What Do You Do While You Wait?(Nov 8, 2026)
What do you do when you've prayed, waited, and still see no sign that God has answered?
The prophet Habakkuk wrestles with injustice, suffering, and God's apparent silence. He doesn't hide his frustration or pretend to understand God's ways. Yet he discovers a faith that can rejoice even when circumstances offer no reason for joy.
In this sermon, Pastor Paula Dallas challenges us to consider what we do while we wait for God's next move. Drawing from Habakkuk 3, she reminds us that faith doesn't require us to ignore our struggles. It invites us to remember God's faithfulness, trust God's promises, and choose joy even before our circumstances change.
What do you do when you've prayed, waited, and still see no sign that God has answered?
The prophet Habakkuk wrestles with injustice, suffering, and God's apparent silence. He doesn't hide his frustration or pretend to understand God's ways. Yet he discovers a faith that can rejoice even when circumstances offer no reason for joy.
In this sermon, Pastor Paula Dallas challenges us to consider what we do while we wait for God's next move. Drawing from Habakkuk 3, she reminds us that faith doesn't require us to ignore our struggles. It invites us to remember God's faithfulness, trust God's promises, and choose joy even before our circumstances change.
An Inheritance Worth Passing On (All Saints Sunday 2026)
What do we inherit from the people who have shaped our lives? Often, their greatest gifts aren't money or possessions, but the ways they taught us to love, live, and see God at work.
On All Saints Sunday, Pastor Cyndi reflects on her father's legacy, the great cloud of witnesses described in Hebrews 11–12, and the lives of those we remember with gratitude. Their stories remind us that faithfulness isn't measured by perfect lives or happy endings.
We inherit both gifts and hurts, but we can choose what we pass along. Through God's transforming love, we can become people who help others know what it means to be cherished.
We hope these sermons have been helpful to you,. There is a place for you in the McKendree community, and you can also support this ministry through your giving at McKendreeUMC.org/give.
What do we inherit from the people who have shaped our lives? Often, their greatest gifts aren't money or possessions, but the ways they taught us to love, live, and see God at work.
On All Saints Sunday, Pastor Cyndi reflects on her father's legacy, the great cloud of witnesses described in Hebrews 11–12, and the lives of those we remember with gratitude. Their stories remind us that faithfulness isn't measured by perfect lives or happy endings.
We inherit both gifts and hurts, but we can choose what we pass along. Through God's transforming love, we can become people who help others know what it means to be cherished.
We hope these sermons have been helpful to you,. There is a place for you in the McKendree community, and you can also support this ministry through your giving at McKendreeUMC.org/give.
God is in it with me. (Oct 25)
What has fear kept you from doing? A friendship never begun, an apology never offered, or an opportunity you were afraid to try?
When God called Jeremiah, his first response was, “I'm only a child.” But God challenged his fears with a promise: “I am with you.”
Pastor Cyndi explores how fear can shape our decisions—and how we can learn to act even when we're afraid. Discover why courage isn't something we have to wait to feel, and how faith helps us take the next step.
Sometimes the lizard is loud. But fear doesn't have to have the final word.
We hope these sermons have been helpful to you,. There is a place for you in the McKendree community, and you can also support this ministry through your giving at McKendreeUMC.org/give.
What has fear kept you from doing? A friendship never begun, an apology never offered, or an opportunity you were afraid to try?
When God called Jeremiah, his first response was, “I'm only a child.” But God challenged his fears with a promise: “I am with you.”
Pastor Cyndi explores how fear can shape our decisions—and how we can learn to act even when we're afraid. Discover why courage isn't something we have to wait to feel, and how faith helps us take the next step.
Sometimes the lizard is loud. But fear doesn't have to have the final word.
We hope these sermons have been helpful to you,. There is a place for you in the McKendree community, and you can also support this ministry through your giving at McKendreeUMC.org/give.
With Christ there is always a way (Oct 18)
What do we do when we can't see a way forward? Sometimes the answer comes through someone else's faith and one small act of love.
On McKendree's Great Day of Service, Pastor Cyndi shares a personal story about an unexpected gift of kindness and reflects on how God transformed the apparent defeat of the cross into a new beginning. From the Communion table to serving our neighbors, we discover that we don't have to know how the story will end to take the next faithful step.
We hope these sermons have been helpful to you,. There is a place for you in the McKendree community, and you can also support this ministry through your giving at McKendreeUMC.org/give.
What do we do when we can't see a way forward? Sometimes the answer comes through someone else's faith and one small act of love.
On McKendree's Great Day of Service, Pastor Cyndi shares a personal story about an unexpected gift of kindness and reflects on how God transformed the apparent defeat of the cross into a new beginning. From the Communion table to serving our neighbors, we discover that we don't have to know how the story will end to take the next faithful step.
We hope these sermons have been helpful to you,. There is a place for you in the McKendree community, and you can also support this ministry through your giving at McKendreeUMC.org/give.
Christ is in me. I am enough.
What happens when the harshest voice in our lives is our own? In this week’s Think Again sermon, we explore the difference between self-criticism and honest self-compassion, and ask a simple question: Does the voice in my head sound anything like the voice of Jesus? Through the story of Peter, we see that Jesus knows our failures fully and still calls us forward. The truth we are invited to embrace is not that we have everything we need on our own, but that Christ is in us. We are not alone. And we are enough for God to work in and through us.
What happens when the harshest voice in our lives is our own? In this week’s Think Again sermon, we explore the difference between self-criticism and honest self-compassion, and ask a simple question: Does the voice in my head sound anything like the voice of Jesus? Through the story of Peter, we see that Jesus knows our failures fully and still calls us forward. The truth we are invited to embrace is not that we have everything we need on our own, but that Christ is in us. We are not alone. And we are enough for God to work in and through us.
I’m Not Stuck Unless I Stop | Think Again: Faith, Depression, and a Way Forward
What do you do when you feel stuck, discouraged, or convinced that nothing you do will make a difference?
In this first sermon of the Think Again series, we explore learned helplessness, Romans 12:2, and Jesus’ encounter with the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5. Pastor Cyndi shares part of her own experience with depression and the way disappointment, comparison, and repeated setbacks can narrow what we are able to see.
#ThinkAgain #DepressionAndFaith #ChristianSermon #RenewYourMind #FaithAndMentalHealth #SpiritualGrowth
What do you do when you feel stuck, discouraged, or convinced that nothing you do will make a difference?
In this first sermon of the Think Again series, we explore learned helplessness, Romans 12:2, and Jesus’ encounter with the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5. Pastor Cyndi shares part of her own experience with depression and the way disappointment, comparison, and repeated setbacks can narrow what we are able to see.
“I’m not stuck unless I stop” does not mean pushing harder, ignoring grief, or refusing to rest. It means continuing to discern: God, what is your way from here? What is one faithful step I can take?
This message is about renewing our minds, questioning the stories we tell ourselves, and learning to see that one closed way does not have to mean a closed future.
Scripture: Romans 12:2; John 5:1–9
Read this week’s Daily Devotion Guide.
#ThinkAgain #Romans12 #John5 #DepressionAndFaith #ChristianSermon #RenewYourMind #FaithAndMentalHealth #SpiritualGrowth
If these messages have been helpful to you, there’s a place for you in the McKendree community. You can also support this ministry by giving at mckendreeumc.org/give.
Africa Sunday: Making Disciples of All Nations
Jesus tells his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations.” On Africa Sunday, Rev. Dr. Rodrigo Cruz challenges the church to take all nations seriously. Drawing from his own multicultural family and ministry in diverse Gwinnett County, he reminds us that every person bears the image of God and that diversity is not an optional church program but part of the gospel’s vision. The nations are already among us. What would it look like to become a church where people of every race, culture, language, and background are not simply welcomed, but valued, seen, included, and given a true place to belong?
Jesus tells his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations.” On Africa Sunday, Rev. Dr. Rodrigo Cruz challenges the church to take all nations seriously. Drawing from his own multicultural family and ministry in diverse Gwinnett County, he reminds us that every person bears the image of God and that diversity is not an optional church program but part of the gospel’s vision. The nations are already among us. What would it look like to become a church where people of every race, culture, language, and background are not simply welcomed, but valued, seen, included, and given a true place to belong?
Connecting All Through Christ
Jesus sends the disciples into the world with a promise: “I am with you always.” The church does not exist simply to create connections among people who are already here. Christ sends us to build connections—with neighbors, with people whose lives look different from ours, and with a world God already loves. In this final sermon of the series, we consider what it means for McKendree to be People. Doing life together. Connecting all through Christ.
Jesus sends his disciples into the world with more than a command to make connections. He sends them to make disciples—to carry God’s life-giving, love-giving grace into the world. In this sermon, we explore the final phrase of McKendree’s vision: Connecting all through Christ. Through Christ, people encounter a love that gives life, crosses boundaries, changes us, and sends us to participate in God’s transformation of the world.
Doing Life Together
Jesus told his disciples not only to make disciples, but to teach people to live what he had taught them. Faith takes shape through practices learned in community: worship, prayer, forgiveness, service, generosity, and love. But the group itself is never the destination. In this sermon, we explore how doing life together prepares us to live and speak our faith beyond the walls of the church.
Jesus told his disciples not only to make disciples, but to teach people to live what he had taught them. Faith takes shape through practices learned in community: worship, prayer, forgiveness, service, generosity, and love. But the group itself is never the destination. In this sermon, we explore how doing life together prepares us to live and speak our faith beyond the walls of the church.
People
Jesus entrusted the work of making disciples to eleven ordinary, imperfect people—some of whom still had doubts even as they stood before the risen Christ. In this sermon, we consider what that says about the people God chooses and the people the church is called to become. At McKendree, “People” means there is room for real people, with real stories, questions, gifts, and imperfections, to be part of what God is doing in the world.
Jesus entrusted the work of making disciples to eleven ordinary, imperfect people—some of whom still had doubts even as they stood before the risen Christ. In this sermon, we consider what that says about the people God chooses and the people the church is called to become. At McKendree, “People” means there is room for real people, with real stories, questions, gifts, and imperfections, to be part of what God is doing in the world.
Teach me
When Peter asks Jesus how many times he has to forgive, he is really asking a question most of us carry: when is enough enough? In this sermon, we follow Peter into that tension and discover that Jesus refuses to reduce forgiveness to a number. Instead, he points to a different way of living—one shaped by mercy, honesty, and the kind of community that deals truthfully with hurt. This message holds the weight of real wounds while inviting us to take a next step toward forgiveness that is not about keeping score, but about becoming people who reflect the grace we have received.
When Peter asks Jesus how many times he has to forgive, he is really asking a question most of us carry: when is enough enough? In this sermon, we follow Peter into that tension and discover that Jesus refuses to reduce forgiveness to a number. Instead, he points to a different way of living—one shaped by mercy, honesty, and the kind of community that deals truthfully with hurt. This message holds the weight of real wounds while inviting us to take a next step toward forgiveness that is not about keeping score, but about becoming people who reflect the grace we have received.
I’m Fixed Upon It
Peter gets it right—then immediately gets it wrong. In Matthew 16:21–23, Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah, but when Jesus speaks about suffering and death, Peter rebukes him. Jesus responds, “Get behind me, Satan,” exposing the tension between human expectations and God’s mission.
Pastor Paula explores how we, like Peter, often think in human terms—seeking power, safety, and control—while Jesus calls us to trust God’s bigger story. The good news? The sentence does not end with suffering. On the third day, Jesus was raised.
Peter gets it right—then immediately gets it wrong. In Matthew 16:21–23, Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah, but when Jesus speaks about suffering and death, Peter rebukes him. Jesus responds, “Get behind me, Satan,” exposing the tension between human expectations and God’s mission.
Pastor Paula explores how we, like Peter, often think in human terms—seeking power, safety, and control—while Jesus calls us to trust God’s bigger story. The good news? The sentence does not end with suffering. On the third day, Jesus was raised.
Who Even Is Jesus
When Jesus asked his disciples that question, many compared him to prophets from the past. But Peter saw something more: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In this sermon from Matthew 16, we explore what Peter recognized—and how Jesus continues to challenge our expectations about power, mercy, and the way God works in the world.
When Jesus asked his disciples that question, many compared him to prophets from the past. But Peter saw something more: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In this sermon from Matthew 16, we explore what Peter recognized—and how Jesus continues to challenge our expectations about power, mercy, and the way God works in the world.
Rescue Me From Danger
Rescue Me from Danger
(Matthew 14:22–33)
Will Jesus keep us safe? In a world that feels unstable — financially, politically, personally — it’s a question many of us carry. In this message, we turn to Peter and the story of walking on water to explore what “safety” really means.
Peter steps out of the boat not because the storm has stopped, but because Jesus is there. When he begins to sink, his simple prayer — “Lord, rescue me” — becomes a model for all of us.
This sermon invites us to reconsider what we mean by safe. Not comfort. Not control. Not the absence of storms. But the presence of Christ in the middle of them.
Rescue Me from Danger
(Matthew 14:22–33)
Will Jesus keep us safe? In a world that feels unstable — financially, politically, personally — it’s a question many of us carry. In this message, we turn to Peter and the story of walking on water to explore what “safety” really means.
Peter steps out of the boat not because the storm has stopped, but because Jesus is there. When he begins to sink, his simple prayer — “Lord, rescue me” — becomes a model for all of us.
This sermon invites us to reconsider what we mean by safe. Not comfort. Not control. Not the absence of storms. But the presence of Christ in the middle of them.
Jesus sought me
Can you trust Jesus?
In this first Sunday of Lent, we ask Peter. Before he is the rock of the church, he is Simon the fisherman — tired, taxed, and washing empty nets. Jesus steps into his ordinary life, fills his nets beyond measure, and when Simon falls in fear, does not step back.
“Do not be afraid.”
This sermon explores how Jesus seeks us in empty nets and full ones, and how trust begins with one small response: “Because you say so.”
Can you trust Jesus?
In this first Sunday of Lent, we ask Peter. Before he is the rock of the church, he is Simon the fisherman — tired, taxed, and washing empty nets. Jesus steps into his ordinary life, fills his nets beyond measure, and when Simon falls in fear, does not step back.
This sermon explores how Jesus seeks us in empty nets and full ones, and how Peter’s trust began with one small response: “Because you say so.”
Tune My Heart
On Ash Wednesday, we begin Lent by asking a simple but searching question: Am I in tune with the pitch?
Drawing from Psalm 51, this sermon explores how drift happens gradually—through small compromises, unchecked desire, and silence where truth should speak. When David is confronted by Nathan, he finally hears how far off he has become and prays, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
Like musicians tuning before the music begins, Lent invites us to pause, listen, and realign our hearts with God’s grace. Through a simple daily breath prayer, we practice making space and releasing what weighs us down—trusting that the God who creates can create again in us.
This week’s Breath Prayers.
On Ash Wednesday, we begin Lent by asking a simple but searching question: Am I in tune with the pitch?
Drawing from Psalm 51, this sermon explores how drift happens gradually—through small compromises, unchecked desire, and silence where truth should speak. When David is confronted by Nathan, he finally hears how far off he has become and prays, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
Like musicians tuning before the music begins, Lent invites us to pause, listen, and realign our hearts with God’s grace. Through a simple daily breath prayer, we practice making space and releasing what weighs us down—trusting that the God who creates can create again in us.
Becoming
Acts 2:42–47; 2 Corinthians 3:17–18
We live in a time when everyone is certain. But certainty is not the same as discernment.
In this final sermon of the series on hearing God’s call, we explore Paul’s words about the veil that can cloud our vision—and the promise that whenever we turn to the Lord, the veil is lifted. Discernment isn’t about being right. It is about being transformed into Christ’s image.
Acts 2 gives us a glimpse of what that transformation looks like: a community devoted to God and to one another, marked by generosity, shared life, and glad hearts. As we prepare to enter Lent, we are invited to turn again—not toward argument, but toward communion.
(Acts 2:42–47; 2 Corinthians 3:17–18)
We live in a time when everyone is certain. But certainty is not the same as discernment.
In this final sermon of the series on hearing God’s call, we explore Paul’s words about the veil that can cloud our vision—and the promise that whenever we turn to the Lord, the veil is lifted. Discernment isn’t about being right. It is about being transformed into Christ’s image.
Acts 2 gives us a glimpse of what that transformation looks like: a community devoted to God and to one another, marked by generosity, shared life, and glad hearts. As we prepare to enter Lent, we are invited to turn again—not toward argument, but toward communion.
The moment God calls your name
Pastor Paula Dallas explores the call of God through the story of Saul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1–15). Saul believed he was serving God, yet his life was redirected when Christ met him and revealed a new purpose. His transformation shows that God can use every part of a person’s story—strengths, failures, and experiences—for the sake of the gospel.
Drawing connections to figures like Rosa Parks and McKendree’s own BJ Griffith, the message emphasizes that God’s call is not reserved for a few extraordinary people. Ordinary lives, lived in faith and obedience, can shape communities and change the world. Each person is called by God and equipped with gifts that matter. When God calls, get up and go.
Sermon Handout
Prayer Walk Handout
Pastor Paula Dallas explores the call of God through the story of Saul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1–15). Saul believed he was serving God, yet his life was redirected when Christ met him and revealed a new purpose. His transformation shows that God can use every part of a person’s story—strengths, failures, and experiences—for the sake of the gospel.
Drawing connections to figures like Rosa Parks and McKendree’s own BJ Griffith, the message emphasizes that God’s call is not reserved for a few extraordinary people. Ordinary lives, lived in faith and obedience, can shape communities and change the world. Each person is called by God and equipped with gifts that matter. When God calls, get up and go.
Sermon Handout
Prayer Walk Handout
Everyone has a part to play
Discerning God’s will isn’t about certainty. It’s about relationship. Drawing on 1 John 4, this sermon explores how discernment grows over time and how love for people, not fear, is the guide that helps us recognize God’s voice.
Pentecost reminds us that the Spirit is poured out on everyone—no one is left out. This sermon reflects on spiritual gifts as part of discernment, asking not what gifts we have, but how love takes shape through them. With scripture, lived examples, and wisdom from Trevor Hudson, we are invited to notice what God has already placed in our hands and how those gifts might build up others.
Sermon Handout Page 1
Sermon Handout Page 2
Prayer Walk Handout
When Love Is the Test
Discerning God’s will isn’t about certainty. It’s about relationship. Drawing on 1 John 4, this sermon explores how discernment grows over time and how love for people, not fear, is the guide that helps us recognize God’s voice.
Discerning God’s will isn’t about certainty. It’s about relationship. Drawing on 1 John 4, this sermon explores how discernment grows over time and how love for people, not fear, is the guide that helps us recognize God’s voice.
Sermon Handout
Prayer Walk Handout