As we continue to explore the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, we are (as CS Lewis put it) “Surprised by Joy.” Joy does seem to take us by surprise when it comes. So how can it be a predictable fruit?
– Pastor Anne
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“Mary Magdalene is a prominent figure in the story of Jesus’ life and resurrection. She is one of the few named women who is a follower of Jesus. She has a pivotal role in the Gospels, because she is the first to see him resurrected (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20).
“This Lent, let’s consider using Mary Magdalene as our guide, following Jesus as she did…
“We are invited to listen to his teachings and witness his healing work as described in the Gospels. We are asked to journey with him to Jerusalem and witness his final days and crucifixion. Like Mary Magdalene, we are also beckoned to wake up early on Easter and go to the tomb, only we know that we will find it empty! We are called to share the good news with each other. We are charged with sharing our encounters with the risen Christ.”
This is just the beginning of a devotional written by Rev. Tiffany McDonald. Read Rev. McDonald’s complete devotional, as published in the March 10 issue of UM Now, HERE.
The first Sunday in Lent almost always focuses on Jesus’ being tempted by Satan in the wilderness. And while the wilderness in Judea isn’t known for its edible fruit, Jesus gets through the temptations by drawing on a different kind of fruit entirely—the fruit of the Spirit.
– Pastor Anne
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On this particular Sunday I had the honor of baptizing Susan Caruso’s new great grandson, Lorenzo Michael Vardaro. Methodists call Baptism both a sacrament and a covenant. We call marriage a covenant but not a sacrament and Holy Communion a sacrament but not a covenant. So what’s a covenant anyway?
– Pastor Anne
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In 2021, the New England Conference offered an online study of the book “Faith After Doubt,” by author Brian D. McLaren. In addition to being a prolific author, McLaren is on the faculty of the Center for Action and Contemplation (cac.org) where he recently introduced the center’s 2025 Daily Meditations theme of “Being Salt and Light.” Sound familiar? See and hear McLaren’s thoughts on the scriptures Pastor Anne addressed in her recent sermons, HERE. If you missed Pastor Anne’s recent sermons on salt and light, you can watch or read them on our website (https://crawfordmethodist.org/sermons/).