Dear Grace Family: Perhaps you are familiar with the mantra that “if we cannot recognize and celebrate everyone, let’s not celebrate anyone because we do not want for people to feel left out.” Personally, I really do not like this perspective because it implies that “if we cannot do it perfectly, let’s not do it at all.” As a wise person once…

Dear Grace Family: Recently I have been reading Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk. The book is a well-written summary of Musk’s life. Like so many successful people, Musk has several unusual personality traits, including obsessive and compulsive tendencies. Musk is also someone who likes to take risks, sometimes even dangerous risks. Musk has a noticeable deficit in his ability to feel…

Dear Grace Family: Transitions are both exciting and challenging. Here at Grace, we are in the process of an upcoming pastoral change. It is very important that we embrace this transition with acceptance and confidence that God is involved in this process. Personally, I am filled with a mixture of joy and some nostalgia as I think about the past nine years.…

Dear Grace Family: Recently, I read about a pastor who was frustrated with how often, in preparing for funerals, family members say the most memorable thing about the deceased is that “he worked hard.” The pastor acknowledged that working hard is virtuous, but hard work alone is not our best legacy. In fact, our culture promotes workaholism so much that we can…

Dear Grace Family: In today’s world, we have access to more information than ever before in human history. We can do an online search and learn about anything through a google search. Yet our access to information does not necessarily help us to grow in our faith. Growing in faith is not about accumulating knowledge, but rather about having God transform our…

Dear Grace Family: I offer my sincere appreciation to our music ministry team for a wonderful Palm Sunday service. It was truly an inspiring service and everything from the solos to Nick’s explanation of “Holy Harmonious” and “active listening” was well done. I am so proud of the ministry team here at Grace, including our paid staff and every choir member and…

Dear Grace Family: I cannot believe it, but Holy Week starts this coming Sunday! We are blessed this year because we will host the Living Last Supper at Grace for the first time in several years. Please plan now to attend all the Holy Week services, including Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. Our music department is going all out…

Dear Grace Family: Now that daylight savings time has arrived, spring and summer are coming soon! It is an exciting time in our community because we can anticipate the announcement of a new pastor for Grace, and that information will be available to everyone on April 14, 2024. Personally, I have tried to embrace change as part of life’s journey, and I…

Dear Grace Family: Last spring Grace UMC hosted our first annual classic car show. At the time, I had no idea what to expect because we had not hosted a car show before. The event was a big hit for the Merritt Island community, and we at Grace enjoyed hosting many people who had not previously visited our campus. The team of…

Dear Grace Family: The word “sloth” refers to one of the seven deadly sins as well as what one writer describes as the “sleepy, tree-dwelling species that has the slowest metabolism rate of any nonhibernating mammal in the world.” The connection between these references implies to me that what is sinful is a lack of movement, energy, commitment and enthusiasm. During Lent,…