First United Methodist Church

View From The Pulpit

Dear Church Family Did you catch the snappy change in this missive’s title.  Yes….yesterday I spent most of my time sitting next to my lovely wife, watching and listening to a 45 minutes sermon preached by the children of the Chancel Choir (3rd-5th graders).  It was great! Mary Grace Collins, Jonathan Jain, Bodey Ellis, Marshall Brown, Hunter... [Read more of this review]

The View from the Pulpit April 23, 2012 Dear Church Family: Grace and Peace to you all in the Name of the One who names us, Jesus Christ. My grammar checker tells me that first sentence is an incomplete thought or fragment.  I’ve re-read it several times, trying to understand what’s wrong; trying to restate it another way, but I can’t think of... [Read more of this review]

Dear Church Family: Easter 2B is its “official” designation in the Church Calendar.  Easter is a big deal.  I’d like to be able to say that Easter is the longest season of the year.  But it’s not.  Lent (4 weeks) prepares us for Christmas (2 or 3 weeks) which leads to Epiphany (fluctuates depending on the date of Easter which is falls on... [Read more of this review]

Dear Church Family: Yes, it was a beautiful morning to celebrate Easter.  The sun shined bright through the stained glass, highlighting the Spirits movement through our acts of praise and punctuating our prayers.  The Carol Choir (Pre-school to 2nd Grade) led by Amy Williams and accompanied by Dianne Carter set the mood as they called those gathered... [Read more of this review]

Dear Church Family: I might as well begin this little reflection with the elephant that is in the room; well maybe it’s not in your room yet but it moved in to the parsonage last Monday and it made itself known yesterday (Sunday) afternoon to the members of 1st UMC’s Pastor/Staff Parish Relations Committee; or maybe they had a peek on Friday or... [Read more of this review]

Dear Church Family: Grace and Peace to you in the Name of the One who is God’s Son, God’s Messiah, God’s own love given so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.  It is appropriate that this week reminds us to be aware of the life God has promised through Jesus Christ.  Yesterday was our “Good Friday” here... [Read more of this review]

Dear Church Family The fragrance of “Old Spice” still follows me.  It’s Monday morning and the reenactment still reminds me of that story told second by Mark as he reviews the activities of Holy Week’s Wednesday.  I tried (not to hard) to wash it off this morning, but it seems to have penetrated the pores of my scalp.  J. Thomas was eager... [Read more of this review]