Pastors Ponderings: Be Strong!
During the coronavirus pandemic (in April of 2020), Pastor Jim wrote these encouraging reminders from scripture. God is with us and continually watching over us; even when things seem like they’re falling over the edge of a cliff.
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Help on a Rough Road
Psalm 121 reminds us that “our help comes from the LORD, the Maker of Heaven and earth”, even while traveling on a road that might seem to be blocked by insurmountable obstacles. In this devotion, Pastor Jim offers encouragement with the powerful truths that are proclaimed in this short Psalm.
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Pray Anywhere, Anytime, Any place
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, we must maintain “social distancing,” and many in our church have begun to participate in a prayer group using email. Pastor Jim wrote the following devotional on 3/27/20 to encourage our prayer lives during this difficult time… Greetings Friends: I pray that all of you and your families are well. As we continue to journey through this unusual time in human history, I would invite all of us to be spending time in prayer. Prayer...
Read MoreBishop to Lead Virtual Prayer Service (3/29/20)
Bishop Schol will lead a “virtual prayer time” on Sunday March 29 at 4:00 PM. Here’s the announcement… Prayer Service- Bishop Schol’s Letter… If any among you are suffering, pray. James 5:13 Dear Friends in Christ, I am calling United Methodists of Greater New Jersey, their families and friends together for a time of prayer as we face challenges and concerns with the virus, Covid-19. A virtual prayer service will be held, this Sunday, March 29 at 4:00...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: God’s Faithfulness
The lightning might be crashing, the wind might be howling, and the rain may be pouring in torrents, but a rainbow will come (even if figuratively). Our Prince of Peace is faithful to His promise. Pastor Jim sent out these words of hope in the midst of the Coronavirus crisis…. “After every storm comes a rainbow.”
Read MorePastors Ponderings: A Word of Encouragement (3/17/20)
In the midst of the Coronavirus crisis in March 2020, Pastor Jim sent out some words of hope. All of our worries and fears are defeated by our hope in Jesus. Instead of “Don’t worry be happy,” we need to be thinking “Don’t worry, trust Jesus.”
Read MoreEaster Still Flowers Despite Coronavirus!
Despite the Coronavirus, Easter IS coming! Two of our Easter traditions are Daffodils and Lilies, and we are still going to be blessed by them this Easter. This post includes the order forms and instructions on how to order and receive your flowers.
Read MoreThe Sunday When Nobody Came to Church (3/15/20)
On 3/15/20, the Coroanvirus crisis forced us to cancel our public worship service. Instead, we “produced” a live stream service in our empty sanctuary. The UMW was planning to distribute soup in between services. Instead, we formed a “drive-thru” line.
Read MoreCeiling Tile Art- An Overdue Look
Back in 2010, our Sunday School took on the project of painting the ceiling tiles in our 2nd floor hallway. Have you ever noticed these tiles as you walk down the hallway? Take a closer look; you just might see yourself in the story that they are telling.
Read MorePUMC Preparing 11th Annual Easter Egg Hunt! (4/11/20)
Our 11th annual Easter Egg Hunt is in the works, and it will be held on Saturday April 11, 2020. It will be a great morning of food, fun, and Eggs!
Read MorePUMC Plans for 2020 Easter Season! (Feb-April 2020)
Easter 2020 is upon us, and PUMC is ready with a full schedule of events. Lent is a time to prepare for the Resurrection Day of Easter, and our “activities” are available to help you prepare. This post lists the opportunities for worship, service, and celebrations that we’ll have during this Lenten season.
Read MoreMen Looking Forward to 2020 Retreat! (4/24/20)
Our Men’s group is planning their 19th annual retreat. The leader will be Pastor George DeVol, and he will lead a study on the book of Matthew- “Following the Master.” George led our retreat in 2018, and we are enthused to have him back. The retreat will be on April 24 through 26 at the Black Rock Retreat Center in Quarryville, PA.
Read MoreWorld Day of Prayer to Take Up Mat and Walk (3/6/20)
The annual World Day of Prayer service will be held on Friday March 1 at the St. James Lutheran Church in Pitman. The theme of this year’s service stems from Jesus’s miraculous healing of the paralytic where he told the lame man to “Rise! Take up Your Mat and Walk.” This service will draw us into the healing process of peace and reconciliation.
Read MoreLenten Devotional for 2020
Several local churches have pooled together to create a booklet of daily devotions for the 2020 Lenten season. All of the articles were written specifically for this booklet. Open this post to view the articles and to take part in the day by day readings.
Read MoreNew Jersey Methodists to Rise Against Hunger! (3/21/20- POSTPONED!)
On March 22, 2020, the churches of the Greater NJ Annual Conference will join with “Rise Up Against Hunger” in an effort to pack 500,000 boxed meals in one day. Packing sites will be organized in various locations throughout Greater NJ, and PUMC will support the goal of having at least 3,000 people from across the state involved.
Read MoreWinter Thaw Warms Youths’ Commitment to Christ (1/17/20)
Commitment. What’s that mean, especially when you’re a teenager? In January 2020, 20 members of our Youth Group took part in the annual “Winter Thaw”, a youth retreat hosted by Twin Pines Retreat Center in Stroudsburg, PA.
Read MoreLove in Deed is Love Indeed!
What is Love? This question has been addressed in countless sermons, but it’s something that we constantly need to struggle to grasp. “Love in Deed is Love Indeed.” True love is an action (a “deed”). This post uses this simple play on words to think about this critical topic.
Read MorePUMC Hosts American Red Cross Blood Drive (1/31/20)
PUMC is hosting the American Red Cross on Friday January 31 for their blood drive. It will be held between 2PM to 7PM. See this post for more details and information on how to register.
Read MoreMethodists Remain United in Mission for Christ!
Bishop Schol held a series of tele-conferences with clergy and laity regarding the recent reports about a proposal which would create a schism in the United Methodist Church. The media reports incorrectly characterized the proposals as decisions. The Bishop fielded a wide range of questions to debunk the rumors and to ensure us that the UM Church will continue to focus on our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the world.
Read MoreChoirs Light the Way for Our 2019 Cantata (12/15/19)
Our 2019 Christmas Cantata, “His Name is Jesus”, was held on 12/15/19. The Theme of the music and narrations was the Names given to Jesus throughout the centuries. The cantata brought us into a traditional celebration, but it also invited us into a deeper level of awe and reverence for our Savior- Jesus.
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