Washington Street UMC Sermon Podcast

Hope, properly defined, is a full-body experience. It lives not just in our minds or souls, but hope lives in the body. It's visible, experienced, and felt in every fiber of our being.

After we have defined what hope is not, we can go back to the drawing paper to define what hope is. Hebrews defines hope as "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul." What is this, and how do we claim such hope?

When we confuse what hope is, we might wonder how Job ever held on to hope in the midst of his troubles and trials. To understand how Job maintained hope, it would do us well to first understand what hope is not.

The Magi were seekers. They sought wisdom, they sought the divine, they sought fortunes to tell the future. Their seeking leads them to Jesus, the newborn king of another culture and religion. And yet, their seeking is also what protects them from Herod’s deception and harm. After the Magi go home by another way, Joseph is visited again by an angel in his dream. This time, the angel brings a warni...

Reflection by two lay members during a joint worship service of WSUMC and Roberts Memorial on a time they’ve felt God’s presence in their lives.

We tell this story every year. We tell this story because it illustrates so clearly God’s desire to be in relationship with us. We tell this story because we, too, are invited to come to the manger and witness the miracle of birth. We tell this story because it brings us hope and good news—hope especially for those deemed powerless, unworthy, or unwelcome. on this night, we tell this story to pass...

This week we return to Mary’s experience. After receiving the news from the angel, she retreats to her cousin Elizabeth’s house. When Mary arrives (perhaps unannounced), Elizabeth doesn’t just welcome her—she is filled with the Holy Spirit and speaks a blessing upon Mary as her own child leaps and kicks within her womb. She sees how God is at work and names it out loud. In this moment of profound...

As far as Joseph knows, his new wife has been unfaithful to him and broken their marriage contract. And yet,instead of punishment,he chooses not to publicly disgrace or humiliate her. This interruption in his life becomes a holy invitation when the angel comes to him in a dream and says, “Do not be afraid.” When he awakes, Joseph once again has the courage to choose a better way. He chooses to sta...

When the angel Gabriel comes to Mary, she is perplexed and confused—and no doubt, afraid. And yet, the angel’s news is: “Do not be afraid.” Do not be afraid. We hear this refrain all throughout the Christmas story and remember it is the most common phrase in all the bible. From generation to generation, God shows up in the midst of our fear and uncertainty and confusion. From generation to generat...

Our series begins with Matthew’s genealogy. In that long list of names, we remember the trauma and triumph of those who came before; each name holds a story and their story gives way to Christ’s story. When you zoom in, you may not be able to see how each character propels the story forward, but when you zoom out, you can see how each story is woven together into a larger tapestry.

Jesus says that wars and insurrections are the precursor to torment and arrests of faithful disciples. Luke proclaims these are signs that the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God is near. For many who claim the Christian faith, the events of the world today seem to eerily similar to these concerns, but should we be so certain? How should we face such uncertainties?

Jesus says that wars and insurrections are the precursor to torment and arrests of faithful disciples. Luke proclaims these are signs that the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God is near. For many who claim the Christian faith, the events of the world today seem to eerily similar to these concerns, but should we be so certain? How should we face such uncertainties?

While All Saints' Day is a time to remember our loved ones past, it is first and foremost a time to celebrate those whose lives were committed to holy living. In the Beatitudes, Luke lays out the characteristics of such holy living. When we think of the saints from our lives that we remember, are they defined by such characteristics, or at they just loved ones we miss from the past?

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul is praying for a young church that their love for one another and that their faith might continue to grow by the power of God. The Church of South Washington Street as a new “church” is in need of the same prayer.

In the race that Paul describes, there are many stages. At times, we will run the race alongside others. But at times, we will be left to run the race on our own. In all times, we are called to acknowledge God's presence in our midst and to proclaim the good news of God's love.

In this week’s gospel lesson, Jesus offers some harsh words to people who have been sure that they are in the in crowd. They grew up in the right community, went to the right schools and professed the proper beliefs. However, they seemed to miss the point of relationship with God. This week, we are invited deeper to think through how we connect with God and what it means to truly be children of Go...

Our understanding of the Outer Darkness usually mimics our understanding of hell. But are they the same thing? Is Christ really saying that the unforgiving slave will be thrown into a place of eternal torment? Perhaps it's time we dig a little bit deeper into the "outer darkness."

Our understanding of the Outer Darkness usually mimics our understanding of hell. But are they the same thing? Is Christ really saying that the unforgiving slave will be thrown into a place of eternal torment? Perhaps it's time we dig a little bit deeper into the "outer darkness."

The word 'slave' is all but written out of the scriptural text by modern English translations. We rightfully have such an adverse reaction to the word, and we refute any encouragement to embrace slavery. Yet, Christ gives this clear imperative, to be first, you must become "slave of all.

Following Jesus is more tricky than many of us thought. It's hard enough to follow Jesus' teachings but what if Jesus' teachings change throughout the Gospels? When we look back through Jesus' teachings we see Jesus say and do things that challenge our notion of who Jesus is and possibly even contradict how we think of Jesus. ​As we look at today's scripture, we'll have to listen deeply to underst...

Jesus says that anyone who wants to be his disciples must "hate his father and mother, sister and brother, wife and children." How does this call to hate match up with Jesus' command to "love God and love your neighbor"? Are we really supposed to act with animosity toward our kin? Where's the good news in that?

Jesus tells the rich young ruler that to inherit eternal life, he needs to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor. He then says it's harder for a wealthy man to enter heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. These don't offer much hope to a community that is filled with great wealth. So what is a wealthy community to do with Jesus' critique of the wealthy?

I recently learned that the lynching of Benjamin Thomas in 1899 was, at least in part, supported by the then mayor, George L. Simpson. Mayor Simpson was at the time attending Washington Street MEC, South, and was, just a couple years later, received into membership at the church. Not only did his presence in the congregation, but his later acceptance by the congregation, should invite us to questi...

If you're still here - if you can endure the questioning and the skepticism of our role as the church - then it means you're committed to something greater than an building, a denomination, or a corrupted entity. To be a part of that which God created at Pentecost - a true witness of Christ as God's people called "Ekklesia, or "the Church" - we must ask, How Do we Make a Difference? What does our...

The corruption of Christian Nationalism stems from a misreading of the Biblical text, assuming that we - the United States of America - are God's "chosen people." God does appioint Jeremiah "over nations and kingdoms," ... "to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." But, stated plainly, the USA is not Jeremiah. In fact, we are not any kind of Judeo/Christian authority with God-given power o...