One of my favorite true statements is that “the local church is the hope of the world.” This statement reminds me that even with all of our challenges, our local churches offer people from all walks of life an opportunity to experience the power of God’s transforming love. This week at Grace has been a great example of this reality. 130 children…

The VBS week is almost here! On Monday, June 27, the Grace campus will have approximately 120 children here for a week of fun and spiritual growth. If you have already committed to volunteer your time, thank you! If you are able to help on one or more of the days, it’s not to late to notify Ms. Niki.  This Sunday, June 26,…

Summer officially begins on Tuesday, June 21, but it feels like summer already on Merritt Island. I understand that a number of folks have been busy preparing for our upcoming VBS week, scheduled for June 27-July 1. There are more than 100 children registered, so we certainly appreciate our volunteers! Special prayers for Ms. Niki as she leads the team in preparation.  Please remember…

I am writing this Gracevine early, during Memorial Day weekend, because Colleen and I will be on a Florida Conference UMC-sponsored trip to England from May 30-June 8. Called the Wesley Fellowship study, this trip was made possible by a generous endowment given by Bernie and LaVonn Simpkins. The goal is to help pastors become more knowledgeable about the life and faith…

This Sunday will be Pentecost Sunday. We will celebrate what we traditionally view as the birth of the church. But is it? We believe that the church began at this point because this is when God’s Holy Spirit came down and as Luke describes it: “They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of…

Another school year is about to end, and we celebrate the graduates who end one chapter of life and embark upon another. My prayer is that our students, parents, school administrators, staff, and teachers can enjoy a safe and peaceful summer.  The beginning of summer typically means people travel more regularly and may be more sporadic in church attendance. Please remember the…

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that “Life isn’t worth living until you find something worth dying for.” This quote is particularly relevant as we recognize Memorial Day weekend, a time to honor those who gave their lives in service to our country. As we recall memories of loved ones who died in service, may their legacies inspire us. We will…

I hope you all enjoyed our worship last Sunday as much as I did! It was extra special to welcome our confirmands and new members and to share the good news about paying down our mortgage. We look forward to a mortgage burning party within the next few months. If you are able to finish any legacy commitments, that would be great!  Friends, Pastor…

I was truly honored to be present and to lead our confirmands as two of them were baptized last Thursday at the beach. The others were baptized earlier in their lives, but we all reflected on the meaning of baptism. As you know, we have eleven young people who will be confirmed and become members of Grace on Mother’s Day. Ms. Niki has done…

This is the week of our confirmation picnic and baptisms at the beach. We have 11 confirmands this year, and they have been meeting and learning together as a group since January. Some of them have never been baptized, so on Thursday, April 28 those students will be baptized at the beach. For those who were baptized as infants, we recognize those…