Category: Church

Today is Your Day: Presentations

Sunday's service was followed by an appreciation luncheon (pizza) for Rev Gary Ponder Williams and his family. The after meal "program" was full of various presentations. First, the Threads of Love presented Gary and Jodi with a prayer shawl and afghan: Then there was the care package for their son, Andrew, for his 20-hour drive … Continue reading Today is Your Day: Presentations →

Today is Your Day: Final Sermon

In his final sermon at AUMC, Rev. Ponder Williams did an excellent, and poignant discussion of what it meant to be a pastor, with references from the 23rd Psalm. He discussed the Methodist method of assigning pastors, rather than calling them, and how after the service he would no longer be "Pastor Gary" but just … Continue reading Today is Your Day: Final Sermon →

Today is Your Day: Children’s Time

Children's Time has been a regular feature of sermons at Avondale with Rev. Ponder Williams.  The standard format was usually the reading of a book to the children. Ponder Williams didn't vary that motif on his final Sunday. What he did do was to use it as a means of transition, encouraging the children to … Continue reading Today is Your Day: Children’s Time →

Today is Your Day: Service Music

Today's post is sound  bites from the service music. Though it was the Rev Gary Ponder Williams' last sunday at Avondale United Methodist Church, that did not change the order of service.  If anything, it made that liturgical rhythm even more important. First, a Prelude from the church's pipe organ. Next, the Introit: O Come Let … Continue reading Today is Your Day: Service Music →

Being Thankful: Meditations on Christine and Bernie

Today's post includes meanderings that go back to 2007. It is sparked by something that happened this past Saturday. That was the year we were church hunting. After years at the mega-church, it was time for something more community oriented and smaller. We explored several churches, and found ourselves drawn to two different churches -- … Continue reading Being Thankful: Meditations on Christine and Bernie →

The Acts (acting) of the Apostles

This past Sunday was the weekend of Annual Conference for the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church.  That being the case, our pastor was at the conference, and the mid-high sunday school class, under the direction of their teacher's of course, led the worship service and shared the message. They shared the message by … Continue reading The Acts (acting) of the Apostles →