Rest in the Word

   *Houlton & Hodgdon & Mars Hill UMC combined service  Wherever He Leads Me (Matthew 28:16-20) June 29, 2025 Houlton, Hodgdon, and Mars Hill UMC   Dear beloved Houlton, Hodgdon, and Mars Hill UMC families, today, we gather together as one big family in God, one body in Christ, one Spirit in the Holy Spirit, and one in love. This is a special day because we are stepping into a new chapter of life together. Eleven years ago, God brought our family to Houlton. When the District Superintendent asked us to come to Northern Maine, we were sad to leave Dalton UMC, our first Anglican church. We were also nervous. We didn’t know anyone here. We had no Korean friends or familiar food. But we prayed, “Wherever God leads, we will follow.” *Michael's 90th birthday in 2015  (1 year later, we moved up here)   * 4th of July Parade And so, we came. And you welcomed us with open hearts. I still remember Michael Swallow. Though he was in his late 8...

* Joan Boone’s 90th birthday celebration June 22, 2025 Mars Hill UMC Dear Mars Hill UMC family, today marks our last Sunday together. I vividly recall the mix of joy and nervousness from my first Sunday, feeling much the same today. Preparing this sermon has been a profound honor and a unique challenge, requiring considerable reflection and preparation. Two and a half years may seem short compared to the long and faithful lives of many in our church. Yet, your lives—your stories—have profoundly shaped this ministry. There is so much to reflect on and give thanks for. As I prayed for today's sermon, one central theme emerged: The Kingdom of God. God brought us this same theme on my first Sunday here, October 26, 2022, titled "Heaven Among Us." Amidst our collective pain—shocked and empty after suddenly losing a pastor—God profoundly comforted us. Other churches helped; you remained steadfastly faithful. God granted us peace that transcended our difficult circumstance...

  Dear Stetson Memorial UMC Family, Peace be with you! I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and my family more fully before we meet in two weeks. My name is Youngeun Joyce Kang ( 강영은 ), and my Korean name means "Glorifying Grace"—a beautiful meaning given to me by my parents. My father is a Presbyterian pastor, and my mother, a retired teacher, has also recently become a pastor. I have one younger sister and a younger brother who is also a pastor. Thankfully, God has called us all into ministry, and we are grateful for His amazing grace in our lives. My husband, Seungri Victor Han, and I have five children: Lydia (15) loves to read; Abe (13) loves to play chess; Grace (9) loves playing piano; Esther (8) loves making crafts; and Hannah (5) loves to cook with Mom. Lydia and Abe, by God's grace, just completed their first year of high school at MSSM. Our three younger girls attend GHCA in Houlton, where they enjoy gymnastics; they are spirited children...

Hodgdon Sunday School, Youth, and Teachers 6.15.25. Hodgdon UMC Children’s Sunday & Father’s Day Dear beloved Hodgdon United Methodist Church members, Today is a very special Sunday. All across the country, we celebrate Father’s Day. Did you know that Father’s Day was first suggested by a United Methodist woman? She wanted to honor her father, who raised six children all by himself. That was in 1909—just two years after the first official Mother’s Day. Then, 73 years later, Father’s Day became a national holiday. Today, we give thanks for our fathers, grandfathers, spiritual fathers, and all those who have raised us and shown us God’s love. Today is also Trinity Sunday in the church calendar. The Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is at the heart of our Christian faith. In the early church, many people struggled to understand this mystery. It led to many debates, and some even gave their lives to defend the truth. Eventually, the Church wrote the Apostles’ Creed to m...

                                                             (Acts 2:37-47)   6.8.25 Mars Hill UMC Pentecost & Children’s Sunday Awards Ceremony at GHCA The last meeting in Mars Hill Bible Study The last meeting in WOW <Award Ceremony>  It's the end of the school year and church year. There are lots of celebrations: last meetings, graduations, and awards ceremonies. Today we celebrate Children’s Sunday. I'm sure that you have been attending family and friends' ceremonies recently. Our church's small groups celebrated their last meetings of this year. Personally, I had the last meeting of the Women’s Group after 11 years of spiritual fellowship. When I saw all the memories through pictures, I couldn’t stop thanking God. There were ups and downs. There were small and big gatherings. There were painful and j...

(Acts 1:1-11)   Hodgdon UMC – June 1, 2025 <Hide and Seek> “Peek-a-boo!” It’s a game we play with babies and toddlers. We hide our faces with our hands, then open them and say, “Peek-a-boo!” It’s simple, but it helps children grow. It teaches them that things still exist even when they can’t see them. It builds trust and gives them a sense of safety. It prepares them for future times of separation. Children love to play “Hide and Seek.” This game is like peek-a-boo but helps them to grow even more. It teaches them emotional and social skills. Also it helps them manage their feelings about being separated and coming back together. It teaches independence. I think God likes to play hide and seek too—especially through the seasons. I’ve been amazed by how spring flowers hide in the winter and then appear at the right time. First, we see green leaves, then daffodils, dandelions, tulips, hyacinths, apple trees, cherry trees, and lilacs. Every season, we see God’s hand...