Pastor’s Ponderings: Running the Race with Perseverance
American athlete James Connolly dreamed of competing in the Triple Jump on the world stage. When the Olympics returned in 1896, he quit college and sailed for Athens. His persistence paid off; He won the first place prize. Victory is assured, but we are called to “run the race with perseverance” until the prize is won.
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: Running the Race with Perseverance
As we look forward to the the end of the pandemic, the Bible and the experience of Olympian James Connolly give us guidance and inspiration to hang on and persevere. Pastor Jim submitted this devotion on 4/28/21.
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: How to Carry a Burden
Carrying around burdens isn’t easy; rough times can really drag us down. But the good news is that God will carry the burdens and protect us from slipping. We can feel peace because God has promised that He will give us the victory.
Read MoreGod’s Miracle of Peace
Is life a puzzle? Problems, questions, fears? We all struggle with issues in our lives; they come and go in a constant barrage. Sometimes you look at the pieces of your life, and they don’t seem to fit together. Somewhere, there must be peace. Where is that “Piece” of the puzzle? And so, the Signboard Message said: IS LIFE A PUZZLE? WE HAVE THE MISSING PEACE! The good news is that God offers us True Peace. Eternal Peace. The Peace that we need, not...
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 MoreDon’t Wear the Emperor’s Clothes! (9/6/15)
When “Goliaths” stand before us and threaten us, what do we see? Hopelessness or Victory? How do we proceed? God wants to give us Victory! Pastor Jim explored these truths during his sermon on September 6, 2015. Click the below “Play” button to start listening to the recording, then scroll down and follow along… The scripture reading was from 1 Samuel 17 (starting at verse 31)… Click the below drop down box to “open up God’s...
Read MoreDeclarations of Independence (7/4/14)
As we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July holiday, we express our thanks for the freedoms we are blessed with in this country. But God gives us more than civil freedoms. We’re surrounded by God’s grace and freedoms that are expressed in a variety of ways. Here are a few expressions of freedom… The US Declaration of Independence. The 4th of July holiday celebrates the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Click below to open up the entire text of the...
Read MorePUMC Celebrates the Life of Dr. Ed Blackman (5/7/14)
Our church lost one of it’s “pillars” when Ed Blackman went home to be with his Lord on Friday May 2 (obituary). He is survived by his wife Marge. Ed and his wife Marge were long time members of our church and led in many capacities over the years. They have led not only in official office capacities and in organized ministries, but both of them have and continue to touch the lives of so many of our members. Most of us carry memories of Ed’s witness and...
Read MoreWhat’s YOUR Easter Story? (4/27/14)
Our sermon during the services on Sunday April 27 was given by Kimberly Dybeck. Kim is a seminarian student who is serving an internship with PUMC. During her time with our church she has coordinated our small groups and has been a huge inspiration. In a few weeks, her education will take her to another internship assignment, but we will always be grateful that she became part of our family. We were also blessed that she had the opportunity to share her first sermon with us…...
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 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...
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