Pathways Christian Fellowship Church

09/03/2026

Dear Pathways Christian Fellowship family and friends,

* This Sunday we continue our journey with Matthew and Paul. Matthew 18:15–20 outlines a step-by-step process for resolving personal conflict and sin within a faith community, while Romans 13:8–14 explains that love for one's neighbor fulfills God's moral law and calls believers to live as people of the light.
Matthew 18:15–20: Jesus teaches that when believers gather, pray, and work through heavy relational struggles together, He is actively present among them.
Romans 13:8–14: Loving your neighbor as yourself sums up all the major moral commands (like not stealing, murdering, or committing adultery) because love inherently refuses to harm a neighbor. Paul urges believers to realize the urgency of the times, comparing history to a night that is ending and a new day that is fast approaching. Believers are told to strip off destructive behaviors belonging to the dark (such as division, drunkenness, and selfish indulgence) and instead "dress" themselves in the character and lifestyle of Jesus.
What will you be wearing on Sunday? See you at 10:15am.

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Patrick

08/28/2026

For this coming Sunday's service, we will spend time with Matthew 16:21–28 and Romans 12:9–21. Together, these readings explain the cost of following Jesus and how that transformed life looks in daily practice.
Matthew 16:21–28: Jesus tells His disciples for the first time that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and rise again. Peter objects, wanting a triumphant political king instead of a suffering Savior. Jesus sharply rebukes Peter, noting that Peter is thinking from a human viewpoint rather than God’s. Jesus further explains that following Him requires total surrender. Disciples must deny themselves, take up their cross, and lose their life for His sake to truly find it. Earthly power and material gain mean nothing if a person loses their soul.
Romans 12:9–21: Paul outlines how a surrendered life behaves in real community. Love must be genuine—hating evil and holding tightly to what is good. Believers are called to show enthusiasm in serving God, share in others' joys and sorrows, and live in harmony. Paul instructs believers not to repay evil with evil. Instead, they must live at peace with everyone as far as possible, leave vengeance to God, and conquer hostility through acts of kindness.
Matthew 16 defines the internal foundation of faith—surrendering one's ego, comfort, and life to follow Christ. Romans 12 describes the external fruit of that surrender—showing radical love, humility, and peace toward others.
Let's gather at 10:15am and worship the Lord together!

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Patrick

08/23/2026

Sermon on Sharing our gifts.

Pathways

08/21/2026

* Our readings for this Sunday are Matthew 16:13-20 and Romans 12:1-8 which focus on core Christian identity and active community life. Matthew centers on Peter declaring Jesus as the Messiah and the foundation of the church, while Romans urges believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices and use their diverse spiritual gifts to serve.
The Connection Between the Two: Matthew 16 defines the foundation of faith (who Jesus is), while Romans 12 defines the expression of faith (how the community of believers should live out that identity daily). Once a person recognizes Jesus as Lord (Matthew), their natural response is total dedication and service using unique gifts within the body of Christ (Romans).
I know you recognize Jesus as Lord, but have you considered what your unique gifts may be and how to apply them to serving your neighbor? See you Sunday at 10:15am!

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Patrick

08/16/2026

Sunday August 16th.

Pathways

08/10/2026

Our theme for this coming Sunday's service is that: God breaks down human boundaries, showing that mercy, purity, and saving call (the inner, spiritual work of the Holy Spirit that successfully brings a person to faith) extend beyond traditional ethnic or religious lines to include all people.
Matthew 15:10-20: True Purity Comes from the Heart. Jesus shifts focus from external religious rules to inner reality.
Matthew 15:21-28: The Great Faith of a Foreign Woman. Jesus tests and rewards the persistence of a non-Jewish (Canaanite) mother.
Romans 11:1-2, 29-32: God’s Promise to Israel Is Permanent. Paul explains God's ongoing faithfulness to the Jewish people.
Purity, Faith, and Promise exist outside the confines of physical and human structure, as gifts from God, extended to all of creation. Inclusion is not selective with regard to the Lord. Accept these gifts freely, as freely as they are given. Let's explore more this Sunday at 10:15am

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Patrick

08/07/2026

Our lectionary readings this Sunday teach about faith in Jesus: Matthew 14:22-33 shows Jesus walking on water and saving Peter, and Romans 10:5-15 explains that salvation comes through faith and confessing Jesus as Lord.
Matthew 14:22-33: Jesus walks on the sea to reach his disciples in a boat during a stormy night. Peter asks to come to Jesus on the water, but he starts to sink when he looks at the strong wind and feels afraid. Jesus catches Peter, saying his faith was small, and when they enter the boat, the wind stops. The disciples worship Jesus, declaring He is truly the Son of God.
Romans 10:5-15: Paul contrasts trying to earn God's approval through strict rules with the free gift of righteousness received through faith. Believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and speaking aloud that Jesus is Lord brings salvation. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, regardless of who they are. People cannot believe in Jesus if they have not heard about Him, which highlights why sharing the good news is important.
These two passages connect to daily life by showing how to handle life's challenges and how to actively live out your faith.
1: focus on Jesus, not your circumstances (Matthew 14) and 2: speak and act on your beliefs (Romans 10).
Let's learn more together this Sunday at 10:15am.

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Patrick

08/02/2026

Sermon for Sunday Aug. 2nd

Pathways

07/31/2026

Dear Pathways Christian Fellowship family and friends,

* Our lectionary readings for this Sunday are Matthew 14:13–21 and Romans 9:1–5. Matthew 14:13–21: Feeding the 5,000 Jesus goes to a quiet, lonely place by boat to grieve after hearing that His cousin, John the Baptist, was killed. Large groups from nearby towns follow Him on foot, and Jesus feels deep pity for them, healing their sick people. As evening comes, the disciples tell Jesus to send the hungry crowd away to buy food in the villages, yet Jesus tells the disciples, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." After miraculously producing enough food for all, Jesus blesses the food, breaks it, and has the disciples hand it out.
Romans 9:1–5: Paul's Grief for Israel - The Apostle Paul feels massive sorrow and a nonstop ache in his heart because many of his fellow Jewish people have not accepted Jesus. He goes on to list the special gifts God gave to the Israelites, including adoption as children, divine glory, covenants, the law, temple worship, etc. He concludes by noting that the Jewish patriarchs of the Old Testament belong to them, and Jesus came from that very lineage. As such, being a human Israelite AND God in persona, Jesus is worthy of eternal praise.

The connection: Jesus looks at a physical crowd with physical hunger and feeds them; Paul looks at his spiritual family with spiritual blindness and aches to save them. Both texts show the heart of God—moved by grief and love—reaching out to meet people right where they hurt, whether in a barren desert or through the history of a chosen nation.
Will you let God meet You in your hurt? I pray so. See you Sunday at 10:15am

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Patrick

07/23/2026

Our two passages for Sunday's service share a core message about God's hidden power, active care, and permanent love for His people. Romans 8:26-39 focuses on the Holy Spirit helping us in our weakness and God’s unbreakable love; while Matthew 13:31-33 and 44-52 uses more parables to explain how the Kingdom of Heaven grows from small beginnings and is worth more than anything else!
A crucial component of the worth of God's kingdom is YOU! "When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!" Matthew 13:46. God desires to be in relationship with you. That communion of Creator with created is what brings wealth to the Kingdom.
Let's gather in fellowship this Sunday at 10:15am and let our Light shine! See you then.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Patrick