From the Pastor's Desk

From Karen: The Boomers met on April 2nd and prepared the monthly mailbox motivations for the Bannerman (BLC) faculty and staff. Hagan Ace Hardware in Green Cove donated flower seed packets. We attached notes to each packet and placed them in faculty and staff mailboxes (pictured above). This week, Pizza Hut of Green Cove provided the staff with pasta trays and breadsticks for lunch, and the Boome...

In a short time, people worldwide and news stations alike will be turning their eyes to Charlotte, NC, as the United Methodists gather for the first time in 5 years to handle the general business of the church. More than 800 men and women from around the globe have been elected and are now preparing to represent their Annual Conferences by working with their delegations.The Florida Annual Conferen...

Over eight days, March 16-23, we participated in 3 events and helped feed people across Clay County. Thank you to everyone who helped, either by volunteering, donating items, or giving financially. A team of us went to Jacksonville to pack food at a table our church sponsored. This event was the 2nd Annual Faith in Action that Hunger Fight has put on. Churches sponsored all the tables. It was so ...

I can't fully express how blessed I was by the day of worship we had for Palm Sunday, but I will try. But first, I'll confess. I make decisions based on data and prayer. So, when looking at worship times for Palm Sunday and Easter, I spent a lot of time reviewing numbers from last year, especially our children's. After talking with Katie, we felt it was best to have two services so that a new fami...

People place boundaries to keep us safe, like a guard rail at a cliff or a glass wall at the lion's exhibit. Sometimes, we see walls and fences as challenging to find a way over or around them. Sometimes, this challenging spirit can be healthy in life, but other times, it can lead us to captivity. Jesus died and rose again so that we would be set free of sin, shame, and death. It's up to us to ens...

Every month, our Boomers focus on a project to show love to the teachers at Bannerman Learning Center. Here are some pictures from their recent meeting where they were putting together the mailbox motivations. For February, the Children's Ministry helped create Valentine cards. The Boomers took these cards and set up a candy bar in the teachers lounge as a small way of showing the teachers they ar...

If you've wondered where I've been this week (which is not the office), I've been at the 2024 Exponential Conference. Here's why that should matter to you. The theme this year is: ONE-EIGHTY — Return to Disciple Making. Although making disciples is the clear mission of the Church, when asked, most churches say that making disciples who make disciples is still their biggest weakness. We sense God i...

Holy Week is the week of Palm Sunday or the week leading into Easter. As early as the 4th century, we have seen Christians take extra fasts, go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and attend special services as they approach the remembrance of our Lord's most challenging days on earth.To aid in your Holy Week practice, I am preparing a set of pre-recorded services that will be about 15 minutes e......

Jennifer has been attending our church since 2007. She has been a part of a United Methodist congregation for most of her life; she joined God in baptism at a United Methodist congregation in Pennsylvania. Jennifer has seen multiple pastors come and go here at Fleming Island UMC but felt God lay it on her heart recently to reaffirm her baptism, make a public profession of faith, and make us offici...

Yesterday started Lent with Ash Wednesday. For those who have been United Methodist (or Catholic or Lutheran), Lent is something you’ve experienced in some way your entire life. For others who may have come from another church or no church background, Lent may be a new thing. It starts on Ash Wednesday and ends the day before Easter. If you exclude Sundays (which are non-fasting days), that equals...