sermons – Eastman First United Methodist Church

Survival of the Fittest | Sermon from January 13, 2019

This past week, a headline appeared in my newsfeed: “How Beauty is Making Scientists Rethink Evolution.” The tag line explained, “The extravagant splendor of the animal kingdom can’t be explained…

Covenant Renewal | Entire Service from January 6, 2019

Last Sunday, we came together and reaffirmed our relationship with Christ. Many of you have asked for the service in its entirety. Below is every word of that service, including…

An Airport Miracle | Kyrie Eleison | Christmas Eve 2018

24 Dec 201823 Dec 2018

Kyrie Eleison On the road, they’d encountered much traffic. Bumper to bumper as they tried to get to the airport. Just as with any other holiday season, everyone seemed to…

Blessed to be a Blessing | Sermon from 12/9/18

Back when I wasn’t going to church much, I found myself at Dana’s parents’ church in suburban Atlanta. There, I sat through worship, the sermon, mostly focused on how I…

Bring out your messes; Prepare the way of the Lord | Sermon from 12/2/18

On the way back from the skyzone trip with the youth, Leigh and I somehow got on the subject of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. It’s possible she and…

Seeing Jesus in Daily Life | Sermon from 11/25/18

What’s the point? Today is the last Sunday of the Christian year. Our new year always begins with the first Sunday of Advent, which is next Sunday, December 2, as…

Simply Happy | Thanksgiving Sermon | November 18, 2018

I love Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday. The mixture of the season of the year, the cold air, the family warmth, the food, the nostalgia, all of it combines in…

Fearless Decisions | Sermon from 11/11/18

I have made some really dumb decisions in my lifetime. But the good thing about those: they make the best stories. One day, we took our dog Lily for a…

Dum Spiro Spero: While I Breathe, I Hope | Sermon for All Saints’ Sunday, 2018

What if the Axis powers had won World War II? That’s the question asked, and answered, by a TV drama I’m currently watching on Amazon. It’s called the Man in…

Green Eggs and Happiness | Sermon from 10/28/18

I love technology, especially apple products. In our household, we have multiple iPhones, iPads, apple tvs, AirPods, a MacBook and an iMac. And I’m probably leaving something out. When Apple…

The Fertile Soil of Doubt| Sermon from 10/21/18

21 Oct 201822 Oct 2018

It’s the question all teenagers dread as they come home. I certainly heard my fair share of it, especially before the advent of cell phones. If the bus got in…

On Being a Victim | Sermon from 10/14/18

Scripture: Job 23:1-17 The darkness settled in. All around, snow fell, in an increasingly heavy way. I had never experienced anything quite like this. The darkness was total. Ahead, only…

The Power of Empathy | Sermon from 9/30/18

I love James Madison University. For some of you, this will come as no shock at all. They’re my football team, they’re located in the beautiful Shenandoah valley, they’re absolutely…

Rooted | Sermon from September 23, 2018

Dana says I have a party trick. If we’re ever at a party and she needs an icebreaker or just for fun, she tells people “name any year in American…

More than mere words: The Power of Speech | September 16, 2018

16 Sep 201816 Sep 2018

In the midst of the regular news cycle this past week, we had cause to remember September 11. The fact that it fell on a Tuesday this year made it…

How to Lose an Argument | Sermon from 9/9/18

A family was eating dinner together, just the three of them. For once, even with a four year old, it didn’t involve trying to corral the child into staying at…

Seeing Jesus as Healer | Sermon from Healing Service August 26, 2018

Scripture: Mark 10:46-52 Between Avenue A and B, alongside East seventh and tenth streets, lies a beautiful little park. The park has a dog run and grass for spending time…

I wish you were the one that got away | Sermon from August 19, 2018

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:31-34 The one that got away. It’s a phrase uttered wistfully, wishing for something that didn’t end up being. She’s the one who got away. Or that’s the…