Sermons
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Fearlessly and Colorfully Made
In this deeply personal National Coming Out Day sermon, Lindsey Dye shares her journey from growing up in conservative Christianity and struggling with her sexuality to finding healing, affirmation, and belonging at Edgehill UMC. Drawing on Psalm 139 and Edgehill's decades-long history of LGBTQ+ advocacy in Nashville, Lindsey explores what it really means to be fearfully and wonderfully made—and how a community's radical love can change someone's life.
Witness: Stewardship of Our Story
What does it really mean to be a Christian witness? Is it about convincing other people to believe what we believe—or could Jesus have meant something very different? In this sermon, we explore what it means to live a public faith in a time when Christianity is often tangled up with politics, power, and Christian nationalism. Through Jesus’ call to be “salt of the earth” and “light of the world,” we discover that our most compelling witness may not be the words we say, but the lives we lead.
Gifts: Stewardship of Our Resources
Have you ever wondered what your relationship with money says about your faith? Or whether generosity is really about how much we give—or something much deeper? In this sermon, we explore Jesus’ encounter with the widow’s offering, and what this powerful story reveals about generosity, wealth, economic justice, and spiritual growth. As we reflect on the meaning of our gifts, we’ll consider not only what we give, but how our money, time, and talents reflect the values we say we hold.
Presence: Stewardship of Our Attention
In Luke 10, Jesus visits Mary and Martha, and Martha finds herself “worried and distracted by many things.” Her struggle feels remarkably familiar in a world of phones, notifications, busy schedules, and constant demands for our attention. In this sermon, we explore what Mary and Martha can teach us about attention, spiritual practice, and the simple but difficult act of showing up. Sometimes being present means giving our full attention. And sometimes, simply showing up creates space for God to meet us.
Service: Stewardship of Our Hands
What if service isn’t about how much we can physically accomplish, but about how we use whatever time and energy we have to make room for others? As we reflect on Edgehill’s conviction that “everyone has a place at this table,” we consider how serving others can become a powerful way of living out our faith, resisting a culture that tells us everything has a price, and participating in God’s economy of grace.
Prayer: Stewardship of the Heart
In our United Methodist tradition, we pledge to support the church with our prayers, presence, service, gifts, and witness. In this season of stewardship, we’ll spend five weeks reflecting on these vows and what they mean for how we live out our faith. We begin with prayer: What happens when we stop thinking of prayer simply as asking God for answers? Could prayer actually change the way we see ourselves, our neighbors, and the world around us? In this sermon, we explore Jesus’ teaching on persistent prayer and discover how giving God our attention can shape and transform us—and invite us in to what God is doing in our world
Between “Here I am” and “What if?”
What if discovering your calling isn’t about hearing one clear command, but about entering into an ongoing conversation with God? In this sermon on Moses and the burning bush, we explore the surprising conversation between Moses and God—and what it can teach us about calling, vocation, prayer, and discernment. Moses has questions. He hesitates. He pushes back. He offers one “what if?” after another, and somehow, God stays in the conversation.
Spirituality and Justice
What does your faith look like beyond Sunday morning? In this sermon, we explore Isaiah 58, Jesus, spirituality, and the biblical call to justice. Together, we consider why Scripture challenges us to move beyond prayer and religious practice toward tangible action—feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, confronting oppression, and working for liberation. If you’ve ever wondered how Christian faith and social justice belong together, this conversation offers a challenging and hopeful invitation to put faith into action.
Spirituality and Healing
What if being healed isn’t the same as being cured—and what if faith, community, and acceptance can help make us whole? What role can faith play in healing our visible and invisible wounds? How can acceptance, community, and transforming our pain into purpose become part of our spiritual lives? Join us for this thoughtful and hope-filled sermon on healing, wholeness, sacred listening, and God’s grace and how we can become a balm for a wounded and weary world.
Belonging Before Belief
Have you ever wondered if you have to believe everything before you truly belong? Or questioned whether there’s a place for you while you’re still figuring faith out? In this sermon, we explore Jesus’ surprising relationship with his disciples in Mark 8 and discover a powerful truth: belonging often comes before belief. Through Scripture and the story of a church seeking transformation, you'll see how grace, community, and patient growth create space for people to become who God is calling them to be.
Relentless Grace: The World is about to Turn
Have you ever wondered whether people, communities, or even nations can really change? In Jonah 3, we explore the surprising story of Nineveh’s repentance—a city known for violence that responds to God’s call in an unexpected way. Along the way, we uncover what repentance truly means, why it’s about more than guilt or shame, and how turning toward God can transform not only individuals but entire communities. Discover why Jonah’s story still speaks to our world today and how God’s patience, mercy, and invitation to change offer hope for all of us.
Relentless Grace: Prayers from the Deep
Have you ever wondered if God could still work through you despite your mistakes, doubts, or failures? As we journey through Jonah's time in this dark and uncomfortable "in-between" place, we discover how God often meets us in seasons of confusion, struggle, and transformation. Along the way, we'll wrestle with questions about ego, self-deception, God's relentless pursuit of us, and the surprising truth that God can work through imperfect people.
Relentless Grace: Runaways
Have you ever resisted a calling, avoided a difficult conversation, or run from something God was asking of you? In this message, we begin our journey through the Book of Jonah and discover that Jonah’s story is about far more than a big fish. Through humor, honesty, and a surprisingly relatable prophet, we explore God's patience, persistence, and unconditional love for even the most stubborn among us. If you've ever wrestled with faith, forgiveness, or God's direction for your life, this sermon offers a fresh and encouraging perspective on a God who never stops pursuing us—and never gives up on us.
Embracing the Mystery: What the Trinity Teaches Us About Love and Belonging
In this Trinity Sunday sermon, we explore one of the most profound and challenging teachings of the Christian faith—the Trinity. Far from being an abstract doctrine, the Trinity reveals powerful truths about mystery, community, and love. Together, we discover why faith isn't about having all the answers, how God's very nature models healthy relationships and belonging, and what it means to be invited into a love that enters into the world's suffering rather than standing apart from it.
The Oneness of All Flesh
This Pentecost, we explore how the Holy Spirit broke down barriers of language, culture, and fear so people from every nation could hear and understand one another. Through powerful stories, biblical insight, and a timely reflection on immigrants, refugees, and the call to love our neighbors, this message invites us to ask: What if the miracle we need today is not being heard—but learning how to truly listen? Discover how the wind and fire of Pentecost still challenge and transform the church today. The Rev. Paul Slentz is today’s guest preacher.
When Bombs Begin to Fall
Have you ever found yourself so distracted by worry, work, the past, or even spirituality itself that you missed what was happening right in front of you? In this Ascension Day sermon, we explore the powerful moment when the disciples watched Jesus ascend into heaven—and the unexpected question the angels asked them: “Why do you stand looking up?” Through humor, cultural stories, and reflections on faith and presence, this message invites us to stop merely gazing upward and start living fully engaged lives—awake to God, attentive to others, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
What Hannah Teaches Us About Lament and Praise
Have you ever wondered whether faith has room for lament, anger, and complicated emotions—not just praise? In this sermon, we explore the powerful story of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, whose two bold prayers reveal a faith honest enough to hold both heartbreak and hope together. Especially on Mother’s Day, we reflect on infertility, adoption, invisible grief, and the courage of those who nurture others through pain and uncertainty. Hannah’s story invites us to discover how God meets us in the in-between—and why lament may be one of the deepest expressions of faith we have.
They Call Me the Seeker
Is there something beyond what we can see and explain? This sermon explores these big, universal questions and reflects on the shared human search for meaning that spans cultures, beliefs, and even doubt itself. Looking at Paul’s conversation in ancient Athens, we see a different approach to spiritual curiosity—one that doesn’t dismiss questions, but affirms them as part of the journey toward truth.
Even in the Darkest Valleys
Human nature often mirrors sheep—vulnerable, communal, and frequently led by instinct. That’s why the ancient biblical writers return to the image of sheep so often: it captures something deeply true about how we live, follow, and sometimes lose our way. At the center is the enduring promise of Psalm 23, which reframes God not as distant or detached, but as a Good Shepherd who remains present even in the darkest valleys. This texts invites us to consider how comfort and courage are found in God’s faithful presence—especially in seasons of uncertainty, fear, or wandering.
Sacred Conversations
Have you ever had a conversation that stayed with you long after it ended? Or met someone who changed your perspective without you even realizing it at the time? In this sermon, we explore the Road to Emmaus—a story where two ordinary travelers encounter the risen Jesus Christ without even knowing it. Along the way, we discover how meaningful conversations, unexpected connections, and shared moments can become something deeper—spaces where hope, clarity, and even healing begin to emerge.