Central United Methodist Church (Arlington, Virginia) Sermon Podcast
An audio podcast of the weekly message preached at Central United Methodist Church in Arlington, Virginia. You're invited to join us online for worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Visit us on the web at cumcballston.org to learn how to join us for worship via zoom or facebook live. You're invited to join our congregation where we worship God, serve others, and embrace all.
Central United Methodist Church (Arlington, Virginia) Sermon Podcast
Sacred Space
Sacred Space: Reflecting the Sacred
Scripture: Isaiah 35
This week at Central, we continue our Advent series Reflecting the Sacred by exploring what it means to find — and create — sacred space in a world that often feels dry, fractured, and joyless. Drawing from the prophetic vision of Isaiah 35, Pastor Christina Hart-Perkins invites us into a promise of unexpected renewal: that even deserts will bloom, and joy will emerge where we least expect it.
Isaiah speaks honestly to a people who have lost home, community, and stability. He does not minimize their pain or rush them toward false hope. Instead, he names the wilderness for what it is — a place of loss, fear, and disorientation — while boldly proclaiming that God does not abandon us there. In the very places that feel barren, God’s saving presence brings life, beauty, and restoration.
In this sermon, Pastor Christina reflects on joy not as something we manufacture through seasonal trappings or outward cheer, but as a deep and sustaining strength rooted in God’s faithfulness. Joy, she reminds us, is not denial of suffering — it is what carries us through it. Sacred spaces are often hidden within pain and truth-telling, and it is there that God continues to meet us, renew us, and call us forward.
Advent invites us to prepare not only for the birth of Christ, but for the ways God is still entering the dry and weary places of our lives and our world. As we wait, we are called to embody sacred space — shaping homes, communities, and hearts that reflect God’s justice, hope, and enduring joy.
🌀 Reflection Questions:
- How do the spaces I inhabit — at home, work, and in community — reflect God’s justice and joy?
- What am I being called to create in order to further goodness in the world?
- What emotions do I feel when I think about visiting a street adorned with Christmas lights or a calming nature spot?
✨ Listen as we reflect on wilderness, truth, and the joy that endures — and discover how God is still bringing life to bloom in the most unexpected places.