What Do You Want To Be Called?

3rd Sunday after Pentecost
Just these lines, my friends …

… to say that Sunday was a glorious day honoring all our graduates! They were beaming from head to toe. I’m so proud of all of them, and I know you are as well. Congratulations to the Class of 2024! Also, thank you to John Woodall and all our United Youth Praise Team leaders for their beautiful music in all three of our morning hours. To see a listing of our graduates, please click here.

Sunday was also a high and holy moment for us with Pastor Corey serving as Celebrant for Holy Communion. Up until our most recent General Conference in Charlotte, a deacon in The United Methodist Church was not allowed to administer the sacraments. Well, that all changed with the actions of the General Conference in early May. Thanks be to God! There are many times in Pastor Corey’s ministry where this new empowerment will serve her and the people she serves so very well. You can worship with us from Sunday by clicking here. A new person who had visited the church once before said to me as she was leaving the sanctuary on Sunday said, “That Pastor Corey, she can preach!” Indeed!

I will be away the next week on our annual Wilson family vacation. We’ll gather in the mountains and with our tribe, you never know what’s going to happen. Hold us close in your prayers. I’ll see you on Father’s Day with a special message for all of our families.

Wednesday Devotional

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch my devotional for the week titled, What Do You Like to Be Called? This question popped up on a registration form I was working on this week. Most people call me Chuck, but my legal name is Charles William Wilson II. When I was in my high school years, for some reason a lot of people called me Chaz, but it didn’t stick.

View HERE: What Do You Like to Be Called?

 

MUMC Staffing Community Update

Pastor Jenny Savage officially leaves our staff community on June 30. She will be preaching on June 23 in all three of our morning Sanctuary services. Then on June 30, she will assist in worship, and following the 11 am service, we will celebrate her time with us at a reception in The Commons. You can write a note of gratitude to Jenny and/or contribute to a love gift for her. If you’d like to contribute to a love gift, you can do so with a gift to her directly (non-taxable for Jenny) or you can mail a check (taxable for Pastor Jenny) to MUMC or click here to make your gift online. Be sure to include in the memo line: “Love Gift – Pastor Jenny.”

Rev. Bill Roth will be coming our way to be our part-time Associate Pastor replacing Pastor Jenny Savage. Bill will begin his 15-hour-a-week position with us in mid-July. He and his wife, Linda, have lived in Matthews for nearly 25 years during which time he served as the much beloved Pastor of Congregational Care of the Myers Park United Methodist Church (MPUMC). He is retiring from MPUMC on June 30. We are grateful he will be continuing his ministry with us during retirement.

Bill is originally from Indiana but follows Detroit sports teams and Notre Dame football. He also enjoys a Saturday morning motorcycle ride. He and Linda have two children, Krista and Errett, with Errett being a part of MUMC for several years, along with his wife, Jordan, and granddaughter, McKenna. We are so very fortunate to have Bill and Linda coming our way. I’m hopeful of introducing him to all of you on Sunday, July 14.

Upcoming Events

• A Charge Conference will be held on Monday, June 10 at 7 pm via Zoom for the purpose of voting on the next steps of a potential capital campaign. Anyone can attend, but only Administrative Council members are to vote. Zoom link here; Meeting ID 872 5565 9096, Passcode: council. Click here for the official resolution being voted upon.
• Coffee & Mingle – Tuesdays, June 18 & August 20 at 10 am in The Commons. Enjoy coffee & breakfast treats provided by Will Beans while mingling with friends and making new acquaintances.
• Morning of Wellness – Saturday, June 22, 9 am-12 pm, The Commons. Release Stress, Deepen Your Spirituality, Discover Inner Wisdom & Practice Holistic Health through the principles of Yoga, Spiritual Direction & SoulCollage. Register
• Summer Worship Series begins on June 30: The Good Life … The God Life: Exploring the Subtle, Subversive and Sublime Way of Jesus. Details
• Summer Serve – VBS is just around the corner! 80% of campers do not attend church or have a church home. YOU make sharing God’s love possible at summer camps. We invite all adults and youth who have an opening the week of July 22 to sign up to volunteer.

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), 9:30 am Family Worship in the Gym, 11:00 am (traditional; in person or online here) or 12:30 (Spanish; in person or on-demand here).

All are welcome to join us for our special Summer Jam Family Worship (9:30 in the Gym), an interactive, high-energy worship service for the whole family. This month we’ll be getting ready for Summer as we explore our virtue of Joy. Plan to stay for a few minutes following the service in The Commons for refreshments and the opportunity for kids to make a special craft to take with them on their summer adventures.

Our Spanish-speaking community (CCH) will be a new study on Intentional Evangelism. Pastor Roldan will be preaching from Matthew 28:16-20. His sermon is titled, Let’s Do the Complete Job.

In all our morning sanctuary services, Pastor Paul will be preaching. His message is from 1 Timothy 2:1-6a and is titled, God’s Mission Statement. In preparation for Sunday, Pastor Paul says, “Having a clearly stated, easily understood reason for existing is vital to every organization, no matter its size or purpose. A mission statement tells the world who you are, what you do, and can be used to communicate your purpose and help you succeed. In an indirect way, in these few verses Paul is teaching the church about God’s mission statement: about who God is, why the Christian Church exists, and how we function in our surroundings. Let’s discuss God’s mission statement and how it has endured.”

This Sunday I hope you’ll invite someone to church who is looking for a challenging and hopeful word about God’s mission in the world. I know they’ll be inspired and welcomed in so many ways.

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 Colonel Kraig Gordon proposed to Sanctuary Choir member Libby Preble after the 11:00 service on May 5? It was a surprise for everyone…& she said yes! Click here to watch The Proposal!

Did you know there was an Emmaus Gathering held in The Commons of MUMC on Saturday evening, June 1? It was attended by about 75 people who have been on the Walk to Emmaus from all over the Central Carolinas. The Walk to Emmaus is a remarkable 72-hour spiritual retreat. If you’d like to attend, please speak with one of the pastors.

Did you know our very own Shannon Remley, a key member of our Music & Worship Arts staff community was honored with a wedding shower on Saturday, June 1, in The Commons? She along with her fiancée Andres and stepson Christian were celebrated in anticipation of their upcoming marriage in July in Colombia, South America. Shannon said, “I just wanted to send a massive thank you to each and every one of you for the gorgeous shower – Andres, Christian and I were totally humbled and blown away by the outpouring of love and support. It makes me wildly proud and deeply moved to bring my burgeoning family to this space full of genuine community and true friends. It’s really something special.”

Did you know that members of the Faith Sunday School Class spread mulch on the playgrounds of COSKids this past Saturday? Thank you for helping this Global Impact partner keep the children safe and beautify their campus!