Pastor’s Message for May 2022

I sure get tired of commercials about supplemental Social Security insurance. They are on all the time, with a host of celebrities urging you to call the number on the screen to make sure that you are getting all the benefits you deserve. Joe Namath, William Shatner, George Foreman, Jimmie J.J. Walker, and other suggest that you may be missing out on some extra benefits that you may not be aware of.

“Call now!” “It’s free!” Then, in each commercial, a host of actors and actresses attesting to the results of calling that number.

“I called to get free hearing aids.”

“I called to get free eye glasses.”

“I called to get money added back to my Social Security benefit.”

“I called to get everything I deserve.”

Maybe I am watching too much television! However, those commercials do have me thinking about the way we see God. Is this our understanding of God? “Call now!” “It’s free!”

“I called to get my eyesight restored.”

“I called to get my hearing back.”

“I called to get more money.”

What is our focus in life? Is it, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done?” Or, is it, “My kingdom come, My will be done?”

Is life all about “my kingdom” and “my will,” and God is the resource that we look to in order to accomplish what we want and to make sure that our desires are fulfilled? Or, is life really about God’s kingdom, and God calls upon us as resources to bring about His will?

Jesus struggled with that very issue in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus acknowledged that what God was asking him to do was very different than what he personally preferred to do. Yet, he surrendered his will to the will of his heavenly Father. As Christians it is important that we are attentive to God’s kingdom and God’s will, and that we affirm and support what God is doing in the world. It is too easy to get swept up in the desire to fulfill our personal wants and wishes. We need to trust the Lord that when we seek first His kingdom, then He will be faithful to care for all the other areas of our lives. We must remember that we are to take active rolls in helping to bring the kingdom of God into fruition. Are we asking God to show us what we need to do? Are we calling God for the right reason?

Ask God what He wants you to be doing in His kingdom. Call now! It’s free!

Blessings,
Pastor Dave Vaughn

Coming Up…

< May 2025 >
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
        1National Day of Prayer all day
+ Google calendarBusy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group
Carey Community Center + Google calendar
2Spring Rummage Sale 9am-3pm from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
+ Google calendar
3Spring Rummage Sale 9am-Noon from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
+ Google calendarAA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
4Adult 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
5 6 7Meeting of the Eves 6:30pm 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
8 9 10Coffee Mugs & Kids Club 10am from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Stories and activities for kids; coffee and conversation for moms and friends! Carey Community Center + Google calendarAA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendarStamp Out Hunger 2:30pm from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
USPS Letter Carriers' Food Drive to benefit food pantries like Monaca UMC's! + Google calendar
11Happy Mother's Day! all day
+ Google calendarAdult 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
12VBS Planning Meeting 6pm from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Overflow room + Google calendarBook Club 6pm @Aliquippa First from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
"Reading United Methodists" Discussing:
Empire Falls by Richard Russo
Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
13Food Pantry Distribution 11am-Noon from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
+ Google calendar
14"PhDs" 6:30pm @Aliquippa First 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
15Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group
Carey Community Center + Google calendar
16 17AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendarLadies' Tea 11am from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Tickets now available! Theme: "Faith in the Military"
Carey Community Center + Google calendar
18Adult 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
19 20 21Staff-Parish Relations Committee Meeting 6pm from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm
+ Google calendarExecutive Council Meeting 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
22 23 24AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
25Worship 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
26 27 28"PhDs" 6:30pm @Aliquippa First 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
29 30 31AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar