Travelers Rest United Methodist Podcast

6th Sunday after Pentecost Sermon Series: Once a Pastor, Always a Pastor Sermon Title: Coming to America Scripture: Colossians 3: 12-17 As many of us gather with family and friends this Independence Day weekend, we're reminded that true freedom isn't just something we celebrate as a nation—it's also something Christ offers each of us every day. Join us this Sunday as we continue the sermon series,...

5th Sunday after Pentecost Sermon Series: Once a Pastor, Always a Pastor Sermon Title: Go Ahead, Take Off Your Coat Scripture: Mark 10:46-52 This Sunday, we kick off a new sermon series, Once a Pastor, Always a Pastor , with a message titled "Go Ahead, Take Off Your Coat." In Mark 10:46-52, Bartimaeus is sitting on the sidelines when everything changes. When Jesus calls his name, he doesn't hesita...

3rd Sunday after Pentecost  Sermon Series: Let's Go Fishin’ Sermon Title: 3 More Fishing Lessons Scripture: Luke 5:1-11  Have you ever worked hard for something and still come up empty? Empty nets.  Long nights.  Questions about what comes next. Then Jesus says, "Try again." In Luke 5:1-11, a group of exhausted fishermen discover that obedience can open the door to abundance. Join us this Sunday a...

2nd Sunday after Pentecost  Sermon Series: Let's Go Fishin’ Sermon Title: Got Bait? Scripture: John 4:4-42 Sometimes the best bait isn't what we offer—it's what people are already searching for. A thirsty soul.  A chance encounter.  A conversation that changes everything. In John 4:4-42, Jesus meets a woman at a well and offers her something she never knew she needed—living water and a new beginni...

Trinity Sunday  Sermon: Let's Go Fishin' Scripture: Mark 1:14-20 Sometimes the biggest moments in life begin in the middle of ordinary days. A normal workday.  A familiar routine.  Then suddenly, one invitation changes everything. “Follow me.” Maybe discipleship starts the same way for us—not by having all the answers, but by being willing to take the next step. Join us this Sunday as we begin a n...

Pentecost Sunday  Sermon: Pentecost = Change Scripture: Acts 2:1-21 Most of us don’t love change. We like routines. Familiar places. Knowing what comes next.  But life has a way of shifting anyway—and sometimes faith does too. Pentecost is the story of God disrupting the ordinary.  Wind. Fire. New voices. New purpose.  A group of fearful disciples suddenly became people ready to change the world....

Ascension Sunday  Sermon: Why Are You Looking At The Sky? Scripture: Acts 1:1-11 Sometimes life leaves us feeling stuck. Waiting for answers. Waiting for clarity. Waiting for things to get better.  And if we’re honest, sometimes we spend a lot of time looking up, looking back, or wondering what’s next. In Acts 1, the disciples stand staring into the sky after Jesus ascends—until the angels ask the...

Fourth Sunday after Easter  Sermon: Knowing That Voice  Scripture: John 10:1-10 Sometimes it’s not that life is unclear… it’s that there’s just so much noise. So many voices. So many opinions. So many things pulling for our attention.  And somewhere in the middle of it all, we’re just trying to figure out what to listen to. Maybe you’ve felt that too. So we pause and ask: How do I know which voice...

Third Sunday after Easter  Sermon: Eyes Wide Open  Scripture: Luke 24:13-35 Sometimes we’re moving through life… but not really seeing clearly. Carrying questions. Disappointment. Uncertainty.  Trying to make sense of things as we go. Maybe you’ve felt that way too. So we pause and wonder: Where am I struggling to see clearly right now? What might I be missing in the middle of my everyday life? Co...

Second Sunday after Easter  Sermon: Let Me See Your Hands  Scripture: John 20:19-23 Sometimes life doesn’t look the way we expected it would. Even after good news… even after hope… we can still feel unsure, guarded, or just trying to get through the day. The disciples knew something had changed—but they were still behind closed doors. Maybe we’re not so different. We carry things.  Stress. Worry....

Easter Sunday  Sermon: Easter Eyes  Scripture: John 20:1-18 Easter has a way of meeting us in unexpected places—in quiet mornings, in moments of grief, in places where hope feels lost. Mary went to the tomb expecting death. What she found was something she didn’t recognize at first. Maybe we’re not so different. We can stand right in the middle of resurrection and still miss it— caught in our assu...

Palm Sunday  Sermon: Losing Focus  Scripture: Luke 19:29-42 Palm Sunday has a way of grabbing our attention—crowds gathering, palms waving, expectations rising. It’s a moment full of energy and excitement. But it’s also a moment where it’s easy to lose focus. Maybe we’re not so different. We can get caught up in the noise, the expectations, the pace of life—and before we know it, we’ve lost sight...

Fifth Sunday of Lent  Sermon Series: 40 Days of Growth  Sermon: He Sows.  Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Lent has a way of slowing us down—inviting us to pay attention to what’s beneath the surface of our lives. Not just what we’re doing, but what’s taking root within us. Jesus tells a story about a sower scattering seed—some falls on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some o...

Fourth Sunday of Lent  Sermon Series: 40 Days of Growth   Sermon: Means of Grace Scripture: 2 Peter 3:18 ; Romans 12:2 Lent continues—not just in the wilderness around us, but in the quieter work God is doing within us. Grow into the people God calls us to be. But real growth rarely happens all at once. More often, it happens slowly—in the small, steady rhythms of everyday life. So we might ask ou...

Third Sunday of Lent  Sermon Series: 40 Days of Growth   Sermon: Cleaning House Scripture: John 2:13-22 Lent continues—not just in the wilderness around us, but in the deeper rooms of our own hearts. This week, in Gospel of John 2:13–22, we encounter a different image of Jesus. Not quiet. Not withdrawn. But turning over tables in the temple courts. And if we’re honest, that feels familiar. We live...

Second Sunday of Lent  Sermon Series: 40 Days of Growth   Sermon: Deny Scripture: Mark 8:31-38 Lent continues—not just in the wilderness around us, but in the deeper wilderness within us. In Mark 8:31–38, Jesus speaks hard words to his disciples: deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me. In a world that tells us to protect ourselves, promote ourselves, and put ourselves first, Jesus invite...

First Sunday of Lent  Sermon Series: 40 Days of Growth   Sermon: Temptation Scripture: Luke 4:1-13 Lent begins not in comfort, but in the wilderness. Before Jesus teaches, heals, or calls disciples, he is led into a place of testing. Hungry. Alone. Tempted. In Luke 4:1–13, we see that temptation isn’t just about dramatic choices—it’s about subtle compromises, shortcuts, and the quiet pull to trust...

We begin the season of Lent with our Ash Wednesday Worship Service. This meaningful service invites us into a time of reflection, repentance, and renewal as we remember our need for God’s grace and mercy.

Transfiguration Sunday  Sermon: Open Mouth, Insert Foot Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9 Life doesn’t just overwhelm us with busy schedules—it also trips us up in what we say and how quickly we react. We speak before we think, rush to explain, and try to manage holy moments with our own words. In Matthew 17:1–9, Peter does exactly that on the mountaintop, blurting out a response in the middle of God’s gl...

5th Sunday after the Epiphany Sermon Series: Finding Balance for our Chaotic Lives  Sermon: Balance by Lightening your Load Scripture: Matthew 11:25-30 Life often feels like a balancing act — work, family, commitments, expectations, and the constant hum of “what’s next?” Jesus speaks directly into that struggle in Matthew 11:25-30, inviting us to bring the weight of our weary hearts to Him. In a w...

2nd Sunday after the Epiphany Sermon Series: Finding Balance for our Chaotic Lives  Sermon: Balance, Not Stress Scripture: Psalm 56:2-13 As we move deeper into the season of Epiphany, this Sunday invites us to reflect on how God meets us in the midst of everyday life—especially when life feels pressured, crowded, and stressful. In a world that rarely slows down, faith calls us to a different way o...

Baptism of the Lord Sunday Sermon Series: Finding Balance for our Chaotic Lives  Sermon: Balance from Water Scripture: Mark 1:4-13 As we move from the celebration of Christmas into the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, Baptism of the Lord Sunday invites us to the waters of renewal and identity. In a world that often feels overwhelming and unsteady, baptism reminds us where our truest balance be...

Epiphany Sunday January 4, 2026 Sermon: Star Light, Star Bright Scripture: Matthew 2:1–12 As the glow of Christmas gives way to the brilliance of Epiphany, we gather this Sunday to reflect on the guiding star that led the Magi to Christ. In “Star Light, Star Bright,” we explore Matthew 2:1–12 and the faithful journey of the Three Kings—travelers who followed the light, trusted God’s leading, and d...

Communion & Candlelight Christmas Eve Service December 24, 2025, 3pm, 5pm Sermon: What Gift Will You Give Jesus? Scripture: Luke 2: 1-20 , Matthew 2:1-12 After weeks of watching and waiting for the light, Christmas Eve invites us to step fully into its glow. On December 24 , we gather for our Communion & Candlelight Christmas Eve Service as we celebrate the birth of Christ—the Light who ha...

A Longest Night service, often referred to as a Blue Christmas service, typically occurs on December 21, the longest night of the year (the winter solstice). It is traditionally a contemplative worship service designed to honor grief and provide comfort during the holiday season. Whether the worshipper has experienced loss of a loved one, loss of a way of life, or is there to support others, the s...