Pastoral Ponderings November 11, 2016 I am pondering this week’s election. And pondering what it means about this country–who we are and what the future holds. And I ponder as one who had hoped that the election would have gone another way, so I know that not everyone who reads this will share my concerns. […]
Pastoral Ponderings: Hello from Rev. Dale Beck, Our Interim Senior Pastor
Pastoral Ponderings October 28, 2016 Dear Friends, The Ponderings this week come from a new voice and a new heart. Let me first introduce myself. I have been asked by Bishop Karen Oliveto and Superintendent Skip Strickland to be your pastor for an interim time while new leadership is discerned for your church. My name […]
June 10–New, Requests, Reminders, and Prayers from Pat
With Love from Pat June 10, 2016 News, Requests, Reminders and Prayers … Last Sunday our Lay Leader Jon Kottke announced on behalf of our District Superintendent Skip Strickland that Joe (Rev. Joe Agne) will be appointed by Bishop Elaine Stanovsky as pastor of Cedaredge Community United Methodist Church of Cedaredge, Colorado, effective July 1, […]
The Pentecost Story is the Story Our World Needs Now
With Love from Pat Friday, May 13, 2016 This Sunday (May 15) is called Pentecost Sunday. We will read the story of the first day of Pentecost found in Acts 2:1-21, and we’ll think about what that first day of Pentecost has to do with this year’s day of Pentecost. Jesus had been executed by […]
The Paradoxes of the Easter Story
With Love from Pat Friday, March 25, 2016 We’re coming close to the end of our Holy Week journey toward Easter. Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter—all of Holy Week—is jam-packed with meaning. In fact, I believe this week is filled with more meaning than we can ever possibly absorb or imagine. As […]
Palm Sunday Plans: Palms, A Donkey, and Looking Ahead to Holy Week
With Love from Pat Friday, March 18, 2016 Hmmm … it’s snowing as I write. Yet we’re still planning to begin Holy Week with our Pine Street churches gathering along the side of the road this Sunday morning to place palm branches on the street and to shout hosanna as a gentle donkey walks between […]
Center for A New New Testament at FUMC?
With Love from Pat March 11, 2016 Our church is working intentionally to build a partnership with Hal Taussig and the developing Center for a New New Testament. The study of Hal’s book, A New New Testament, has already touched a number of our lives at church and through our community. The vision is that […]
Celebrating 19 Years of Welcoming Everyone on March 6
With Love from Pat On Sunday, March 6th, our 10:30 am worship service will celebrate our nineteenth Anniversary of becoming a United Methodist Reconciling Congregation. On March 4, 1997, our church family decided to live out our faith fully and to intentionally reach out to our sisters and brothers who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, […]
The Gift of Kindness
With Love from Pat I was talking with someone this week about my message last Sunday, which was titled Giving Gifts, Receiving Gifts, Becoming a Gift. Our conversation was delightful, reflective, and far-ranging, filled with genuine joy and authentic thoughtfulness—by the way, that’s a really good combination. At one point, the person I was sharing […]
Christmas Thoughts: Everyone is the Most Important Person to God
With Love from Pat When Luke shares Jesus’ birth story, Luke tells of an angel coming to the shepherds. “Do not be afraid,” the angel says. (Luke 2:10) Luke also tells of an angel coming to Mary. “Nothing is impossible with God,” this angel says. (Luke 1:38) These are two powerful Christmas messages: Do not […]