Our season of Lent was one of many opportunities to learn, reflect, grow, and mature in our relationship with Jesus. The Wednesday noon series gave us a chance to worship with persons from all the churches in the ministerial association. The Bible study is off to a great start and…
As we near the end of the season of Lent and prepare to remember all the events of Jesus’ last week leading to his crucifixion, we mark his entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. This year that falls on April 14. It is a strange kind of day with the…
“At the heart of the Christian faith is our participation in the life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ as Lord…Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we are delivered from sin and death, and by the Holy Spirit are born into eternal life with God. This…
It’s Almost Here! For the last three years we have been waiting for the special called General Conference to meet to determine how our denomination will move forward since there is so much disagreement among members around issues of human sexuality. A special Commission on a Way Forward was formed…
Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, whom you are harassing,” came the reply. “Now get up and enter the city. You will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:5-6 CEB) Starting New, Starting Fresh is the theme of our New Year for Fairbury UMC. New Year…
Christmas memories are often precious to us. One of my memories is the family gathering to decorate the tree. It was a live tree decorated just a week or so before Christmas Day. It was the only part of the preparations that all five of us did together. We had…
In our world, nation, state, communities and churches we have been talking about how people are angry, sad, depressed, and despairing. The conversations take place in person, on social media, in the news. It can bring us all to places of sadness and depression. OR we can choose to develop…
Consecration Sunday Is Coming! Congregations that approach financial stewardship from a biblical perspective do not view the money Christians give to their church merely as a way to pay its bills. Rather, such congregations see financial contributions as a way to help people grow spiritually in their relationship with…
I have recently been reading materials from the A Way Forward Commission of The United Methodist Church. This group knew it was purposely comprised of persons with very different points of view and convictions about issues, especially with regards to issues of human sexuality. They started their work by creating…
We have some special things coming up in worship. On Sunday, August 5 we will hear from Matt Schahrer as he shares his experiences on a mission trip to Cambodia this past May. He traveled with Encounter campus ministry to work with persons who have been rescued from human trafficking.…