FUMC Bentonville Sermon Podcast

March 1st, 2026 - "Wilderness Survival Guide: Musica Divina" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris and the Music Staff

Psalm 63: 1-8 

Rev. Michelle has a panel discussion with FUMC's music staff about music, worship, and their creative processes.

Ken Weatherford (Contemporary Music and Director of Worship Arts)

Rev. Dr. T. Ray Wheeler,  (Associate Pastor/Director of Traditional Music)

Matt Nelson (Assistant to Music and Worship Arts, aka. pianist, keyboardist, organist, arranger, podcast creator, etc)

February 22nd, 2026 - "Wilderness Survival Guide: The Examen" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Psalm 139:23-24

We will learn about the practice of The Examen, which is an intentional reflection at the end of every day that invites us to reflect on how we have seen God at work in our lives in the day, as well as how we have served God well or not so well. Then we close with an intentional gratefulness and hope for the next day.

February 18th, 2026: Ash Wednesday - "Wilderness Survival Guide - Fasting" - Johnna Kosnoff

Psalm 69:6-13

We will open this series with a discussion on the purpose of fasting. We will remember that it is related to the Lenten season because through it we honor Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness when he was tempted by the devil. But we will also look at it as a discipline of clearing away the things between God and us. This psalm in particular makes a good case for a technology fast, as technology has become a tool for people to deride us and divide us into enemies.

February 15th, 2026 - "4C: Contribution"_Traditional Service (Various Speakers)

Genesis 12:1-3; John 21:15-17

We were created to be a blessing to the whole world. As the family of God, we are called to bless and serve each other. And each other means we serve everyone. To do so takes all the gifts at the table.

 

Speakers at this service: Brett Morrison, Marjie Lewis, Frank Paris, Angela Barrington

February 15th, 2026 - "4C: Contribution" _Unplugged (Various Speakers)

Genesis 12:1-3; John 21:15-17

We were created to be a blessing to the whole world. As the family of God, we are called to bless and serve each other. And each other means we serve everyone. To do so takes all the gifts at the table.

 

Speakers at this service: Brett Morrison, Hays Plunkett, Lindsay Goodner

February 15th, 2026 - "4C: Contribution" _The Gathering (Various Speakers)

Genesis 12:1-3; John 21:15-17

We were created to be a blessing to the whole world. As the family of God, we are called to bless and serve each other. And each other means we serve everyone. To do so takes all the gifts at the table.

 

Speakers at this service: Brett Morrison, Emily Long, Brian Lookadoo

February 8th, 2026 - "4C: Conviction" - Rev. Dr. T. Ray Wheeler

Genesis 3:1-7; John 8:1-11

Some think that conviction is about sticking to beliefs no matter what. True Christian conviction, however, is understanding the purpose of those beliefs, and weighing with wisdom what is right and what is wrong in any given moment. This week we see when we fail and when we succeed at such conviction when in one instance we eat of the tree, and in one instance we drop our stones and walk away.

February 1st, 2026 - "4C: Connection" - Rev. Dr. T. Ray Wheeler

Genesis 2:18-25; John 15:1-13

It is not good for humans to be alone. It is central to the human condition to be in relationship with God and with each other. We will affirm that we need connection like we need the air we breathe. Without it, we literally die on the vine.

January 25th, 2026 - "4C: Creation" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Genesis 1:1-5, 24-31; John 1:1-14

This sermon will be a celebration of God as Creator, but also the God who shared that aspect of who God is – creation – with us. And then, God gave us the responsibility to care for the creation that we co-create with God. We are created to be creators and stewards of creation.

January 18th, 2026 - "The Use and Misuse of Romans: Responsible Citizens" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Romans 13:1-7

We will deal with this passage that says we are all under the authority of whatever government is controlling us. Funny how when a person’s candidate is in power, they are happy to quote this verse, and when their candidate is not, this verse is conveniently forgotten. Yet in truth, this verse shows up in a letter that covertly tries to get people to resist the ones in power. What is going on here?

January 11th, 2026 - "The Use and Misuse of Romans: Embroidered Pillow Theology" - Rev. Dr. T. Ray Wheeler

Romans 8:28
This is one of those verses that gets quoted a great deal, and shows up on kitschy signs and pretty embroidered pillows. But to make it stand alone like that runs the danger of implying that “Everything happens for a reason.” We will deal with the tension between Calvinism and Arminianism that meets in this verse on our pretty pillows.

January 4th, 2026 - "The Use and Misuse of Romans: We Are Family" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Romans 4:1-13

Paul has set up a double straw man (accusations that the Jews have against the Gentiles and vice versa) in the chapters preceding this one. In this chapter, he argues that we are all made family through our faith in Christ. So quit dividing the family over things that don’t matter! Sadly, we used this very letter to do exactly that – divide us up.

December 28th, 2025 - "The Use and Misuse of Romans: I Am Not Ashamed" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Romans 1:15-17

This sermon sets up the series where we examine how the letter to the Romans often gets misused, by quoting the passage that kicked off the Protestant Reformation and is often is cited as justification for biblical literalism. There are problems with both understandings that we need to confront.

December 24th, 2025 - Christmas Eve - "Am I the Scrooge?" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Isaiah 11:1-9

I hate Charles Dickens. Actually, it is more accurate to say I hate the writing of Charles Dickens. Yet I will not let an Advent season go by without watching at least one version of A Christmas Carol. The story of Christmas, the Dickens one and the biblical one, invite us to learn how to love better. They also invite us to let go of our own expectations and live into a better story than the one we might tell.

December 21st, 2025 - "Unredeemable?" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Matthew 1:18-25

In "Spirited", we learn that Ebenezer Scrooge has regrets still in the afterlife. He still feels like he has to earn God’s love. We will look at that soul crisis up against Joseph having to change his understanding of God’s righteousness.

December 14th, 2025 - "Spiritual Change" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Luke 2:8-20

The heart of "A Christmas Carol" is a man experiencing change after an encounter with four spirits. Probably the most dramatic moment in the birth of Christ is the appearance of the angels, spiritual beings who reorient the lives and faith of the shepherds on the field. Are we open to the same kind of change?

December 7th, 2025 - "Real Humanity" - Rev. Dr. T. Ray Wheeler

Luke 2:1-7

The full reality of humanity is on display in the birth of Christ, including our struggles and strains and conflicts, our willingness to love and our tendency to reject. Funnily enough, one of the best displays of the reality of humanity is found in A Muppet Christmas Carol, where over half of the cast are puppets. We look at the walk through the streets of puppet London with the traveling on a donkey for Mary and Joseph and their rejection at the inn.

November 30th, 2025 - "Meta Christmas" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Matthew 2: 1-12

Who owns Christmas? Or who tries to control Christmas? Or who tries to profit from Christmas? It has been a question since Christ was born. This week’s movie is Scrooged, and we will look at the ways people in power have tried to control Christmas as we look at Scrooge and King Herod.

November 23rd, 2025 - "A Different Perspective" - Bishop Max Whitfield

Colossians 1:9-14

Bishop Whitfield will reflect on Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, asking, “Does your vision of living as a disciple of Jesus Christ require a new perspective in which we love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously?”

November 16th, 2025 - "We Will Dream Dreams" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

Matthew 25:14-30; Joel 2:23-29

Pastor Michelle offers our annual State of the Church address and invites us to envision a new future.