Blog
The Red Acolyte
Our acolytes are a year-round institution at Heritage from serving during worship to helping the pastors preach to video sketch comedy. Their biggest event of the year, however, is the Good Friday service, during which they are responsible for the solemn act of clearing all of the colorful or shiny items from the platform, giving the congregation a visual reminder of the darkness that accompanied Jesus’ death on the cross.
For the last couple years acolytes have emerged to serve as leaders of our acolyte team, helping to coordinate and guide the younger members as they perform their parts of the service. Ben N. and and Ryan G. did this two years ago, staying out in the hallway and sending the acolytes back in one at a time when it was their turn.
Last year, Pastor Betsie and Mrs. Lauren took over the hallway portion of the process, allowing the lead acolyte to stay in the room the whole time. To make her stand out as the one the other acolytes were to look to for guidance, she wore red vestments instead of the usual blue that acolytes wear at Heritage.
Grace A. was the acolyte last year who emerged as one of our most experienced and knowledgeable, and was chosen to be the first “red acolyte” last year. This year the new tradition will continue, as Olivia H., who has been an acolyte for several years and has become so good at helping other acolytes learn the various parts of the job, will serve as our red acolyte this Friday night, at 7pm, during the Good Friday service.
The Christ Candle
If you were here for our Palm Sunday service last Sunday, you may have noticed the Christ Candle being brought up, placed on the altar table, and lit by the acolytes. The Christ Candle is one of the various symbols we use in Christian worship to teach and reinforce our shared history and theology.
Appearances of the Christ Candle in worship are intentionally rare. We are not living in the era of the presence of God in Christ beside us–we are now living in the era of the presence of God in the Holy Spirit within us. This is symbolized each week by the acolytes processing the flame in, leaving the candles lit for the duration of the service, and then carrying the flame out of the sanctuary at the end, reminding us that the Spirit goes with us when we go out from the service of worship.
However, throughout the Liturgical Calendar of the Christian year, there are times when we tell the story of the presence of Christ, and the Christ Candle helps us remember and visualize these moments of presence.
The Liturgical Calendar begins on the first Sunday of Advent. The Christ Candle makes an appearance that day, as we are in a season of preparation for his arrival on Christmas. It is located in the center of the advent wreath, but it is not yet lit, helping us feel the anticipation that Mary did–she was pregnant with Jesus, but he had not yet arrived. We light the Christ Candle for the first time in the Liturgical Calendar year at the Christmas Eve service, because it represents that Jesus Christ is born.
We keep the Christ Candle lit through the season of Christmas, which, as the song teaches us, is twelve days long, ending on the day of Epiphany. The Christ Candle is not displayed during the seasons of Epiphany or most of Lent. Then, on Palm Sunday we process or introduce it in some way as a symbol of Christ's presence during Holy Week as he famously arrived on the back of a donkey.
At the end of the Good Friday service, we process it out of the sanctuary as a symbol of the light of Christ being extinguished at his death on the cross. On Easter Sunday morning during the processional hymn we process it back in as a visual symbol of his resurrection and physical presence once again. We then display it in worship until Ascension, as the next Sunday–Pentecost–is the day we celebrate the arrival of the Holy Spirit within us.
The Christ Candle is not displayed again until Advent, with the exception of funerals, at which it is displayed as a reminder of our sure hope in the resurrection of the body at the return of Christ.
New Sermon Series After Easter
On April 12th, Heritage will begin a six-week church-wide experience called Awakened to Grace. Content from the study will be featured in our small groups, worship services, weekly guides given out every Sunday with daily practices that will bring the whole congregation along every day, and even a smartphone app. The study was written by Florida Bishop Tom Berlin, leader of the more than 400 churches here in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, of which Heritage is a part. Click here to learn more about Bishop Berlin.
Seal of Approval
Bishop Berlin is “Certified Awesome” by 100% of Pastor Matt’s daughters.
Hundreds of churches inside and outside the Florida Conference have done Awakened to Grace, but at Heritage there will be an extra element that very, very, very few churches have had. On the first weekend of the sermon series, the sermon will be preached by its author, Bishop Berlin himself! We are excited to have him join us for the entire morning here in Clearwater.
We’ve asked Bishop Berlin to sign copies of his books for our church members if they’d like, and he will do so in between the 9am and 11am services. Click here for a complete listing of the many great books and small group studies written by Bishop Berlin, and order today to make sure you have your book before his visit with us on April 12.
Lent @ Heritage 2026
Dear Members and Friends of Heritage United Methodist Church,
If you were here for last night’s Ash Wednesday service, you heard the traditional liturgy that opens the service:
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:the early Christians observed with great devotion
the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection,
and it became the custom of the Church that before the Easter celebration
there should be a forty–day season of spiritual preparation.
During this season converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism.It was also a time when persons who had committed serious sins
and had separated themselves from the community of faith
were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness,
and restored to participation in the life of the Church.
In this way the whole congregation was remindedof the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ
and the need we all have to renew our faith.
I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church,to observe a holy Lent:
by self–examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self–denial;
and by reading and meditating on God's Holy Word.
To make a right beginning of repentance,and as a mark of our mortal nature,
and bow before our Creator and Redeemer.
I write to you today, on this first day of Lent, to reiterate that invitation–to observe a holy Lent by self–examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self–denial; and by reading and meditating on God's Holy Word.
First, if you missed the service and did not get to hear Rev. Janean Briseno’s brief sermon last night, go back and listen. It was a great word of welcome into the season. She shared ancient yet timeless wisdom from the early days of the church that still reveals the core motivations that lead us astray into temptation and sin today. Then she gave several practical opportunities that allow us to make Lent a time of true repentance, reconciliation, and hope for the future.
Second, the Florida Conference Office of the United Methodist Church provides quick devotionals each day. While they aren’t a replacement for putting aside some time for your own reading and reflections on Scripture, they are available for those days when you are on the go and missed the opportunity.
Maybe you’ll give something up as a Lenten fast, or start a new discipline that could take root in Lent and continue beyond, but I offer these two opportunities to ensure that we embrace the importance of this 40-day season at Heritage. Repentance over our sin is the starting place from which we reach the new heights of peace and joy that transform our lives, and transform the world!
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt
Sermon Series | No Place Like Home
Overview
No Place Like Home is a sermon series designed to start off 2026 with messages of challenge and inspiration in hopes of motivating Heritage members and friends to increase their level of commitment to our mission and strategy through their prayers, presence, financial giving, service, and witness.
The series is based on the Gospel of Matthew, chapters 1-4 and 8, connecting the congregation with Heritage’s strategy of becoming a gathering place, a growing place, and a loving place by walking through the introductory stages of Jesus’ life and ministry.
January 11: A Gathering Place | Matthew 1:18-2:11 | By Matt Horan
Joseph gathers Mary and Jesus into his family, and they later welcome the Magi despite the potential costs. Neither of these were easy, but they were gatherings that changed the course of history.
January 18: A Growing Place | Matthew 3:1-4:11 | By Matt Horan
Jesus submits himself to moments of growth and development despite being the son of God. If Jesus had room to grow, surely we all do as well.
January 25: A Loving Place | Matthew 4:12-25 | By Matt Horan
Jesus clarifies his message, gathers his team, and begins his mission to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God and offer care and community to those for whom the kingdoms of this world had been bad news. This will be a week to clarify our message and our mission, and challenge our team to work to accomplish it.
February 1: A Place for Everyone | Matthew 8:1-17 | Sharing Stats and Stories
This week will be a challenge to evangelism as we see Jesus engage with a diverse cross-section of people–a leper, a centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law, and many other sick and demon-possessed people. Testimonies and statistics from the difference we made in 2025 will predominantly convey the message this week.
February 8: A Place for You | Matthew 8:18-27 | By Heritage Leadership Board Members
Closing messages from members of our leadership board will challenge the congregation to make new commitments for 2026 to help engage in our strategies for accomplishing our mission. The Scripture this week is a story about the cost of following Jesus, and a story of the extraordinary things seen when we follow Jesus.
No More Donations
The view from the end of the Drive-Thru Nativity
By Inyoung Curry
This year’s Drive-Thru Nativity felt different to me from the very beginning. There were updated signs, new scenes, and it was just the second year of the reversed traffic pattern; yet none of those were the most jarring difference for me.
I volunteered at the very end of the line on the first night, directing traffic and thanking people for visiting the Nativity. The driver of one of the first cars that came out stopped, held out some money, and asked Pastor Matt, who was standing on the other side of the exit, “Is this where we give donations?” I was surprised to hear his response.
“Oh, thank you, but we’re not taking donations anymore. We just want the Nativity to be a gift to our neighbors, so thanks for joining us. Please come back anytime.”
I was stunned. Churches always need money. Ministries run on it. Outreach depends on it. As someone who has been part of the church my whole life, I quietly wondered if not taking donations was… “wise.”
As that first car pulled away, I asked Pastor Matt in disbelief, “We aren’t taking donations at the end anymore?”
His reply: “We don’t want the experience to feel like a transaction. We just want people to leave having received a gift without feeling like they ‘settled up’ at the end.”
I watched him say the same thing over and over again, trying not to think about how much money was not being given to the church that could fund the many ways that we make a difference at Heritage. We took turns being on the “talking side” of the exit, and soon it was my turn to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and refuse their donations over and over.
Everyone was surprised. Many were confused. Some were insistent. At first, as I said them the words felt strange and unnatural. As the night went on, however, something shifted. With every car, I realized that it felt right—it felt good!—to say it.
Standing there in the cool night air, watching families smile and children point toward the live animals, I felt the weight of the realization. How often do we get to experience something beautiful and be assured that it’s free? Free of guilt? Free of obligation? Free of wondering if what we paid was enough?
Each “donor” left with the same message: Your presence is enough. Taking the time to come, to slow down, to receive the gift of the baby Jesus born in a manger—that’s enough.
In that moment, standing at the end of the line, I realized I wasn’t just directing traffic. I was helping tell the end of the Christmas story the way it’s supposed to end. A Savior given freely. Love given unconditionally. Joy given to the whole world on a silent night long ago—with no repayment required.
Winter of Oz
Coming up November 16th & 23rd, we’ll explore the Scriptures with a little help from the songs from the Land of Oz! Then, on the afternoon of November 22nd, we’ll be renting out a local theater for Heritage to go to the movies together and see Wicked: For Good, the conclusion of last year’s movie portrayal of the Broadway musical. Stay tuned for details!
November 16: Good or Popular?
Luke 1:26-38
Mary, the mother of Jesus, chose the good over the popular. Do we always have to make that choice? Is there a way to both be good and be popular too? Is choosing the good worth the risk to our popularity? The Wicked Witch of the West had to make some similar choices herself.
November 23: Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Romans 8:18-28
It’s no surprise that “a prayer” can mean talking to God just as much as it can mean that chances of success are slim. At the last minute the quarterback tosses a “Hail Mary.” At the buzzer a basketball player tosses up “a prayer,” taking an unlikely desperation shot from half court. Or maybe things are so hopeless that you “haven’t got a prayer.”
What hope do we have? Do we vaguely hope that something good might come our way from “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” or is there something solid on which we hang our hopes?
Church: The Musical
October 19: Amazing Grace
Luke 15:11-32
Does God really have enough grace to cover everything that is wrong with me? We’ll hear the story behind the writing of one of the best known songs in human history, and learn whether God’s amazing grace can even save a wretch like me.
October 26: How Great Thou Art
Psalm 8:1-9
How do songs like How Great Thou Art go from notes on a page to a spiritual experience that moves our souls? Follow the journey of this a moderately popular hymn that bounced around Eastern Europe for a few years before someone heard it while visiting Ukraine, introduced it to the right people, and turned it into an experience that regularly brings groups from church sanctuaries to huge stadiums into the presence of God.
November 2: When the Saints Go Marching In
Ephesians 3:1-21
We will explore Paul’s letter to the Ephesians on All Saints Sunday with a little New Orleans flair as our Louisiana native worship director, Jason Langdon, pulls together the gifts of our many talented musicians to show a couple different sides of When the Saints Go Marching In, which, somehow, did not make it into the United Methodist Hymnal. We’ll try and make up for the oversight on November 2nd!
Take a Knee Today
Image Credit: Google Gemini 2025
By Rev. Matt Horan
Coaching soccer has been one of my life's favorite things. I often miss it.
One of the unwritten rules of youth soccer is that, when a player on the other team gets hurt and the game is stopped for people to come out and help them, our team "takes a knee," kneeling down wherever they are on the field. Once the player is back on their feet or being helped off the field, our team stands back up, and our players and parents on the sideline clap for them.
Soccer is a contact sport, and sometimes the play is physical. Sometimes there are shoulders and elbows and slide tackles in the desperation of trying to get the upper hand, and sometimes those may evolve to harsh words or even frustrated shoves. Yet even if that opponent has been elbowing our team the whole game, the rule is the same. If they get hurt, we take a knee.
I'm not naïve enough to think that the practice of our politics and youth soccer have a lot of overlap these days. I know that, in the course of our political interactions, elbows are thrown every day that land really painfully.
Today there will be a funeral for Charlie Kirk at a football stadium in Arizona. There are plenty of speakers scheduled to speak at the service who have thrown painful elbows in the past, and they will be eulogizing a man who also threw painful elbows of his own. I hope not, but I know there's a pretty reasonable chance that elbows will be thrown by one or more of these speakers during the service today. They could end up providing plenty of opportunities for angry posts, comments, blog articles, videos, etc. from people who disagree with the politics of Charlie Kirk or one or more of today’s speakers, and it is your right to create them should you so choose.
Last Sunday I reminded my congregation of the lyrics to "Let there Be Peace on Earth." They say "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.," and so I have a suggestion for today. I suggest, regardless of what is said at Charlie Kirk’s funeral, we all take a knee, letting it pass without comment. Our social media interactions don’t change people’s mind anyway, so taking one day—or even just one event—off probably won’t cost your side much, regardless of which one it is.
In fact, maybe that player being helped off the field--the one that elbowed you in the nose earlier in the game--will see their opponents taking a knee. Maybe we'll have a moment of seeing each other as something other than an opponent, but as people who are capable of caring about one another.
It would probably be just that--a moment. However, perhaps we'll discover that it was a good moment. Who knows? We might even discover that we liked it, and that it just might be worth trying again sometime.
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me… and when it comes to commenting on today’s funeral, let’s all just take a knee.
--MH
More Like Jesus
This past Sunday, Pastor Matt began each service with a statement about the violent death of Charlie Kirk. Please take time to listen to the statement and pray for our nation with us.
Sermon Recap: Hungering for What Matters Most
This past Sunday at Heritage United Methodist Church in Clearwater, Florida, Pastor Matt Horan continued our walk through the Beatitudes, and the focus was on one of the most powerful lines from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
This one hit home. Hunger and thirst are things we all understand—they’re daily, urgent, and necessary for life. Pastor Matt reminded us that Jesus intentionally chose those words to describe our desire for God’s righteousness. It’s not a casual craving—it’s a deep, soul-level need.
While Pastor Matt preached, I thought of when I am running errands with my husband at Sam’s Club or Target and I see something that I have to have. I NEEEEEEED it. My husband will say, “No, you don’t neeeeeed it. You want it.” But I just know that I can’t live without it. Of course, I know it is a want and not a true need and we have a good laugh about my dramatic declaration of need that is really a want and move about our day. But it did make me think about whether or not I treat God’s righteousness as something I have to have, that I’m desperate for, that I NEEEEEEED. Many of us can probably relate to having an extreme desire for something that is not really a need.
Righteousness, Pastor Matt explained, isn’t about being self-righteous or trying to look “holier than thou.” It’s about longing for God’s goodness, justice, and truth to take root in our own hearts and in the world around us. It’s about seeking His will, even when the world tells us to chase after wealth, comfort, or status.
Here is what stayed with me: “they will be filled.” When we chase after the things of the world, we’re never satisfied. There’s always something more to buy, more to achieve, more to prove. But when we hunger and thirst for righteousness, Jesus says we’ll find the kind of fulfillment that truly lasts.
Here is my challenge, and I’ll call you to the challenge along with me: Are you desperate for God’s righteousness? Do you NEEEEEEED it? Sitting in the pews, I thought about what I’m hungry for. Am I craving success? Approval? Comfort? Or am I genuinely hungry for God’s ways to shape my life? That’s the challenge of this Beatitude—our appetites reveal what we’re truly seeking.
At Heritage UMC, we don’t just talk about these things on Sundays—we encourage one another to live them out. Whether it’s through serving in the community, supporting missions, or simply being people of grace in our workplaces and homes, we’re learning how to hunger and thirst for righteousness together.
If you’ve been searching for something more—something that fills your spirit instead of leaving you empty—I encourage you to lean into this promise. Jesus’ words are true: those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. And there’s no better place to explore that than here at Heritage United Methodist Church in Clearwater, Florida.
THAT WAS GOD
So….Where is God?
Ever had one of those moments when you wake up in the middle of the night with the distinct feeling that God is telling you to do something completely out of your comfort zone? That’s exactly what’s been happening to me at about 3:15 - 3:30 a.m. every night for the past couple of weeks. God was making it clear that I have a testimony that needs to be shared.
I’ve actually been asked to tell my story several times before, but I’ve always declined, being basically a pretty private person, plus also knowing getting up in front of people would overwhelm me emotionally.
For those who don’t know me, I’ve been attending Heritage since about 1987, became a member in 1990, and have been on staff since 2004. I’m currently the Office Manager. If you attend the 9am service and wonder why I’m always sitting right smack dab in your way when you are trying to get in and out of the sanctuary, it’s because I have a hard time getting up the sanctuary incline, and when I do, I’m afraid that if my legs or wheelchair brakes give out I’ll go flying down the center aisle like an Olympic snow ski jumper, face planting right into the altar! OK, maybe a bit dramatic, but a great visual! Actually, I prefer staying behind the scenes, being front and center is not my thing.
But… here I am, sharing my story.
On Thursday, August 30, 2007, I was splitting my time between being the assistant to our Associate Pastor, Steve Ezra and working with Janean Briseno in the Children’s Ministry area. I left work to go home for a lunch break. While heading east on State Road 580—just past McMullen Booth Road—a car tried to pass me in the right lane. What the driver didn’t see was that a stalled truck was blocking that lane, so to avoid a collision, they swerved left—straight towards me, running me off the road.
Their car forced mine past the left lane, across the center median, through the three westbound lanes, and into a telephone pole and chain-link fence. My car was crushed. It took first responders an hour and a half to cut through the fence and car using the Jaws of Life to extract me. I was airlifted to Bayfront Medical Trauma Center with life-threatening injuries.
Here’s what I was facing:
10 broken ribs
A broken clavicle
A punctured lung
A broken right femur and fibula
A crushed left pelvis and femur
A medically induced coma
MRSA infection
19 surgeries
Multiple hospitalizations
And a lifelong sentence of being wheelchair-bound
So, where was God in all of this?
EVERYWHERE.
When my car hit the telephone pole, both of my hands were pinned between the steering wheel and dashboard. I couldn’t turn off the ignition. I fully expected the car to explode—but it didn’t. It stayed running until First Responders arrived and shut it off. That was God.
I truly believed I would die before they got me out of the wreckage, but I felt no pain. No fear. Just complete calm and peace. That was God.
Anyone familiar with that intersection knows how busy it is. But at that moment? No cars were coming in the opposite direction. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. That’s not just luck. That was God.
About 85 percent of my body was broken, sprained or had major contusions, but I had absolutely no facial, head or spinal cord injuries. That was God.
All my lifelong injuries are on my left side, allowing me to drive and have a pretty normal life. That was God.
Word spread fast, cards, letters and prayers came pouring in—from churches and small groups across the U.S. and even the world. Many people I’ve never met nor have any idea how they heard about my accident reached out to me. That showed me the incredible power of prayer. That was God.
I’ve felt love and support from my Heritage family every step of the way—through cards, letters, texts, meals, prayers, compassion, encouragement, and constant kindness were continually offered. That was God.
And I’m especially thankful for my co-workers. They've allowed me to keep doing a job I love by helping me get in and out of the building every single day and none of them have ever complained or made me feel awkward. Poor Janean Briseno has done this almost daily for 18 years or…9,360 times! After retiring from a very rewarding 35-year career, God placed me in the perfect “retirement” job—right here where I needed to be in this stage of my life. That is no accident. That is God.
While I was recovering my daughter started having leg issues that could not be diagnosed until she collapsed and was it was determined that she had Gillian-Barre Syndrome. Within 48 hours she became paralyzed from the neck down. Basically, living in a broken body, unable to do anything for herself. I had just started driving again so I was able to be at the hospital with her for each meal and to help her with basic needs until she could re-learn how to do the simplest tasks we all take for granted. At the same time, her twin sister was also diagnosed with the same disease and was starting down the same path, facing the same challenges.
The timeline of my recovery, starting to drive again after a year and a half and then my daughter’s illnesses all fell in perfect alignment to allow me to be there and help my girls in their time of excessive need. The timing of these events was no mistake. That was God.
A couple years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy, spending the night in the hospital. It turned out my roommate was one of my old friends and co-workers from when we were young moms with babies & young children. We ended up spending the entire night reconnecting and talking about our families, old friends and good times. It kept our minds off the stress and seriousness of our situations. That was God.
My daughter had recovered most of her functionality and returned to living a pretty normal life. Four years ago, she came home from work — happy, excited about how things were going, laughing about the goofiness of the day. She ate dinner, relaxed, and had no idea what was about to happen. None of us did.
She died during the night. I found her.
There is nothing more horrific for a parent than outliving their child. And yet — this may sound strange — finding her was a blessing I’m forever grateful for. She looked like she was peacefully sleeping, still holding the TV remote in her hands. Knowing she would have surely dropped the remote if she had suffered any pain or trauma, that image gave me absolute peace and comfort.
She passed the way we all wish to go — without a long, terminal illness, without fear, without anxiety, without pain or trauma. She simply went to sleep and peacefully went home to Jesus. My heart is irretrievably broken that she is no longer here, but at the same time, I have an overwhelming peace knowing she is with Jesus — and she is good… oh, so good. How did I make it through this with such peace and comfort? That was God.
We all face storms and challenges in life — many of them completely out of our control, but we’ve also been given the miraculous gift of faith, and with it, the ability to choose our attitude in the midst of those moments. And… who gave us those gifts? That was God!
Sermon Recap: Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
This Sunday at Heritage UMC in Clearwater, Pastor Matt Horan continued our journey through the Beatitudes, and let me just say—if you weren’t in church, you missed both powerful truth and a mental image of Pastor Matt in a Speedo. (Yes, that happened. And no, there are no pictures in the church calendar, thank goodness.)
We learned that in both Matthew and Luke’s accounts of the Beatitudes, Jesus flips the world upside down. What society calls enviable—wealth, status, success—Jesus replaces with poverty, hunger, and mourning as the places of true blessing in God’s kingdom. It’s not the power of this world that saves us; it’s our complete dependence on God.
Pastor Matt explained that being “poor in spirit” is where the Christian life begins. It’s the moment we realize we can’t measure up on our own. We don’t start following Jesus because we’re impressive—we start because we’re desperate for His grace. Like swimmers waiting for the race horn, our spiritual poverty is the air horn that launches us into the water. Only some of us, Pastor Matt joked, are still standing on the diving blocks Googling “how to win a relay without swimming” while checking Instagram likes. (Guilty as charged.)
But then comes the hard part: mourning. Matthew places it right after poverty of spirit: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Mourning doesn’t sound like blessing—it feels like loss. But Pastor Matt showed us that it’s not just mourning for loved ones; it’s mourning our own sin, recognizing the ways we’ve hurt ourselves, others, and our world. That grief isn’t meant to crush us—it’s meant to transform us, to make us desperate for something different, something better.
He used the story of Oskar Schindler—yes, the Nazi spy-turned-savior—to show how one man’s grief over his part in the horrors of the Holocaust turned into action that saved 1,200 lives. That’s the power of mourning: it awakens us, convicts us, and can make us hunger for righteousness.
And Pastor Matt didn’t let us off easy. He repeated it several times (for those checking their phones or registering online for the Top Golf tournament): If you are more bothered by the sins of others than by your own sins, you are not following Jesus Christ. Ouch. Convicting. True.
Walking out of Heritage UMC today, I felt both challenged and hopeful. The Beatitudes remind us that the blessed life isn’t the easy life, and it certainly isn’t the Instagram life. It’s the upside-down, grace-filled life of following Jesus—starting with humility, continuing with repentance, and leading us toward righteousness.
If you missed the service, you can check it out HERE.
Sermon Recap: Turning Things Upside Down
Walking into worship this Sunday at Heritage United Methodist Church in Clearwater, I thought I knew what to expect. A warm, fuzzy start to the sermon series on the Beatitudes. But, boy was I wrong. Since it’s back-to-school season, he compared this sermon series to getting “schooled” by the Bible. Some lessons, like in real school, aren’t easy to hear. But they help us grow. And like Pastor Matt always says, “Life with Jesus doesn’t make it easier, it makes it better.”
What struck me most this week was how Pastor Matt described the way Jesus takes the world’s values and flips them completely upside down. He told stories about losing his keys and even a childhood library meltdown with a pacifier — funny moments that actually helped me see how Jesus sometimes has to “dump out the bag” so that the most important things come into view.
That’s exactly what happens in the Sermon on the Mount (or Plain). Jesus lays out a vision for God’s Kingdom that sounds so backwards compared to the way life usually works. He says the blessed ones — the ones in the most enviable position — aren’t the rich, the powerful, or the admired. Instead, it’s the poor, the hungry, the mourning, the meek, and those who are persecuted.
As Pastor Matt reminded us, that’s hard medicine to swallow. Honestly, it’s way harder than the Ten Commandments. But it’s also freeing. Jesus isn’t saying we’re blessed because life is easy — He’s showing us that in God’s Kingdom, the lowly, the hurting, and the overlooked are actually the closest to His heart.
Luke calls this justice — not fairness, but real justice, where needs are met based on what people lack, not what everyone else already has. Matthew shapes the same teaching a little differently for his audience, emphasizing the spiritual side: poor in spirit, hungering for righteousness, being merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers. Sometimes two versions of the same story in the Bible don’t exactly match. But As Pastor Matt reminded us, “Remember–we do not believe the Bible because every detail is locked down just right in journalistic or historic perfection. We believe the Bible because we can testify that its advice has led us to make choices that bore the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We believe the Bible because so many people have risked their lives to get it to us, and spent years of their lives carefully preserving and communicating it.”
Together, both versions remind us of this: God’s Kingdom values are not about climbing higher, but about humbling ourselves, trusting God, and caring for one another.
This week, I’m going to wrestle with what it means in my life to stop chasing the world’s version of “the good life” and instead lean into God’s idea of blessing. Like Pastor Matt said, maybe this is exactly where we’re supposed to be: right where God can do the most with us.
Out of Time: Philemon
There’s a juicy bit of drama from Paul’s letter to Philemon that I left out of the sermon on August 10th. It saved time to leave it out, but I also felt like the story of Onesimus’ arrival was dramatic enough without it.
There are many opinions out there about the relationship between Onesimus and Philemon. Some think Onesimus was in debt to Philemon. Some think he was born into slavery in Philemon’s household. But there’s also an even more scandalous theory out there–that Onesimus was Philemon’s half-brother.
It was not uncommon for slave-owning men to father children by their slaves. Such a child would have no higher status than any other slave in the household. It was rare for the father of the child to even acknowledge the relationship in the first place, though it was probably a poorly kept secret as children of the household and slave children grew up under the same roof.
A phrase that Bible scholars have debated for centuries appears in Philemon 1:15-16.
15For perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, 16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
The Greek phrase, “ἀδελφὸν κατὰ σάρκα,” (adelphon kata sarka) means “brother in the flesh.” There’s not really another way to interpret that than to mean the person is your brother, related to you, sharing common parents, etc. So when Paul tells Philemon that Onesimus is a beloved brother to him, he says that he’s a brother more so to Philemon, because unlike Paul, to Philemon he’s a brother “both in the flesh and in the Lord.”
Some argue that it just means Onesimus is back “in the flesh,” as if to say he’s there “in person,” as opposed to “in spirit” like someone might say today. However, it is possible that the moment Onesimus shows up with Tychicus to deliver Paul’s Letter to the Colossians was not just a moment of high drama. It’s possible that it was a moment of family drama worthy of its own TV show!
Sermon Recap: The Next Generation Shining Bright at Heritage
The Next Generation Shining Bright at Heritage
My favorite types of service are when we have children and students take over. And man, did those kids deliver at Heritage United Methodist Church this morning. Two of our students gave their testimony about finding their calling and understanding the impact they have on those around them simply by being the Light of Jesus. Their honesty and passion for Jesus reminded me why our church family places such a high value on the next generation.
Both students spoke about the ways God has been moving in their lives—through friendships, worship, and the encouragement they’ve found in leaders who truly care. Hearing their stories, I was struck by how real their faith is, not just something “for later,” but alive and active right now. It was a powerful reminder that these students aren’t just the future of the church; they are an important part of who we are at Heritage today. One of our church members joked with me on their way out of service that these kids will be taking our jobs. My response was, “as they should! We are not raising up our replacements. We are raising up the reinforcements for the gospel!” It is my absolute joy and honor that any of these students would one day take my job. It would be confirmation to me that somewhere, somehow, I demonstrated the light of Jesus in a way that caused them to want that as well.
Lauren Lopez, our Family Ministry Director, tied it up in a pretty bow so beautifully. We were challenged to think about how we as a church are pouring into both Heritage Kids and Lighthouse Student Ministry. The message reminded us that faith isn’t something kids just grow into on their own—it’s something we nurture together as a community. If we want the gospel to keep shining brightly, it’s up to all of us to model Christ’s love, to mentor, and to pray over the next generation. It means we show up for them, volunteer with them, pray with them, and provide safe spaces for them to learn discipleship. Lauren reminded us, we might think we are showing up for them and impacting them, but actually, it is us that will be impacted. Volunteering with youth, being part of their discipleship, is more rewarding than you could ever dream. So what are you waiting for? Jump in there and get to work!
I’m grateful to be part of a church family that invests in children and students in such meaningful ways. Watching their boldness and joy makes me so excited for the future. I can’t wait to see what this generation is going to do to change the world.
My takeaway: God is already doing big things in the lives of our kids and students. And we, the Heritage family, get the privilege of cheering them on every step of the way.
The Mission Field
Most of the kids in our community returned to school this week. What better time than this to share the testimony of our very own Rob Knabel, our Traditional Service Choir Director. Rob is passionate about the next generation. If you’ve ever seen him in action with his students, you can see how they mean to him. And on the other side of that, you can see how much those students love Rob. Take a look at what Rob shared with us. - Ashley Allen
I have served as a music director at HUMC since 1981. I am now entering my 46th year teaching music in PCSB. What a journey it has been, seeing how God blesses what we offer to Him as a living sacrifice to glorify His name. There is no limit to the good God can accomplish through those with an obedient heart that is pure and free of self. He entrusts to them a special degree of His strength, power, and might.
I taught at two other schools before my present assignment to East Lake High School, and I am now entering my 30th year there. My work at my first two schools was all about me and what I could accomplish to make a name for myself and get noticed by others. I was young, still full of self, and driven by the insatiable desire to be a big name. The ever-increasing demands of life brought me to my knees in the mid-80s, and when I was assigned to ELHS in 1996, my first time walking into that room, I knew I was placed there for something bigger than myself.
I knew this was going to be a mission field for the Lord. As teachers, we cannot preach the gospel, but we can still live it out day to day in the classroom. In the present darkened world we live in, young people are hungrier than ever for a sense of belonging. As the culture shifted into its present state, it has resulted in a lot of brokenness, hurt, and pain. Social media has done nothing to alleviate it—it has made it worse. Technological advances have moved us to a point at which human dialogue and interaction are less necessary, and even less desired.
The youth of today still have the basic needs that have always been crucial in the teenage years: a sense of belonging; fair and consistent discipline; love, encouragement, support, and understanding. These are all biblical principles! When an environment provides these on a consistent daily basis, kids will want to be a part of it. They seek it out, and when found, they can become the human beings God intended them to be—gifted and teeming with potential to be a major force in the world for good, love, and light.
As I became more and more drawn to the concept of my classroom being a mission field, God has blessed in a mighty way the work I have offered for His glory. Matt asked me years ago to bring in students to support our music ministry. Wow! It has been the perfect example of symbiosis—mutually beneficial. The choir has certainly benefited from their talent, but kids who visit here feel something special. They always comment on the people being so kind! Isn’t that a fruit of the Spirit?
I am excited to begin my 46th season making music both at school and at church. But now, more than ever, it is to glorify God. Every Sunday the choir sings is a chance to present the medicinal effect of music and how it soothes the soul—not only for those who listen, but for those who sing as well. We continue to cherish the support of our church family! -Rob Knabel
Sermon Recap: Philemon
This Sunday at Heritage United Methodist Church in Clearwater, I walked into the sanctuary feeling the comfort of entering a familiar and peaceful place. I wasn’t expecting Philemon (which I learned I have mispronounced my entire life, by the way). As I sat in service, I honestly could not recall if I’d ever read Philemon. Lucky for me, it was a quick read!
In the simple beauty of a short letter—just one chapter—Paul speaks into a profoundly awkward moment: a former slave named Onesimus, who mostly likely had stolen from Philemon and run away, is now walking back into his life. Somehow, Onesimus and Paul crossed paths in prison and Onesimus became a follower of Jesus. Now, he is returning home, escorted by Paul’s friend, Tychicus. Have you ever screwed up big time and then returned to the scene of the crime? And better yet, returned to the scene of the crime as a changed person? It’s a moment that must have been filled with tension, fear, maybe even anger. Yet Paul doesn’t demand payment or punishment. He appeals “on the basis of love,” urging Philemon to welcome Onesimus not as a slave, but as a dear brother in Christ. Paul even offers to personally pay any debt Onesimus might still owe. He vouched for Onesimus.
This is the Gospel in action. That tension, the awkwardness, the invitation to forgiveness... it’s all around us. In our workplaces, our families, sometimes even within the hearts of those we love. And just like Philemon, we’re given a choice: demand justice, or extend grace. Just as God reconciled us to Himself through Jesus, He calls us to be reconciled to one another. And that is hard. It’s rarely easy. It’s humbling, costly, awkward – but it’s worth it. It’s life changing.
Pastor Matt painted a vision of reconciliation for us: a brother sitting across the table from the one who hurt him. No wanted posters. No retribution. Instead, love—radical, costly, beautiful love.
Historical tradition suggests that Onesimus later became the Bishop of Ephesus. A man born in slavery becoming a spiritual leader of one of the most important churches in the early Christian world.
Pastor Matt closed the sermon with a challenge: If you think you’re not the kind of person God can use, think again. God specializes in taking unlikely people and using them for extraordinary purposes. If he can use Onesimus, He can use you.
If you missed the service, you can find it HERE.
Hey, Hey Jude - A Sermon Recap
This Sunday at Heritage, we explored one of the shortest books of the Bible—but one with an unforgettable impact: the Book of Jude. Not only did we learn about Jude, Pastor Matt employed a “Pop Up Video” technique to add extra bits and information to the scripture already on the screen. One of the pop ups include a reference to Ninja Angels, so you should definitely go back and watch the sermon here. But first, finish reading this blog post.
Jude: A Short Letter with a Strong Voice
The Book of Jude is only 25 verses long, but it delivers a bold wake-up call. Jude pleads with believers to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 3). He warns against spiritual complacency and false teaching that creeps in unnoticed. But he doesn’t stop at warnings—he inspires action rooted in love, prayer, and community.
We walked through Jude’s message, uncovering how ancient warnings apply to us today. Jude reminds us that even in a faith-filled congregation like ours, we must stay alert, grounded in Scripture, and connected to one another in truth and grace.
False Teaching and the Heart of Christ
One part of the sermon that really struck me was the caution against false teachers—not just those who distort doctrine, but also those who distort the heart of Christ. In our culture, and even in some churches, people are sometimes pushed toward faith through fear—especially fear of eternal damnation. Pastor Matt referenced his own experience with multiple people that he has encountered in his line of work that have expressed their own guilt at not being able to convince a friend or family member to turn to Christ and now that person has died and are spending eternity in a burning damnation. I was one of those people. I grew up in a denomination that believed that. I grew up praying that the one or two times a year a family member came to church would be the time he responded to the altar call and got saved and, as a 8 or 9 year old child, I was utterly devastated that this loved one was going to burn in the flames of hell because he never responded to the altar call. The fear is paralyzing. As an adult, I found the United Methodist Church, and ultimately, Heritage United Methodist Church, and I believe differently now. We are called to love people, not scare them. I want people to know Jesus because I love them like Jesus, not because I scared them about eternal fire in hell.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to reflect His character, not just recite His words. Jesus didn’t scare people into salvation; He loved them into transformation. Jude’s letter reminds us to uphold truth, yes—but also to do it with mercy and compassion. In verse 22, Jude calls us to “be merciful to those who doubt.” We don’t win people to Christ by shouting threats; we win them by living out grace, integrity, and unconditional love.
This is a vital distinction of United Methodists: truth and love must always walk hand-in-hand. Condemnation may drive people away, but Christlike compassion draws them in.
What This Means for Us at Heritage
As part of the United Methodists—it’s our calling to preserve the truth of Christ while extending mercy to others. We’re not called to be spectators, but participants in protecting and building up the church.
Jude gives us a clear path forward:
Stand firm in biblical truth
Be merciful without compromising
Keep ourselves in God’s love
Pray in the Spirit and wait on God’s mercy
Worship the One who can keep us from falling
A Call to Action
If you’ve ever felt like your faith was slipping or that truth is hard to find in today’s culture, let Jude’s words stir your heart. Don’t wait for someone else to take a stand—you are called to contend for the faith. Start by reading the Book of Jude this week. Then, take one step: join a study group, reach out to someone with questions, or serve in a ministry where truth and mercy are lived out. Stop by the office and borrow a book off of Pastor Matt’s shelves.
Let’s choose to act like Christ: offering love that convicts, truth that liberates, and mercy that welcomes.
Let’s be a church that doesn’t just talk about our faith—but lives it, protects it, and shares it boldly.
Out of Time
A final thought from Pastor Matt about the recent sermon series, Playing by the Rules. Because sometimes you just don’t have enough time to get it all in on a Sunday morning.
In Pastor Matt’s Bible Class on Wednesdays, we walk through every verse and talk about these kind of things–literary styles, writing conventions, word choices, translation challenges, etc. It’s wall to wall Bible nerdery in there. We shy away from nothing, and if it takes the whole hour to digest 3-4 words, so be it.
During the Playing by the Rules series, we took a look at the “faith hall of fame” section of the Book of Hebrews, from chapter 11. I’m not sure if you noticed, but I went from verse 5 to verse 7, and skipped over verse 6.
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
This is not a verse that lists members of the faith hall of fame–it’s an additional thought added that interrupts the list, which continues in verse 7 with Noah of “Noah’s Ark” fame. Beyond that, I feared that people’s reaction to “...anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists…” would be something like, “Well… duh!” Would someone actually approach God if they didn’t believe God exists? How do you approach something that isn’t there anyway?
This is a rabbit hole I decided I didn’t have time for on a Sunday morning. Had we gone down said rabbit hole, we would have looked at verses 5 & 6 together. The verse before this, Hebrews 11:5, lists Enoch among the faith heroes of Israel.
“5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: ‘He could not be found, because God had taken him away.’ For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:5-6)
That quotation is from the Old Testament, Genesis 5:24.
“Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”
(Genesis 5:24)
The author is making a case that all of these people trusted in God without knowing exactly how everything would work out. They went to their deaths–or their “taking away” in Enoch’s case–believing that there was something more to come that God would do, and even if they would never see it in their lifetime, their faith was still placed rightly. They were part of a shared faith journey that would culminate in Jesus Christ.
No one really knows what it means that Enoch was “taken away.” That’s all it says. Some interpret it to mean that he was taken up into the presence of God, and others that he was led by God to a place that was safer. Either way, his extraordinary life described in Hebrews 11:5 is the result of the faith described in 11:6. Verse 5 says Enoch pleased God. Verse 6 says, “Since we’re talking about pleasing God, here’s what that means…” Then in verse 7, it’s back to the list.
The author of Hebrews was making the case for faith in Christ to a Jewish audience who would have revered the people on this list from childhood. He or she is therefore celebrating their faith heroes, affirming them. In short–embracing Christ is not a rejection of these heroes. On the contrary, Jesus Christ is where all of their lives were leading too. Thus, to walk in their footsteps–all of whom pleased God–is to walk toward Jesus Christ as well.