Faith Unfiltered: A Conversation About Gun Violence
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
Release Date: 06/17/2024
Saints Alive
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
Saints Alive | Isaiah 43:15–25 & 1 Corinthians 1:1–9 What if the name God gives us is more important than all the names we give ourselves—and one another? The church in Corinth was far from perfect. Its members argued, divided themselves into factions, looked down on one another, neglected the vulnerable, and struggled to understand what it meant to live together as the body of Christ. And yet when Paul writes to them, he calls them saints. In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway explores the difference between seeing sainthood as something extraordinary people achieve and...
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The Thin Sound of Silence
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
The Thin Sound of Silence | 1 Kings 19:1–18 & 2 Timothy 4:6–8, 16–18 Where is God when you've given everything you have—and you have nothing left? After one of the great triumphs of his ministry, Elijah suddenly finds himself running for his life. Exhausted, frightened, and convinced that all his faithfulness has accomplished nothing, he enters the wilderness and tells God, “It is enough.” In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on the weariness that comes when faithful effort seems to lead nowhere. Parents, caregivers, teachers, volunteers, people working for...
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Not Just Any Time
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
Exodus 20:1–17 & Luke 6:1–11 What if rest isn't time wasted—but time made holy? We measure our lives in hours, days, years, deadlines, appointments, and accomplishments. But Scripture invites us into another experience of time: Sabbath. In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway explores Sabbath as far more than a day governed by religious rules. Rooted in both creation and liberation, Sabbath reminds us that there is more to life than what we produce and that our worth does not depend upon what we accomplish. We stop our labor to create “breathing room so that God may labor in us.”...
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Ablaze but Not Consunmed
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
Ablaze but Not Consumed | Exodus 3:1–12 What if the life that sets you on fire doesn't have to burn you out? By the time Moses encounters the burning bush, he knows what it feels like to be burned up and hollowed out. His attempt to fight injustice has ended in violence and failure, and he has spent decades in exile. Then, in the wilderness, he encounters a fire unlike any he has known before—a bush ablaze with heat and light, but somehow still alive. In this sermon, Rev. Lucy Baum explores the difference between the fires that consume us and the life God calls us toward. Violence, hatred,...
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Running from the Truth
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
Jonah 4:1–11 & Mark 1:29–39 Sometimes the hardest truths aren't the ones we don't understand. They're the ones that demand something of us. Jonah knows exactly what God is like: gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. But when God extends that mercy to the people of Nineveh—Jonah's enemies—he is furious. He wants God's compassion for himself, but God's judgment for them. In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway explores our human tendency to draw boundaries around grace and contrasts Jonah's resistance with the ever-widening ministry of Jesus, whose...
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Divine Currents in the Universal Stream
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
Divine Currents in the Universal Stream | Jonah 3:1–10 & Mark 1:21–28 What forces are shaping our lives—and how can we recognize where God is moving? In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway explores what he calls the “divine currents in the universal stream of life”: the movement of God's healing, forgiving, and saving grace through the world. Jonah struggles against that current because he cannot accept God's mercy toward people he considers undeserving. Jesus, by contrast, embodies God's redemptive movement. In Mark's Gospel, his healing of a man with an unclean spirit becomes...
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Standing at the Back of the Line
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
No One Left Out | Matthew 20:1–16 & Genesis 12:1–3 What if God's grace isn't fair? In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Chuck Williamson explores one of Jesus' most surprising parables, where workers hired at the very end of the day receive the same wage as those who labored from sunrise. Rather than teaching us about economics or fairness, Jesus invites us to see the world through the eyes of a generous God—a God who refuses to rank people according to worth, achievement, or status. Drawing on stories from a Civil Rights pilgrimage, reflections on Carl Sandburg's observation that "the ugliest...
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Defining Moments
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
Defining Moments | Jonah 1:1–17 & Mark 1:14–20 There are moments that change the direction of our lives—a door opens, another closes, and suddenly we're faced with a choice about where to go next. In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on the defining moments when God's call asks us to respond. Jonah hears God's call and runs. The disciples hear Jesus say, "Follow me," and leave behind what is familiar. Most of us probably find ourselves somewhere between the two. But calling isn't reserved for pastors or church leaders. Our vocation is the life we live in response to God,...
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Reaching Life's Goal
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
Reaching Life's Goal | Proverbs 3:1–8 & Philippians 3:4–14 The Christian life isn't a sprint—it's a lifelong journey of becoming more like Christ. In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Paul's image of running a race and reminds us that while following Christ requires intention and discipline, it always begins with grace. Christ has already claimed us; our calling is to keep pressing forward, trusting that God is at work within us. Lewis explores three practices that have shaped Christians for generations: worship, prayer rooted in Scripture, and lives marked by...
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Being in the Right Mind
Say Grace: A First Presbyterian Church Podcast
Being in the Right Mind | Psalm 1 & Philippians 2:1–11 In a world that often rewards pride, certainty, and self-interest, what would it look like to have the mind of Christ? In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Paul's letter to the Philippians and the beautiful hymn describing Christ's humility. Rather than calling Christians to think alike, Paul invites us to share a common way of living—one marked by compassion, service, and self-giving love. Drawing on stories of ordinary people whose quiet acts of kindness transformed those around them, Lewis explores how the pattern...
info_outlineDid you know that gun violence is the leading cause of death among American children and teens? An estimated 4.6 million children live in a home where a gun is loaded and unlocked. Every day, more than 300 people are directly impacted by gun violence in the United States. Gun Violence Awareness Month was created to draw attention to this tragic reality and demand life-saving change.
Listen to Rev. Pen Peery and Director of Formation Garrell Keesler discuss this topic on our podcast. More information about FPC's Gun Violence Prevention Committee is available at firstpres-charlotte.org/gvp