The month of June is always filled with renewal and fresh growth. June always connects our congregation to the other United Methodist Congregations in our area as we gather for our Annual Conference session. This year, the group will meet in Pueblo for a very unique experience. The entire group will travel from Pueblo to the historic site of the Sand Creek…
Right up front I want to apologize if I ramble a bit. As I write this month’s article, my mind is actually in a number of different times and places. You see, I am about to fly back east to see my oldest daughter, Rachel, graduate from college and I can’t seem to stop my mind from wandering. I keep thinking about…
A few months ago, I was at Del Taco for lunch with Jason. Across the restaurant was a mother with three boys who were being rowdy (as boys are). Two of them began to throw huge temper tantrums that lasted for sometime. The mother was obviously frazzled, and was receiving many awful looks from the customers in the establishment. As we were…
John 3:30 says “Increase in my life Lord, so that I may decrease.” this verse embodies a great principle, that true worship is that of the heart and not of or at any particular place. The start of a combined 13 years of being in Youth Ministry continues at Parker UMC and I feel very honored and blessed to be here serving…
Greetings to All of You, As of March of this year, I have been your Lay Leader. What does that mean and what are my responsibilities? Within our United Methodist Church system, each local church is asked to elect a lay leader that represents the laity or lay people of that church. My responsibilities are: to communicate to you the importance of…
“If individuality and autonomy were the ways to happiness, this would be the happiest country in the history of mankind. We can live where we want, go where we want, have whatever hobbies we want, and do what we want. But instead of our being happy, therapists’ offices are absolutely packed and people all around us are wondering ‘Is this all there…
Dear Friends: Our season of Lent together felt very strong as we shared daily Scripture together and walked the path to the celebrations of Easter Sunday. We were blessed with an overflowing Easter experience with many new relationships that are forming. Many thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make something really good happen for the Lord! The month of May…
Graceful Foundations of Hope Matthew 28:1-10 The Lord is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed! May our lives proclaim our resurrection faith on this holy day and on every day to come! Grow in Christ and know that he loves you deeply!
Easter Vigil Psalm 19 [one_half] Traditionally the Easter Vigil is a prayerful liturgical event that begins in the dark of night. Participants gather in silence as an ember is struck from flint to spark the first hint of a flame. Soon the flame grows large enough to stand on its own. It is placed under a prepared stack of abundant fuel where…
Good Friday John 18:1-19:42 Good Friday worship tonight at 7:00 [one_half] The words were written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. It was nailed at the top of the cross to mock the Messiah. But Pilate knew better. He knew that this was indeed the King of the Jews. At his baptism John the Baptist…
Holy Thursday I Corinthians 11:23-26 [one_half] Over the years I have taken the Lord’s Supper into any number of homes, hospitals, and nursing homes. I almost always prepare the elements out of a small portable communion set before we pray together. Then I read the words from I Corinthians 11 where Paul describes the gift of the Lord’s Supper as he received…
Wednesday of Holy Week Hebrews 12:1-3 [one_half] The last thing we want to do in this week is to lose sight of the Lord. There are lots of preparations for the Sunday meal, the time of family worship, and visits from friends. But there is another task at hand as well. It is a spiritual task of giving thanks for all those…
Tuesday of Holy Week I Corinthians 1:18-31 Our reading today reminds us of the wisdom of this week. But, as we have seen, wisdom comes with a cost. Today the cost is the cross but the wisdom also arises from the same image. I Corinthians 1:18 is actually the key passage for the entire book. For the message of the cross is…
Monday of Holy Week Isaiah 42:1-9 [one_half] The Prophet Isaiah provides us with a variety of imagery that tends to direct our hearts toward Jesus as the Messiah. Here we have one of the suffering servant images where we discover that the Messiah will not falter or be discouraged until justice is established on the earth. We learn that he will open…
Graceful Foundations of Justice Matthew 21:1-11 Today our journey into Jerusalem with Jesus begins as Jesus makes his way into the city under branches of palm. It is the start of Holy Week. I hope you will be with us in worship throughout the week so our hearts can be truly ready for the blessing of Easter!