Gray Memorial United Methodist Church Sermons

On Epiphany Sunday, we reflect on how God’s light often appears in ordinary places and unexpected moments especially for the weary, the searching, the outsider, and all who long to belong.  Scripture reading by Kim Maxwell. To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we reflect on the nearness of God’s love, a love that does not stay distant but comes close to hold life in the midst of a complicated world. Drawing on Luke’s Christmas story and the image of refugia, we see how God creates small and unexpected places of refuge such as Bethlehem, a manger, and ordinary shepherds where love awakens and begins to move. The good news...

On one of the longest nights of the year, we gather to make space for what is often left unspoken at Christmas. Absence, sorrow, and long seasons of waiting still exist. God meets us not by erasing our pain, but by sitting with us in it, offering presence rather than quick fixes. Jesus is the steadfast light that the darkness cannot, and will not, overcome. To access the bulletin for this service,...

On Joy Sunday, we explore how the angels’ proclamation of “good news of great joy” transforms ordinary lives. Through the story of the shepherds, we discover that joy does not erase hardship but reshapes how we live—and how we witness to God’s nearness in the world. Joy is not just a gift we receive; joy is our witness to a God who still comes close and sends us out to share that joy with all peop...

The shepherds lived on the margins, carrying wounds the world refused to see—yet God chose them to receive the first news of the Savior. Their story becomes a window into our own experience of feeling torn, weary, or unworthy. This message proclaims the Advent truth that Jesus brings peace to every broken place—within us, among us, and between us and God.  Scripture reading by Susan Hutchison To a...

In this Advent message, Pastor Beth reflects on what it means to wait with hope when the world feels weary and the promises of God seem slow in coming. Looking at Mary and Joseph’s story, she reminds us that hope is rooted not in certainty, but in remembering God’s faithfulness and trusting that nothing is impossible with God. Hope is not naive; hope is stubborn. As we light the first candle, we a...

Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Luke 23:33-43  On Christ the King Sunday, we’re reminded that Jesus rules not by force or intimidation, but by mercy, compassion, and self-giving love. Standing between two kingdoms—fear and control on one side, faith and surrender on the other—Christ gathers what the world scatters and reconciles what seems beyond repair. In a week when many families struggle with division or...

A message by special guest, Seals Martin, a student with the Wesley Foundation at FSU and TSC.  Scripture is read by Bill Eddy. To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.

Join us as we celebrate 60 years of ministry and mark All Saints Day. To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.

 This week’s message explores what it means to be truly seen and set free by Jesus, through the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19. It also reflects on the powerful real-life journey of Leo Schofield, whose story reveals the surprising places grace can show up. Together, these stories remind us that Jesus still sees us, stays with us, and sets us free.  Scripture is read by Bill Eddy. To access the bul...

Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector invites us to see ourselves more clearly and humbly. Drawing from the ministry of Father Greg Boyle and his book, Tattoos on the Heart , this sermon challenges us to let go of spiritual pride and embrace a love that draws the circle wider. We are called not to judge but to be transformed—so that our compassion expands beyond ourselves.  This ser...

In this message, Pastor Beth explores Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge, reminding us that faith is what carries us through the “holy in-between”—the time between what is and what will be. Through stories of two modern mothers who turned grief into persistence, we see what faith that won’t let go looks like in real life. This is a message of hope, courage, and trust in Go...

Pastor Beth explores Luke 17:11–19 alongside the story of Dr. Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” Both the healed leper and Opal Lee show what it looks like when gratitude doesn’t stand still—it returns, and love clears the way for others. This message invites us to live a faith that turns healing into wholeness and thanksgiving into action.  Scripture is read by Todd Clark. To access the b...

This is the third-week of our three-week series about Abundant Life. Abundant life requires community, compassion, and a commitment to justice .   Scripture is read by Davison Tekseni. To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.

Jesus commands us to love one another, to lay down our lives for each other. Being pious (or religiously "correct") is not what we are called to. We are commanded to not only feel empathy, but to put our compassion in action. Scripture reading by Davison Tekseni. To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.

God made us for each other. Abundant life begins in, and requires, community. To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.

What do we build our lives around—and does it hold water? Reflecting on Luke 14 and Jeremiah 2, Pastor Beth talks about our human tendency to chase approval, status, and control, even in the name of faith. The good news is, God doesn’t discard us when we end up cracked and empty. Instead, God meets us with living water and grace that soaks into every broken place. You don’t have to earn your seat...

What bends us out of shape—and what helps us stand tall again? In this sermon on Luke 13:10–17, Pastor Beth explores the healing power of mercy as something essential—not optional—in the life of faith. From Jesus healing a bent-over woman in the synagogue to how we treat those held in places like "Alligator Alcatraz," this message challenges us to see every person as beloved and worthy o...

Special Guest, FLUMC Bishop Tom Berlin , offers this message on the power of holding onto faith in every circumstance. Drawing from Hebrews, he reminds us that hope in Christ offers a future beyond despair and even death — a promise greater than “nothingness.” With honesty about the ups and downs of discipleship, he urges us to “hold the cord of faith” on both our best and worst days.  To access t...

What does it really mean to “be dressed for action” and wait faithfully ? From disaster zones to church kitchens, discover how the gifts God has already given you can change lives—right now.  Sermon read by Kim Maxwell. To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.

Through the Parable of the Persistent Friend in Luke 11:1-13, Jesus teaches us to be persistent in our prayers. Why? Because persistent prayer changes us.  We pray persistently that our life itself might become a prayer. A prayer that God’s will be done in us and through us so that we will love God with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind and love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  To acc...

Luke 10:38-42 In a world full of noise and hurry, Jesus invites us to slow down and listen deeply. Through imagined journal entries from Mary and Martha, this sermon explores what it means to be present with Christ rather than distracted by good but lesser things. When we listen deeply, we create space to be transformed—and to live differently. Scripture read by Todd Clark. To access the bulletin...

The Parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us to BE a neighbor. Offering thoughts and prayers isn't enough. To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.

In this sermon, Pastor Beth explores how the kingdom of God often comes near in quiet, ordinary ways—through healing, kindness, courage, and presence. From ancient stories to present-day heartbreak and hope, we’re invited to open our eyes to the holy ground beneath our feet. The kingdom isn’t far off; it’s closer than we think.  Scripture is read by Todd Clark. To access the bulletin for this serv...

When we get a driver's license, it can bring a new sense of freedom, but it's the freedom to share the road. Christian freedom is similar. We are free to love our neighbor, not free to live selfishly. Scripture is read by Davison Tekseni. To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.