability, loyalty, and love that mirror the enfleshed heart...

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – April 26, 2026 In Elisha’s final moments, we see a prophet who has spent his life pointing people back to God, even as the nation around him falters. He speaks a word of promise to King Joash about God’s victory, and then, even in his death, God’s Spirit brings resurrection life when a man is raised from the grave by touching Eli...

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander– April 26, 2026 In Elisha’s final moments, we see a prophet who has spent his life pointing people back to God, even as the nation around him falters. He speaks a word of promise to King Joash about God’s victory, and then, even in his death, God’s Spirit brings resurrection life when a man is raised from the grave by touching Elisha’s b...

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – April 19, 2026 Faith in God doesn’t exempt us from hardship, heartbreak, or seasons of emptiness. Like the Shunammite woman who clung to God’s promises even when her son died, we are called to trust that God’s Spirit is still at work. This story teaches us that resurrection hope doesn’t ignore pain—it transforms it. God takes wha...

First Cary UMC’s First Sanctuary Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander– April 19, 2026 Faith in God doesn’t exempt us from hardship, heartbreak, or seasons of emptiness. Like the Shunammite woman who clung to God’s promises even when her son died, we are called to trust that God’s Spirit is still at work. This story teaches us that resurrection hope doesn’t ignore pain—it transforms it. God takes what feels...

First Cary UMC’s First on Chatham Sermon – Rev. Ben Alexander – April 12, 2026 In the face of deep grief and losses that feel like they take the very breath out of us, God is not absent. Just as God heard the cries of the widow and worked through Elijah to restore life to her son, God meets us in our despair. This story reminds us that even in our lowest valleys, God’s Spirit is already present, l...