Blackwater United Methodist Church

06/09/2026

This week, Rev. Amy and 6 church members are headed to downtown baton rouge for Annual Conference!!! What Is Annual Conference? Glad you asked! Its a yearly gathering of pastors and lay people from United Methodist churches across Louisiana.

Think of it as the "family reunion" and "business meeting" of the church all rolled into one! Over the course of several days, we worship together, ordain new clergy, set the financial budget for the state, remember saints who have gone before us, make decisions that help guide our shared ministry, and more!!

🎨 So we're inviting our Blackwater family to join Rev. Amy and the Casto Family's Annual Conference Color Guide! Whether you're attending Conference in person, following along online, or simply want to show your Blackwater spirit, wear the color of the day:

💚 Tuesday – Green
💜 Wednesday – Purple
💙 Thursday – Blue
❤️ Friday – Red

Rev. Amy and the delegates from Blackwater will keep you posted and take you along all week right here on FACEBOOK- stay tuned!

06/08/2026

The competition is heating up!

Our Peanut Butter & Jelly Drive is in full swing, and the men and women of our congregation are working hard to claim victory. Men are collecting JELLY, and women are collecting PEANUT BUTTER—but the real winners will be the families served by our local food bank and HOPE Ministries.

If you haven't brought your donation yet, there's still plenty of time! You can place your donation on the tables outside of the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall. Every jar helps provide food and encouragement to those in need in our community.

Let's fill our donation tables and show what God's love in action looks like!

06/07/2026

Welcome to The Table service at Blackwater United Methodist Church.
Thanks for joining us! Looking for ways to get connected, or to give online?
Website: https://www.blackwaterumc.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cometothetable.church
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/

06/06/2026

Let’s play a game, I spy!
Let’s see ….” I spy with my little eye” A fellowship hall space that needs to be set up for the table service. All arewelcome to come join in and set it up for worship at 10 AM today. 

06/04/2026

🇮🇪 Day 8 of Our Ireland Pilgrimage 🇮🇪

Today marked our final full day of pilgrimage before beginning our journey home.

We spent the day in Dublin, surrounded by reminders of a faith that has been carried from generation to generation.

At Trinity College, we stood before the Book of Kells (the 4 gospels scribed by monks on cowhides using earthly elements to make elaborate calligraphy in bold colors) and today we viewed a portion of Luke's Gospel (Luke 23:34-51) carefully copied by hand by monks around 800 A.D. Imagine that for a moment. Long before printing presses, long before technology, faithful servants of God devoted their lives to preserving Scripture so future generations could encounter the story of Jesus.

Later, we visited St. Patrick's Cathedral, a breathtaking place of worship whose construction began in 1220. For decades, craftsmen, priests, and faithful believers poured their gifts, talents, labor, and prayers into creating a space where people could worship God.

But the moment that will stay with me for a very long time happened inside one of the cathedral's pews.

A few months ago, I mentioned in a sermon that churches once had enclosed pews with doors. Families could rent or purchase them, store belongings inside, and sometimes literally lock others out. The wealthy often had the best seats, while others were left standing and feeling less than or shamed.

Today, standing beside my daughter, I reached down and unlocked one of those historic pew doors.

I know it was only a simple latch. But it felt holy. As I opened that little door, I couldn't help but think about the church's calling today. Not to lock people out. Not to create barriers. Not to guard seats. But to unlock doors. To remove obstacles. To not hinder but to help people discover the goodness, grace, forgiveness, and salvation that God freely offers to all.

The Book of Kells and St. Patrick's reminded me the prayer Jesus prayed from the cross: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)

The Gospel has always been an invitation, not a reservation. An open door, not a locked one. And today I find myself humbled and honored to be part of Christ's Church—a church called to keep unlocking doors so that more people can experience the love of God.

We ended our pilgrimage in the most Irish way possible: gathered around a table for a traditional Irish pub meal while musicians played lively Irish tunes and dancers filled the room with joy. It was a fitting ending to a week filled with worship, laughter, learning, friendship, and countless reminders of God's presence.

As we prepare for long flights and long travel days home, we would appreciate your prayers. Some of our pilgrims are tired. A few are feeling under the weather. We are grateful for your prayers for safe travels and renewed strength! Thank you for following along on this journey. Ireland has shown us beautiful landscapes, ancient churches, and remarkable stories of faith. But more importantly, it has reminded us that the same God who called St. Patrick to evangelize with a shamrock, who inspired monks to preserve Scripture, and who filled cathedrals with worshippers is still at work today—unlocking hearts, opening doors, and calling us to follow!

☘️ Thanks be to God.

06/03/2026

🍀 Ancient Faith, Living Hope 🍀

Join us this Sunday as Pastor Amy shares reflections from the recent pilgrimage to Ireland, where ancient shrines, historic abbeys, and sacred places that have inspired Christians for centuries.

Through stories, images, and insights from the journey, we'll explore how the faith of those who came before us continues to inspire hope and discipleship today.

Be sure to read this week's scripture ahead of time: Psalm 84:1–12

This special stand-alone message, "Ancient Faith, Living Hope", will also serve as an introduction to our upcoming sermon series, "In Living Color", where we'll discover the biblical stories represented in the stained-glass windows of our sanctuary.

We look forward to seeing you at Blackwater UMC!

06/02/2026

🌈 Day 7 of Our Ireland Pilgrimage 🇮🇪

Today's journey took us through Waterford and Glendalough, and once again, one word seemed to follow us wherever we went: yep. You guessed it: BLACKWATER.

At first, it was Blackwater river, then Blackwater Village, then Blackwater Distillery signs & even bottle displays that kept appearing throughout our travels. We laughed each time we saw one and pointed it out to one another. Then came an unexpected surprise...

Today, while touring Waterford Crystal, we learned how the master craftsmen transform molten glass into beautiful works of art—blown, molded, sculpted, inspected, etched, and polished until each piece was ready for display.

Halfway through the tour, our guide stopped and said, "Ahhh, look here at this table, here are a few peices from our newest collection, available only in Waterford. It's called "Blackwater: A River Runs Through."

Several of us nearly dropped our jaws. I moved to the front of the group gathered around and said "Wait! That's our church!" There we stood, thousands of miles from Central, Louisiana, hearing the name of our church spoken in Ireland. again. Just such a sweet moment!!!!

The day continued with a visit to Glendalough, one of Ireland's most sacred and oldest monastic sites. As we arrived, so did the rain with full Irish enthusiasm, and some of us (including the pastor!) had packed our raincoats under the bus after several days of beautiful weather. While I missed much of the walking tour, my daughter did not! As I watched our group help Hannah navigate the ancient monastic grounds, I found myself thinking about generations. In the 1000's, monks of Glendalough devoted their lives to preserving and sharing the Gospel so that future generations would know Christ. More than a thousand years later, my daughter was walking the same paths. The names, languages, and countries may have changed, but God's faithfulness has not.

And then, as if to close the day with a blessing, we walked through Dublin this evening beneath a massive and brilliant rainbow stretching across the sky!!

I couldn't help but think of God's promise: "The rainbow shall be in the clouds, and I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature."
— Genesis 9:16

A river runs through. A rainbow stretches above. And God's faithfulness surrounds. Maybe that's why the repeated appearance of "Blackwater" has felt so meaningful to our group. Not because God is sending secret messages, but because God's grace often uses familiar things to remind us that we are known, loved, and never beyond God's sight.

As our pilgrimage nears its end, our hearts are full. Tomorrow we will explore Dublin, visit Trinity College, and experience St. Patrick's Cathedral before beginning our long journey home.

Thank you for continuing to travel with us AND for your prayers.
Love,
REV. AMY

06/02/2026

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