David Meece Testifies of New Rainbows! (10/14/17)
Renown singer /songwriter David Meece performed “In Concert” at our church on Saturday Oct. 14, 2017. In may ways, it was like any other concert by a “celebrity.” Before the “show”, there was a table full of CDs in the lobby and bashful young ladies had the chance to meet the “star” backstage. When David took the “stage” he opened with a rousing performance of “Raise These Arms,” getting everyone to clap and tap their...
Read MoreUMCOR and Other Churches Provide Disaster Relief (9/10/17)
Excerpts from a recent article in USA Today (Sept. 9-10, 2017) document how faith based organizations (like our own UMCOR) are providing 80% of the disaster recovery that is currently happening. It’s an example of how we can partner with the government (FEMA) to care for those whose lives have been upended by the recent storms. Faith based groups have been super busy of late, providing more aid to hurricane victims than even FEMA. They are first to arrive at scenes of natural disasters,...
Read MoreUnited Methodists Denounce Racism
The recent events in Charlottsville VA (where violence erupted when a neo-nazi group protested the removal of a Confederate statue) have spawned a series of responses from the United Methodist Church leaders. Being actively engaged in issues of justice and human rights is part of our “DNA” as United Methodists, and the recent comments by our church leaders is consistent with that call. Book of Resolutions The Book of Resolutions of the United Methodist Church calls us to...
Read MoreMission Team Helps Dedicate a New Sanctuary (7/29/17)
For 18 years, a poor but vibrant Methodist Church in Mexico has been diligently working to build a new sanctuary for their church. Over the years, our church has supported them with our prayers, gifts, and with several hands-on mission trips to help in the construction. To get a taste of our efforts to partner with La Palmilla over the years, click this button: La Palmilla This year’s Team had the honor of being in La Palmilla to take part in the fruition of this effort: The sanctuary...
Read More2017 Vacation Bible School Explores Our Maker’s Fun Factory! (6/26/17)
We are wonderfully and fearfully made. This year’s Vacation Bible School took us to the “Maker’s Fun Factory” to remind us that we are lovingly crafted by God, and to explore what that means in our lives.
Read MorePUMC Welcomes Back the Boltons! (7/9/17)
Pastors in the United Methodist Church are appointed one year at a time. Clergy are members of the Annual Conference; not of the local church. And, they are “Itinerant Pastors”, serving for an average of 5-10 years at a local church. July first is the official start of a clergy appointment. For many churches, the last Sunday is June is a difficult time where a congregation says “goodbye” to an outgoing pastor. For others, the first Sunday of July is a day of hope...
Read MoreGreater NJ Annual Conference Meets to Rejoice! (5/22/17)
The yearly conference meeting of the Greater NJ Annual Conference was held in Wildwood on a Sunday through Tuesday beginning May 22. The legislative schedule was comparatively light, but the conference (as usual) was filled with worship, fellowship, and learning.
Read on to learn more about this year’s annual conference.
PUMC Musicians Use Guitars to Fight Cancer! (6/3/17)
Cancer. It has affected, it is affecting, and it will affect many different people in many different ways. For surviving family, it creates mourning, To victims, it creates pain. And to survivors, it creates celebration. But for all of us, it’s something that needs to be eliminated. We need a cure. Every year, the American Cancer Society sponsors what it calls a “Relay for Life” event. A “Relay” event was recently held at the Washington Lake Park, in nearby...
Read MoreOur Fathers House Graduates Class of 2017! (5/25/17)
It’s always one of the highlights of the year…for the kids, for the parents, and for the church! The 35 Pre-Kindergarteners who comprise the Class of 2017 put on an awesome show during the graduation ceremony on May 25, 2017.
Read this post to see some inspiring pictures and to learn more about Our Father’s House.
Men Retreat to Strengthen their Mission (3/17/17)
The Mens Fellowship group followed a tradition this year; we went on a retreat to Black Rock. This was our 16th annual retreat. Routine? Not really! Every time you open yourself up for an encounter with God, something different is likely to happen. The topic of this year’s retreat was “Being a Man with a Mission”, and we explored how our “mission” plays out in our personal, family and church lives. Retreats aren’t just “book learning” or...
Read MorePraise Band Concert Raises the Roof! (3/12/17)
It was a Sunday evening. Most of us had already gone to church that morning. But on Sunday 3/12/17 nearly 200 local Methodists gathered at PUMC for a Praise and Worship Concert. The silent auction before the concert and the love offering taken during the concert will be donated to our friends in La Palmilla Mexico to help them complete the construction of their new sanctuary. We are sending a mission team to LaPalmilla this summer (July 22-August 1). For years, this thriving church has been...
Read MoreThread ‘n Yarn Ministries Extend God’s Love (2/19/17)
Colorful Ministry on Display When we arrived in church on Sunday February 19, the altar rail was draped with a huge collection of beautifully knitted, crocheted and quilted items. Over 75 of them were laid on the altar so that we could lay hands on them in prayer. These items are used to extend God’s love, through PUMC, through blankets and shawls, to those who are in need. Each item was lovingly created over the last 6 months by the Hooks ‘n Needles ministry and the Scrappy...
Read MoreBLAST- Feed and Games! (2/20/17)
Our Youth Group keeps active in many ways. Sometimes it’s all Fun and Games. Other times, it’s expressing God’s love through some serious (but fun) service. BLAST celebrated this Presidents Day weekend in typical fashion. First by having some “Where’s Waldo” fun at the Deptford Mall on Sunday. And then on Monday by serving breakfast at the New Visions Day Shelter in Camden. Where’s Waldo? The Deptford Mall is a familiar place for most of us...
Read MorePUMC Hosts Regional Day of Learning (2/12/17)
Fourteen years ago, a fire destroyed our downtown church building. It was located in the business district- right in the middle of town. But it had no parking, and its multiple levels and maze of staircases made it totally “non-accessible.” Ten years ago we moved into a new “state of the art building.” It’s located on the edge of town, but its parking lot and accessibility make it well suited to being used for large groups. We are blessed to be a blessing! ...
Read MoreBrady Can in Superbowl. PUMC Souper in Cans! (2/5/17)
It was a record setting Sunday… or at least different in many ways. In the morning, PUMC’ers dressed down in their favorite team jersey garb. Some of us even wore our new PUMC sweatshirts. Pastor Jim wore his favorite Jerry Rice 49’ers jersey. In his sermon (and throughout the service), Pastor Jim turned the popularity of the super bowl into a series of object lessons about how we can be part of God’s Team… of how we can join up with God for a certain victory. ...
Read MoreBLAST Refocuses Trust During Mid-Winter Advance (1/15/17)
On January 15, 2017, BLAST returned from our annual youth retreat, MidWinter Advance (MWA) at America’s Keswick in Whiting, New Jersey. Our group was made up of twenty-five youth, young adults, and leaders. The retreat that was filled with fun, fellowship, and faith. The four-part message, led by the college team, focused on Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your path.”...
Read MoreFrom Poland with Love (1/2/17)
John and Dasia Abromovich are missionaries in Poland, who we have supported for many years. The Abramovich’s work with youth groups, leading Bible Studies and organizing camps. John is from the area (Runnemede, NJ), and both of them have visited PUMC on many occasions. John has been having some health issues which will prevent them from making their usual visit home this year, but they are actively continuing their ministry. Dasia recently emailed the following to their prayer...
Read MoreTrunk or Treat Entertains 900 Guests at PUMC! (10/29/16)
We opened our church for our annual Trunk or Treat on Saturday 10/29/16, and an estimated crowd of 900 people visited our parking lot and Fellowship Hall. Guests could wander through the parking lot to view a variety of decorated trunks, jump in our bouncy house, or just to wander around our grounds on a clear evening. Families then headed inside the Fellowship Hall to bob for donuts, bowl, eat, or just to mingle with other kids and families. Not only was a great opportunity for some family...
Read More2016 Vacation Bible School Leads us out of Out of a Cave! (6/27 – 7/1)
Caves… they’re dark, scary, and they’re easy to get lost in. They’re also a perfect metaphor for the stretches of life where there seems to be no hope.
Thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit (and some faithful human hands), our 2016 Vacation Bible School was a huge success! Kids of all ages learned how to depend on the Light of the World to get through our “caves.”
Youth Challenge Church to Look for God Sightings (6/27/16)
Our Youth Fellowship Group- BLAST (Big Loud Awesome Spiritual Time) led our worship services on Sunday June 26. They led both in music and in Word. Music… The choir and praise team were given the week “off”, and the services’ music was led by guitarist Lance Bird, percussionist Jeremy Andrade, and Bassist Melissa Brown. Other BLAST’ers gathered around the mics to lead the singing. Word… Three passages from...
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