SUMMARY
In this homecoming sermon, Rev. Susannah Grubbs Carr invites the congregation to reflect on the sacred power of birth stories, both personal and institutional. Using the founding of Millsaps College in 1890 as a backdrop, she draws a meaningful parallel between the vision of early Methodist leaders who planted seeds of faith and education and the calling each generation has to faithfully water what has been entrusted to them. Just as Bishop Galloway, Major Millsaps, and others dreamed of something larger than themselves, so too are we called to steward the gifts and relationships we have inherited with generosity and purpose.
Drawing from Paul's words to the Corinthians, Rev. Carr reminds us that neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is the ultimate source of growth. God is. Our role is to be faithful partners in a shared mission, honoring those who came before us not simply by remembering what they built, but by asking what our own stewardship and commitment can contribute to the continuing story. Echoing John Wesley's final words, 'The best of all, God is with us,' she calls the congregation to move forward with renewed purpose, rooted in who they are and whose they are, as beloved children of God.
INTRO PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we come before You today grateful for the stories You have written in our lives and in the communities we call home. As we gather together, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to what You want to speak to us today. Quiet the noise around us and within us, and help us to truly listen. May this time together not simply be a conversation among ourselves, but a moment where Your voice breaks through and leads us closer to You and to one another. We trust that You are still at work, still planting, still watering, and still giving the growth. Have Your way in us today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
ICE BREAKER
What is one detail from your own birth story or childhood that you know about, and who told it to you?
KEY VERSES
1 Corinthians 3:6-9
Psalm 31:14-15
Psalm 19:14
QUESTIONS
Rev. Carr says our birth story reminds us that we are a person of worth before we ever accomplish or prove anything. How does knowing you are a beloved child of God shape the way you see yourself on a daily basis?
She describes the founders of Millsaps College as people who were willing to invest in something whose fullest flourishing they might never live to see. Can you think of a time when someone planted something in your life that they never got to see fully grow? How did that impact you?
Paul writes that he planted and Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. What does it look like practically to trust God with the outcomes of the work we are called to do, rather than trying to control the results ourselves?
Rev. Carr says that a living institution, like a living faith, must continue to grow and change over time. Where in your own faith journey have you experienced necessary growth or change that felt uncomfortable at first but ultimately drew you closer to God?
The sermon emphasizes that we are stewards of something that began long before us and will continue long after us. How does that perspective change the way you think about your role in your church, your family, or your community?
Rev. Carr asks how we are nurturing the gifts of the young people entrusted to our care and building communities where every person's dignity and worth is honored. What is one specific way your small group or church community could do this better?
John Wesley's final words were, 'The best of all, God is with us.' How does that declaration speak to you personally, especially in seasons of uncertainty or when things have not gone the way you hoped?
Homecoming, as described in this sermon, is about remembering who we are so we can go forward with renewed purpose. What is something from your own spiritual history or story that you need to revisit in order to move forward with greater clarity and confidence?
LIFE APPLICATIONS
This week, take time to write down or reflect on your own spiritual birth story. Think about who planted seeds of faith in your life, who has watered those seeds along the way, and where you can see God's growth in your story. Then identify one person in your life, perhaps someone younger or newer in their faith, in whom you can intentionally invest this week. Reach out to them, encourage them, or simply let them know they are seen and valued. Be a faithful planter or waterer in someone else's story, and trust God to give the growth.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Our identity as beloved children of God is not earned through accomplishment. It is given before we ever prove anything, and remembering this truth is the foundation of a life of faith.
God calls us to be faithful planters and waterers, trusting that the growth ultimately belongs to Him. Our role is partnership and stewardship, not ownership of outcomes.
We are part of a story that began long before us and will continue long after us. Honoring those who came before means asking what our own faithfulness, generosity, and commitment can contribute to the next chapter.
A living faith, like a living community, must continue to grow and change in order to fully become what God has created it to be in each new season.
No matter the circumstances of our lives or the uncertainty of our times, the best of all is that God is with us. His faithfulness does not depend on our seasons or situations.
ENDING PRAYER
Lord, we thank You for this time together and for the reminder that we are part of a story much larger than ourselves. Thank You for those who planted before us, for those who have watered alongside us, and for the promise that You are the One who gives the growth. As we leave this place today, help us to carry forward a renewed sense of who we are and whose we are. Give us the courage to plant generously, to water faithfully, and to trust You with what we cannot control or fully see. May we never forget that the best of all is that You are with us, in our homes, in our communities, in our churches, and in every chapter of the story You are still writing in our lives. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
