Pastor’s Blog (Page 2)

Last week, I kicked off our journey of vibrancy and vitality as we celebrate 185 years as a church by exploring two of the six strategies from Growing Young: prioritizing young people everywhere and practicing empathy. These strategies remind us that young people are not just the future of the church but an integral part of our community right now. As we continue this series, I want to dive into the next two strategies: fostering a warm community and taking Jesus’ message seriously. These strategies, like the first two, challenge us to reflect on our current practices and culture at UMCG and ask how weRead More →

As we approach the milestone of our 185th anniversary as a church, we find ourselves at a crossroads. It’s a time to look back and celebrate the faithfulness of generations past, but it’s also a time to look forward—toward a future that calls us to reflect and transform. While we honor our rich history, we must also ask: how do we ensure that our legacy of faith continues? How do we remain vital and vibrant for the next 185 years? These are questions that have been stirring in me a while now and came to the fore in the mountains of Colorado as I mentionedRead More →

First, I want to express my deep gratitude to each of you for your prayers and support during my recent mountain retreat. The time away was both productive and renewing, and I returned Thursday feeling refreshed and eager to share what’s on the horizon for our church in 2025. I spent a lot of time praying and planning worship themes that will help us spend a year with Jesus, letting Jesus speak and transform us. But before I dive into those details, I’ll be vetting these ideas with our staff and leaders as we discern together how God is leading us. We’ll make any necessaryRead More →

As you read this, I’m just beginning my worship planning retreat. Having arrived Thursday night in the Wet Mountain Valley of Colorado, at an elevation of 8,000 feet, in an international dark sky community, I’m now immersed in an environment perfect for deep discernment. Being 15 minutes from reliable cell phone service and 25 minutes from the internet allows me to fully focus on God’s voice and the needs of our church. Last year, this retreat birthed some of the most impactful series we experienced together in 2024, including “Christianity and World Religions,” “Teach Us to Pray,” and the “Making a Methodist Series.” These momentsRead More →

I recently received a meme—a digital image with a funny or poignant caption. I don’t have the rights to share the original meme here, but I found the central image of the meme that I can publish. The meme revolved around a billboard just like this, except that the roadside billboard had a common campaign flag placed in such a way that it literally put the name of a political figure above that of Jesus. The image described serves as a poignant reminder of the phenomenon known as Christian Nationalism—where faith is used as a vehicle for political power, often distorting the gospel’s message. InRead More →

As many of you know, my family and I recently returned from a much-needed vacation, a time of rest and rejuvenation that was truly a blessing. In returning as soon as we walked through the door of our home, we were greeted not by the peace we had left behind but by the organized chaos of ongoing construction. The parsonage is currently undergoing significant updates—new roofing, siding, and window replacements, all essential improvements that we’ve eagerly anticipated. I want to take a moment to express my deepest appreciation to Tom Wetmore and Wetmore Construction for their dedication and professionalism during this project. They really wentRead More →

As my family and I continued our Colorado camping adventure, we found ourselves drawn to the ancient Pueblo dwellings scattered throughout the region. Sites like Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde and Painted Hand in the Four Corners region offered us a glimpse into the lives of the Ancestral Puebloans, whose ingenuity and resilience left an indelible mark on the landscape. These awe-inspiring structures, perched high on cliffs and nestled within canyons, with their wall art (handprints) tell stories of a people deeply connected to their environment and each other. Modern anthropolgists theorize that the Ancestral Puebloans left these homes due to diminishing resources, such asRead More →

As the summer sun blazes its hottest, we find ourselves in what many call the “dog days of summer.” This period, traditionally marked by oppressive heat and lethargy, often evokes images of lazy afternoons and a collective sigh as we seek respite from the sweltering temperatures. For my family, this year’s dog days took on a different, more adventurous meaning as we embarked on a camping trip through the majestic landscapes of Colorado. Camping under the vast Colorado sky, surrounded by towering mountains and pristine lakes, I couldn’t help but reflect on the essence of these dog days. While the term may carry connotations ofRead More →

Many of you know that I take a week at the end of summer with a preacher friend or two and head off to the Wet Mountain Valley. We use a cabin that is off-the-grid and in the trees where I can quietly pray and prepare for the coming year. Bringing other preacher friends helps each of us refine our ideas. This annual sermon planning retreat isn’t quite like when Moses goes up Mount Sinai where God dictates the law and then he came back down. My process is far more democratic and drawn out, but no less divinely inspired. First, I spend a wholeRead More →