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…

< November 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
2All Saints Sunday from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
+ Google calendarAdult Sunday School 10am from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
Studying John Ortberg's If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat
Sundays at 10am, October 12th--November 16th
+ 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
Begins immediately following the children's message during 11am worship in the sanctuary + Google calendarNativity Play Practice 12pm from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
+ Google calendar
3 4Election Day from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
The Carey Community Center at Monaca UMC is the polling place for Monaca's Ward 2 voters. + Google calendarBowling Night @Baden Bowl from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
5Meeting of the Eves 6:30pm @Aliquippa First 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
6Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendar
7NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
8Coffee 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
9Adult Sunday School 10am from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
Studying John Ortberg's If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat
Sundays at 10am, October 12th--November 16th
+ 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
10Book Club 7pm @Aliquippa First from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm
"Reading United Methodists" Discussing:
All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren
Discussion led by Bill Crowley
2816 Brodhead Rd, Aliquippa, PA 15001 + Google calendar
11Veterans Day from 12:00 am to 11:59 pm
+ Google calendarFood Pantry Distribution 11am-Noon from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
+ Google calendarBowling Night @Baden Bowl from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
12"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 calendarRefresh & Recharge 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Theme: Letters to God Church Sanctuary + Google calendarAA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
13 14NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
15AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
16Last Day to Order Pies & Poinsettias! all day
+ Google calendarAdult Sunday School 10am from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
Studying John Ortberg's If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat
Sundays at 10am, October 12th--November 16th
+ 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
17 18Bowling Night @Baden Bowl from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
19United Women of Faith 1pm @Aliquippa First from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
2816 Brodhead Dr, Aliquippa, PA 15001 + Google calendarStaff-Parish Relations 6pm from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm
+ Google calendarExec. Council 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
20Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendar
21NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
22AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
23Adult Sunday School 10am from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
Studying Who Needs Christmas by Andy Stanley
Sundays at 10am, November 23rd--December 14th
+ 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 (Thanksgiving Party!) from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
+ Google calendar
24 25No Bowling - Thanksgiving from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
26"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
27Happy Thanksgiving! all day
+ Google calendar
28NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
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
Studying Who Needs Christmas by Andy Stanley
Sundays at 10am, November 23rd--December 14th
+ 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 calendar5th Sunday Donut Fellowship 12pm from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
+ Google calendar