Thursday, March 26, 2026

Let There Be Light

“You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on a lampstand and it shines on all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16

Sunday’s service was about (salt and) light. Pastor David spoke about this in his message. The choir sang an anthem entitled “Let it Shine!” and the lyrics of the hymns included words like “this little light of mine” and “It only takes a spark to keep a fire going…”

Last week our church hosted almost 20 unhoused women for dinner, conversation, a cozy bed, and breakfast before heading back to Cass Community Center. This ministry and its outreach offer support to homeless women in transition who are seeking new futures. While one week is not a huge amount of time, it does require intense planning and preparation in order for it to be successful. On Tuesday of last week, the power went out at 1 AM and quickly the church was COLD. There was a flurry of “Plan B” discussion. Memorial Church, scheduled to bring in dinner that evening, graciously offered to host dinner at their church but could not host guests overnight due to the fire Marshall’s restrictions. We knew that something would need to be in place by 4 PM in the event the power did not come on. There was no alternate plan and we prayed fiercely for answers. God responded. Power WAS restored by 4:00 and we were able to host our guests for dinner and overnight as planned.

Admittedly we worried our “light would be hidden under a basket”…we feared our plans would be ruined. But, God had our backs – and as the lights and heat came on we rejoiced and gave thanks that we could carry on. After a brief setback, we “lifted our lights” …so they could continue to shine. While our week offered comfort and hopefully peace for our guests, we as God’s children, realized the privilege of helping others. It was our time to shine that light – and thankfully we could do that.

Marcia Wright

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Joy in Spite of it All

Read: James 1:2-6

It’s interesting how different the experience of Shelter Week can be from year to year – or from day to day, for that matter. Sometimes our guests are very quiet. Sometimes they’re friendly and outgoing (I remember playing cards for hours with one lady a few years ago). Sometimes you almost don’t even know they’re there. This year we seemed to have a pretty friendly, talkative group.

Heidi and I spent Monday night at the church – fortunately for everyone, after the power had been restored and the building was getting warm again – and it was, as always, a night to remember.

There was a small group of ladies gathered near the fireplace, talking about everything and anything. It was such fun to hear them express the joy they were experiencing. One lady came in from the hallway and exclaimed that there were books on the children’s bookshelf out there that she had read as a child. Dr. Seuss was lovingly remembered by the whole group.
Then one of the ladies by the fire remarked how she loved watching the flames – the way they move and change shape and color. Another replied how watching the water was the same – always changing, always giving you something new to see.
There were also earnest conversations about spiritual matters, about dealing with their pastor, about dealing with other folks in their church. (There was even a special prayer area set aside in the parlor near the bay window where one lady spent a lot of time on her knees and with her Bible.)

Listening to the ladies at Shelter Week sharing their joy gave me joy too – and when I stopped to think about their living situations, it was all the more amazing.
It made it blindingly obvious that Joy comes from the Lord, not from our circumstances. As David wrote in Psalm 30:4-5:

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

What a blessing to see these ladies living out their morning joy throughout the day and night.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings of Love, Grace, Peace, and Joy. May we live in the light of all You have given us, and all You continue to give us. Amen.

Charlie van Becelaere

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Miracles In My Life

Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given. – Psalm 105:5

In about two weeks I will become a grandmother. I am blessed to be able to be in South Carolina and share the last weeks of my daughter’s pregnancy with her. Every time I see her I am reminded of what a miracle childbirth is. Then this morning I read Beth’s devotion about the solar eclipse. I was lucky enough to be in Cleveland and witness it from atop a 12-story building. The simultaneous sunrise and sunset during the total blackout window was amazing and I remember thinking what a miracle the solar cycle is. But every day there are miracles in my life. The daffodils are blooming outside my window. Yesterday I “attended” church with my friends from 500 miles away thanks to the miracle of live streaming. Last week my grandnephew, who was born 15 weeks early, went home as a perfectly healthy baby, thanks to the miracle of modern medicine.

I have been watching “The Chosen.” One of the themes of the series is the miracles Jesus performs as a way for his disciples and others to understand who He is. The miracles Jesus performed were big ones, bringing sight to the blind, feeding the multitudes, walking on water, and raising the dead. We don’t see miracles like these in our daily lives, but I propose we experience miracles every day. I hope to always see them as just that and feel blessed and appreciative of the gift they are.

Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the miracles in our lives, the big ones and the small ones. Help us to see them as reminders of your divine power and to strengthen our faith in your plan for all.

Cathy Lorenz
(Editor’s note: This devotion was written last year during Lent, apparently on March 24^th)

Monday, March 23, 2026

Our Haiti Legacy

It’s been 10 years since a group of us from GPUMC flew to Haiti for a second time. We helped build classrooms at the Harry Brakeman school in the city of Petit-Goave, some 25 miles from the epicenter of a devastating 2010 earthquake.

That return trip provided a huge sense of achievement. The foundation we had built two years earlier was now supporting active classrooms, thanks to follow-up work by visiting crews like ours. We left knowing that the nearly completed rooms we had worked on would soon be ready for use.

Even then, though, we saw signs of a country unraveling. On the Friday before we left, the driver of our van had to dodge chaos in Port-Au-Prince. A runoff election for president was postponed two days before it was scheduled to take place. Citizens, suspecting a rigged vote, took to the streets in protest.

Since then, the country has been the scene of assassination and anarchy. Some 90 percent of the capital is reportedly controlled by gangs.
All of which has left me wondering: Is there anything left to show for our efforts? Not surprisingly, an AI response through Google said the Harry Brakeman school had closed.

Then came a much better report. Dan Hart, our former associate pastor and leader of our trips, checked with an actual human and learned the school is still open.
The news put a flood of memories in a much different light.

That anxious ride through the streets of Port-Au-Prince led us to a Methodist guest house, where we spent our final night in Haiti.

“Does our work do any good?” I asked its director after dinner.
“Yes,” he said, without hesitation. “As bad as things are, they would be much worse without groups like yours.”

Things are now much worse. Yet the Harry Brakeman school still stands, providing education – and hope.

In my mind, that makes our work, the financial support of GPUMC members, and the labor of our fellow Haitian construction workers – Joel, Serge, Maxo, Simon, Edym, Jean-Pierre, Samuel, Emmanuel, and others – more valuable than they were a decade ago.

“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” – 1 Corinthians 15:58

Dave Versical

Sunday, March 22, 2026

Clap

I've always enjoyed poetry. As a young girl, I would collect some favorites and tape them to my bedroom wall. I always felt a connection to the poet and either the simple or more complex words that were put down on paper.

Each year at school, we would have a book fair given by Scholastic Books. [I'm sure many of you remember those!] My mother brought home a book for herself.
I loved the title of it: 'Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle... and Other Modern Day Verse'. Great, right?

Well, I gave my mother, what I felt was ample time to read it, then, me being 8 snatched it and began to read. My father discovered I had it in my room. We began reading them together. Then, as we continued turning pages, we came across, what I remember as a wonderful and beautifully written poem, penned by Marcie Hans in 1965.

Its context reveals truth about man-made over God-made. It shows a comparison over contrast depicted with the two elements. Obviously, written in 1965, we were on the cusp of space voyage with NASA.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:

Fueled

Fueled
by a million
man-made
wings of fire –
the rocket tore a tunnel
through the sky –
and everybody cheered.

Fueled
only by a thought from God –
the seedling
urged its way
through the thickness of black –
and as it pierced
the heavy ceiling of the soil –
and launched itself
up into outer space
no
one
even
clapped.

Bravo!
Cathy Cupples

“I planted the seeds in your hearts and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.” – 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

“The kingdom of God is as if man should scatter seed on the ground...the seed sprouts and grows – he knows not how.” – Mark 4:26-29

Saturday, March 21, 2026

Be the light

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.  People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5: 14-16

One of my grandson’s favorite Christmas gifts this year was a headlamp from his uncle David. When you turn on the headlamp in a dark room, you can see! It’s like magic for a three-year-old.

Several Christmases ago, Bob gave headlamps to everyone in the family which means that there is almost always one at the ready if you need it. I keep one next to sewing machine so it’s available when I have to clean and oil its innards and another next to my bed. We really are headlamp geeks in this family!

There have been so many times when those goofy headlamps have saved the day. They literally are shining a light in the darkness, which makes the darkness a whole lot less scary.

I thought of them today as I listened to David’s sermon about salt and light. Light pierces the darkness. Light shows the way. Jesus calls on us to allow ourselves to be the light, to positively influence the world by acting out our faith every day.

Being the light means that our deeds matter, that we are serving as role models, if you will, for anyone who is watching what we say and do. The message from scripture is to be proud of our Christian beliefs and act like it every day. By acting out our faith, we will influence others to the values of Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, help me remember that, if I want to live and love like Jesus, I must be mindful about all that I say and do. Help me to lead a life that is built on the values of Jesus

Joan Richardson

Friday, March 20, 2026

A Prayerful Face

Read: Psalm 27: 7-8

“My heart says of you, ‘Seek His Face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek.” – Psalm 27: 8

Whenever I pray and direct my prayers to Jesus, I try to see a recognizable face of Jesus to make my prayer experience a little more personal and intimate. I can’t. If I’m praying to God the Father, I’m comfortable praying to God as Spirit. No need to see a face.

For me, what drives my need to see a face of Jesus in my prayers is a Biblical teaching that Jesus is fully human and fully divine. I seek a face for that fully human nature. I haven’t found that face yet, but I keep seeking.

When you pray, do you seek or see a face to converse with? If not, then who or what do you see or sense in prayer?

Prayer: Lord, I seek your face in personal prayer with you. I know I will see your face in the course of time, but a reassuring glimpse now would be a true comfort on my journey until then. Amen.

Mike Bernhardt

Prayer Focus: Seeking Jesus in my prayers.