A Few Numbers

4^th Sunday after the Epiphany | Global Impact Sunday 1 | January 27, 2021
Just these lines, my friends …

… to say that we celebrated the work of all our Scouting troops this past Sunday. We are grateful for those that participated. If you’d like to know more about the work of these remarkable young persons and their leaders, please click here.  If you missed worship on Sunday, click here to view.

My Wednesday Devotional

Today’s devotional is titled “The Sermon on the Mount – Part 1.” I hope you’ll watch by clicking here.

A Few Financial Numbers for 2020

Here are some numbers that will help you get a small picture of our hope-filled community from this past year:

• We partnered with over 34 local and global organizations, contributing $187,223.00 (Global Impact regular giving) plus $ 21,742.00 (Christmas Eve offering for Global Impact), plus another $28,062.00 given to our Disaster Relief work totaling $237,027.00.
• We sent our Western North Carolina Annual Conference and Metro District of The United Methodist Church $261,897.00 as our fair-share mission support.
• We received $2,753,709.00 in 2020 for the Operating Ministry Budget.  Thanks to the excellent work by our staff community and church leaders, we kept our expenses down to $2,776,636.00, which is $23,074.00 more than received in 2020. Thanks be to God our unrestricted cash position is very strong due to the PPP loan we received in May.
• We received $100,761.00 for ReFresh & ReNew.

This is not the strongest year we’ve ever known, but we think it is our most miraculous year ever, given the reality of a global pandemic which has prevented our gathering in-person in worship for nearly a year. Because of your support we can plan with great confidence for our mission and ministries to honor God in 2021. Matthews United Methodist, you just amaze me!

Easter Earthquake

In the spring and early summer we are going to embark on a worship series titled Easter Earthquake. In this series we hope to address the difference the resurrection makes in the way we face the critical issues and concerns of our time. So if you will, please help me by answering the following question: “What are the biggest concerns you have in your life?” I’m so excited to hear about the things you are facing. I think I have a few pretty good ideas, but I’d like it confirmed with your feedback. Please send me a note or give me a phone call with your biggest concerns.

Dates to Remember

• Leadership Connection 2021 – All are invited to be with us this Saturday, January 30, 10 am to Noon. Our District Superintendent, Rev. David Hockett will be with us. You can click here for the link.
• Charge Conference – A Charge Conference (CC) will be held on Saturday, January 30, 12:30 pm, via Zoom. The purpose of the CC will be to approve Jenny Savage as a candidate for ministry in The United Methodist Church. If you’d like to participate, you can do so by clicking here for the link. After the CC we will transition into our January Ad Council meeting where we hope to approve our 2021 spending plan.
• Souper Bowl of Caring – Let’s join our Youth Ministry in their efforts for this year’s Souper Bowl of Caring!  Drop off non-perishable food items or monetary donations this Sunday, January 31, 1-3 pm in the large parking lot.
• Who Lynched Willie Earle?  – The February 1947 lynching of Willie Earle in Pickens, SC and the subsequent trial in Greenville, SC attracted international attention. When an all-white jury exonerated Earle’s confessed killers, it was a national scandal that led to the formation of the nation’s first Civil Rights Commission. On Tuesday, February 16 in a live broadcast, Bishop Will Willimon from Duke University will be with us in our 11^th Community Forum on Racial Bridge Building. The topic for the evening: The Carolinas’ Last Lynching. You can click here for the link to our YouTube channel.
• Ash Wednesday – Wednesday, February 17, is the first day of the holy season of Lent.

This Sunday in Worship

Will you join us for online worship this Sunday at 9:30 am (contemporary), 11:00 am (traditional) or 12:30 (Spanish-speaking).

This week our CCH community will gather for worship at 12:30 pm and begin a new worship series, Unquestionable Authority. Pastor Roldan will be preaching from Matthew 9:18-22 with his message titled, “Faith Makes It Possible, Not Easy.”

In our morning services at 9:30 am and 11:00 am, I hope you will have a candle ready to light as we prepare for worship. This Sunday Pastor Brad will launch us into our annual Global Impact Celebration. In preparation for Sunday, Pastor Brad says, “This week we will consider the importance of ‘listening well’ to God, to our callings and to others.  We will explore the Transfiguration text in Mark’s Gospel (Mark 9:2-8).  Sometimes the most important thing to do before anything else is to listen.”

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

We are in this … together,
Dr. Charles (Chuck) W. Wilson II

Did you know that Pastor Chuck and Pastor Whitley will be included in The Mile Project, a series of films by Silent Images to be released in February? The films will feature people from different backgrounds as they collaborate, listen to each other’s perspectives, and confront the hard realities surrounding race. Learn more and be inspired by the trailer (click here).

Did you know that our very own Leaton Harris will be featured in “Talking About Race: A Conversation with Five Black Men” that will air Monday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. on WSOC-TV Channel 9 and stream live at wsoctv.com? Chat live with reporter Ken Lemon during the program on the WSOC-TV Facebook page, or tweet your comments using the hashtag #TalkingAboutRace. Click here to a video preview.

Did you know that Kristen and Ben Freeman are the NEW hosts for Deep Worship for Families? Big thanks go out to the Freeman family for encouraging and connecting our families! Check out January worship and share with the kids, neighbors and families in your life: kids.matthewsumc.org/the-deep

Did you know that about 15 members of the Faith Sunday School Class worked at COSKids Saturday morning spreading mulch in the playground and trimming bushes? Thank you for spending a cold (but sunny!) Saturday morning helping our mission partner!