An Election Guide from 1774

24th Sunday after Pentecost | All Saints Sunday | Beyond Hospitality
Just these lines, my friends …

… to say that Sunday was week #2 in our all-church generosity emphasis, Beyond Hospitality. It was a grand day of hope, inspiration and challenge. You can participate in worship from Sunday by clicking here.

Two things I want to highlight from Sunday: at Noon, many gathered in the Gym to assemble 100 flood buckets and hygiene kits. The energy was so moving with people giving and serving to help our suffering neighbors in Western North Carolina. Then, on Sunday evening, hundreds upon hundreds came for our annual Trunk or Treat night. This is an incredible, safe, fun, positive, and joyous event celebrating All Hallows Eve … AND it builds community with many who have never stepped foot on our campus. In a world as fragmented and tribal as ours, we need community.

Pastor Corey wrote me the following note about Trunk or Treat 2024: “We had folks’ trunk or treating till about 7:45/8pm. Not too bad at all. Even though there was quite a line, folks were very kind and so patient and enjoyed chatting with trunk hosts along the way. So special. We estimate roughly 2,800-3,000 visitors to our campus, and we had 49 trunks. We also handed out 750 treat bags with MUMC Kids merch, fliers for upcoming events for families and an Advent/ Christmas flyer for all church activities. Wow!! We collected and purchased in total enough to get us to roughly 55,000 pieces of candy and had enough for all our trunk or treaters.”

This Sunday is All Saints’ Sunday 2024. All Saints Day follows All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween) on the Christian calendar, and it is the occasion to remember those who have gone before us and entered life eternal. We have traditions for naming these ancestors: The Church Triumphant. The Communion of Saints. The Cloud of Witnesses. I like to imagine an endless procession — part holy vigil, part protest march, part parade — that we are invited to join. Our lives here, now, joined to the lessons and legacies of those who went ahead on The Way.

I think of the saints whose lives we remember this year, members and friends of our community who we have lost since last All Saints Sunday. I am mindful, also, of so many others whose faithfulness shaped the character of MUMC. I encourage you to remember others who have been important to you, who set an example by the love they shared. May their memory form us still, toward lives lived in the fullness of Christ-like love.

I’m hopeful you’ve received your invitation to make a 1-year pledge of financial giving to the General Fund of MUMC for 2024 and then a 3-year Above & Beyond pledge to our Building Fund. (Extras are available at the Welcome Center.) Please bring it with you on November 10 when we’ll give you an opportunity to place your commitments to our General Fund and Building Fund in our Joash Chest.

For more information on our Beyond Hospitality campaign efforts or to submit your pledge to the 2025 General Fund or Capital Campaign online, click here. You can also review the FAQs for our Sanctuary & Auxillary Space improvements here.

 

Video Devotional

John Wesley, the founder of our Methodist movement gave us a good word about politics. He said the following: “I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them,

1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy.
2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against.
3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.” – John Wesley, October 6, 1774

I hope you’ll watch and listen to my devotional for this week: An Election Guide from 1774.

 

Upcoming Events

• Collection Hub at MUMC – Saturdays, Nov 2 & 9, 9 am – 12 pm, Wednesday, Nov 6, 2 – 5 pm. Sign up to serve.  Monetary gifts go Global Impact Fund. Please then designate NC or FL online or on checks for Disaster Relief. Early Response Training – Initial Sign-Up
• Meet the Pastors Membership Interest Gathering – Sunday, November 3, 3-4:30. This will begin our next Disciple’s Path series which will take place on Sundays, November 10 – December 8, 10:45 – 12:00. (Note: Joining date is December 15.) Details
• Commitment Sunday – November 10 – In all our morning worship services, we will be celebrating our Veterans as well as sharing together in the culmination of our Beyond Hospitality efforts. Please prepare to make your commitments to our General Fund for 2025 and our Capital Campaign for the next three years.
• MAGI Spiritual Gifts Workshop – Saturday, November 16, 8:30-12:00. Details
• Operation Christmas Child Boxes due November 17! Boxes available at MUMC OR pack a box online.
• Arts & Crafts Extravaganza – Saturday, November 23, 9:00-2:00. Details
• Community Thanksgiving Service – Sunday, November 24, 5:00 pm at Morning Star Lutheran Church (12509 Idlewild Rd, Matthews) Details
• Advent Study: The Christmas Letters – Purchase book here. Hear about the miracle of Christ’s birth from those who first told the story.
  • Monday Morning Women’s Study, 10:00-11:30 am, December 2-23, Led by Carolyn Perlman, Register here.
  • Wednesday Evenings, 7:00-8:30 pm, December 4-December 18, Led by Jessica Fraser, Register here.

 

This Sunday in Worship

We invite you this Sunday to join us in person at 8:15 am, 9:30 am and 11:00 am, or online at 9:30 am (contemporary), 11:00 am (traditional) or 12:30 (Spanish – in person or here on demand). Remember, Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend, so roll your clocks back one hour Saturday night & enjoy that extra hour of sleep!

In our Spanish-speaking CCH (Centro Cristiano Hosanna) community, Pastor Roldan begins a new worship series based on the Old Testament book of Daniel entitled: Surviving in Babylon. This first Sunday, Pastor Roldan will be preaching from Daniel 1: 8-17, and the theme will be Let’s Protect our Integrity.

In all our morning worship services, All Saints Sunday, we will roll call the Saints, ring a bell, and stand to remember all who have entered eternity since All Saints Sunday 2023. You will not want to miss this powerful, holy ritual in our worship. My sermon is titled Beyond Hospitality: Remembering is a Powerful Force from Acts 2:39 and Deuteronomy 6:4-12.

Maybe you can consider inviting someone who has never experienced an All Saints observance. The roll call of the saints is a powerful expression of remembrance and not easily forgotten. Who knows, it may be just what someone in your world needs.

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

In the Community. For the Community,
Dr. Charles (Chuck) W. Wilson II

 

Did you know that November 1 is International Stress Awareness Day? Stress is hard to define because it means different things to different people; however, it’s clear that most stress is a negative feeling rather than a positive feeling. For further information, click here sponsored by our Hope & Minds Mental Health Ministry.

Did you know that Chuck & Julie DeLong recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary? Congratulations, Chuck & Julie!

Did you know that Cam Watterson was promoted to Captain with the Town of Matthews Fire Department? Congratulations, Cam!

Did you know our Hearts & Hands knitting & crocheting group were giving out hats at Greenway Park Elementary School for their Resource Night last week! The hats were definitely appreciated. Everyone walked away from their table with smiles on their faces. The kids loved choosing a new winter hat, and the school social worker expressed gratitude for the sense of community this helped achieve in the school. Thanks to all who helped by not only attending but making these beautiful hats!

Did you know that the Micah Connection partnered with the Town of Matthews as MUMC hosted the Tree Event on Saturday? Residents of Matthews were eligible for a free tree and bag of mulch. The Town Arborist offered planting demonstrations.

Did you know that we packed 75 cleaning kits on Sunday in the gym, which will go to those in need in the Black Mountain community? Thanks to MUMC member and NC House of Representative Laura Budd for getting donations of buckets and supplies to assemble these kits. Laura was also instrumental in arranging transportation of the donations to Western NC within days of Hurricane Helene.