Finding Peace

Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ!

I am filled with excitement as we prepare for worship this Sunday. I cannot wait for you to experience the beautiful new look of Celebration Hall. So much love, work, and preparation have gone into this renewal, and it looks amazing! I believe you are going to be blessed by the fresh and welcoming atmosphere.

One of the highlights of the day will be the Blessing of the Backpacks. As the new school year begins, we'll gather to pray God's protection, wisdom, and guidance over our students, teachers, administrators, and all who serve in our schools. Every child is encouraged to bring their backpack, and we will present each one with a special backpack prayer tag as a reminder that they are loved, prayed for, and never alone.

This is also a wonderful Sunday to invite a neighbor, grandchild, friend, or family member to join you. Our community needs the hope and encouragement that only Christ can give, and together we can help others experience His love.

We will continue our sermon series, Mastermind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life, as we explore Philippians 4:4-9 and the discipline of retraining our minds. The Apostle Paul reminds us that God desires to transform our circumstances through the rewiring of our thinking.

Many of us struggle with worry, fear, anxiety, and negative thoughts. Yet through Christ, we can learn a new way of living. God invites us to create new spiritual pathways by seeing ourselves through God’s eyes of grace and love. As we surrender our cares to Jesus and listen for His voice, we find peace that steadies our hearts and directs our steps.

The good news is that confidence is not found in our own strength. Our confidence comes from Christ living within us. Through His Spirit, God equips us for every challenge, every opportunity, and every calling He places before us.

God is doing wonderful things at Stonebridge UMC, and there is a place for you here. Come expecting to be encouraged, refreshed, and inspired. Come ready to worship, pray, and celebrate what God is doing in our midst.

See you Sunday! And don't just invite someone to worship with you, bring them along. You never know how one invitation could change a life.

Blessings!