Pastor Scott Griffith, a lover of M&Ms, is the son of Paul and Trudy Griffith.
He was raised in New City, New York. After graduating from Summit High School in 1982, Rev. Griffith attended Kean University where he earned his undergraduate degree and a dual certification in music and elementary education.
In 1994 he was called into ministry by the Diamond Hill United Methodist Church in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, where he had been serving as Music Director. After serving for five years there, he was appointed to a two-point charge in Kearny, New Jersey. Before coming to Arcola United Methodist Church here in Paramus as a full time pastor, Rev. Griffith was serving as a full time pastor at Asbury United Methodist Church in Egg Harbor Township, NJ.
Pastor Scott is a gifted Christian preacher serving Arcola United Methodist Church with his God-given talents of creating and sharing meaningful sermons each Sunday morning. He sings in the choir, attends all meetings, and participates with the youth in their activities and events. Pastor Scott's interests include reading, collecting coins and listening to music.
September 2018
Dear Friends:
Jesus asks us a good question: You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? (Luke 12:56)
September brings changes in weather; hurricanes, cooler air, change of colors. We see these, and comment. But Jesus asks us why we can’t see when there are deeper, more fundamental changes going on.
He asked that 2000 years ago, and I believe he’d still ask it today. There’s a movie that came out about Mr. Rogers, and I hear it’s excellent. He raises the question of being a neighbor; Jesus wants us to show mercy to our neighbor.
But reading the signs of the times shows us we are not always doing that. Our neighbor is not just the person living next door. Are not Mexico and Canada our neighbors? How are we treating our Hispanic sisters and brothers at the border?
We seek leaders that speak to our fears, but Jesus would ask us to interpret that as a sign of the times; does Jesus want us to be ruled by fear, or to let go of fear, and trust God?
Thomas Merton, in his book, The Silent Life, writes that we are at the peak of the greatest crisis in history. “Mankind stands on the brink of a new barbarism, yet at the same time there remain possibilities for an unexpected and almost unbelievable solution, the creation of a new world and a new civilization the like of which has never been seen. We are face to face either with Antichrist or the Millennium, no one knows which.”
The seasons change; the question for us is whether we will change to give a Christian witness to the signs of these times. If we don’t show the love of Christ to those who are causing this present crisis, who will God judge more severely, the ones in power, or we who didn’t speak the power of God to this world?
God Bless,
Scott