What a joyful Easter morning, in spite of a cold snap, to celebrate Christ Jesus’ resurrection from the dead! According to the earliest recording of the Good News of Jesus, the Gospel of St. Mark, the first Easter morning started off more like a typical present day of doom scrolling with the women who had…
In today’s passage of Mark, we continue to see the emphasis of urgency as Mark depicts Jesus plunging into his ministry of teaching and healing immediately upon beginning his ministry and calling his disciples. Jesus goes to the synagogue and begins teaching with his words of authority as opposed to the typical rabbi’s way…
Epiphany: Matthew 2: 1-12 & Baptism of Jesus: Mark 1: 9-13; The Rev. Pam Stewart Tomoka UMC “Epiphany” is the Greek word for ‘a sudden revelation’, or an ‘Ah Ha!’ moment. If I plunk the heel of my hand against my forehead [demonstrate], that reminds you of what? The commercial for V8 juice,…
Luke 1: 26-38; 2nd Samuel 7:1-11,16; Luke 1:46b-55; Romans 16: 25-57 Good morning. I am Pastor Pam Stewart, retired United Methodist minister, and part of the Preaching Team during this Interim Kingdom time at Tomoka UMC as we wait for a full-time Pastor to be appointed hopefully in July 2021. We appreciate your faithfulness in…
Come! Rejoice in our God. Let us give thanks, whatever life brings. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Let us prepare our hearts and our world for the prince of Peace, who is coming. May all who weep come home with shouts of joy. Prepare the way of the Lord…
Scripture Reading Mark 1: 1 – 8 Lift up your voice. Lift it up, do not fear. Feeding, gathering, carrying, leading: This is how God will come. The old will pass away. A new world will dawn. Love, faithfulness righteousness, peace: Theses will mark God’s new day. Love needs a path. Peace needs a highway. Even…
The first winter {1980) I served the United Methodist Church at Yulee, [the last pitstop before leaving FL], I learned something that all of you who grew up in the North already knew: when the temperature is going to be 32 degrees Fahrenheit or less, you turn a faucet on to at least a…