Let us get ready for Lent together!

Let us get ready for Lent together!

It’s hard to believe, but Lent is already around the corner! It feels like we just packed away the Christmas decorations and now the Church is gently inviting us to slow down again and prepare our hearts for Easter.
When the new is coming…

When the new is coming…

A shepherd never leaves the sheep behind | Caring for the flock is not optional; it is their livelihood, their duty, and their identity. And yet, Luke does not tell us what happened to the sheep when the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem. Did they leave them behind? If they did, were they neglecting their responsibilities? Or did they bring them along, carrying the weight of their work on their backs as they walked toward the manger?
New Every Morning | January 2026

New Every Morning | January 2026

New mercies, not just on Christmas, or New Year’s, but each and every morning.  “Happy New Year.“, I whispered to my husband as I quietly crept out of bed  at 7:30. Going to the window and opening the curtains, I was looking forward to peeking outside and greeting this special day.
Lighting the Tree and Sharing the Season in Groveville

Lighting the Tree and Sharing the Season in Groveville

This past Saturday, December 6th, Groveville UMC held our traditional Christmas Tree Lighting for our extended community, and it was a very special night. While we gathered outside in the crisp December air, we were reminded that we are called to be light in a world that seems to be covered in shadows.
From grief to healing: Making room for God’s new

From grief to healing: Making room for God’s new

There are many kinds of grief. Sometimes we grieve the absence of those we have loved, but other times the grief happens quietly inside us, in that tender place where our memories, traditions, and expectations live. In the life of a church, this kind of grief also appears when God invites us to let go of what no longer gives life so we can receive the new thing God is preparing.
Thanksgiving Breakfast: 103 Years of Gratitude

Thanksgiving Breakfast: 103 Years of Gratitude

Every year, when Thanksgiving morning arrives and the air feels crisp and calm, our Groveville family gathers early to give thanks, share breakfast, and celebrate how good God has been. This year will be no different. We invite everyone to join us on Thursday, November 27, 2025, at 7:30 a.m. for our 103rd Thanksgiving Breakfast, a beautiful tradition that reminds us how gratitude brings people together.
When People Search for God in Their Phones

When People Search for God in Their Phones

A few weeks ago, The New York Times published an article titled “Finding God in the App Store.” It described how millions of people around the world are turning to chatbots and religious apps to find guidance, comfort, and forgiveness. These tools, trained on sacred texts, have become digital companions for those who seek hope, prayer, or understanding at any hour of the day or night.
Lifting Our Voices Against Violence

Lifting Our Voices Against Violence

On the afternoon of September 11, Pastor David Gaitan was invited to take part in the Chesterfield and neighbors’ September 11 Memorial Service. He represented the Christian faith and the Crosswicks–Groveville Circuit of the United Methodist Church in New Jersey, offering a prayer during the gathering.
It Is Well with My Soul

It Is Well with My Soul

During these days of so much turbulence in the United States and around the world, we have been shaken by the news of lives lost in recent killings. The tragic deaths of people such as Charlie Kirk, Iryna Zarutska, and even months ago, Melissa Hortman, remind us of how fragile life can be
Resting

Resting

From the very beginning, the Bible tells us that after creating the heavens and the earth, God rested on the seventh day. This is a detail we often rush past, but it holds a beautiful truth. Pastor Edgardo Peña, once pointed out that the very last thing God created was the human being, and immediately after came God’s rest. What if this means that the rest of God is not an empty silence or a distance from creation. Rather, God's rest happens with us present. In other words, we are God’s rest.