Travelers Rest United Methodist Podcast

Second Sunday after Easter Sermon: Let Me See Your Hands Scripture: John 20:19-23Sometimes life doesn’t look the way we expected it would.Even after good news… even after hope… we can still feel unsure, guarded, or just trying to get through the day.The disciples knew something had changed—but they were still behind closed doors.Maybe we’re not so different.We carry things. Stress. Worry. Old wounds. The parts of life we’d rather keep hidden.And yet, when Jesus shows up, He doesn’t ignore any of that— He meets them in it. He even shows them His hands.So maybe we pause and ask:Where am I feeling closed off right now? What am I holding onto that I don’t need to carry alone? What would it look like to be honest about where I am—even the hard parts?Because even in the middle of ordinary days, grace has a way of showing up.Not asking us to have it all together— but meeting us right where we are… and reminding us we don’t have to stay there.Worship Schedule8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

Easter Sunday Sermon: Easter Eyes Scripture: John 20:1-18Easter has a way of meeting us in unexpected places—in quiet mornings, in moments of grief, in places where hope feels lost.Mary went to the tomb expecting death. What she found was something she didn’t recognize at first. Maybe we’re not so different.We can stand right in the middle of resurrection and still miss it— caught in our assumptions, our sorrow, or simply not expecting new life to be possible.So we might ask ourselves: Where might I be overlooking signs of new life? What am I expecting that could be keeping me from seeing clearly? What would it look like to see with “Easter eyes”? Because the truth of Easter is this: Jesus is alive—and still meeting us, calling us by name, opening our eyes to something new.Even when we don’t recognize Him at first…He is there.Worship Schedule 7:00am: Sunrise Service8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

Palm Sunday Sermon: Losing Focus Scripture: Luke 19:29-42Palm Sunday has a way of grabbing our attention—crowds gathering, palms waving, expectations rising. It’s a moment full of energy and excitement.But it’s also a moment where it’s easy to lose focus. Maybe we’re not so different.We can get caught up in the noise, the expectations, the pace of life—and before we know it, we’ve lost sight of what really matters.So we might ask ourselves: Where am I losing focus right now? What expectations or distractions are keeping me from seeing Jesus clearly What might it look like to truly recognize Him at work in my life? Even in the noise, even in the crowd—Jesus is still present. Still moving. Still inviting us to see, to understand, and to follow.Palm Sunday ProcessionAll children, youth, and anyone who would like to participate are invited to gather in the narthex/lobby before worship to be part of our Palm Sunday procession. Together, we’ll enter the sanctuary waving palms as we remember and celebrate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.Worship Schedule 8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

Fifth Sunday of Lent Sermon Series: 40 Days of Growth Sermon: He Sows. Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23Lent has a way of slowing us down—inviting us to pay attention to what’s beneath the surface of our lives. Not just what we’re doing, but what’s taking root within us.Jesus tells a story about a sower scattering seed—some falls on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good soil. The same seed, but very different outcomes.So we might ask ourselves: What is taking root in my life right now? What distractions or worries are crowding out what God is trying to grow? How can I be more open to receiving what God is planting? God is always at work—scattering seeds of grace, truth, and new life in ways we may not always notice. Because in every season, God is still sowing—and something new can grow in us.Worship Schedule 8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

Fourth Sunday of Lent Sermon Series: 40 Days of Growth Sermon: Means of GraceScripture: 2 Peter 3:18; Romans 12:2Lent continues—not just in the wilderness around us, but in the quieter work God is doing within us.Grow into the people God calls us to be. But real growth rarely happens all at once. More often, it happens slowly—in the small, steady rhythms of everyday life.So we might ask ourselves: Where do I actually make space for God in my week? What habits are shaping my heart right now? Am I being formed more by the noise of the world… or by the grace of God? In this week’s message from our 40 Days of Growth series, “Means of Grace,” we’ll reflect on the simple practices that help shape our faith—prayer, worship, scripture, and community—and how God meets us there, again and again.Because sometimes growth doesn’t come from one big moment. Sometimes it comes from the quiet ways we keep showing up.Worship Schedule 8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

Third Sunday of Lent Sermon Series: 40 Days of Growth Sermon: Cleaning HouseScripture: John 2:13-22Lent continues—not just in the wilderness around us, but in the deeper rooms of our own hearts. This week, in Gospel of John 2:13–22, we encounter a different image of Jesus. Not quiet. Not withdrawn. But turning over tables in the temple courts.And if we’re honest, that feels familiar.We live in a world that fills every corner of our lives. Calendars overflow. Notifications ping. Opinions shout. Expectations pile up. Before we know it, the sacred spaces within us—our attention, our priorities, our worship—are cluttered with things that don’t truly give life. And into that cluttered space, Jesus still walks.He looks at our carefully arranged tables—the habits we’ve justified, the priorities we’ve misplaced, the distractions we’ve normalized—and asks hard but loving questions: What doesn’t belong here? What has taken up space that was meant for prayer? What needs to be cleared out so something deeper can grow? In this week’s message from our 40 Days of Growth series, “Cleaning House,” we’ll explore what it means to let Christ reorder our hearts—overturning what distracts us so that what is holy can take center stage again.Sometimes growth doesn’t begin with adding something new. Sometimes it begins with making room.Worship Schedule 8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

Second Sunday of Lent Sermon Series: 40 Days of Growth Sermon: DenyScripture: Mark 8:31-38Lent continues—not just in the wilderness around us, but in the deeper wilderness within us. In Mark 8:31–38, Jesus speaks hard words to his disciples: deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.In a world that tells us to protect ourselves, promote ourselves, and put ourselves first, Jesus invites us into a different way. “Deny” isn’t about self-rejection—it’s about re-centering. It’s about loosening our grip on control, ego, and comfort so we can truly follow him.In this week’s message from our 40 Days of Growth series, we’ll explore what it means to let go in order to grow. Because sometimes the path to real life begins with surrender.Join us as we continue the Lenten journey together.Worship Schedule 8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

First Sunday of Lent Sermon Series: 40 Days of Growth Sermon: TemptationScripture: Luke 4:1-13Lent begins not in comfort, but in the wilderness. Before Jesus teaches, heals, or calls disciples, he is led into a place of testing. Hungry. Alone. Tempted. In Luke 4:1–13, we see that temptation isn’t just about dramatic choices—it’s about subtle compromises, shortcuts, and the quiet pull to trust ourselves instead of God.In this Sunday’s sermon, “Temptation,” we begin our new series 40 Days of Growth by exploring what it means to face the wilderness honestly. Jesus shows us that temptation often meets us at our weakest points—when we’re tired, anxious, or wanting quick relief. Yet he also shows us how to stand firm, grounded in God’s Word and God’s promises.Join us as we begin the Lenten journey together, learning how even seasons of testing can become seasons of growth.Worship Schedule 8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

We begin the season of Lent with our Ash Wednesday Worship Service. This meaningful service invites us into a time of reflection, repentance, and renewal as we remember our need for God’s grace and mercy.

Transfiguration Sunday Sermon: Open Mouth, Insert FootScripture: Matthew 17:1-9Life doesn’t just overwhelm us with busy schedules—it also trips us up in what we say and how quickly we react. We speak before we think, rush to explain, and try to manage holy moments with our own words. In Matthew 17:1–9, Peter does exactly that on the mountaintop, blurting out a response in the middle of God’s glory. And honestly? We’ve all been there.In this Sunday’s sermon, “Open Mouth, Insert Foot,” we’ll explore this powerful moment of the Transfiguration and what it teaches us about listening, humility, and letting God be God. When the disciples want to do something, God invites them simply to listen to Jesus. Join us as we reflect on how often our words get ahead of our faith—and how Christ gently calls us to quiet our voices, open our hearts, and pay attention to what truly matters.Worship Schedule 8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

5th Sunday after the EpiphanySermon Series: Finding Balance for our Chaotic Lives Sermon: Balance by Lightening your LoadScripture: Matthew 11:25-30Life often feels like a balancing act — work, family, commitments, expectations, and the constant hum of “what’s next?” Jesus speaks directly into that struggle in Matthew 11:25-30, inviting us to bring the weight of our weary hearts to Him. In a world that prizes doing more and carrying our burdens alone, Jesus offers something radically different: rest, ease for our souls, and a way of life that lightens our load.This Sunday we’ll explore what it looks like to find true balance — not by juggling better, but by leaning into the gentle and humble heart of Christ. Join us as we discover how Jesus calls us to exchange our heavy yokes for His softness and strength, and learn what it means to walk in freedom, rest, and renewed balance.Worship Schedule 8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

2nd Sunday after the EpiphanySermon Series: Finding Balance for our Chaotic Lives Sermon: Balance, Not StressScripture: Psalm 56:2-13As we move deeper into the season of Epiphany, this Sunday invites us to reflect on how God meets us in the midst of everyday life—especially when life feels pressured, crowded, and stressful. In a world that rarely slows down, faith calls us to a different way of living, one rooted in trust rather than fear.In the sermon “Balance, Not Stress,” we will turn to Psalm 56, a prayer spoken from a place of anxiety and uncertainty. The psalmist does not deny fear but brings it honestly before God, discovering that balance is found not in the absence of trouble, but in placing our lives in God’s steady hands. “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”As we continue the series Finding Balance for Our Chaotic Lives, this Sunday reminds us that balance does not come from managing everything perfectly. It comes from choosing trust over panic, prayer over pressure, and remembering that God walks with us—even in the moments when stress feels overwhelming.Worship Schedule 8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

Baptism of the Lord SundaySermon Series: Finding Balance for our Chaotic Lives Sermon: Balance from Water Scripture: Mark 1:4-13As we move from the celebration of Christmas into the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, Baptism of the Lord Sunday invites us to the waters of renewal and identity. In a world that often feels overwhelming and unsteady, baptism reminds us where our truest balance begins—not in what we do, but in who we are.In the sermon “Balance from Water,” we will reflect on Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan and the powerful moment when heaven opens, the Spirit descends, and Jesus is named God’s beloved Son. Before Jesus teaches, heals, or serves, he is grounded in love and called good. That same promise meets us in the waters of baptism.As we begin the series Finding Balance for Our Chaotic Lives, this Sunday invites us to remember that balance is not about perfection or control, but about returning—again and again—to the grace that claims us, names us, and sends us forward.Worship Schedule 8:45am: Contemporary Service10am: Sunday School11am: Traditional Service

Epiphany Sunday January 4, 2026Sermon: Star Light, Star Bright Scripture: Matthew 2:1–12As the glow of Christmas gives way to the brilliance of Epiphany, we gather this Sunday to reflect on the guiding star that led the Magi to Christ. In “Star Light, Star Bright,” we explore Matthew 2:1–12 and the faithful journey of the Three Kings—travelers who followed the light, trusted God’s leading, and discovered hope revealed to the world.Epiphany reminds us that Christ’s light is not meant to be admired from afar, but followed with courage and joy. As we conclude this season, we are invited to consider where God’s light is leading us now and how we might carry that light into the year ahead.Join us for worship as we celebrate Christ revealed to all nations and recommit ourselves to walking in His light. We are also returning to our normal worship schedule this Sunday and look forward to worshiping together.WORSHIP SERVICES: 8:45 AM – Contemporary Worship9:45–10:30 AM - Sunday School 11:00 AM – Traditional Worship

Communion & Candlelight Christmas Eve Service December 24, 2025, 3pm, 5pmSermon: What Gift Will You Give Jesus? Scripture: Luke 2: 1-20, Matthew 2:1-12After weeks of watching and waiting for the light, Christmas Eve invites us to step fully into its glow. On December 24, we gather for our Communion & Candlelight Christmas Eve Service as we celebrate the birth of Christ—the Light who has come into the world.In the sermon, “What Gift Will You Give Jesus?”, we will reflect on the familiar yet holy story from Luke 2:1–20 and Matthew 2:1–12, listening again for how God meets ordinary people—shepherds and wise ones alike—and invites each of us to respond. Their gifts were acts of worship, trust, and devotion, reminding us that the truest gifts we bring are our hearts, our lives, and our willingness to follow.As candles are lit and communion is shared, we will remember that Christ’s light is not only something we receive, but something we carry into the world.Join us on Christmas Eve as we worship, wonder, and ask anew: What gift will you give Jesus?

A Longest Night service, often referred to as a Blue Christmas service, typically occurs onDecember 21, the longest night of the year (the winter solstice). It is traditionally acontemplative worship service designed to honor grief and provide comfort during theholiday season. Whether the worshipper has experienced loss of a loved one, loss of a way oflife, or is there to support others, the service recognizes the grief experienced and celebratesthe hope and light of Christ.

4th Sunday of Advent December 21, 2025Sermon Series: The Lights of the SeasonSermon: Flashes of Light Scripture: John 1:1-14What does it look like to notice God’s light when it comes in brief, brilliant flashes—moments that interrupt the darkness and remind us of hope? This Sunday, we continue The Lights of the Season with Flashes of Light, drawn from John 1:1–14.John’s words remind us that Christ is the true Light—present from the very beginning—shining in the darkness, even when the darkness does not understand it. Sometimes that light arrives quietly, sometimes suddenly, but always with power to reveal, restore, and renew.Like a flash that catches our attention, Advent invites us to stay alert—to watch for the ways God’s light breaks into our lives in unexpected moments of grace, truth, and love.As you prepare for worship, consider:Where have you seen flashes of God’s light in the midst of darkness?What might God be revealing to you through Christ, the true Light?How are you being called to reflect that light to others this Advent season?Join us this Sunday as we look for the light that shines in the darkness—and discover the hope it brings.Advent Sunday Worship Schedule9:45–10:30 AM · Sunday School 10:45–11:00 AM · Carols & Hymns 11:00 AM · ONE Service for Advent