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 each of you support and encourage the various ministries of Grace.
You may hear news about some recent strife in the United Methodist Church and in the Florida Conference. The bottom line is that current church law will not change until the 2024 general conference. I encourage you to avoid the distractions of strife and division. I know that the Grace pastors are committed to supporting the United Methodist Church and we believe in the theology and mission of the denomination. No church body is perfect, but I remain proud to serve as a United Methodist pastor. Our theology and practice, at its best, offer all people a loving place to grow in our relationship with Christ and with each other.
I continue to challenge myself and each of you to invite two people to worship each week. You can do this by inviting them to online worship or in person worship. I have found that most people really appreciate the invitation.
This Sunday, March 13, the scripture passage is Matthew 14: 25-29 and Pastor Gary will share a message entitled “Making A Faith Decision.” You will notice this is part of the scripture from last week, yet the message is different. There is so much involved in the faith decision and the actions that follow it. I look forward to another great message from Pastor Gary.
Finally, friends, remember to set your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday night. We lose an hour of weekend time, but we will enjoy more daylight at the end of the day starting Sunday!
Thanks for the privilege of serving as one of your pastors!
Steve Hart