Each Day Some Awe-robics

19^th Sunday after Pentecost
Just these lines, my friends …

… to say how about those young people of Matthews United Methodist (MUMC)! Sunday, they filled our morning with beautiful music and witness. Our MUMC Lay Leader, Carol Hatcher says, “I have been involved in many Youth Sundays and have probably participated in about 20 of them. But this morning’s worship was probably the most impactful youth service I have ever attended. The music … the speakers … the interviews … so well done.” Friends, if you missed it, you can watch here.

Jon Pollack, the Servant Leader for our Administrative Council, continues his letters to the congregation. You can read his latest note to us below about the mission and outreach work of MUMC:
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Message to Matthews UMC Congregation from
our Administrative Council Servant Leader

Dear Church,

Many of you may be wondering what the state of our Mission field is at Matthews UMC and if Covid has impacted our ability to Reach people in need.

I can confidently report that our commitment to Missions has never been stronger! Global Impact added four new mission partners this year: South America Missions, Brave Step, The Males Place and Common Heart. We now support 33 local, regional/national and international partners.

Here are some highlights from the first nine months of this year:

• Global Impact delivered 500 lbs of beef from a local farmer to four local ministry partners
• Volunteers gleaned fields and delivered 128 lbs of bell peppers to Common Heart for their food pantry
• Home2Home picked up over 800 pieces of furniture and delivered over 550 items to new owners of Habitat homes, refugees in our community from Ukraine and Nepal, and others needing assistance in our community (Read more about Ukraine assistance.)
• Feed the People shopped for, bagged, and delivered over 600 bags of groceries to the Union County Crisis Assistance Center
• Our volunteers have logged hundreds of hours at Matthews HELP Center, Turning Point, COSKids, Greenway Park Elementary, Hoskins Park and many other ministries in our community
• Three years of support have been completed for our first Zoe Empowerment Group with 94 Youth now self-sufficient, raising siblings and running small businesses in Kenya!
• Funds to Global Impact helped send 61 youth on mission trips this past summer
• Global Impact hosted our first Poverty Simulation for 65 participants that was facilitated by Common Heart last February
• Disaster relief funds were sent to Canton, NC and Kentucky for flood relief
• Kidron Valley ministry received funds for a new tractor to grow food for the Orphanage in Uganda
• A new shed was donated to The Males Place for their garden that was built by MUMC volunteers
• Global Impact hosted an educational event in Spanish for 30 women from Centro Cristiano Hosanna with Brave Step, a new ministry partner who inspires and empowers adults in conversations about sexual violence
• 1,000 pounds of donated potatoes were picked up and distributed to seven local mission partners
• Over $100,000 has been distributed to our ministry partners thus far in 2022

Two upcoming opportunities of interest include the community-wide October 20 viewing at 6:30 pm in The Commons of an HBO documentary for Changed Choices about “the girlfriend problem” where mandatory sentencing is given to perpetrators AND the exciting news that after a two-year hiatus, the Arts & Crafts Extravaganza will be held on November 19 from 9am – 3pm to benefit the Matthews HELP Center and United Women In Faith here at MUMC. Also, be on the lookout for information around our mission trip to Bogotá, Colombia in March 2023 to support The Wájaro Foundation! An interest meeting will be held tomorrow (October 13th) at 6:30 pm in the Conference Room next to the Chapel.

Your giving, serving and loving has enabled our commitment to Missions to grow and expand. Together, we are truly doing God’s work…thank you! If you would like to become more involved, please check out globalimpactmumc.org (serve “Beyond the Walls” on our site), contact Amy DeVore (704-815-1985), our Director of Missions & Justice Ministries, who would love to help get you connected.

Blessings to all,

Jon Pollack
Administrative Council Servant Leader

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Wednesday Devotional

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch my devotional for the week. It is titled, Each Day Some Awe-robics.

Don’t Miss These Opportunities!:

We have a few upcoming church-wide events that you will not want to miss:

• Bach: Mass in B Minor presented by Charlotte Master Chorale featuring the NC Baroque Orchestra & nationally acclaimed soloists. This Saturday, October 15, 7:30 pm. More info & tickets here, or purchase tickets at the door.
• Dawn Anthony: Fall Concert this Sunday, October 16. Dawn will be with us in our 9:30 & 11:00 worship services on Sunday, and then offer a Jazz concert at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary. No ticket required!
• All-Church Gathering – Monday, October 24, 7:00 pm in The Commons.
• Trunk or Treat – Sunday, October 30, 6:00-7:30 pm, MUMC Parking Lot. This community event hosted by Youth Ministry for kids and families is made possible by Our Faithful Next Steps funding. Click here to find out how to get involved!
• Endowment Legacy Luncheon – Wednesday, November 2, 12:00 in The Commons. Enjoy a catered lunch, musical entertainment by Trip Rogers, and a time of remembrance and fellowship with our special speaker, Dr. Ken Lyon. Purchase tickets here by October 25.

This Sunday in Worship

We invite you this Sunday to join us in person at 8:15 am, 9:30 am and 11:00 am, or online at 9:30 am (contemporary), 11:00 am (traditional) or 12:30 (Spanish – in person only).

In our Spanish-speaking CCH community, Pastor Roldan is preaching from Genesis 6:13-21 and his sermon is titled: Collaborating with God.

This coming Sunday will be filled with new members joining, baptisms, inspiring music and so much more! At our 9:30 and 11:00 services, we welcome back Dawn Anthony. and then she will offer a spectacular Jazz concert at 6:00pm; no ticket required! This performance is a feature in our Music & Worship Arts Community Concert Series.

We will continue in our Fall Worship Series on living beyond yourself (A Life Worth Living) with a sermon that focuses on the meaning of worship. Now this is a topic of significance for me, not only because the planning of worship is among my chief responsibilities, but because I happen to believe that worship is one of the most important things that a church community does. It is that single moment throughout the week that all of us, with all our diversity of gifts, passions, and involvement, come together with the acknowledged presence of God and simultaneously experience something transformative and powerful. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we explore The Work of Worship from Romans 12:1-2. In preparation you might want to take a few minutes and read Psalm 111 as well.

And now, as always, during these strange, uncertain, and yet, hopeful days, remember … God does God’s best work in moments like this.

We are the church, together,
Dr. Charles (Chuck) W. Wilson II

Did you know that 19.1 % of US adults experience an anxiety disorder each year? On October 27th at 7:00 PM in The Commons, our church will host our second mental health symposium called There’s Hope: The Church and Mental Health.  Speakers include Dr. Warren Kinghorn, psychiatrist and theologian from Duke University. I hope you will attend to learn about the church’s mission in mental health.

Did you know that Brave Step, a new Global Impact partner, hosted a session for Centro Cristiano Hosanna on Saturday? Eighteen participants learned about the work that Brave Step does to educate and empower victims of sexual violence. Brave Step will be offering A Cup of Courage on Saturday, October 29 from 9:30-11:30 am in Room 158. Come and bravely explore the impact sexual violence has as survivors, loved ones and community advocates and those wanting to learn more. Register here.

Did you know that Global Impact bagged and delivered 1000 lbs. of potatoes to seven ministry partners?  Thank you for supporting this ministry.

Did you know that our Bridge Builders group joined Mt Moriah Missionary Baptist Church for a walk for Breast Cancer and Leukemia/Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma awareness on Saturday, October 8? It was a beautiful day to walk/run for a good cause.