We are rapidly approaching Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. The various worship themes and events of the week offer powerful opportunities to reflect upon Jesus’ journey to the cross. We begin with the ironic celebration of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, then we move to the deeply personal time with the disciples at the last supper, and then we experience the darkness…

We have a church dinner event scheduled for next Wednesday, April 6 starting at 5pm in the fellowship hall. This will be an Easter themed dinner and I hope you will plan to come. We need these informal gatherings to share a meal and time together. Just call the church office and let us know you plan to attend.  It’s not too late to…

Spring has officially arrived, and the schools are back from spring break. This is an especially busy time of year as families start thinking about graduations and many young people plan for the next chapter of their lives. With so much in our world that is negative, it is good to focus on positive plans for the future and to support those…

This week I enjoyed leading the discussion for our Lenten lunch book study. We discussed the meaning of the phrase from the Lord’s Prayer that states, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Adam Hamilton commented in his book that this phrase is the central concern of Jesus’ entire ministry. Through our prayers and our…

In speaking with Pastor Beth and Pastor Gary this week, I was reminded of how Grace UMC is living into our vision of “Building Bridges Between Christ and the Community.” From our newest efforts regarding health ministry to the daily engagement with preschool families to our growing children’s ministry, the Holy Spirit is at work among us! Thank you for the ways…

We began our Lenten journey with our Ash Wednesday service this week. During a time of war in Urkraine and many challenges throughout our world, it was good to have time for focused prayer and reflection.  Starting Tuesday, March 8, we will offer our Lenten lunch study of Adam Hamilton’s book entitled “The Lord’s Prayer.” Every Tuesday for five weeks we will…

The season of Lent starts next week with Ash Wednesday. Lent is the name for the period of 40 weekdays (excluding Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter. It is recognized as a time of penitence and fasting in preparation for the resurrection life of Jesus. The western church has likened this season to Jesus’ time of preparation in the wilderness prior to…

Recently, I heard a piece of advice that really resonated with me. The gist of it is that we need to remember the bright and joyful times of our lives while we go through the darker times, and we need to remember the darker times while we go through the bright and joyful times. The reason is that the Holy Spirit was…

Happy Friday! I kept my commitment again this week! I invited two people to worship at Grace. Both of these people were complete strangers, and I felt a bit awkward. However, both people were very receptive and seemed grateful for the invitation. I have noticed that as soon as people know we are not selling anything, they receive genuine invitations well.  If you…

Last week in my Gracevine article I challenged everyone to invite two people to worship at Grace online or in person. I committed to do this myself. Last Saturday, I realized I needed to keep my commitment. So, I wrote our worship times on some of my business cards and I invited two people, neither of whom I had met previously, to…