Pastor’s Ponderings

Recently, The Christian Century magazine asked dozens of writers to respond to the question, “What is the Bible for?”. They could only use seven words or less to respond. The responses were very interesting and thought-provoking. I thought I would share some of them...

Life, as they say, is full of surprises. We never know what each day will bring. It is not possible to be prepared for every possibility, but still, it is important to have some plans in place.   I was recently reminded of just this when I heard two women speak...

Beth Strakonksy announced last Sunday that the Rev. Dr. Beth Hutton has been appointed by Bishop LaTrelle Eastering to be the lead pastor of Calvary UMC beginning July 1, 2025. The Staff Parish Relations Committee are excited to work with her in this time of...

I hope it’s here to stay. I see the buds on the trees and the flowers pocking up through the ground. There have been some warmer temperatures and pollen has covered the car. With the time change, I am still a bit confused about what time it is and when it gets dark...

During this season of Lent, we are using various passages in worship that come from the Gospel of Luke as Jesus makes his final journey to Jerusalem. Along the way, we will be looking at several familiar stories—the Good Samaritan, Mary and Martha, the fruitless fig...

Be Still: A Message from Bishop LaTrelle Easterling Posted by on Mar 03, 2025 ‘Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.' The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. -- Psalm 46:8-11 (NRSV) In these...

There is a group within the church that has been looking into how we think of ourselves as a congregation and how we present ourselves to the community around us. In particular, this group is looking into ways that we might offer a welcoming and loving space for...

The connectional system and Mission Shares (formerly known as conference apportionments) are two of the defining traits of United Methodism. They allow local churches to reach beyond their walls and be in ministry in significant ways in their backyards and across the...

In just three weeks of a new administration, there has been a storm of executive orders, presidential pardons, terminations, and deportations. There has been a constant barrage of actions that have disrupted careers and threatened work done for generations....

Each year, every United Methodist Church across the county completes a statistical report that provides a measurement of various aspects of the congregation’s life and ministry. The pastor or some other officer in the church records the square footage of the church...