From Complaining to Grieving: A Complaint Free WorldScripture: John 11:1–44This week at Central, we continue our journey toward a complaint-free life by moving from complaining to grieving. In John 11, Jesus meets Mary and Martha in the depth of their sorrow over the death of their brother, Lazarus—and He weeps with them. In this sacred moment, we see that God does not rush past our pain or demand composure. Instead, Jesus enters fully into our grief, showing us that divine compassion meets us right where we are.Pastor Sarah invites us to move beyond surface-level complaints and explore what lies beneath them—unacknowledged grief, loss, or longing. Through visuals like the Grief Iceberg and the Feelings Wheel, we learn how to recognize what’s truly under the surface and to bring those deeper emotions into God’s presence.Grieving isn’t about control or fixing—it’s about allowing our hearts to break open in the presence of a God who is not afraid of our tears. And it’s there, in that sacred space of vulnerability, that we discover resurrection hope: the God who weeps with us is also the God who calls us to new life.✨ Listen now and reflect on how God meets us in our grief, transforms our pain, and reminds us that even in our sorrow, resurrection is already stirring. Support the show
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20:30
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20:30
From Complaining to Lamenting
From Complaining to Lamenting: A Complaint Free WorldScripture: Numbers 11:1-6 & Lamentations 3:19-24This week at Central, we explored the difference between complaining and lamenting, guided by the experiences of the Israelites in the wilderness and the raw honesty of Lamentations. Complaints often focus on what’s missing, keeping us at the surface of our emotions, while lament invites us to name our pain, confront our deeper feelings, and bring them into God’s presence with trust and hope.Pastor Sarah shared practical ways to notice when we complain, dig beneath the surface using tools like the feelings wheel, and transform those complaints into honest, vulnerable prayers of lament. Through this process, we learn to approach life’s difficulties with faith, awareness, and gratitude, even in the midst of suffering.This week’s sermon also includes helpful visual aids:Feelings WheelComplaint-to-Lament ChartEmotion Deep-Dive🌀 Reflection Questions:Are you willing to take on the challenge to try to go 21 days in a row without complaining?What emotions are typically "hidden below the surface" when you find yourself complaining?Using the feelings wheel, can you identify the deeper emotion behind a recent complaint you've had?Where in your life do you tend to stay "above the surface" with complaints instead of diving deeper into your true feelings?How does God invite us to move from surface-level grumbling to honest, vulnerable prayer?This week, when you catch yourself complaining, pause and ask: "What am I really feeling?"✨ Listen now and reflect on how God invites us to move from surface-level complaints into a deeper, faith-filled dialogue with the Divine — discovering hope, honesty, and God’s unfailing presence along the way. Support the show
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28:31
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28:31
Ambassadors for Christ
Ambassadors for Christ: A Story Worth SharingScripture: Ephesians 6:18–20This week at Central, we celebrated Laity Sunday—a day when members of the congregation step forward to share their stories of faith and discipleship, reminding us that ministry belongs to all of God’s people.Through heartfelt witness, Fabian Rosado reflected on how a simple act of welcome drew him into community and revealed what it means to be an ambassador for Christ—someone whose everyday kindness becomes an invitation into God’s love. Carol Cobb shared her own faith journey, shaped by generations of believers and the quiet, steady witness of those who lived their faith with integrity and joy.Lay Minister Tricia O’Hara offered the morning message, drawing from Paul’s words in Ephesians: a call to pray continually, to speak boldly, and to remember that each of us represents Christ in the world. Prayer, she reminded us, is both conversation and calling—a way of staying grounded in God’s presence and open to being used for God’s purposes, wherever we are.🕊️ This Laity Sunday reminds us that the Church is not built by pastors alone, but by a community of faithful people—ambassadors of grace—whose lives, prayers, and love bear witness to the gospel in every place and circumstance.🎧 Listen now and be encouraged by the stories, prayers, and message of a community living out God’s call together. Support the show
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19:49
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19:49
Seeds That Bless the World
Seeds That Bless the World: A Story Worth SharingScripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6–15This week at Central, we continued our A Story Worth Sharing series by exploring Paul’s reminder that generosity is like sowing seeds—when we give freely and cheerfully, God multiplies our offering to bless others and nurture new growth.Guest preacher Rev. Christina Hart-Perkins shared how the seeds we plant through acts of kindness, generosity, and faithfulness don’t just change individual lives—they ripple outward, bearing fruit in ways we may never see. Just as Ms. Corbin’s small gesture of generosity inspired deeper gratitude and giving, our own gifts can become part of God’s greater harvest of grace.In a world that often measures worth by what we keep, this passage invites us to see abundance in what we share. God supplies both the seed and the harvest, calling us to trust that our giving—whether time, resources, or love—can truly bless the world.🌀 Reflection Questions:Where have you seen the “seeds” of generosity take root and grow in your own life or community?How does the idea of cheerful giving challenge or inspire your approach to generosity?What “seed” might God be inviting you to plant this week, trusting that it will bless others?✨ Listen now and discover how every act of giving, no matter how small, can become part of God’s abundant harvest—transforming lives, communities, and hearts for good. Support the show
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17:42
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17:42
Partners in God’s Good Work
Partners in God’s Good Work: A Story Worth SharingScripture: Philippians 1:3–6This week at Central, we explored Paul’s letter to the Philippians and the remarkable joy he expressed even while in prison. Paul reminds us that we are not alone in our faith journey — we are partners together in God’s ongoing work. From the support and encouragement of the Philippians to our own church community, spiritual partnership strengthens, transforms, and sustains us.Pastor Sarah encouraged us to recognize the ways God is already at work in our lives and to consider how we can actively participate in this good work. Whether through prayer, acts of service, generosity, or simply journeying alongside others in faith, every contribution matters. God begins the work in us and promises to bring it to completion, and our partnerships help it flourish.🌀 Reflection Questions:Where do you see God still at work in your own life, carrying a “good work” toward completion?Paul gives thanks for the Philippians’ partnership in the gospel. Who has been a “partner in God’s good work” in your life, and how did their support shape your faith?What is one specific way our congregation could strengthen its partnership in God’s work with the wider community this year?✨ Listen now and reflect on the joy and confidence that comes from being part of something bigger than ourselves — God’s good work continues, and we are all invited to join in. Support the show
About Central United Methodist Church (Arlington, Virginia) Sermon Podcast
An audio podcast of the weekly message preached at Central United Methodist Church in Arlington, Virginia. You're invited to join us online for worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Visit us on the web at cumcballston.org to learn how to join us for worship via zoom or facebook live. You're invited to join our congregation where we worship God, serve others, and embrace all.
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