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Who is the Holy Spirit?

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May 24, 2026 The Mystery of the Triune God Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, whom I hold so deeply in my heart, It has been a magnificent journey walking alongside you until today, our very last Sunday, worshipping together in this beautiful sanctuary. I am profoundly joyful that we get to celebrate Pentecost together today. It is the church’s birthday, the monumental day when the Holy Spirit first descended upon us. What a comfort and powerful reminder it is to know that the Holy Spirit does not operate on a human schedule; He has no internship program, no interim periods, and no part-time hours. He is eternally and fully with us. May we invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts today, anchoring ourselves in a never-ending, perpetual Pentecost until the day we see Him face-to-face. With her permission, I would love to share a recent conversation I had with my daughter, Hannah. The other day, she came to me with some very heavy, theological complaints. “Mom,” she asked, “why...
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4R (The Relay Race for Relationship Restoration)

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                                                   (Revelation 21:1-8) 5/17/26 < The Relay Race > Dear children of God, do you like relay races? Lately, my three oldest children have been participating in track and field. Watching their relay races brought so many thoughts to my mind. I realized that a relay race is a wonderful team sport; it’s not about just one person running well. Success requires the right posture to pass the baton, a ready posture to receive it, and perfect synchronization between runners. Even if one runner falls behind a bit, the next runner can make up the distance. Reflecting on this, I realized that we, too, are running a spiritual relay race.   < Creation, Fall, Redemption, Recreation > Creation: Almighty God created us. It wasn't because He needed us to do His work; rather, because God is love—pure, perfect love—...
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Perfect Love

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                                                      1 John 4:7-21                   May 10, 2026 (Mother’s Day)   < Finding God in the Shack> Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, Happy Mother’s Day. I want to begin this morning by asking a question: Have you ever read the book or watched the movie 'The Shack'? It is a powerful story that has brought healing to many, including myself. In the story, the main character is paralyzed by the tragedy of losing his daughter. He is angry at God, lost in a 'Great Sadness.' But then, he is invited to a cozy, warm house to meet the Trinity. The first time I watched the movie, I w...
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Living Sanctuary

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                                        (Hebrews 12:5-12, James 5:15-16) 4.26.26                                                    The Pussy Willow Evangelist Dear sisters and brothers in Christ! Have any of you decorated your homes with pussy willows recently? Now, I have to be honest—back in Korea, I knew about pussy willows, but I didn’t realize we had a "Pussy Willow Evangelist" right here in our midst! I’m talking about Bonnie Quint in Hodgdon UMC. She has been on a mission, sharing these fuzzy branches with the children and the women in our Bible study. She even taught us the "secret" to decorating with them: if you don’t put them in water, they stay fuzzy and perfect all year long. It’s like a permanent sign of Spring! As I looked at these bra...
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Living by Dying

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  4 generations of the Underwood family 04.19.26 <The Garlic that Braved the Winter> Dear, sisters and brothers in Christ. Do you know what this is? This isn’t just your average grocery store garlic; this is a "Winter Survivor." Every year, my family and our After-School kids plant garlic before the snow hits. A few years ago, our dear Paula gave a children’s sermon about planting garlic in late autumn to harvest in the summer. To be honest, I was a bit skeptical at first. I thought, "Planting this in the frozen Maine ground? Is that a gardening plan or a test of faith?" But we planted it anyway, tucking each clove into the earth with our hopes and even our hardships, praying they would grow strong. For six months, those cloves slept under a heavy blanket of snow and bitingly cold winds. But when spring arrived, I saw it—tiny green faces peeking through the straw! By summer, we harvested garlic with a fragrance and flavor that was out of this world. On...
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Living Resurrection Love

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Majorie is teaching Brandy to play the piano after service  (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18) 4.12.26. Stetson Memorial UMC < Every Day Easter > Dear brothers, sisters, and my precious young friends, Christ is Risen! How was your Easter last week? Here in Maine, we looked out our windows and saw the messy mix of sleet, slush, and snow. Meanwhile, our friends down in Florida were basking in the sun and enjoying blooming flowers. But even though our Easters looked different on the outside, we shared one glorious thing in common: we all rejoiced that Christ is Risen! It did not matter what we had for dinner, what the weather was like, or where we were sitting. We shared resurrection joy with one another. But I have been thinking: How many days should we celebrate Easter? Is it just one Sunday a year? Is it the fifty days leading up to Pentecost? My friends, I believe we should celebrate Easter every single Sunday—actually, every single day! Resurrection is not just a dusty...
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