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…

< September 2023 >
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
          1 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 calendarStaff-Parish Relations Committee Meeting from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Joint with Aliquippa First UMC at Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
4 5 6AA 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 calendar
8 9AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
10Worship 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Traditional worship, including prayer and the singing of traditional hymns. Church Sanctuary + Google calendar
11 12Community Lunch from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Held during monthly food pantry + Google calendarFood Pantry Distribution from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
+ 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
14Spaghetti Dinner from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Carey Community Center + Google calendar
15 16AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
17Back to Church Sunday from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm
First Day of Sunday School
Hot Dog Roast After Worship
+ Google calendarWorship 11am from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Traditional worship, including prayer and the singing of traditional hymns. Church Sanctuary + Google calendar
18 19Bowling League from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
20United Women in Faith Meeting from 1:00 pm to 12:00 am
(formerly United Methodist Women) business meeting and informative program at Aliquippa First UMC Map+ Google calendarStaff-Parish Relations Committee Meeting from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm
+ Google calendarExecutive Council from 7:00 pm to 12:00 am
+ Google calendarAA Meeting 7pm from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
21Busy Hands 1pm from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Knitting/crochet Group Carey Community Center + Google calendar
22 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 from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Starts following the children's message during worship, at approx. 11:15am. + Google calendar
25Annual Church Conference from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Our annual joint meeting with Aliquippa First UMC, led by Pastor Jim Sands and District Superintendent Deborah Ackley-Killian at Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
26Hymn Sing from 1:30 pm to 12:00 am
Click/tap for details Brighton Rehab + Google calendarBowling League from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
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 29 30AA Meeting 10:30am from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar