A note from Pastor Travis
Today we find ourselves in the heart of Holy Week. The events that unfold over the next few days are at the heart of our tradition and our faith. We worship a risen Christ and a liberating Gospel. We believe …
Category: A Message from Our Pastor
A note from Pastor Travis 4/3/25
I missed the donkey! When Stacey and I met to plan my transition to become pastor of First UMC Melrose, she told me that the Community Palm Parade down Main Street included a donkey. Needless to say, I was excited. …
A note from Pastor Travis 3/20/25
The last update of my Fitbit has added an interesting feature. Now, on those few occasions where my step count and zone minutes have been higher than normal for several days in a row the app sends me a message …
A note from Pastor Travis 3/13/25
This Sunday our scripture passage is Luke 13:31-35. At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, …
A note from Pastor Travis 3/6/25
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. We gathered as a church and heard the invitation to experience a holy Lent through practicing the spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, self-denial, and service to your neighbor. It is a wonderful journey, and one that …
A note from Pastor Travis 2/20/25
Good News! The weather forecast for Sunday is clear! This means that we will be holding in-person worship this Sunday. I am grateful for our online ministry and that we were able to worship on ZOOM when we had to cancel in-person worship …
A Note from Pastor Travis 2/13/25
As I write this, I am looking out my window. It is a little after 5:00 and the sun is just starting to set. Every day the sun sets just a little bit later and the day is just a …
A note from Pastor Travis 2-6-25
One of the things that I love about the Gospels is the picture they give us of the disciples. Peter, John, James and the rest, don’t have it all together. On the contrary, they seem to get it wrong more than they …
A note from Pastor Travis 1/30/25
Over the last few weeks, I have been rereading and reflecting on some of the words of Rev. Dr. Willam Sloane Coffin, one of the most courageous voices of 20th-century American Christianity. In his book Credo, which is a compilation …
A note from Pastor Travis 1/3/24
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2025! I pray that this will be a blessed year for you and for our church. If the rest of the year is as eventful as January will be, then our church will have a banner …