In this fourth and final week of Advent, Pastor James reflects on the theme of love as the lived promise of Emmanuel—God with us. Drawing from Wesleyan theology, he frames love not as an abstract idea but as a practice of presence: being fully present with God, with ourselves, and with others. He offers three simple, accessible practices to make love tangible—an Emmanuel breath prayer (“God with us”), intentionally being present with another person without agenda or judgment, and engaging in anonymous acts of kindness that allow God’s love to be experienced in the world. As Advent draws to a close and Christmas approaches, this reflection invites listeners to embody discipleship by making hope, peace, joy, and love real through everyday, practical acts of presence and care.

In this Advent reflection on Joy, Pastor James invites the Dulin community to move beyond seeing joy as mere happiness and instead understand it as a deep, resilient gladness rooted in connection with God and nurtured through daily practice. Drawing on Wesleyan theology and Paul’s teaching on the fruit of the Spirit, he frames joy as something cultivated through lived faith, even amid difficulty. He offers three simple, practical practices: naming one small joy each day, engaging in an act of joyful generosity, and giving oneself permission to honestly feel and share one’s emotions in God’s presence. Through everyday examples—warm coffee, children’s laughter, sunlight through stained glass—James reminds listeners that joy often arises in ordinary, unexpected moments and grows when it is noticed, shared, and welcomed. He closes with a blessing that joy might meet listeners in surprising places as they continue their Advent journey toward love.

In this second week of Advent, James reflects on the meaning of peace—not as mere quiet or the absence of conflict, but as the deep biblical vision of shalom/shlama: wholeness, right relationship, and holy love. He invites the congregation into practical, accessible ways of embodying peace each day, beginning with a simple “peace pause” of slow breathing and the prayer, “Christ, make peace in me and through me.” James encourages peaceable conversations marked by attentive listening, genuine apology, and intentional encouragement, as well as extending peace outward by silently blessing those we pass in our daily lives. In a season often filled with chaos and hurry, he reminds listeners that worship and community can be a sanctuary of calm and connection, and he prays that Christ’s peace would take root in each heart—shaping self-care, relationships, and presence in the world throughout this Advent journey.

In this week’s episode, Pastor James reflects on the first theme of Advent—hope—through a practical Wesleyan lens, describing hope not merely as optimism about the future but as a deep assurance that God is already at work in and around us. He offers several simple practices for cultivating this assurance in daily life: identifying one small “next step” that makes space for God’s work, lighting a candle with the prayer “Lord, awaken hope in me today,” reaching out to someone who feels unseen, and lifting up hopes for the church or one’s faith community in prayer. Acknowledging how easily hope can feel fragile amid the world’s struggles, he reminds listeners that they are not alone—God’s Spirit is continually working through the community and through each of us. Hope becomes real, he says, when we participate in God’s ongoing work, planting small seeds of encouragement, presence, and faith in our lives and in the lives of others as we journey through Advent.

In this final installment of the five-part series on the United Methodist membership vows, James reflects on the meaning of witness—a word rooted in the Greek martyr, originally meaning one who testifies to what they know to be true. He explores how Scripture itself is a tapestry of diverse witnesses, each telling their authentic story of encountering God, and how the Gospels model for us a way of sharing our own stories with honesty and depth. James notes that being a witness is not about copying someone else’s journey but embracing and articulating our own, recognizing both the moments of falling and the grace that lifted us back up. He highlights the powerful examples of witnesses such as Mother Teresa, Oscar Romero, and Martin Luther King Jr., whose lives embodied courageous faith. Ultimately, James invites listeners to consider how their everyday actions, choices, generosity, and presence proclaim the good news—often without words—and how each person’s unique story becomes part of the great cloud of witnesses that shapes the life and mission of Dulin UMC.

In this week’s Dulin Weekly Podcast, Pastor James reflects on the United Methodist vow to support the church through service, exploring how service extends far beyond committee roles and Sunday morning ministries. While acts like singing in the choir, teaching Sunday school, or volunteering with Ministry of Hope are vital expressions of service within the congregation, James reminds us that John Wesley’s conviction that “the world is our parish” calls us to serve God everywhere we go. Every act of kindness—caring for a neighbor, supporting a teammate’s family, offering compassion at work, or participating in mission efforts like Appalachia Service Project or Rebuilding Together—is an opportunity to live out this vow. Service, he says, is less about grand gestures and more about showing up for others with the gifts God has placed within us. This episode invites listeners to reflect on where their passions and the world’s needs meet, trusting that in both ordinary and extraordinary ways, we serve God by serving others.

In this week’s episode of the Dulin Weekly Podcast, Pastor James reflects on the third vow United Methodists make when joining the church—to support it with our gifts. While financial giving remains an important part of sustaining Dulin’s ministries, James broadens the meaning of “gifts” to include the many ways people share their God-given talents, time, and presence. From singing in the choir and teaching children to volunteering with ESL classes and community outreach, every act of service is an offering of grace. Drawing from Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians about the diversity of spiritual gifts, James reminds listeners that each person is a unique gift from God to the community. He encourages everyone to reflect on how they might share their own gifts more fully—whether through generosity, creativity, or service—and to remember that their very being is a blessing to others.

In this week’s episode of the Dulin Weekly Podcast, titled “Vows: Presence,” Pastor James Henry explores what it truly means to live out the vow of presence as part of our commitment to the church and to one another. Moving beyond simply showing up physically, he reflects on the deeper call to intentional presence—to be fully attentive and engaged, whether in worship, relationships, or even digital spaces. Drawing on the example of Jesus as Emmanuel, God with us, James invites listeners to see presence as an act of love and ministry, a way of embodying God’s nearness through mindful attention and compassionate companionship. He encourages listeners to ask where they are being invited to show up more fully in their lives and to rediscover how true presence can transform both giver and receiver.