SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES:
Services at 9 & 11 AM in the Sanctuary & Available Online
65 Needle Boulevard
In the Heart of Merritt Island, FL

Gracevine Message (Page 11)

How Big Is Your God?

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…

The Cave Of Failure

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…

Making A Faith Decision

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…

Faith Vs Fear

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…

Exhausted or Power Charged?

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…

A Treasonous Prayer

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…

Painting With Ashes

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…

Being Disruptive

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…

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

I remain committed to my Bible reading plan for 2022, and it keeps me centered on the priority of faith. You may recall that I shared this plan on the church Facebook page and on my personal Facebook page. I hope many of you are following this plan. It is not too late to adopt the plan. As of January 28, the…

The Weakest Link

Some of you have asked how my life is going as I serve as a Brevard County assistant public defender in addition to pastoring at Grace. While the short answer is “extremely busy”, the longer answer is that both settings are rich and meaningful, filled with opportunities for connection with people from all walks of life. Both settings give me the opportunity…