Outside the Box: Patience As We Wait

Dear Fellow Ministers,

What a day to be back in the sanctuary this past Sunday! There was inspired worship with great music and fellowship. You can always view our services on our website. It is also a great link to send to friends to invite them to view our worship and see if they might want to join us.

We extend a very special thanks to our Building Committee, who handled (and are still handling) all of the details. This project shows what having a common vision of extending hospitality as we embrace disabilities can do! We now have an accessible chancel area with a ramp, handrails, and wider steps for choir risers. We have the special seating that is intended for folks who may have a hard time sitting in a pew. We have new audio/video equipment and captioning capability to enhance worship through the senses. We have a new HVAC unit for the Sanctuary, which was past due for replacement. We have automatic openers on our Sanctuary & restroom doors. We have a beautiful new organ! All of this was possible through your pledges to our Beyond Hospitality Capital Campaign. We hope that everything we do in worship shows our diversity of who God has created among us. Thank you!

If you missed the Melody Makers Christmas Concert on Tuesday, you missed a festive way to celebrate the season. The good news is that you can view it here. Please consider coming to our music celebration, The Glory of Christmas, this Sunday at 7 pm. We are blessed with amazing musical ability in our church, and we look forward to celebrating together. There are so many special offerings at this time of year, and we hope you can take advantage of as many as possible.

This Sunday in worship, we will be talking about “patience” as we wait for the return of Christ. God’s patience is not a “twiddling one’s thumbs” kind of patience. It involves the joy of discipleship. I hope you will read through James 5:7-10 as God forms a sermon in us. Our Bishop, Ken Carter, has offered a prayer for each Sunday of Advent. This week’s prayer can be viewed here.

Thank you for what you mean to Matthews United Methodist Church. You can view our weekly video here. Please pray for the ministry of MUMC each day as many people are involved in offering hope to others through ministries offered in study, help, and spiritual growth. This Sunday, we will welcome new members to our church, and it is a reminder that the number one reason people join a church is because they were invited by a friend. Please pray that God will help you see an opportunity to invite someone to worship with you.

I look forward to being in ministry with you this week as we reach, teach, praise, and serve!

In Christ’s Service,
David

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

ALL Candlelight Communion Services, except at 1 PM

1:00 PM KIDS & FAMILY Live Nativity & Animals Afterwards

2:30 & 4:30 PM KIDS & FAMILY Followed by Family Activities

4:00 & 6:00 PM TRADITIONAL

9:00 PM CONTEMPORARY

11:30 PM 30-minute VESPERS in the Courtyard, Nativity & Animals

Nursery (ages 3 & under) available for all services except 9:00 and 11:30 PM

Christmas Eve Service Details & Ministry Events

 

ONE Combined Time of Worship: Sunday, Dec 28 at 9:30am in the Sanctuary (NO 8:15 or 11:00).
Adult classes will meet at 10:30, Nursery available for kids under 3 from 9:15-10:45am. NO Kids or Youth small groups.

 

Did you know that our Room In The Inn team served 12 guests last week on the first week back for winter? We offer our unhoused neighbors a warm, safe place to sleep overnight and provide three meals (dinner, breakfast & bag lunch) before returning them to uptown Charlotte every Thursday from December 1 – March 31. Individuals and Groups can sign up to serve.

Did you know that MUMC donated 1,901 lbs of food to Common Heart during the month of November? This food has already been distributed to those in need. Common Heart is a Global Impact ministry whose mission is to eradicate food insecurity in Mecklenburg and Union Counties. THANK YOU for your food donations!

Did you know that our Sanctuary Choir sang carols at Atrium Health Union West in Matthews? The event was hosted by the Matthews Rotary Club.

Did you know that our Countdown to Christmas Advent event on Sunday was attended by over 80 elementary and middle school kids, as well as friends from our Adults with Disabilities Rainbow Express class? Volunteers and members of our teen class led the kids through four different mission projects benefiting the Ronald McDonald House, Changed Choices, Foster Village of Charlotte, and the members of our Melody Makers choir and Orchestra. Kids also created a take-home project to help them continue their acts of service as a family throughout the Advent season.