by Pastor Jeff Nelson | Jul 20, 2018 | Blog / Voices
Dear Friends, You are a blessing. That is why the church exists—to be a blessing. The church exists to take the love of Christ it knows and has experienced for itself and then turn around and share it with the world. And you, the people of Royal Oak First, are indeed...
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by Pastor Jeff Nelson | Jul 6, 2018 | Blog / Voices
Dear Friends, Christians talk often about how much they love Jesus. But what exactly does that mean? How does one love Jesus? Is loving Jesus an act of worship? Is it adhering to a set of beliefs? Is it an adherence to a set of doctrine? Is it through acts of personal...
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by Pastor Jeff Nelson | Jun 29, 2018 | Blog / Voices
Dear Friends, It all started in 1838 when the Reverend J.M. Arnold was assigned to organize a Methodist church in a small village just north of Detroit called Royal Oak. The Royal Oak Methodists met in a one room schoolhouse on the corner of Main and Lincoln. It was...
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by Sam Garrett | Jun 22, 2018 | Blog / Voices
She is not going to like this. My grandma has always been the type to work quietly in the background, never wanting a show, never wanting to be in the spotlight. Well, she is in the spotlight now. When I was attending Jane Addams Middle School, my cousin and I went to...
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by rofum | Jun 18, 2018 | Blog / Voices, People of Royal Oak
Church has not always been a safe place for me. The churches I grew up in made it very clear that people like me were not welcome. The exclusions were plenty; the empathy was scarce. I had sworn off church because of the bitterness that had grown. That all slowly...
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by Pastor Jeff Nelson | Jun 15, 2018 | Blog / Voices
“Like the pine trees lining the winding road, I got a name” Jim Croce, I Got a Name “Whether we like it or not, we all come from someplace. And at some point in our lives, we have to make peace with that place.” Jeffrey Stepakoff, The Orchard “Hello,...
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by rofum | Jun 11, 2018 | Blog / Voices, People of Royal Oak
Sometimes adults get it- sometimes they don’t. Jennifer always got it. She always let us tease her for the way she said “Ha-le-LU-jah.” She always set us up with the chords to start singing “Siyahamba” knowing fully well that we would respond by making fun of how she...
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by Myra Moreland | Jun 8, 2018 | Blog / Voices
Dear Friends, What a glorious week here at Royal Oak First! The weather is beautiful; the birds are chirping and the construction crews are humming. Life is good. We are on an adventure here at our church, an adventure of new surroundings, new people visiting, new...
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by rofum | Jun 6, 2018 | Blog / Voices, People of Royal Oak
A great teacher can change your life. Besides all my music classes, one of my favorite classes in High School was Ecology with Mr. Chamberlain. Interlochen Arts Academy is tucked on a strip of land between two quiet lakes and surrounded by a state park and pine...
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by rofum | Jun 1, 2018 | Blog / Voices
Dear Friends, In our modern world we often say that we need support systems but, in our church and families, we have built-in support systems. In our scripture today, the paralyzed man has a group of friends that are his built-in support system. I’ve come to believe...
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by Deacon Caleb Williams | May 25, 2018 | Blog / Voices
Dear Friends, After 12 years of ministry, and 8 years as a candidate, it’s going to be official! Woohoo! Next weekend, at the Annual Conference of the Michigan Area of the United Methodist Church (say that 10 times fast), I’m getting ordained! But what does that mean?...
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by Pastor Jeff Nelson | May 18, 2018 | Blog / Voices
Dear Friends, So what is this Pentecost thing? The term Pentecost comes from the Greek word for “fiftieth” (50th). It refers to the festival celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover, also known as the “Feast of Weeks.” For the early church,...
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