Grace UMC Manassas Sermons

December 18, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message. One of Isaiah's best known prophesies is nearly a footnote, one line about a young woman, a virgin, conceiving and bearing a son. It's a miracle, it's true, but its meaning far exceeds its miraculousness. It means God really can bring something out of… nothing. The post In Ex Nihilo Deo appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

December 11, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message: The third Sunday of Advent brings us to the desert where Isaiah calls us to make our hearts and knees strong as we await our rescue, but then, even in the desert, he says streams of water will start to show up. The good news is,… The post Messiah or Mirage? appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

December 4, 2022 – Advent continues this week with a guest preacher, one of our beloved former pastors, Rev. Rudy Tucker. Rudy will preach on a classic Advent text, promising a day when even wolves will lie down with lambs, that's how good God is, and that's what Christ's coming promises!* Please note – you… The post Wolf and lamb, calf and lion, and elephant and dog and… appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

November 27, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message on this first Sunday in Advent: Advent begins in the dark. There's a reason we hang up lights and light candles, it's in acknowledgement that we live in the “shadow of death.” And yet, through the words of the prophets, and the word made flesh in… The post Advent Begins in the Dark appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

November 20, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message: This Sunday is a major church holiday: Christ the King Sunday. It follows All Saints, and peers over into Advent. On Sunday the church stands between two times: with the past close in memory, and Advent's long wait ahead. It is at this point in the… The post This is My Gospel appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

November 13, 2022 – Pastor Jessica brings today's message: You may have heard that there is a lot of stuff going around right now. Well, I am here to tell you that is true at Grace UMC. A heart of service is contagious. Be careful or you might catch the bug here. Spoiler – we… The post Contagious appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

November 6, 2022 – Pastor Jessica brings today's message: The scripture reading, 2 Timothy 1: 8-14, tells us not to be ashamed of the gospel and yet too often the church has caused people to feel great shame. How do we embrace the cost of discipleship while letting go of the shame of not feeling… The post Do Not Be Ashamed appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

Taught by Pastor Drew, this 4-week class is an introduction to the Bible and what the United Methodist denomination believes about it. Session 1: Is it God's Word? Session 2: What's in it? Session 3: What's the UMC say? Session 4: How Do I Read it? The post PastorClass – Bible 101: Session 4 appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

Taught by Pastor Drew, this 4-week class is an introduction to the Bible and what the United Methodist denomination believes about it. Session 1: Is it God's Word? Session 2: What's in it? Session 3: What's the UMC say? Session 4: How Do I Read it? The post PastorClass – Bible 101: Session 3 appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

Taught by Pastor Drew, this 4-week class is an introduction to the Bible and what the United Methodist denomination believes about it. Session 1: Is it God's Word? Session 2: What's in it? Session 3: What's the UMC say? Session 4: How Do I Read it? The post PastorClass – Bible 101: Session 2 appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

Taught by Pastor Drew, this 4-week class is an introduction to the Bible and what the United Methodist denomination believes about it. Session 1: Is it God's Word? Session 2: What's in it? Session 3: What's the UMC say? Session 4: How Do I Read it? The post PastorClass – Bible 101: Session 1 appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

October 30, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message. We begin a new series in the book of 2 Timothy in which the Apostle Paul writes to a young church leader, Timothy. Timothy is not doing well. Paul‘s words encourage Timothy to remember God's work thus far, and to fan the flame, rekindling the grace… The post Grace, Rekindled appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

October 23, 2022: Pastor Drew brings today's message: This trip through the Old Testament ends with one of the Old Testament's most defining episodes: the Exile. In Exile we find despair, grief, guilt, and shame, but that's not all we find. The Exile is also where we find hope in a promise (later a person)… The post Cast-Out: A God Who Is With Us appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

October 16, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message: Our journey through the Old Testament continues with the story of God's people in the promised land, asking for a king to rule over them. The dilemma is clear: whose kingdom are they in, the kingdom of Saul? David? Solomon? Or are they in the Kingdom… The post A God who Reigns appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

October 9, 2022 – Gretchen Ward is our preacher and she'll talk about faith in the midst of strife, and holding on to God's promises even when things don't make sense. The post Faith in the Midst of Strife appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

October 2, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings the message: Our tour through the Old Testament continues with the story of Exodus, of the Hebrews' captivity in Egypt, and their liberation by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who (as it turns out) has a name.. The post Captivity: A God With a Story appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

September 25, 2022 – Guest preacher Rev. Jennifer Coffey brings today's message: God created us in love and because of God's great love for us, continues to stay with us even when we fail and sin repeatedly. In scripture we see this ongoing relationship and unfailing love through God's covenants with God's people. Through covenant… The post The God of Covenant appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

September 18, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message: As soon as God creates humanity we fail. You may know the story of Adam and Eve and the “forbidden fruit,” but in this and several other Biblical catastrophes we are invited to focus not on the shame of humanity's track record, but the miracle of… The post Catastrophe: a God who Stays appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

September 11, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message: We begin our “The Old Testament in 7 Sundays” series with Creation. It may be familiar to you, it may not. Regardless it's the first story the Old Testament tells, and even in the beginning, it's a story that tells us good news about who God… The post Creation: In the beginning, God said… appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

September 4, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message. One of the Bible's most famous verses, John 3:16, comes in the context of a conversation Jesus had in the middle of the night with an old man wrestling with questions of faith, and doubt. Jesus gave him the gospel. He gives it to us too. The post Jesus and an Older Adult appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

August 28, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings the message this week. In this week's scripture Jesus interacts with more than one generation, a man born blind, and his parents too. In this story religious leaders inquire “Who sinned, this man or his parents?” Jesus' response suggests that maybe that's the wrong question to ask. The post Jesus and a Family of Three appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

August 21, 2022 – Pastor Jessica tells the story of Jesus with a young adult – a rich young ruler who learns the hard lesson that there is nothing we can do to earn our way to eternal salvation. Spoiler – this is good news for all of us! The post Jesus and a Young Adult appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

July 14, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message: In this story Jesus encounters a 12-year old at the end of her rope, in fact, it appears she has died, but that changes when Jesus shows up. The post Jesus and the Tween appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

August 7, 2022 – Pastor Drew reminds us that in Jesus' love, nobody gets left out. In fact we have stories of Jesus loving people of every generation. This Sunday we notice the love of Jesus for children, and hear the good news that what belongs to Jesus he gives to them, and to us… The post Jesus and the Little Children appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

July 31, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings today's message: Near the end of Colossians Paul writes to the church with the strange good news that “you have died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” He goes on to suggest that the kind of hiding we've been offered is not just for… The post Hidden for Healing appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

July 24, 2022 – Today's message is brought to you by Pastor Jessica: Do you ever feel like your life is falling apart or you're barely able to hold it all together? I feel like that more often than I want to admit. The good news is that Christ offers us freedom from those burdens… The post Clean Your Plate appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

July 17, 2022 – Pastor Drew brings the message today: This week we got to see some of the most mind-blowing images of the cosmos ever captured. Paul's letter to the Colossians goes to great lengths to ascribe all that majesty not just to God in general, but to Christ in particular. In this way,… The post The Cosmos, and the Cross appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

July 10, 2022 – Colossians opens with typical first century letter stuff. “Hi there, I hope you're well” kind of stuff. But then, right at the end of the opening “blah, blah, blah's,” BANG, we get the gospel. The post Blah, Blah, Blah, Bang appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

July 3, 2022 – Worship will include guest preacher Mark Thompson, a certified lay servant at Grace, and Holy Communion. Please join us! The post A Declaration of Dependence appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

June 26, 2022 – We will look at the vision & values of the Acts 2 church as we reflect on the vision & values that Grace UMC is being called to: to reflect the grace of God in how we welcome, love, and serve the world and one another. The post Vision & Values appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

June 19, 2022 – The First Christian sermon continues with a little Bible study on the great King David of Israel's history. But the point of the sermon is clear. David is one thing, but now we have been given David's even greater son, our Lord. The post Both Lord and Messiah appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

June 12, 2022 – In the first Christian sermon, St. Peter points to the past, the present, and the future, connecting the three in a way that is only possible because the Holy One we crucified, God raised. The post Whom You Crucified, God Raised appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

June 5, 2022 – Pentecost is the day we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. Some even call it the birthday of the church. However we interpret and celebrate it, though. One thing is certain. What happened on Pentecost was an Act of God. The post An Act of God appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

May 29, 2022 – Ascension Sunday is here! Let us hear again the good news revealed in Christ's ascension having completed the work of our salvation. Guest preacher Rev. Jason Micheli delivers a powerful and passionate message for our world today. The post The Good News of the Ascension appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

May 22, 2022 – In the Great Commission Jesus says his final recorded words to the disciples. These final verses include 4 BIG ALL's. We will look at these together and see the ways that ALL means ALL! The post All Means All appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

May 15, 2022 – We may think “being called” is something young people wrestle with – What would God like me to do with my life? Where is my place of service in the world? In truth, Christ's call comes to people of all ages. Together, we will consider how Christ is calling and using… The post Celebrating Senior Adult Ministries appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

May 8, 2022 – The Bible is full of agricultural metaphors for what it means to be created and nurtured by God. Often we can feel so much pressure to flourish, bear fruit, and grow, that we can forget that in every one of these metaphors it is God who gives the growth. The post God Gives the Growth appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

May 1, 2022 – This week's sermon is going to take us from finding God alive and well in Krispy Kreme to the Adventures of Narnia. Come and hear the ways God shows up and asks us to put our faith into action. The post Krispy Kreme and Other Holy Things appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

April 24, 2022 – The disciples were asked to take a leap of faith and believe in Jesus. We are called to do the same. Will we question and doubt or profess and praise? The post Taking a Leap of Faith appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

April 17, 2022 – The women bring spices to the tomb, facing the ground, but then they hear the news.” He is not here. He is risen.” That news alone helps them lift their heads, bringing their gaze up from the ground to see his face. The post The Living Among the Dead appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

April 10, 2022 – Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem to the cheers of onlookers who welcome him as a new king who would save us. They are ordered to stop, but Jesus makes it clear: if they were silent, the stones would shout out. The post Palms, Cloaks, and Stones appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

April 3, 2022 – All four Gospels have stories of a woman anointing Jesus. John's version has Mary (sister of Martha and Lazarus) anoint his feet with costly perfume, using her own hair to do the anointing. Though Judas objects, Jesus' response is clear, Judas is wrong. Mary gets it. The post Perfume and Feet appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

March 27, 2022 – The Story of the Prodigal Son shows us how life is sometimes not fair and how God is not fair as it offers us a glimpse of the unmerited grace and mercy of God that is offered to all of us without price. The post That's Not Fair appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

March 20, 2022 – Jesus approaches the cross during a time of violence and suffering. This week he gets confronted with both; but his reaction isn't what anyone expects. In fact, he seems to suggest that even the world's worst, even violence and suffering, can be redeemed. Even blood and manure can give way to… The post Blood and Manure appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

March 13, 2022 – On the way to Jerusalem Jesus is informed that people are out for his life, like foxes circling a hen house. His response points to a promise which is good news for the hens and the foxes too. The post Foxes and Hens appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

March 6, 2022 – The first Sunday of Lent is traditionally a Sunday when we hear the story of Christ's temptation in the wilderness. It's a story about stones, and bread, and power–a re-telling of the Garden of Eden story, and a foreshadowing of the Garden of Gethsemane. The post The Temptation of Christ appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

February 27, 2022 – An experience of Christ is an experience of beauty and beautiful things. These beautiful things are to be shared. God's beauty, like in the transfiguration, is not JUST to behold but to be shared. The post Get a Life appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

February 20, 2022 – This Sunday we will remember a harrowing tale of counter-cultural faith in the face of adversity: Daniel. The musical message is presented by Grace's Asbury Choir, directed by Rev. Milton, dramatic director Mrs. Anna Burrell, and piano accompanist Mrs. Lynn Jost. The post Daniel Musical appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

February 13, 2022 – Pastor Jessica helps us learn more about the beauty of God and the ways that God is calling us to share that beauty with the world. She shows us that God will make beautiful things out of us – God is the potter and we are the clay. The post Filthy Rags appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

February 6, 2022 – The Journey series concludes with an intense story about Abraham, his son Isaac, and God. It's a story of God testing Abraham's faith, but ultimately it reveals to us a key aspect of who God is and an anticipation of God's grace in Jesus Christ. The post New God, New People, New Way appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.

January 30, 2022 – In Genesis 18 God appears to Abraham in the form of three persons speaking in one voice. They proclaim to him a promise which Sarah finds laughable, but it appears that the promise is not in any way limited by Sarah's doubt, nor ours. The post Unexpected appeared first on Grace United Methodist Church.