Warrenton United Methodist Church

Send us Fan Mail This sermon from Warrenton United Methodist Church focused on John Wesley’s third simple rule: “Stay in love with God.” Through a conversation between Pastor Ashley and youth participant Malachi, the message explored how relationships grow stronger when they are prioritized and weaken when neglected. Using scripture from Psalm 119 and John 15, they emphasized that prayer, worship, Bible study, and faith help believers stay connected to God and follow the right path. Malachi s...

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ashley introduces John Wesley’s first “Simple Rule,” do no harm, focusing on the challenge of avoiding unintentional harm in a complex world. She explains that we often hurt others when we don’t know, think, or ask, even with good intentions. Through scripture and Wesley’s teaching, she encourages daily self-reflection, humility, and awareness of our actions. She offers three practical steps: consider the heart, don’t assume, and seek forgiveness when needed. While liv...

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ashley reflects on the emotional shift after Easter, when the joy of resurrection gives way to everyday life. Drawing from scripture, she reminds the congregation that trials will continue, even in seasons of light, but these challenges refine and strengthen faith. The hope and promise of Easter do not fade; they remain constant, offering assurance of God’s victory and eternal life. She encourages believers to hold onto visible and spiritual reminders of God’s presence...

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ashley’s Palm Sunday message centers on the idea that things are not always as they seem. Drawing from her own experiences, she highlights how assumptions about people and situations can lead to disappointment or unexpected joy. She points to Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea as unlikely disciples who, through curiosity and courage, stepped forward when others withdrew. Their example challenges us to move beyond surface-level judgments and remain open to God’s deeper w...

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ashley reflects on the story of Simon of Cyrene, the man compelled to carry Jesus’ cross. Though he appears briefly in the Easter narrative, Simon becomes an example of unlikely companionship. What began as an unexpected interruption placed him beside Christ on the road to the cross. Through Simon’s experience, the sermon explores how suffering and life’s sudden disruptions can draw people closer to God and to one another. Rather than avoiding hardship, believers are i...

Send us Fan Mail In her sermon “Unlikely Opposition,” Pastor Ashley reflects on how God can use opposing voices for our growth. Sharing stories from her own life, she recalls moments when disappointment and hard feedback became unexpected gifts of wisdom and redirection. Drawing on Peter’s denial of Jesus in the Gospel account, she highlights the servant girl as a surprising messenger who exposed Peter’s fear and called him back to truth. Opposition, she explains, is not always meant to harm;...

Send us Fan Mail In this post–Valentine’s Day sermon, Pastor Ashley reminds the church that love is more than a feeling—it is obedience to Christ. While we grow tired of talking about love, living it is harder. Jesus defines love as keeping his commands and remaining in him. True love is faithful, steady, and often costly, requiring us to die to self in everyday moments—apologizing first, telling the truth, serving when tired. Like the Good Samaritan, love crosses the road. Love is not one it...

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ashley explores Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the weeds, reminding listeners that the kingdom of heaven is both a future hope and a present reality. Jesus teaches in parables to awaken receptive hearts and invite transformation, not judgment. While good and harmful forces coexist in the world, followers of Christ are not called to uproot others, but to tend the wheat by living faithfully. Pastor Ashley offers five practices for discerning without becoming cruel, incl...

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ashley’s sermon explores the tension between the “kingdom of self” and the “kingdom of God.” She explains how the gravitational pull of our own desires, priorities, and even well-intentioned habits can draw us away from God and ultimately enslave us. Using the parable of the prodigal son, she shows that both self-indulgence and self-righteousness can trap us. True freedom is found when God’s kingdom takes priority, marked by humility, trust, grace, and love. The sermon...

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ashley reflects on the story of the Magi, emphasizing that their wisdom came not only from knowledge, but from discernment and obedience. Though the Magi understood prophecy and signs, their defining moment was trusting God’s warning in a dream and choosing a different path home, quietly resisting Herod’s power. Their decision protected Jesus and allowed God’s plan to unfold. The sermon invites listeners to consider how God often speaks through whispers rather than dra...

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ashley invites the congregation to reflect on the power of “what if” questions and how they open space for deeper faith, especially during Advent. She centers the message on Mary’s story and asks, “What if Mary said no?” While Mary’s role in salvation is unique, her experience reflects something we all share: free will, uncertainty, and the need for trust in God. Mary responds with curiosity and a desire to understand before offering her yes. Her willingness and praise...

Send us Fan Mail Lori Bakewell shares her personal journey of losing and rediscovering joy after a season of profound loss, family responsibilities, and emotional exhaustion. Though she continued “showing up” in life, she realized she had mistaken being “happy enough” for true joy. A difficult Christmas Eve became a turning point, leading her to seek God’s answer and reflect on joy as something deeper and foundational. Lori learned that joy requires intention—recognizing the difference betwee...

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ashley teaches that “trusting in the waiting” is essential to spiritual growth. In a world used to instant answers and constant updates, waiting feels uncomfortable, even anxiety-inducing—but God uses waiting to shape our character, deepen our dependence, and align us with divine timing. Drawing from Romans 8 and the image of an apple tree that stores energy after a harsh frost, she explains that seasons that seem dormant are actually preparing us for abundance. Script...