by Stacey Hilliard | Jan 10, 2022 | Sermons
Over the holidays, I spent some time praying about the direction of my sermons this year. The answer I received to that prayer was “courage.” I did one sermon on courage last year and you can watch it here if you missed it. But to start off this year, I’d like to go deeper.
We can’t meaningfully understand courage until we can wrap our heads around the nature of fear. The Bible has a lot to say about fear, and some of it seems contradictory. Where to begin? Since Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” that seems like a good place to start and will be the text for Sunday.
— Pastor Anne
Watch or Read
After you’ve watched, be sure to subscribe to our channel!
by Stacey Hilliard | Dec 28, 2021 | News
Crawford Memorial UMC is collecting clothing for the Malden Warming Center, Dwelling Place, the homeless on Boston Common (if Covid allows), and possibly other area shelters. We ask that you donate only winter coats, winter hats, and gloves/mittens in new or like-new condition…we are donating clothing that gives dignity. Please bring in your donations by January 9. Clothing can be left in the church lobby or in the bin on the front porch. Contact the church office (office@crawfordumc.org) if you have any questions. Thank you!
by Stacey Hilliard | Dec 19, 2021 | Sermons
I was recently speaking with a man from the community who was both repelled and fascinated by the Church and religion. He had a lot of questions, but one in particular intrigued me. He asked, “What were holidays like Christmas originally designed to do for people? Is there a way to dial it back so that holidays actually mean something other than spending?”
I’ve been asked a lot of things over the years, but this question was new and is more important than I think the man asking it realized. At its core, this question is both an indictment of the Church and a plea for some shred of hope. It’s an indictment because, if the Church had been living its mission, the question would be unnecessary. But it also contains the hope that maybe there’s still some way to peel back all the layers and find something that can help us get through this life with a sense of meaning and purpose.
In this sermon, I explore his question and the larger meaning of Christmas.
— Pastor Anne
Watch or Read
After you’ve watched, be sure to subscribe to our channel!
by Stacey Hilliard | Dec 13, 2021 | News
With services and live music both indoors and outdoors this Christmas Eve,
we hope you will join us wherever and however you feel most comfortable:
5:00pm Service of lessons and carols, indoors and
streamed live on Facebook and YouTube
6:30pm Community-wide Carol Sing outdoors,
on our front steps (dress for the weather!)
NEW! 7:00pm Outdoor service, back by popular demand! NEW!
30-minute service of lessons and pre-recorded music
10:30pm 30-minute concert of Christmas selections
by the Occasional Brass Quintet
11:00pm Service of lessons and carols, indoors and
streamed live on Facebook and YouTube
All are welcome! Please wear a mask to help keep everyone safe.
Our Christmas offering this year will be donated to two of our favorite charities: Mission of Deeds and the Woburn Council of Social Concern. You can donate with a check or cash in person, through our website here, or by texting CrawfordXmas to 44-321.
by Stacey Hilliard | Dec 12, 2021 | Sermons
I don’t think there’s a time of the year when we are more focused on preparations than the Christmas season. We groan under the weight of baking, shopping, writing cards, wrapping, decorating, and all the things that go along with the season. And in the midst of all that hustle and bustle, there is this strange and annoying man in the Gospel—John the Baptist—telling us that there is yet one more preparation to be made. We need to prepare the way of the Lord. But how?
Watch or Read
After you’ve watched, be sure to subscribe to our channel!
