Pastor’s Column (Page 9)

Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! The journey from ashes to lilies is almost upon us. Ash Wednesday is March 1 this year and Easter Sunday is April 16. Between those two days we are challenged in our faith and in our life to make sacrifices and become more disciplined in an effort to grow closer to God and to fully realize the impact of the cross and empty tomb in our life. On Wednesday, March 1, we will gather…

Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! I recently found this poem by Aleena as I was reflecting on the meaning of a new year and wanted to share it with you. Read it and consider what possibilities are on the horizon for 2017. What goals do you have? How do you desire to grow and change in the coming year? What steps will you take to fulfill these desires? The year is ripe with possibilities and I am excited to…

Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! Thanksgiving isn’t here yet (while I am writing this), but my brain, my desk and the church are already full speed ahead planning and preparing for the Advent and Christmas season. In the spirit of speeding ahead, I want to dedicate this article to the year 2017. In 2017 I am planning on focusing on three simple words: Invite. Welcome. Disciple. Invite. I walk outside the doors of our church and I see houses.…

Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! Christmas is creeping ever so close as the countdowns have begun. Here at church we are already getting ready for Advent and the Christmas season. The Worship committee has chosen “The Redemption of Scrooge” as our worship and study series for Advent, as we use the timeless classic A Christmas Carol as our launching point for the message of Christ’s birth and our redemption through his life and death. The Christian Education committee has…

Blessings, Pastor Stacy Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! Near the end of a busy time at church I always proclaim that a slower season is coming and that I will be catching my breath, but after 11 years of ministry I have learned that there are no slow seasons of the church. Summer may be coming to a close, but a new season of church is about to launch and I am beyond excited for it. This month we…

Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! Christ calls us to take up our cross and follow Him. This is not always easy to do. Sometimes He asks us to follow Him down unknown paths or into uncomfortable situations. The challenge in our faith is to trust Him enough to follow, no matter what. To follow Christ into ministry was a scary and difficult decision for me, but mission trips have always been an easy decision to follow. Christ has led…

Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! Summer is officially here, both with the kids being out of school and in the heat that is starting to hit. As a kid this was my favorite time of year, as I got two months of freedom from the classroom, and as an adult it is still one of my favorite times of year. When the kids are out of school I get to play as a pastor and that just makes my…

Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! This morning I sat with the Tuesday morning Bible study class and watched the live feed of General Conference as the president of the Council of Bishops for the United Methodist Church addressed the church on behalf of our bishops. Bishop Bruce Ough explained that his heart was broken for our church over what has been happening over the last week during General Conference. He spoke about the varying views of the bishops on…

Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! The saying tells us that April showers bring May flowers and while it might not have been as much rain as we needed, we definitely had some rainy days in April. The product of those rains will be seen in our flower beds and gardens as we venture into May. I look forward to the colors and brightness that comes from the spring season, despite not always enjoying the inconvenience and sometimes damage that…

Greetings, Brothers and Sisters in Christ! I just got back from cleaning up the Easter Sunday remnants in the sanctuary. The unclaimed Easter lilies have been moved to soak up the sun in the patio, the empty Easter eggs and children’s worship packets were moved to my office and the bits of trash have made their way into the bottom of the trash can. As I walked through, I reflected on the wonder of our Easter services. The music was…