Pastor’s Message for March 2026

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in their place… What is humanity that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
Psalm 8:3-4

Greetings, Friends!

     When was the last time you considered the heavens? With everything going on here on Earth, it can be difficult to look beyond this rock of ours and look up to the heavens. But let’s consider the heavens for a moment. There have been amazing things going on above the sky. We had a comet pass by last summer. We had a rare conjunction of planets around Christmas time which was reminiscent of the Bethlehem star. We just landed another rover on Mars. We explored an asteroid. We’re discovering new planets orbiting other stars every day. We’re creating new rockets, thinking about sending manned missions to other worlds, and discovering more ways to explore beyond our world.

     What I have found is that the more we explore beyond our world, the smaller and more insignificant we seem. We used to believe we were the center of the universe — that everything revolved around us. Now we know that we are not the center of the universe. We’re not the center of anything really. Our solar system is just one of billions of stars in our galaxy. Even our galaxy is just one of possibly billions of galaxies in our universe. Who’s to say our universe isn’t just one of billions of universes? And those billions of universes just one of a multi-multi-verse?

     So when we consider that the universe is very, very big, and we are very, very small, we may ask the same question which the psalmist asked so many centuries ago as he pondered the cosmos. What is humanity in comparison to the vastness of the created works of God? If we are not the center of everything, why would God be interested in any of us? If our God is so very, very big, why would God care about this very, very small world of ours? And more than that, why are we who are so very, very small so eager to tear apart and destroy each other?

     Consider this: If God, who created the stars and planets and galaxies, considers us worthy of life and love and grace, why don’t we consider each other worthy of these things? As we argue over things which we think are so important, maybe we should consider that in the grand scheme of things, our biggest concerns are nothing compared to the vastness of God’s love.

God loves you, and so do I,
Pastor Jim

Coming Up…

< June 2025 >
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1Worship w/ Communion 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Holy Communion Offered Church Sanctuary + Google calendarKids Sunday School 11:15am from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship. + Google calendar
2 3 4Meeting of the Eves 6:30pm @Aliquippa First from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Evening women's group of Monaca & Aliquippa First UMCs
Meeting location alternates between the two churches.
Monaca UMC: Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept, Nov
Aliquippa First: Feb, Apr, June, Aug, Oct, Dec
+ Google calendarAA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
5Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendar
6 7AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
8Worship 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Traditional worship, including prayer and the singing of traditional hymns. Church Sanctuary + Google calendarKids Sunday School 11:15am from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship. + Google calendar
9Book Club 7pm @Aliquippa First from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
"Reading United Methodists" Discussing:
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
10Food Pantry Distribution 11am-Noon from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
+ Google calendar
11"PhDs" 6:30pm @Aliquippa First, Lounge from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
For "Projects Half Done" - knitting/crochet group; 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month at Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendarMinistry Action Team 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
+ Google calendarAA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
12 13 14Coffee Mugs & Kids Club 10am from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
2nd Saturday of each month. Fun for the kids; caffeine for the adults! Carey Community Center + Google calendarAA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
15Happy Father's Day! all day
+ Google calendarWorship 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Traditional worship, including prayer and the singing of traditional hymns. Church Sanctuary + Google calendarKids Fun-day School 11:15am from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Our focus through the summer is FUN!
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship; ends when worship concludes.
+ Google calendar
16 17Hymn Sing 1:30pm from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Brighton Wellness & Rehab + Google calendar
18AA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
19Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendar
20 21AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
22Worship 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Traditional worship, including prayer and the singing of traditional hymns. Church Sanctuary + Google calendarKids Fun-day School 11:15am from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Our focus through the summer is FUN!
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship; ends when worship concludes.
+ Google calendar
23Vacation Bible School 9am-Noon all day
+ Google calendar
24Vacation Bible School 9am-Noon all day
+ Google calendar
25Vacation Bible School 9am-Noon all day
+ Google calendar"PhDs" 6:30pm @Aliquippa First, Lounge from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
For "Projects Half Done" - knitting/crochet group; 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month at Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendarAA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
26Vacation Bible School 9am-Noon all day
+ Google calendar
27Vacation Bible School 9am-1pm from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
VBS: 9-Noon
Wrap-Up Party: Noon-1pm
+ Google calendar
28Monaca Community Day / Fireworks all day
Visit our booth! We'll be selling hot sausage sandwiches and haluski + Google calendarAA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
29Worship 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Traditional worship, including prayer and the singing of traditional hymns. Church Sanctuary + Google calendarKids Fun-day School 11:15am from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Our focus through the summer is FUN!
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship; ends when worship concludes.
+ Google calendar5th Sunday Donut Fellowship 12pm from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
+ Google calendar
30