Everybody is a Player on God’s Super Team (2/5/17)
Super Bowl Sunday… Things were a little different in church on this particular sabbath. Pastor Jim wasn’t wearing his usual clergy robe. Instead he was trying to look like Jerry Rice with his red 49’ers jersey. The service listed in the bulletin looked a bit strange too: things like “The Huddle Up”, “A Time Out”, and the “Coin Toss” marked the schedule. We were surrounded by object lessons, and Pastor Jim’s sermon put them to use,...
Read MoreLenten Devotional for 2017
Members from four local churches have come together to produce a Daily Devotional for this year’s Lenten season. The booklets were published in hardcopy form and distributed within the participating churches, but electronic copies of the devotions are presented here. If you want a printed copy, visit or contact one of the participating churches: Evangelical UMC (Clarksboro) Zion Community Church (Clarksboro) Trinity United Methodist Church (Mullica Hill) and Pitman United Methodist...
Read MoreThere’s No “I” in “LOVE”!
The signboard said… THERE’S NO “I” IN “LOVE”! OK…. maybe a little corny and trite. Maybe a bit too much along the lines of the classic message that says “WHAT’S MISSING IN CH CH?” (if you need the answer… “U R” missing…). But, can love be truly selfless? Don’t you have to love yourself before you can love others? And don’t you have to think of yourself before you can love...
Read MoreDoublin’ 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 True Star of Christmas (1/8/17)
In last year’s sermon series on Epiphany (entitled “Three Men and a Baby”), Pastor Jim focused on the Wise Men and the Gifts. In this year’s Epiphany sermon, he focused on the star. What was the star? Was it a natural occurrence or something else? What does it mean for us today? During the sermon, Pastor Jim referenced back to last year’s series, so links to each of the three sermons are presented below: Three Men and a Baby… The first part of last...
Read MoreBeing Renewed Day by Day
Does life have you down? Do all of the details and to do lists bulge into an insurmountable burden; a burden that weighs you down so much that you can’t move on? A burden so heavy that you don’t even want to out of bed in the morning? But God promises us that He is always with us. His strength is always available. Like the manna provided to the Israelites on a day by day basis, God is there every morning to help you carry that burden for that day. And He’ll be there...
Read MoreEntering a Jughandle, Rotary, or Roundabout (12/6/16)
As we approach Christmas, Pastor Jim has been preaching a series entitled “An Advent Road Trip.” This was the 2nd part in that series. Is Christmas just a destination? Buy the gifts, wrap the gifts, take down the tree and move on? Is there something we can take from Christmas; not only from Christmas Day but from the journey to Christmas? The following recording is from the 11:00 service. Click on the play button, then scroll down to follow along… Our scripture...
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 MoreBecoming Agents of Holiness-Pt 3 (10/2/16)
Why didn’t God answer my prayer?!? This is a struggle Christians always run into. Maybe God just hasn’t answered it YET. Maybe He did answer it and it wasn’t the answer you were looking for so you didn’t recognize the answer. Or, sometimes it’s because the connection between you and God has been blocked. Blocked by a Prayer Whammy! Read on to find out more…
Read MoreBecoming Agents of Holiness- Pt 2 (9/25/16)
“The Power of Intercessory Prayer” Pastor Jim is preaching a sermon series on Prayer, entitled “Becoming Objects of Holiness.” Last week, he introduced the series by challenging us with the importance of prayer, and highlighting the importance of praying together (“Corporate Prayer”). In this week’s sermon, he reminded us of the power that comes when we pray for others (“Intercessory Prayer”). Peter was in jail, about to be executed, and his friends...
Read MoreBecoming Agents of Holiness- Pt 1 (9/18/16)
Pastor Jim is beginning a sermon series on Prayer, entitled “Becoming Objects of Holiness.” In this first week, he reminded us that prayer changes us; it doesn’t change God. In order to grow into holiness and to be an “agent” that God can use to His glory, we must develop an active and growing prayer life. And it’s important that we pray together as a family of believers in “Corporate Prayer.” Yeah- I can go into my “prayer closet”...
Read MorePrayer: Steering Wheel or Spare Tire???
The next time you get into your car, notice what you do. It’s all habit so you probably haven’t even thought about it. But chances are, you sit down, buckle up, and then you start the engine. But before you go, what’s the first part of the car you touch? Or put it this way… do you start out by touching the Steering Wheel or do you instantly go to the Spare Tire?
Read MoreWhere is Your Bethany? (8/21/16)
We all need a place of rest. A place where we can gather with friends, let our hair down, and unwind. Even Jesus needed a place like that. Sometimes He went up on a mountaintop by Himself to pray. While in Jerusalem, He frequently prayed in a grove of Olive Trees. One time He was transfigured as He met on a mountaintop with Elijha and Moses! But another place that was special to Jesus was a village down the road from Jerusalem called Bethany. Lay Speaker (“Lay Servant”) Jim...
Read MoreThe Long and Winding Road (7/31/16)
Life is like a “Long and Winding Road.” We pass through a path of graduations, marriages, and births. But we also hit the valleys of job loss, divorce, and death. We long for something constant. On a winding mountain road, someone had been there before. The road is paved. Guardrails were installed. Someone keeps going through and maintains the road.
Is there someone like that in life? Are we traveling this road alone???
Read MoreThe Power That’s Behind You
The following message was posted on our signboard on August 20, 2016:
“THE POWER BEHIND YOU IS GREATER THAN THE PROBLEM AHEAD OF YOU.”
God has given us His Spirit which not only helps us through the problems of life, but it also helps us to a deeper joy that comes with a faithful relationship to God.
What Ever Happened to Laughter? (7/31/16- Camp Meeting)
Reminiscent of the famous Neil Diamond concert, the 7/31/16 Camp Meeting was a “Hot July Night.” It would have been easy to skip this one and stay at home in the air conditioning. Do we have to be as stuffy when we worship God? How does laughter fit into our call to honor God and to be reverent before His presence?
PUMC was the host church, and Pastor Jim gave the message. He challenged us to take a fresh look at laughter as a way to honor God.
Cheers: A Place Where Everybody Knows Your Name (7/24/16)
Like the sitcom Cheers, the Church needs to be a place where everybody knows your name… because Christ knows their name and they know Jesus’ Name. Pastor Jim used this 1980s sitcom to illustrate that the relationship we have with eachother is welcoming and powerful when it flows out of the relationship we have with Jesus Christ.
Read MoreWhat Exactly Did Horton Hear? (7/17/16)
Dr. Seuss may have written a series of “Children’s Books,” but he usually packed a message that spoke to us too. In the immediate aftermath of World War 2, Dr. Seuss wrote a book expressing his personal challenge of accepting the Japanese as fellow humans instead of evil enemies.
In the divided atmosphere of today, how does this speak to us now? How can we listen and hear the cries of others? How can we be like Isaiah who said “Here am I. Send me.”??? How can we BE the answer???
Read More“PokeMon Go” Stops by PUMC!
Our church signboard has been chosen as a “PokeStop”! If you’re used to playing the video game “Pokemon Go”, you know what that means. If this is total gibberish to you, we’ll give a quick intro to Pokemon.
Either way, all of us need to keep returning to The Vine for strength.
