Consider the Lilies

19^th Sunday after Pentecost
Just these lines, my friends …

… to say what an extraordinary day for us on Sunday: our MUMC Orchestra, First Graders receiving their Bibles, beautiful expression of worship in music, over 40 people gathering for a poverty simulation, and the final Sunday in our worship series, Finding Peace as a Purple Church. I ended my sermon with the following: “Nearly sixty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said that these are extreme times in which we live. Dr. King said that the question is not whether we will be extremists but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hatred, or will we be extremists for love? I think the world has seen enough religious extremists for hatred, but the world is longing to see a new generation of extremists for love. May we, Matthews United Methodist, rise to the occasion at such a time as this. Let’s be the change we want to see in this world.” 

We concluded Sunday morning by reaffirming our baptismal vows and committing to the Peace on Purpose Pledge.

As an ambassador for peace within my family, my church, and my community, I pledge to:

1. Respect people who hold differing opinions than I do, even if I don’t agree.
2. Seek to understand others instead of trying to convince them of my point of view.
3. Move from hostility (arguing) toward harmony (understanding) in my interactions with others.
4. Resolve disputes with others nonviolently and in a posture of humility.
5. Resist any form of violence including words and actions that harm others.
6. Speak out against any forms of violence when I witness them privately or publicly.

Ensure my words and actions, privately and publicly (including on social media) reflect my love of God and my neighbors, as Jesus has commanded us to do.

MUMC, we are ambassadors of the incomparable love of God found in Jesus Christ. May it ooze out of every fiber of our being.

If you missed being with us on Sunday, please click here to worship.

Video Devotional

I love seeing our church hallways teeming with activity. The familiar presence of friends. The hopeful faces of children. The movement and sacred bustling of life. The refreshing conversation that draws us in. It reminds me of two simple truths we must hold together.

You’ll learn of those two simple truths by clicking below and watching my devotional, titled Consider the Lilies.

ONE Combined Worship Oct 20 at 10:30 a.m. followed by Lunch

Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 20 at 10:30 am! To kick off our Dual General Fund & Beyond Hospitality Capital Campaign efforts (details below), we’ll have ONE Combined Worship at 10:30 a.m. followed by family-style lunch (no charge, no lines, no waiting) with music, door prizes, videos & special guests! Kids meals come with a cool toy! Above & Beyond Event Details

Don’t miss our Team MUMC “golfers,” Pastors Chuck & Roldan, around campus over the next few weeks encouraging us to be there on October 20th!

2024 Capital Campaign: New Renderings & Updated FAQs

View NEW Renderings & FAQs (updated 9/17) for Capital Campaign Sanctuary Upgrades.

Highlighted FAQ:
Q. Why add a lift vs. a ramp?

Many people asked about this during our Feasibility Study focus groups. After further review with the architects, the Building Committee decided that a ramp would actually be a better solution for the project. Everyone can use the ramp, regardless of their mobility and type of assistance (e.g., wheelchair, scooter, rollator, walker, cane). It also allows for multiple users, while the lift can only accommodate one person at a time. Once the ramp is installed, it should require no ongoing maintenance. A mechanical lift must be maintained and monitored for operability, which may incur additional costs. If the lift malfunctions, there would be no alternative accessibility to the Chancel area other than steps. Even though the ramp takes up more space, the Building Committee has determined that our Sanctuary will be able to accommodate it.

Review the Updated Architectural Renderings below to see a concept of the design for the entire space and the ramp on the right side of the Chancel.

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), 11:00 am (traditional; in person or online here) or 12:30 (Spanish; in person or on demand here).

Our Spanish-speaking community (Centro Cristiana Hosanna – CCH) concludes the worship series, Practical Apologetics. Pastor Roldan’s sermon for this Sunday is from I Peter 3:13-16, and his sermon is titled Let Us Keep a Clear Conscience.

This Sunday, Pastor Paul will be putting God’s Word into words for us. I hope you’ll make every effort to be present to support this amazing man of faith. Did you know Pastor Paul is in his 19^th year of service among us? WOW! He is a gift to us in so many ways.  His sermon is from Matthew 22:34-40 and is titled Asking Good Questions. Pastor Paul says, “After a long day at school or at work, how would you respond to this question: ‘Did you have a good day?  Was it good, bad, or just so-so?’  Either way, these are diversions instead of real answers. How about a more unusual question: ‘Did you ask a good question today?’ This requires us to think first, and if we asked a good question, perhaps in the process we learned something new about ourselves and the world.”

Most every Sunday I hear from someone who came to MUMC for the very first time because you invited them to come and experience church life on Trade Street. Thank you. When you invite someone to our transforming community, you just might be opening a door to a moment when someone experiences the love of God for the first time or in a long time. Bless you for telling our story in the community.

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

Finding Peace as a Purple Church,  
Dr. Charles (Chuck) W. Wilson II

Did you know that Josiah Hall and Jackie Haynes were married on September 20th in Monroe?  Josiah is the son of Steve & Wendy Hall and lives in Raleigh.  Congratulations to the special couple!

Did you know that the fresh new look in our hallways and classrooms was provided in part with funds from ReFresh & ReNew?  Also, flooring in selected classrooms is being replaced with a combination of a distribution from our Endowment and ReFresh & ReNew.  This update to our campus will take place in the coming weeks.

Did you know that 22 first graders were presented with their own Bible during the 9:30 and 11:00 services this past Sunday?  What a special day to celebrate the amazing gift of God’s Word with our families!

Did you know that our own Wendy Barall beautifully designed and made our new green paraments that you will see this Sunday in the Sanctuary. She is an amazing artist… please take the time to walk by and look at her craftsmanship.

Did you know that Global Impact hosted a Poverty Simulation facilitated by Common Heart on Sunday afternoon? Forty friends and neighbors learned first-hand how to navigate the challenges of living in poverty.  As residents of the town of “Realville,” we learned the frustration and disappointments of having limited food, transportation and time with family. We felt the exhaustion of going from one crisis to another. We pray that we show empathy, humility and love to all of our neighbors.