From the Pastors

It would be fair to say that the summer has been busier than ever. On top of all the usual active and ongoing mission, we’ve had the tumult and drama of the start of construction on our new educational facilities. The portables showed up first, and once they were licensed and ready for occupancy the [Read more…]

Dear Friends, Among the myriad stories in the Bible about building, I have discovered a sense of kinship with the people of ancient times who took on a rebuilding project out of a sense of memory and hope. These people remembered a past in which they and their community were thriving; a time in which [Read more…]

At RHUMC there is really no such thing as the “dog days” of summer. No lying around. No hiding in the shade. For us, the pace of life even picks up some. The campus is active and busy with a couple of hundred children at our Preschool summer school, our Kid Zone summer camps, and [Read more…]

Dear Friends, For obvious reasons, I have building projects on my mind! In the course of one recent week, I learned that leveling buildings and designing ramps is done with close attention to emergency egress requirements; that licensing a preschool involves both a fire department inspection and a social work inspection and they have to [Read more…]

“Something will work.” These words, once offered by a friend, were his attempt to correct an assumption we make when things are going wrong. In the face of apparent disaster, we come to the conclusion that “Nothing will work.” That approach brings an expectation of defeat to any project. It sets us up for failure. [Read more…]

Dear Friends, July 1 marks the beginning of my fourth year at Rolling Hills UMC. July 15th is my birthday. But these are not the only two happy milestones being marked in my life at the moment. There is an additional, and rather monumental, significant event in the works. I am planning to be married! [Read more…]

They say “Be careful what you pray for. You just might get it!” So it is that we are about to be under way with the long-awaited replacement of our original educational buildings. Already there are signs, as three boxed trees have been delivered to help screen the view from Crenshaw. Parking in the lot [Read more…]

Dear Friends, Christ’s ministry belongs to all of us. I am reflecting on this truth not only as I consider the leadership and involvement of so many of you here on the church’s campus, but also as I watch you extend kindness to your neighbors and actively work to improve the communities where you live and [Read more…]

I want to thank everyone for being part of such a positive gathering and conversation last Sunday. The Building Committee has been working on the project for years, but it has been almost entirely behind the scenes. Soil studies, traffic studies, engineering reports, and the like aren’t all that exciting to prepare and review. Perhaps [Read more…]

I have been at RHUMC long enough now (nearly three years!) to declare that one of the annual highlights for me is partnering with youth on their journey toward confirmation. I enjoy getting to know the young people and their families, matching each youth with a mentor, and celebrating their history in the church and [Read more…]