Paw Paw United Methodist Church

Paw Paw United Methodist Church Welcome to Paw Paw United Methodist Church
A Place to Belong. A Place to Grow. A Place to Serve. You are welcome here.

You'll find a welcoming community where people of all ages and backgrounds are learning to follow Jesus together.

08/18/2026

šŸŒ± SOMETHING NEW FOR OUR CHILDREN THIS SUNDAY! šŸŒ±

Weā€™re excited to take another step in growing our ministry with children at Paw Paw United Methodist Church! ā¤ļø

This Sunday, August 23, we will begin with our special Backpack Blessing during Childrenā€™s Time. šŸŽ’šŸ™ Whether your child is heading to preschool, elementary school, middle school, or high school, bring their backpack as we pray over our students, teachers, and families for the new school year.

And then something new begins!

Following Childrenā€™s Time and the Backpack Blessing, our children will be invited to head downstairs for their own Sunday School and childrenā€™s activities, led by Mildred.

While the adults continue worship in the sanctuary, the children will have a space of their own to learn about Jesus, explore their faith, ask questions, create, laugh, and grow together.

Then, before worship concludes, the children will return to the sanctuary to join the whole church family for the Benedictionā€”because even when we learn in different spaces, we are still one church family. ā¤ļø

This is more than giving our children something to do during worship.

It is about helping them know:

You belong here.
You are part of this church.
Your faith matters.
And we want to grow with you.

So bring the kids. Bring the backpacks. And come worship with us this Sunday!

At Paw Paw UMC, weā€™re making room for every generation to come as they are, grow in grace, and go in love. ā¤ļø

True faith doesn't just endure; it eventually overflows. It moves.For the past six weeks, weā€™ve been talking about Faith...
08/17/2026

True faith doesn't just endure; it eventually overflows. It moves.
For the past six weeks, weā€™ve been talking about Faith in Motion.

But starting next Sunday, we are answering a brand-new question: Where is that faith moving to?

ā€‹We begin a new journey entitled, ā€œGO: Sent To Stay.ā€ Because God didn't call you to be a reservoir of grace; He called you to be a river. We donā€™t just stay in faithā€¦ we carry it forward.

08/17/2026

šŸ’ Happy Wedding Anniversary! šŸ’

Wishing a very happy anniversary to our Church Council Chair and his wonderful wife, Gary & Lori Safranek! ā¤ļø

Today we celebrate not only your marriage, but the beautiful life and family you have built together through the years. May God continue to bless your journey with love, laughter, good health, and many more wonderful memories with your children and grandchildren.

Thank you for being such a special part of our Paw Paw UMC family.

Happy Anniversary, and may God bless you both! šŸ’•šŸ™

What a wonderful time together to have some pastor friends come and visit me here in Paw Paw! šŸ˜ŠThereā€™s something special...
08/15/2026

What a wonderful time together to have some pastor friends come and visit me here in Paw Paw! šŸ˜Š

Thereā€™s something special about seeing familiar and new faces, sharing stories, catching up, laughing a little (okayā€¦ maybe a lot šŸ˜„), lots of food and simply enjoying the gift of friendship in ministry.

Thank you, friends, for making the trip and spending some time in my area. Your visit truly made it specialā€”and Paw Paw is always happy to welcome a few more pastors into town! ā¤ļøšŸ™

08/12/2026

ā›ˆļø Ministry in the Middle of the Storm

Bible study was canceled today because of the severe thunderstorm.

But apparently, nobody told Barb. šŸ˜Š

Through the pouring rain, lightning, and thunder, one brave soul still made her way to church. And while we didn't have our usual Bible study, I think God gave us a different kind of study today.

We sat and talked.

About life.
About family.
About church.
About prayer.
About her hopes and dreams for Paw Paw United Methodist Church.

And especially about her deep desire to see this church growā€”not simply by filling pews, but by seeing people come home.

We talked about families who once worshiped here, whose children and grandchildren still live around Paw Paw. We talked about people who may have drifted away from church but haven't necessarily drifted beyond the reach of God's grace.

And Barb talked about how fervently she prays for them.

Outside, the rain kept falling. The thunder kept rolling. The lightning kept flashing.

Inside, two people sat talking about what God might still do through this little church.

Sometimes ministry looks like a sanctuary full of people.

And sometimes ministry looks like two people sitting together in the middle of a thunderstorm, dreaming, praying, and believing that God isn't finished yet.

Maybe that's where renewal begins.

One conversation.
One prayer.
One person at a time.

The storm may have canceled Bible study, but it certainly didn't cancel ministry.

Keep praying with us for Paw Paw UMC, for our community, and especially for those whom God may be calling home.

There is always room at the table.

08/11/2026

Yesterdayā€™s pastoral ministry at Paw Paw UMC looked a little different. šŸ˜„

No sermon writing. No deep theological discussions. Instead, I spent part of the day trying to figure out where a mysterious CAT5 cable from the router disappeared to. I found the one going to the Wi-Fi extender in the basementā€¦but apparently the other one has entered into the realm of things unseen. šŸ˜‚ So, a call to the cable company was made.

While searching for the Wi-Fi extender, I discovered several sanctuary light bulbs that have gone out. Another thing added to the list.

And somewhere in between, Iā€™ve been cleaning up and setting up a desktop computer Iā€™m donating to the church, making sure it can handle what we need on Sunday mornings.

Iā€™m discovering that pastoring a small church sometimes means preaching, praying, visiting peopleā€¦and sometimes it means chasing cables, counting light bulbs, troubleshooting computers, and figuring out which button does what.

And you know what? I kind of enjoy it.

Because ministry isnā€™t only what happens from the pulpit on Sunday morning. Sometimes ministry is simply taking care of the place and the things God has entrusted to us so that when Sunday comes, people can gather, worship, and encounter God.
Although I would still like to know where that other CAT5 cable went. šŸ˜„

This Sunday, August 16 will be our final week for our "Faith In Motion" series and we will be talking about Paul's 2nd l...
08/10/2026

This Sunday, August 16 will be our final week for our "Faith In Motion" series and we will be talking about Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians chapter 11 verses 1ā€“30. In this deeply personal passage, Paul the Apostle defends his ministry against false teachers who were impressing the church with charisma and credentials. Instead of boasting in achievements, Paul reveals the cost of following Christ ā€” hardship, suffering, and daily burdens. He flips the script: what the world calls weakness, God calls faithfulness. True faith is not flashy ā€” it endures.

08/09/2026

Paw Paw UMC Worship Service

This was the issue from last month July and I did not get to see this so I'm posting it here.
08/07/2026

This was the issue from last month July and I did not get to see this so I'm posting it here.

Address

370 Wiley Avenue
Paw Paw, IL
61353

Telephone

(815) 627-8501

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