A Welcome from the Pastor

We Are the Church

Refrain:

The Church is not a building,

the church is not a steeple,

the church is not a resting place

the church is the people.

~By Richard K. Avery and Donald S. Marsh, 1972

Welcome to Pine Grove United Methodist Church! 

In July of 2009, my world completely changed!  Not only was I appointed to the Pine Grove United Methodist Church, but my wife Niki gave birth to twin boys, Brenden and Kaiden.  Several months later, the yoke was placed upon me by the Bishop as an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church.  When I think about it, it feels like I blinked my eyes and everything around me changed.  I share this simple background with you because I believe “the church is the people.” 

In other words, if you are looking for a “church” I believe what you’re looking for is a “people” for which you feel you belong.  A place where you’re fully accepted and at the same time fully challenged to live a Christ centered life.  It’s all about relationships with God and others, not infrastructure or institutions. If the church is the “people” and someone is looking for a place to live out faith, than it’s necessary they know a little about the type of people they might consider connecting with.    

First, I share with you who I see myself to be.  I am a young, energetic person, who wants to make a difference in others lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Every day, I strive to grow in my faith with Christ.  As a pastor, it means in essence, I have been called by God to proclaim the Word.  I have already discovered the tremendous responsibility that entails.  It involves the daily devotion to God through spiritual practices of word and prayer; the serving of your “neighbor” which includes the largest of mission fields.  It means allowing more of God’s presence into your heart so that the result causes one to look more like Jesus in the world.  It means living in the tension of being perfected in love and often failing in our struggle with sin.  Simply put, I identify myself as a child of a Kingdom I do not deserve.

Second, I share with you insights about Pine Grove.  It’s hard to characterize an entire community because in doing so you often make everyone look the same, rather than reflect upon it’s beautiful diversity.   So I share from my perspective, and I will admit it is somewhat difficult not to be bias.  Pine Grove is a loving multi-generational and multi-cultural family of brothers and sister in Christ.  I share this out of my experience as a new comer.  This is a church that has been challenged in a variety of ways yet has held steadfast to an ongoing commitment to honor God and love one another.  Sometimes we have failed, but we work hard at being faithful to the Kingdom of God.   This is a congregation who worships the Lord, focuses on small groups that offer a spiritual emphasis of word and prayer, and is grounded in mission and service.  The truth is we haven’t arrived yet, but we anticipate through faith a glorious future in the Kingdom of God.

Simply put “we are the church” who wants to welcome you with the love of God.  We desire to be a church for you that accepts you “Just as you are, without one Plea” and yet, challenges you not to stay in the same place but to become a regenerated Christ follower.  Again, I welcome you to Pine Grove United Methodist Church.

Blessings and Peace,

Pastor Joel Coleman