Chalk Art Puts God into Our Walk (8/26/18)
Children from our Sunday School decorated the sidewalks outside of our church. With colorful chalk, they illustrated the Bible verses they’ve been learning.
God has decorated our lives too. Do we share that “decoration” in the places where we walk?
Jesus Rescues During our 2018 Vacation Bible School! (6/25/18)
Our 2018 Vacation Bible School was entitled “Shipwrecked!” When we go through rough times, Jesus is always there to bail us out. During this special week in July of 2018, we all learned that Jesus Rescues!
Read MoreMen’s Fellowship Refocuses during 2018 Retreat! (3/16/18)
The 2018 Men’s Fellowship retreat was our 17th annual retreat at Black Rock! Regardless of our situation or how many times we’ve done something, we need to be aware of the purpose of our life.
Pastor George DeVol led us on a weekend study of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, and to some serious reflection…
2017 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 MoreWhat Should We Pray For???
We hear a lot about prayer. Prayer is a big part of developing a relationship with God… it’s a huge part of being a Christian. But what do we pray for? Can we “bother” God with trivial requests like asking for a good parking spot? What about praying for someone’s health; maybe it’s God’s will that this person not get well. Should we pray anyway? Can we pray for ourselves? What can we pray for??? Some of these are difficult questions, and we...
Read MoreWinter ’17 Small Groups begin Huddling! (1/23/17)
During the Fall we introduced a successful run of new small groups. Besides the learning and studying that comes from being part of a Small Group, you also make some new friends, deepen existing relationships, and surround eachother in prayer. True Christian Fellowship. Some of these groups are continuing, and others are being newly formed. But all are open and welcoming new members. As we move from the Christmas season towards Lent, now is a good time to check out the schedule of Small...
Read MoreTuesday Dinners Start! (9/20/16)
Fall has arrived, and with it, our slate of “non-summer activities” is resuming. One of the biggies is our Tuesday Night Dinners (which are followed by the “Tuesday Series” of studies). Starting on Tuesday Sept. 20, our Tuesdays at PUMC will include the following: 9:30 AM Bible Study in Potter’s Hand (Led by Pastor Jim). On this first Tuesday we’ll wrap up our look at Revelation by studying the letter to the church in Laodicia. After that, we’ll...
Read MoreFall 2016 Small Groups are Set to Kick Off!
Over the years, Pitman United Methodist Church has offered to its congregation small groups that based their existence on building relationships with one another and with God. Some groups lasted several years, and some ended after their courses of study were completed. Small groups are part of God’s plan for spiritual maturity! “Two are better than one…. If they fall, one will lift up the other…” Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”...
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.”
Martha Serves up a Fresh Circle Opportunity! (4/15/16)
A new small group (circle) has been formed for women. It’s called the Martha Circle, and it will meet on the third Friday of each month at 7:00 PM. We will meet in the Potter’s Hand Room (which is located behind the sanctuary, on the balcony level). Any woman is welcome to attend. For more information, see Lori Johns or Kristen Russell Who is Martha??? Martha is mentioned in the Bible on three different occasions… Luke 10 Luke 10:38-42 38 As Jesus and the...
Read More3rd and 4th Graders Learn to Be Jesus’ Hands and Feet (1/17/16)
The Third and Fourth graders in our Sunday School are practicing to be the “Hands” and “Feet” of Jesus by making a chain recording their good deeds. We’re hoping that by the end of the year, our chain will reach around the room! Standing in the Gap As we saw in a recent sermon, Ezekiel 22:30-31 uses the image of someone “Standing in the Gap” between God’s love and humanity’s sinfulness. God is calling us to be “priests”;...
Read MoreMen’s Fellowship Gathers with Pastor Chris Heckert (1/8/16)
The Men’s Fellowship group held their monthly gathering on Saturday January 8. The gathering took place in a brand new year, but our speaker was a familiar face. Joining us was Rev. Chris Heckert, who is now serving as the senior pastor in the Haddonfield United Methodist Church. Pastor Chris was our associate pastor between 2004 and 2006 (during our “tabernacling days” after the fire while we met in the downtown storefront). During his time here he blessed us with...
Read MoreMen’s Group Enters the Gates with Thanksgiving (12/12/15)
Our United Methodist Men’s Fellowship held our monthly gathering on the morning of December 12, and we considered Psalm 100. This familiar Psalm teaches us that “Theology (knowledge) leads to Doxology (worship).” Our guest speaker was Gino Curcuruto, a chiropractor/pastor/father and devoted Christian. Gino and his family recently moved from Pitman to Philadelphia, with the intent of planting churches in his South Philly neighborhood (or wherever God is leading them). The...
Read MoreMen are Set to Kick Off a New Season! (9/12/15)
Pizza!!!! On the second Saturday of every month in the year (except in the months named July and August), a group of men get together to laugh, drink coffee, eat donuts… and share in some informal Bible study. The “informal Bible study” is usually lead by an outside speaker who gives us a fresh perspective on how we can live and grow in our Christian walk as men. Our fellowship gatherings are normally held at 7:30 AM in the Potter’s Hand room (balcony level behind the...
Read More2015 Vacation Bible School Goes to Nazareth! (6/22-26)
Our Vaction Bible School in June of 2015 took over 100 kids on a trip back in time to see what Jesus was like as a child. We went to Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, and visited with his mom, Mary. We also went into the market place and made some crafts, ate some authentic food, and talked to people who may not have always believed in Jesus. There were fun and games to play as well, one of our favorites was to crush “grapes” (water balloons) with our feet just like how they made wine and olive...
Read MoreVacation Bible School is Moooooovin’ to Nazareth! (6/22/15)
Let’s Get Mooooovin’ to Nazareth! This year’s Vacation Bible School is underway! We’re on our way to Nazareth to see what it was like for Jesus growing up. Dates: Monday June 22 through Friday June 26. Time: 6:00 to 8:00 PM, opening with a time of worship. Place: At our church (older kids will move to an offsite pool). Friday will feature an Ice Cream social following the closing program. Here are a few glimpses of our first night… The Bible...
Read MoreMen to Gather for Last time this Season- But It’s Not Over Yet! (6/13/15)
The Men will hold the last Saturday Gathering of the 14-15 season on June 13. We’ll meet from 7:30 AM until ~9:00 for some food, fellowship, and Bible Study. We gather in the Potter’s Hand Room which is on the balcony level behind the sanctuary. All men are welcome; just show up and surprise us! Our guest speaker will be Mike Chapman, associate pastor at Aldine UMC. Mike will be discussing Luke 8:40-56. The theme of the study will be: “It’s Not Over Yet – with Christ...
Read MoreUnited Methodist Women Making a Difference in April! (4/2015)
The United Methodist Women’s long time “claim to fame” has been our bedrock of meeting together in groups called “Circles.” UMW Circles were in place long before the term “Small Group” came into vogue, and they are a place to study the Bible and exchange thoughts within the community of other women. Here’s the April schedule of UMW Circle gatherings: The Wesleyann Circle will be meeting on Monday, April 6th in the church parlor at 1:00 PM. The...
Read MoreMen to Gather and Look at Hearts! (2/14/15)
Saturday (2/14/15) is Valentines Day. And, it’s also the 2nd Saturday of the month. Put the two together, and it’s time for the United Methodist Men to gather in fellowship AND to discuss our love lives… or more accurately, our Heart Condition with God. And to make that easier, our guest speaker is a doctor! The Rev. Dr. Nicholas DeMaria, MD. will lead us in a study of “The Spiritual Autopsy of the Heart.” We’ll look at the book of 1 Samuel. ...
Read MoreTuesday Night Group Studying the Lord’s Prayer (11/18/14)
Tuesday Bible Study with Pastor Jim… Since the middle of October, Pastor Jim has been leading an in depth study of the Lord’s Prayer during the studies on Tuesdays. The classes are held in the morning at 9:30 and then again in the evening after dinner (starting at 7:00 PM). Both groups meet in the Potter’s Hand room (on the sanctuary balcony level). We’ve been taking it phrase by phrase… Our Father- Abba, Daddy. Prayer is real- not a vain repetition Heaven-...
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