In this sermon, we meet the prophet Elijah not at his strongest, but at his most exhausted—hiding in a cave where God does not appear in noise or spectacle, but in a sound of sheer silence. Drawing on Scripture and real-life stories, this message explores how silence is not the absence of God, but a place where grace becomes noticeable and presence becomes real. Awakened to Grace Through Silence invites listeners to release the pressure to strive and, instead, make space for stillness and discover that God meets us gently, even in our weariness.

Sermon by Rev. Beth Demme
For more information, visit www.graymumc.org

On the road to Emmaus, Scripture does not give the disciples new information—it awakens them to the grace that has been walking with them all along. In this sermon, Pastor Beth explores Scripture not as a test to pass or a weapon to wield, but as a companion that walks with us through questions, doubt, and hope. To be awakened to grace is to discover that we do not walk alone, and that God is already at work, opening our hearts to recognize Christ in our midst.

Sermon by Rev. Beth Demme
For more information, visit www.graymumc.org

Guest preacher Joe Moxley offers a message about prayer on January 11, 2026.

Sermon by Rev. Beth Demme
For more information, visit www.graymumc.org

On Epiphany Sunday, we reflect on how God’s light often appears in ordinary places and unexpected moments especially for the weary, the searching, the outsider, and all who long to belong.

Scripture reading by Kim Maxwell.

Sermon by Rev. Beth Demme
For more information, visit www.graymumc.org

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we reflect on the nearness of God’s love, a love that does not stay distant but comes close to hold life in the midst of a complicated world. Drawing on Luke’s Christmas story and the image of refugia, we see how God creates small and unexpected places of refuge such as Bethlehem, a manger, and ordinary shepherds where love awakens and begins to move. The good news is this: God has already come close, God is already at work, and God will carry love forward through us, not because we are perfect, but because God’s love is.

Sermon by Rev. Beth Demme
For more information, visit www.graymumc.org

On one of the longest nights of the year, we gather to make space for what is often left unspoken at Christmas. Absence, sorrow, and long seasons of waiting still exist. God meets us not by erasing our pain, but by sitting with us in it, offering presence rather than quick fixes. Jesus is the steadfast light that the darkness cannot, and will not, overcome.

Sermon by Rev. Beth Demme
For more information, visit www.graymumc.org

On Joy Sunday, we explore how the angels’ proclamation of “good news of great joy” transforms ordinary lives. Through the story of the shepherds, we discover that joy does not erase hardship but reshapes how we live—and how we witness to God’s nearness in the world. Joy is not just a gift we receive; joy is our witness to a God who still comes close and sends us out to share that joy with all people.

Scripture reading by Susan Hutchison

Sermon by Rev. Beth Demme
For more information, visit www.graymumc.org

The shepherds lived on the margins, carrying wounds the world refused to see—yet God chose them to receive the first news of the Savior. Their story becomes a window into our own experience of feeling torn, weary, or unworthy. This message proclaims the Advent truth that Jesus brings peace to every broken place—within us, among us, and between us and God.

Scripture reading by Susan Hutchison

Sermon by Rev. Beth Demme
For more information, visit www.graymumc.org