October 11th, 2024 | Rev. Rachel Williams

Dear Friends,  

I hope that you have experienced minimal effects from Hurricane Milton. Even as we have been spared from a direct impact of the storm, we know that many of our loved ones and friends across Florida have a long recovery ahead of them. Add this to the cleanup efforts already begun because of Hurricane Helene, and the need is overwhelming. We worship God who never leaves us nor forsakes us and is by our side in the storm. As those who follow Christ’s way of love, we can be the hands and feet of Christ in the coming weeks by doing a few things: 

1. Pray- Pray for those who have lost everything, for those living with the trauma of the storms, for those who are still lost, for the first responders and helpers, for the volunteers who will be assembling in the weeks to come.  

2. Donate - To the relief efforts of the Florida Conference or to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)- Both funds are supporting local efforts to accomplish immediate relief and long-term recovery while providing for volunteers to offer compassionate ministries in the aftermath of disasters.  

3. Flood Buckets- Join us this Sunday after the 9:30AM service in the Lamb Early Education hallway to assemble flood buckets. We will be assembling one hundred buckets to take to one of the hurricane-affected areas of Florida.  

4. Stay tuned for ways to volunteer- We are waiting for more directions from the Florida Conference on disaster response. Once communities can welcome volunteer teams, we will be in the works to send a team where they are needed.  

And for now, will you pray with me these words from Kate Bowler?  

A Blessing for When Disaster Strikes 

Oh God, the suffering I see is unbearable.  

God, come quickly. Bring swift relief and sweet comfort. 

God have mercy. 

Christ have mercy. 

Spirit have mercy.  

The world is not lost, but sometimes it seems as though. 

with trees and homes uprooted— and people’s lives alongside them. 

Blessed are we who cry out, how long, oh God? 

Blessed are we who hope even when we can’t look anymore.  

Blessed are those who lost everything. 

Blessed are the helpers, the weather people, the aid workers. 

Blessed are the leaders who are swift to act. 

Blessed are the rescue workers, the shelterers, the neighbors.  

You know the need.

 You are beginning and ending. 

You are still here.  

Be still. And know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10 )

God have mercy.

 Christ have mercy. 

Spirit have mercy. 

 Let your body sink into this truth: I am with you always, to the end of the age. 

(Matthew 28:20) 

With Grace and Love,  

Pastor Rachel  

October 4th, 2024 | Rev. Dr. Mark Charles

Last weekend we were all shocked by the scenes of devastation being reported from communities affected by Hurricane Helene.  In the week since then, that shock has remained, maybe even increased, as the full extent of Helene’s impact unfolds before our eyes. None of us could have imagined just how destructive and widespread this hurricane’s force would end up being. It will take years to recover from.

Also, last weekend, I preached the final sermon in our Wesleyan Rooted series, reminding us all that followers of Jesus Christ in the Wesleyan tradition serve impactfully in the world. It’s what we do, especially in times of great need like what is being experienced by our friends and neighbors in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina right now.

Already, the Florida Conference’s Disaster Response Team has kicked into action and is seeking to draw on all available resources throughout our Conference so that we, the people called United Methodist in Florida, can play our part in recovery efforts.  At Memorial, we will be joining in with this work in all the ways we can.

The first way we are helping is by creating 100 “Flood Buckets” and getting them to the areas they are needed.  Our Mission Team has already allocated monies from the General Missions Fund to be used to purchase the necessary supplies. There are three ways you can be part of this effort:

1. Pray for the individuals and communities that have been impacted by Hurricane Helene – your prayers matter and make a difference.

2. Make a financial gift to the General Missions Fund.

3. Plan to be at church on Sunday, October 13th, when we will pack our flood buckets after the 9:30AM service.

These are simple, but effective ways to help right now. There will be more ways to help in the days ahead, including possible volunteer team opportunities to embody how #loveshowsup in storm affected areas.

More information on ways we can help will be included in Just 3 Things in all services this coming Sunday – I hope to see you there.

Blessings,

Pastor Charlie

September 27th, 2024 | Rev. Rachel Williams

Greetings, friends! I hope you got a chance to listen to the testimonials from this past Sunday’s services. What a gift it was to hear from thirteen different voices about their own experiences with Wesley and United Methodism. I wonder if it got you thinking about your own story. I know it certainly got me thinking about mine. Dan Nesbitt and Lynda Taylor both made comments about how they enjoy the preaching but have been most impacted by the teachers and laity they have encountered on their journey. Is that true for you? Even as I work toward ordination, I know that it was my encounters with my Sunday School teachers (one being my mom), my youth directors, my schoolteachers, my camp counselors, and my small group leaders in campus ministry who had some of the greatest impact on my faith journey. I wonder, how does it make you feel to help others in that journey? After all, Jesus calls each of us to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). Be empowered by the Spirit to walk alongside others as they come to know the depth of Christ’s love.  

I would be remiss if I did not leave you with another Wesleyan story, that of one of the original Wesleyan laity. In fact, the entire Methodist movement would be nothing if not for Susanna Wesley, Charles and John’s mom, the Mother of Methodism. It turns out that Samuel Wesley, father to the boys and husband to Susanna and a priest in the Church of England, was often absent from his family. In one incident, while Samuel was away in London, he appointed someone to preach in his stead. Susanna got so fed up with the lack of spiritual diversity in this man’s sermons that she started pulling from the sermons of her husband and father, conducting her own Sunday afternoon service for the children. After some time, her service had grown to upwards of 200 people while the Sunday morning service had nearly dwindled away. Realistically, she kept the parish going while Samuel was away. It was Susanna’s faith and religious leadership that led John and Charles into their own spiritual leadership.

If you want to hear more of the story of Susanna Wesley, and her impact on lay ministry you can go to https://www.umc.org/en/content/susanna-wesley-mother-of-methodism.  

Friends, I want to hear your stories. I want to hear how your experience with Wesley and the Methodist movement has transformed your life. I hope sometime we can sit down and talk about your story.  

With Grace and Peace,

Pastor Rachel