“Back to the Future"

Ever go back to somewhere you’ve been, but even as it’s familiar, it’s different—because you’re different? That happens to Philip in the Scripture from Acts 8, and it may have some insights for us, too.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for May 30, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

“Easter Changes Things: Prospects for the Future"

Easter changes things. And subsequently, so does Pentecost. The combination of the two dramatically offers us new and exciting prospects for our future—opportunities given by God!

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for May 23, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Easter Changes Things: Personal Identity"

Easter changes things. One of the things that Easter changes is our personal identity—we realize we are meant to see ourselves as God sees us.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for May 16, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Easter Changes Things: Place"

Easter changes things. One of the things that Easter changes is our place—not so much our location, as our “position”.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for May 9, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Easter Changes Things: The Past"

Easter changes things. One of the things that Easter changes is our future—that it doesn’t have to be determined solely by our past.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for May 2, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday, and will share in Holy Communion. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Easter Changes Things: Passions"

Easter changes things. One of the things that Easter changes is how we understand what we are passionate about in a way that goes beyond self-indulgence.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for April 25, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Easter Changes Things: People"

Easter changes things. One of the things that Easter changes is how we engage with people, and which people we engage with.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for April 18, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Easter Changes Things: Power"

Easter changes things. One of the things that Easter changes is how we understand power.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for April 11, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Objects That Remind Us: Towels, Thorns, Stones"

This is Holy Week, and the three objects we are using to remind us of God at work in our world are towels, thorns, and stones. And what God does with them is redeems them so that they mean pretty much the opposite of what they were intended to mean.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for Holy Week/Easter, April 1-4, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 7:30 PM on MaundyThursday, 7:30 PM on Good Friday, and 10 AM on Easter Sunday. For each, you have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, or tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Objects That Remind Us: Coats"

It seems we are in that transitional stage of the year, between winter coats and spring coats. What can our coats remind us of related to Palm Sunday?

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for March 28, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Objects That Remind Us: Oil"

Oil is needed to keep life running smoothly. Perhaps noticing variety of oils in our lives the can remind us of the opportunities for seeing God in those processes.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for March 21, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Objects That Remind Us: Coins"

Here is money used in Jesus' day--all coins, as there was no paper money then. Jesus referred to coins in several of his parables, and of course coins were used in his betrayal. As is true in our own age, value was measured in monetary means. How do we measure value, and how can coins remind us this Lent?

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for March 14, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday. You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Objects That Remind Us: Bread"

Many of us have bread at nearly every meal. When we do, how can we be reminded of Jesus, especially in the season of Lent?

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for March 7, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday, and will celebrate Holy Communion. Please be in touch (email pastorbruce@mcknightumc.org or call or text 412-952-4457 if you would like to receive the elements in advance of worship). You have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, or tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Objects That Remind Us: Shoes"

Shoes are pretty essential for those of us living in the Northeast. But what do our shoes remind us of as relates to God's call on our lives?

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for February 28, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday, and you have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, or tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Objects That Remind Us: Cross"

A cross seems like an obvious reminder of what happened to Jesus. But has it become so familiar that we don’t really think about it when we see one—or what it means?

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for February 21, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday, and you have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, or tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Objects That Remind Us: Dust"

When we share together in worship this season of Lent, the next ten times we will be considering "Objects that Remind Us" of the journey of Jesus to the cross. We will consider how these common, everyday objects can also remind us of what this season of reflection is about. The objects are dust, cross, shoes, bread, coins, oil, coats, towels, thorns, and--finally, on Easter--stones. Find the objects in and around your own home and meditate on them in this time leading to Easter.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for February 17, 2021 for further thoughts for Ash Wednesday/. Our Ash Wednesday worship will be at 7:30 PM this Wednesday, and you have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, or tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

“Christ Is With Us: In Creation"

When we look at the world around us, do we remember that it all was created through Christ? Recalling that can affirm for us that Christ is ever with us--and as the song says, holds the whole world in his hands. Including each one of us.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for February 14, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday, and you have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, or tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

“Christ Is With Us: In Prayer"

Prayer is always happening. We may plan and follow through on a particular time. We may "pray at all times"--spontaneously speaking to God. We may find it the "Oh my God!" primal scream when something surprising happens. But it is always there, and Christ is with us in it.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for February 7, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM this Sunday, and you have three options to attend. Place your reservation to attend worship in the Sanctuary (limited seating because of social distancing), or tune in on Facebook Live or connect on Zoom with your phone, computer, or tablet, or whatever other device works for online connecting.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

“Christ Is With Us: In Our Friends"

We need friends. Sometimes we may find them to be frustrating and disappointing. Sometimes they may find US to be frustrating and disappointing. Sometimes we get it right and we are Christ to one another.

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for January 31, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM Sunday on Facebook Live and Zoom. Until further notice we will NOT be worshiping in person.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce

"Christ Is With Us: In the Church"

Sometimes we think about the church as "my church"--and what we want is what it's about. Well, to a certain extent that's true--but there is much more to it than that. .

Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for January 24, 2021 for further thoughts. We worship at 10 AM Sunday on Facebook Live and Zoom. Until further notice we will NOT be worshiping in person.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce