Pastor’s Message for June 2024

No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.

-Luke 5:37-38

Dear Friends,

     Ryan had a pair of pajamas that were his very favorite ones. They had polar bears printed all over them. He just loved those polar bear jammies. He would wear them all day if he could have. He would go looking for them all over the house, emptying baskets of clothes until he’d find them. Then he would bring them to us to have us help him put them on for him. He wore them constantly. They were his very favorite pair of jammies. You can probably guess what happened. Eventually, the polar bear jammies wore out. We had to hide the polar bear jammies. (We couldn’t find it within ourselves to get rid of them.) Sometimes Ryan would go looking for those polar bear jammies, emptying clothes baskets in an attempt to find them and wear them once more. He had to settle for the new jammies we bought for him, but nothing would ever replace those wonderful polar bear jammies.

     I wonder how often I cling to things long after I should give them up? What are the things in my life that I’ve outgrown? What needs replaced with something that fits better at this point in my life? What have I held on to for too long? I’d like to say I’m good at weeding out those things in my life for which I no longer have room, but honestly, I tend to collect and keep things for far too long. The problem is that when I cling to something that I no longer need, or which no longer fits, I have no room for the new things that I need. I still have pants that are far too tight that I think I’ll someday be able to fit into again. In the same way, I still have ways that I do things that no longer work, but I keep doing them the same way because it’s comfortable and convenient.

I think we all have our own pair of polar bear jammies. They no longer fit, but we keep them around for far too long. The question is, what are the things we hold on to that are keeping us from receiving the new things God has in store for us?

God loves you, and so do I,
Pastor Jim

Coming Up…

< April 2025 >
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
    1Bible Study from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark
+ Google calendarBowling League from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
2Community Lenten Luncheon from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Lunch at noon followed by a short reflection presented by a speaker from this week's host church.
Free and open to the public; goodwill offering will be accepted each week.
This Week's Host: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Mary Queen of Saints Parish, Corner of Virginia Ave & 15th St, Monaca + Google calendarMAT Meeting from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
+ Google calendarMeeting of the Eves from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Aliquippa First + Google calendarAA Meeting from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
3Busy Hands from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Volunteer Group
Carey Community Center + Google calendar
4 5AA Meeting from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
6Adult Sunday School from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
+ Google calendarWorship w/ Communion from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Holy Communion Offered Church Sanctuary + Google calendarKids' Sunday School from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship. + Google calendar
7Bible Study from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark
Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
8Food Pantry Distribution from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
+ Google calendarBowling League from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
9Community Lenten Luncheon from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Lunch at noon followed by a short reflection presented by a speaker from this week's host church.
Free and open to the public; goodwill offering will be accepted each week.
This Week's Host: First Presbyterian Church, 1301 Indiana Ave, Monaca + Google calendarAliquippa First "PhDs" 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 calendarRefresh & Recharge from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
+ Google calendarAA Meeting from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
10 11 12Coffee Mugs & Kids Club from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Stories and activities for kids; coffee and conversation for moms! Carey Community Center + Google calendarAA Meeting from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
13Adult Sunday School from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
+ Google calendarWorship 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
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship. + Google calendarVBS Planning Meeting from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
+ Google calendar
14Bible Study from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Focus on the Gospel of Mark
Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendarBook Club from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
"Reading United Methodists" Discussing:
The Bridge Over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle
(Possible Movie Night!)
Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
15Hymn Sing from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Brighton Wellness & Rehab + Google calendarBowling League from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
+ Google calendar
16United Women of Faith Meeting from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Program: “The Empty Tomb: What That Means to You,” presented by Pr. Jim Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendarPreparation for Easter Egg Hunt from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
MUMC + Google calendarAA Meeting from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
17Busy Hands from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Volunteer Group
Carey Community Center + Google calendarMaundy Thursday from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
6pm Potluck; 7pm Worship with Communion + Google calendar
18Good Friday Tenebrae from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendar
19Easter Egg Hunt from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Aliquippa First UMC + Google calendarAA Meeting from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
20Happy Easter! all day
+ Google calendarNo Adult Sunday School This Morning at 12:00 am
+ Google calendarWorship from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Traditional worship, including prayer and the singing of traditional hymns. Church Sanctuary + Google calendarKids' Sunday School Easter Party! from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm
+ Google calendar
21 22 23Aliquippa First "PhDs" 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 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
24 25Movie Night from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Join us for dinner & a movie!
**other activities available for kids too young to enjoy the movie
+ Google calendar
26AA Meeting from 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar
27Adult Sunday School from 10:00 am to 10:45 am
+ Google calendarWorship 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
Times are approximate. Begins after children's message during 11am worship. + Google calendar
28 29 30AA Meeting from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship Hall + Google calendar