THIS WEEK J U N E 7 | 2020
SENIOR SUNDAY 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
Better Together
B Y R E V. N AT H A N A R L E D G E Pastor of Missions & Community Engagement
Anna Wolf Damron, mother of Jo Anna Reynolds, and sister of Betty Paules, died May 28. Margaret Ann Schrum, mother of Susan Ladue, John Schrum, and Ginna Laporte, and grandmother of Louise and Collin Ladue, John Schrum IV, and William, Hayes, and Hunter Laporte, died May 27.
In Celebration Spyros "Solon" Skouras, son of Hope and Spyros Skouras, sister of Evie and Francis Jane Skouras, grandson of Rick Davis and Beth and Chuck Hood, greatgrandson of Betty and David Francis, and nephew of Eric Davis and Elise and Mark Houston, was born on March 13.
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! Watch live at: 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 YOGA : We may find ourselves more sedentary as a natural side effect of this season, but we should not feel guilty or fear physical decline. One of the ways you can join others in finding healthy movement opportunities is through our weekly Zoom Yoga classes taught by Meredith Starling. Classes are offered Mondays and Thursdays at noon and Thursday evenings at 8:00 p.m. These classes are for all skill levels. If you are interested in joining please email Meredith. If you have any questions about the ministry, please email Rev. Taylor Pryde Barefoot. SUMMER SMALL GROUPS: Led by the pastors of our church, these small groups will provide time/ space during this ongoing time of uncertainty for all participants to share joys and concerns, offer support for one another, and prayerfully reflect on our weekly scripture lessons. Click here for our Summer Small Groups Lectionary Guide.
T
hen God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the and the birds of the air, and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creepy thing that creeps upon the earth.’ So God created humankind in his image in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’” Genesis 1: 26-28 Friends, I peaked too early during shelter in place, happen to you too maybe? I really appreciate gardening. And so when this all started I went to buy all my flowers, dirt, and fertilizer. And within two days I had my flower beds full of bulbs, flowers, and ground coverings. Well, this took two days and we are on day, who knows. I used to plant vegetables but we have beautiful uninvited deer that enjoy the fruits of the growing before we can. So instead, I just support local farmers through the farmers markets. I do miss digging in the dirt, getting it in my finger nails, and connecting with the source of where my food was growing from. There’s much joy and peace in the dirt. Good thing God didn’t peak early. Instead, God thoroughly and lovingly creates and does so with great intentionality. As Ellen Davis, one of my professors from Duke, puts it, “Up until the creation of the land, Genesis 1 is really very terse. ‘Let there be light, and there was light’ ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters...and it was so.’ But then, when the dry land begins to be furnished for habitation, suddenly blessing enters the world. So the creatures are blessed. And of course, we know human beings are blessed on the sixth day, but we often overlook the fact that the creatures of sky and sea receive exactly the same blessing, pru u’revu, ‘be fruitful and multiply.’ And so we are living amongst creatures who are blessed before we even come into existence. I think that’s an important thing to recognize.” This is crucial for us to understand because as those created with dominion over the earth, it is our responsibility to treat it with our utmost respect and love for God. We aren’t offered the gift of the earth and the power over the things in the earth to abuse and misuse, no, we are afforded such power in order that we protect, care for and treat with great respect. And the feelings should be mutual for the way in which we treat our neighbors. Our world has a torrid past of different groups of people attempting to exercise dominion over one another, and what we know is that this is just simply wrong and antithetical to the gospel. God creating us all in God’s image is not to be wasted on self-centeredness, systemic oppression or structural/institutional racist violence. Rather, the image we are created in has formed us to be people who see, honor and value the worth of our neighbors and our world. Power. Power in our world has become an idol that has many intoxicated and addicted. And again, this is antithetical to the way in which God has ordered and created us. God created us to love, care for, and join with one another to raise our voices and bodies to glorify God. The day to day most tangible way we may offer praise back to God is by respecting and continually working to provide holistic care for earth and one another. This week forward let’s work on mastering the way we walk with the earth and one another through love, compassion, and thanksgiving, so that in all we do we glorify God.
I See You. I hear you. I Stand With You. 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 Thank you for your ongoing offerings to our church Operating Fund. Your generosity enables our Youth program to provide opportunities for connection, fellowship, and spiritual growth as they seek to center their lives in relationship with Christ amidst this season of shifting connections. Make Your Offering Today at www.myersparkumc.org/give or by mail to 1501 Queens Rd., Charlotte, NC 28207
I SEE YOU. I HEAR YOU. AND I STAND WITH YOU. This call to action rings out over and over again from the pages of the Bible. God calls for his temple to be a “house of prayer for all people”. Jesus offers love and grace to the Samaritan woman. God calls us to stand with and for our black and brown brothers and sisters and do the work to undo the sin of systemic racism, white supremacy, police brutality, and silence. The work isn't easy. Understanding how charged phrases such as white supremacy, equity, racism, and sin apply to our everyday lives takes patience and grace and hard work. Join us - regardless of where you are on your journey - for an anti-racism small group workshop experience this summer. We will use a mixture of guest voices, mixed media resources, discussion and pen to paper exercises to do the work we are called to do. Beginning June 15, join us on Mondays at 8pm for this small group experience. Just join by ZOOM and use Meeting ID 339 721 9407 o Password 1501. DO THE WORK We are producing an extensive list of resources for, you, our church family, and friends to use for the small group mentioned above. As we prayerfully compile and curate a larger list, we invite you to start with the resources below. Exploring our own personal stories, belief systems, and biases is the first step in an anti-racism journey. From there, we will explore how to use our voice and influence in groups and organizations in which we belong and how we join those voices in community against systemic racism. • TAKE an IMPLICIT BIAS test and understand if you carry unconscious bias into social situations. • READ the article White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh, a classic introduction to the privilege we carry with us...often without noticing. • SIGN UP for Brownicity's What Lies Between Us, a five week Anti-Racism educational course. • WATCH this TED talk from Mellody Hobson. Color Blind or Color Brave? • READ the book White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
Questions About Giving Opportunities? Contact Jamie Yearwood, Director of Development, at jyearwood@mpumc.org or 704-295-4808.
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE WITH FREEDOM SCHOOL Freedom School announces its new FSP 2020 R.E.S.P.O.N.S.E programming for this summer. They have some immediate needs as they ramp up for their new, adjusted programs in our community: FROM HOME: • Buy supplies from the Amazon Wishlist • Make/sew reusable masks At FSP Latrobe, dedicated warehouse space: • Sanitizing incoming donations • Helping prepare the physical space to ensure efficiency • Assembling and preparing first aid or enrichment kits • Sorting books and supplies
CLICK THE FLYER TO LEARN MORE! 2020 Summer Volunteer Opportunities When you open books, you open doors. Freedom School Partners promotes the long-term success of children by preventing summer learning loss through igniting a passion for reading and inspiring a love of learning. While this summer will look different from past summers, we are excited to serve scholars and their families through our FSP 2020 R.E.S.P.O.N.S.E. programming. We look forward to providing reading and enrichment programs, culturally relevant books, and necessary supplies that support our scholars and their families directly in communities where this support is most needed. Freedom School Partners welcomes volunteers aged 16 and above, as well as younger helpers when accompanied by an adult. Below, you’ll find an overview of volunteer opportunities for summer 2020. Virtual Support Ongoing
Warehouse Support May 26 to July 31
• For Families: LISTEN to the podcast from NPR: Talking Race with Young Children Logistical Support June 29 – July 31
Between now and the end of July, Freedom School Partners needs a variety of books and supplies. Support our program without leaving your home in one of the following ways: - Purchasing needed supplies through our Amazon Wish List - Making reusable masks for scholar, staff, and volunteer use - Recording yourself reading a book as a virtual “Read Aloud” guest Help ensure successful FSP 2020 R.E.S.P.O.N.S.E. programs by helping at FSP Latrobe, our dedicated warehouse space. These volunteer opportunities may include the following: - Sanitizing incoming donations - Helping prepare the physical space to ensure efficiency - Assembling and preparing first aid or enrichment kits - Sorting books and supplies Providing portable sites this summer means many opportunities to help ensure supplies get where they’re needed. Help with logistical support may include: -
Site Support June 29 – July 31
Picking up and delivering food bags from Second Harvest Food Bank Delivering needed supplies to FSP Latrobe or FSP R.E.S.P.O.N.S.E. locations city-wide Your help at our FSP R.E.S.P.O.N.S.E. sites ensures the smooth running with day-today operations, ensuring our scholars get the most from the programming we provide. These opportunities may include: -
Welcoming scholars and their families Helping at Literacy or Enrichment stations Distributing snacks Helping set up and/or break down the site
Please note that volunteer opportunities may change on short notice to accommodate the needs of the program.
For more information or to register for upcoming volunteer opportunities, visit http://vhub.at/fsp. Questions? Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Tommy Hudnall, at (704) 371-4922 or e-mail volunteers@freedomschoolpartners.org. We look forward to working with you! PO Box 37363, Charlotte, NC 28237 • (704) 371-4922 • www.freedomschoolpartners.org
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
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!
SENIOR BLANKETS WITH A TWIST Two weeks ago, the youth team (and Britt Yett) set out to hand deliver Senior Blankets. While we were so sad at the loss of our traditional Senior Sunday, we cherished every prayer, social distance hug, tears and laughter that we got to have with each of our seniors and their families. Congratulations, Seniors of 2020! Follow this link to see the tribute video! Our church is blessed with a great bunch of young people and the MPUMC youth leadership team has done a terrific job. As a parent I feel fortunate to be part of a church with such a positive and involved youth program. Our girls and our family have certainly benefited from your ministry. I enjoyed the senior tribute video you all sent out. Thank you for making the best of a tough situation with the 2020 graduates. They really have missed out on a lot.” Donnie Pickett, Parent of a Graduating Senior
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 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.
HEALTH RESOURCES UPDATE
by Rev. Bill Roth and Parish Nurse, Lauren Smith
We continue to be mindful of the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing struggle for racial equality in our country and community. Below is list of mental health resources to have at the ready for family, friends and yourself should a mental health need arise. RESOURCES: Mental Health America National Institute of Mental Health National Alliance on Mental Illness Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Centers for Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. National Library of Medicine/NIH Novant Health Atrium Health Suicide Prevention Resource Center American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 24/7 Crisis Hotline: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Crisis Text Line Text TALK to 741-741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free, 24/7 Veterans Crisis Line Send a text to 838255
Mobile Crisis Team Provides residents of Mecklenburg County who are experiencing a mental health crisis assistance and access to supportive Community Resources. The team is dispatched to provide emergency psychiatric assessment, immediate intervention for family crises, interventions for parents and children and assistance to the hospital or other appropriate psychiatric care. Mobile Crisis Team: 704–566–3410 Emergency 911 – Ask for CIT Trained Officer if available (Crisis Intervention Team)