This Sunday we'll examine one more time what it means to be a neighbor. The Old Testament talks about hospitality as one of the greatest expectations of God. Jesus used the term "neighbor" in what has become known as the Greatest Commandment. But it goes much deeper than the Greatest Commandment. The early church not only taught…

DNA. It is what makes us what we are. It is an amazing combination of cells, chromosomes, history and heritage. Our hair color, eye color and to some extent, personality can come from genetics and genetic predispositions. But, of course, there is more to us than the physical. Everybody has events in their lives that have shaped…

As I stated last Sunday, sharing is a powerful and ever dwindling art.  It isn't, however gone, as some would have us think.  Everybody has feelings about something.  Everybody has events in their lives that have shaped who they are.  Everyone has opinions and more often than not, opinions are shared and opinions are certainly part of…

This Sunday we begin a series on what it means to be community. We will explore that word from a variety of angles and in a variety of ways. Sunday we begin by exploring the whole idea of story. The Bible is full of them. Yet, what's equally important is when we are willing to share ours.…

This Sunday we'll be exploring the experiences of a child and what that does to strengthen their souls.  So what is it that creates strength in our children?  What changes the life of a child most significantly is not just formal education.  It is in what they experience in life. They learn with multiple simultaneous stimuli and…

This Sunday we'll be exploring the fact that the soul of a child is much more complex than meets the eye.  They understand more about God than we think.  Each of their young experiences is like Velcro.  They stick to their soul and are retained there for the rest of their lives. The most significant learning that…

Well, it's a new adventure for me.  This is the first time in my pastoral career that I've moved into a sixth year of ministry in the same location.  I couldn't be happier to continue on as your Lead Pastor.  We've come a long way in our first five years together and yet there is still work…

As we come together on 4th of July weekend and celebrate the country's birthday, we continue to explore the whole idea of family.  Once again this Sunday, Vince Fratello will be bringing the message.  We find family is a variety of places, whether it is the family of Aldersgate, the Wednesday Study group that feel much like family, Roger talks of the…

These next two Sundays, worship will be led by our own Vince Fratello.  I've read through the sermons and seen his approach to worship and I dearly wish I could be here to listen.  What he is bringing is outstanding and appropriate for our study of Jesus, the family, and the role of the church in the…

A celebration last Sunday of my parents' 65th wedding anniversary had its somber moments as we turned our attention toward Orlando.  The couple that we were celebrating have spent much of the later years of their lives fighting the kind of hatred exemplified so violently last Saturday evening.  I thought it ironic that this massive tragedy would…