THIS WEEK A PR I L 2 6 | 2020
Painting by Liz Gore www.myersparkumc.org 1501 Queens Road Charlotte, NC 28207
704.376.8584 info@mpumc.org
LIVESTREAM WORSHIP TIMES 8:45 a.m. | 9:45 a.m. | 11:00 a.m.
WE LCO M E To O u r C h u rc h !
We are the body of Christ, growing in faith and serving others.
Our Deepest Sympathy Robert Artis Caudle, father of Randy Caudle, who died on April 20.
Parenting During A Pandemic B Y R E V. B I L L R O T H Pastor of Congregational Care
Sebastian Capozzi, grandfather of Joe Giordano and great-grandfather of Ava, Andrew, Luke, and Lila Giordano, who died on April 16.
OUR DIGITAL CONNECTIONS SUNDAY WORSHIP There are multiple ways to remain together even if we’re not in the same room with one another! With multiple avenues of accessing our worship services, we can join together each Sunday online at 8:45, 9:45, and 11:00 a.m. Access our livestream at the link below or on Facebook. We look forward to continuing to worship with you on Sunday! www.myersparkumc.org/watch-live
WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY Wednesday’s live Bible study will be at 11:00 a.m. and led by one of our pastors. They will share with us insights that they've learned from the Bible. The Study will gather virtually at livestream.com/mpumc. Also, if you'd like to receive Dr. Howell's weekly emails, you can sign up here.
VIRTUAL SMALL GROUPS VIA ZOOM As we journey together after Easter Sunday, in this COVID-19 season, we recognize the continuous need for support and community. We invite you to join one of our virtual small groups led by the pastors of Myers Park UMC. You need not be a member of our church or a member of the United Methodist Church to join. We welcome all of God’s people who desire prayer, care, and family. We need each other and we are better together. Contact Christine mull at cmull@mpumc.org with any questions. Click here to join the small group and access instructions for using Zoom. We look forward to seeing you soon!
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e all have felt the challenges of the stay at home orders that have been in place in our state for the bet ter par t of a month. Parents seem to be having a par ticularly dif f icult time as they navigate the added responsibilities of continuing their children’s education at home, of tentimes while also balancing a full time job. And we know that our children are also adapting to this “new normal” while missing their t ypical routine and interactions with their peers. Rev. Bill Roth, our Pastor of Congregational Care, shares with us some of his insights about what our children need most from us during this challenging time. There are lots of suggestions on activities we can do to help structure our children's days. We have all seen these lists for keeping our kids occupied and learning, or at least distracted. While these lists are great, they are limited in their scope. The problem with simply resourcing parents with activity lists is that they do not address the nature of parenting itself. It is like having a great supply list for what to take on a camping trip, and then realizing you don’t know the first thing about camping. A list without knowledge of the task is of minimal value. At its heart, parenting is showing up in a calm body so our children can find in us a safe person in which to co-regulate their emotions. When we are calm, it enables children to feel safe to express their feelings, which gets them what they need. A child who says “I am scared” is expressing their feelings to a parent. Children share feelings so they are not overwhelmed by their emotions and their aloneness with those feelings. When a child is able to express their feelings to a "safe other" who hears them, can see the need for soothing, and supplies said soothing, our signaling system of emotions works. Put simply, anxious children need a nonanxious parent to share their feelings with and find soothing. A non-anxious parent can help the child by co-regulating them but an anxious parent will only infect the child with more of their own anxiety. Thus, good parenting facilitates a calm and reassuring presence that is safe and accepting for strong emotions to be acknowledged, felt, and expressed in the presence of one who hears and acts to reassure and comfort." Learn more about self-regulating as a parent here. As always, Bill Roth is available as a resource to you as we continue to navigate the challenges of life during a pandemic. Reach him by email with questions.
BETTER TOGETHER B Y R E V. N AT H A N A R L E D G E Pastor of Missions & Community Engagement
GIVING AT MYERS PARK Your ongoing weekly offerings have enabled MPUMC to continue daily operations with all clergy and staff who are committed to providing new ways for our congregation to come together in prayer and fellowship during a season where we are physically apart. Make your offering today by clicking here or by mail to 1501 Queens Road, Charlotte, NC 28207.
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s they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, 'Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.' So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?' That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, 'The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!' Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread." – Luke 24:28-35 Where do we miss seeing and sharing Jesus in our lives? It wasn’t that the disciples didn’t believe Jesus was with them. They saw him even if their tongues were twisted like pretzels trying to mutter out what they were seeing. They struggled with the same thing that I think we all still struggle with-believing the things that are not tangible. They didn't truly see Jesus until the tangible breaking of the bread, the intentional time of reminding them who he was. The disciples needed the tangible sign to know, to believe, to be sure, to understand, and to rest their hearts that Jesus was truly fleshy and all there. Consider your own faith and belief, and questions that you have. I’d imagine they aren’t that far off from what the disciples experienced, or even what many people still experience today, and that is the pure disbelief that Jesus’ body has truly been resurrected into the flesh. I mean, can you blame the disciples for their doubts? Can you blame thousands, if not millions, of people today? Can you blame those who have left the church because members of a church hurt them? Can you blame those who have never stepped foot in a church because all they witness is discrimination by those who claim Christianity as their faith? What did the disciples see that day? What was it in Jesus that made them all of a sudden believe? It was the body of Christ taking time to be with the disciples. It was the Body of Christ not rushing to get to the next agenda item for the day. They saw the Body of Christ not give up on them but instead stay with them for the whole day, remaining present, loving, caring, and compassionately listening to their worries and concerns. The world already sees enough slight of hand and smokes and mirrors. What the world doesn’t see enough of is the Body of Christ, the real life tangible fleshy body of love, mercy, grace, peace, and compassion. This is what the world needs; it needs the church to become the Body of Christ to bear witness to the Love of the Gospel. And as disciples who have received the Holy Spirit, guess what? We have a responsibility to see the hands and feet, the pierced skin and open wounds of the Body of Christ as our own. When we live into this role of being the Body, then we live into the call that beckons us to take time, to slow down, and to reorient our eyes and heart on what truly matters, being together as the body for the least, lost, and hurting.
Questions? Contact Jamie Yearwood, Director of Development, at jyearwood@mpumc.org or 704-295-4808.
SONGSHARE: SINGER/ SONGWRITER CAMP STILL A GO Thanks to Eve White and Natalie Secrest, our annual singer/songwriter camp is still able to happen - just in a different space. The events have begun airing on Facebook on Fridays at 4:30 p.m. The hangout is free of charge and open to teens ages 13–18. To find out more information on how to join, simply click here. We're thankful to Eve, Natalie, and Trinity Maritn for this creative alternative in helping students develop their talents.
E A S T E R P E O P L E - LO O K H O W YO U ' V E B L E S S E D OT H E R S ! Our Easter Offering totaled nearly $30,000, an amazing gift of faith and generosity during this Easter season. Remarkably, that total represents an increase of $5,000 from last year when we were able to celebrate this season together. 2019 2020
$25K $30K
The Offering will be split between two of our partners. Urban Ministry | Men's Shelter of Charlotte will be undertaking critical renovations to expand capacity at their Statesville Ave. location. Faith Ministry, our partners in Reynosa, Mexico, rely on groups of volunteers to help fund and build homes for the vulnerable neighbors they support. Their portion of the offering will help pay salaries and maintain operations in the absence of those volunteer groups. You are showing up for our neighbors, just as Jesus showed up for us. Let's continue to meet people where they are, listen to their hearts, and be present with them.
CO N N E C T WITH US ! F o l l ow u s o n s o c ia l m e d ia @ my e r sp a r k u m c
SUPPORT FOR CARERING - CARING FOR THOSE WHO CARE Thanks to your continued generosity, we were able to provide lunch three days last week to the staff at CareRing. CareRing provides high-quality preventative care to 2,600 of our uninsured and underinsured neighbors.
V i s i t o u r we b s i te w w w. mye r s p a rk u m c .o r g to find small groups, ways to serve and engage, how to give, and plug in with other members of our church!
OU R CLE RGY Dr. James C. Howell Senior Pastor Rev. Nathan Arledge Pastor of Missions & Community Engagement Rev. Taylor Barefoot Pastor for Emerging Ministries
Thank you for showing support to us as we strive to keep the community healthy & safe” Patricia Hodge Nurse Case Manager Care Ring
We are so grateful for the expression of love from MPUMC through the generous donation of food from local restaurants for our providers. Means so much to know we have support from the community during these trying COVID-19 days. Thank you!” Don Jonas Executive Director Care Ring
Thank you for thinking of us and for the generous donation of lunches this past week. I am grateful that Care Ring has the support of the Charlotte community. I’m glad you were also able to support restaurants in need of business during this time. Also, the food was great!” Emma Tayloe MedServe intern Care Ring Clinic
Rev. Jessica Dayson Pastor for Young Adults & Lay Involvement Rev. Uiyeon Kim Pastor of Discipleship Rev. Bill Roth Pastor of Congregational Care Rev. Nancy Watson Executive Pastor
TALK WITH A PASTOR A pastor on staff stands ready to respond to your question or concern. Those needing immediate pastoral help should call 704-376-8584 and follow the prompts to the pastor on call.
CASSEROLE TEAM PROVIDES MEALS TO THE RELATIVES by Lauren Smith Parish Nurse We were able to deliver 10 frozen casseroles and 5 frozen soups from our meal ministry freezer to The Relatives this week. Our meal ministry team, lead by Barbara Henson, keeps our basement freezer stocked throughout the year with wonderful meals that they prepare for us to use during a time of need. One of our congregational care ministry teams may then deliver one of these meals to a member who may be recovering from health issues, or to a grieving or bereaved family, or to a family celebrating a birth. They may also be delivered to members by myself or the clergy as we make visits in member homes as well. These meals truly feed the body and the soul... we were thrilled to be able to share our overstock during this COVID season with our neighbors at The Relatives.