Welcome to Church of the Palms

Listen to Sermon of March 24

Listen to Pastor Pete's message "God Is On The Move...Over The Fence" preceded by Donita reading Luke 13:1-9

This is from our 8:30 a.m. classic style worship service.

All of our messages are also available on iTunes and all three weekly worship experiences are available on our YouTube channel.

Sisters! Meet March 27

The Sisters!! Wednesday morning breakfast and Bible study continue their study of the Book of Esther resuming at Esther 2:5 on Wednesday, March 27, at 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Join this group as often as you can and enjoy the fellowship and discussion.

Community Lenten Service March 27

Presbyterian, United Methodist, Lutheran, and A.M.E. churches in the greater Bluffton – Okatie area will gather together at noon each Wednesday, March 13 to April 17, in the season of Lent for worship and fellowship.

A guest pastor from the area will share the message during the 30-minute service. Offerings received as part of the service will support missions and ministries selected by the host church. Following the worship service, a light luncheon will be offered so that additional fellowship may be experienced.

The service on Wednesday, March 27, is at Bluffton UMC with the Rev. Joey McDonald, welcoming the Rev. Daniel Burbage, guest proclaimer.

From Your Chair of Worship -- Sanctuary Flowers

Please consider donating flowers to adorn the Sanctuary. Flowers add so much to the beauty of the altar area and are a lovely way to honor a person or event, as a memorial or a thank offering. Just select a date and signup on the paper calendar located inside the door of the name badge cabinet in the entrance to the Christian Life Center.

You may purchase the flowers, deliver them to the church building and arrange them yourself. Or you may call Audrey Lund, Chair of Worship, at 843-441-3463 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and she will handle all of the details for you.

There are openings for February, so please consider signing up.

Tour Allendale - March 28

Join the men and women of Church of the Palms on an informative tour of Allendale Correctional Institute on Thursday, March 28, leaving the church building at 8:30 a.m.

The Brothers! are offering to cook you breakfast before you leave, so come and enjoy their gift at 8 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

David Gies can be contacted to save you a spot and to provide you with the security papers that should be completed at least 3 weeks in advance. You will be enlightened by seeing what is occurring at Allendale and the transformation in men's lives that is occurring. The tour will return to the church building by 3 p.m. on Thursday.

Contact David Gies at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 843-707-7315.

Participate in the Bell Campaign

The Bell Campaign is underway and 11 more bells have been purchased. That leaves 26 more opportunities for you to honor or memorialize a special person in your life! Watch for continued updates!

It is exciting to know that people are also excited about having a Bell Choir! Although each bell costs $285, which includes a personalized inscription, any donation will be greatly appreciated towards the Bell Campaign.

Contact Norma Brown with questions.

The Passion of Christ in Art and Scripture - April 7

Join in an informative discussion of the Passion of Christ as captured in art and scripture led by Dr. Lisa Ciresi, Associate Professor of Art History.

Dr. Ciresi will be sharing insights into the portrayal of Christ and specifically the events of Holy Week as capture in artistic representations of scriptural stories. Dr. Ciresi is a passionate communicator, and you will be both engrossed and enlightened.

This event is Sunday, April 7, at 4 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

Sisters of the Night Start New Study April 24

Starting April 24, Sisters of the Night small group will begin a new study and invite any woman in the church who is looking for a night time group to join.

 Short Storys by Jesus explores a fresh and timely interpretation of Jesus’ most popular teaching parables.

Jesus knew how to tell a story. He knew that in order to get his message across he needed to relate to the people who gathered to listen—first century Jews—who lived in a very different world than the one in which we live today.

In Short Stories by Jesus, author Amy-Jill Levine takes you back in time and explains how original audiences understood Jesus’ parables. You’ll learn how new interpretations of the parables continue to challenge and provoke contemporary readers two thousand years later.

The six-session DVD features Amy-Jill Levine offering a fresh, timely reinterpretation of Jesus’ narratives.

This group of women meet twice a month and if you are interested please contact Candy Grose Group Leader 843-575-2716 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Blood Drive, May 30

Save the date of May 30 for a blood donation drive here at Church of the Palms in support of Susan Scholer. While the date seems far off, donors must wait 56 days between donations, so some planning is required to be part of this great way to support Susan.

Susan has already received an estimated 28 units of blood and may need more, so we've set a goal of 45 units!! Our goal will cover her use and support others as well.

Watch for an interest sheet coming soon to help the Red Cross plan for this drive. Additional information will be available on the pre-registration system called "RapidPass" and the opportunity for those willing to give Power Reds (double red cells.)

"...do what you can, when you can, in a coordinated manner to the glory of God!"

Download COTP Mobile App

Do you know that the Church of the Palms website automatically adjusts to fit the device on which it is being viewed? This means it works well with smartphones and tablets.

You can also place a COTP icon on the homepage of your iPhone that acts just like an app icon. A single tap of the new icon will launch Safari and take you right to the web page.

Here’s how:

1. Tap Safari to launch it
2. Go to www.palmsumc.org
3. Tap on the share button (box with arrow) at the bottom of the screen
4. Tap “Add to Home Screen” A sheet will appear that will allow you to change (or shorten) the name the website if you like. An icon for the website will also be provided
5. Tap Add. An icon for the webpage will be added to an open spot on your home screen.

(Watch for similar steps for Android smartphones!)