I shifted my day off by 4 hours. I’ll be starting at noon today (Tuesday, March 17, 2026) and resuming work tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.
The Lord Looks at the Heart
I found today’s daily devotional from The Upper Room to be very good, and I think it addresses something that affects a lot of us, so I wanted to share it with you. You can find it at the link below.
Worship — Sunday, March 15, 2026
Looking for a previous service? Here’s the College Avenue United Methodist Church YouTube page: www.youtube.com/c/caumcMHK.
Funeral Service for Gary Stemple
There will be a service of Life, Death, and Resurrection for Gary Stemple in the sanctuary on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 11:30 a.m., followed by a light lunch in the fellowship hall.
Sign-Up for Wednesday Night Meals
We are looking for volunteers to prepare and serve Wednesday night meals, and we now have a new SignUpGenius for that purpose. You can sign up here.
Daylight Saving Time Begins Sunday
I wanted to issue a friendly reminder that Daylight Saving Time begins next Sunday, March 8, 2026. Clocks will move forward one hour (spring forward/fall back).
I’m Feeling Better
The last time I posted here was February 24, 2026, when I told you all that I was feeling better. Unfortunately, that did not last, and I ended up in the hospital Friday night. I was released on Monday. I didn’t leave the house yesterday, but I’m going back in for our staff meeting this morning, and I’ll be leading the Bible Study on Matthew this evening. I am nowhere near back to myself, but I’m getting there.
I’m Feeling Better, Thank You!
I went to the doctor today, and was tested for COVID and Influenza. Both tests came back negative, the doctor said I was not contagious and prescribed some meds to help treat my symptoms. I thank all of you who have been praying and reaching out to offer encouragement.
God Thought You Were Worth Dying For
I’m reading Tokens of Trust by Rowan Williams. He makes very plain and very direct some points we all know, but which it is good for us to continue to ponder.
“God is the unique source of everything. Therefore, there is nothing God is forced to do.”
God didn’t need to create. God was not lacking anything. And yet God chose both to create us and to love us, without there being “anything” in it for God.
“The love that God shows in making the world, like the love he shows towards the world once it is created, has no shadow or shred of self-directed purpose in it; it is entirely and unreservedly given for our sake.”
Despite the fact that God has nothing to gain from loving us, God is neither miserly nor stingy with love. Indeed, God has gone as far as anyone can for love.
“The love God shows, in creating us as much as in saving us, is completely free. He doesn’t owe us anything. He has chosen that we should exist and he has chosen to treat us always as lovable – as it has been forcefully expressed: ‘he has thought that we were worth dying for’.” — Rowan Williams [1]
When you doubt your purpose or your value, when you wonder if you are loved, remember “God thought we were worth dying for.” To be specific, God thought you were worth dying for.
[1] Rowan Williams, Tokens of Trust (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Know Press, 2007), chap. 1, Electronic Version.
Ash Wednesday Service is In Person
A clarification that the Ash Wednesday Service tomorrow (Wednesday, February 18, 2026) at 7:00 p.m. will be in person in the sanctuary for the imposition of ashes.
Worship — Sunday, February 15, 2026
Looking for a previous service? Here’s the College Avenue United Methodist Church YouTube page: www.youtube.com/c/caumcMHK.
Ash Wednesday Service
We will hold our traditional Ash Wednesday service, featuring the imposition of ashes, this next Wednesday (February 18, 2026) at 7:00 p.m.