Rest in the Word

   11/30/25 Hodgdon UMC < What breath we need > Dear our beloved Houlton, Hodgdon, Mars Hill, and Patten church families. I am so thankful we can celebrate our Thanksgiving and the first Advent all together in Hodgdon UMC today. On Thanksgiving Day, we played a gratitude relay game with the children. We took turns to say one of our gratitude in 2025. One of my answers was “Breath”.  I felt thankful simply because I could breathe. Breath is so important. The very first thing a newborn baby must do is breathe. And if they don’t breathe right away, the nurse gives a gentle tap so that life may begin. We must even learn how to breathe. When we swim, we breathe with our mouths. When we run, we breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth so we don’t hurt our throat. Breathing is important. How we breathe is important. And what breath we live by is even more important. Some of us may be sighing today. Some may feel like the breath in our hearts is we...

UWF (United Women in Faith)  Acts 16:11–15  November 23, 2025 Stetson Memorial UMC < 살림 Salim (Housework, Work that Gives Life)> Last week we had a snowstorm. Because the very first snow came as a storm, we were not able to gather for worship. So today we are joining the United Women in Faith service that was planned for last week with our Thanksgiving service. I believe there is no accident in God’s timing. God is inviting us to pause, reflect, and remember many reasons for gratitude. Among those gifts, we especially give thanks for the faithful women in our church who serve God and serve all of us. Through their quiet and steady lives, we see the servant leadership of Jesus. Today, I hope we can meet Jesus through their example and offer our own letter of thanks to Him. Last week, before the snowstorm came, many of us were busy getting ready. Were you well prepared for it? Did you check the snowblower? Did you take out the shovels? As a mother, I was very b...

Psalm 118:21–26 / Philippians 1:12–19 11/16/25                                                             Seven Brides for Seven Brothers <Snowed-In and Shut-In> Today we can’t have service in person due to snowstorms. It reminds me of one movie. Have you ever watched the old musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers ? It is a fun movie that my family watches on snow days. In the story, seven young women and seven young men get trapped in the mountains after a huge snowstorm. They cannot leave. They cannot go anywhere. At first, it feels like a prison. But in that “snow prison,” something unexpected happens. Likewise, we can see how the Psalmist takes refuse in his snowstorm, and how Paul survived in his prison with gratitude and joy through today’s passages. Thanksgiving Day is coming. It is a good time to look back over the ...

Our church princesses including Maddie and Heaven!  (Psalm 100, Matthew 6:25-34)  November 9, 2025 – Stetson Memorial UMC       <Little Princess> Have you ever read or watched The Little Princess ? It’s one of our family’s favorite stories. In the story, Sara Crewe lives in luxury because her father is a wealthy soldier in India. Everyone treats her like a real princess. But one day, her father is reported missing, and his fortune is gone. Overnight, Sara’s life changes completely—from a beloved student who wore silk dresses and celebrated grand birthdays to a servant girl working in the attic. What touched me deeply was not only her suffering but her dignity. Even when she had nothing, Sara still believed she was her father’s daughter. Her circumstances changed, but her identity did not. Later, when her father returns and restores her place, she no longer needs to work or suffer. When I watched that scene where she meets her father again, I co...

                   (Psalm 24, 51) November 2, 2025 — Stetson Memorial UMC My Psalm in Gratitude Month Dear Stetson Memorial UMC family, over the past two months, we have been writing our own Psalms and listening to one another’s. We also celebrated many church ministries through beautiful testimonies. If you still have a Psalm in your heart, please share it this month as we continue My Psalm in November. I invite you to read through the Book of Psalms this month. The Psalms are songs and prayers that give us words when we are overwhelmed or unsure how to pray. Reading them can help you discover your own Psalm. There are 150 Psalms. If you read five a day, you can finish in November. Or, if you read one of the five sections each week, you will finish by December 7. That day, we’ll have a small ceremony to celebrate those who have completed the reading. November is also our Gratitude Month . A Thanksgiving tree will be set up...