WEEKLY CALENDAR

SUNDAY MAY 24 ** Note Time **
Seventh Sunday of Easter
11:00 a.m. Live Worship Online via Facebook and on WGOS AM 1070

MONDAY MAY 25 – FRIDAY MAY 29
10:00 a.m. 10 @ 10 Weekday Devotions Online via Facebook

WEDNESDAY 27
Midday   The Weekly Update Online via Facebook

SATURDAY MAY 30
UMW Scholarship Application Deadline
Download the application HERE. Submit by email only, to Susan Frye at sfrye@mumctville.org.

SUNDAY MAY 31 ** Note Time **
Day of Pentecost
Youth Sunday
11:00 a.m. Live Worship Online via Facebook and on WGOS AM 1070

UPCOMING DATES

YOUTH REUNION POSTPONED: The Youth Reunion originally scheduled for Saturday June 6th has been postponed. The new date has not yet been set.

WOMEN’S RETREAT, SEPT. 4-7:  The Women’s Retreat originally scheduled for this month has been rescheduled for September 4-7. Mark your calendars for this special opportunity, and contact Lynda Hepler to confirm your registration or with questions.

NO BARGAIN TREASURES & GIFTS GALORE IN 2020: Due to uncertainty and potential risks associated with Coronavirus, both the Bargain Treasures sale (usually held at the end of August) and Gifts Galore (usually held the first Saturday of November) have been canceled for 2020. We anticipate continuing these traditions in 2021.

ONLINE WORSHIP CONTINUES

The Pastors and leaders of Memorial UMC are aware of the recent exemption of churches from the Executive Order regarding mass gatherings. Even though the exemption has been made, the imminent dangers related to the transmission of the Covid-19 virus remain. Because of our love for one another and our neighbors, we are of one mind that the safest venues for worship will continue to be via Facebook Live and WGOS 1070. We will not resume worshipping face to face until a later date. This decision is in keeping with the recommendation of our Bishop Paul Leland and other denominational leaders.

We look forward to that time when we can worship together and we are making plans to provide for the safest experience possible. Thank you for your continued efforts in taking care of one another during these “different times.” May God’s grace and peace be abundant in your life.

PRAYER CONCERNS

If you or a loved one would like to be added to the prayer list, please contact Lorna McCullough at 336-259-5814. If you put a name on the list, please keep in touch to let us know how that person is doing, as names are removed after three weeks. During the coming week, please pray for:

The United Methodist Church
All Military Personnel
Our UM Missionaries
Tracy Brinkley
Chris Eddinger
Tim Priska
Tyler Oldaker
Dallas Hutchens
Dave Ogren
Evelyn Tew
Andrea Cain and Family
Kim Henderson
Robert Miller
Debbie Mayer-Mathews
All those affected by Coronavirus
Our First Responders, Medical Community, and Essential Workers
Skip Price and Family
Margaret Jones and Family
Finley Price Family
Peggy Lawrence
Josie Laumann
Rob James
Ed and Penny Biggers
Brandon Rorie
The Family of Frances Cook
The Family of Janie Manuel
The Family of Frances Brinkley
The Family of Sarah Grove
Michelle Smith
Baxter Gallimore

We extend our prayers and sympathy to the family of Janie Manuel, who died May 13, 2020, and to the families of Frances Brinkley and Sarah Grove, both of whom died May 14, 2020.

Obituary for Janie Manuel
Obituary for Frances Brinkley
Obituary for Sarah Grove

PANTRY ITEMS NEEDED

Thank you for your continued giving to CCM. Their current needs are given below. You may drop your donations off at the church, placing them on the Mission Racks in the breezeway.

SEW FAR, SEW GOOD…

If you can sew and are looking for a way to help out in the community, please contact Katie Conant, or pick up a mask sewing kit from the Mission Racks in the church breezeway. Along with the sewing ministry of First UMC in Lexington, Memorial’s Sewing Ministry so far has made over 4000 (!) cloth face masks which have been distributed in Davidson County to doctors’ offices, nursing homes, law enforcement and first responders, the Y, food pantries, and more.

CLOTH FACE MASKS BENEFIT SALE

Memorial’s Doris Link is selling handmade cloth face masks for $5 each, with all proceeds going to offset medical expenses for her daughter’s journey toward a kidney transplant. You may reach Doris at dlinksewgirl@gmail.com. She wants you to know she may be slow to respond to email as she is also working, but she will follow up with you to arrange delivery and payment (cash is preferred). Fabric options are shown in the photo at left, numbered so you can let her know your choices.

CLERGY AND STAFF ARE AVAILABLE 

You may contact members of the staff directly or by calling the church office at 336-472-7718 and following the instructions on the recording. Here is a list of staff phone extensions and email addresses, for reference:

Danny Leonard, Senior Minister – Ext. 16; dleonard@mumctville.org
Peggy Finch, Associate Minister – Ext. 15; pfinch@mumctville.org
Rodney Denton, Minister of Youth and Young Adults – Ext. 18; rdenton@mumctville.org
Lynda Hepler, Minister of Children and Families – Ext. 11; lhepler@mumctville.org
Brian Russell, Director of Contemporary Worship – Ext. 20; brussell@mumctville.org
Danny Frye, Director of Music – Ext. 12; dfrye@mumctville.org
Susan Frye, Secretary – Ext. 14; sfrye@mumctville.org
Peggy May, Financial Secretary/Treasurer – Ext. 13; pmay@mumctville.org
Jarry Oldaker, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds – Ext. 17; joldaker@mumctville.org

MEMORIAL AND HONORARY GIFTS

We gratefully acknowledge the following gifts made to Memorial United Methodist Church over the past several months:

In honor of Chris Eddinger for her birthday by Tom and Janet Smith.
In honor of Kenneth and Martha Fulp by Charles Fulp.
In honor of Milton Humphreys by Bick and Bonnie Craig.
In honor of Milton Humphreys by Lummie Jo Huneycutt.
In honor of Milton Humphreys by Tom and Janet Smith.
In honor of Milton Humphreys for his birthday. by Roger and Bettie Bryant.
In memory of Norman Crews by Wayne and Christine Herrick.
In memory of Gladys Davis by Bick and Bonnie Craig.
In memory of Barbara Hepler by David Williams.
In memory of Nancy Hodgin by Noah and Barbara Manning.
In memory of Hoxie Jones by Carey and Kay Eanes.
In memory of Hoxie Jones by Joe and Barbara Greeson.
In memory of Hoxie Jones by Lummie Jo Huneycutt.
In memory of Hoxie Jones by Peggy May.
In memory of Hoxie Jones by Tom and Janet Smith.
In memory of Hoxie Jones by David Williams.
In memory of Barbara Price by Charles and Kathy Aites.
In memory of Barbara Price by Robert and Ann Batten.
In memory of Barbara Price by Carolyn Collett.
In memory of Barbara Price by Scott and Diane Craver.
In memory of Barbara Price by Carey and Kay Eanes.
In memory of Barbara Price by Harold and Sara Faulkner.
In memory of Barbara Price by Jamie and Cathy Hiatt.
In memory of Barbara Price by Lummie Jo Huneycutt.
In memory of Barbara Price by David and Wanda Hunt.
In memory of Barbara Price by Priscilla Joyce.
In memory of Barbara Price by Anne Overbeck.
In memory of Barbara Price by Blake Williams.
In memory of Barbara Price by David Williams.
In memory of Joe Wheliss by Noah and Barbara Manning.
In memory of Joe Wheliss by Hal Rollins.
In memory of Jane Burt Williams by Emily Abernathy.

FEATURED DEVOTION

We close this week’s eNews with an excerpt from the 10@10 devotion shared by Danny Leonard on April 23, 2020.

It is interesting how the human mind works. While I do not have an in-depth knowledge about that, I do know that we sometimes get things on our minds and it bounces around there. For some reason this week, one particular image from scripture came to mind and would not move on. That image was Jesus and children.

People were bringing their children to Jesus. The disciples were turning them away. It had become a part of their task to prevent Jesus from being smothered by the large crowds that always turned up when he was around. They were being good soldiers in shielding Jesus. Jesus recognized what was happening and used it as an opportunity to teach. He said, “Let the children come to me for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

On another occasion, the disciples were bantering about who was the greatest among them. They were basing greatness on such things as power, authority, and influence. They posed the question about greatness to Jesus. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Clearly children are onto something that would be worthy of our attention.

It is especially interesting to me that Jesus referred to children and the kingdom of heaven at least three times, and it is religious people—those vying to get into heaven—who seem to complicate things. Jesus indicates that there is something much more important happening here, and it is not complicated.

I presume that if you were to ask a churchgoer to tell you what is required to get into heaven, becoming like a child would not be on the list. In fact, the Jewish faith lists 613 commandments by which they strive to live in an attempt to be faithful to God.

Jesus said, “Unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” To be clear, Jesus said we must become child-like not childish. He did not excuse the childish ways that even adults sometimes exhibit.

I do not want to overcomplicate Jesus’ words, but I do want to be true to what he said and to remind us of two of the admirable qualities of children.

Children are honest.

Tanner was a 7-year old boy who was playing in a T-ball game. He attempted to tag a runner who was going from first base to second base. The umpire called runner out. Tanner quietly told the umpire that he did not actually tag the runner.

Two weeks later Tanner was playing in another game that happened to have the same umpire. Tanner was playing shortstop and, after fielding the ball, he tagged a runner who was heading to third base. The umpire called the runner ‘safe.’ Tanner did not say anything but the umpire could tell that Tanner was surprised by call.

The umpire asked Tanner if he tagged runner. Tanner responded that he did indeed tag the runner, so the umpire changed her call and the runner was out. Parents and coaches protested. The umpire explained that she learned to trust Tanner because of his honesty.

Children are honest. Sometimes too honest for our comfort. We are told that honesty is the best policy; while not always the easiest, it is always the best. We would do well to be honest with others and ourselves. It is much less stressful when we are honest.

There is an image etched in my mind’s eye of a little boy I saw at the Hanes Mall years ago. He was proudly wearing cowboy boots, a hat, vest, gun belt, and short pants. He was happy. He did not feel the need to be anything other than who he was. He was obviously not trying to live into expectations that others had of him. He was honest with himself and quite comfortable with who he was. That’s a great way to live.

Children are trusting.

They are dependent on others for the essentials of life. They have no other choice but to trust others. They know that their past needs have been met, and they have no worries about their future needs. In fact, they do not even know what a ‘need’ is.

How would life be if we were completely confident that God would meet our needs? It has been said that “faith is a total dependence on God.” The Bible tells us that we are saved by grace through faith. Total dependence on God is the prescription. Children have been showing us that for a long time.

Even though we grow in our faith, and life becomes more complicated, and we feel the weight of some responsibility, it might be a good practice to look at the children and learn from them.

After all, Jesus said if we hope to enter the kingdom of God, we must become like little children.

YOU CAN WATCH AND READ ALL 10 @ 10 DEVOTIONS HERE.