Built to Serve (6/15/14)
Pastor Larry gave his final sermon at PUMC on June 15. The title was “Built to Serve” and the scripture was Galatians 5:1-13… Galatians 5:1-13 Gal 5:1-15… So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. 2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 I’ll say it again. If you are trying to...
Read MoreLife Filled with the Holy Spirit (6/8/14)
Sunday June 8 was a busy and special day in the life of our church. First of all, it was Pentecost Sunday! And, during both services we were able to participate in the confirmation of the nine youth who were in this year’s confirmation class. And in the evening, we celebrated the service of our pastors. But, Sunday morning also marked the last sermon preached by Pastor Kee in our church. Pastor Kee spoke on Acts 2:1-21, and the title of his sermon was “Life Filled with the Holy...
Read MoreWhat’s YOUR Easter Story? (4/27/14)
Our sermon during the services on Sunday April 27 was given by Kimberly Dybeck. Kim is a seminarian student who is serving an internship with PUMC. During her time with our church she has coordinated our small groups and has been a huge inspiration. In a few weeks, her education will take her to another internship assignment, but we will always be grateful that she became part of our family. We were also blessed that she had the opportunity to share her first sermon with us…...
Read MoreJesus Faced Down Death! (4/20/14)
Google can answer everything! Want to know how long a twinkie will last? Google it! Want to know whether it’s called Duct Tape or Duck Tape? Google it! But if you want to know anything about death and where someone goes when they die, you’ll get a 404 error- answer not found! But Google is actually trying to do something about that… what can we do to extend life and maybe even eliminate death itself? A 2013 article in Time Magazine reports that Google is working on a...
Read MoreMaundy Thursday Sermon (4/17/14)
Following Jesus… During the Maundy Thursday service on April 17, Pastor Kee preached on John 13:1-17, 31-35. His sermon was followed by a communion service in which participants had their hands washed before sitting at a table behind the pulpit. 12 people at a time filled the tables, giving the sense that we were actually participating in the Last Supper after Jesus had washed our feet. Read Scripture John 13:1-17, 31 35 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time...
Read MoreFruitful Living (5 of 5): Extravagant Generosity (4/6/14)
The sermon on Sunday April 6 introduced practice #5 of our five part series on the “Five Practices of Fruitful Living” During this season of Lent, we are following the companion devotional guide by Robert Schanase entitled in “Forty Days of Fruitful Living.” The sermons introduce the week’s topic, and we discuss and study these topics during our small group meetings that week. This week’s sermon is the final in the series. The Five Practices of Fruitful Living Radical...
Read MoreFruitful Living (4 of 5): “Risk Taking Mission” (3/30/14)
The sermon on Sunday March 30 introduced practice #4 of our five part series on the “Five Practices of Fruitful Living” During this season of Lent, we are following the companion devotional guide by Robert Schanase entitled in “Forty Days of Fruitful Living.” The sermons introduce the week’s topic, and we discuss and study these topics during our small group meetings that week. Risk Taking Mission and Service This week’s “practice of fruitful living” was presented by...
Read MoreFruitful Living (3 of 5): “Intentional Faith Development” (3/23/14)
The sermon on Sunday March 23 introduced practice #3 of our five part series on the “Five Practices of Fruitful Living” During this season of Lent, we are following the companion devotional guide by Robert Schanase entitled in “Forty Days of Fruitful Living.” The sermons introduce the week’s topic, and we discuss and study these topics during our small group meetings that week. Intentional Faith Development This week’s “practice of fruitful living” is entitled...
Read MoreFruitful Living (2 of 5): “Passionate Worship (3/16/14)
The sermon on Sunday March 16 introduced the second practice of our five part series on the “Five Practices of Fruitful Living.” Pastor Kee preached the sermon. During this season of Lent, we are following the companion devotional guide by Robert Schanase entitled in “Forty Days of Fruitful Living.” The sermons introduce the week’s topic, and we discuss and study these topics during our small group meetings that week. Worship… A Sunday school teacher asked her children...
Read MoreFruitful Living (1 of 5): “Radical Hospitality” (3/9/14)
The sermon on Sunday March 9 opened our five part series in “Forty Days of Fruitful Living.” During this season of Lent, we are following this devotional guide by Robert Schanase. The sermons introduce the week’s topic, and we discuss and study these topics during our small group meetings that week. The initial “practice of fruitful living” is entitled “Radical Hospitality.” Pastor Larry’s scripture passage was Matthew 25:34-40. He related...
Read MoreInvite Others on the Journey (3/2/14)
This morning’s sermon was part 7 of a series of messages based on the book “The Wesleyan Way: A Faith that Matters.” The scripture underlying Rev. Potts’ message was Mark 8:31-38 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned...
Read MoreTransform Yourself and the World (2/23/14)
This morning’s sermon was part 6 of a series of messages based on the book “The Wesleyan Way: A Faith that Matters.” The scripture underlying Pastor Kee’s message was Romans 12:9-21. Some years ago the New York City Police issued an All Points Bulletin… because a car was stolen. An APB for one car theft??? Cars are stolen every day in New York. But this one was special; not because of the car or owner, but because of what was left on the front seat. The owner reported that he had ...
Read MoreYou Are Not Alone (2/16/14)
This morning’s sermon was part 5 of a series of messages based on the book “The Wesleyan Way: A Faith that Matters.” The scripture underlying Pastor Larry’s message was Acts 2:1-21 (the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost). During this series, we’ve been exploring a journey- how do we get to a point where we truly “love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength?” It all happens through God’s grace, but we need to be...
Read MoreAsh Wednesday Service (3/5/14)
Begin the Lenten Season by participating in our annual Ash Wednesday service. This year’s service will be held on Wednesday March 5 at 7:00 PM. Receive the ashes in a time of quiet repentance, and reflect on the message which will be given by Pastor Kee. The title of Pastor Kee’s sermon is “Christ, No Matter What.”
Read MoreUrban Promise Visits PUMC (1/5/14)
Dr. Bruce Main, president of Urban Promise delivered the message this morning during both services. Dr. Main spoke on Colossians 3:15-7 using the Soren Kierkagaard quote, “What’s important is not the road you travel, but the way you travel the road you’re on” (or something like that…). Our surroundings may not look very good. We may want to be on another “road”. We may be tempted to keep saying, “One day I’ll ___”. But our...
Read MoreBishop Schol Visits PUMC (11/17/13)
We were honored to have Bishop John Schol join us in worship yesterday and to preach the Word to us. Bishop Schol is the presiding bishop of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference (which includes over 60 churches). The bishop spoke on Ephesians 2:11-13. Using the illustration of an airline’s “Preferred Status” frequent flyer program, Bishop Schol challenged us to “turn our church inside out;” to gear everything we do towards breaking down our man-made divisions...
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