I often hear people lament the absence of youth and young adults in worship. Most churches struggle with how to engage and keep young people active in the life of the church. Friends, I have good news! We have a great opportunity this Sunday, August 18, to celebrate and affirm our youth ministry here at Grace. Our Youth Director, Matt Gleason, shares…

It is back-to-school time again! Teachers are already back at work preparing for the new school year, and students start back in Brevard County on Monday, August 12. We will take time in all our worship services Sunday to pray for all our teachers, administrators, students, and parents as we start the new year. Our Grace United Methodist Preschool also starts back…

I am very grateful to Pastor Beth and all the staff at Grace for their good work that allowed me and my family to enjoy an excellent vacation this year. It is so good to leave for vacation knowing that the church is filled with committed, competent leaders. This Sunday, August 4, the scripture passages for worship will be Colossians 3: 1-4…

In May of 2010, I had the privilege of traveling to the African country of Angola for a short mission trip. Our Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church has a partnership with the East Angola Conference of the UMC, and we have had missionaries serving in Angola for many years. Part of our mission emphasis for July will be the Florida/East…

I am pleased to share that all of the required documents have been signed and delivered to make our merger with The Open Door UMC become official as of July 1, 2019. Thank you for your prayers, support, and presence at meetings to facilitate this process. God is guiding us all into a new chapter of ministry together, and I am honored…

I am especially grateful to Pastor Dave McGaffic for his preaching at Grace on Pentecost Sunday. We love and appreciate you, Dave! It was good for me to have the opportunity to preach at The Open Door UMC and to get to know some of the members there a little better. Merger is a process that takes time, and we are relying…

A pastor friend of mine says that the church may have an “Ascension deficit disorder.” By this he means that we typically ignore the meaning and significance of the Ascension of Jesus. After the resurrection, many witnesses encountered the risen Jesus during a forty day period. At the conclusion of the forty days, several biblical accounts describe Jesus’ departure from earth into…

Memorial Day weekend is considered the beginning of summer. The pace of life slows down as the end of the school year approaches. On the Sunday of Memorial day weekend, most churches offer some way of recognizing those men and women who have given their lives in service to their country. Of course, we must never confuse patriotism with Christian discipleship. However,…

In worship this Sunday, May 19, we will recognize our graduates from high school, college, and professional programs. We will also celebrate the fact that our preschool continues to thrive, as there are 38 graduates of our VPK program this year. The preschool has its VPK graduation next Wednesday, May 22, at 10:30 am in the sanctuary. We also look forward to…

Did you know that the modern holiday that we know as Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1908 at a United Methodist church in West Virginia? The church, St. Andrews United Methodist Church, now holds the International Mother’s Day Shrine. Recognizing and honoring Mother’s Day in church is always a little tricky. While we want to honor the wonderful mothers in our…