Signboard: 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 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 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 MoreFriend Request from Jesus!
Anyone who uses Facebook is familiar with the message saying: New Friend Request from ___. Confirm Not Now You have to make a choice. You have to click either “Confirm” or “Not Now.” Do you know this person? Do you want to know more about him? Do you want to share your posts with him or her? Do you want to have a relationship with this person? One of life’s greatest mysteries is that Jesus- the one and only Son of God- wants to have a...
Read MoreThank You from the Gideons! (3/30/14)
Last month, Wayne Murphy, a representative from the Gideons visited our church and shared about his ministry in providing Bibles. Because of our support for them, they will be able to deliver 27 Bibles (or 107 Testaments) to a world hungry for God’s Word. To learn more about the Gideons, check out their website. Think of the Gideons the next time you’re in a hotel room… So how did this group get started putting Bibles in hotel rooms…. and why are they...
Read MoreFruitful Living (4 of 5): “Risk Taking Mission” (3/30/14)
The sermon on Sunday March 30 introduced practice #4 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. Risk Taking Mission and Service This week’s “practice of fruitful living” was presented by...
Read MoreFruitful Living (3 of 5): “Intentional Faith Development” (3/23/14)
The sermon on Sunday March 23 introduced practice #3 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. Intentional Faith Development This week’s “practice of fruitful living” is entitled...
Read MoreUnited Methodist Men Fed at Retreat (3/16/14)
Our United Methodist Men’s Fellowship group met at the Black Rock Retreat Center (Quarreyville PA) for our annual retreat on the weekend of March 14-16. About 25 of us attended, and men of all ages were represented. Click on the title to read more…
Read MoreFruitful Living (2 of 5): “Passionate Worship (3/16/14)
The sermon on Sunday March 16 introduced the second practice of our five part series on the “Five Practices of Fruitful Living.” Pastor Kee preached the sermon. 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. Worship… A Sunday school teacher asked her children...
Read MoreOh My God- What a Great Rate!
I recently received an ad about mortgages. The glossy letter was topped by the words, “OMG- What a great rate!” (For the “cell phone challenged” among us, “OMG” is a commonly used texting abbreviation meaning “Oh My God!”) Really? Invoking the Name of our Creator over an interest rate? Yes, God cares about every detail about our lives. But the casual use of the expression “Oh My God!” can’t help but bring the following...
Read MoreFruitful Living (1 of 5): “Radical Hospitality” (3/9/14)
The sermon on Sunday March 9 opened our five part series in “Forty Days of Fruitful Living.” During this season of Lent, we are following this devotional guide by Robert Schanase. The sermons introduce the week’s topic, and we discuss and study these topics during our small group meetings that week. The initial “practice of fruitful living” is entitled “Radical Hospitality.” Pastor Larry’s scripture passage was Matthew 25:34-40. He related...
Read MoreUMM Gathering with Don Polk (3/8/14)
Get Out of the Doldrums! The United Methodist Men held our monthly gathering on Saturday March 8, and we were inspired by our guest speaker, Rev. Don Polk. Rev. Polk is the senior pastor at the Aldine United Methodist Church. He was our associate pastor in the early 1990’s, and it was a treat to see him again in our church. The theme of his message was based on 2 Timothy 1:16…. 2 Tim 1:16-17 16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me...
Read MoreInvite Others on the Journey (3/2/14)
This morning’s sermon was part 7 of a series of messages based on the book “The Wesleyan Way: A Faith that Matters.” The scripture underlying Rev. Potts’ message was Mark 8:31-38 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned...
Read MoreSignboard: Prayer is a Real Tweet (3/1/14)
Twitter… People tweet all kinds of short messages. Some of it is really important stuff like, “I stepped outside and saw a leaf blow across my front lawn.” If you follow this person, you’ll get the privilege of reading insights like these all of the time. But what if somebody really, really important followed you? What if that important person actually read and cared about all of your tweets? Well, guess what? The Bible says that God “follows...
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.
Transform Yourself and the World (2/23/14)
This morning’s sermon was part 6 of a series of messages based on the book “The Wesleyan Way: A Faith that Matters.” The scripture underlying Pastor Kee’s message was Romans 12:9-21. Some years ago the New York City Police issued an All Points Bulletin… because a car was stolen. An APB for one car theft??? Cars are stolen every day in New York. But this one was special; not because of the car or owner, but because of what was left on the front seat. The owner reported that he had ...
Read MoreYou Are Not Alone (2/16/14)
This morning’s sermon was part 5 of a series of messages based on the book “The Wesleyan Way: A Faith that Matters.” The scripture underlying Pastor Larry’s message was Acts 2:1-21 (the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost). During this series, we’ve been exploring a journey- how do we get to a point where we truly “love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength?” It all happens through God’s grace, but we need to be...
Read MoreAsh Wednesday Service (3/5/14)
Begin the Lenten Season by participating in our annual Ash Wednesday service. This year’s service will be held on Wednesday March 5 at 7:00 PM. Receive the ashes in a time of quiet repentance, and reflect on the message which will be given by Pastor Kee. The title of Pastor Kee’s sermon is “Christ, No Matter What.”
Read More