Safe Church
Preventing Church Emergencies during Advent and Christmas

By the Rev Greg Ellis (gellis@epaumc.org) Coordinator of Disaster Preparedness & Response Ministry and Coordinator of UM Volunteers in Ministry Eastern PA Conference, The United Methodist Church Phone: 484 350 5965 (cell) The Conference Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee does …

Important Tax Withholding Information

As 2015 draws to a close, it is time once again for anyone receiving benefit payments from The General Board  to submit a completed W-4P form if they would like to modify their withholding elections. The link to the form …

Simpson House celebrates 150 years of venerable service
Simpson House celebrates 150 years of venerable service

Simpson House, the oldest operating retirement community historically related to The United Methodist Church, will end its yearlong 150th Anniversary celebration this month in grand style, as the star of the PECO Building’s Crown Lights in downtown Philadelphia Dec. 14-16. …

Winding road into distant horizon, captioned "Prepare'"
“Prepare the Way”
The Savior comes! Repent of your sins and prepare the way of the Lord. — Luke 3:1-6

Pilate, Herod, and Caiaphas were the most powerful leaders in Palestine in Jesus’ day. But they were upstaged by a desert prophet named John.

In his day, before a king took a trip, messengers would tell those he planned to visit to prepare the roads for him. John, similarly, told his listeners to make their lives ready so the Lord could come to them.

"Saved, Romans 10:13" on a button
“Saved” (Highway to Heaven)
Confess Jesus as Lord and believe God raised him from the dead and you will be saved. — Romans 10:9-18

Religion is spelled with two letters: “D-O.” It’s a list of things people think they have to do in order to be accepted by God – go to church, give money, keep the Ten Commandments, be baptized, and pray every day. The list is endless. It’s always Do… Do… Do.

Christianity is spelled with four letters – “D-O-N-E.”

Salvation is not based on what we do but on what Jesus Christ has already done. If you want to get on the highway to heaven, you don’t have to do anything; you just have trust in what Jesus Christ has already done for you.

A man walking towards light, captioned: "Forgiven"
“Healed and Forgiven”
In Christ, God heals our broken hearts and binds up our wounds. We are forgiven. –From Psalm 147:1-6

What gives God joy? Although God created everything, his greatest joy comes from our genuine worship and trust.

Sometimes we feel as if we don’t understand ourselves, what we want, how we feel, what’s wrong with us, or what we should do about it. But God’s understanding has no limit, and therefore he understands us fully. Take your mind off yourself and focus it on God. Strive to become more and more like him. The more you learn about God and his ways, the better you will understand yourself.