Letter from the Pastor
October 2024
Kindness is Free
This past summer we went to Six Flags Great America for a family trip. While I was waiting in the long lines for one of the rides there was a t-shirt that I kept seeing over and over as we snaked our way along. It read: Kindness is free — so sprinkle that stuff everywhere. What a great message for us.
To many people, the world can seem like a mean place. When someone is struggling with addiction, poverty, or abuse they often feel isolated as if no one cares what happens to them. In our current time as we prepare for the upcoming election, the polarizing differences are becoming more noticeable as we get further and further apart. When our own denomination split in two, I watched people who had been very close turn on each other ending their friendships.
Into this time, it seems like the answer, as hard as it may be sometimes, is to sprinkle some kindness into the world around us. However, the truth of life is that it is easy to be kind to the kind. But how can we be kind when someone says something that just gets our blood boiling? How can we be kind when someone does something that is so hurtful? How can we be kind when we see someone ignoring the needs of other people?
Our only help is to remember the kindness of God who always chooses us no matter how much we screw up. We need to remember that “the kindness of God appeared” in the form of a little baby who came, despite our many faults and failures, to save us and show us a different way to be through his life transforming love of the resurrection. In Christ, with Christ, through Christ we have the best example, guide and source of strength to reach out in kindness and compassion to our world.
And so here are some ways to extend the kindness and compassion of our faith.
- Be kind to yourself: Understand and forgive your mistakes and flaws, just as you would treat a loved one.
- Be kind to others: Give compliments, hold doors open, write thank you notes, or lets someone go ahead of you.
- Smile: Smiling is a universal sign of goodwill, happiness, and friendship.
- Be patient: Be patient when you want to yell or get angry.
- Listen: Listen carefully to what someone is passionate about, even if you disagree.
- Forgive: Practice forgiveness.
- Be mindful: Don’t beat yourself up if your mind wanders or you have judgmental thoughts.
- Incorporate kindness activities: Try kindness jars, kindness journals, random acts of kindness or thank you notes.
And so let us live out the words of scripture to “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
In God’s Love,
Pastor Tim
Office Hours
Mon – Thur: 9am – 12pm, 1pm – 4pm
Fri – Sun: Closed
Sunday service: 8:30am & 10:30am

St. Paul’s
United Methodist Church
Contact Info
600 Wilshire Blvd
Stevens Point, WI 54481
(715) 344-3557
stpauls@stevenspointumc.org