Galloway UMC ”Living the Word”

Dr. John Howard - From Pilgrims to the Present: 400 Years of Church Music in America   This sermon explores the powerful role of sacred music in the life of faith, drawing from the Old Testament story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20, where God's people sent musicians ahead of their army into battle and experienced a miraculous victory without fighting. Dr. Howard uses this story as a launch...

This Father's Day sermon draws from Colossians 2 to address the deep human longing for wholeness, acceptance, and belonging. Pastor Brandon acknowledges that Father's Day carries different emotions for different people, from celebration and gratitude to grief and pain, and reminds the congregation that our faith is ultimately rooted not in the quality of our earthly fathers but in the perfect love...

Rev. Haven Boyd, Children's Minister, celebrated our VBS Children on Sunday, June 14. In this sermon, Pastor Haven reflects on the story of Peter and John healing a man at the temple gate, drawing a powerful connection between physical healing and the deeper healing of belonging and inclusion. The man, who had been unable to walk since birth, was carried daily to the temple gates by his community...

Six part Sermon Series - ROOTS: Exploring the Methodist Movement and the great Awakening   Rev. Dr. Raigan Miskelly This sermon explores John Wesley's spiritual journey before His famous Aldersgate experience, drawing a parallel between Wesley's exhausting pursuit of holiness and the image of a hamster running endlessly on a wheel. Pastor Raigan highlights how Wesley, despite his rigorous spiritua...

Rev. Dr. Raigan Miskelly continues this 6-part sermon series.   This sermon, part of a series called 'Roots,' explores the Methodist movement's deep connection to the Trinity and the pursuit of holiness. Drawing on the life of John Wesley, the pastor traces how the Father's prevenient grace pursues us before we even know God's name, how Jesus models holiness in the flesh, and how the Holy Spirit p...

This sermon explores the Methodist movement and the Great Awakening, examining what transforms religious individuals into a movement and the precursors to revival. The pastor draws parallels between the first Pentecost and John Wesley's experience at Aldersgate, emphasizing that movements begin with fresh encounters of the Holy Spirit, create radical communities, multiply through ordinary people,...

SERMON SERIES ROOTS -- part 2 of 6 -  Rev. Brandon Halford   This sermon explores the theme of waiting as a season of spiritual formation, drawing parallels between John Wesley's early years of preparation and the disciples' waiting period between Jesus' ascension and Pentecost. Pastor Brandon emphasizes that waiting is not wasted time but rather God's way of deepening our faith, building characte...

This Mother's Day sermon explores the profound influence of Susanna Wesley, known as the Mother of Methodism, on the origins of the Methodist movement. The message emphasizes how faith is often formed not in pulpits but in homes, through the quiet, faithful presence of mothers and women of faith. Susanna Wesley, mother of 19 children including John and Charles Wesley, demonstrated remarkable spiri...

Rev. Katie Giedd, Student Minister In a world that constantly pressures us to conform, we must remember our true identity as God's chosen people. Peter reminds us that we are a royal priesthood, called to declare God's praises. Paul instructs us not to conform to worldly patterns but to be transformed by renewing our minds. This transformation, like a metamorphosis, changes us from the inside out....

Confirmation Sunday -- Rev. Haven Boyd -- "The Shepherd's Voice This sermon explores the importance of recognizing and following the voice of Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd. Using the analogy of Pastor Haven's relationship with his dog Elton, the message illustrates how we learn to recognize voices through relationship and time spent together. Just as sheep know their shepherd's voice, we must...

Rev. Dr. Raigan Miskelly, Senior Pastor    This sermon explores the restoration of Peter after his denial of Jesus, focusing on the intimate conversation by the charcoal fire where Jesus asks Peter three times 'Do you love me?' Pastor Raigan connects this to Jesus' teaching about being the vine and branches, emphasizing that Christian life is not about trying harder but about staying connected to...

Rev. Dr. Raigan Miskelly, Senior Pastor, Galloway United Methodist Church   Part One of Two in the Sermon Series, AWAKENING   This sermon explores the concept of eternal life as something that begins now, not just after death. Pastor Raigan challenges the common understanding of salvation as merely a transaction to secure our future destination in heaven, instead presenting eternal life as knowing...

Rev. Dr. Raigan Miskelly, Senior Pastor, Galloway United Methodist Church This Easter sermon centers on the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the defining moment in human history and the central tenet of Christian faith. Pastor Raigan Miskelly emphasizes that the resurrection is not merely a metaphor or symbol, but a literal miracle that transformed frightened disciples into bold world-changers. Usi...

Guest Pastor - Rev. Dr. Lt. Ricky James, Chapel at Millsaps College This Palm Sunday sermon explores the political context of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, contrasting it with the Roman governor Pontius Pilate's parade of power. Rev. Dr. Lt. Ricky James explains how Jesus' humble procession on a donkey, accompanied by common people with palm branches, served as a deliberate parody of Rome...

This sermon explores the final two statements of Jesus from the cross: "It is finished" and "Into your hands I commit my spirit." Pastor Raigan explains that these were not words of defeat but of triumph and trust. "It is finished" (tetelestai) was a shout of victory meaning "paid in full," signifying that Jesus had completed His mission of atonement for humanity's sins. Through substitutionary at...

This sermon explores Jesus' fifth statement from the cross, "I thirst," revealing both His full humanity and the deeper spiritual meaning of His suffering. Pastor Raigan explains how Jesus' physical thirst represents His willingness to drink the cup of suffering for humanity's sins and to fulfill Old Testament prophecy. The message contrasts Jesus' refusal to take pain-deadening substances with Hi...

This sermon explores Jesus' cry from the cross, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' - known as the words of dereliction. Rev. Dr. Miskelly examines how the crowd's cruelty toward Jesus reveals the darkness within all human hearts, not just those present at the crucifixion.  The sermon emphasizes that Jesus' words were actually the beginning of Psalm 22, which starts in anguish but ends in...

Rev. Dr. Joey Shelton This sermon explores the theme of truth and new creation through the lens of John's Gospel, beginning with a humorous story about a child telling tall tales to illustrate how truth can become distorted over time. The pastor addresses how the gospel message itself has been lost in translation, using the example of someone rejecting a 'love your neighbor' yard sign as 'too woke...

This sermon explores Jesus' second statement from the cross, where he promises paradise to a dying criminal. The message emphasizes that Jesus' mission was to seek and save the lost, as demonstrated by his final act of mercy toward an undeserving thief. The sermon contrasts two responses to Jesus on the cross: one criminal who remained rebellious and mocking, and another who repented and asked to...

This sermon explores the Transfiguration of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 17:1-9, examining how Jesus has inspired a revolution of art, music, architecture, and literature throughout history. Pastor Raigan reflects on visiting European cathedrals and sacred spaces, realizing that all of this beauty and devotion stems from one man - Jesus Christ. The message emphasizes that while Jesus inspired coun...

Rev. Dr. Miskelly explores how Jesus redefined human dignity and worth in the ancient world. Dr. Miskelly explains that in ancient times, there was a 'dignity gap' where only kings were considered made in God's image, while children, slaves, and the poor were seen as disposable. Jesus revolutionized this by teaching that every person is made in God's image and has inherent worth - not earned worth...

This sermon explores the profound and lasting impact of Jesus Christ on human history and culture. Dr. Miskelly examines how, despite dying in apparent obscurity, Jesus became the most influential figure in Western civilization, shaping everything from our calendar system to the naming of cities, from the development of universities to the establishment of human rights. 

This sermon explores the genealogy of Jesus found in Matthew 1, emphasizing how Jesus' family tree includes scandalous and flawed individuals.

This sermon focuses on King David's place in Jesus' genealogy as recorded in Matthew's Gospel.

This sermon explores the story of Rahab from Jesus' genealogy in Matthew 1, focusing on how God includes unlikely people in His salvation story.