Mother’s Day

7th Sunday of Easter | Mother’s Day
Just these lines, my friends …

… to say that I had a lot to share with you in my sermon this past Sunday. I sought to summarize some of the important decisions of The United Methodist Church at General Conference this past week. If you missed worshipping with us, you can do so here. You can also read/view the following resources about General Conference:

• An excellent Summary of the historic work of the General Conference.
• 10-Minute General Conference Video Recap from The United Methodist Church
• Video Recording of Webinar held May 7 by Bishop Carter / Western NC Conference of The United Methodist Church: What Happened at General Conference?
• Video recording of Monday night’s All-Church Gathering, where one of the topics was General Conference.

Much of the meaning we find in our personal lives stems from contributions by people we often neglect to thank. Some of the unsung heroes who’ve helped make me who I am are church musicians. Worship organizes my life and centers my soul. But the music of worship is what has helped generate the kind of person I am.

Gifted church musicians know how to help people sing together. They have this genius about them to help us the congregation get “lost in wonder, love, and praise,” to borrow Charles Wesley’s words. Week in and week out, these people enlarge our individual worlds, send chills up our spines, leave us with mouths wide open, and remind us that singing is not an option for our lives; it is the heart of being fully alive. What they do matters to us.

And what they do was on full display last Thursday morning (May 2) at the General Conference of The United Methodist Church in the Charlotte Convention Center. You would have been popping your suspenders with pride that they are us and we are them. It was beyond my imagination – delegates and observers from all over the world listening to and worshipping with our incomparable choir. (Click here to view the service.) These folks are always busy fighting for us to find our voice, yearning for each and every one of us to discover that singing is a sacred duty.

Eugene Peterson suggests that song is the result of excess energy. Peterson says, “When we are normal, we talk. When we are dying, we whisper. But when there is more in us than we can contain, we sing.”

So, I hope you will chase down every member of all our music ministry groups and their directors – Sanctuary Choir, handbells, Praise Team, Children’s Choirs … every one of them … and let them know of your gratitude.

Mother’s Day awaits us this Sunday. Numerous times throughout the Bible, we see maternal depictions of God: a mother eagle that broods over its young (Deuteronomy 32:11-12), a fiercely protective mother bear (Hosea 13:8), and a comforting mother (Isaiah 66:13). Jesus even compared himself to a mother hen (Matthew 23:37). You probably know this, but we all need a reminder: God is your loving parent, walking alongside you as you face life’s challenges, giving you just enough of what you need to survive and thrive along the way,

As we take time this Sunday to honor our mothers and mother figures in our lives, let us give thanks for the way God is like a mother to you, protecting you and providing for your every need. God is with us and for us.

Video Devotional

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch my devotional for the week titled, Mother’s Day 2024.

Upcoming Events

• Please plan to attend one of the four remaining Feasibility Study Open Focus Group sessions for Sanctuary/Auxiliary Space improvements.
  • Sunday, May 12 at 9:30 am in Room 106 AND 11:10 am in the Gym (after Family Worship)
  • Saturday, May 18 at 10:00 am in Room 94 or via Zoom here (Meeting ID 913 5626 5970; Passcode: study)
  • Sunday, May 19 at 9:30 am in The Commons – Last Chance!
  • See details on the Focus Group Handout and be sure to complete the survey by May 21 if you have attended an open session.

• Leadership Information Session: Wednesday, May 8 (tonight), 7 pm in Room 94 or via Zoom. Come learn what it means to serve in elected leadership on one of our formal committees. Details
• Congregational DEPRESSION AWARENESS Program (CDAP) led by Dr Daniel Hale – Thursdays, May 9-May 30, 5:30-7:30 pm Online. Register Now!
• May is Mental Health Awareness Month – Hope for Minds & Hearts resources.
• Volunteer for Metro Prom – This Friday, May 10! We need as many adults as possible serve between 9am-1pm. Adults & Youth – Sign up here!
• Pentecost and Confirmation Sunday on May 19. Please be sure to wear some red!

 

This Sunday in Worship

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

This Sunday, in all our worship services, we are preparing for a holy and beautiful Mother’s Day at MUMC.

This week, Pastor Roldan will continue his worship series for our CCH Community titled, Strengthening Family Ties. His sermon, Let’s Learn to Let Go of Our Burdens comes from I Samuel 1:15-20.

All are welcome to come & experience Family Worship (9:30 in the Gym), an interactive, high-energy worship service for the whole family where this month we will be focusing on the virtue of Commitment. Plan to stay for a few minutes following the service in The Commons for refreshments and the opportunity for kids to make a gift for a special Mother figure in their life.

In the Sanctuary, I will be preaching and teaching from the Old Testament Book of Ruth which is a story about an unconventional family (Ruth 1:11-18). So unconventional, that the book focuses on love for a mother-in-law. Why would the story of a Moabite woman who loved her mother-in-law make it into the pages of the Bible? I hope you’ll be with us as we learn together of one of the tenderest scenes in all the Bible. My sermon for Mother’s Day 2024 is titled, Through Thick and Thin.

I think Mother’s Day will be a great day for you to invite someone to church with you … especially someone who is looking for a love that will not let them go. Someone in your world may just need to hear of the unrelenting love of God. I hope you’ll do just that this week.

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

Jesus is on the loose!
Dr. Charles (Chuck) W. Wilson II

 

Did you know that Amy DeVore helped coordinate volunteer hospitality and welcome at General Conference? Read this article to learn about the red aprons, symbolizing service for all in attendance.

Did you know that Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church honored law enforcement & emergency personnel at their Annual Law Enforcement and Public Servants Appreciation Day this past Sunday? NC State Representative and Retired Sgt. NC Highway Patrol, Carolyn Logan was their Guest Speaker, and was followed by lunch and fellowship.

Did you know that your Global Impact gifts are supporting Wings of Hope (through Hearts with Haiti)? The Global Impact team sent an additional $1500 to Wings of Hope to help them navigate the dangerous conditions in Haiti. The gang activity and violence have made it very difficult to get the supplies they need. Their Director, Jacky Asse says: “The biggest problem Wings faces is the availability and prices of food, medicine and diapers. . . prices are very high and going up.”

Did you know that we recognized Disciple Graduates this past Sunday? Disciple I (led by Clark Holmes) completed their study which served as a foundation, preparing participants to take on any other Disciple class in the future. Disciple IV (led by Kathy Mazejka) met online for the past four years, including through the pandemic, demonstrating their commitment and dedication, forming lifelong relationships through this meaningful experience. We commend the leaders and participants for their hard work and perseverance. To see a list of the participants who were recognized, click here. If you would like to get connected in a life-transforming Disciple group, click here to find out more.

Did you know that some of our high school seniors traveled to Oak Island, North Carolina for their senior beach retreat? They enjoyed some sunshine and time together as they looked towards the future and learned ways to stay rooted in their faith as they transition into this next chapter of their lives. We give thanks to the staff and volunteers who traveled with them and made this experience possible. Prayers with all our seniors, as they take their next steps in their journeys.