Starting this Sunday, March 21st, 2021 the services of WC UMC will be held in person at 11:00 a.m., and the recording of the service made available a day or so after the service. Face coverings and social distancing will be required of all attenders.
Sermons and Devotionals
The Weyers Cave UMC Sunday worship service of April 18th is now online. Here is the link:
We’ve been in a weather cool-down, and we will have a few more cold (frosty?) days this week, but I do hope you are getting outside some anyway. Summer’s coming!
Blessings, Pastor Jim
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It’s going to be a rainy day, at least this afternoon and evening will be, but that’s what helps things grow, and we will soon be planting our veggies and more flowers.
Here’s the link to the Weyers Cave UMC Mid-Week Devotional for this week:
Our in-person worship attendance for April 11th was 38. So far, each week that we have been meeting in person the attendance has gone up a bit. Of course, face coverings and social distancing are required. The fellowship is great. Come, join us if you can. Of course, we will continue to record and post the services online. We hope to soon be able to livestream the services in real time.
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Thanks to the diligent efforts of Steve Van Vickle the Weyers Cave UMC Sunday worship service of April 11th is now online. Here is the link:
I trust you are each feeling well, blessed and enjoying the nice weather, beautiful flowers, and trees turning green. It’s another gorgeous spring day here in the Valley, please find a way to get out some and enjoy it! I trust you are well, and that more and more of you have been able to be vaccinated.
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Here’s the link to today’s Weyers Cave UMC Mid-Week Devotional:
Our in-person worship attendance for Easter was 36, that’s the best in the four weeks that we have been meeting in person. Face coverings are required, as is social distancing. While we are not yet allowed to sing in the service, we do hum the hymns. We are allowed to speak and read the responses on the screen. And we love greeting one another and welcoming all who come. Join us if you can.
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The Weyers Cave UMC Easter Worship Service :
I trust that you are staying safe, and I certainly hope you were able to get outside and enjoy today’s wonderful weather.
Blessings, Pastor Jim
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Today, April 2, 2021, is the holiest day of Holy Week: Good Friday.
The link to the Weyers Cave UMC Good Friday Service is below. In this service we read and consider the 7 last words of Christ on the cross. Like yesterday’s Maundy Thursday Service, this is pre-recorded for virtual participation only.
On Easter Sunday we will gather in-person to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, and we will serve Holy Communion for the first time since March 2020. The communion elements – a wafer and a small cup of grape juice – will be distributed at the end of the service for take-home only. All that is required is lifting the clear plastic covering the wafer and then removing the foil covering the juice. More than one cup may be taken in order to share with family members.
We have made room for nearly twice our normal seating, so don’t hesitate to come. Note, we are still following the requirements of the Virginia Conference which means masks are required and social distancing will be observed. I do so hope that you will be able to join us.
Blessings, Pastor Jim
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Good Morning!
Today is April 1st, often referred to as “April Fool’s Day,” which is usually a day when I enjoy playing little tricks on people. Not this year. This year I am observing Maundy Thursday and remembering the seemingly foolish thing Jesus did when he, their teacher, washed his disciple’s feet.
Here is the link to the Weyers Cave UMC Maundy Thursday Service:
Tomorrow I will send you the link to our Good Friday service, which, like today’s service, will be virtual only.
But we will gather in person on Sunday to celebrate Easter, where we will serve Holy Communion for the first time in more than a year. The communion elements will be distributed at the end of the service for take-home only. There will be a wafer and a small cup of grape juice. All it requires is lifting the clear plastic cover off the wafer and then removing the foil covering the juice. You may take more than one cup in order to share with other family members.
We have made room for nearly twice our normal seating, so don’t hesitate to come. Note, we are still following the requirements of the Virginia Conference which means masks are required and social distancing will be observed. I do hope you will join us.
Blessings,
Pastor Jim
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Good Morning!
All over Staunton trees are in full bloom, cherry, redbud and pear especially. It’s such a beautiful, hopeful time of year, although it does play havoc with my sinuses. I hope this finds you well and safe and blessed with all you need.
Here is the link to the Mid-Week Service for Holy Week:
Tomorrow I will send you the link to our Maundy Thursday service, and the next day the link to our Good Friday service. While those two services were virtual only, we will be gathering in person this Sunday to celebrate Easter! This Sunday will be special because we will serve Holy Communion for the first time in more than a year. The communion elements will be distributed at the end of the service for take-home only. There will be a wafer and a small cup of grape juice. All it requires is lifting the clear plastic off the wafer and then removing the foil covering the juice. You may take more than one cup to share with other family members.
We have made room for nearly twice our normal seating, so don’t hesitate to come if you can. Of course, we are still following the requirements of the Virginia Conference which means masks are required and social distancing will be observed. I hope you will join us.
Blessings,
Pastor Jim
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The Palm Sunday Worship Service of Weyers Cave UMC is now online. Tomorrow we will post the Mid-Week Devotional. The next day we will post the Maundy Thursday Service and on Friday we will post the service for Good Friday. Only our Sunday morning services are in-person, the others are all virtual. Here’s the Palm Sunday link:
I hope you are having a meaningful and safe Holy Week, and that each of you will be ready for the joy of Easter morning come this Sunday. The rain is expected to clear out this afternoon and leave us with sunshine, and highs in the mid-60’s, and there is a possibility of three days in the 70’s starting tomorrow. Get outside and enjoy it!
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Here’s the link to the Weyers Cave UMC Mid-Week Devotional:
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We had 28 in attendance. Special thanks to Steve Van Vickle for all the hard work he puts in to getting the service recorded and ready to send out.
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Dear Friends,
Yesterday we held a practice in-person worship service at Weyers Cave UMC. It was recorded live. Only the members of the Healthy Church Team and those who live with them, plus a few special guests, were in attendance.
I hope you will find the service to be meaningful. Here’s the link:
Blessings, Pastor Jim
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The meteorologist on TV 3 Daybreak this morning gave his viewers a homework assignment: “Get outside and enjoy the nice weather. The high is expected to reach 70°!” I second that idea.
As I said last week, we record the Weyers Cave UMC Mid-Week Devotionals sometimes as much as three weeks ahead of the date they are seen; that’s why I am wearing a heavy coat. Here is the link:
Blessings, Pastor Jim
Sermons and Devotionals
Today’s sermon is “The Folks Back Home,” from Mark 4:21-30, which tells more of the story of Jesus returning home to Nazareth and being run out of town after speaking at his hometown synagogue. We also look briefly at 1 Corinthians 13. Have a blessed day and week, Pastor Jim
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The Mid-Week Devotional from Weyers Cave UMC was recorded two weeks ago, thus you will see me all bundled up for cold weather.
Good Morning, Wow! How about this weather? First it’s warm, then it snows, then it’s warm, and now rain, lots of rain. I prefer rain to below freezing temps. I hope you are staying warm and being safe. Here is the link to today’s service:
Today’s sermon is “The Year of the Lord’s Favor,” from Luke 4:14-21, which tells the story of Jesus returning home to Nazareth and speaking at the synagogue.
Blessings, Pastor Jim
Ps – Tomorrow is March 1st, this year seems to be flying by!
Have a good week and stay safe. Blessings, Pastor Jim
Today’s sermon is “The Frontispiece of the Gospel,” from John 2:1-11, which tells the story of Jesus’ first miracle, which John calls the first of his “sign”. Blessings, Pastor Jim
This week’s Mid-Week Devotional from Weyers Cave UMC – is also our Ash Wednesday observation. Thank you for your prayers for John Hartman, he was able to come home yesterday. Have a good week and stay safe. Blessings, Pastor Jim
Today’s sermon is “A New View for You,” from Mark 9:1-13, which tells the story of three disciples seeing something they had never seen before: the transfiguration of Christ.
Please be in prayer for our member, John Hartman. John recently had hand surgery following an accident at his home, after the surgery he became very ill due to an allergic reaction to the pain meds. He was taken to the ER yesterday and then admitted and is dealing with some serious issues and possible surgery. Please take a moment right now and throughout the day to pray for John as well as for his wife, Beulah, affectionately known as Snuffy”.
This is the second Sunday in a row that we have been greeted by heavy snow. We are blessed to not be meeting in person yet as we would not be able to have church at all. We recorded this service on Wednesday.
Today’s sermon is “It’s All About the Heart,” and it is based on 1 Samuel 16:1-13, when the prophet Samuel was sent by God to anoint a new king for Israel.
We are using a green screen most of our mid-week devotionals, so be sure to watch for little “extras” that Stephen Van Vickle places in the scene.
Today’s sermon is “Between a Rock and a Hard Place,” and it is based on 2 Kings 7, a wonderful story of a miracle in Samaria in which God opens the “windows of heaven” to meet the needs of his desperate people.
This week’s devotional was recorded using a “green screen” which allows Stephen Van Vickle to place photos behind me as I give the devotional. We would love to hear your comments about this. I am very grateful to Stephen for all the wonderful work he does in recording, editing, and presenting these Mid-Week Devotionals as well our Sunday Morning Service.
Today’s sermon is “The 5 Keys,” from James 4:1-10, and about five things that are important for praying effectively. May the week ahead be full of blessings and may each of you stay safe.
Last Monday I received the first of two COVID vaccines. I pray each of you will be vaccinated soon if you have not been already.
I am relieved and grateful that the inauguration was held without incident. Please continue to stay safe. Blessings, Jim
Today’s sermon is “The Pay Back,” based on Matthew 5:38-48. This Scripture comes near the end of Jesus’ Sermon in the Mount, where he calls his followers to deal with discord in their interpersonal relationships in new and different ways.
Have a good week, and please do all you can to stay safe. If you have not yet received the COVID vaccine, as I have not, I pray that we will each be able to receive it soon.
Please continue to stay safe and to pray for our nation.
This week’s service was recorded Wednesday morning before there was a mob attack on the U.S. Capital building and our democracy was threatened. The divisions in our great nation have reached a dangerous boiling point which calls for our fervent prayers. We do not have to agree on everything, but we should agree to pray and seek God’s answers and healing. Since the recording was already done, on Friday Steve Van Vickle recorded me leading a brief prayer for our nation. It is at the start of the recorded service.
The sermon is “Let’s Talk About Baptism,” based on Mark 1:4–11.
This passage is about Jesus coming to be baptized by John the Baptist. In my many years as a pastor I have discovered that baptized church members know surprisingly little about baptism, so this is a review. Have a good week, and please do all you can to stay safe.
Blessings, Pastor Jim
Devotion January 6, 2021
Today is the Epiphany, and the start of the season of Epiphany. But, What is Epiphany? Watch and learn. Stay safe and have a blessed week! Happy New Year!
This passage is about the presentation of baby Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem, to dedicate him according to the Law. Mary and Joseph interact with two interesting people there: Simeon and Anna, and Mary is given more memories to treasure in her heart.