Pastor’s Message for October 2025

Unstoppable Love

Picture it: The year was 1987 and a band that had been born of the psychedelic era named Jefferson Airplane had morphed into the pop-chart topping “Starship.” In every roller rink and shopping mall, the soaring voices of Grace Slick and Mickey Thomas brought America together with the anthemic power ballad “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.”

I was ten years old at the time, and while I didn’t fully understand the cultural movements of the day, I knew one thing for certain: this song was the most awesomely awesome song ever written, a true masterpiece of popular music and cheesiness. However, in the decades since the ’80s’ zenith, tastes in music changed. Today, you might find much of Starship’s mid-’80s output on lists of “worst songs ever.” Apparently, there is such a thing as too much cheese.

Still, that cheesy declaration of unstoppable love makes a perfect doorway into Paul’s bold declaration about God’s love found in Romans 8:38–39:

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things, present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul’s version of “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us” isn’t about teenage romance or ’80s hair spray. It’s about the unstoppable, unshakable love of God. Notice how thorough he is: life and death, past and future, spiritual powers and worldly ones, the highest highs and the deepest lows—he ticks off every possibility and then stamps it all with God’s promise: Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

And here’s the kicker: that love is for everyone. Not just the people who look faithful, or act holy, or already “have it together.” God’s love is for the doubters, the strugglers, the outsiders, the in-betweeners. It’s for the person who feels unworthy, the neighbor we find difficult, and yes—even you and me on our worst days.

That’s why this passage is so powerful: it’s not just about God’s persistence, but about God’s embrace. Love doesn’t just endure—it expands, reaching every corner of creation and every human heart. That’s the Power of Love.

So when the world feels shaky, remember Paul’s anthem: God’s love will never let go. Nothing’s gonna stop us now.

God loves you, and so do I,
Pastor Jim Sands

Coming Up…

< April 2026 >
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
      1Youth Group 6pm from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
+ Google calendarEves Meeting 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.
Aliquippa First UMC: Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept, Nov
Monaca UMC: 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
2Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendarMaundy Thursday Seder Meal 6pm @Aliquippa First from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
First UMC, 2816 Brodhead Rd, Aliquippa, PA 15001 + Google calendar
3Good Friday Tenebrae Service 3pm @Aliquippa First from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
First UMC, 2816 Brodhead Rd, Aliquippa, PA 15001 + Google calendarNA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
4Easter Egg Hunt @Aliquippa First all day
2816 Brodhead Rd, Aliquippa, PA 15001 + Google calendarAA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
5Happy Easter! all day
Celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior! + Google calendarWorship w/ Communion 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Holy Communion Offered Church Sanctuary + Google calendarKids Sunday School Easter Party ~11:15am from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
*Start time is approximate. Kids Sunday School begins immediately following the Children's message during 11am worship. + Google calendar
6 7Bowling Night @Baden Bowl from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
8"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
9 10NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
11Coffee 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
12Refresh & Recharge Worship 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
+ Google calendarKids Sunday School ~11:15am from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Begins immediately following the children's message during 11am worship in the sanctuary + Google calendar
13Book Club 7pm–And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie @Aliquippa First, Lounge from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm
"Reading United Methodists" monthly book club with snacks, books, and fellowship!
This month's pick: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Discussion led by: Kathy Cindric
2816 Brodhead Rd, Aliquippa 15001 + Google calendar
14Food Pantry Distribution 11am-Noon from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Free and open to all Monaca area and Center Township residents + Google calendarChampionship Roll-Off from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
MUMC's Bowling League: 1st Half Winners vs. 2nd Half Winners + Google calendar
15United Women of Faith 1pm @Aliquippa First from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
2816 Brodhead Dr, Aliquippa, PA 15001 + Google calendarAA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
16Newsletter Deadline Day all day
Please submit any items for inclusion in the church's newsletter, THE MESSENGER, by the 3rd Thursday of the month. + Google calendarBusy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendar
17NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
18AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
19Worship 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
Begins immediately following the children's message during 11am worship in the sanctuary + Google calendar
20 21Bowling Banquet from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
22Thank you, Administrative Professionals! all day
Thank you, Norma Coast and Kristen Sands! + Google calendarEarth Day 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
23 24NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
25AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
26Worship 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
Begins immediately following the children's message during 11am worship in the sanctuary + Google calendar
27 28 29AA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
30