Though we often avoid exploring the places in our lives marked by shadows anddarkness, these challenging moments can be ways through which God leads us out of dark times into the dawning of new opportunities and fresh starts. In his own journey from the wilderness to the cross, Jesus experienced moments of gathering shadows and distinct darkness. But for those of us who know how his story ends, we...  Read More

He was an old hippie. At least, he appeared to be.My wife Florence and I had taken a trailer load of “green and clean” yard waste to the transfer station/recycling center—mostly tree branches from limbing pine trees. We’d backed the trailer in and started dragging and tossing the branches off it into the “green and clean piles.”I don’t recall the amount of material we had, but it likely was a half...  Read More

John Wesley listed "holy conferencing" as one of the means of grace, by which he meant believers gathering to worship and pursue the will of God together. 2024 is a big year of conferencing in The United Methodist Church!Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth has officially called the 151st session of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference for June 13-16 in Richland, WA at Central United Protestant Church. A...  Read More

During Lent we are encouraged to:1. Give up something,2. Start something, and3. Do something for the community of God.If you are looking to start something, consider joining the Read a Chapter a Day Challenge! Across our connection United Methodists are being challenged to read a chapter a day from the Gospel of John during Lent.Reading the Bible is one of the essential spiritual practices of disc...  Read More

This Lent you are invited to go deeper with our Lent worship series, Song of the Shadows (based on our District Cantata), by joining our all-church Lent study. Author and pastor Thomas Steagald encourages you to explore the similarities between your spiritual journey and the journeys of some of the people Jesus met and ministered to on his way to the cross. As Jesus bravely enters the thickening s...  Read More

"My soul magnifies the Lord,and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46-47)These words of Mary, which we read in worship this week, remind me of you and how you and our congregation are living out the Gospel message.First, this letter is one of appreciation. Your gifts to the ministry of Community UMC this year have magnified God in so many ways. A few highlights include:Celebrating one f...  Read More

“When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.” (Psalm 126)What does it look like to live as those who dream? The prophets, the psalmists, John the Baptist, Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, Simeon, Anna, the shepherds, and the Magi—they were all dreamers. They received, discovered, and responded to God’s dreams for the world. In Advent and at Christmas, we step into the myster...  Read More

This week is the All Hallows Triduum of All Hallows Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day. During this season we remember those people who have gone ahead of us into glory and the example of faith they set for us while they were alive. For the next three weeks, we will explore the marks of sainthood in worship:November 5: Clothing of the Saints (All Saints' Sunday)November 12: Stories of the Sa...  Read More

 All-Church Advent Study: Sign up for a small group! Join a small group for our all-church Advent study, Keep Watch with Me: An Advent Reader for Peacemakers. Sign-up sheets are in the church lobby. Groups will meet for 4-5 weeks beginning in late November/early December. Days/times will be set by the group hosts.Keep Watch With Me: An Advent Reader for Peacemakers is a collaborative daily devotio...  Read More

We all live somewhere. We all have neighbors and a neighborhood—whether we live in a rural, suburban, or urban context. I live in an apartment complex, which means I have neighbors above, below, and on either side of me!God is clear about how we should relate to the people and place right around us. In Jeremiah 29, God commands the Israelites to promote the common good of the city to where they ha...  Read More

I got to wash windows. I know, the phrase “I don’t do windows” has been around for a long time. It’s even part of song lyrics.But I got to do windows. And that was a big deal. The relatively small town where my family lived had one gas station when we moved there. Burk’s Sinclair was owned by the Burk brothers, John and Morry. A few years later, Art Tidwell opened a Texaco station. My parents spli...  Read More

Save the Date: Serve Sunday - July 30Mark your calendar for Serve Sunday on July 30! We will be worshiping that day with our hands and feet by serving our neighbors. After gathering at 10:00 am for a brief time of music and devotion, we will participate in short service projects that support several of our church's mission partners and ministries. Projects include:Organizing a clothing closet at C...  Read More