Announcement & I Am America

AC4Ed 5-Star Accredited Preschool: Opening this Fall at Matthews UMC – Read Complete Announcement Below

5th Sunday after Pentecost
Just these lines, my friends …

… to say that Sunday was a wondrous day of worship. Can I tell you how much I love hearing John Woodall sing? Can I tell you how moved I was with the Sanctuary Choir arrangement of Great is Thy Faithfulness? Can I tell you about our new missionaries serving in Colombia, South America through Wájaro Foundation, Jake & Lauren Jones and one of our former pastors, Brad Hopper of South America Mission introducing them? Can I tell the joy I felt with Kathy White surprising us with some George Winston in the prelude? Can I tell you about the baptism at the 9:30 hour with little Bennett Brogden? He was precious. AND…can I tell you about the joy in my heart seeing so many of you making your way to the Courtyard to assemble 513 hygiene kits for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)? What a holy, holy morning!

It’s Music & Arts Camp around the church this week. Hold it all so very close in your heart. These are important moments for the children and the formation of their faith. Their performance of O Chicken of Little Faith this Friday evening at 6:30 in the Sanctuary.

I’m still basking in the wonder and beauty of our Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church gathering at Lake Junaluska on June 16-18. You can click here for a good summary of the worshipful work conducted by United Methodists from all over western North Carolina.

Well, it’s official. Summer is here. Last Wednesday (June 21) was the first day of summer. The summer solstice is the official name. It is when “one of the earth’s poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun.” Another way of looking at it is that it was the longest day of the year. With summer comes all its joys — travel, the beach, lazy days, camps, picnics, fireworks, and summer reading. I know that many of you have already been very busy enjoying the summer. Karen and I have some summer plans and we are looking forward to some lazy days, the mountains, and lots of summer reading for me.

One thing remains constant throughout the seasons, regardless of what we do or where we travel: worship. Worship is at the heart of who we are and what we do. Oh, I know we can worship anywhere, but I mean worshipping in church with other persons who walk in the Way of Jesus. If you are in town or away at the beach, I would encourage you not to take a vacation from church but to join us in worship in person or online. Stay connected. It is easy to get out of the rhythm of things.

In my early morning time with God, I came across this beautiful prayer from the Sixteenth-century reformer Lazarus Spengler:

“For my feet your holy word is a lantern, a light that shows me the way forward; as this morning star rises upon us
we understand the great gifts that God’s Spirit has certainly promised to us, and in these we have our hope.”

Exciting Preschool News for the Fall of 2023

Preschool education has been so very important to us for decades when it comes to MUMC. Unfortunately, Covid placed us in a position where we were unable to continue for a season. But that season has come to an end. I’m delighted to announce to you today our new partnership with the Alliance Center for Education (AC4Ed). AC4Ed is a faith-based organization partnering with MUMC to educate, transform, and inspire fulfilled lives by embodying the love of Jesus Christ. Originally founded by the United Methodist Women of Charlotte in 1940, the Bethlehem Center — now called AC4Ed — was started to address the needs of inner-city women and children whose income was at or below the poverty level. MUMC has been working through our Global Impact mission outreach for years with this amazing partner ministry. We began thinking, “Why not AC4Ed in Matthews?” Today, AC4Ed is a highly regarded 5-Star early childhood education program in multiple sites across the Charlotte landscape.

Starting this fall, the Matthews United Methodist location for AC4Ed will serve 3- to 5-year-olds with needs-based and private-pay spots. Three of our six classrooms (36 slots) will be universal Pre-K, which means any child who will be 4 by or before August 31, 2023, is eligible regardless of income. The Head Start classes are income based with low-income families receiving priority placement. Parents who are interested can link to the application: Apply Online (childplus.net). Please select the “McAlpine” location until the website is updated to reflect Matthews UMC. To apply for a preschool teacher or teacher assistant opening, apply online: Preschool Teachers (paycomonline.net). AC4Ed headquarters is listed as the location, so please let the HR team know you are interested in working at the Matthews location if contacted for an interview.

The Legacy European Academy, who currently resides on our campus to provide educational resources to Ukrainian families, and AC4Ed will work side-by-side in our Education Wing. My heart is bursting with joy and excitement as I consider the possibilities. This match with AC4Ed, born out of a decades-long relationship, is now coming to be right here at MUMC!

Wednesday Devotional

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch my devotional for the week titled, I Am America.

This Sunday in Worship

We invite you to join us this Sunday at 8:15 am (Traditional; in person only), 9:30 am (Contemporary; in person or online here), 11:00 am (Traditional; in person or online here) or 12:30 (Spanish; in person or on demand here).

Our Spanish-speaking community will be continuing their worship series, Practical Apologetics. Pastor Roldan will be preaching from Jude 1:3-4. His sermon title, A Necessary Fight.

We continue our worship series in the Sanctuary, High Maintenance Relationships … those persons who for one reason or another have the high capacity to exasperate us. This week will be our third in the series, The Cold Shoulder, that person who can be cold, challenging, and not welcoming. Our scripture lesson will be Hebrews 10:24-25. If you have guests in town, invite them to church, let’s help keep not just ourselves but others connected to the worship of our loving Savior! I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

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

We are better … together.
Dr. Charles (Chuck) W. Wilson II

Did you know that The Commons and Gym have been upfitted with new state-of-the-art video, light and sound equipment? This gives us the ability to livestream from The Commons. These upgrades were made possible with funds from an estate gift and our ReFresh & ReNew Fund.

Did you know that Rick Turski is our new Worship Production Assistant? Rick will be overseeing all technical aspects of the productions in The Commons and Gym. Rick is a full-time Technical Theatre Teacher at Providence High School and received teacher of the year in 2019! We welcome Rick and his family to Matthews UMC.

Did you know that choir member Beverley Fifer took 40 of our choir robes that we replaced up to her former church in Bristol, Virginia? North Star Baptist is thrilled that we are donating these robes to them; they are so grateful. Also, we have supplied Indian Trail United Methodist with Pastor Greg Hamilton and Wilkesboro United Methodist is coming next week to pick some up. Monroe UMC is on standby to take the rest. We have been able to supply 4 different churches with our sanctuary choir robes. What a great outreach!

Did you know that we had an intergenerational group gather in The Commons last Saturday for a Morning of Wellness? We learned all about the benefits of massage and had a great fitness session where everyone had a fun time learning new techniques to stay fit and exercise with items we have on hand. We ended with a music therapist forming a drum circle and enjoyed making music together & singing all while learning of the healing benefits music has on our minds and bodies. Everyone had a great time!