Central United Methodist Church (Arlington, Virginia) Sermon Podcast

A Story Worth Sharing: The Unknown God RevealedScripture: Acts 17:16–34This week at Central, we began a new worship series, A Story Worth Sharing. Pastor Sarah reflected on Paul's visit to Athens, where the city was filled with shrines, altars, and philosophies — including one altar marked “to an unknown god.” Rather than debate or condemn, Paul began with the Athenians' spiritual hunger. He connected their searching to the God already at work in their lives, the God revealed fully in Jesus Christ.This is the Methodist story of prevenient grace: God's love goes before us, stirring in our lives even before we recognize it. Like the Athenians, we may have “altars to an unknown god” — seasons or moments when we longed for something more but didn't yet have the words or story to name it. Paul shows us that evangelism isn't argument but invitation, telling the story of God's grace in a way that meets people where they are.Each of us has a story worth sharing — a story that reveals God's presence and love in our lives. By telling those stories, we offer others not debate, but light.

Singing Our Faith: Go Down, CUMC Scripture: Exodus 5:1–6:8 (CEB)This week in our Singing Our Faith worship series, Central UMC welcomed guest preacher Rev. Lemuel Pearsall, Jr. to reflect on the story of Moses, Pharaoh, and God's unshakable promises. Standing before Pharaoh, Moses demanded freedom for God's people, only to see their burdens grow heavier — bricks without straw, beatings without mercy, despair without relief. Pharaoh's arrogance, the Israelites' frustration, and even Moses' own doubt all reveal how unbelief takes root in the face of suffering.Yet God's response is steadfast: I will bring you out. I will deliver you. I will redeem you. I will take you as my people. I will be your God. Seven promises of covenant love, each later fulfilled in Christ. Rev. Pearsall reminded us that faith is not the absence of questions, but where we bring them. Like Moses, we are invited to groan in the right direction — to lay our pain, doubt, and longing before God, who is faithful even when we are not.The legacy of the spiritual “Go Down, Moses” echoes this truth: God stands with the oppressed, delivers the enslaved, and calls us to confront the Pharaohs of our own time. Our hope is not in our strength, but in the God who has already said yes and amen through Christ Jesus.

Singing Our Faith: Tambourine TheologyScripture: Exodus 15:1–21 (CEB)This week at Central UMC, Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen invited us to stand on the shores of the Red Sea with the Israelites, who had just witnessed the impossible. Behind them, the waters closed over Pharaoh's army. Ahead of them stretched wilderness, uncertainty, and freedom. In that liminal moment, the first sound was not a command or a quiet prayer, but music — tambourines and dancing led by Miriam the prophet.Rev. Harrison-McQueen reminded us that throughout history, music has been the language of liberation. From the songs of enslaved Africans in America to the freedom anthems of the Civil Rights Movement, from the rubble of the Berlin Wall to the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, rhythm and song have always carried the power to resist oppression and proclaim hope.Miriam's tambourine teaches us that celebration is not frivolous — it is prophetic. Her embodied praise declared that oppression did not have the final word and that God's deliverance was real. Even in the wilderness, the people carried tambourines because they expected to celebrate. This is tambourine theology: a faith that insists on joy, even before the full story of freedom has been written.We are invited to live this same way today. Our worship can be resistance, our joy can be a witness, and our embodied praise can become a proclamation that God is still making a way where there seems to be none.

Singing Our Faith: The Best Is Yet to ComeScripture: Isaiah 43:15–21 (CEB)This week at Central UMC, we welcomed guest preacher Rev. Michelle Holmes Chaney, Director for Leadership and Church Vitality for the Northern Virginia District. Rev. Holmes Chaney reminded us that even in the midst of uncertainty and reflection, God is constantly doing something new—sprouting, emerging, and unfolding in our lives and in the world around us.Through personal stories, memories, and even a Frank Sinatra song, she showed how hope can emerge in both the ordinary and the extraordinary. Like seeds that inevitably sprout when nurtured, God's new things are always at work, even if we cannot yet see the full bloom.Rev. Holmes Chaney encouraged us to pay attention to God's perpetual “now”—a present that is always imminent and filled with possibility. Through trust, faith, and expectation, we are invited to perceive God's transformative work in our lives, in the church, and in the world. The refrain is simple yet profound: The best is yet to come, and the sun has yet to shine its brightest.

Singing Our Faith: Directions for SingingThis week at Central UMC, we welcomed guest preacher Brian Lamb from Wrights Chapel UMC in Ladysmith, VA. A seminary-educated public high school business teacher pursuing ordination, Brian brings a unique vision for ministry in the public schools — serving God and students where faith and daily life meet.Drawing from John Wesley's timeless “Directions for Singing,” Brian invited us to see worship music not as a battleground between “traditional” and “contemporary,” but as a living expression of God's renewing work. Just as the psalmist turned the old story of the Exodus into a new song, God continues to make all things new — even in our music.Through personal stories of worship transitions, seasons of spiritual dryness, and moments when God's presence broke through in unexpected ways, Brian reminded us that styles may change, but God's love remains constant. The question is not whether we prefer the organ or the guitar, the hymn or the praise chorus, but whether we are open to God breaking down the barriers — in music and in life — that keep us from deeper communion with Him.

Singing Our Faith: Ubi Caritas Deus Ibi EstScripture: Psalm 107:1–7, 33–43 (UMH 830)This week at Central UMC, we welcomed guest preacher Rev. Joanna Dietz, a deacon who ministers in the community—often at farmer's markets and public gatherings—where she makes visible the steadfast love of God.Rev. Joanna invited us to reflect on Psalm 107, a rich song of thanksgiving and reversal: deserts become springs, the lowly are lifted up, and the weary are led to a place to dwell. Through the lens of monastic life—from the chants of the Benedictines to the humble service of the Franciscans—we explored the tension and balance between personal holiness and social holiness.We learned how the early monks not only memorized all 150 psalms through chant but also lived out their faith through daily labor, hospitality, and care for the poor. Their monasteries became oases in the wilderness—places of song, prayer, and service.Rev. Joanna reminded us that in today's world of doomscrolling, division, and despair, we are still called to create oases of community and compassion. Like the psalmists, we name the desert places—loneliness, hunger, injustice—and trust in God's transforming love to bring about healing and abundance. Each of us is invited to consider the places we're called to act, speak out, and stand in solidarity with those on the margins.This is the rhythm of grace: worship and justice, prayer and protest, solitude and service. The question is not just How is it with your soul? but also How is it with your neighbor?

Singing Our Faith: The Still Center Scripture: 1 Kings 19:8–16This week at Central UMC, we turned to the story of the prophet Elijah—a man who stood against injustice, called down fire from heaven, and then found himself hiding in a cave, burnt out and afraid. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah flees to Mount Horeb, the same sacred ground where Moses once met God, and there, in the quiet, he encounters the divine—not in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in the sound of sheer silence.Pastor Sarah led us through a powerful reflection on the "still center"—a space of sincere, grounded faith in a noisy and chaotic world. Drawing inspiration from The Swan, a serene musical interlude tucked inside a satirical symphony, we explored how God calls us not to match the noise of the world but to embody grace and stillness within it.In a time of performative religion, relentless news cycles, and spiritual fatigue, we were reminded that God's voice often comes not in spectacle, but in silence. Elijah's story reminds us that we're not alone, that faith is passed from generation to generation, and that God is still speaking—quietly, but powerfully.

Tending the Flame Scripture: Leviticus 6:8–13In this week's message, Pastor Sarah draws from the rarely-visited book of Leviticus to uncover profound truths hidden within ancient temple rituals. Centering on the command to keep a continuous fire burning on the altar, the sermon invites us to reflect on the fire of God's presence in our own lives—how it burns, how it flickers, and how we are called to tend it daily.We explore the theological significance of the burnt offering and how it symbolized repentance, reconciliation, and the transforming grace of God. Pastor Sarah weaves in personal stories from summer camp, testimony circles, and even theological debates between traditions, showing how the work of salvation is not a single moment, but a lifelong journey of grace.As part of our Singing Our Faith series, this message reminds us that salvation isn't transactional—it's transformational. The fire of God's love is not confined to a temple altar but lives within us, shaping us through daily acts of mercy, justice, and love. We are not only saved—we are being saved and will be saved.

Praying at the River Scripture: Acts 16:13–15In this week's message, Pastor Sarah takes us to the riverside in Acts 16, where Paul meets Lydia—a bold and generous woman whose open heart and courageous faith helped birth the first church in Philippi. Drawing from personal stories of outdoor baptisms and the unexpected grace that flows in those holy moments, we explore how prayer, like music, often happens best in community and in rhythm.As part of our Singing Our Faith series, this sermon reflects on how our faith—like a good bluegrass jam—calls us to play in time, tune our hearts, act with courage, and join in harmony with others. Through the story of Lydia's baptism and hospitality, we are reminded that our faith is not meant to stay private. It flows outward, impacting our homes, our churches, and our world.Whether you're new to faith or have been on this journey for decades, this message invites you to reflect on your own baptismal calling and what it means to live it out together. There's room for every instrument—and every heart—at the river.

Improvising Prayers Scripture: Romans 8:22–27Sometimes prayer begins not with words, but with sighs too deep for words. In this week's message, Pastor Sarah shares a powerful experience of communal prayer in South Korea and reflects on the Spirit's ability to speak through our groans, our longing, and even our silence.Drawing from Romans 8 and Psalm 40, we explore the deep connection between lament and hope, silence and song, structure and improvisation. Just as jazz invites us to improvise on familiar themes, our prayers—structured or spontaneous—can become living, breathing expressions of faith. Whether whispered in stillness or cried aloud in anguish, the Spirit intercedes on our behalf.Pastor Sarah also introduces a simple four-part prayer model to help us grow a more personal and creative prayer practice: You / Who / Do / Through. For those seeking a starting point or a new rhythm of prayer, this week's message offers tools, stories, and encouragement.

Singing Our FaithScripture: Colossians 3:12–16What we sing shapes what we believe. As we begin our new worship series, Singing Our Faith, Pastor Sarah invites us to reflect on how music forms us—individually and as a church community.This week's message explores the connection between worship and formation through the lens of Colossians 3, where Paul calls us to live in compassion, love, and unity—and to “teach and warn each other with all wisdom by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” Pastor Sarah shares results from our recent church music survey and invites us into a summer of worship shaped by the songs that move us, challenge us, and root us in the grace of Christ.Whether you're drawn to traditional hymns, contemporary praise, or something in between, this series reminds us that when we sing with gratitude, our hearts and habits are transformed.

Journey: The Places We Will Go Scripture: Acts 10:34–36Some transformations lead us far from where we started. When the Holy Spirit moves, we may find ourselves crossing borders, breaking assumptions, and joining in a love that is bigger than we imagined.In this week's sermon, Pastor Sarah shares the story of Peter's awakening to the expansive grace of God. What began as a personal revelation became a world-changing proclamation: God shows no partiality. Every person, in every place, is welcomed into the story of Jesus. Like the Monarch butterfly on its long, daring migration, we too are invited into a journey—one that leads to new life, new freedom, and a deeper understanding of the Spirit's calling.As our butterfly series continues, we're reminded that transformation doesn't always keep us in place. Sometimes, it sends us.Sermon Reflection Questions

Fly: Daring New Heights Scripture: Mark 2:1–5 Some transformations only happen when we're willing to take risks—when we dare to go higher, dig deeper, and break through the barriers in our way.In this week's sermon, Pastor Sarah reflects on the bold faith of four friends who refused to let a crowded house keep them from bringing someone they loved to Jesus. They climbed the roof, tore it open, and made space for healing. Their story invites us to consider how faith, community, and courage work together to lift us—and others—into the presence of Christ.As our butterfly series continues, we're reminded that some butterflies can fly over 30 miles per hour. Transformation has energy. Grace has momentum. And sometimes, faith takes flight.Sermon Reflection Questions

"Let Go: Leaving Behind What We Don't Need" Scripture: Exodus 16On this Memorial Day weekend, we remember not just those we've lost, but the quiet grief that comes with change — even good change. In Exodus 16, the Israelites are no longer enslaved, but freedom brings uncertainty. They miss Egypt — not the cruelty, but the comfort and predictability of what they knew.This week's message explores what it means to let go of what no longer serves us — the habits, assumptions, or comforts that can keep us tethered to the past. God meets the Israelites in their fear and hunger, not with judgment, but with daily provision: manna, quiet and sufficient, like grace itself.What do we still carry from our own “Egypt”? And do we trust God to provide just enough for the journey ahead?Sermon Reflection Questions1. Butterfly Fact: A chrysalis is a hard exoskeleton that the caterpillar forms when it's time to transform. The chrysalis keeps the caterpillar safe for a time during metamorphosis and is ultimately discarded when the new butterfly is ready to come out. What safe spaces and comfort zones have you outgrown? How does our protective armor sometimes impede growth? 2. What does it look like for you to trust God's provision one day at a time, especially when you're in a season of transition or uncertainty?3. When have you experienced a time of spiritual “wilderness” that turned out to be a season of preparation or transformation? What did you learn about God, and about yourself, while waiting and trusting in that in-between space? Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-05-18 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 16:13–20 Common English BibleIn this moving sermon, Pastor Sarah reflects on the moment Jesus renames Simon as Peter—the rock—showing how Christ sees who we are becoming, not just who we've been. Like a caterpillar transformed into a butterfly, we are invited to step into the fullness of our God-given identity. This message calls us to trust the Spirit's work in us, embrace transformation, and live into the names and purposes God speaks over our lives. Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-05-12 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen John 11:1–44 Common English BibleIn this powerful message, Pastor Sarah explores the story of Lazarus—inviting us to confront what holds us back, embrace grace, and wake up to new life in community. Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-05-04 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Luke 24: 28-49 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-04-27 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Hebrews 11:1-3 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-04-20 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen John 20:1-18 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-04-13 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Mark 14:32-52 Common English Bible  Support the show

 Sermon preached on 2025-04-06 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen John 13:1-16 Common English Bible  Support the show

 Sermon preached on 2025-03-30 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 14:3-9  Common English Bible  Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-03-23 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 25:15-22 Common English Bible Support the show

 Sermon preached on 2025-03-16 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Mark 11:15-19 Common English Bible  Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-03-09 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 21:1-11 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-03-02 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 17:1-9 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-02-23 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 5:38-48 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-02-16 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 5:21-37 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-02-09 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 5:13-20 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-02-03 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 5:1-12 Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-01-26 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 4:12-23 Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-01-19 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 4-1-11 Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-01-12 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 3-13-17 Support the show

Sermon preached on 2025-01-05 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Matthew 2:1-12  Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-12-29 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Colossians 3:12-17  Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-12-22 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueenLuke 1:39-55  Support the show

 Sermon preached on 2024-12-15 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueenPhilippians 4:4-7 Common English Bible  Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-12-08 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueenMalachi 3:1-4 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-11-24 byRev. Sarah Harrison-McQueenActs 20:32-36 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-11-17 by Rev. Thomas JamesEphesians 1:15-23 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-11-10 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueenLuke 10:25-37 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-11-03 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-10-20 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueenJohn 11:17-44 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-10-20 by Tricia O'HaraProverbs 1:2-23 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-10-13 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Philippians 3:10-16 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-10-06 by Rev. Ilga Iluna Philippians 2:1-5 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-09-29 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Philippians 1:2-14 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-09-22 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Philippians 2:5-11 Common English Bible Support the show

Sermon preached on 2024-09-15 by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen Hebrews 11:8:16 Common English Bible Support the show