During the 2020 spring lockdown, Grammy and Gramps sent us a grow-your-own butterfly kit with four larvae. We watched the caterpillars grow big and fat before spinning a chrysalis around themselves. Two emerged as healthy butterflies. On a warm summer day, it was time to release them.
Read MoreThe purpose of the Winter Clothing Drive is to collect winter clothing from religious and other organizations and to distribute the clothing to men, women, and children in need in Monroe County. Drop off at First United Methodist on 9:30am Service on Sundays – October 17th, 24th, & 31st.
Read MoreOn Sunday we gathered with Christians from around the globe at the communion table to honor all that Jesus has done for us. Oftentimes we are divided and dismembered – one part of the Body of Christ cut off from another. We are broken and shattered. In that sacred meal, however, we recall what it means to be the whole family of God, and we re-member Christ’s Body, given for us all.
Read MoreWith our new contemporary worship service launching in 2022, we have an opportunity to do something new and exciting by building connections with those seeking an open and inclusive alternative to traditional worship. In a casual, relaxed, and welcoming environment, we will encourage our community of seekers to become better disciples of Christ no matter where they are in their spiritual journey.
Read MoreTo me, generosity means giving all of yourself and your talents to the community around you and around the globe. I hope you know that you have an impact sometimes larger than you know — generosity has an immeasurable ripple effect in and outside the church!
Read MoreOur role is to help and support, to walk beside and not in front. The long-term goal is to dismantle systemic racism. But this has a long history, and it is woven into the fabric of America. It is controversial and the road ahead is going to be bumpy. Perhaps we can find a piece that we here in Bloomington can address in a meaningful way. That’s where the Inclusion Team can start.
Read MoreGenerosity means doing what you are able to support your community, whether that community is your neighborhood, church, work, family network, or other entity. I hope others will realize that generosity can change lives in many ways and that you don’t have to be wealthy or in a position of power to make that change. The smallest act can make a huge impact!
Read MoreGenerosity starts at home, with learning to share (toys, books, money, time) and learning to be a good helper for your parents, family, neighbors, friends and strangers. I find joy in giving to others, in providing assistance in many ways, and especially in finding ways to do what I can to contribute to the greater good.
Read MoreOur family continues to grow in our faith journey, stumbling along the way. With the great support of First Methodist, we are inspired to stretch and grow through our participation in the church. Our growth is not always simple and definitely comfortable, but in the end, I feel that we always come away with better skills and tools to bless those we encounter, daily, outside of the church. We are continually equipped to show up for others as Christ would have us show up.
Read MoreI hope others will try giving generously — giving more than they thought they could. By investing time and effort, we all become more like “owners” of anything and want it to succeed. I applaud those who give their time generously to prepare and teach Sunday School, sing in the choir and lead the various laity groups in the church. It does take all of us — working and giving — to be God’s people, doing His work.
Read MoreFrom earthquakes and storms in Haiti to violence in Afghanistan, it’s easy for us to become overwhelmed by global news. When we see all of the suffering, we become paralyzed by compassion fatigue and can’t figure out what to do.
Read MoreI am beyond excited to launch our new Discipleship Hour on Sunday, and I can’t wait for us to explore it together. Why? Disciples of Jesus are made, not born.
Read MoreGrowing up, I only heard my parents swear a handful of times. We were allowed to say “shoot” and “gosh,” but the big curse words were reserved for special occasions, such as a hubcap falling off the car, dropping a glass jar of orange juice, and the confirmation of a certain Supreme Court Justice.
Read MoreAs we walk the second marathon of this pandemic, life isn’t getting easier. We have pent-up grief, anxiety, and exhaustion that overwhelm us. When our souls are parched and thirsty for God, one place we can turn in Scripture is to the Psalms of Lament.
Read MorePrayer is the language we use in our relationships with God. It gives shape to what we sense, feel, and long for before our Creator.
Read MoreIn between bursts of fireworks this week, we’ll hear about liberty and freedom as core American values.
Read MoreMy husband Colin has a memory like a steel trap. When he was a little boy, his mom would tell him her grocery list and then take him to the store. He could remember everything.
Read MoreThe dogs and I stopped on our morning walk the other day to watch a newly hatched cicada nymph shed its shell. This nymph from the Brood X invasion had of course burrowed underground for 17 years, sucking on tree root sap.
Read MoreI fell in love with reading and writing stories in the first grade when my teacher offered a giant Lisa Frank sticker for writing a certain number of tales. I was hooked, and my mother still has some of my first masterpieces
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