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…

< May 2026 >
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
          1NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
2AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
3Worship 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
Begins immediately following the children's message during 11am worship in the sanctuary + Google calendar
4 5 6Youth Group 6pm from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
+ Google calendarEves Meeting 6:30pm @Aliquippa First from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of the evening women's group of Monaca & Aliquippa First UMCs.
Meeting location alternates each month 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
7Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendarNational Day of Prayer 7pm, George Washington Park in Monaca from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
George Washington Park, Monaca
(gather at the flag pole near the post office)
+ Google calendar
8NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
9Stamp Out Hunger all day
+ Google calendarAA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
10Happy Mother'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 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
11Book Club 7pm–Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein @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: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Discussion led by: Katie Floyd
2816 Brodhead Rd, Aliquippa 15001 + Google calendar
12Food Pantry Distribution 11am-Noon from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Free and open to all Monaca area and Center Township residents + Google calendar
13"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
14 15NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
16Ladies Tea all day
+ Google calendarAA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
17Worship 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
18 19 20United 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
21Newsletter 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
22NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
23AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
24Worship 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
25Memorial Day all day
+ Google calendar
26 27"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
28 29NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
30AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
31Worship 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