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…

< August 2022 >
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
  1 2 3AA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
4 5 6AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
7Worship w/ Communion 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Holy Communion Offered Church Sanctuary + Google calendar
8 9Food Pantry Distribution from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Proof of income not needed; proof of residence required for first visit. + Google calendarCommunity Lunch from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Free lunch for the local community Carey Center + Google calendar
10AA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
11 12 13AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
14Outdoor Worship & Picnic from 11:00 am to 12:00 am
2nd Annual Outdoor Worship and Picnic, hosted by Monaca UMC and Aliquippa First UMC. Pre-registration and a side dish to share are requested. Knights of Columbus #5825 Picnic Pavilion
3510 Brodhead Road, Monaca, PA 15061
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15 16 17AA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
18 19 20AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
21Worship 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Traditional worship, including prayer and the singing of traditional hymns. Church Sanctuary + Google calendar
22 23 24AA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
25 26MAT Meeting from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Meeting of the Ministry Action Team Overflow Room + Google calendar
27AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
28Worship 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Traditional worship, including prayer and the singing of traditional hymns. Church Sanctuary + Google calendar
29 30 31AA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar