Both of Grace UMC’s pastors share information via blogging. Pastor Steve Hart shares a message each week in the blog listing below, with his message also emailed out in our weekly Gracevine Newsletter. Associate Pastor Beth Burton also blogs, sharing thoughtful insights on faith and everyday life. Click here to visit Pastor Beth’s blog and see the latest messages from Pastor Steve below.
Hello Grace Family! Happy Spring! I don’t know about any of you but while I enjoy cooler/cold temperatures, I am ready for spring weather and all the flowers blooming everywhere, whether in my garden or wildflowers popping up along the road. They just brighten my day and make me smile. They remind me that there is a newness that comes with the spring season. And…
Dear Grace Church family, We are drawing near to our second Sunday in Lent. The closer we get to Easter, the more heightened the drama of the journey. Jesus holds all the love and all the vision for the kingdom of God for the people of the world. The closer we stay with Jesus on the journey, the closer we are to…
Greetings! Grace family! As I begin winding down toward my retirement, I am thinking about all the wonderful people I have had the privilege to worship and work with over my years at Grace. This year, I willhave been a member for 39 years! In June, I will have been on staff for 27 years and 5 months, and I will have been one of your…
Dear Grace Church Family, I am writing this week’s reflection in the lobby at Moffitt Cancer Center. A year and a half ago, I received CAR-T treatment for a battle I was in against Lymphoma. The news I received this morning was that I remain cancer free, and my immune system has responded to immune therapy I was receiving. As a cancer…
Dear Grace Church Family, What a wonderful week this has been. You will hear more details from our lay leader, but our “Sing a new Song,” dream session with the Leadership team was four hours of dreaming, visioning, and planning for the future of this beautiful community. I was grateful to hear stories of all the ways God has been at work…
On Retirement… In scripture there is no word for retirement. We are all called to continue working for God throughout our lives. We are all called to find ways we can, through the gifts we are given by God’s Holy Spirit, to bring God’s Kingdom here on earth. And yet, we all do retire at some point for our worldly work. However,…
Hi Grace Family! I hope you have all been keeping warm through this cold weather we have been having this first month of the year. It is unusual for Florida to experience snow and yet I am sure you have seen the pictures of snow in North Florida and the snowmen that are being built in a state that is not supposed…
Dear Grace Church Family, As I write this, I am in Washington DC for an intensive week of study for my Doctor of Ministry work. Originally, I was scheduled to stay in a retreat center that sits on the property of the National Cathedral, the Virginia Mae Center. It is a place of hospitality for preachers and is nothing short of a…
Dear Grace Church Family, This Sunday is the third Sunday in Advent. It is known as Gaudette Sunday. The word Gaudette means, “rejoice!” On this third Sunday, we will light the pink candle for joy. It is fitting that our Cantata is this Sunday as well. It is going to be a Sunday not to miss. I have had the privilege of…
Dear Grace Church Family, Though the season of Advent is the season of waiting, the concept should not be foreign to us. There is something we are all waiting for in life. Maybe you have been waiting for a new job, maybe you are waiting to pay off some debt that has been piling up, maybe you are waiting to feel less…