PUMC Members Raise Awareness of Autism (4/27/14)
PUMC members John and Heidi Hoenge were both athletic growing up, and so when their son was born they expected that he would in some way excel in sports. But, their thinking was too small. God had plans that were bigger than football or basketball; their son was born with autism. April is National Autism Awareness month, and the Hoenges shared their story during the service on April 27. They reminded the congregation that we are all part of the big jigsaw puzzle of God’s creation. ...
Read MoreUrban Promise Shares Trek with PUMC (4/27/14)
Experiencing God’s Creation beyond the Asphalt Jungle… On Sunday April 27, Jim Cummings and Jeff VanderKuip visited PUMC to give us an update on how God is working through them to minister to the needs of the youth in inner city Camden. Jim is the director of Experiential Learning at Urban Promise, and Jeff leads the Urban BoatWorks program where kids learn how to build wooden boats (and to have the courage to put them on the river and to ride in the boats they built!). Back in...
Read MorePUMC History Re-visited
What we are doing TODAY is far more important than dwelling on the past, but it is helpful to remember the “cloud of witnesses” who preceded us. Knowing where we’ve been can help light to path forward to where God is calling us.
Read MoreMen Set to Clean Up Again! (4/26/14)
The United Methodist Men’s Fellowship will participate in Gloucester County’s “Clean Communities” program on Saturday April 26. This time, the county has selected projects in Paulsboro. The last time we did this, Pitman was the selected site and we picked up trash along Lambs Road. But this time, we’re “making a road trip” (not only literally, but also figuratively). Check out the post about our last Clean Community morning- Click Here. We...
Read MorePUMC Gives Wings for Redbird (4/20/14)
Somebody Needs to Help These Poor People! Years ago, PUMC member Don Beckett and his wife were driving through the hill country of Appalachia. Surrounded by poverty, Mrs. Becket said “somebody needs to help these poor people!” Years later, Don had lost his wife, but he never lost his wife’s plea on behalf of the poor children in Eastern Kentucky. In 2013 a team from our church journeyed to Red Bird Mission, which is in the center of the Redbird Mission Conference of the...
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 MoreEaster EGGcitement!!!- Easter Egg Hunt (4/19/14)
For weeks, the PUMC congregation donated bags of candy. On the day of Maundy Thursday, the Elderberries (our Senior Adult group) gathered together to fill 2600 plastic eggs with candy. Then the day of our annual Easter Egg Hunt arrived on Saturday morning, and over 200 children were in our church! What’s an Easter Egg Hunt at PUMC? If you’re a kid, it’s a bit of everything! First you get a chance to decorate your own “Hunting Bag.” But if you’re...
Read MoreCommunity Sunrise Easter Service (4/20/14)
Many in our community began their Easter Sundays by attending the community Sunrise Service which was held at the Alcyon Lake Park Pavilion. This year’s service was coordinated by the First Presbyterian Church of Pitman, and the service was led by their pastor, Rev. Pat Weikart. Several other local pastors took part in the reading of litany and scripture. The Presbyterian Church’s bell choir led the music. The scripture readings focused on God’s protective and life giving...
Read MoreEaster Message from Bishop Schol (4/20/14)
Bishop John Schol, the bishop of our Greater New Jersey Annual Conference recently released the following open letter to all “Easter People”… To an Easter people who have everything to live for Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for. –1Peter 1:3, The Message The Familiar Becomes Fuzzy Resurrection sometimes feels rare during times of great challenge. We are living in some of the most challenging times...
Read MoreSignboard: For God so Loved the World… (4/19/14)
For God So Loved the World… John 3:16 is a familiar passage; maybe one of the most frequently quoted ones in the Bible. We even see it at sporting events where people simply hold up signs saying nothing more than “3:16.” But have you ever considered what it REALLY means that “God so loved the world”??? Do we just chalk it up to some kind of 1960s hippy flower power sentiment, or can it be true that our infinite Creator who is holy and righteous, actually loves...
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 MorePalm Sunday 2014- Grace Present, Past, and Future (3/13/14)
Abounding Grace… The choirs presented an entire musical service for Palm Sunday (April 20, 2014). The service opened with the traditional singing of “The Palms”, as children weaved between the pews to welcome the Savior into our midst. As we’ve seen in our recent Lenten devotional series, we are surrounded by God’s grace; unmerited favor. Grace that draws us near to God, grace that leads us to accept God, grace that makes us more like Him. The musical...
Read MoreSoftball Team in Action (4/12/14)
The softball team has been practicing at Alcyon Park. Check out these pictures!
Read MoreUMM Gathering with Mike Denelsbeck (4/12/14)
The United Methodist Men held our monthly gathering this morning (Saturday April 12). Our guest speaker was Mike Denelsbeck. Mike has an interesting story. From working as a prison guard, to being a Lay Director of the Garden State Walk to Emmaus Community, to his current ministry as a local pastor (of the Rosenhayne UMC), he has led a life of growth and commitment to our Lord. Mike has a passion for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. The following shares the message that Mike shared...
Read MoreYouth to have a BLAST at FUNPLEX! (4/26/14)
Our Youth Group (Big Loud Awesome Spiritual Time) will enjoy an outing to the FUNPLEX on Saturday April 26. We will leave from the church at 10 AM and return around 4PM. This is for all youth, 4th grade and up. The cost is $20 per person. Pre-registration is needed. See Pastor Kee for details. The FUNPLEX is located in Mt. Laurel. They offer a wide variety of indoor attractions; everything from bowling, to bumper cars, to “Foam Frenzy.” And the outdoor rides opened on April 18,...
Read MoreEaster Sunday Breakfast (4/20/14)
Let’s Celebrate Easter as a Family! The Christian Education Committee will host a covered dish Easter Breakfast on Easter Morning during (April 20) during the Sunday School Hour. The celebration will take place in the Fellowship Hall between 9:30 and 10:30 AM. We’ll start out with some music and a fun interactive program, then we’ll enjoy the fellowship of sharing breakfast on this special morning. Please bring one breakfast item. We will provide the beverages. All Are...
Read MorePalm Sunday Cantata: “Grace- Past, Present, and Future” (4/13/14)
Grace… On Palm Sunday morning (April 13),the members of the music program will present a Sunday worship service filled with grace! This Lenten Season, our church family has been reading through the devotional, “Forty Days of Fruitful Living: Practicing a Life of Grace.” On Palm Sunday, as we gather together to worship, we will celebrate the grace that is ours in Jesus Christ. By His death and resurrection, we are free to live a life of grace. Grace- God becomes human and...
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 MoreHoly Week Schedule & Meditations (4/13 – 4/20)
Holy Week Schedule (Palm Sunday thru Easter)
Read MoreForty Days of Fruitful Living Sermons & Studies (3/9/14)
On Sunday March 9, we began a new sermon series based on the devotional “Forty days of Fruitful Living- Practicing a Life of Grace,” written by Robert Schnanse. During the five Sundays in Lent we are looking at five disciplines, or practices that we can develop in order to grow into a life of grace. The five practices are: Radical Hospitality Passionate Worship Intentional Faith Development Risk-Taking Mission and Service Extravagant Generosity Like an...
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