Part 8: Hope in Bloom: Practicing Spiritual Gardening, July 5, 2026

Part 8: Hope in Bloom: Practicing Spiritual Gardening, July 5, 2026

Midway Christian Church sermon for July 5, 2026 Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian, Church, Midway KY Worship Series: Hope in Bloom: Practicing Spiritual Gardening “What does it mean to ‘grow in the Spirit’ in a world that often feels divided and exhausted? In this series, we move beyond seeing the Fruit of the Spirit as a checklist for individual perfection. Instead, we explore these nine virtues—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—as collective practices of resistance and restoration. Drawing on our Disciples’ identity as a ‘People of the Table,’ we will ask how the Spirit’s work in us expands our capacity for radical hospitality and social justice. We aren’t just growing fruit for ourselves; we are inviting hope to bloom in our community and in our world. Join us as we learn to be spiritual gardeners, opening ourselves to God’s Spirit which is always moving us toward inclusion, wholeness, and the Beloved Community of God” Part 8: “Gentleness as De-escalation” Proverbs 15:1-4, 7, 12, 14, 18 Imagine what would happen, what could happen if we embraced the wisdom of Proverbs; if we lived out the understanding that hot tempers start fights, and a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace; if conversations were more about listening than having the last word; if we gave ourselves and others permission and grace to be human in the midst of difficult conversations, all in the hopes of it leading to understanding. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.midwaychristian.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org] Theology Tuesday - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.midwaychristian.org/theology-tuesday/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org/theology-tuesday/] Podcast - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/02LvThUZCYUETnyShPsr2j⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/02LvThUZCYUETnyShPsr2j] Sermon Library - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.midwaychristian.org/sermons/⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org/sermons/]

Part 7: Hope in Bloom: Practicing Spiritual Gardening, June 28, 2026

Midway Christian Church sermon for June 28, 2026 Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian, Church, Midway KY Worship Series: Hope in Bloom: Practicing Spiritual Gardening “What does it mean to ‘grow in the Spirit’ in a world that often feels divided and exhausted? In this series, we move beyond seeing the Fruit of the Spirit as a checklist for individual perfection. Instead, we explore these nine virtues—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—as collective practices of resistance and restoration. Drawing on our Disciples’ identity as a ‘People of the Table,’ we will ask how the Spirit’s work in us expands our capacity for radical hospitality and social justice. We aren’t just growing fruit for ourselves; we are inviting hope to bloom in our community and in our world. Join us as we learn to be spiritual gardeners, opening ourselves to God’s Spirit which is always moving us toward inclusion, wholeness, and the Beloved Community of God” Part 7: “Faithfulness as Covenant” Hebrews 11:1, 3-39 We enter into a covenantal relationship with God when we fully embraced our identity as God's Beloved. We mark the covenant with rites and rituals...baptism, communion, worship. And then, we are called to live out this covenantal relationship in all we do and say. This is our relationship with God. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.midwaychristian.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org] Theology Tuesday - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.midwaychristian.org/theology-tuesday/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org/theology-tuesday/] Podcast - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/02LvThUZCYUETnyShPsr2j⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/02LvThUZCYUETnyShPsr2j] Sermon Library - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.midwaychristian.org/sermons/⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org/sermons/]

“Who is My Neighbor?" Luke 10:25-37, June 21, 2026

Midway Christian Church sermon for June 21, 2026 Guest Preacher: Rev. Christy Messick, Midway Christian, Church, Midway KY “Who is My Neighbor?" Luke 10:25-37 True neighborliness is about the joy, and inconveniences, of being confronted with one another’s reality. It’s about realizing that there is someone in a ditch and not pretending you did not see them. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.midwaychristian.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [http://www.midwaychristian.org] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Tuesday⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org/theology-tuesday/%20] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcasts⁠⁠ [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/midway-christian] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sermon Library⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org/sermons/]

Part 6: Hope in Bloom: Practicing Spiritual Gardening, June 14, 2026

Midway Christian Church sermon for June 7, 2026 Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian, Church, Midway KY Worship Series: Hope in Bloom: Practicing Spiritual Gardening “What does it mean to ‘grow in the Spirit’ in a world that often feels divided and exhausted? In this series, we move beyond seeing the Fruit of the Spirit as a checklist for individual perfection. Instead, we explore these nine virtues—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—as collective practices of resistance and restoration. Drawing on our Disciples’ identity as a ‘People of the Table,’ we will ask how the Spirit’s work in us expands our capacity for radical hospitality and social justice. We aren’t just growing fruit for ourselves; we are inviting hope to bloom in our community and in our world. Join us as we learn to be spiritual gardeners, opening ourselves to God’s Spirit which is always moving us toward inclusion, wholeness, and the Beloved Community of God” Part 6: “Goodness as Public Integrity” Psalm 15 blurb ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.midwaychristian.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org] Theology Tuesday - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.midwaychristian.org/theology-tuesday/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org/theology-tuesday/] Podcast - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/02LvThUZCYUETnyShPsr2j⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/02LvThUZCYUETnyShPsr2j] Sermon Library - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.midwaychristian.org/sermons/⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org/sermons/]

Part 5: Hope in Bloom: Practicing Spiritual Gardening, June 7, 2026

Midway Christian Church sermon for June 7, 2026 Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl, Midway Christian, Church, Midway KY Worship Series: Hope in Bloom: Practicing Spiritual Gardening “What does it mean to ‘grow in the Spirit’ in a world that often feels divided and exhausted? In this series, we move beyond seeing the Fruit of the Spirit as a checklist for individual perfection. Instead, we explore these nine virtues—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—as collective practices of resistance and restoration. Drawing on our Disciples’ identity as a ‘People of the Table,’ we will ask how the Spirit’s work in us expands our capacity for radical hospitality and social justice. We aren’t just growing fruit for ourselves; we are inviting hope to bloom in our community and in our world. Join us as we learn to be spiritual gardeners, opening ourselves to God’s Spirit which is always moving us toward inclusion, wholeness, and the Beloved Community of God” Part 5: “Kindness as Radical Hospitality” Luke 14:7-24 Kindness can mean different things to different people. The meaning is in how YOU choose to show it. Be it through empathy, acceptance, kind gestures, thoughtfulness, the possibilities are entirely up to you. Kindness might look like being helpful or showing empathy. It may mean doing nice things without expecting nice things in return. Kindness is more than being nice. Kindness goes beyond merely being nice. …Being kind is doing intentional, voluntary acts of kindness. Not only when it’s easy to be kind, but when it’s hard to be. Kindness is a movement.” (charactercounts.org/digital_classroom/kindness-101/) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.midwaychristian.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org] Theology Tuesday - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.midwaychristian.org/theology-tuesday/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org/theology-tuesday/] Podcast - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/02LvThUZCYUETnyShPsr2j⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/02LvThUZCYUETnyShPsr2j] Sermon Library - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.midwaychristian.org/sermons/⁠⁠ [https://www.midwaychristian.org/sermons/]