Warrenton United Methodist Church

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley’s sermon focuses on John Wesley’s second rule: “do good.” Christians are called to imitate Christ by showing compassion to everyone, even in difficult or unjust situations. Doing good is not passive but intentional—choosing love, humility, and self-control over retaliation. Jesus modeled this by responding to suffering with grace and forgiveness. While believers seek justice and change, they are reminded to act in ways that reflect God’s character. Through ongoing self-assessment, Christians can align their actions with Christ’s example. Ultimately, the message emphasizes personal responsibility: we cannot control others, but we can always choose to do good, no matter what.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor 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 living in perfect peace is difficult, these practices help us grow in grace, strengthen relationships, and reflect Christ’s love, bringing healing, unity, and greater peace into our lives and communities.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail This sermon reflects on life after Easter, when celebration fades and quiet returns. In those ordinary, sometimes heavy moments, we often face buried fatigue, doubt, and disappointment. Drawing from the Emmaus story, the message reminds us that Jesus meets us not in perfection or mountaintop experiences, but in everyday life—walking beside us even when we don’t recognize Him. Through personal testimony and scripture, the sermon emphasizes healing, presence, and abiding with Christ through simple, intentional moments. Transformation comes not from changed circumstances, but from recognizing we are not alone. In that awareness, hope is renewed, courage rises, and faith deepens in the midst of daily life. http://www.warrentonumc.orgWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor 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, to love and trust despite not seeing Christ, and to carry resurrection hope forward. Communion serves as a weekly anchor, nourishing faith and uniting all in Christ’s enduring grace.http://www.warrentonumc.orgWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley’s sermon reminds listeners that while we often believe we can predict life’s outcomes, God is continually writing a greater story. Using examples of predictable endings and surprising twists, she connects this truth to Easter. Like the women at the tomb and disciples on the road, we may assume loss is final. Yet the resurrection reveals God is already present and at work. What seems like an ending may be a beginning. Believers are invited to trust Jesus, look for unexpected hope, and live confident that God brings redemption and new life beyond every circumstance we face each day.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor 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 work. This Palm Sunday invites us to stay curious, reconsider what we think we know, and embrace unexpected people and opportunities as part of God’s unfolding kingdom.http://www.warrentonumc.orgWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley’s sermon, Unlikely Courage, focuses on the quiet bravery of those who stayed with Jesus at the cross when others ran. Figures like Mary Magdalene and the beloved disciple didn’t fully understand what was happening, but they showed up anyway, choosing love over fear. Their witness becomes a model for us. Through the story of Clarence Jordan, the message brings that same challenge into today—are we willing to follow Jesus when it costs us something? Often, we already know what we’re called to do; the real struggle is finding the courage to do it. Faith, she reminds us, means showing up, even when it’s hard.http://www.warrentonumc.orgWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor 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 invited to walk faithfully through it with Christ and supportive companions. True discipleship means carrying burdens together, discovering that even painful journeys can deepen faith and lead toward God.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley explores how shame and blame are deeply rooted in human nature, tracing the impulse to scapegoat others from biblical stories through to today. Drawing on her own personal experiences with perfectionism and unworthiness, she explains how Jesus, by willingly becoming the ultimate scapegoat, frees us from shame's power. His sacrifice gives us three gifts: freedom from scapegoating, freedom from self-preservation, and the freedom to openly admit our mistakes. When our identity is rooted in Christ rather than in our own perfection, we are liberated to pursue reconciliation, live humbly, and break the endless cycle of blame.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn 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; sometimes it lovingly challenges, corrects, and refines us. The question is not whether we’ll face opposition, but how we will respond when truth confronts us.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this Lenten message, Pastor Ashley reflects on Lent as a sacred reset, a season of repentance, sacrifice, and renewed perspective. Preaching on Mary anointing Jesus, she contrasts familiar roles such as Martha serving and Judas criticizing with Mary’s extravagant and unexpected devotion. Mary’s costly offering models surrendered love that catches the world off guard. Lent invites believers to break routines, release barriers, and offer their own “unlikely offering” to Christ. Through generosity, forgiveness, hospitality, and deeper commitment of time, talent, and treasure, disciples are called to pour themselves out in bold and authentic devotion.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn 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 item on the Christian list; it is the list. When we abide in Christ, love becomes sufficient and transformative.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn the final week of the Defying Gravity series, Pastor Ashley invites us to move beyond reflection and into action. After weeks of examining what holds our attention, how we use our time, and what we cling to, this message centers on generosity as the way God’s kingdom breaks into our lives. Through Scripture, story, and vivid illustrations, we are reminded that holding too tightly to what doesn’t last steals joy, while letting go creates freedom and life. As Lent approaches, we are called to live with open hands, open hearts, and renewed commitment to God’s kingdom that endures forever.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor 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, including guarding our hearts, seeking clarity through prayer, and leaving room for transformation. Through compassionate action, generosity, and faithful witness, the church reflects Christ and participates in God’s kingdom breaking into the world today.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley continued the Defying Gravity series by challenging listeners to break free from the culture of “more” and make God the priority through intentional living and generosity. Using the story of early transatlantic flight, she contrasted failed attempts driven by excess and ego with Charles Lindbergh’s success, rooted in simplicity, focus, preparation, and intentionality. These same principles, she explained, shape faithful discipleship and stewardship. Drawing from Jesus’ parable of the rich fool, she urged mindful living oriented toward eternity rather than self. When our lives are designed around God’s priorities, generosity becomes reflexive, joyful, and life-giving.Printable version of the Budget Worksheethttp://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor 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 challenges listeners to examine how they use their time, reorient their lives toward God, and remember that God’s freedom is not earned but received each time we choose to return home.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley introduces the Defying Gravity sermon series, exploring the unseen forces that shape our lives. Using gravity as a metaphor, she describes how cultural pressures, media, possessions, and misplaced desires can pull us away from God when God is not our primary grounding force. Drawing from the story of the rich young man, she highlights how confusion between wants and needs creates spiritual imbalance and incompleteness. Jesus’ call to surrender exposes what stands between us and true freedom. The sermon invites listeners to simplify their lives, reorder priorities, and make room for God’s work, choosing completeness, freedom, and stewardship over fear, excess, and distraction.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor 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 dramatic signs, calling believers to position themselves to listen, trust those nudges, and be willing to change course in faithful obedience, even when it feels costly or unclear.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley reflects on Christmas wisdom through familiar Christmas movies, especially The Grinch, to explore the power of belief. She explains how deeply held beliefs shape behavior, relationships, and identity, using Cindy Lou and the Grinch as examples of hope and self protection. The sermon highlights how past pain can distort belief, but loving community and truth can renew it. When beliefs shift toward God’s perspective, lives are transformed. Drawing from Romans 12:2, Pastor Ashley encourages intentional reflection so that Christmas endures beyond the season, renewing minds, restoring worth, and grounding believers in love, belonging, and hope.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor 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 show that God often asks us to step into things that do not fully make sense. Advent challenges us to consider how we will respond when God calls us to the same depth of faith and surrender.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley reflects on the theme of preparations during Advent, linking our Christmas preparations with Zechariah’s sacred duty in the temple. Chosen by lot to offer prayers for Israel’s redemption, Zechariah also brings his long-held personal prayer for a child. When the angel Gabriel appears and announces that both prayers will be answered through the birth of John, Zechariah struggles to believe. His imposed silence becomes both consequence and gift, creating space for hope to take root. The sermon invites us to consider how God prepares us, how we wait with “just enough” faith, and how hope transforms us.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailLori 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 between happiness and joy, practicing gratitude in small everyday moments, and sharing joy with others. Rediscovering joy transformed her life and strengthened her faith through future hardships.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley teaches that God is always speaking, just as God spoke to Samuel throughout his life. Samuel’s story shows the power of listening—not just hearing—with attention, obedience, and trust. Though Samuel never saw the fulfillment of God’s long-term plan, his faithfulness helped set the stage for Jesus’ arrival. Waiting becomes meaningful when we listen, obey, and stay faithful in the in-between. Pastor Ashley encourages us to keep going when God feels silent, focus on blessing others, and practice obedience even when the path is unclear. When we listen with purpose, waiting becomes partnership with God, shaping us and future generations.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor 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. Scripture shows God’s promises unfolding slowly across generations. Likewise, in our own waiting—painful or uncertain—God is already at work beneath the surface, preparing a harvest of hope.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley’s sermon reflected on Elijah’s story as a reminder of the power and purpose of pausing. She began by noting the simple wisdom of rest—sometimes all we need is “a nap and a snack.” Through Elijah’s exhaustion and despair, God met him not with judgment but with care, providing food, rest, and renewal before speaking in a gentle whisper. Pastor Ashley reminded us that God often works most deeply when we stop striving—when we rest, listen, and allow space for His presence. Pauses, whether chosen or forced, can be sacred interruptions where God restores, redirects, and renews our strength and purpose.http://www.warrrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley’s sermon reflected on Jesus raising Lazarus and the deep lessons it offers about grief, faith, and hope. She reminded us that even Jesus experienced profound sorrow, showing the depth of His love and His reliance on prayer. Through His example, we learn to grieve honestly, pray expectantly, and trust that God is always working for redemption. Pastor Ashley emphasized that “Sozo Jesus” — the rescuer, healer, and restorer — continues God’s redemptive work in our lives. Though pain may not fully end, it softens as we cling to faith and community, trusting that God will redeem and restore all things.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley’s sermon, “Wounded Healer,” reminds us that while pain and grief are unavoidable parts of life, God’s faithfulness sustains us through them. Using examples from scripture and personal stories, she emphasizes that God comforts us not just to ease our pain, but to equip us to comfort others. True healing comes through partnership—with God and with one another—as we journey through life’s deserts together. Like Jesus, who wept with Mary and Martha, we are called to sit with others in their grief, offering presence, compassion, and faith that healing and hope still lie ahead. We are comforted to be comforters.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailThis sermon opens a new series, “A Time to Heal,” focusing on grief as both a personal and communal experience. Pastor Ashley invites prayer that God be glorified through reflection and healing. Grief, they note, takes many forms—loss of loved ones, relationships, dreams, or stability—and affects everyone. Drawing from the story of Jesus weeping for Lazarus, the message shows that grief is not weakness but a shared human and divine experience. Jesus’ deep emotion reveals that outrage and compassion coexist in faithful mourning. Pastor Ashley urges embracing grief together, allowing it to connect us, heal us, and lead to new life in Christ.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailFather David Lucey reflects on faith, hope, and God’s enduring presence amid loss and exile. Drawing from Jeremiah’s letter to the exiled Jews, Father David emphasizes that God’s plans are for restoration and hope, even when life feels disoriented or uncertain. Using humor about Methodist and Episcopal traditions, Father David connects ancient exile to modern experiences of displacement and hardship. The message underscores that God is not bound to one place or people—He is with us everywhere, sustaining and guiding us through pain toward renewal. Communion symbolizes this truth: in every circumstance, God remains faithful, present, and restorative.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley explores the meaning and purpose of the Sabbath as a divine invitation to rest, resist busyness, and restore balance. Rooted in obedience, which C.S. Lewis called “the key to all doors,” Sabbath opens the way to God’s intended goodness. Pastor Ashley reminds us that neglecting rest harms God’s creation within us and that true Sabbath is intentional, restorative, and peaceful. Drawing from Scripture and Jesus’ example of retreat and renewal, the message emphasizes that Sabbath bridges loving God and loving others. It is not idleness but soul regeneration—a sacred pause that sharpens our spiritual “axes” for God’s work.http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley’s sermon continues exploring the Ten Commandments, highlighting their depth beyond a list of “don’ts.” Last week focused on honoring God; this week turns to six commandments guiding relationships with others. These rules—honoring parents, not murdering, stealing, lying, committing adultery, or coveting—emphasize respect, integrity, and valuing life. Pastor Ashley reframes them as life-giving invitations: to act with integrity, prioritize relationships, and value community. Though living with others is messy, these commandments serve as God’s gift to simplify and enrich life. The challenge: send a note of encouragement or gratitude this week, choosing love in action. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley began a new sermon series on the Ten Commandments, focusing this week on the first three that call us to honor God. She reminded us that these commandments, given to Moses during Israel’s uncertain journey, were not rules to restrict but a covenant to guide God’s people into right relationship. The first three—no other gods, no idols, and not misusing God’s name—teach us to place God first, trust His greatness, and speak of Him with reverence. Grace always precedes obedience, and when we honor God first, every other part of our life and relationships flows rightly. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPeri Bever’s sermon focused on the theme of worth—not as defined by money, status, appearance, or the opinions of others, but by God’s love and design. Using examples like a Tiffany lamp at a yard sale, a violin in an auctioneer’s hands, and even a crumpled dollar bill, she illustrated that true value is not situational but constant. Our worth doesn’t depend on shifting measures such as jobs, relationships, or numbers on a scale. Instead, it is declared by God, who prizes us as His children. Peri urged the congregation to stop comparing, speak truth, and see others as treasured. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailReverend Doctor Michelle Holmes Chaney reflects on Psalm 139 and the assurance that God is always present with us—past, present, and future. Using both scripture and personal stories, Dr. Holmes Chaney reminds us that although we often let distractions and obstacles block our awareness, God has never moved away from us. Just as a parent senses the presence of their child, we are invited to recognize God’s closeness, even as near as our own breath. By uncluttering our lives and focusing on God, we can live fully as disciples of Jesus Christ, transformed by His Spirit and empowered to transform the world. http://www.warrrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley reflects on the meaning of “Amen,” reminding us it is not just a word of agreement or punctuation in worship, but a way of life. Rooted in the Hebrew for “truly” and “let it be,” Amen is both affirmation and action. Hebrews 13 calls us to live out our Amen through love, hospitality, compassion, and solidarity with those in need. Following Christ’s example, we embody Amen by serving, caring, and building community together. Amen is lived in how we love one another, extend welcome to strangers, and reflect God’s presence beyond the church walls. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley reflects on how easily people can lose direction in life, using technology, GPS, and personal stories as metaphors for spiritual guidance. She emphasizes that faith often requires a “reset” to realign with God’s will, drawing from Paul’s dramatic Damascus encounter and Ananias’s quieter act of obedience. Both reveal that God uses different experiences—loud or subtle—to redirect us. Like the blind skier who trusts his father’s voice to guide him safely down a mountain, we are called to listen attentively and trust God’s direction. True transformation comes through hearing, obeying, and allowing God to reset our path. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley’s sermon explores the importance of living with God’s purpose. Using the film Cast Away, she illustrates how a sense of purpose sustains us through challenges. She shares Pastor Junius Dotson’s story of burnout, reminding us that passion without connection to God leads to emptiness. Through Scripture, Ashley shows how even Jesus paused from ministry to pray, “touching the bag” and resetting his focus. She warns against getting lost in busyness or others’ expectations, urging us to seek God’s direction through stillness and prayer. True fulfillment comes when we let God continually reshape and reset our purpose. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail Pastor Ashley reflects on how the Holy Spirit often redirects our lives, sometimes through sudden course corrections and other times through prolonged discomfort or restlessness. These moments of redirection call us to wrestle with God’s will, surrender our own plans, and align more closely with God’s values. Drawing from Galatians, she reminds us of the call to “die to self”—laying aside pride, self-reliance, unforgiveness, comfort, and comparison—so that we may fully live by the Spirit. When we embrace God’s redirection, we experience restoration, new purpose, and the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley reflects on the power of names and nicknames, noting that while many labels are given by others and don’t fully define us, Scripture reminds us of the most important name: Beloved. Drawing from Isaiah 43 and Jesus’ baptism in Luke, she emphasizes that before any achievements, roles, or titles, God calls us “Beloved” and is pleased with us. This identity is not earned but freely given through God’s love and grace. Ashley invites us to reset our perspective, release worldly expectations, and rest in the truth that we are God’s beloved, enough as we are, and called to follow His leading. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailPastor Ashley reflects on Paul’s letter to the Philippians, written during his imprisonment. Despite his chains, Paul continued to proclaim Christ with joy, inspiring guards, believers, and even skeptics. His suffering became a platform for the gospel to reach places it might never have otherwise. Pastor Ashley challenges us to consider what “chains” we carry—fear, expectations, insecurity, or struggle—and how God might use them for witness. By being authentic, clear, and intentional, our stories of faith can embolden others and glorify God. True freedom comes not from avoiding hardship, but from boldly living and sharing Christ’s story through ours. http://www.warrrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailFrom Pentecost to Warrenton UMC today, the story of the church is one of resilience, faith, and Spirit-led community. Just as the first believers faced fear, waiting, and opposition, our church has endured wars, pandemics, and change—yet continues to thrive. The early church modeled four essentials: teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. These practices remain the foundation of our witness, uniting us with God and one another. The church is not about buildings but people living in community, empowered by the Holy Spirit. In every season and circumstance, the church is our anchor, and our story continues forward. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailStories shape who we are, connect us to one another, and reveal God’s work in our lives. When we share our experiences, others recognize pieces of their own journey, building empathy, deepening relationships, and breaking down barriers. Testimonies are living stories of God’s presence—reminders of healing, provision, and grace that inspire hope and faith. Just as Paul taught the Corinthians that the body of Christ is made of many members, each story matters and contributes to the whole. By telling and receiving stories with humility and love, we glorify God, strengthen community, and witness to His faithfulness together. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn the opening message of the Your Story series, Pastor Ashley shares her own journey of faith, weaving together moments of clarity, struggle, surrender, and God’s surprising direction. Through seasons of uncertainty and loss, she discovered that when we let God lead, the pieces of our lives connect like a treasure map, revealing God’s faithfulness at every turn. Scripture reminds us to hold firmly to hope, draw near to God, and encourage one another as the body of Christ. Each person’s story bears witness to God’s presence and reminds us that our lives together reflect His glory and purpose. http://www.warrentonumc.orgSupport the showWarrenton United Methodist Church341 Church St.Warrenton VA [email protected]