Posts by Bob Rhodes (Page 24)
Call & Learning
I believe we are all called to some form of Ministry, and a few are called to Ordained Ministry. This post includes a brief outline of the process for Ordination as well as an invitation to continued learning.
A Journey
Dear friends… I hope and pray that we have all enjoyed a fulfilling Thanksgiving filled with good company, good food, and perhaps a bit of our favorite sport (whether that can be found on a television or a couch or a beach). It is an important thing to gather and give thanks for the richness of our lives, both in terms of material items and in terms of relationships. I have shared with some of you that I enjoyed a…
Distractions
Dear Friends… Sometimes I get distracted. Do you ever get distracted? I hope so. I really don’t think I’m the only one. A common illustration for many of us comes from the movie Up (Disney/Pixar) where a dog named Dug – who can talk, thanks to a device strapped around his neck – constantly interrupts himself because he gets distracted (generally by a SQUIRREL!!). The truth about those of us who find ourselves occasionally distracted is that there are times…
Stewardship & Saints
I confess that today is a difficult day. While this will be read in October, I write in late September on the 30th anniversary of my mother’s death. And so it’s a difficult day. And I am reminded of all those who have lost loved ones with an understanding that the time of grief does not lessen the hurt. Yes, it gives us tools we can use to manage our aching, but – for me – to claim that the…
New
God continues to make things new. Let us celebrate the newness all around us, and continue to open our eyes and hearts to discover God’s ongoing work.
Expectations
I’m beginning to realize something as we’re nearing the halfway point of the summer. First of all, why is it the halfway point of summer already??!? But I digress… At the beginning of June just before my children finished the academic year, I was looking forward to some relaxation. I set myself up with the expectation that the summer months would be a time to relax a bit, a time where there are fewer meetings and fewer activities. And then…
Extravagant Hospitality
This past month, United Methodists of the California-Pacific Annual Conference gathered once again at the University of Redlands for worship, fellowship, and the business of the Annual Conference. While you will surely read more about some of these events from the many representatives from PB UMC, I want to highlight one small portion of the Annual Conference that I think can have great implication for discerning where God may be calling the people of PB UMC. A good percentage of…
Camping Changes Lives
As we look toward the summer months, we are closer to our children and youth being out of school. This is – of course – a time that many children and youth see for freedom, a break from schedules, and an opportunity for a bit more independence and self-discovery. What better place for this than camp? To be honest, I mostly missed camp as a youth. I went one year when I was in Junior High, and there was no…
Discipleship – Part II
In our continuing discussion of Discipleship, we have been exploring the meaning of discipleship specifically in the context of the community here at Pacific Beach UMC. After last month’s post about discipleship, we have continued to have great conversations, and several members and friends of PB UMC have asked intriguing questions.
Sandy Recovery Mission Trip
The South District of the California-Pacific Annual (Regional) Conference of the United Methodist Church is sponsoring a mission trip this fall to Crisfield, Maryland – an area devastated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.