Center Church Podcast

Common Table's October 19, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time - 1 Samuel 16:1-13 // Time for a Change in Leadership w/Drew Willson.In the Bible, does God get involved in human politics?If so, does that mean that God blesses all of our human politics?We consider Samuel's story in 1 Kings 13: though Samuel has anointed Saul as the first king of Israel, the Lord tells him that it's time for a change in leadership. Together, let's explore the intersection of God, politics, and where holy change begins.

Common Table's October 12, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time - 1 Samuel 3 // Calling Ghosts w/Drew Willson.With Halloween approaching, listen to the story about the only character who ever appears as a ghost in the Bible! We reflect on the legacy of ghosts in America: what still haunts us today, and how we can take part in healing.

Common Table's October 5, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time - Exodus 16:1-18 // Bread for the World w/Drew Willson.On this World Communion Sunday, we're mindful of the many gifts and cultures that make up the Body of Christ. In a time of heightened nationalism, border sensitivity, and partisan animosity, we identify with a greater community. Come take your place at the table that breaks down barriers, transforming enemies into neighbors and strangers into friends. We sing together:Blessed are those who, from this table,live their lives in gratitude!Taste and see the grace eternal!Taste and see that God is good!

Common Table's September 28, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time - Exodus 2:23-25; 3:1-12 // Counter-intuitive w/Drew Willson.Listen as we reflect on lunch counter sit-ins for civil rights and God calling Moses from the margins to set people free. With injustices piling high in the daily news, let's reconnect with our own calling to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.

Common Tables September 21, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time - Genesis 28:10-22 // Changing Journey w/Drew Willson.We look through the lens of Jacob's story in Genesis 28 to consider how we change. We live in a time of polarized, partisan, even petrified perspectives. How might we draw on a different dream of this world? How might we be freed to breathe, move, and change?

Common Tables Sept 14, 2025 Sermon. Ordinary Time - Genesis 21:1-3; 22:1-14 // The Right Sacrifice w/Drew WillsonAfter another week of heart-rending national news, we gather to do some hard, hopeful, healing work. We tackle one of the toughest texts in the Bible—God's call to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac in Genesis 22—as we reckon with violence in our world. In the name of all that is holy, how will we find a different way?

Common Tables Sept 7, 2025 sermon*. Ordinary Time - Genesis 1:1-2:4 // The Oldest Story Anew w/Drew Willson.Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.Where would we be without the bar-fueled wisdom of Semisonic's "Closing Time"? How would we ever know when it's time to move on?Listen as we begin the narrative lectionary, our September-to-May journey through the full narrative arc of the Bible. Appropriately, we're starting with the creation story in Genesis 1. We explore how this story of beginnings developed after some painful endings for God's people.If you've experienced endings of your own and you're ready for new beginnings, come take part in a fresh telling of the story with us.*Note: due to technical errors in production, some parts of the sermon were not captured. If you would like to read the sermon's full manuscript, you can do so here: https://www.commontablerva.com/090725-manuscript

Common Tables Aug 31, 2025 sermon // Ordinary Time - Revelation 21:1-6; 22:1-5: Revelation from the Cheshire Cat w/Drew WillsonAt Common Table we pray for Minneapolis, ponder endings and new beginnings, and explore the Book of Revelation with wisdom from the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland. We live in surreal times, so let's lean in together.

Common Tables Aug 24, 2025 sermon // Ordinary Time - Psalm 23: Get In A Good Rut w/Drew WillsonYou prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows!As school resumes and a new year unfolds before us, come take your place at Christ's table of reconciliation!

Common Tables Aug 17, 2025 sermon // Ordinary Time - Luke 19:1-5 // Summer Symposium w/Rev. Dr. LaKeisha CookWe welcome the Rev. Dr. LaKeisha Cook, executive director of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and the final guest of our Summer Symposium worship series! Dr. Cook led our reflection on the story of Zaccheus, whose life is transformed when Jesus calls him down from a sycamore tree to host holiness in his home (Luke 19).

Common Tables Aug 3, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time - Psalm 143:1-10 // Summer Symposium w/Taylor HarrisDo you ever find yourself asking in tough times, "How did I get here? What is my life supposed to look like? Do I need a different story?"Listen to our Summer Symposium guest Taylor Harris, author of This Boy We Made: A Memoir of Motherhood, Genetics, and Facing the Unknown. With Taylor as our guide, we join the soulful struggle of the psalmist who cries out:I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like dry land. Answer me, Lord—and quickly! My spirit is failing.- Psalm 143:6-7Hear a strengthening word for all who are weary and in need of good news!

Common Tables July 27, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time | Ephesians 4:1-24 // A Summer Symposium Conversation w/The Honorable Stephanie A. Lynch & Drew Willson

Common Tables July 20, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time - Acts 9:1-22 // Summer Symposium worship series w/Rev. Lan Davis Wilson

Common Tables July 13, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time - Luke 1:39-55 // Summer Symposium worship series w/Claire Hitchins,  RISC Associate Organizer.

Common Tables June 22, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time - Acts 4:1-22 // In Between w/Drew Willson

Common Tables June 15, 2025 sermon. Ordinary Time - Acts 2:42-47 // Farewell w/Stephen Poore

Common Tables June 8, 2025 sermon. Pentecost Sunday - Acts 2:1-17 // The Kairos Moment w/Drew Willson

Common Tables June 1, 2025 sermon. The Seventh Sunday of Easter - Luke 24:33-53 // Questions and Wonder w/Drew Willson

Common Tables May 25, 2025 sermon. The Sixth Sunday of Easter - Galatians 1:13-17; 2:11-21 (CEB) // The Code You Live By w/Drew Willson

Fifth Sunday of Easter - Acts 15:1-18 at Common Table: Binding and Loosing w/ Stephen Poore

Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts 8:26-39 at Common Table: Waiting for an Opening w/ Drew Willson

Third Sunday of Easter Acts 6:1-7 at Common Table: Unity w/ Stephen Poore

Second Sunday of Easter Luke 24:13-35 at Common Table: Mansplaining vs. the Proustian Moment w/ Drew Willson

Holy Week Luke 24:1-12 at Common Table: Easter w/ Stephen Poore

Holy Week Luke 19:29-44 at Common Table: Palm Sunday w/ Drew Willson

Lent 5 Luke 18:31—19:10 at Common Table: The Unexpected  w/ Tony Lancaster

Lent 4 Luke 16:19-31 at Common Table: What we Value  w/ Victoria Fitzgerald

Lent 3 Luke 15:1-32 at Common Table: Prodigal Parties w/ Stephen Poore

Epiphany Luke 13:31-35 at Common Table: How to Save a Civilization w/ Drew Willson

Epiphany Luke 10:25-42 at Common Table: Holy Disruption w/ Stephen Poore

Epiphany Luke 9:28-36 at Common Table: What to Make of the Mountaintop? w/ Drew Willson

Epiphany Luke 7:18-33 at Common Table: The Alternate Kin(g)dom w/ Drew Willson

Epiphany Luke 7:1-10 at Common Table: Worthiness w/ Victoria Fitzgerald

Epiphany Luke 6:1-11  at Common Table: Mercy & Holiness w/  Stephen Poore

Epiphany Luke 5:1-11  at Common Table: Deeper Water w/  Drew Willson

Epiphany Luke 4:14-30  at Common Table: Obedience w/  Stephen Poore

Baptism of the Lord Sunday Luke 3:1-6, 21-22  at Common Table: Lessons Underwater w/ Drew Willson

Second Sunday after Christmas Luke 2:41-52  at Common Table: Changing w/ Stephen Poore

Christmas Eve Luke 2:1-20  at Common Table: Repeat the Sounding Joy w/ Drew Willson

4nd Sunday of Advent Luke 1:51-53 at Common Table: Singing Mary's Song w/ Victoria Fitzgerald

2nd Sunday of Advent Joel 2:12-13; 28-29 at Common Table: Rend your Heart, Tether your Kite w/ Stephen Poore

Ordinary Time Jeremiah 36:1-8, 21-23, 27-28  at Common Table: Listen, Innovate, Reorient w/ Stephen Poore

All Saints Isaiah 6:1-13 at Common Table: Prophetic Confession w/ Drew Willson

Ordinary Time Jonah 4:1-11 at Common Table: What Jonah Teaches Us About Our Divisions w/ Stephen Poore

All Saints 1 Kings 17:1-16 at Common Table: Saints Like Stars in the Darkness w/ Drew Willson

Ordinary Time 2 Samuel 7:1-17 at Common Table: Nathan, the Practicing Prophet w/ Drew Willson

Ordinary Time 1 Samuel 1 & 2 at Common Table: Upending Prayers w/ Stephen Poore

Ordinary Time Exodus 32:1-8 at Common Table: A Golden Calf and a More Faithful Way w/ Drew Willson

Ordinary Time Exodus 12:1-13, 13:1-8 at Common Table: w/ Caitlyn Bailey

Ordinary Time Genesis 37-51 at Common Table: Sovereign God in Difficult Times w/ Stephen Poore

Ordinary Time Genesis 15 at Common Table: Trust in Hard Times w/ Drew Willson