The summer season is moving fast, and in just a few weeks we will begin another school year. For families with school-age or college-age children, the calendar revolves around the school year. Here at Grace, we are looking forward to supporting MILA Elementary school with a new school year, and we pray that our volunteers will be allowed on the school campus…

I’m back! It has been an excellent renewal leave for me to reflect on what God has in store for the future. The time away included a good mix of relaxation, study, prayer, and reflection. I am so grateful to our great staff and so many of you in the congregation who have served faithfully in my absence. During my leave, I…

As many of you are aware, I am currently spending time on renewal leave. This means that I am taking a few weeks away from my normal preaching and church leadership duties to study, reflect, plan, and relax as I ask for God’s Holy Spirit to recharge my batteries. I am very grateful that our United Methodist Church provides this opportunity for…

Dear Grace Family: I am terribly excited for the opportunity to serve this church and community for a seventh year starting July 1, 2021. Between now and then, I will be involved in study, prayer, and planning. After serving full-time as a United Methodist pastor for the last thirteen years, I am taking my first renewal leave (for May and June). Our…

One of the most significant privileges for pastors and congregations is to affirm and encourage men and women who feel called into ministry. Did you know that we have someone who is exploring a ministry calling? Lilly Hibbard, who currently leads The Five every Sunday, is an exploring candidate for ordained ministry. If you have never attended The Five, come check it…

Sometimes, when life is going well for me, I wish that I could store my sense of gratitude and save it for days when things are not going well. On the good days, I see how Jesus is alive in my life and in the world around me, offering me a sense of confidence that the Holy Spirit can use even my…

What a wonderful Holy Week we had here at Grace! It was great because we had a variety of different people sharing their gifts and experiences. For example, we had Heather and Sami Mason, Chris and Evie Tompkins, and Mike Ferger sharing their reflections as part of the Maundy Thursday service. We had wonderful musical selections from Tom Black and Nick Barth,…

Dear Grace Family: If you have not already signed up for our Easter services, please do so right away! Click here to RSVP. We have had many people already sign up, and I know that our attendance numbers are increasing as more people are getting vaccinated. You do not need to sign up for Maundy Thursday or Good Friday services. Both of…

What comes to mind when you think of Holy Week? I encourage you not to jump too quickly to Easter. Yes, Holy Week culminates in the wonderful celebration of the risen Christ. But it starts with the great irony of the Palm Sunday celebration. The people who were welcoming Jesus that Sunday had no real idea of what he was about to…

As we enter daylight savings time, we know that spring is arriving. It is a beautiful time of year in central Florida, and I hope you can take advantage of nice weather and spend some time outdoors. Next week is spring break for Brevard County schools, and if you and your family are traveling, I pray that you have an enjoyable and…