United Methodist Church of Wellsboro

Check out our devotion this week where we discuss what having a charitable mindset looks like from a Christian perspective. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EORS_ddu9s

Our Easter message from Bishop Park reminding us that we are Easter people and that as Easter people we should rise and shout alleluia! Let us seek the presence of Christ in our lives this day and in all the days that lie ahead. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSogS1xvUgQ

All throughout Lent and now Holy Week, we have been speaking about the grace of God and the mercy of Jesus the Christ. We have questioned the calling that God has placed on our hearts to be servants of the Kingdom of God in this world. Here is a devotional that speaks to the power of two of the early Methodists servants and their love for Christ and the world. https://www.umc.org//wednesday-reckless-extravagance-holy-

Good Morning Brothers and Sisters, Lent is my favorite season of the year and Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this season of repentance and growth. This year continues to be an uncertain period of life where life does not look the same as it has in years past. Today we will be offering two opportunities for drive through blessings at the church, the first at 8:30 this morning and the second at six pm tonight. I encourage us to reflect on the wilderness experience of Jesus Christ and the lessons of faith it offers to us today.

For those who have not had a chance to look back at your email, here is our Christmas Eve service!

I have been truly blessed to witness how this church loves on our local community. If you are interested in learning more about how United Methodists love on the world, check out our Global Ministries website for more info!

In such a year of uncertainty, I love being able to work with colleagues to make something special for our churches. Here is a service put together by our cluster ministers. It is my prayer that this service helps to build upon this season, for you, as we draw closer to the birth of Jesus the Christ.

I have had numerous conversations over the past year of how hard it has been for students and for teachers. I know that school did not always come easy to me and I can't imagine the struggle of trying to do remote learning when I was young. There is simply not enough praise to go around for the hard work of all our teachers this year, under such challenging circumstances. It is for that reason that stories like this one about teachers who are able to overcome those obstacles to continue teaching their students is inspiring. The love of this teacher is commendable and it shows how love can truly motivate us to do new things in new places.

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13(NASB) Today we give thanks for the healthcare workers who have worked so tirelessly to protect and care for all of us throughout this year. There truly is no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend. We have heard these words from Jesus so many times, but they have never felt more real than they have this year. This simple and yet poignant statement is brought added significance when we see others who truly embody this selfless love in extraordinary ways. Thank you to our healthcare workers and may they find moments of peace this holiday season.

Good Afternoon Church, I know that this is a bit old, having come out during the Easter season, but I feel like it is still very relevant being that we are having an unorthodox Christmas season. In this podcast that discuss how we find hope in uncertain seasons. https://www.umc.org//whats-your-hope-compass-podcast-episo

Christmas time is a wonderful and exciting season, yet many of us carry pain during this time too. For me, I miss my grandparents and my uncle. I have fond memories of our time together on Christmas Day. I wish that they could be here to share in all of those moments with us now. Yet I am also comforted having the memories of those special moments together. Do you have someone special that is no longer with you for these important times? If so, let’s each take a moment to honor them this week and to be renewed by the hope of Jesus, that we will be together again. Take a moment to read this story by Cecil Murphy about his first Christmas without his wife. https://www.guideposts.org//how-a-pastor-and-author-came-t

As we continue in learning about peace this week, we recognize our great importance in being peace makers. Sometimes we will need to do this in uncomfortable situations, so how can we be peacemakers during times of disagreement. Here’s a video that I believe can be informative in any kind of disagreement. https://youtu.be/KfIOdFbEKUM

Here is a devotional from the United Methodist Communications. The theme for the devotional is gifts. What gift have you received from God today? https://www.umc.org//all-you-need-advent-1-devotion-11-27-

Hello Church, I hope that this week has been meaningful for you. This is going to be a very different Christmas than we have ever experienced, but the Spirit of God will continue to speak to us this year too. Click this link to view our devotion on Hope for this week. https://youtu.be/8DfKndesAhk