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…

< March 2025 >
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
            1AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
2Adult Sunday School 10am from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
+ Google calendarWorship 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
3Bible Study from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
4Bible Study from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark + Google calendarBowling League from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
5Ash Wednesday Worship from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
with the Imposition of Ashes Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendarAA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
6Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendar
7 8Daylight Saving Time Begins all day
DST begins at 2am 3/9/2025. Remember to "spring forward" and turn your clocks ahead before bedtime! + Google calendarAA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
9Adult Sunday School 10am from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
+ 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 Sunday School 11:15am from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship. + Google calendarLadies' Tea Planning Meeting from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Those willing to help with the upcoming Ladies’ Tea are asked to join a brief meeting following worship. See Vera Lovewell or Tina Allen with questions. Help from both ladies and gentlemen appreciated! Upper Level Meeting Room + Google calendar
10Bible Study from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendarBook Club from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
"Reading United Methodists" Discussing:
The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar
Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
11Food Pantry Distribution 11am-Noon from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
+ Google calendarBible Study from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark + Google calendarBowling League from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
12Community Lenten Luncheon from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Lunch at noon followed by a short reflection presented by a speaker from this week's host church.
Free and open to the public; goodwill offering will be accepted each week.
This Week's Host: Redeemer Trinity Lutheran Church, 819 Washington Ave, Monaca + Google calendarNo PhDs Today (Aliquippa 1st) from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
+ Google calendarMeeting of the Eves from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Evening Women's Group of Monaca & Aliquippa First UMCs Monaca UMC + Google calendarAA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
13 14 15Coffee Mugs & Kids Club from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Stories and activities for kids; coffee and conversation for moms! Carey Community Center + Google calendarAA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
16Adult Sunday School 10am from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
+ 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 Sunday School 11:15am from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship. + Google calendarNOW Movie from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Showing God's Not Dead Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
17Bible Study from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
18Bible Study from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark + Google calendarBowling League from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
19Community Lenten Luncheon from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Lunch at noon followed by a short reflection presented by a speaker from this week's host church.
Free and open to the public; goodwill offering will be accepted each week.
Monaca UMC is this week's host! (813 Indiana Ave, Monaca) + Google calendarStaff-Parish Relations Committee Meeting from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm
+ Google calendarExecutive Council Meeting 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
20Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendar
21 22AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendarTrivia! from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Tap link for details Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
23Adult Sunday School 10am from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
+ 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 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
24Bible Study from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
25Bible Study from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark + Google calendarBowling League from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
26Community Lenten Luncheon from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Lunch at noon followed by a short reflection presented by a speaker from this week's host church.
Free and open to the public; goodwill offering will be accepted each week.
This Week's Host: Monacrest Free Methodist Church, 995 Elmira St, Monaca + 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
27 28 29AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
30Adult Sunday School 10am from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
+ 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 Sunday School 11:15am from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship. + Google calendar5th Sunday Donut Fellowship from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
+ Google calendar
31Order Deadline for Easter Flowers all day
Tap link for details + Google calendarBible Study from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar