What future is possible for our churches?

What future is possible for our churches?

...The future of Groveville and Crosswicks may very well depend on our willingness to learn how to “speak the languages” of the people around us, not merely linguistically, but spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. We are surrounded by people speaking the languages of loneliness, grief, anxiety, exhaustion, economic uncertainty, spiritual hurt, isolation, and longing for meaning
Memories, fire of the Spirit, and hope

Memories, fire of the Spirit, and hope

On Memorial Weekend's Sunday, our two communities, Groveville UMC and Crosswicks UMC, shared together a beautiful and meaningful Joint Memorial & Pentecost Sunday Service. It is difficult to fully describe everything we experienced together, because every part of the morning carried its own spirit of reverence, honor, beauty, and hope.
Love is calling out

Love is calling out

Our Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi reminded us of something deeply Wesleyan and deeply biblical: God can be found everywhere and in everyone. God can be found among those who are struggling and among those who seem to have everything together. God can be found in the housed and unhoused, in the documented and undocumented, in the learned and unlearned, in those who sing beautifully and in those who cannot carry a tune at all.
Let’s plan… And have fun!

Let’s plan… And have fun!

Sometimes when we hear the word “planning,” we immediately think about meetings, papers, difficult decisions, or long conversations. And yes, planning can certainly include all of those things. But planning can also be something beautiful, hopeful, and creative… It can even be fun!
A Holy Week to remember

A Holy Week to remember

This past week, our communities at Crosswicks and Groveville walked together through a Holy Week that was spiritually meaningful and full of deep moments. I feel grateful. Not only for what we did, but for what we experienced together.
Are you ready for Holy Week?

Are you ready for Holy Week?

Every year Holy Week arrives, and yet it never feels the same. Perhaps because our lives are never the same either. We come carrying different joys, different worries, different questions in our hearts. And still, year after year, the story of Jesus invites us once again to walk with him through the final days of his earthly journey.
Plans change, but love remains

Plans change, but love remains

There are times when we make plans with joy and hope, preparing our hearts to what we want or need to do. And yet, life and circumstances remind us that not everything is under our control.