Midway Christian Church sermon for March 8, 2026

Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian Church, Midway, KY

Worship Series: “Rooted in the Good News”

“Following Jesus leads to a richer, more expansive life, but it’s not necessarily comfortable. We often describe Jesus’ ministry as “radical” which comes from the Latin word “radicalis,” meaning “root” or “ground.”¹ Therefore, Jesus’ ministry brings us back to our roots: loving our neighbor, caring for the vulnerable, pursuing justice and mercy, and resting in God’s unending grace. These roots are the foundation of our faith. These roots allow us to become the person God created and calls us to be. These roots are the Gospel message! The Gospel of Jesus Christ, otherwise known as the Good News, is extravagant, untamed, illogical, and persistent. It invites us to root ourselves in the goodness of God which infinitely flourishes and grows. For us as people of faith, the Good News is not just a set of beliefs but rather a way of life grounded in hope, love, justice and peace.

This Lent, we will be exploring how the good news takes root in our hearts, minds and very beings, reminding us that “in our hoping, in our searching, one thing remains true. Jesus Christ is still the Good News!”

The Good News is ...

Part 3: “the way, the truth, and the life”

John 14:1-14

Do not be troubled" is a message to all of us as Jesus' disciples as a reminder that we are rooted in the Good News, that we are people of the Way of love and grace, the Truth of God at work in this world, and the abundant Life as the beloved community of God....all because we dwell in the presence of God, because we dwell with God.

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Midway Christian Church sermon for March 1, 2026

Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian Church, Midway, KY

Worship Series: “Rooted in the Good News”

“Following Jesus leads to a richer, more expansive life, but it’s not necessarily comfortable. We often describe Jesus’ ministry as “radical” which comes from the Latin word “radicalis,” meaning “root” or “ground.”¹ Therefore, Jesus’ ministry brings us back to our roots: loving our neighbor, caring for the vulnerable, pursuing justice and mercy, and resting in God’s unending grace. These roots are the foundation of our faith. These roots allow us to become the person God created and calls us to be. These roots are the Gospel message! The Gospel of Jesus Christ, otherwise known as the Good News, is extravagant, untamed, illogical, and persistent. It invites us to root ourselves in the goodness of God which infinitely flourishes and grows. For us as people of faith, the Good News is not just a set of beliefs but rather a way of life grounded in hope, love, justice and peace. This Lent, we will be exploring how the good news takes root in our hearts, minds and very beings, reminding us that “in our hoping, in our searching, one thing remains true. Jesus Christ is still the Good News!”

The Good News is ...

Part 2: “great love for God and neighbor”

Luke 10:25-37The parable of the Good Samaritan is a message of connection, of relationship; a message of love and grace in all things and through all things, for all people and with all people. It is rooted in the Good News…which is great love for God and neighbor, a great love which has the power to transform the narrative from suspicion to acceptance, a great love which opens our eyes to the Spirit of God in our midst, a great love which call us to embrace all people as Beloved Children of God.

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Midway Christian Church sermon for February 22, 2026

Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian Church, Midway, KY

Worship Series: “Rooted in the Good News”

“Following Jesus leads to a richer, more expansive life, but it’s not necessarily comfortable. We often describe Jesus’ ministry as “radical” which comes from the Latin word “radicalis,” meaning “root” or “ground.”¹ Therefore, Jesus’ ministry brings us back to our roots: loving our neighbor, caring for the vulnerable, pursuing justice and mercy, and resting in God’s unending grace. These roots are the foundation of our faith. These roots allow us to become the person God created and calls us to be. These roots are the Gospel message! The Gospel of Jesus Christ, otherwise known as the Good News, is extravagant, untamed, illogical, and persistent. It invites us to root ourselves in the goodness of God which infinitely flourishes and grows. For us as people of faith, the Good News is not just a set of beliefs but rather a way of life grounded in hope, love, justice and peace. This Lent, we will be exploring how the good news takes root in our hearts, minds and very beings, reminding us that “in our hoping, in our searching, one thing remains true. Jesus Christ is still the Good News!”

The Good News is ...

Part 1: “the fullness of God”

Ephesians 3:1-21

Our God is loving from generation to generation. Our God is faithful and steadfast. Our God sees us. Our God is with us. Or as one commentator put it, “Our God chooses to dwell among us. God’s glory fills us. This is sheer grace. This is impossible possibility. This is living giving hope.” This is what strengthens us. This is what encourages us. This is what lets us know that death and destruction will not be the last word. Because we know our God, our God who loves us more than we could ever imagine, our God who has claimed us and named us, our God who is moving in and among us bringing forth new life!

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MidwayChristian Church sermon for February 8, 2026

Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian, Church, Midway KY

"Can its Saltiness be Restored?"

Matthew 5:13-20

We don’t get to pick and choose what we follow and what we don’t. We don’t get to pick who we show grace to and who we won’t. We are called to be salt of the earth, light of the world, in all things, through all things, to all God’s people, for all God’s people. And be open to where the Spirit is moving in and among us.         

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Midway Christian Church sermon for January 25, 2026

Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian, Church, Midway KY

“Lord, Prepare Me to be a Sanctuary”

Psalm 63:1-3

NOTE: Since inclement weather cancelled in-person services, today’s video message is a conversation with the congregation about Pastor McColl’s plans for a sabbatical in the fall of 2027, which will be to focus on being a living sanctuary.

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Midway Christian Church sermon for January 18, 2026

Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian, Church, Midway KY

“Proclaiming the Good News”

Matthew 4:12-23

Knowing that Jesus was executed as a criminal by the powers that be for what he said, for what he did, for not following the orders of Rome, we still answered the call to follow Him. We pledged our loyalty to a different kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Beloved Community of God. We answered the call to create a new community, to embrace a new mission, to share the good news, to bring healing and wholeness to one and all, and to place our bodies between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.

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Midway Christian Church sermon for January 11, 2026

Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian, Church, Midway KY

“Baptism”

Scripture: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Today we remember our baptism. The remembering of that moment is an opportunity for us to reclaim, to reaffirm who we are, especially when that narrative in our heads sometimes tells us that we are not enough, especially because we live in a world that tells us we need to strive for more, to be more, to be perfect, to never admit that things may be falling apart.        ⁠https://www.midwaychristian.org⁠

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Midway Christian Church sermon for December 14, 2025

Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, MidwayChristian Church, Midway, KY

Worship Series: “How does a weary world rejoice?”

Joy is often a companion to many other emotions. We can feel joy in addition to feeling many other things at once: grief, anticipation, anxiety, excitement, disappointment, exhaustion. Perhaps many of us live with the myth that joy is not something we deserve—or that it is wholly out of reach. But our joy is rooted in the truth that we belong to God. Can you tether yourself to that deep truth? You deserve to feel joy—fully. The world needs your joy, even if you are weary. Our joy is better when it is shared. This theme of course alludes to a line in the familiar Christmas hymn, “O Holy Night,” which has an interesting history. The song was originally written by a French poet who was atheist, and the music was supplied by a Jewish composer. The hymn was later translated into English by an American Unitarian minister. In the 1800s, it became a popular hymn for Christian abolitionists due to its justice-focused language in verse 3. Like Mary’s song, the hymn reminds us that justice and joy belong together. Sometimes our joy is an act of resistance.And so, this Advent, we will hold space for our weariness and our joy. We will seek a “thrill of hope” in our hurting world. Each week of our series, we respond to the question, “How Does a Weary World Rejoice” with a statement inspired by our scriptures. These texts bring us into a space of possibility; in them, we find rhythms for rejoicing, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Each weekly sub-theme is a “we” statement because joy is deeply relational and rooted in the fact that we belong to God. As we move through our series, we hope to create space for acknowledging the weariness of our world while celebrating God’s closeness with great joy. We will welcome joy—even and especially if, like the prophet Isaiah said, while we cry out for comfort (Isaiah 40:1). In this weary world, may we find many ways to rejoice as we claim our thrill of hope.

How does a weary world rejoice?

Part 3: “We allow ourselves to be amazed” Luke 1: 57-66

The waiting and preparing for the Christ child really is not about us. It is about how we are opening our hearts, opening our beings to the new ways God is working in us and through us. It is about embracing, praticing a “posture of paying attention.” It is about allowing ourselves to be amazed in a cyncial world. It is about us rejoicing even when our hearts are breaking.

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Midway Christian Church sermon for December 7, 2025

Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, MidwayChristian Church, Midway, KY

Worship Series: “How does a weary world rejoice?”

Joy is often a companion to many other emotions. We can feel joy in addition to feeling many other things at once: grief, anticipation, anxiety, excitement, disappointment, exhaustion. Perhaps many of us live with the myth that joy is not something we deserve—or that it is wholly out of reach. But our joy is rooted in the truth that we belong to God. Can you tether yourself to that deep truth? You deserve to feel joy—fully. The world needs your joy, even if you are weary. Our joy is better when it is shared. This theme of course alludes to a line in the familiar Christmas hymn, “O Holy Night,” which has an interesting history. The song was originally written by a French poet who was atheist, and the music was supplied by a Jewish composer. The hymn was later translated into English by an American Unitarian minister. In the 1800s, it became a popular hymn for Christian abolitionists due to its justice-focused language in verse 3. Like Mary’s song, the hymn reminds us that justice and joy belong together. Sometimes our joy is an act of resistance.And so, this Advent, we will hold space for our weariness and our joy. We will seek a “thrill of hope” in our hurting world. Each week of our series, we respond to the question, “How Does a Weary World Rejoice” with a statement inspired by our scriptures. These texts bring us into a space of possibility; in them, we find rhythms for rejoicing, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Each weekly sub-theme is a “we” statement because joy is deeply relational and rooted in the fact that we belong to God. As we move through our series, we hope to create space for acknowledging the weariness of our world while celebrating God’s closeness with great joy. We will welcome joy—even and especially if, like the prophet Isaiah said, while we cry out for comfort (Isaiah 40:1). In this weary world, may we find many ways to rejoice as we claim our thrill of hope.

How does a weary world rejoice?Part 1: “We acknowledge our weariness”Luke 1: 1-23

The thing about weariness is that it tricks us into isolation. There are times when quiet and space are needed for healing of the mind, body and soul, but there is an extra layer of heaviness to weariness. When we are weary, we tell ourselves that we don't have the energy, that we are not good company for anyone, that we would just depress everyone around us, that if we were around others, we would have to put on a fake, happy persona which we were not feeling. All of these things can be true and our faith teaches us that if one part of the body hurts, we all hurt. And if one part of the body celebrates, we all celebrate.

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Midway Christian Church sermon for November 30, 2025

Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, MidwayChristian Church, Midway KY

Worship Series: “How does a weary world rejoice?”

Joy is often a companion to many other emotions. We can feel joy in addition to feeling many other things at once: grief, anticipation, anxiety, excitement, disappointment, exhaustion. Perhaps many of us live with the myth that joy is not something we deserve—or that it is wholly out of reach. But our joy is rooted in the truth that we belong to God. Can you tether yourself to that deep truth? You deserve to feel joy—fully. The world needs your joy, even if you are weary. Our joy is better when it is shared. This theme of course alludes to a line in the familiar Christmas hymn, “O Holy Night,” which has an interesting history. The song was originally written by a French poet who was atheist, and the music was supplied by a Jewish composer. The hymn was later translated into English by an American Unitarian minister. In the 1800s, it became a popular hymn for Christian abolitionists due to its justice-focused language in verse 3. Like Mary’s song, the hymn reminds us that justice and joy belong together. Sometimes our joy is an act of resistance.And so, this Advent, we will hold space for our weariness and our joy. We will seek a “thrill of hope” in our hurting world. Each week of our series, we respond to the question, “How Does a Weary World Rejoice” with a statement inspired by our scriptures. These texts bring us into a space of possibility; in them, we find rhythms for rejoicing, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Each weekly sub-theme is a “we” statement because joy is deeply relational and rooted in the fact that we belong to God. As we move through our series, we hope to create space for acknowledging the weariness of our world while celebrating God’s closeness with great joy. We will welcome joy—even and especially if, like the prophet Isaiah said, while we cry out for comfort (Isaiah 40:1). In this weary world, may we find many ways to rejoice as we claim our thrill of hope.

How does a weary world rejoice?Part 1: “We acknowledge our weariness”Luke 1: 1-23We begin Advent with an invitation to acknowledge our weariness. "We can be weary because of our age... because of our waiting... because we have faced the same routine for years and seemingly watched nothing change. We can be weary for various reasons, but must we stay weary? Can we exchange our weariness for hope?"

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