What if following Jesus doesn’t make us smaller, but whole?

In this week’s sermon, Rev. Ryan reflects on Jesus calling the first disciples and Isaiah’s promise of light in places pushed to the margins. He shares how faith is not about shrinking who we are, but stepping into the fullness God already sees in us.

This message speaks to queer and trans siblings, chosen family, working people, and anyone who has been told they must hide parts of themselves to belong. At Oak Lawn UMC, scripture doesn’t stay on the page. It becomes story in real bodies, real communities, and real acts of love. 
Where light replaces fear, belonging comes before behaving, and healing restores dignity instead of erasing difference.

Come listen. Come be reminded. Come be whole.

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In this sermon, Rev. Rachel invites us to notice the lens we use when we talk about God, Scripture, and one another.

Many people were raised with a version of faith built on fear, rules, and exclusion. Jesus, though, keeps pointing toward a way shaped by love, freedom, and belonging. 

Rev. Rachel explores how our assumptions shape what we see — in the Bible, in church, and in our neighbors.

When the lens is punishment, we miss grace. When the lens is control, we lose compassion. But when the lens is love, something opens in us and in our communities. 

This message asks honest questions: What stories about God did we inherit? Which ones still serve life? And how might we see ourselves and others as already beloved? 

If you’ve ever felt hurt, unseen, or boxed in by religion, this sermon offers room to breathe.

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This week Rev. Rachel begins a new series on how we read the Bible by starting with one steady truth: we are God’s beloved before anything else.

Through Jesus’ baptism and the call of Matthew 25, she reminds us that faith is not about proving worth or staying safe. It is about remembering who we are, where Christ already stands, and how love shapes the way we meet a hurting world.

This reflection connects baptism to real life — to grief, to public harm, to quiet courage — and invites us back to the waters not to repeat a ritual, but to remember our place among the hungry, the displaced, and the loved. 

Beloved first. Then we live like it.

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What does it mean to stay connected—to God, to one another, and to the people the world is quick to overlook?
 
In this sermon from Oak Lawn United Methodist Church in Dallas, Rev. Ryan reflects on Jesus’ words, “I am the vine; you are the branches,” alongside Matthew 25 and the Wesley Covenant Prayer. Together, these texts invite us into a faith rooted not in performance or categories, but in relationship, presence, and shared life.
 
Drawing from queer theology and the lived experience of bodies that resist easy labels, Rev. Ryan explores how abiding in Christ makes room for complexity, honesty, and grace. This is a message about belonging before behavior, connection before productivity, and love that stays—especially when compassion is costly.
 
As we begin a new year, this covenant service calls us to remain: with the hungry, the stranger, the imprisoned, and with our own full selves. Not to prove our faith, but to practice it.
 
Whether you’re returning to church, exploring progressive Christianity, or searching for a community where you don’t have to shrink to belong, you are welcome here.
 
🕊️ Oak Lawn UMC is an inclusive, justice-rooted church at the corner of Oak Lawn Ave & Cedar Springs Rd in Dallas—where all are invited to stay, grow, and remain connected.

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What if joy isn’t soft or sentimental—but brave?
 
In this Advent sermon, Rev. Rachel reflects on Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:47–55) and the deep joy that rises from the margins. Drawing from Mujerista theology and the witness of Our Lady of Guadalupe, this message explores how joy has long been a way oppressed communities survive, resist, and tell the truth about God.
 
Mary’s song doesn’t ignore suffering. It names injustice, lifts up the lowly, feeds the hungry, and dares to believe the world can turn. This episode invites listeners to see faith not only as something we hold privately, but something we live out publicly—through justice, dignity, and love made visible.
 
Recorded at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church in Dallas, this sermon is part of our Advent series and reflects Oak Lawn’s commitment to inclusive, justice-rooted Christianity that shows up in real life.

If you’re searching for progressive Christian preaching, Advent reflections, sermons on Mary and the Magnificat, or a church where faith meets justice, this episode is for you.

🎄 Advent • Joy • Mary • Magnificat • Mujerista Theology
📍 Oak Lawn UMC — Dallas, TX
💛 Learn more or support the work at olumc.org/give

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This week in Advent, Rev. Rachel invites us to look at peace the way Scripture shows it—breaking into a world shaped by fear, control, and empire. John the Baptist steps into that world with a call that still speaks to us: change your life, share what you have, and make space where God’s love can breathe.
 
Our sanctuary holds that story in real time. The nativity outdoors lifts up the truth of migrant families today. The empty manger indoors reminds us that many in our own community face detention, separation, and danger. This is not just art—it is the world Jesus was born into, and the world many of our neighbors live in now.
Rev. Rachel walks us through three steady actions that build real peace:

• Share what you have
• Pull back when your power can harm
• Set people free from systems that crush them 

Peace is not quiet. Peace is what we practice. Peace is the road we prepare. As Advent continues, we’re invited to carry that peace together—right here, right now. If you’re looking for a church where every person matters and every story counts, we’re glad you’re here!

This week's podcast thumbnail is the recent cover of the Dallas Voice, photographed by the extraordinary Chad Mantooth. All photo credit and copyrights belong to Chad and/or the Dallas Voice. 🙏

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This week, Rev. Ryan opened Advent with a heartfelt message about hope that doesn’t pretend the world is fine. Hope that shakes, rises, and reaches out. Drawing from Habakkuk and the words of Jesus, he reminds us that real hope shows up in people — in neighbors who check on each other, volunteers who welcome guests inside from the cold, and every act of care that pushes back against despair. We’re glad you’re here, and we’re walking this season together. Remember to give during our seasonal pledge drive and support Dallas Responds through the winter. 👉 2026 Donation Pledge ❄️

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This week on Oak Lawn Sermons, we hear a powerful message from Rev. Isabel about hope in the midst of brokenness. From Isaiah’s declaration of a “new creation” to real-life stories of supporting families facing detention and injustice, we explore how lament, waiting, and hope can move us into courageous action. Learn why sanctuary isn’t just a place—it’s the life we live when we embody God’s love. Remember to give during our seasonal pledge drive and support Dallas Responds through the winter. 👉 2026 Donation Pledge ❄️

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