Practicing Extravagant Generosity (10/15 thru 11/11 2017)
Unity. Pulling together to be of one heart and one purpose. In our church, that purpose is to glorify our Creator-God and to help Him build His Kingdom. Our goal is to become more like Christ in every facet of our lives. One of the attributes of God is that He is generous… REALLY generous. Imagine the Son of God somehow squeezing Himself into a human body, living on this earth, and then dying on a Roman cross? Think about the God who has provided all of your needs throughout your...
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 MoreYouth Building Buckets for Flood Relief (10/29/17)
Imagine that your home has been flooded. The smell of mildew is everywhere. Dirt coats the floors and counters. One of your biggest needs is something we take for granted: cleaning supplies. Buckets, soaps, laundry detergent, sponges, trash bags… the list goes on and on. As part of the United Methodist Committed on Relief’s (UMCOR) efforts, our youth have started a project to collect items to assemble “Flood Buckets.” These buckets will be filled with specific...
Read MorePraise Team to Add Harmony in the Park! (9/30/17)
The Washington Baptist Church (located in Washington Twp.) is organizing an event called “Harmony in the Park”, which will be held at the Washington Lake Park on Saturday September 30. It pretty much runs all day (10 AM – 6 PM), with free food, games, and Christian music. On one level, it’s an end of summer community party. On a deeper level, it’s a chance to witness to the saving power of the Gospel of Christ. The music begins at the main amphitheater at...
Read MoreRev. Dave Bailey to Visit PUMC (9/17/17)
Think back to 1964… 53 years ago… Teenagers were in rebellion against their parents and against authority in general. They were we experimenting with drugs. They were getting in trouble with the law. They were slipping away from the moral foundation that their parents provided. 1964. How things have changed… Or have they??? In 1964, something else happened. Our Associate Pastor, Rev. Dave Baliey, left PUMC and started a ministry in Alloway, NJ (about 20 minutes...
Read MoreGod’s Miracle of Peace
Is life a puzzle? Problems, questions, fears? We all struggle with issues in our lives; they come and go in a constant barrage. Sometimes you look at the pieces of your life, and they don’t seem to fit together. Somewhere, there must be peace. Where is that “Piece” of the puzzle? And so, the Signboard Message said: IS LIFE A PUZZLE? WE HAVE THE MISSING PEACE! The good news is that God offers us True Peace. Eternal Peace. The Peace that we need, not...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Prayer Brings Peace in the Storm!
As Pastor Jim wrote this article (on 8/25/17), Hurricane Harvey was barrelling down on Southeast Texas. In addition to the other tragedies facing the world, each of us faces our own times of stress and change. In the midst of impending storms, and in the middle of storms, be reminded that prayer offers a tremendous pathway for peace… Greetings Friends: Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with...
Read MoreHaving a BLAST in September 2017
BLAST (Big Loud Awesome Spiritual Time) recently emailed out their September schedule. Here’s how we’re getting the Fall season going: September 1-2 (Friday-Saturday) We’re kicking off this year at a BACK 2 SCHOOL RALLY! Along with the youth of Pitman Nazarene, we will travel to a lock-in hosted at the waterpark, Aquatopia! After we dive into the Word, we’ll dive into 13 waterslides, 8 pools, a lazy river, and splash zone! Please meet at 5:30 pm at PUMC on...
Read MoreNew Challenge? Be Strong and Courageous! (Camp Meeting, 8/20/17)
On August 20 2017, the First UMC of Glassboro hosted the Pitman Camp Meeting. Their Praise Band (Magnify) roused us up with their music, and their Pastor (Rev. John Inverso) inspired us with his message…. Pastor John’s scripture reading was Joshua 1:6-11… 6 “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses...
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 MorePUMC is Throwing a Movie/Pizza Party on our Front Lawn! (9/16/17)
Oh, those lazy crazy days of summer!!! And, part of Summer is getting outside with friends and enjoying some food. So, once a month (on the third Saturday) we’re planning on setting up a screen in front of our church (on Broadway) and showing a movie. The movie is FREE! And, we’ll be serving up some FREE pizza too! The movie will start at dusk (The actual time might change as the summer goes on and the days get shorter). Our Next Pizza and Movie Night is: Saturday...
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 MoreNot a Cold Day in November? Be Thankful Anyway!!!
The following message was posted on our signboard: DON’T WAIT UNTIL A COLD DAY IN NOVEMBER TO BE THANKFUL! Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18… Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Always? In ALL circumstances? This is August! It’s blazing hot and you can’t walk 10 feet without sweating to death. Joyful? Thankful?!? What if… The Mortgage is due and the...
Read MoreTime to Get Our Feet Wet! (7/30/17)
It was confirmation Sunday. A Group of wide-eyed teens stood at the front of the church to declare the faith that their parents had promised to nurture in them when when they stood at the same altar years earlier. These youth had “survived Pastor Jim’s Boot camp” in order to reach this special Sunday. But what’s next? Completing Middle School, entering High School, College, jobs, marriage, even having kids themselves? So much awaits. So much potential to fear and...
Read MoreHis Love Makes no Sense!
Members of our BLAST Youth group recently returned from a week at Malaga Camp. The theme of the week was God’s love. How can God send His Son to dies for us and continue to love us even when we keep on rejecting Him and breaking away to do our own thing? One of the people attending the camp wrote the following… “His love makes no sense.” I turned to the woman next to me (who later would become a new friend) and cried, “Why does Jesus love me so much? I don’t deserve...
Read MoreThe Bible: Take it Personally!
The Bible is useless it brings you closer to God. In order for that to happen, you have to engage with the scripture; put yourself into the story and be willing to change.
Read MoreYou Were There! (Camp Meeting, 7/16/17)
Rev. Jim Hughes has a unique ministry where he dresses up as a Biblical character and gives a first person account of what he lived through; of how he saw God or walked with Jesus. Over the years at the Pitman Camp Meeting we’ve seen him portray characters such as Judas, Peter, and John. Some of those costumes were pretty heavy. And on a warm July night in the Grove Auditorium, they can be pretty uncomfortable. There have been evenings where his performance cost him 5-10 pounds from...
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 MoreBLAST Announces Summer 2017 Schedule
Our Youth Group (Big Loud Awesome Spiritual Time) normally meets on Sunday and Tuesday nights. But- this is the summer! Things aren’t “normal” during the summer. But, BLAST isn’t going “off the air” during the summer. Here are some of the activities we’re planning: Sunday July 9, 2017 (9:30 AM) Campers attending Malaga Camp will be joining Pitman United Methodist Communities on this Sunday for a prayer service that will bless the campers...
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