Posts by Pastor

June 1, 2025 ~ Seventh Sunday of Easter ~ Ascension Sunday Rev. Beckie Sweet   Prior to my arrival here at St. Paul’s UMC four years ago, I was gifted with this wonderful booklet on “The Windows of St. Paul’s of Ithaca.”  The booklet contains detailed descriptions and historical accounts of our wonderful stained glass windows, which are quite unique.  Each one depicts a gospel story of Jesus’ time on earth. Since we are...

May 25, 2025 ~ Sixth Sunday of Easter Rev. Beckie Sweet   During the late 19th Century, the great evangelist Dwight L Moody was preaching in Chicago.  A man, under the influence of alcohol, seeing the warm lights of Moody’s tabernacle, staggered up the steps to the front door.  Upon opening it, he saw no one within, but he did see the motto hanging above the pulpit: ‘God Is Love.’  The man slammed the door, staggered back down...

May 18, 2025 ~ Fifth Sunday of Easter Rev. Beckie Sweet   A young woman stood in my office doorway, looking embarrassed.  I hadn’t seen her in nearly a year.  As I looked up her records from the last time she had come to ask for help, I hoped I had made some notes about her story that would jog my memory.  When I found her papers in my Emergency Assistance file, my heart sank. A few months after I had begun my appointment to...

May 4, 2025 ~ Third Sunday of Easter Rev. Beckie Sweet   It happened sometime after the first Easter.  No one knows exactly when, but long enough after that first Easter for the disciples to have left Jerusalem and made the 75 mile trek back to Galilee.  Galilee was home for them.  It was the place where everything had begun for them, which made it the natural place for them to return once it seemed that everything had come to an...

April 27, 2025 ~ Second Sunday of Easter Rev. Beckie Sweet   Think back with me for a moment to that first Holy Week.  What a week it had been for the disciples.  Everything happened so fast!  One moment the crowd welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with shouts of “Hosanna!” palm branches, and a hero’s welcome.  And then suddenly, a couple of days later, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, shared a mysterious meal with them, and...