“Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” Revelation 19:9 I knew a minister who was relaxing at home one Saturday when he heard a knock at the door. There stood a man in a tuxedo who had a question: “Pastor, everyone is waiting at the church; are you coming to the wedding?” There is a day…Keep Reading

John Chapter 2:13-22 The Lord Seeks His Children God Abides “in” Us; Not in Greed Link to YouTube Video From Pastor Will Shewey Shades of Grace: A United Methodist Congregation has many media members and friends who facilitate good works and faithful stewardship. I received a call this week from a family who wants to donate a cemetery plot they will not use. They informed me two of their acquaintances…Keep Reading

The hammer was silent, the mockers were gone; there were only the sparrows to sing a sad song. Hatred out of control had crucified the Son of God. It was the Sabbath, and the worshipers would recite, “Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Were their words cold on that day? Did the temple halls ring…Keep Reading

It was her mountain refuge from where she could see “forever and a mile.” The trees swayed together as though they were dancing a mountain ballet. Did you ever have such a place where you and God met in sweet communion? She sat on her pondering rock at the top of the hill. The way to it was getting harder as the years passed, but she had found many answers…Keep Reading

Rev. Ray and Pat Amos[/caption “They shall go hindmost with their standards.” Numbers 2:31 “Bringing up the rear” was a position assigned to the tribe of Dan. I cannot imagine the whining and fussing that would happen today should a group of us be told that we are to be the cow’s tail wherever we travel. Hindmost may not have the glamour as that of being up front. In a…Keep Reading

“You are those who have stood by me in my trials….’Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:28-32 “Do not judge me by my successes. Judge me by how many times I fell down, and got back up again.” -Nelson Mandela The…Keep Reading

“But one thing I do: forgetting the things that are behind, and stretching forth myself to those that are before..” Philippians 3:13 “We should have won that ball game! It was rigged and everybody knew it.” The high school had lost a championship because of a bad call, and the player who was saying these things wasn’t about to forget it. He was perturbed. The only problem was that he…Keep Reading

“Take care so that you don’t forget the Lord who brought you out…” Deuteronomy 6:12 Isn’t it amazing how quickly our spiritual attitudes can change? A friend walked out of church and said that his cup was full and running over with joy. Later he told me that on the way home his wife’s driving made him spill everything in the cup. John Wesley wrote that his heart was strangely…Keep Reading

“Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” John 13:8b Peter wasn’t being arrogant when he refused to let Jesus wash his feet. It must have been embarrassing to see Jesus doing what he and the others should have already done. “You have no part with me.” Who could bear to hear those words coming from Christ? Is it any wonder that Peter…Keep Reading

Mark Chapter 8 Deny Thyself and Follow Me Link to YouTube Video From Pastor Will Shewey A young man arrived at our doors this morning and told Lloyd he was baptized at Shades in 2018. As with many of our worshipers, he had disappeared for a few years. Today he was heading for a job interview and needed a change of clothing. He told me the baptism was on a…Keep Reading

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 There are two things that I will preach until I am no longer able to preach. One is The Love of God; the other is God’s Grace. I really think that the two are identical twins. I can’t seem to find in Scripture where Jesus offered anything…Keep Reading

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25 It is important that we keep a “check up” on our relationship with God, and that we watch out for one another. Many of us grew up, and raised our children, in a culture where missing church wasn’t an option. Church…Keep Reading