Marshall United Methodist Church

09/07/2026

PJ’s Thought of the Day Take 2 – September 7
Well, I Made a Mistake
Scripture: Psalm 103:13–14

Well…I made a mistake. If you read the devotional I sent out earlier today, you probably already know what I’m talking about. I wrote an entire devotional about Veterans Day. I talked about our veterans, their sacrifice, and how thankful we should be for those who have served. In my humble opinion, it was REALLY good. There was just one small problem. Today is Labor Day not Veterans Day. That’s not until November.

Oops. LOL.

I could make excuses. I could tell you that I took the weekend off. I could tell you that my mind was somewhere else. But the truth is much simpler: I messed up. And after I realized what I had done, and after laughing at myself for a little while, I started thinking that maybe there is a devotional in that too. Because we all make mistakes. Sometimes they are little mistakes, like sending out the wrong holiday devotional. Sometimes they are embarrassing mistakes. Sometimes we say something we wish we hadn't said. We forget something important. We misunderstand someone. We decide and later realize we should have made a different one.

And sometimes we are incredibly hard on ourselves when it happens. But Scripture reminds us of something beautiful about God: God knows exactly who we are. Psalm 103 says that God has compassion on us because “he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” In other words, God knows we aren't perfect. He knows we're going to get things wrong. He knows there are going to be moments when we shake our heads at ourselves and say, “What in the world was I thinking?”

And yet He loves us. That doesn't mean our mistakes don't matter. When we hurt someone, we apologize. When we get something wrong, we correct it. When we sin, we confess and repent. But we don't have to live under the weight of believing that every mistake defines us. Sometimes you simply say, “Yep. I messed that one up.” You learn. You laugh. You receive God's grace. And you keep going.

Part of my confusion probably came from the fact that I really did have a wonderful weekend. I took some time off and spent quality time with my daughter and my two grandbabies. We celebrated Jackson turning two years old, and I had such a wonderful time. I laughed. I played. I enjoyed my family. I got to be Dad and Grandpa for a little while instead of worrying about everything else that needed to be done. And you know what? I needed that.

Maybe there is a Labor Day message in there after all. We work. We serve. We carry responsibilities. We try to take care of people. We try to get everything done. But we also need rest. We need family. We need laughter. We need birthday celebrations with two-year-olds. We need moments when we simply enjoy the people God has placed in our lives. And sometimes, apparently, we need enough rest that we remember what holiday it actually is! So maybe today's lesson is pretty simple: Give yourself some grace. You're going to make mistakes. I'm going to make mistakes. Pastors are going to send Veterans Day devotionals on Labor Day. Life will go on. God will still be God. Grace will still be grace. And tomorrow we get another opportunity to try again.

So, Happy Labor Day! And to all my veteran friends who read the earlier devotional… save that one. I'll see you again in November. LOL.

09/06/2026

Marshall UMC Sunday Service

09/03/2026

PJ’s Thought of the Day – September 3
Sometimes We Are the Answer to Someone’s Prayer
Philippians 4:19

I have been thinking about something lately that I wanted to share with you. We talk a lot about trusting God to provide. We pray for people who are struggling. We ask God to open doors, make a way, and take care of people when they cannot see how everything is going to work out. I believe God does that. But I also believe that sometimes God provides through us.

Recently, I became aware of a 5-year-old child in our preschool whose family is struggling to afford tuition. When I heard about the situation, I couldn't help but think about the child at the center of it. This isn't about numbers on a budget or dollars on a tuition statement. This is about a child. An awesome, wonderful, beautiful child. A child who comes through the doors of our church. A child who is learning and growing. A child who is being loved by the teachers and staff of our preschool. And a child whose family is simply going through a difficult season.

I don't believe our first question should be, “Can they afford to be here in our preschool?” I think our first question should be, “Is there a way we can help?”
In Matthew 18:5, Jesus said: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” I keep coming back to those words. Because maybe welcoming a child isn't only opening the door and saying, “You are welcome here.” Sometimes welcoming someone means helping make it possible for them to stay.

Our preschool is already doing what it can to help this family. And this child will absolutely be in class for this year. But when tuition isn't fully paid, that cost doesn't simply disappear. The preschool absorbs it. And I started wondering: What if we helped carry it together? Maybe someone can give $10. Maybe someone can give $25. Or $50. Maybe someone has been blessed and can give even more. This thing is that no one person has to solve the whole problem. But together, we might be able to make a tremendous difference in the life of one child and one family.

And that is one of the things I love about our community. We don't have to do everything. We simply have to be willing to do something. Sometimes we pray, “Lord, please provide for them.” And every once in a while, I wonder if God looks back at us and says, “I was hoping you would help Me do that.”

So, I'm asking you to pray about it. Not out of guilt. Not because anyone is going to know whether you gave. But simply ask: “Lord, is there something You want me to do?” Because perhaps years from now, this family will look back on a difficult season and remember that when they needed some help, a community wrapped its arms around them and said: “Your child matters to us. Your family matters to us. And you are not walking through this alone.” That sounds a lot like the Church I believe Jesus calls us to be.

If you feel led to help this child and family, please reach out to me personally. I would be glad to share with you how you can help. Every gift, no matter the amount, can be part of making a difference for this child.

09/02/2026

❤️ Help Us Give a Child a Place to Learn and Grow

At Marshall United Methodist Church, and Marshall United Methodist Preschool, we believe every child deserves a place where they can learn, grow, make friends, and know that they are loved. Right now, we have a 5-year-old in our community whose family is experiencing financial hardship and needs assistance with preschool tuition.

One thing is certain: we are not going to turn this child away. She will have a place in our preschool, regardless of her family’s ability to pay. But as a small church preschool, providing tuition assistance does create a financial need for our program. So, we are inviting our church family and community to come alongside us.

If you would like to help sponsor part of this child’s preschool tuition, any gift, large or small, would make a difference. Your gift will help us continue providing a safe, loving, Christ centered place where children can learn and grow. Perhaps several people giving a little can make a big difference for one child and her family.

If you would like to help, please contact me and I will get you situated. Or make a gift designated “Preschool Scholarship,” to our MUMPS PayPal account.

Thank you for helping us make sure that finances never become the reason a child misses an opportunity to learn, grow, and be loved. ❤️

I wouldn't ask if this weren't so important!!!

Accepting payments for tuition, school fees, donations

09/02/2026

PJ’s Thought of the Day – September 2
God Provides Through People
Philippians 4:19

Warning…this is a long one. 😊 Sorry not sorry.

When you hear the words “God will provide,” what do you expect that provision to look like? Sometimes we imagine God’s provision as something miraculous dropping out of heaven. We pray about a need, and we wait for God to fix it. And sometimes God does work in ways that are unmistakably miraculous. But often, God’s provision has a name. It looks like a friend who calls at exactly the right time. The person bringing a meal. The person saying, “I’ve been through this before. Let me help you.” The church surrounding a family during a difficult season. Maybe someone with a truck, someone with experience, someone with a connection, or simply someone willing to sit beside us when life is hard. Sometimes trusting God means trusting the people God has placed around us.

Because we were not created to do life alone. One of the first things God says about humanity is: “It is not good for the man to be alone.” That truth goes beyond marriage. Human beings were created for relationship. Yet many of us have learned to value independence. We say things like: “I can handle it.” “I don’t want to bother anyone.” “Other people have bigger problems.” “I should be able to figure this out myself.” Sometimes we even spiritualize it. We say things like: “God will take care of me.” And while this sounds faithful, what if the person standing beside you is part of how God intends to take care of you? There is a difference between trusting God and insisting that God provide in the particular way we expect.

Acts 2 describes the first Christian community: “All the believers were together and had everything in common…They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” God was providing for His people. But notice how He provided. He provided through His people. Someone had more than they needed. Someone else didn't have enough. God brought them together. One person's abundance became another person's provision. That means receiving help isn't necessarily a sign that our faith is weak. Sometimes receiving help is actually an act of faith because we're saying: “God, I trust that You may answer my prayer through the people You've placed in my life.”

Sometimes, we have to admit that we need help. Galatians 6:2 says: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” But there's something interesting about that command. If we're supposed to carry one another's burdens, somebody has to be willing to admit that they're carrying one. You can't help carry something I refuse to let you see. Community requires vulnerability. There are seasons when we are strong enough to carry someone else. There are seasons when we need someone to help carry us. And eventually, the roles will be reversed. That's the beauty of Christian community. We don't keep score. We carry one another.

Think about Jesus carrying the cross. Luke 23:26 tells us that the soldiers seized Simon of Cyrene and: “put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.” There's something powerful in that picture. Even on the road to Calvary, Jesus allowed another human being to carry the weight. If receiving help somehow represented weakness or failure, we would have a difficult time explaining Simon carrying Christ's cross. Sometimes the faithful thing isn't saying: “I've got this.” Rather it is asking someone, “Would you help me carry this?”

Your community of people might be God’s answer. Maybe you've been praying: “God, help me get through this.” “God, show me what to do.” “God, provide what I need.” And maybe God's answer isn't going to arrive the way you imagined. Maybe God's answer is sitting across the table from you. Maybe it's someone in your church. Maybe it's a neighbor. Maybe it's someone in your family. Maybe it's someone who has already walked the road you're walking. Trusting God means believing He is our provider. But it also means refusing to dictate how He must provide. God can provide supernaturally. God can provide financially. God can provide through circumstances. And God can provide through community.

So here is my challenge for you this week. Ask and notice. If you're carrying something too heavy, tell someone you trust. Give your community the opportunity to be the community God created it to be. And then look around. Someone around you may be praying for God's provision while God is quietly saying to you: “You can help.” We trust God to provide. But we also remember that sometimes God's provision comes through the hands, feet, resources, wisdom, and presence of the people He has already placed around us.

09/01/2026

PJ’s Thought of the Day – September 1
Here Comes September
Isaiah 43:19

September 1. I don't know about you, but I am ready. I am ready for fall. However, summer has been good. There have been vacations, different schedules, people coming and going, and a little bit of a different rhythm. But now September is here, and it feels like we are turning a corner. And when I look at the calendar, I have to smile. There is a lot going on.

Our Bible studies are moving forward. Our youth ministry is getting started and finding its footing. We are preparing for new people to take another step into the life of the church. There are plans being made, ministries taking shape, conversations happening, worship to prepare for, people to care for, and plenty of things that I am probably forgetting as I write this! September is going to be busy. But I am excited about it. Because I don't just see a busy calendar. I see signs of life. I see people gathering around God's Word. I see young people beginning to discover that the church is a place where they belong. I see people wanting to become more connected to the church. I see people serving. I see relationships growing. I see a church continuing to ask, “God, what are You calling us to do next?”

That's what excites me about this season. Sometimes we can complain about being busy, and there are certainly times when we need to slow down, but there is also a kind of busyness that comes because God is opening doors. And I don't want to be so busy doing church that I miss what God is doing in the church. Isaiah records God saying, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” That question has been sitting with me: Do you not perceive it? Can we see it? Can we recognize the little places where God is already at work? Maybe it is three young people showing up for youth group. Or someone walking into a Bible study with a question. A person who has been attending worship who decides, “I think I'm ready to call this church home.” Someone discovering a gift they didn't know they had. Maybe it is a conversation after worship. A prayer offered for someone who is hurting. Or maybe just simply seeing a sanctuary filled with people singing their faith together. Not every movement of God begins with something big. Sometimes it starts small. A conversation. An invitation. A Bible opened around a table. A teenager who comes back. A new face on Sunday morning. Someone saying, “Where can I help?”

Those are the things I want to notice this September. Yes, summer is coming to an end. The days will begin getting shorter. Before we know it, the leaves will change and fall will settle in around us. But something else is beginning too. A new season of ministry. And I am excited to see what God is going to do. So, church, here comes September. Let's worship together. Let's study God's Word together. Let's make room for our young people. Let's welcome new people. Let's serve our community. Let's laugh together, eat together, pray together, and continue becoming the people Jesus is calling us to be. The calendar is going to be full. My prayer is that our hearts will be even fuller. Because God is doing something among us. Let's make sure we don't miss it.

08/30/2026

PJ’s Thought of the Day – August 30
Singing Our Faith

Today at Marshall UMC, We’re going to have a hymn sing. Some of the hymns have been chosen ahead of time, but during the service, you’ll also have an opportunity to call out a favorite hymn. And when you do, I may ask you a simple question: “Why this hymn?” Because hymns are more than songs. Sometimes a hymn reminds us of a parent or grandparent who taught us the faith. Sometimes it takes us back to a particular season of life when we needed to know that God was near. Sometimes the words helped carry us through grief, uncertainty, or change. And sometimes we simply love a hymn because every time we sing it, something in our heart says, “Yes. This is what I believe.”

That is one of the beautiful things about the hymns of our faith. We don’t simply sing them; they form our theology. They also help us remember. We remember who God is. We remember what Christ has done. We remember the promises that have carried generations before us. And sometimes, when we struggle to find the words ourselves, the church gives us a song.

So today, we are going to sing our faith. We’ll sing songs of praise and grace. Songs of hope and assurance. Songs that have carried the church through generations, and perhaps a few songs that have carried you personally through the years. Come with a hymn on your heart. And if I ask, “Why this one?”, tell us the story. Your favorite hymn might just remind someone else of the faithfulness of God.

Whether Marshall UMC is your church home, you haven't been to church in a while, or you've never worshiped with us before, there is a place for you here.

Sunday School – 9:00 AM
Hymn Sing Worship – 10:30 AM

Come as you are. Bring your favorite hymn. We’d love to worship with you this morning at Marshall UMC!

08/28/2026

PJ’s Thought of the Day – August 28
A Sacred Trust
Matthew 18:5
There are some responsibilities in the life of the church that we may not always think of as ministry. Completing a background check may not feel like ministry. Following supervision guidelines may not feel like ministry. Maintaining appropriate boundaries, documenting concerns, or knowing when and how to report something may not feel particularly spiritual. But protecting people is ministry. Jesus consistently showed special concern for those who were vulnerable. He welcomed children when others pushed them aside. He noticed people others overlooked. He treated every person as someone created, known, and loved by God.

As the church, we are called to do the same. Today we will be participating is a Safer Sanctuaries class. This is about creating environments where children, youth, vulnerable adults, volunteers, and staff are protected, respected, and cared for. It is more than a policy. It is a sacred trust. Parents trust us with their children. Families trust us with people they love. Volunteers trust that the church will provide clear expectations and healthy boundaries. Staff members trust that we will create systems that protect both those receiving ministry and those providing it. And ultimately, God has entrusted people to our care.

That is why safety matters. We don't practice Safer Sanctuaries because we expect something bad to happen. We practice it because we recognize the tremendous value of the people God has placed among us. Good policies protect children and youth. They protect vulnerable adults. They also protect volunteers and staff from situations that could place them at risk or create misunderstandings. When we follow these practices, we are saying something important: People matter here. Their dignity matters. Their safety matters. Their trust matters. Their relationship with God matters.

At Marshall UMC, we say that all are welcomed, loved, and valued, growing in the Holy Spirit, serving Christ, and sharing God's love. If we truly believe that, then creating a safe environment must be part of how we live it. Safer Sanctuaries isn't simply about following rules. It is about loving our neighbor. It is about honoring the trust families place in us. It is about protecting those who may be vulnerable. It is about caring for the people who faithfully volunteer and serve. And it is about creating a church and preschool where people can encounter Jesus in an environment of safety, accountability, trust, and love.
So today, consider this question: What can I do to help make our church and preschool places where every person is not only welcomed, but also protected and cared for? Sometimes ministry looks like preaching, teaching, praying, serving, or singing. And sometimes ministry looks like following a policy, respecting a boundary, speaking up when something isn't right, and doing our part to keep someone safe. Because protecting people is one of the ways we love people.

08/26/2026

PJ’s Thought of the Day – August 26
Do No Harm, Do Good, Attend Upon the Ordinances of God
John Wesley understood that following Jesus should change the way we actually live. Faith was never meant to be something we practice only on Sunday morning. It should shape our words, our relationships, our decisions, the way we treat people, and the way we respond to the world around us. As the early Methodist movement grew, Wesley gave Christians three simple rules to help guide their lives: Do no harm. Do good. Attend upon all the ordinances of God. They sound simple. But if we truly lived by them, they could transform our lives, our churches, and our communities.
Do No Harm
The first rule asks us to pay attention to the impact our lives have on others. Sometimes harm is obvious. But sometimes it happens through careless words, gossip, anger, impatience, assumptions, or simply failing to think about how our actions affect another person. Jesus teaches us to see people differently. Every person we encounter is someone created and loved by God. Before we speak, respond, post, criticize, or act, we can ask ourselves: Will this cause unnecessary harm? Will this build someone up or tear someone down? Does this reflect the character of Christ? Doing no harm does not mean we avoid difficult conversations or never disagree. Jesus certainly confronted sin and injustice. But even when truth needs to be spoken, Christians are called to speak and act in love.
Do Good
Wesley's second rule reminds us that following Jesus is about much more than simply avoiding bad things. We are called to actively pursue what is good. Galatians 6:10 says, “Whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all.” That means we should be looking for opportunities. Who can I encourage today? Who needs someone to listen? Who could use a meal, a phone call, a prayer, a helping hand, or simply someone to remind them that they matter? Jesus lived this way. He noticed people others overlooked. He touched people others avoided. He stopped for people others walked past. He welcomed the outsider, fed the hungry, healed the hurting, and offered grace to sinners. Doing good does not always require something dramatic. Often, following Jesus happens through small acts of faithfulness performed with great love. The question becomes: Where has God placed me today where I can do some good?
Attend Upon the Ordinances of God
The third rule can sound strange to us today. By the “ordinances of God,” Wesley was talking about the practices through which God continually pours His grace into our lives: worship, prayer, searching the Scriptures, Holy Communion, fasting, and Christian fellowship. We might summarize it by saying: Keep putting yourself in places where God can shape you. Later Methodists have often expressed this rule with the phrase “Stay in love with God.” There is an important reason this rule belongs with the other two. We cannot consistently do no harm and do good through willpower alone. Eventually we become tired. We become frustrated. Someone hurts us. Someone gets on our nerves. Life becomes difficult. Our patience runs thin. That is why we need grace. We pray because we need God. We read Scripture because we need God's Word shaping our thinking. We worship because we need to remember who God is. We receive Communion because we need Christ's grace. We gather with other Christians because we were never meant to follow Jesus alone. The closer we remain to God, the more God's grace shapes the way we live.
Three Questions for Today
Wesley's rules give us three simple questions we can carry with us every day: Am I causing harm that I need to stop? Where is God giving me an opportunity to do good? Am I intentionally staying close to God?
Imagine what could happen if we began every morning asking those questions. Imagine a church filled with people determined not to tear others down but to build them up. Imagine Christians actively looking for opportunities to serve rather than waiting to be asked. Imagine people so rooted in prayer, Scripture, worship, Communion, and Christian community that the love of Christ naturally flowed through their everyday lives. That was part of Wesley's vision for the Methodist movement. And it remains a beautiful picture of Christian discipleship today. We may not be able to fix everything that is wrong with the world. But today we can choose how we will live in it. Do no harm. Do good. Stay close to God. And then tomorrow, by God's grace, we get up and do it again.