Peace UMC Morristown Mn

06/07/2026

06/07/2026

05/31/2026

05/26/2026

Announcement and Devotional from Pastor Derek

Special Announcement: Starting June 7th, Jon Schultz will be leading us in worship. Jon is a former Licensed Local Pastor who was asked by Woojae and Michelle if he would be willing to step in, and he has agreed. I got to talk with him a few times before I could make the announcement, and he is excited to be here! I think he will be a good fit and will lead the church well!

This is a weird one for me. This will be my last weekly devotional as your pastor. I have many great memories from the 11 months I spent in this role. I learned a lot, I grew a lot, and I hope I had an impact on you.

I hope and pray that we stay a praying church. One that prays for our church, our community, and the world. I hope we stay a loving church. One that can be a place where people going through difficult times can find peace. I hope we stay a church that has the Holy Spirit unleashed.

“Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.” - John Wesley.

I know starting next week things will be different, but I hope my time here made this church better. The fact still remains: no matter who the pastor is all our ministries and all our efforts should point to Jesus, just as the entire Bible points to Jesus.

Church, you will always be in my prayers. I wish our time together was longer. I know that you will do good things in the future.

In Acts 5 there is a story of the Apostles before the Sanhedrin and they were again told to stop preaching about Jesus. One of the Pharisees, Gamaliel, stood up and said “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

There is no doubt in my mind this church has its heart set on God, and with that being the case nothing can stop us. My heart will be with you forever on this journey. God Bless!

Let’s pray…

Holy and awesome God, thank you for all you do for us. Grant us peace in the unknown. Give us zeal for the task at hand. We know that You are greater than anything we can ask, think, or imagine. And we are excited to stay with you on this journey!

05/24/2026

We are having our outdoor service next week, and are in need of dessert bars to have after service. Those who are interested in helping out, feel free to bake or buy some and bring them to the service. Thanks!

05/24/2026

Join us for worship today!

05/18/2026

This week's devotional from Pastor Derek

This week we celebrate Pentecost, and truly the birth of the Church. The Holy Spirit descended upon the believers. It empowered more than the Apostles and all believers to go out and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to anyone and everyone. It is the reason we are here today keeping the mission alive.

No matter what we face, the Spirit empowers us to move forward. It is incredibly comforting, and a great reminder that we have tremendous power. Even when things seem like they are at their worst, the Spirit is there. When things are going incredibly well, the Spirit is there.

I am excited to see what the Spirit does in this church starting in June. I will keep praying for the power of the Holy Spirit to work in you and through you. The harvest will still be plentiful for the task at hand. Yet we can take comfort knowing that we have a King who reigns. A Spirit of power guiding us through the task at hand. And a Father who will keep loving us throughout the highs and lows.

There will be plenty of good times ahead. God again is not finished here. The Good News of Jesus Christ will not change. The good work that this church has done in the past and right now will continue on in the future.

Pentecost gave the Church power almost 2,000 years ago. That power is still available to us today. I hope and pray that we keep up the good work!

Let’s pray…

Holy and awesome God, we are excited to see what the future brings. Though times may be uncertain, we know that You have left us Your Spirit for the task at hand. Guide us and give us strength. We are excited to keep bringing the Good News to everyone, and to draw more people to You. Amen.

05/17/2026

Confirmation Sunday!
05/17/2026

05/11/2026

This week's devotional from Pastor Derek...

I know my announcement came as a shock yesterday. For those of you who weren’t there: I have made the difficult decision to step down as the Pastor at Owatonna and Peace UMC. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but one I feel is best for me and ultimately our church.

I will be working for the Owatonna School District as a Technology Specialist. Using my technology skills to help out students and educators every day. I will definitely be using my gifts and talents that God has given me for good. My ministry will also continue, but it will look different than it has for the past 11 months.

I am grateful for the role that you have played in my life. In Owatonna, from the day I was baptized through my days as a youth, and in Morristown getting to know you all over the last year. God has put you in my life for a reason. I am thankful for the opportunity that the past year has given me. I have grown so much.

Like I said yesterday, God did not leave us as orphans. I will not leave you in bad shape, either. I will work as hard as I can to hand off the reigns well to whoever your next pastor is. My prayers will be with you in this transition.

God has also left you with The Advocate. The Holy Spirit. God living in each and every one of us to go forward and spread the Good News to the world. I know that with that truth, you are in the best hands.

We have three more weeks together, and I am looking forward to making the best of it!

Let’s pray…

Holy and awesome God, we thank You for so much in our lives. You are faithful even when we don’t know what comes next. You know what will come next, and You trust us with obedience to keep doing Your will. Guide us on the path, walk with us in the unknown. All this we pray in Your holy name, amen!

05/10/2026

Mother's Day - 5/10/26

05/04/2026

This week's devotional from Pastor Derek

This Sunday is Mother’s Day! I want to wish all moms, grandmas, ladies who wish they were moms, and those who play an important role in helping someone like a mom would a very Happy Mother’s Day!

When I think of moms in the Bible it is obvious to think of Mary and Eve, but there are so many mother’s whose story makes an impact for generations. We think of Ruth and how her obedience to Naomi led her to being the great-grandmother to King David. When things seemed like they couldn’t get better: God had a plan.

Mom’s, and women in general, play an important role in the Bible. For the women of this church who have impacted my story I want to say this: thank you. Thank you for believing in me when I may not have believed in myself. Your help and care will be admired for a very long time.

There are times when being a mom is tough. Kids who don’t listen. Careers that don’t go as planned. Schedules that are overly chaotic Household chores that seem impossible. Know that you are seen, that you are cared for. That you are doing a great job. Even when times seem like they will never get better: you are loved.

God knew just how important you would be to someone and everyone. When the times are tough He wants you to know that things will get better. God doesn’t shy away when times are tough.

Galatians 6:9 says: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” In our life we may not see the harvest of the hard work we put into things, but we don’t know the impact it will have on the generations to follow. Keep moving forward, stay strong, and know that God loves you and cares for you in even the toughest times.

Let’s pray…
Holy and awesome God, we thank You for giving us strength today. For the mother’s and mother figures in our life we thank You for the love and care they give us. Be with us as we celebrate this weekend their roles in our lives. We love them, and we love You. Amen.