by Stacey Hilliard | Mar 10, 2025 | Conversations
“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.
by Stacey Hilliard | Mar 9, 2025 | Sermons
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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by Stacey Hilliard | Mar 2, 2025 | Sermons
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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by Stacey Hilliard | Feb 24, 2025 | Conversations
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/).
by Stacey Hilliard | Feb 24, 2025 | Conversations
“The term ‘spiritual practice’ doesn’t usually refer to hiking or painting, but these activities can strengthen our faith. Here are four practices to try when you are yearning to draw close to God…
…People find a deeper connection with God by spending time in spiritual practices that are best for their unique personality and situation. Spiritual practice exploration is an option any day of the year, but adopting something new during a specific season can be helpful. Consider adding a practice during Lent, the 40 days leading to Easter, or Advent, the four weeks leading to Christmas.”
In an article published on umc.org, author Laura Buchanan explores how activities such as making art, hiking, meditating, and listening to or making music can help us find a deeper connection with God. Read the full article HERE.
