Sound the Trumpet (2/18/15)
Pastor Jim’s sermon on Ash Wednesday challenged us to pay special attention to our relationship with God during this season of Lent. What do we need to walk away from in order to walk closer to God? The passage was from Joel 2. Click the below “Play” button and follow along… Joel 2:1-18 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at...
Read MoreLenten Schedule (March-April 2015)
Starting with Ash Wednesday (on February 18), we left the season of Epiphany and entered the season of Lent. If you start with the Saturday before Easter and count backwards 40 days (not including Sundays), you’ll land on Ash Wednesday. Lent is the 40 day (less Sundays) period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. It’s a time for introspection and repentance. A time to look at our sin, God’s holiness, and to appreciate the value of Jesus’ death on the cross....
Read MoreThe Signs of the Times: The Tribe of Issachar (2/15/15)
Would you go to that church?Change won’t come from Washington. Change won’t come from Trenton.Does Any Body Know What Time it Is? Does Anybody Really Care??? Pastor Jim’s sermon on Sunday February 15 2015 focused on a short verse in 1 Chronicles. The Tribe of Issachar recognized the signs of the times and they decided to support David instead of Saul as king. Click the following “Play” button to start the sermon, scroll down, and learn more about the...
Read More2015 Lenten Devotional Books are Ready!
During the past few months, members of PUMC have written and collected a series of devotional readings to help us prepare for Easter during the season of Lent. The devotionals have been assembled into a booklet, and the booklets are now available. The Lenten Devotionals are now available in the Narthex. The book contains daily readings starting on Ash Wednesday (February 18) and continuing through Easter Sunday (April 5). Articles are written by members of PUMC as well as by members of Zion...
Read MoreAsh Wednesday Service (2/18/15)
We will recognize the beginning of Lent by offering ourselves in humble repentance during our annual Ash Wednesday service. The service will be held on Wednesday February 18, starting at 7:00 PM. The choir will hold their weekly rehearsal after the service instead of during the usual time on Thursday evening. What is Ash Wednesday? For more about Ash Wednesday, check out the following “Chuck Knows Church” video… ...
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 MoreThe Second Sin (2/8/15)
What’s the Worst Sin we can commit??? Pastor Jim’s sermon on Sunday February 8 2015 took a look at the “second sin.” We all are familiar with the account of Adam and Eve and the Apple; Original Sin. But what’s the Second Sin? What happens if we ignore the Second Sin? Click the following “Play” button to start the sermon, scroll down, and find out… The scripture was from Genesis 3:1-13. Open the following box to read along…...
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Can You Say “Hello?”
Do Something! At our recent retreat with the youth, they challenged us to “do something”. Have you ever felt like “doing something” at church, but couldn’t fit it into your schedule? Here’s the perfect “something”! Be a greeter! Show up at church about 25 minutes early, hang out in the narthex, and welcome those arriving. This is “something” the church needs. Is this “something” you can do? Say “Hello” to Carol Hubbard if you are interested in joining the hospitality...
Read MoreGod’s Super Team (2/1/15)
Sunday February 1 2015 was “Super Bowl Sunday!” We dressed down and wore our favorite team’s colors, and Pastor Jim’s sermon looked at what it takes to be a championship team. Teams work together to achieve a common goal. But how has God assembled His team- the Church? Click the following “Play” button to start the sermon, scroll down, and follow along… 1 Corinthians 12:4-25 1 Cor 12:4-26 There are diversities of gifts, but the same...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: The Family of God
Pastor Jim submitted the following devotional on February 6 2015… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: Hebrews 10:25 Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer” (CEV). PLEASE READ: Acts 2:42 They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed...
Read MoreJesus Loves You- Is the Feeling Mutual?
The following message was posted on our signboard as we begin to prepare for the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday: JESUS LOVES YOU! IS THE FEELING MUTUAL? Jesus Loves You… Jesus loves you… we hear that so many times that it begins to sound kind of cliche, or trite. Jesus- the Son of God- loves… ME? Really??? The familiar Sunday School song says, “Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so.” How does the Bible tells us that Jesus loves us? ...
Read MoreOur Father’s House to “Love Your Neighbor” during February (2/1/14)
In each month of this school year, Our Father’s House (our pre-school) features a verse from the Bible and then puts that verse in action through mission. Here’s what’s happening in Our Father’s House during February…This month’s verse is Matthew 22:39… 37-38 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is...
Read MoreBLAST to Visit Sight and Sound (2/7/15)
Our BLAST Youth group is set to have another “Loud Awesome Spiritual Time.” On Saturday February 7 we are going to Lancaster County PA to see the Sight and Sound presentation of “Moses.” If you’ve never been to a Sight and Sound production, it is an awesome experience! Live animals, huge sets, and large casts make all work together to take you back to the time and location where the Bible story took place. On Saturday, we’re going to Egypt; to the time...
Read MoreOur Father’s House to Begin Full Day Program for Pre-K’s (Sept. 2015)
The Our Father’s House pre-school has been providing kids with quality preschool instruction and a nurturing environment since we opened its doors in the Fall of 2009. We are now in our 6th year. But during that time, all of our classes have met for only half a day. We’ve offered morning sessions or afternoon sessions, but never a full day session. Starting next Fall, that will change! All of our half day classes will still be available. However, parents of 4 year olds...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Jesus Never Had Ulcers!
Pastor Jim submitted the following on January 25… Greetings Friends: 11 months from today is Christmas!!!! PLEASE READ: Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and...
Read MoreFaith-Walking People (1/25/15)
Pastor Jim’s sermon on January 25 (11AM service) looked at the faith of Enoch- somebody we don’t hear that much about. How does our Walk with God affect our day to day lives? Do we know that we ARE walking with God? Like Amy Grant’s song, are we Faith Walking People? Click the following “Play” button to listen to the sermon, then scroll down to follow along… The scripture reading was from Gen 5:21-24 and Hebrews 11:5-6. Open the following box to...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: What’s Your Fixed Point?
The following article was sent by Pastor Jim on 1/19/15…. Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (NIV). PLEASE READ: Psalm 102:27 “But you remain the same, and your years will never end” (NIV). Those verses of holy Scripture noted above are so powerful. What an amazing thought: Jesus Christ is the same, He doesn’t change. Isn’t that good to know that in this turbulent, stormy,...
Read MoreDo Something! (1/25/15)
Last weekend (1/18/15), our BLAST Youth Group attended the “Mid-Winter Advance” at Keswick. Besides having a lot of fun and meeting new friends, they focused on Matthew 25:40 and discussed ways in which they can put their faith into action and “do it for the least of these.” Here’s the “T-Shirt Translation” of this verse: This weekend (1/25/15) the group returned and shared what they learned by leading the 9:30 worship service. The following thoughts...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Study the Playbook
Pastor Jim submitted the following thoughts on January 24, 2015… Greetings Friends: PLEASE READ: 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing rightly handling and skillfully teaching the Word of Truth” (AMP). As we’re well aware the Super Bowl is in one week. Players from both teams are investing time and energy in...
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