MonroeOHUMC

When You’re Not Sure You Believe, Say It Anyway After Jesus showed His wounds to the disciples, something shifted. Peter—who had denied even knowing Jesus—found courage to stand up and preach boldly. What changed? Not the danger. Not the circumstances. What changed was that Peter had seen the risen Christ—and he couldn’t stay silent. There’s something powerful about speaking hope aloud , even when we don't fully feel it yet. "Hope rises when we dare to say it out loud." Our hearts need reminders. Our voices teach our souls to believe again. Even now, after grief, after doubt, after sorrow, we can still speak the truth: Jesus is alive—and I am not alone. Today, wherever you are—at your desk, in your car, folding laundry—say aloud:  "Jesus is alive—and I am not alone." Say it once. Say it again tomorrow. Let your own words lead your heart back to life.

Joy Interrupted Rise Up: How to Start Living Again John 20:19–31; Acts 5:27–32 Have you ever had one of those moments where the joy was supposed to break through—but it just didn’t? Many years ago, I officiated a wedding that had all the makings of a perfect day. The couple had waited, planned, prayed. The weather was beautiful. The music was just right. The ceremony began. A groomsman’s pants fell down, and he tripped walking down the aisle. One of the flower girls had a meltdown in front of everyone. The soloist forgot the words to “The Lord’s Prayer” and decided to get creative – not a good idea! What was supposed to be a moment of joy… suddenly felt chaotic, awkward, disappointing. Later, we all laughed. But in that moment? It felt like joy had been interrupted. That’s a lighthearted example. But some of you know what it means when joy is interrupted in a much deeper way: A pregnancy that ended in miscarriage. A retirement dream cut short by illness. A reconci...

 Join us for the message Joy Interrupted  this Sunday, April 27, at 9:30 and 11:00 am at Monroe UMC, 206 East Avenue, Monroe, Ohio. Inperson or online. More info at MonroeUMC.org.