E Pluribus Unum

6th Sunday after Pentecost | 4^th of July Celebration
Just these lines, my friends …

… to say that bringing leeches to church on Sunday was a new one for me. I’ve used a lot of visual aids in my day, but never leeches. If you missed my sermon (actually a sermon that was made possible by the extraordinary contributions of a dozen church families), you may want to listen here and see how leeches showed up and a dozen families participated in preaching my sermon. Also, click here to hear our Sanctuary Choir blowing all of us away on Sunday with their arrangement of I’ll Fly Away.

My week has been an unbelievably rich week. I got to spend quality time with many in our staff community. I helped a couple who are preparing for marriage. I had lunch with a couple of church families. I talked with several families on the phone. I joined a remarkable group of men from our church serving a meal at the Charlotte Rescue Mission on Thursday. I participated in a wildly inspirational community gathering on policing in Matthews at the Standing Ovation Barbershop. I officiated at the Renewal of Marriage Vows for Urb and Pat Brinker (50 years of marriage) on Saturday. I stood alongside nearly 50 persons on Sunday after church as we consecrated our new Memorial Garden/Columbarium. Karen and I participated in a ceremony of placing a brick in Matthews Stumptown Park to honor three military veterans in our family: my father, Charles W. Wilson (deceased), our son Charles (Chase) W. Wilson III, and Karen’s father, Willard (Bill) E. Payne. What a marvelously rich week. Have I told you lately how much I love being your pastor?

July & August bring a few exciting things to church life:

A new worship series – Why I Am Enthusiastically a United Methodist Christian. Click here for an introduction and titles. I hope you will not miss a single one.
Church-wide Celebration of Madeline Kamp – July 11 at 12:30 pm
Deep Family Worship is back for the entire family on July 11^th. Join us as we learn all about our Life App of Confidence. Kids bring your family with you for songs, skits, games, crafts and a special surprise for Ms. Madeline on her last day with us at The Deep!
Rainbow Express Camp – July 12-16
Music and the Arts Camp – July 26-30
Celebrating Habitat for Humanity – July 25
Back to Church/School Celebration – Sunday, August 22.

You know I love lists. Here is my Top 10 checklist for relationships:

Expect the best in others.
Make sure that 90% of the things you say to others are positive and encouraging.
Ask people for their opinion.
Listen attentively to what people say.
Express appreciation generously.
Be empathetic.
Demonstrate thoughtfulness and caring in real and tangible ways.
Be kind.
Give people the benefit of the doubt.
Forgive people’s mistakes and misjudgment.

Wednesday Devotional

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch my video devotion, “E Pluribus Unum.” Please click here to watch.

Disciple Bible Study is About to Begin

Nothing has done more to bring about vitality and renewal in The United Methodist Church than Disciple Bible Study. At MUMC, dozens and dozens have made their way through these remarkable studies. If you’ve never been a part of one of these important small groups studying the Bible, then today it begins for you. All four classes are being offered. These small study groups help to make for deep connections. I hope you’ll take to time to get signed up here.

This Sunday in Worship

We invite you to join us in person or online this Sunday at 9:30 am (contemporary), 11:00 am (traditional) or 12:30 (Spanish – in person only). By the way, the 8:15 worship service will return on Sunday, September 12.

In our Spanish-speaking CCH community, Pastor Roldan will be preaching from Habakkuk 3:16 -19 with his message titled, Keep Moving Forward by Faith.

At 9:30 am and 11:00 am, we have some extraordinary music awaiting you as we celebrate our nation’s independence. At 9:30 we will be starting with Your Peace Will Make Us One, which is to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic. The Offertory is Heal Our Land, a contemporary version by Kari Jobe. Our first song set will be Battle Belongs, Blessed Be Your Name and It is Well (that will end with Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus). The final song is Goodness of God. Then at our 11:00 am, we will be celebrating with two patriotic hymns (America the Beautiful and This is My Song), accompanied by 14 orchestra players (all members of the Matthews UMC family). The offertory is Heal Our Land, which also includes a verse of America the Beautiful for the congregation to sing along with us. It is a prayer of healing for our country. What a splendid day of worship and music awaits us! My sermon for Sunday comes from Acts 2:32-47 and is titled What Unites People.

And do not forget to be wearing your red, white and blue! We will announce a winner of the best outfit at the end of each worship service.

And now, as always, during these strange, uncertain, tumultuous, perilous, and hopeful days of pandemic 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 Matt Dundorf, son of Tom and Nancy Dundorf, was married to Annie Nedrow on Saturday, June 26? Congratulations, Matt & Annie!

Did you know that Rev. Larry Whitley completed his 24^th year of service as the pastor of the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church?

Did you know that a few stars from the movie, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret were in our parking lot last Tuesday? The movie is being filmed in the Charlotte area, and our parking lot was filled with trailers for actor dressing rooms, costuming, catering, and make-up. Rachel McAdams & the young actress playing Margaret, Abby Ryder Fortson were on our campus!

Did you know that Pastor Brad dressed up as a monkey and told some terrible monkey jokes during our Virtual VBS? This was to create excitement around our mission project, buying Banana Bulbs for children in the Zoe Empowers program to help them build their own Banana businesses.

Photos from Consecration of Memorial Garden:

Categories