Why Do We Still Go to Church?

15th Sunday after Pentecost
Just these lines, my friends …

… to say Sunday was an extraordinary day across our church grounds! In our Sanctuary worship, we honored Kathy White for all her years of service, we prayed for all our kids, teachers, administrators and parents that are preparing for a return to school, and we concluded our summer study series called The Good Life … The God Life. If you were unable to be with us on Sunday, I hope you’ll click here to listen to some of the most beautiful music you’ve ever heard and listen to my sermon, Against All Odds.

Following our 11 am Sanctuary worship service, many of us gathered in The Commons for a reception honoring Kathy White. It was my sheer delight to announce an amazing gift of a new Rodgers Infinity 360 Organ, given to our Beyond Hospitality Capital Campaign to honor Kathy White, Craig Estep and our entire MUMC Music Ministry. Libby Preble and Kraig Gordon are making this gift to our church from hearts of humility and deep gratitude. AMAZING! We are off and running in our Beyond Hospitality efforts this fall.

I hope you’ll sign up for my fall study beginning September 11, The Good and Beautiful Community. This study will use James Bryan Smith’s book by the same title & helps us know how to live in relationship with others as apprentices of Jesus. “Apprentices of Jesus are not part-time do-gooders … they live in continuous contact with the kingdom of God and are constantly men and women in whom Christ dwells. They do not sometimes tell the truth, sometimes live sacrificially or sometimes forgive. There are myriad opportunities for us to impact the world in which we live.”

The Good and Beautiful Community will show us how to bring spiritual life and community engagement together, and offer spiritual practices that root new, true narratives about God and the world in our souls. Smith’s insight and humility will lead us to live in authentic ways as a good and beautiful community of Christ-followers, shining the light of the Spirit into every relationship. We’ll gather on Wednesday Evenings, 6:30-8:00 pm, September 11-November 13, Led by Pastor Chuck Wilson. Purchase book here, and register here.

What follows is one of the most cherished notes I’ve ever received: “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! No fluff in this entire sermon series (The Good Life … The God Life), but the thing I like best about being a Christ follower, the counterintuitive, revolutionary nature of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Every sermon has challenged me … again … and re-set my equilibrium after having it thrown off by the present unpleasantness in our country, in The United Methodist Church, and my personal life disrupted by the pandemic and the breaking of a relationship. There’s a pop song out by Jelly Roll called “Save Me” which has been reverberating in my spirit. “I am a lost cause, Baby, don’t waste your time on me. I’m damaged beyond repair. Life has shattered my hopes and my dreams.” Thank you for reminding me week in and out what I am saved for and who it is that saves me.”

Annual Audit

Matthews United Methodist has for years conducted an annual audit by an outside auditor. For the second year in a row, our audit was conducted by Foard and Company, PA and we were given a “clean” score. Mike Murphy, Servant Leader for our Finance Committee says, “Our external auditors have completed their financial audit of our 2023 financial statements. Foard and Company, PA issued Matthews United Methodist Church an unqualified opinion for 2023. This means our financial statements are without any identified material weaknesses and comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.”

If you’d like to review our 2023 audit, please click here. If you have any questions about our audit or our church finances, please feel free to contact our Director of Finance and Operations, Debbie Fitts at 704-847-6261 ext. 106.

2024 Capital Campaign & Questions We Hear You Asking

If you missed it, please link to the announcement here regarding our fall capital campaign for Sanctuary upgrades and read answers to Questions We Hear You Asking in the complete FAQs.

Q. Where will worship take place during construction and for how long?

The timeline is still in flux based on the scope of the work, but our goal is to only be displaced from the Sanctuary with worship held in the Gym & Commons space for a few Sundays. We will have a better idea in the next phase, when a construction schedule is projected, and will share those details once they are available.

Q. Why will handbells be placed behind the choir? And how will someone with disabilities be able to join them, if interested?

The handbells are in the back row in the renderings for placement during rehearsal. When the Bells play in any service, they will be in a U shape on the main chancel level. And if there is a time when Bells, Orchestra and Choir are united on a song, they will play from the top row of risers behind the choir.

Handbells as they are structured are not conducive for a person in a wheelchair to play. They must be able to stand above the level of the table and be able to swing bells back and forth as one of the many techniques used to play. A person with a disability who is not in a wheelchair, however, would still be able to participate.

Video Devotional

I love the old story about the guy who woke up on Sunday morning and complained to his mother saying, “I don’t feel like going to church. The choir sings off-key, people are grumpy, the pews are uncomfortable. Give me three good reasons why I should go to church.” I’ll leave the rest of the story for my devotional for this week, Why Do We Still Go to Church?

New Organist

Our new Music Ministry Associate – Organist, Eon Malan will begin with us this Sunday, September 1. This young man brings so much to our community. Please take the time to read through this short bio.

One of Eon’s stops along the way was St. Peter’s Cathedral in Hamilton, New Zealand. Rev. Wendy Scott was the Dean of Cathedral during that time, and she says of Eon, “It has been a pleasure working with Eon and the gifts he offers to the church and wider community. He is fun and energetic, and I will miss him. I cannot speak more highly of him … I believe he will be an asset to any church or community …”

Upcoming Dates

• Meet the Pastors Member Interest Gathering – Sunday, September 8, 3-4:30. If you’d like to explore deepening your participation in MUMC with membership, please sign up to be a part of this fun, informative gathering. This will begin our next Disciple’s Path series that will begin that day and then occur on Sunday mornings (8 am), beginning September 15 through October 20 (Joining Sunday). Details
• Praise Team Concert – Saturday, 6:30 pm in the Gym. Details
• Poverty Simulation hosted by Global Impact – Sunday, September 22, 12:30-3 in the Gym. Details
• Leadership Information Session – Tuesday, September 24, 7 pm in Room 158 or Zoom. Details
• Endowment Celebration Dinner – Wednesday, Sept 25, 6:30-8:00. Details & purchase tickets here.
• 5th Sunday Fellowship – Sunday, September 29, 12:15 at Matthews Presbyterian Church. Details
• Join one of our Short-Term Studies this fall, including Knowing Who We Are on Monday evenings and The Good & Beautiful Community on Wednesday evenings. Details
• SAVE the DATE! Sunday, October 20: ONE Combined Worship Service at 10:30 am followed by Family-Style Lunch in The Commons & Gym! Details

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) begins a new worship series this Labor Day Sunday, titled Practical Apologetics. Pastor Roldan’s sermon for Sunday is from Romans 1:16-20, and is titled The Evidence is Within Everyone’s Reach.

This week, ­­­Pastor Paul’s sermon is titled Come to the Table and the Scripture Lesson is John 6:51-54, 58. In preparation for Sunday, Pastor Paul says, “Come, Eat and Drink; consume my body and blood.” This is the only way we ever have life within us. Jesus is very clear about it. His flesh is true food, and his blood is true drink. Anything else leaves us empty, hollow, and without life. “Very truly, I tell you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life in you.” Let’s consider these ominous words that challenge us to consider whether there is life within us.

So many of your neighbors and friends will find themselves parking in our church parking lot for Matthews Alive this weekend… so why not invite them to come on into church building with you for a visit come Sunday morning? Moreover, you could tell them about our Meet the Pastors on Sunday, September 8, 3 pm, in our Sanctuary Reception Area. Thank you for sharing our good news with the community.

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

Doing Life in the subtle, subversive and sublime Way of Jesus,
Dr. Charles (Chuck) W. Wilson II

 

Did you know that, this past Sunday, the New Directions Sunday School Class studied several wonderful hymns – what each hymn meant and history behind each one? At the closing of class, Fred Ashford shared a medley of several hymns on his harmonica. What a wonderful treat!

Did you know that Dale Elam retired as CFO from Computer Services Corporation and now lends his time and expertise in the accounting department at MUMC? We are very grateful for the countless hours that he spends with us and his long-standing dedication to MUMC!

Did you know that 24 people from MUMC went to see the show The Gospel According to Tennessee, inspired by a true family story, this past Saturday afternoon? Everyone had a wonderful time enjoying a down-home country meal and watching the amazing NarroWay Actors tell the story of the Gospel through a very southern viewpoint. Some of our group even got up and danced with the actors when they did the Tennessee Waltz. A big thank you to Sam Hatcher and Dennis Green for driving the buses for this event!