Summer Youth Recap

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

… to remind you that Pastor Chuck is taking a few weeks of rest and renewal and will return on September 6. Read the FAQ about his time away.  

Be sure to join us for worship every Sunday morning in person, live online when you are traveling, or throughout the week on our youtube.com/matthewsumc channel.

Ministry Made Possible by Your Giving, Serving & Loving!

WOW! What an amazing summer we’ve had around MUMC, and it has been quite an exciting one for our United Youth Ministry! Throughout the summer, the Youth Ministry Team continued to focus on ways to thoughtfully fulfill their mission to provide an intentionally safe and sustainable community for youth and their families to bravely explore a personal relationship with Christ.

Throughout the summer, youth came together to serve with one another on Youth Mission Trips to Kensington, Philadelphia and Johnson City, TN, volunteered at Music & Arts Camp and Vacation Bible School, and created new friendships at Rainbow Express Camp. On top of weekly Sunday night worship, unpacking scriptures, and discovering God’s faithfulness through the book of Psalms, the teens have also experienced a summer full of crazy and fun adventures. Some of these summer experiences included an all-night LockOut around Matthews/Charlotte, Slip & Slide Kickball, 80’s Murder Mystery dinner, Sundae Sunday, Knights Game, Tye-Dye Night, and so much more!

United Youth is getting ready to gear up for a new school year, and is in preparation for the upcoming Teen-A-Palooza on Sunday, August 28, 5 pm – 7:30 pm. This is a community event for any teenager in 7^th – 12^th grade to come and experience an epic night of yummy grub, water inflatables, games, giveaways, treats, music, and more! Cost is $10 (all inclusive). No registration required; all teens are welcome!

Community Events

Below are just a few upcoming opportunities that you don’t want to miss:

• Genesis Garden Workday – Saturday, August 20, 8-11 am
• Hug-A-Cop at Mt. Moriah – Saturday, August 20, 4-7 pm
• Back to School Carnival – Saturday, August 27, 5:30-7 pm
• Our Path Forward Session – Sunday, August 28, 9:30 & 11:00
• Lemonade Outreach for Matthews Alive! – Saturday, September 3, 9-2 pm. Click here to volunteer for 1-hour shift or learn about donating lemonade.
• MUMC Golf Outing: Driving for a Better Community – Thursday, September 22

Here is another opportunity to note in our community: A House is Not a Home by local playwright Kenyatt M. Godbolt, is the 2022 winner of the Playwrights Festival, a special collaboration between The Matthews Playhouse and the African American Playwrights Group (AAPG) highlighting original works by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). Performances are August 19-26 at the Matthews Community Center. Order tickets here or call 704-846-8343 and use the special discount code for MUMC (UMCHOME) for 20% off! The play is appropriate for adult audiences and is intended to give a platform to new and diverse voices in our community.

Featured Videos from the Devotional Archives

While Pastor Chuck is away, members of our staff are selecting video devotions from our archives to feature here. Watch this devotion titled Your Attitude is Your Paintbrush, about taking time to pause, look around, and consider all the good gifts that God has given us.

This Sunday in Worship

We invite you to join 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 morning worship services in the Sanctuary, Pastor Paul’s sermon is titled: The Ripple Effect from Luke 12:13-21.

In our Spanish-speaking CCH community, Pastor Roldan’s message is titled: Complete Freedom from John 8:31-36.

Be sure to stop by The Commons for WillBeans Coffee & Fellowship with Friends from 9-11 am on Sundays. Rainbow Express Ministries, a Global Impact Partner, is serving Rainbow Roast Coffee (by donation) specially made by local roaster, Magnolia Coffee.

“In a spirit of ‘doing no harm,’ we recommend a return to wearing masks in large indoor gatherings.” – Read the Bishop & Cabinet’s complete statement from 7/26/22. Based on this guidance, we request everyone wear a mask covering the nose & mouth while indoors on campus. Please bring a mask as there will be a limited supply at Sanctuary entrances. Let’s join in prayer that the new infections & hospitalizations soon return to safer levels. Updates will be posted here as available. We continue to request individuals serving children or a vulnerable population be masked. 

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

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Did you know that emergency supplies of personal items were purchased for the women at Turning Point by the Global Impact Team? Turning Point serves victims of domestic abuse. Your gift to Global Impact allows us to help this ministry partner.

Did you know that the Global Impact Team contributed $2000 to flood victims in Kentucky?  Your donations to our Global Impact Disaster Relief Fund are helping rebuilding efforts in storm-ravaged areas.

Did you know that our 14^th Racial-Bridge Building Community Forum titled “Women of Color: Let’s Talk” was August 16 at Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church? The panelists covered topics ranging from equal pay to breast cancer, and even shared their thoughts on Rowe v. Wade. Event held in partnership with Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist, Matthews Presbyterian, First Baptist Church of Matthews, Cross & Crown Lutheran, and Matthews United Methodist.

Did you know that this summer Age-Level Ministries welcomed two incredible summer interns to the team? Meg Hopkins and Parker Rosenblatt have worked hard this summer from May – August supporting our Age-Level Staff through college & youth mission trips, summer camps like Rainbow Express and VBS, and countless youth groups and special events like lockouts, slip and slide kickball, summer jams, and so much more! They wrote devotions, led teaching moments, shared in holy conversations, and brought incredible joy to MUMC. Parker and Meg will be missed by the youth, families, and staff as the head back to Boone for another great school year at Appalachian State University (Meg- Senior Year & Parker- Sophomore Year).