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St. Paul United Methodist is a community of Christian disciples whose purpose is: "To Know Christ and To Make Him Known." All that we do in worship and other activities seeks to accomplish that purpose. Our church facilities are located in the beautiful countryside of Ludington, Michigan. We're actually about 8 miles to the southeast of downtown Ludington. From Ludington, the church facilities may be reached by driving south on Pere Marquette Highway ("Old 31") to Chauvez Road. Turn left on Chauvez Road, then right on Morton Road for one mile. You will be at the corner of Morton and West Kinney Road. We're about two miles west of Pere Marquette Highway. on the corner of West Kinney and Morton Roads. WEEKLY WORSHIP AND OTHER ACTIVITIES: Sunday: 8:30 A.M. Early Worship Less structured, singing songs requested by the congregation. 8:30 A.M. Adult Sunday School Classes 10:00 A.M. Blended Worship Includes historic hymns (as "Joyful, We Adore Thee"), choir, and more recently written songs (as "Lord, I Lift Your Name On High"). 10:15 A.M. Children's Sunday School (after sharing opening of worship) When Holy Communion is celebrated (first Sunday of month), children first go to Sunday School (10 AM) and return at end of worship to Communion In both worship services, people have opportunity for sentence prayers of thanksgiving or concern. The same sermon is preached in each worship experience.
Current Sermon Series: "Questions That Make It Hard To Believe" Click on "Sermons" for Notes and Devotional Study Guide for the (Currently being posted) January 13 "Why Do Good People Suffer?" January 20 "Why Don't Christians Follow Jesus?" January 27 "Why Are Christians Afraid To Think?" February 3 "Why All The Churches?" February 10 (Worship Services were cancelled: weather) February 17 (Worship Services were canclled: weather) February 24 "Why Aren't Good Prayers Answered?" March 2 "What About Bible Contradictions?" March 9 "Is Christianity The Only Way?" March 16 "Who Is Jesus?" Women's Bible Study: Monday, 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, 10:00 A.M. "Whatawednesday" 6:00 P.M. Shared Meal 7:00 P.M. Adult Study: "Beginnings: An Introduction to Christian Faith"
Since coming to pastor here in July, I have found the congregation very receptive as we continue to seek what God has in mind for our shared ministry. That ministry is well-stated in our statement of purpose: "To Know Christ and To Make Him Known." For my first four sermons, I spoke on "Following Jesus in the Company of John Wesley." (He's the one who led the beginnings of Methodism as a revival movement within the Church of England in the 18th century.) When we Methodists have been at our best, we have emphasized the following: "Love Is Fundamental"; "Grace Is Essential"; "Holiness Is Normal"; "Wholeness Is Crucial." Those were the themes of my sermons the first four weeks. They are not unique to Methodism, and we've often needed Christians of other denominations to remind us of them! But, they are some basics of the Methodist effort to be better disciples of Jesus Christ. Each Sunday, a Study Guide and Sermon Notes are found in the bulletin. That includes prayer and study suggestions related to the sermon for 5 days of the week. In a second series of sermons, I worked on a questions we all confront at times (and often ask ourselves): "Why Go To Church?" Some basic answers that have served as the basis of sermons are: "Accepting Jesus' Invitation" (We accept Jesus invitation to join what the New Testament calls "the body of Christ."); "Letting God Be God" (We need to worship God.) "Formation in Christian Character" (We seek to build one another up in Christ--to "grow up.") "Sharing Christ's Heart For The World" (We seek to be inspired by Jesus to join his mission of redemption of the world.) In response to requests through a survey presented in worship, I decided to preach on "Six Challenges to Christian Living." That started September 9 and included these items, one each Sunday: Stress, Worry, Forgiveness, Anger, Marriage, and Children. The first four are obvious challenges to Christian discipleship--challenges that can be positive means of growth. The last two are very positive gifts of God--gifts that are often the occasion of our stress, worry, anger, and need for forgiveness! I will appreciate hearing any stories, experiences, Scriptures, or anything else you may have to share that will help my preaching and our worship to more clearly help us "To know Christ and to make him known." I will also need your patience as I work on this website and others join me as we seek to make it a useful means of communication among those of us who are a part of St. Paul UMC and a means to let others know who we are and what we seek to be. Of course, we want all that to be whatever Christ has in mind for us. Pastor Bob Henning |