Over the past week, a wider war across the Middle East has broken out. Strikes and counterstrikes have expanded. People on multiple sides have been injured, killed, or displaced. Leaders around the world and across the region are responding with strong statements and warnings amid the continued violence. With all the uncertainty, you may find yourself dealing with a multitude of emotions, including confusion, disbelief, fear, anxiety, concern, grief, and helplessness. This situation is complex, layered with a long history, and emotions are understandably strong. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be fervent in prayer and act as peacemakers in the face of violence and war. Below is a prayer for peace that I invite you to pray with me.
Gracious and Loving God,
We come before you, and we are grieving the widening war in the Middle East.
Our hearts are heavy with images of destruction, fear, and loss.
We confess that we do not know how to untangle centuries of hurt.
But we know you are the Prince of Peace.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Spirit, breathe peace.
Protect the innocent. Comfort the grieving.
Shield children from terror and families from despair.
Surround the wounded with healing.
Strengthen and provide for those working for aid, rescue, and reconciliation.
Surround those serving in uniform with your mercy.
And steady the hearts of loved ones who wait for them at home.
Turn the hearts of the world’s leaders toward wisdom and interrupt cycles of violence.
Give courage to those who dare to seek peace.
Remind us that Jesus stood overlooking the city and wept.
He longed for its peace and wholeness.
He grieved the violence people would endure.
He prayed with tears for a people who did not yet understand the things that make for peace.
As we follow him, we stand in that same posture.
Not with clenched fists, but with open hands.
Not with hatred, but with open hearts.
Not with despair, but with hope.
Teach us to be peacemakers in our words, in our prayers, in our actions, and in our relationships, so that we do not add to the violence of the world.
And even now, in the rubble of war and waiting, bring resurrection life and an enduring peace.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Prince of Peace, Amen.
The Prayerful Pause - February 25
Lent is a season of prayer, reflection, and renewal. This week, I want to share a Lenten prayer to help us seek the Lord on this wilderness journey. May it be a blessing to your heart and help you draw closer to Jesus, the One who walks with you day by day. Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do too!
Gracious and Loving God,
As we enter this Lenten season, we come just as we are.
We come, dust and breath, faith and questions, hope and weariness.
Slow us down, Lord. Quiet the noise that fills our days and still the restlessness within us.
Help us hear your voice again, the voice that calls us “beloved,” forgiven, and free.
In these forty days, teach us how to let go of what weighs us down.
Where we have rushed ahead of you, teach us patience.
Where we have trusted ourselves more than you, teach us surrender.
Where we have been wounded or have wounded others, teach us repentance and grace.
Walk with us through the wilderness places with us.
Walk with us in the honest places.
Walk with us in the uncomfortable places.
Remind us that you are near, forming us, reshaping us, renewing us in love.
We offer you our lives and our stories.
We offer you the parts we are proud of and the parts we long to see redeemed.
We trust that you are always at work.
We trust you are writing grace where we thought the story was finished.
O Lord, each day during this season of reflection and renewal, lead us toward the cross with humility and toward resurrection with hope, remembering that Jesus gave his life for us all.
We pray in Jesus’ name, the One who walks with us, waits for us, and loves us completely.
Amen.
The Prayerful Pause - February 18
Today is Ash Wednesday, and our Lenten journey begins in earnest. Please join us this evening for our “Breakfast for Dinner Potluck” at 5:30 PM, followed by our Ash Wednesday service at 6:30 PM, as we remember our deep need for Jesus.
Lent is a sacred season that invites us to reflect, repent, and find renewal in Christ. During Lent, God invites us to remember Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, just after his baptism and before his public ministry began. As we walk with Jesus in the wilderness, we bring our own wilderness places with us, the places where life feels heavy, uncertain, or unfinished, and we trust that God is with us even there.
Our theme for Lent is “This is My Story.” In worship, we’ll explore the story of the people Jesus meets on his journey to the cross. Some were changed by his mercy. Some turned away. Some asked hard questions. Some betrayed him. Some believed. For our Lenten Soup and Study, beginning February 25, at 5:30 PM, we will also explore the stories and scripture passages that inspired many of the great hymns. As we explore the theme “This is My Story” during Lent, we will also reflect on our own stories, marked by both failure and forgiveness, while trusting that our lives are connected to God’s greater story of love and redemption through Jesus, our Lord.
Lent can sometimes feel heavy, but it is also a season of growth that arrives as the days grow longer. In fact, the word Lent comes from the Old English word “lencten” which means “to lengthen.” And God often does some of his deepest work in us during Lent, shaping and stretching us in ways that lead to new life.
Each week during Lent, we’ll be invited to ask a simple but honest question: What part of my story is God rewriting during this season?
As we ask that question together, we do so with hope because we can trust that God wants to shape us and lead us toward resurrection life. This is our story, held in God’s grace, carried by Christ’s love, and moving at the impulse of the Holy Spirit toward growth and new beginnings in every chapter of life.
Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do, too!
The Prayerful Pause - February 11
Have you ever noticed how quickly hate can take root, and how much damage it causes once it does? Hate divides us from one another. It strips people of their humanity. It feeds on fear and pretends to offer strength, but all it ever leaves behind is brokenness.
Scripture points us to a deeper truth: hate is not the strongest force in the world. God’s love is far stronger. Love is not simply something God does; it is who God is. Yes, “God is love” (1 John 4:8) and redemption flows from a love that refuses to give up on us or on the world God made. That love is revealed most clearly in Jesus Christ.
Jesus lived in a world marked by violence, injustice, and deep division, yet he chose to love even when hate had taken hold. Christ’s love was not weak or passive. He spoke truth boldly. He confronted injustice. He challenged systems that harmed the vulnerable. Yet he never stopped seeing people as beloved children of God, created in God's image. Jesus held (and still holds) truth and grace together, justice and mercy side by side.
Jesus’ life taught us lessons of love even when faced with hatred and fear up close. When confronted by enemies, Jesus chose compassion. When betrayed, he chose forgiveness. When nailed to a cross by human cruelty, he prayed, “Father, forgive them.” Hate tried to silence Jesus, but love raised him from the grave. Yes, Jesus’ death and resurrection proclaims this enduring truth: love is stronger than hate.
As followers of Christ, we are called to live out that same love. When the world encourages us to harden our hearts, Christ invites us to soften them instead. When fear urges us to pull away, Christ calls us closer to draw near and be filled with his love for humanity. When hatred demeans, divides, and diminishes, Christ teaches us to love anyway, even when that love is costly and hard. This kind of love does not ignore pain or excuse harm. It does not pretend that wounds are not real. Rather, it trusts that God’s love is powerful enough to heal what hate has broken and strong enough to transform even the hardest of hearts.
In a wounded and divided world, choosing love is an act of courageous faith. It is a declaration that we believe God is still at work among us. It is a witness that resurrection is possible, not only someday, but even now. Hate may be loud, but a God-shaped love endures. Hate may wound, but a God-shaped love heals.
Indeed, the love of God revealed in Christ is the only force strong enough to overcome hate and stop its spread. May that love continue to overflow from us, Union family, as we seek to welcome all, serve all, and faithfully do the work God has given us to do together.
Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do too!
The Prayerful Pause - January 28
As February approaches, many people turn their attention to love. We think about expressing, celebrating, and sharing love. For us as Christians, February is also a meaningful time to reflect on the immeasurable, unconditional love God has for us. This love is not fleeting or dependent on what we do or don’t do; it is a constant, abiding presence in our lives.
When David and I were teaching overseas, I often shared a song with my students called “You Are Loved” by Stars Go Dim. The powerful lyrics remind us that God’s love remains steadfast, even in our most challenging moments. The chorus says:
If your heart’s in a thousand pieces,
If you’re lost and you’re far from reason,
Just look up; know you are loved.
Just look up; know you are loved.
Click here to see a video of the song.
This February, we invite families to carry that message to people beyond our walls through a simple, meaningful practice we’re calling the You Are Loved Project.
Throughout the month, you are invited to pick up small “You Are Loved” crocheted hearts at church and prayerfully share them to encourage others. Maybe leave one on a park bench, tuck another into a library book, leave one with a server at your favorite restaurant, or place one on a coworker’s desk. You can also share them with a neighbor or friend who may be feeling unseen or overwhelmed.
These hearts are a quiet but powerful reminder that God’s love is personal and present and that love can be shared simply, gently, and without expectation. At home, you might talk together about what it means to be loved by God or consider praying before leaving a heart somewhere, asking God to place it in the right hands. It’s also good to reflect afterward on how it felt to share love in a small but intentional way. Remember, this project isn’t about drawing attention to ourselves. It’s about extending God’s love beyond our walls, one small act at a time.
As we move through February, I invite you to look up, know you are loved, and help someone else remember that truth, too.
Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do too!
The Prayerful Pause - January 21
“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” — 1 Samuel 3:10
This month in worship, we have been thinking about God’s call and the various ways we are invited to respond. God’s call does not typically come with a loud clap of thunder but most often comes as a whisper into our ordinary days. It’s like a tug on the heart, a persistent thought that won’t let go, or a nudge toward compassion or change. We sometimes expect God’s call to be dramatic, unmistakable, or a life-altering experience in one single moment. But more often, God calls us through the ordinary moments of life: a conversation, a need we notice, a burden we feel, or a longing we cannot ignore.
The prophet Samuel was just a boy when God called his name. He didn’t recognize God’s voice at first. He assumed it was someone else. That’s comforting, isn’t it? Even faithful people can miss God’s call at first. Even those close to God sometimes need help learning to listen, and thankfully, Samuel had Eli to point him toward God’s call. Samuel’s story teaches us that God is patient with us. God repeats the call. God waits for us to listen and respond.
Another thing I find comforting is that God’s call is not only about what we will do. Most of the time, it's more about who we will become. Sometimes God calls us to a new path. Sometimes God calls us to deeper faithfulness right where we already are. God may call us to speak up, to step out, to let go, to forgive, to love more boldly, or to trust more fully. But all the while, he is shaping us into the people he calls us to become. As he calls us, he continues to shape us into people who reflect the light and the love of Christ.
When Samuel finally understood who was calling him, he responded with surrender and openness, simply saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” as his mentor Eli had instructed him to do. Samuel didn’t have a plan. He didn’t know the outcome. He simply made himself available and opened his ears and his heart to listen to the Lord.
What if God’s call today is not about doing something big, but about noticing something small? A person who needs kindness. A moment that needs courage. An encouraging word that needs to be spoken. A rest that needs to be taken. God still calls today. God still speaks, and God still invites us to follow. We don’t need to have everything figured out. We only need to keep listening and responding to the voice of the faithful One who calls. Indeed, Jesus calls, “follow me,” and we are invited to respond!
Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do too!
The Prayerful Pause - December 31
Happy New Year, Union Family! Many folks make New Year's resolutions each January. You may want to eat a bit healthier or be more intentional about spending time with your family this year. You may want to exercise a little more or finally clean out all your closets and donate some things you don't need to charity this year. New Year’s Resolutions can sometimes be a really good thing, but if we are honest with ourselves, we often abandon our resolutions by the time February rolls around.
So, this year, instead of making a resolution, I want to invite you to prayerfully ask God some visioning questions for 2026 as you pray during January. Below are 10 suggested questions to ask God this month. As you pray, seek to listen and discover the new things he wants to do in and through you and us together in 2026.
Oh Lord, how do you want to grow me in grace, wisdom, or service this year?
How do you want to enrich my life through Bible Study, fellowship, or worship this year?
How do you want to grow my prayer life and draw me closer to you?
How do you want to use me this year to share love and encouragement with those who need it most?
What do you want me to subtract or add this year so that I might focus more on you?
What do you want to teach me this year?
What do you want me to share with others this year?
What are your dreams for me? For my family?
What are your dreams for Union Christian Church?
What are your dreams for our community, and how might you want to use me and the Union Family to make those dreams a reality this year?
Right from the start of this year, may we focus on how God works in our lives instead of what we can accomplish on our own. God is always doing something new, and we are invited to catch a glimpse of it daily as we seek his face in prayer.
Indeed, may God give us eyes to see and hearts that embrace the new things he wants to do in us, through us, and in our midst in 2026! I look forward to seeing all the ways God will grow and guide us this year!
The Prayerful Pause - December 24
A Prayer of Love This Christmas
Merry Christmas, Union family! Today, I offer this prayer of love for us to pray together as a church family. Jesus is what God's love looks like lived out. May your hearts be filled with his love today as we prayerfully celebrate his birth. Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do too!
Lord of love, we come before you this Christmas with hearts full of wonder and gratitude. Today, we celebrate Jesus and the good gift of your great Son. We celebrate that love came down to dwell among us, humble, vulnerable, and real. You did not stay distant, God, but you came close, showing us what love looks like lived out through your only Son, Jesus.
Thank You for a love that does not depend on us earning it, but instead freely flows from your heart to ours. It is a love that forgives when we fall short, heals what is broken, and draws us into your loving arms, no matter where we've been or what we've done.
Help us remember that the baby in the manger is a clear sign of your love. Yours is a love that breaks barriers, heals divisions, and brings hope to the whole world. As we celebrate Christmas, fill us with your love so that it overflows into the lives of those around us. Teach us to love as you love. Help us to see others as you see them and to carry the light of your love into a world that so desperately needs it.
This Christmas, we give thanks for the gift of Jesus, the One who taught us that love is patient, kind, and never-ending. May his love guide us today and always.
In the name of Christ, we pray, Amen.
The Prayerful Pause - December 17
Each Wednesday in Advent, I will share a prayer for us to pray together as a church family. The theme of this week’s prayer is joy since we lit the candle of joy this past Sunday in worship. As you pray this week’s prayer of joy, may God fill your heart with the joy that only Jesus can bring. I love you, Union family, and pray that your week is filled with the joy of the Lord.
Lord, we come to you just as we are. Some of us feel tired; others are full of delight at this time of year. Yet, all of us are looking for your joy to guide us forward. You, God, are the one who plants joy in our hearts. Even when life feels heavy and hard, your joy breaks through like flowers growing in the cracks of the sidewalk.
We thank you for the little things in life like stars shining on a cold night, children laughing as they play, the warmth of holding someone’s hand, and the courage to keep going when life feels challenging. You remind us that “the joy of the Lord is our strength,” and we hold on to that promise. Real joy isn’t just a passing feeling. It’s a steady confidence that you are with us and can always be trusted.
O God, during this season of waiting, may your joy give us the strength we need to love others, to share your light, and to trust you on the journey. You are the source of our joy. You are our Emmanuel, God with us! We love you and thank you for your joy, not only during this season, but each day.
With hearts full of the joy of Jesus, we say Amen.
The Prayerful Pause - December 10
Each Wednesday in Advent, I will share a prayer for us to pray together as a church family. The theme of this week’s prayer is peace since we lit the candle of peace this past Sunday in worship. As you pray this week’s prayer, may God fill your heart with the deep peace of Christ. I love you, Union family, and I am praying for us as we serve as instruments of God’s peace in the world.
Dear Lord,
We come to you today with hearts full of all kinds of things. We bring our worries and wonder, busyness and blessings. But right now, we want to lay it all down at your feet. You’re the maker of the sunrise, the keeper of the stars, and the One who speaks stillness into storms. So, here we are, asking for the deep peace only you can give.
Help us hear your still, small voice when the world feels too noisy. When our hearts race with fear, slow us down with your calm assurance. And when life gets messy, because it often does, remind us that you’re in the middle of it, steadying us with your love.
Teach us, Lord, to be peacemakers. May our words be soft and our actions gentle, so the world gets just a little glimpse of heaven every time your peace flows through us.
Lord, we pray for peace in the world. We pray for peace between nations, within communities, within families, and in the hearts of every person. Help us not just to long for peace but to actively work for it, sharing your love and grace wherever we go. May we, as your instruments, be the bearers of your peace in a world that so desperately needs it.
Thank you for being our refuge when things feel shaky. Thank you for your promises that never fail. Thank you for loving us just as we are and always growing us in your grace.
In the name of Jesus, our Prince of Peace, we pray. Amen.
The Prayerful Pause - December 3
I love the season of Advent! The word Advent means "coming," and it's a season of preparation and waiting where we anticipate the coming of Christ. But Advent is more than just a countdown to Christmas that we fast forward through, hoping to get on to the big day and the big celebration of Christmas. Advent is a season of waiting where we are called to remember the past and anticipate the future, opening our hearts and our lives up to the new and unexpected things that God wants to birth in us.
During Advent, we look to the past, and we remember how God’s people longed for a rescuer. They, too, were waiting for the promised Messiah to set them free from the oppressive rule of the Romans. Yet, God had even more abundant plans, sending his one and only Son to rescue, redeem, and deliver humanity from the oppression of sin, setting people free forever.
But in Advent, we also look to the future, watching and waiting for Christ to come once again. Yes, Advent reminds us that Christ, who once came as a little baby in Bethlehem, will one day come again in glory to make all things new and set right all the world’s wrongs once and for all.
Indeed, Advent is a call to remember the past and anticipate the future. This Advent, may we open our hearts and our lives up to the coming of Christ once again, and may he fill us with hope, peace, joy, and love.
The Prayerful Pause - November 19
As we approach Thanksgiving, many of you are planning which recipes you will use to delight your family on the big day. Since I don't cook, I will offer a recipe of another kind for us to consider. It's "A Gratitude Recipe" to help our hearts draw near to God and grow in thankfulness every day of the year.
A Gratitude Recipe
Ingredients
3 Cups of noticing the good things God is doing
2 tablespoons of pausing before reacting
3 heaping scoops of Scripture (Psalms recommended!)
7 Handfuls of honest prayers
A pinch of perspective
7 Cups of encouraging someone else
4 Generous scoops of remembering past faithfulness
Unlimited grace — offered freely by God
Optional add-ins
Laughter
Music that lifts your spirit
Talking to a friend who “gets you”
Noticing the beauty in God’s creation
Directions
1. Start with noticing.Take a few minutes every day to think about three things you're grateful for. They can be big things ("my job") or small things ("the way the sunlight hit my window this morning").
2. Mix in Scripture.Select a verse that centers your heart, maybe something like Psalm 136:1: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Stir it into your thoughts throughout the day.
3. Fold in honest prayers.Tell God what’s hardandwhat's good. Gratitude grows best in honest conversations with him.
4. Sprinkle perspective.When frustrations show up (they always do), pause. Ask,“What’s one good thing here that you are teaching me?”or“Where might God be working behind the scenes?”
5. Add encouragement.Send a text. Hold a door. Pay a compliment. Gratitude grows when we share it with others.
6. Let it rest.Stay still for a while. Breathe deeply and allow your heart to settle. Gratitude takes time to rise.
7. Serve daily.Offer your “gratitude attitude” everywhere you go (work, school, home, church, the grocery store, etc.) The more you serve kindness, the more gratitude grows in you.Important Notes:This recipe works even on tough days. If your gratitude feels small, that’s okay. Keep stirring. God honors every effort, every pause, every whisper of thanks.
Prayer to Finish With: God, teach me the recipe of gratitude. Help me mix your truth with my daily life until thankfulness becomes the flavor of my heart. Amen.
The Prayerful Pause - November 12
Life sometimes comes with some unexpected twists and turns. This week, I wanted to share a prayer for God’s grace in every circumstance since that is our theme for worship this Sunday. Our God is generous and compassionate, and we can always trust that his grace will meet us daily, come what may. May this prayer be a reminder of God’s amazing grace for us as we prepare our hearts for worship this Sunday. Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do, too!
Gracious and Eternal God,
Your mercy meets us every morning, and your faithfulness holds us through every night.
Today, we ask for your grace, not just for the gentle moments, but for every circumstance we face.
When the road is smooth, keep us grateful. When the valley is deep, keep us steadfast.
When our hearts are heavy, be our peace. When our strength is gone, be our supply.
When answers are unclear, be our wisdom. When life is overwhelming, be our refuge.
Teach us to trust you, not only with our praise but with our questions, our fears, and our doubts.
Remind us that your grace does not wait for perfection; it meets us in our weakness, and it is always enough.
Lord, shape in us a resilient faith, the kind that can say, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,”
even when the fig tree does not blossom and hope feels distant.
Pour out your Spirit upon us. Steady our steps. Soften our hearts. Lift our eyes.
Anchor our souls in the truth that you are with us in every moment, in every trial, in every joy.
May your grace strengthen us, sustain us, and send us forward to love courageously, serve generously, and trust you completely.
O God, whose grace saves us, keeps us, and carries us through all things, we love you and thank you for loving us.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
The Prayerful Pause - November 5
With Veterans Day coming up on Tuesday, November 11, I wanted to pause and share some ways you can prayerfully encourage veterans and those actively serving in the military.
Today, we are holding our second annual Veterans’ Appreciation Luncheon. Please pray that all the veterans who attend will be encouraged by the Union family today. Union will also honor our veterans in other ways this week. We’ve placed our Veterans Day banner out front and will place flags on the graves of the nearly 50 veterans buried in Union's cemetery this Saturday at 9:30 AM. This Sunday is Veterans' Sunday, and we will recognize and pray for our veterans during morning worship. We will also have a slideshow of their pictures playing before and after worship in the Fellowship Hall. This week, please take a moment to offer a personal word of thanks to our veterans, and in your prayers, thank God for their service and sacrifice.
If you are looking for a way to encourage those actively serving in the military, I invite you to write a handwritten note of encouragement to someone who is serving now. You can send a note of encouragement to an unnamed service member through a wonderful organization in Duluth, Georgia. Hugs for Soldiers is a ministry of Duluth First United Methodist Church that shares encouraging notes with active-duty service members serving all over the world.
If you would like to write a note, be sure to check out Hugs for Soldiers letter writing guidelines at https://www.hugsforsoldiers.org/cards-and-letters and then mail your card to:
HUGS FOR SOLDIERS
Duluth First United Methodist Church
3208 Duluth Hwy. 120
Duluth, GA 30096
Before mailing your card, pause and pray for the person who will receive it, and ask God to encourage them as they serve!
Thank you to all veterans and active-duty service personnel. We are thankful for you and for your service!
The Prayerful Pause - October 29
It’s hard to believe that November is upon us! As we enter the season of gratitude, my heart is full of thankfulness for you, Union Family. Your thoughtfulness and encouragement for my Birthday and during Pastor Appreciation Month have meant so much to me. You all are incredibly creative and have a special way of making a person feel deeply loved and appreciated. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
In November, we have so many things to look forward to together! Below are a few highlights I want to share. I pray you will take part as the Lord leads.
Sunday, November 2, is All Saints Sunday. During worship, we will light candles to remember and honor those who are now part of the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This service is always deeply meaningful as we give thanks for those who have gone before us and pointed us to the Lord.
This month, we are also looking forward to our Veterans’ Appreciation Luncheon on Wednesday, November 5, at 11:00 AM in the Union Fellowship Hall. This luncheon is a special time to gather, share a meal, and express our gratitude for those who have given so much in service to our country. I hope you will invite a Veteran you know to join us.
November 8 will be a busy day at Union in the cemetery and for our building safety readiness. We will place flags in the Union cemetery to honor the veterans buried there at 9:30 AM. Others will begin working in the cemetery that morning to rake the gravel on the plots at 8:00 AM. At 11:00 AM, we will have an Active Intruder Safety Training from Captain Maxey of Oconee County Sheriff’s Department in the Fellowship Hall.
On Sunday, November 9, we will have our annual veterans’ recognition during morning worship. Please invite a veteran to join us that Sunday as we honor their commitment and sacrifice in a spirit of gratitude and remembrance.
November also comes with a host of opportunities to share with people in need. We will be busy sharing Thanksgiving Boxes, collecting supplies, and packing Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes. I am thankful for the many ways you seek to serve and share God’s love in our community! God is using you well, and I am so thankful for your continued faithfulness.
Most of all this November, I hope you will take time each day to thank God for who he is and for what he has done in your life. God loves you, Union family, and I do too!
The Prayerful Pause - October 22
“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.” Psalm 107:2 (NIV)
There is a quiet but powerful pattern in Scripture: When God moves, his people speak. Israel breaks into song after walking through parted waters. Hannah prays aloud with overflowing gratitude when God gives her a son. The Samaritan woman runs back to town with news of a Savior. Paul testifies before leaders, churches, philosophers, and prisoners, declaring what Christ has done. We are reminded of these stories and remember the people who shared them. Their words and actions were not polished or rehearsed. Yet, they revealed the truth of what God had accomplished and demonstrated God's faithfulness.
That is what we will do together this Sunday at Union Christian Church as we gather for Testimony Sunday. We will set aside time in worship to share and hear real stories from real people about God's work in their lives and in the world. We will listen for how God has shown up in dramatic and quiet ways, in seasons of crisis and in the routines of everyday life.
It’s important to remember that testimonies are not about spotlighting people or even the things they have seen or experienced. Our testimonies are about spotlighting God’s work in our lives and in the world. They remind us that God is still writing our stories, still healing, still providing, still redeeming, and still making all things new.
Here is the beautiful thing. There is always someone listening who needs to hear what God has done or is still doing in the lives of others. A story that feels small to you may be a lifeline to someone else. It may be a signpost of hope on a hard road. You may not be ready to share a story this Sunday, and that is okay. You are invited to come, listen, give thanks, and let the testimony of others strengthen you and your connection to God.
What is one way you can share your story this week? It could be through a conversation, a written note, sharing a story with a friend, or an act of love in Christ's name. Indeed, we share God's story of love when we share our stories of faith!
Sunday, October 26, promises to be a great day of worship, and I hope you will join us as we share stories of faith, hope, and love. Each story of faith matters, and when we share them, God is glorified, and the joy of the Lord is multiplied among us!
See you Sunday, Union Family! Jesus loves you, and I do too!
The Prayerful Pause - October 15
“God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” — Ephesians 3:20
Union is blessed to have a Congregational Permanent Fund for missions. Through investment with the Christian Church Foundation, this fund continues to bear fruit for God’s Kingdom well beyond our church walls each year. Grants from the Congregational Permanent Fund’s investment gains continue to help meet real needs in our local community and around the world. Every grant shared through the Permanent Fund becomes a seed of hope, planted in faith and tended by the Spirit, so that others might experience God’s abundant love.
This Fall, the Permanent Fund Committee will prayerfully discern how to distribute $20,000 that the Church Council has approved for use in 2025–2026. As we look to the future, we invite you to join us in dreaming new dreams and listening for how God might be calling Union to share generously with missions organizations and projects that the Lord has laid on your heart.
Perhaps God is calling us to walk alongside a ministry that serves families in crisis, feeds hungry neighbors, or provides a safe place for those seeking hope and a sense of belonging. Perhaps there's a mission organization or project that you're aware of that brings clean water to villages, provides medical care to the sick, or opens doors to education in communities where opportunities are scarce.
Now is the time to imagine together how grants from Union’s Permanent Fund can help meet the needs of real people, right now. Through our prayers, our giving, and our partnership, we can be part of God’s ongoing story of renewal and grace in the world.
If you would like to suggest a missions-oriented organization, group, or project for funding consideration, please fill out a Permanent Fund Request Form (available in the Gathering Space) and return it to the church office by October 19.
Let’s continue to be a church that dreams big, gives freely, and trusts God to multiply what we have, so that countless others may experience the hope and love of Christ.
The Prayerful Pause - October 8
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” — Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)
This week, I have been thinking about what it means to be a nimble and agile church. I was really impressed with how quickly we were able to move inside after our planned outdoor worship service was suddenly rained out. Worship and ministry continued, even when a quick pivot was needed.
The world around us changes every day. New challenges arise, needs shift, and opportunities appear where we least expect them. Sometimes, it can feel easier to stay put in what we know and resist change or to look back and long for the past. Yet, God invites us to move in response to his leadership, to stay nimble and agile in our faith and ministry.
To be nimble means to move quickly and lightly. To be agile means to adapt with grace. When we follow Jesus, both qualities matter. Our discipleship and our ministry together do not follow a fixed path. It is a living and growing journey of trusting God to lead us through unexpected twists and turns, or to guide us with holy nudges in unexpected directions. Sometimes it is through a conversation that becomes an opportunity for prayer, a new way to serve, or a change that deepens our trust in God’s guidance.
As a church and as Disciples, being nimble and agile means we listen closely to God’s voice and hold our plans with open hands. We move when he moves, trusting that he is already making a way in the wilderness.
This week, let's ponder this question: How might God be inviting you or our church to be more nimble and agile in responding to his lead?
A Prayer for Following God’s Lead:
God of new beginnings, help us to stay flexible and faithful. Keep our hearts open and our hands ready to serve. When you move, may we move with you? Make us nimble and agile in our discipleship and our shared ministry. Make us quick to listen, quick to love, and quick to follow your lead. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.
Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do too!
The Prayerful Pause - October 1
October is my favorite month of the year because it has a way of slowing me down. The air grows crisp and refreshing, inviting us to step outside and take in the world around us. The trees dress themselves in their most colorful garments with rich reds, brilliant yellows, and deep oranges. Even the sunsets linger a little longer, glowing with a radiance that captures our attention and reminds us of the artistry of our Creator. I have even given a name to the color of October sunsets, “Pumpkin Splendor.”
In these October days, we catch a glimpse of God’s glory. The seasons shift, and with each change comes a new reminder of the One who holds all things together. Just as the leaves transform before our eyes, God’s Spirit works in us, changing us from the inside out. What may appear to be endings, such as the falling leaves and the shortening days, are also the beginnings of God's promise to bring life again in its due season.
October also helps me find a fresh perspective. The cool air that brushes against our cheeks is the same air we breathed all summer. But in October the air seems to feel fresher, filled with possibility. The same sky that stretched above us yesterday suddenly seems more brilliant with the colorful sunsets within a frame of the changing leaves. When we pause to notice these changes, we realize God has been here all along, speaking through the colors, the breeze, and the quiet shifts of creation.
A Prayer for October:
Lord, thank You for the beauty of October!
Thank you for the changing leaves, the cool air, and the glorious sunsets.
Help us to notice you and your handiwork in the world around us.
Help us sense your presence in the rhythm of the seasons.
As the trees release their leaves, teach us to let go of what we no longer need, trusting that you are making all things new.
May our lives, like all creation, proclaim your glory.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
The Prayerful Pause - September 24
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
Laughter can bring joy to our days when we least expect it. We may giggle at a child's innocent comment, chuckle at a friend's quick-witted response, or even belly laugh at ourselves after a silly mistake.
God created us with the capacity to laugh, and in that gift, we find both healing and joy. Laughter, a soothing balm for the soul, reminds us that we don't carry the weight of the world alone. It bonds us together, breaking down walls and softening hard days. It lifts our eyes from the pressures of life and points us toward the goodness of God.
Think about the last time you laughed so hard your sides hurt or happy tears streamed down your face. In that moment, the stress faded, the burdens felt lighter, and joy bubbled up. That is a glimpse of God’s grace at work in our everyday lives.
Jesus knew the power of joy. While Scripture doesn’t record him laughing outright, He was fully human—sharing meals, attending weddings, sitting with friends. Surely, his presence brought laughter, because joy radiated wherever He was. We can find the same joy with Jesus all these years later.
This week, let's look out for the playful ways that God reminds us of his joy. Take notes of those humorous conversations, a child's giggles, or even the lighthearted moments in our own routines. And when laughter comes, receive it as a holy gift, and a loving reminder that God's medicine for weary souls often comes wrapped in joy.
May this simple prayer help you connect joyously with the Lord this week.
Lord of Joy, thank you for the gift of laughter. Let it fill our hearts with gladness. Let it strengthen bonds between friends and family. Let it remind us that you are the source of true joy. Help us not to take ourselves too seriously, but to delight in the moments of laughter you send our way. Amen.
Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do too!