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As we have felt firsthand, last week brought record-setting heat waves to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley regions, even more than “Swedish Days is always hot” kind of heat. Those relentlessly high temperatures have been more than just a topic for conversation—they pose serious risks to our health and well-being. But beyond immediate health risks, these heat waves are a stark reminder of broader changes in our environment. For decades, we’ve heard scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of these heat events to climate change, largely driven by our reliance on fossil fuels. As global temperatures rise, weather patterns become more erratic, makingRead More →

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This past week at our Northern Illinois Annual Conference, Bishop Schwerin appointed me to serve as your pastor at the United Methodist Church of Geneva for the fourth consecutive year. It is with joy and gratitude that I share this news with you. Each year, our bishops and their cabinets review the appointments of every pastor in our conference, ensuring that the needs of both the churches and the pastors are met in the most effective ways possible. You might be curious about how this process works. In the United Methodist Church, clergy appointments are made on an annual basis. This tradition is rooted inRead More →

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We are past the COVID protections that forced the church into the digital age, but we are experiencing the beautiful convergence of online and in-person ways of being a church. I think this blend of virtual and physical gatherings enriches our congregation and strengthens the bonds that unite us in faith and fellowship and could benefit from greater intentionality. In the past week, we celebrated several wonderful instances where those who worship primarily online made meaningful in-person connections. These moments not only highlight the seamless integration of our online and in-person communities but also serve as a testament to the power of God’s grace workingRead More →

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In Hebrews 13:2, we are reminded to “not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” This powerful verse captures the essence of what it means to extend grace through hospitality, a theme that resonates deeply with our recent experiences at UMCG. As we reflect on these moments, we celebrate the ways in which our congregation has embodied this call to welcome and care for others, truly entertaining angels in our midst. One of the most poignant demonstrations of hospitality occurred last week during the memorial service for John Fasbender. This event was a profound testament toRead More →

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‘Thank you’ a lot. ‘I think it’s so great the church does this.’ ‘Can I get more?’ ‘I really like your sermons.’   ‘Your church does so much for our community.’ Then after flipping pancakes, I visited with the other stations and volunteers before I greeted folks, sat with some diners and heard their stories. And I woke up Tuesday, to write my blog and realized how much our Pancake Breakfast is a way we embody our mission and values.   Our mission at the United Methodist Church of Geneva is to “illuminate our community with God’s grace as we lovingly accept, listen to, andRead More →

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On this Memorial Day weekend, we gather not only to flip pancakes, sell plants and serve coffee, we gather to remember and honor the brave persons who have sacrificed their lives for our country. It is a solemn occasion that allows us to reflect on the values of freedom, justice, and peace that these individuals fought to protect. As we honor their memory, it is also a time to reaffirm our commitment to these values within our church. We must be careful in our celebrations because sometimes our Christian identity can get confused or consumed by White Christian Nationalism. White Christian Nationalism often promotes theRead More →

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This past Sunday we celebrated confirmation. In keeping with the series on Making a Methodist, I preached about the means of grace, the outward and tangible signs of God’s inward love in our lives. These means of grace are conduits in which we can experience and share in God’s unconditional love for us. Confirmation is one of these means of grace. Along with our two sacraments baptism and communion, John Wesley identified several other means of grace: prayer, scripture reading and study, fellowship, fasting, worship and serving others. The whole service on Sunday was filled with means of grace. This little two-year-old often hangs outRead More →

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About the time that this is published on Friday, I’ll be in the dentist’s chair getting my regular cleaning. About a month ago, I got an email that kind of looked like the graphic above asking me to click to confirm or call to reschedule. Then last Friday, I got another one. I appreciate these reminders. I thought my appointment was the week prior and that I had missed it! We’re celebrating confirmation with three of our students this Sunday – Liv Cahill, Jaclyn Eakins, and Charlie Popplewell – along with students from Baker Memorial, Batavia, and Wesley Aurora United Methodist Churches. Confirmation is muchRead More →

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Back in May of 1768, John Wesley gave a sermon titled, ‘The Good Steward.’ In this sermon he focuses on the text from Luke: “Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. (16:2).” In this sermon, Wesley has four main points: I. In what respects are we now God’s stewards? II. When he requires our souls of us, we “can be no longer stewards.” III. We will need to “give an account of our stewardship.” IV. There is no employment of our time, no action or conversation, that is purely indifferent and we can never do more than our duty.Read More →

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After spending days looking at forecasts and plotting courses that would avoid traffic jams this past Monday, my family and I loaded up the car and headed to southern Illinois to try and catch the total solar eclipse. And wow! We are so glad we did! On our long drive back to Geneva, the whole experience had me reflecting on how celestial events like eclipses have taken on spiritual significance and meaning over the course of human history. As Christians, these rare events hold significant theological and symbolic meanings, deeply rooted in the biblical narratives that guide our faith. At the same time, we knowRead More →