His 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 MoreWhat do You Know About Mother’s Day?
Mother’s Day. It comes every year on the 2nd Sunday of May. How much do you really know about Mothers Day? First of all, is it “Mother’s Day”, “Mothers’ Day” or “Mothers Day”??? Where do you put the apostrophe? Or do you even use one? Google “Mothers Day” and you’ll see all three spellings. So is it: A day for your mother (Mother’s) A day for all mothers (Mothers’) Or a day just named after female...
Read MoreSay a Nehemiah 2:4 Prayer!
Things are going along pretty well, then all of a sudden life throws you a curve and the steam of anger or fear starts to build. Or, all of a sudden you’re in a dire situation where you need to make a quick decision. What do you do?
Follow the example of Nehemiah and say a quick “Nehemiah 2:4 Prayer”!
Doublin’ Down with Job!
When someone we love dies, do we really loose them??? You’re probably familiar with the story of Job; He’s a rich landowner who lived sometime around the time of Abram. There’s this strange conversation in heaven, and the next thing you know he’s lost all of his possessions and his children. But some of the fine print details that we tend to skip over in a passage like this need to be noticed. Here’s what it says in Job 1:1-2… There once was a man named...
Read MoreThe 12 Days of Christmas Decoded!
We’re all familiar with the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” But other than a silly party song where a quartet of friends gets make fools of themselves by squawking like “Calling Birds” (whatever they are), is there any spiritual significance in this song’s lyrics? There are many versions of the origin and meaning of this song, but a spiritual application to each “gift” mentioned in this song can be made. Back when this song was written,...
Read MoreZephaniah Offers Encouragement During Longest Night Service (12/21/16)
December 21… the first day of winter, and the year’s longest night. For those who have lost something or someone during the year, this night can be a forebearer of a Blue Christmas. And so, as part of our Advent preparation, our Blue Christmas service helps us to re-connect with God’s promises. A loss may be a painful bump in the road or change in course, but God is still in control. During our service on 12/21/16, Pastor Jim turned to the “Minor Prophet”...
Read MoreValentine’s Day Love Appears at PUMC (2/14/16)
The letters “PUMC” stands for “Pitman United Methodist Church”, but they mean so much more than a building, or a particular church, or an institution. “PUMC” is simply a gathering of people who are motivated by the Holy Spirit to grow closer to God and to extend His love to others. We are a people who see the Cross and react by reaching out our own arms. In our church on this morning of the day we call Valentine’s Day, the Holy Spirit’s work of...
Read MoreGrowth Chart for Fifth Graders… And Adults!
GROWTH… When our kids are young we frequently buy or make a “growth chart” that we hang on the bedroom wall. At significant events we mark the height of our child and marvel at the wonder of growth. How quickly they grow and get taller and taller! A poster was recently spotted on an easel in our 5th grade Sunday School Room: It says “GROWTH.” How can we grow in Christ? What would you tell a 5th grader? What would you tell an adult? Here’s some useful...
Read MoreDaily Thanksgiving Prayer Meditation
What am I thankful for? Most of us could probably name friends, family, home, or other material blessings. But how do you develop a Thankful Attitude? How do you get into the mode where you can see God’s hand in everything, and then become truly thankful? The following video was produced by the United Methodist Church, and helps to lead you into a time of Thankful meditation. Close the door, turn off the phone, lock out the distractions, and allow yourself to see God… ...
Read MoreWhat is TRUST?
What does it mean to Trust? We’re called to Trust friends, Trust co-workers, Trust doctors, Trust bank tellers. But what does it mean to trust God? Proverbs 3:5-8 puts it this way… Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for...
Read MorePUMC Records “Prepare the Way” Video (12/18/14)
During our Choir Rehearsal last Thursday (12/18/14), The Voices in Praise stepped into the “recording studio” with Lee Whittaker and recorded a rendition of his hit “Prepare the Way.” This song is especially appropriate as we consider the “Colors of Christmas” and how we’ve been reminded that we must constantly prepare our lives and hearts for the arrival of Christ. Not only for His 2nd coming, but also for His ever-available touch on our day to day...
Read MoreStuck in the Middle of a Noisy Christmas?
Can’t wait for Christmas to come and get over with? Does it feel like you’re in the middle of a hectic rush of shopping, phony parties and crazy drivers? When January comes will you look back and be thankful for Christmas, or will you simply return to your normal routine and feel glad that you survived it? The true Christmas touches us when we can honestly celebrate Christ (that’s what Christ Mas literally means, afterall). Christ touches us in the quiet moments. In...
Read MoreGive Thanks in Your Own Way: Lunar Communion!
On July 20,1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were really busy. But one of the first things they did after stepping on to the surface of the moon was to celebrate the Lord’s Supper! Here’s Buzz Aldrin’s description of what happened.
Read MoreSouth Seaville UMC Opens New Doors! (9/7/14)
Back in 2004, our church building was destroyed by fire. For 3 years we worshiped in a school, theater, and converted hardware store. In 2007- after much anticipation and work- we moved into our new (current) building. About 3 years ago, another local United Methodist Church began a similar journey when their church building burned down. (Read More). But today (9/7/14) the South Seaville United Methodist Church opened the doors of its new building and celebrated their first service of...
Read MoreMorning by Morning New Mercies I See
Pastor Jim’s sermon on August 15 was about God’s faithfulness as shown in Lamentations 3. Morning by Morning New Mercies I See… One of the hymns that most of us know is based on today’s scripture: “Great is thy Faithfulness.” The refrain includes the line “Morning by morning new mercies I see…. All I have needed Thy hand has provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.” There is a lily-type plant which produces flowers that...
Read MorePay Phones are Gone, but Prayer Still Works!
With the universal use of cell phones, the pay phones which once dotted our downtown have all but vanished. Outside of the Jake’s on Broadway restaurant in Pitman, a former pay phone has taken on a new and creative purpose… Communication… The ways we communicate with each other have changed dramatically over the years. And, they will continue to change as technology advances. But the ways in which we communicate with God are time tested and dependable. We can communicate...
Read MoreNew Life for the South Seaville United Methodist Church
One June 10, 2011, fire destroyed the South Seaville United Methodist church’s building. But after a period of transition, their new building is nearing completion. At PUMC we can identify with this story; our building burned down in 2003, and we moved into our current building in 2007. But as our pastor said during the night of the fire, “Our building may be burning down, but my church is standing behind me.” (or words to that effect…) A church is not a building;...
Read MorePUMC 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 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 MoreSteeple Cross Legacy (2/23/14)
This post was originally published in 2014…
The cross hanging in the Narthex was once high upon our steeple overlooking the center of town. It stood as a visible symbol of our church until the building under it was destroyed by fire in 2003. As we consider our history, we look to the past to draw inspiration for the future.
