Limited In-Person Worship Resumes! (3/28/21)
Our worship services will be open to limited in-person congregations starting on Palm Sunday (3/28). The situation with the pandemic will be re-evaluated on a week to week basis, but we are currently planning to resume “in-person worship” starting with our Palm Sunday service.
Read MoreHoly Moments During a Winter’s Day (2/21/21)
A video showing “A Winter’s Day at PUMC” led us into a real moment of Holy reverence during our “virtual worship service” on 2/22/21. Against the backdrop of snow and the quietness of our sanctuary, this rendition of the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy inspired us to worship on this first Sunday of Lent.
Read More2020 Cantata to Looks to Jesus (12/20/20)
The circumstances surrounding this year’s Christmas Cantata change the presentation, but not the purpose. This year’s cantata will be a mixture of live music and videos from past years. It will be live-streamed on Sunday 12/20 at 4:15 PM.
Read MorePreparing the Way for Jesus (Advent 2018)
Can it be December already? Are you ready for Christmas 2018??? We have a full schedule of worship, music, and giving events (plus some food), that will help you get ready for Christmas.
Read MoreDavid Meece Testifies of New Rainbows! (10/14/17)
Renowned singer /songwriter David Meece performed “In Concert” at our church on Saturday Oct. 14, 2017. In many ways, it was like any other concert by a “celebrity.” Before the “show”, there was a table full of CDs in the lobby and bashful young ladies had the chance to meet the “star” backstage. When David took the “stage” he opened with a rousing performance of “Raise These Arms,” getting everyone to clap their hands and...
Read MorePUMC Welcomes the Savior! (12/24/15)
On Christmas Eve, we held two services. The first was at 4:00 PM and was geared for families with small children. The 7:00 PM service included the choir, praise team, brass ensemble, and the traditional lighting of candles to the singing of Silent Night. Pastor Jim gave a sermon on Luke 2:1-20 and Isaiah 9:6-7 entitled “Believe.” Here are some pictures from the 7:00 service… most of which are taken from the choir loft. The view of the candles from the loft on Christmas Eve...
Read MoreChristmas Eve Services (12/24/15)
Christmas is finally upon us! We will celebrate the eve before Christ’s birth with two Christmas Eve services. Family Service, 4:00 PM The fist service will be a casual family service and will be held at 4:00 PM. The service will feature carols and Bible readings. Traditional Candlelight Service, 7:30 PM The second service will begin with our annual “Christmas Band” and the singing of many favorite Christmas Carols and Praise Choruses. The choir will sing and...
Read MoreMen’s Group Enters the Gates with Thanksgiving (12/12/15)
Our United Methodist Men’s Fellowship held our monthly gathering on the morning of December 12, and we considered Psalm 100. This familiar Psalm teaches us that “Theology (knowledge) leads to Doxology (worship).” Our guest speaker was Gino Curcuruto, a chiropractor/pastor/father and devoted Christian. Gino and his family recently moved from Pitman to Philadelphia, with the intent of planting churches in his South Philly neighborhood (or wherever God is leading them). The...
Read MoreThe Essentials of Worshiping God (11/8/15)
Psalm 96 marks a joyous occasion when the Israelites re-captured the Ark of the Covenant. It’s a time of worship… joyous worship! Worship shouldn’t be boring!!! Pastor Jim took a look at this during his sermon of November 8, 2015. Click the “Play” button to start the recording, then scroll down to follow along. The recording is from the 9:30 service… The scripture reading was Psalm 96 (Pastor Jim read from The Living Bible). The New Living...
Read MoreLenten Schedule (March-April 2015)
Starting with Ash Wednesday (on February 18), we left the season of Epiphany and entered the season of Lent. If you start with the Saturday before Easter and count backwards 40 days (not including Sundays), you’ll land on Ash Wednesday. Lent is the 40 day (less Sundays) period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. It’s a time for introspection and repentance. A time to look at our sin, God’s holiness, and to appreciate the value of Jesus’ death on the cross....
Read MoreChoir Returns to the Loft this Sunday! (9/21/14)
The “Voices in Praise” (our adult choir) will make their 2014-2015 season debut this Sunday (September 21)! We’ve been away for the summer, but we return to use our voices to praise God during the 11 AM worship services. The “choir season” runs from September through June (about 42 weeks). We will sing the offertory during the 11 AM service, and our anthem will be “Behold Our God.” Check out the following video for a preview…...
Read MorePastor’s Ponderings: God’s Amazing Goodness
Friends: As part of my ministry over the years, I have written and prepared many devotionals. I am continuing to write them as the Holy Spirit leads and time allows. The Pitman UMC, where I am proud to be serving as Senior Pastor, will begin posting them on our website. If you would like to be added to the growing email list, please write me and let me you would like to receive these as an email from me. You may email me at: revbolton@pitmanumc.org Grace and Peace, Pastor Jim...
Read MorePUMC to Host Pitman Camp Meeting (8/3/14)
The Pitman Camp Meeting is a ministry of the Pitman United Methodist Church, but it is supported by local United Methodist Churches. Throughout the summer, the Camp Meeting service is held in the Grove Auditorium on Sunday evenings at 7:30 PM. Each week is “hosted” by a different church. The host church supplies the speaker (usually their pastor) and the special music (usually from their church’s music team). Next Sunday, on August 3, it is our turn to host the Camp...
Read MoreJim Hughes to speak at Camp Meeting (7/27/14)
Rev. Jim Hughes will be the “speaker” at next week’s Camp Meeting service. The service is held in the Pitman Grove Tabernacle, starting at 7:30. Jim has a unique style of preaching the Word. Using music, costumes, and drama, Jim draws the congregation into the story of the Bible. We learn how Nicodemus may have felt after his night time encounter with Jesus. We get a look into the motives of Judas. We see the love and invitation of Jesus in a fresh way. Jim has...
Read MoreBret Walker to Speak at Pitman Camp Meeting (7/6/14)
The Pitman Camp Meeting began its 145th season last week (Sunday June 29). The speaker was the Rev. Bill Wilson, of the Chews Landing United Methodist Church. This week, the speaker will be Bret Walker. Bret is a member of PUMC who went into the ministry. He is now serving a two point charge as a local pastor in Pedricktown (Hudson UMC)and Auburn (Ebeneezer UMC). During our recent Vacation Bible School, Bret taught faith skills while portraying Moses. The camp meeting services are held in...
Read MoreClimates for Spiritual Growth (6/29/14)
The sermon on June 29 was given by Larry Bakely, our church’s lay leader. The message was entitled, “Climates for Spiritual Growth,” and the scripture was the entire first chapter of the book of 1 Samuel. Click Here to read the story of Samuel’s birth, as told in 1 Samuel 1… The Challange… In the April edition of the conference newspaper (“The Methodist Relay”) Bishop John Schol wrote an article on Church Vitality. In his article, the bishop...
Read MoreWhy Go to Church???
Here’s an interesting thought from an email that’s been floating around lately… Why go to Church? If you’re spiritually alive, you’re going to love this! If you’re spiritually dead, you won’t want to read it. If you’re spiritually curious, there is still hope! Why Go To Church? A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. “I’ve gone for 30 years...
Read MoreChoirs to Lead Services on June 22 (6/22/14)
The choirs and praise team will lead both services on June 22. Using music, narration, and the Word, the choirs will lead us through a journey celebrating our church’s heritage and history. But more than a look into the past, we will celebrate how God has always been faithful to us. As written in the letter to the Hebrews, we are surrounded by a “great cloud of witnesses.” As we enter this transition period between pastors, we will look to the past so we can...
Read MoreFreedom isn’t Free!
EXERCISE YOUR FREEDOM OF RELIGION …THIS SUNDAY! Whenever a pastor’s family celebrates a wedding or a baptism, the congregation naturally asks the pastor if he is going to officiate or if he is going to defer to another pastor. A pastor announced that he was planning to travel to China to attend his son’s wedding. A parishioner asked the inevitable question… “are you going to officiate at your son’s wedding?”The question may not have been out of...
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 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 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 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 MoreGood Friday Breakfast (4/17/14)
The United Methodist Women will sponsor their annual Good Friday Breakfast on the morning of Good Friday (April 17) at 8:30 AM. The guest speaker will be Meg Rambo. To learn more about Meg, her husband Scott, and their missions, click here.
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