Notes from the Road

april 27

april 29

“4/29/25. Dear Aldersgate family, We are finishing up the Grand Canyon leg of this adventure. We find ourselves marveling at…Everything. We took our real first day of rest the other day. After all the busyness of travel and the overwhelming joy of adventures there is something profound about taking a day to enjoy God’s gift of rest. We are so grateful for you and for this opportunity as we are being transformed by this holy experience. I pray you lean into all God has for you in this season. 

Peace in Christ, Pastor Steve M. 

As a reminder of the glorious things God does with dust here is a dusty print from Cedar Ridge on the South Kaibab Trail. From the dust that makes up a Nebula, to the dust layers compacted over millions of years to you and I. God does glorious things with dust. Gen 2:7.”

may 6

"The Lord is my rock in whom I take refuge. —Psalm 18. Out here in Colorado I can see why the psalmist use these images. I have felt so small next to these rocks and they seem so strong. Our legs have been tired from all the amazing hikes!"

may 17

may 21

june 4

“The waters of Lake Michigan were soooo blue! Amazing! A reoccurring theme in my adventures is “Belonging.” We belong to God in Christ, thru the Spirit. We belong to each other as the Body of Christ. For all our neighbors we are called to create a community of belonging. Our belonging reveals + shapes who we are. I look forward to our return to practice becoming a community of belonging as we connect, know, love + grow. Peace, Pastor Steve”

june 8

june 17

“Aldersgate, I love you! I delight in who we are as a church. In my adventures learning from these churches one thing I am wondering is if we need to double down on our loving our neighborhood efforts…meeting, knowing our actual neighbors…keep throwing block parties and learning names of neighbors. We may just find we are encountering Christ outside the walls of church in the faces of our neighbors. Love + Peace, Pastor Steve”

june 22

“Aldersgate—the funny thing about this postcard is we didn’t do any of the things on the front of the card. :) We visited the church + did some hiking in the area. God is doing some beautiful outreach through Asbury 1st UMC. As we travel I’ve been reading and I’m nearly done with the book Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer. It is about discipleship and I am hoping some at Aldersgate would be willing to explore this way of being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus and doing as Jesus did with me. I look forward to hearing how you are growing in love w/ God, self + others when I return. Peace, Pastor Steve”

june 30

"Dear Saints of Aldersgate, I love you + Christ loves you! I'm in Louisiana with my family enjoying crawfish, fishing + stargazing + swapping stories. As I am remembering how important family is I'm thinking about how important it is that we as Aldersgate love each other w/Christ's love that we grow together as God's holy family. I am getting excited about the learning forums and you meeting some of the leaders I have met. God is doing some beautiful things and we have much to learn. I look forward to seeing what Christ has in store for us as a church as we lean deep into loving our neighbors! Peace, Pastor Steve"

july 1

“Today I visit the place and some of the people where I lived for 19 years. Ruston, LA. The places we live and the community to which we belong have such a significance on who we are and who we become. Ruston + its people hold a special place in my heart because of how I was loved, formed + shaped here. May we at Aldersgate Love our Neighbors so well that people like me will be giving thanks for the beautiful gift of Durham NC and how we as a community love and form people. I love you so much, Saints of Aldersgate! Pastor Steve”

july 3

"After graduating H.S. in Florida my family moved to Alexandria, Louisiana to be closer to my grandparents. I lived there for 2.5 months before going to LATECH. This place represents a significant place of transition in my life. A time of self discovery and learning was about to unfold. My grandparents lived here since 1956. This is a place I would come to visit family often over the years. When I see the oak trees and the roads, I am filled with a certain fondness for this place. Peace, Pastor Steve"

july 5

"I'm in the Frog Capital of the World! Visiting aunts and uncles and cousins I haven't seen since a funeral years ago has brought back stories + memories long forgotten. So much laughter + joy. After mtns, canyons + waterfalls coming here has been another kind of experience of awe and wonder. Food, family and even land, climate, it all has an impact on us. Love takes so many forms. Peace in Christ, Pastor Steve"