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…

< October 2025 >
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
      1Meeting 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
2Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendar
3Movie Night 6pm from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Featuring: Moms' Night Out (Rated PG)
Pizza and a movie!
+ Google calendarNA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
4AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
5Adult 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
Begins immediately following the children's message during 11am worship in the sanctuary + 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 Moved to 10/18 from 10:00 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
12Adult 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 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
Begins immediately following the children's message during 11am worship in the sanctuary + Google calendar
13Book Club 7pm @Aliquippa First from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
"Reading United Methodists" Discussing:
Starter Villain by John Scalzi
Discussion led by Kristen Sands
2816 Brodhead Rd, Aliquippa, PA 15001 + Google calendar
14Food 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
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
16Busy 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
18Coffee Mugs & Kids Club 10am from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
(Moved from 10/11) 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 calendarSock Hop 6pm @Aliquippa First from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
First UMC, 2816 Brodhead Rd, Aliquippa, PA 15001 + Google calendar
19Adult 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 calendarAdult Sunday School 10am from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
+ Google calendarHarvest Sunday from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
+ 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
20 21Hymn Sing 1:30pm @Brighton Rehab from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Brighton Wellness & Rehab + Google calendarBowling Night @Baden Bowl from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
22"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 calendarTrunk 'n Treat 1pm @Aliquippa First from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Open to the public! Those wishing to hand out candy, please report to the parking lot by 12:30pm. First UMC, 2816 Brodhead Rd, Aliquippa PA 15001 + Google calendar
26Adult 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 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
Begins immediately following the children's message during 11am worship in the sanctuary + Google calendarChurch Luncheon 12pm from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Carey Community Center + Google calendarAnnual Church Conference 2pm from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Carey Community Center + Google calendar
27Registration Deadline for Thanksgiving Food Pantry from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
+ Google calendar
28Bowling Night @Baden Bowl from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
29AA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
30Trick-or-Treat 6pm-8pm @Monaca & Center Twp. from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
+ Google calendar
31NA Meeting 8pm from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Meeting of Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar