I found it a little strange to be meditating on a scripture reading from the Psalms as we celebrate the season of Easter. What do these ancient, sacred words have to say to us thousands of years after both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament were shared with God’s people?
The early church of Colossae was diving deep into the concept of Resurrection as we still do today. Colossians says we should “put on the new nature.” We are reminded that “Christ is all things and in all people.” That’s fine, but people have often questioned “When did Jesus become the Christ?”
Earlier this week, on March 22, Pastor Joe’s Sunday message addressed the courage of the women who followed Jesus to the cross. In that spirit today’s devotional finds us reflecting on how Paul and his earliest followers, who were mainly women, acted courageously in their journey from non-believers in
The full, formal title of this book of the Bible is “The Acts of the Apostles.” There is a shift in
content from Luke’s Gospel, which is about Jesus, to Acts, which concerns the life and work of
the church, of the community of believers. This is the first of several summaries
Romans is the work of a mature mind. It may be the last letter we have from Paul, assuming as many scholars do, that he had over two decades of teaching, preaching and writing letters to his many congregations. There were congregations that had Hebrew roots and others that began in
In reflecting on this 2 Peter letter some background is necessary for today’s reading and
devotion. The extensive use of rare Greek words and the advanced style seem to reflect an educational background beyond what we know of the apostle Peter. In addition, the church was very slow to accept 2 Peter
This passage is one that I will always associate with the Youth Ministry of Medford UMC. It was the focus of one of the first youth service weeks I experienced when I was appointed at Medford. If you remember it as I do, thank you for giving of your time, energy and money.
What is Peace? My concept of the word has evolved over time. I think I started using PEACE as a closure on letters and cards when I was in college, a habit I continue today. In the ‘70’s we even used the peace sign with our hands. It was during the Vietnam war
Few Christians spend much time reading these verses about the life of that young boy, Jesus, son of Mary and Joseph. We tend to merge the birth stories of Matthew and Luke, ignoring the fact that these two birth stories are more mythological than factual. In our verses from yesterday,
As I reflect once again on the birth of Jesus, according to the Gospel of Luke, I think about how the birth of a child (especially the first baby) is not so different today. I am not surprised that Mary seems to have given birth to her baby shortly after arriving in Bethlehem.
This is not a very familiar book of the Bible for most people. One must read it with the understanding that it is a special and unique style of literature. It is not meant to be read as history but rather as apocalyptic literature. Daniel is portrayed as a Jewish exile
Today is Thanksgiving. What better day to ask, “What does it mean to “be thankful?”
Medieval theologian Meister Eckhart believed, “If the only prayer you say in your whole life is ‘Thank You,’ that would suffice.” According to Merriam Webster “thankful” means “to be glad that something has happened or not happened,
Together we can turn the nation’s largest weekend of football into the largest weekend of giving. Youth group members will be collecting monetary donations at each service this Sunday and will then send the donation to the Turning Point United Methodist Food Pantry in Trenton. Your generosity will be very much appreciated. The link below will take you to our PushPay system. You can select “Give One Time” then use the Fund Selector to choose “Souper Bowl of Caring.”
PEDAL for PROMISE – SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2019: Medford United Methodist is fielding a team for the Urban Promise fundraiser “Pedal for Promise.” This year the ride begins and ends at Valenzano Winery in Shamong. You can register to ride, make a donation to the team or register as a spectator to enjoy the party and cheer on our team.
Go to urbanpromiseusa.org/pedal for more information about the event, to donate, or to register as an individual. OR you can go directly to the TEAM MEDFORD UMC page at www.crowdrise.com/team-medford-umc.
Questions or need help? Speak with Pastor Kathleen, Wayne Richards, or Heidi and Mike Polhemus
