Facing Adversity with Faith

3rd Sunday in Lent
Just these lines, my friends …

… to say that we heard wonderful witnesses from our two Martin Luther King Jr. scholarship recipients in church on Sunday. Indya Burns and Timothy Little hail from the Mt. Moriah/Crestdale community of Matthews. These scholarships are made possible by your Global Impact support and several community-minded churches here in Matthews.

I hope you will find the time to watch one of our worship services from Sunday. We were immersed in the question of forgiveness from the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35). The “big idea” I wanted to communicate in the sermon was as follows: “… there can be no question today about the extravagant generosity and forgiveness of God. It was forever demonstrated at the cross when Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them.’ The only thing that can block the flow of God’s forgiveness is our inability to forgive others.” You can watch the service by clicking here.

Coming Together, Following Jesus, Changing Lives

Wednesday Devotional

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch my devotional for the week, titled Facing Adversity with Faith.

Update on Plans for General Conference of The United Methodist Church

Our Resident Bishop, Ken Carter and Assistant to the Bishop, Rev. Amy Coles provide answers to frequently asked questions regarding the postponement of General Conference until 2024. I hope you’ll take the time to read by clicking here.

People ask, what does this mean for Matthews United Methodist? Well, no matter what, we will continue to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God and one another (Micah 6:8). We will continue to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We will continue to help settle refugee families, send youth on life-impacting mission trips, support ministries like the Matthews Help Center, Charlotte Rescue Center and A Roof Above, engage in prayer and support for the people of Ukraine, feed hungry families, and work to make safe spaces so that others may know that they, too, are beloved children of God.

This delay does not define us. Rather, we are defined by our relationship with the God who loves us, and knows us, who calls us by name, who welcomes us to the Table, and who invites us to make disciples for the transformation of the world.

Please reach out to me if you desire pastoral support, clarification, or a word of hopeful encouragement. God is good, you are loved, and we are in this together.

Charlie’s Carnival is Back

After a two-year wait, Charlie’s Carnival is back in Stumptown Park on Saturday, April 2, 11 am to 3 pm. (The rain location is MUMC’s Gym and The Commons.) Enjoy bounce houses, games, face painting, food trucks, and more. This free community carnival is open to all, but registration is required. All proceeds will support Charlie’s Heart Foundation, founded by Matthews United Methodist members Michael and Rebecca Holt to remember their vibrant, adventurous little 5-year-old son, Charlie, who died tragically on April 14, 2017. Click here to learn more about the work of Charlie’s Heart Foundation, and watch the story of the foundation here.

This Sunday in Worship

We invite you to join us this Sunday in person or online at 8:15 am (traditional – in person only), 9:30 am (contemporary), 11:00 am (traditional) or 12:30 (Spanish – in person only).

In our Spanish-speaking CCH community, Pastor Roldan will be preparing the community for Lent. His Lenten sermon series is titled, The Story We Must Tell. This Sunday he is preaching from Luke 13:1-9, and his sermon title is Focus on Your Moment.

In our morning services, we continue with our Lenten series on the parables of Jesus. We’ve titled the series, Jesus, I Wish You Hadn’t Said That. Pastor Paul’s sermon is titled, Tenants & Owners from Matthew 21:33-39, the parable of the wicked tenants.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. Remember to invite someone to church or reach out to someone you haven’t seen in a while. There is power in an invitation, and you never know who might want to take a walk with Jesus this Lent. It will be good to be together.

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

Lenten mercies,
Dr. Charles (Chuck) W. Wilson II

Did you know that Amanda Deyton, a major with the medic division of the United States Air Force, was deployed on February 15? Her mother, Darlene Sugg moved into Amanda’s home to care for Amanda’s 8-year-old son, Joshua.

Did you know that the Handyman Ministry (Sid Riddick, Fred Goolsby, Chuck DeLong and Joe Culpepper) built a much-needed wheelchair ramp for Karen & Rex Grant? Thank you to the volunteers of this wonderful ministry!

Did you know that our new mental health ministry Hope for Minds and Hearts received a thousand dollar Mental Health Grant from Partners in Health and Wholeness? They have been busy leading support groups for both adults experiencing mental health challenges and their family members. They will also be leading a Mental Health Education Series on March 22 at 7 pm in Room 158. Congratulations to our mental health team! Click here for more info on this ministry.

Did you know that we received a powerful note the other day? It read, “Over the years, I have been a member of 10 churches in 8 states. I can say with all sincerity that the dedication to serving our Lord, loving others, and shining a light in the community at Matthews is second to none. To God be the glory.”

Did you know that one man attending our Methodist Men’s meeting in March (meeting on the first Saturday of the month at 7:30 am in The Commons), for the very first time, said that he saw the meeting advertised on the banner near Fullwood? Although he attends another church, he expressed regret his church had no men’s group. He remarked how lucky we are to have a group of men that get together.

Did you know that Laura Budd (a church member & managing partner with Weaver & Budd Law) and Sandra Conway (Executive Director of Matthews Help Center – one of our Global Impact partners) were honored as two of the 50 Most Dynamic Women in the Charlotte Region? Congratulations, Laura & Sandra, and thank you both for the work you do in our community!

Did you know that Home2Home Ministries picked up 30 items and delivered 43 items last week? They provided furniture for Charlotte Rescue Missions’ Humble House and Robins Nest, homes that are used by individuals that have completed time at the mission and are now living on their own. Also, two additional families now have houses furnished thanks to this ministry. Dedicated volunteers like Clark Holmes and John Klotz made sure deliveries were made and bed frames were assembled. Contact Earl Coggins if you would like serve with this ministry.

Did you know that you can learn how to be more welcoming to people with disabilities on Sunday, March 20? Your Sunday School class, Bible Study and small group can see best practices in action. Come to the Commons at 10:35 and hear from Rainbow Express Ministries, a Global Impact Partner, about the vision for Residential Housing for Adults with Disabilities and how we, as a church can be helpful.

Did you know that Matthews Glen recently had our buses professionally washed as a thank you for partnering with them to store their buses during construction? Thank you, Matthews Glen, for thinking of us when your buses were washed.

Did you know that WSOC-TV aired a special on Friday night called Talking About Race: A Conversation With 5 Black Women? The segment is a powerful story about what it’s like to be a black woman in America. Click here to watch. You may remember that WSOC-TV aired Talking About Race: A Conversation With 5 Black Men in February, 2021.