27
Mar 2024
March 27, 2024 By Rev. Lynn Bartlow, Lead Pastor Welcome to the middle of Holy Week. For many, it’s a period of solemn reflection and spiritual renewal, culminating in the celebration of Easter Sunday. For others, it’s just another week of state testing at school, of sick kids, of surgeries and of endless doctor’s appointments. To be honest, life’s challenges can sometimes overshadow our spiritual aspirations. Yet, even in our moments of doubt or weariness, Holy Week offers an opportunity for solace and introspection. It’s a chance to reconnect with our faith,......
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Volunteer Help Wanted for Christmas Season
We gather, connect, and serve so all may experience the love of Christ. By Rev. Lynn Bartlow, Lead Pastor Dear Church Family, The holiday season at our church is a bustling and beautiful time,...
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Planning for When Advent Should Begin
We gather, connect, and serve so all may experience the love of Christ. By Rev. Lynn Bartlow, Lead Pastor The cat is out of the bag. You figured out our secret. Yes, we started...
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Vacation Planning and a Vision Summit
By Rev. Lynn Bartlow A good friend of mine in Illinois used to make fun of me and my travels. “Do you ever stay home and work?” Apparently he thought my husband and I...
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Pastor Stuart’s Last Sunday With Us
Greetings Friends, Have you ever had so many wonderful choices that you had trouble making a decision? This is the situation I have been in for the last several months. I knew this upcoming...
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Liminal Space
Greetings Church Family, This is Pastor Stuart writing to you, from the “liminal space” Pastor Lynn spoke about several weeks ago in her sermon. In case you missed this message, liminal space is that...
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Guest Post from Rich Howell
On April 30 both the congregations of St. Mark’s and Sanctuary UMCs will vote on whether to merge. I have served as part of a task force team made up of Pastor Lynn, Marsha...
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The Hard Work of Change
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! This isn’t just a mantra we share on Easter Sunday, but it’s the reality that we live each day. Christians believe that Jesus was crucified, died,...
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‘All in,’ But Which Way?
At last Sunday’s Town Hall meeting about the potential merger with Sanctuary UMC, we were asked why a merger and why not just a shared ministry, a partnering, a cooperative model. This is an...
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Happy Anniversary!
What were you doing 20 years ago? 20 years ago, I was appointed to my second churches, a two-point charge just south of Marshall, Illinois. Ron and I had been married almost two years,...
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