Author: njumcadmin

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:15-18 It is inevitable that every year is going to have a number of celebrity deaths, and it is likely that many of those deaths are going to resonate with the people who really connected with their work.   Looking back it seems that 2020 had more of those than normal.  On more than … [Read more…]

Scripture:  John 1:1-18 Right now people are in a few different places mentally.  For the first group, once it was December 26th, Christmas was over.  It was time to get all of the decorations down, packed away, and the house organized for a new year.   For the second group, they have high aspirations to get … [Read more…]

Scripture: Luke 2:21-32 Introduction “It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.” ― Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes There is a trite saying:  good things come in small packages.  You may have even thought that this Christmas with a package or gift … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Luke 1:26-38 I think for a lot of people of the most iconic elements of the Christmas season is the music.   A lot of radio stations switch to only playing Christmas music.  If you have been in a store in the past month then there is a good chance you heard Christmas music.  Given … [Read more…]

John Wesley gave the Methodist societies three general rules to follow.  These general rules are one of the foundational cornerstones of the Methodist movement, and they are still our guiding principles to this day.   The first general rule is “do no harm.”  It was out of a desire to follow this rule that we made … [Read more…]

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Research has consistently shown that there are incredible benefits to having a hobby.   Regularly doing something that we enjoy, are passionate about, and just find fun is really good for us.   It is has also been my observation that people’s hobbies tend to be more detailed than non-hobbyist assume.   There tends … [Read more…]

I am fairly positive I have spent more time in front of a TV watching stuff this year than I have in a really, really long time.   Given this year, it is not too surprising.  With lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing watching movies and TV shows on streaming services provided something to do.  I imagine … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Isaiah 64:1-9 I think there a lot of people who might think that 2020 is the worst year they have ever lived through.  I know for some people there have been some real bright spots and moments that are truly worth celebrating.  For most of us though, 2020 it’s been a lot.  It may … [Read more…]

Christmas music is strangely divisive.  It would seem something as wholesome as Christmas music is something that would feel everyone with good cheer, but that is not always the case.   It seems most people have a lot of strong feelings about Christmas music.   For instance, there are some people who firmly believe that Christmas music … [Read more…]

Scripture:  Matthew 25:31-46 In team sports very few things are as unfortunate as an own goal.  A lot of times these are accidental slip-ups.  For instance, in basketball a lot of own goals happen when a botched rebound attempt accidently tips the ball in.  Even some of the biggest names in the game like Lebron … [Read more…]