April 24th, 2026 | Rev. Dr. Mark Charles

Dear Grace-filled Family,

Since our time together this past Sunday morning, my heart has been full. As many of you now know, my time as Senior Pastor of Memorial is coming to a close, and I have been appointed to serve as the Lead Pastor at Trinity UMC in Gainesville, Florida, beginning this summer.

I want to pause and simply say thank you. The news of a pastoral transition is never easy to hear or to share, but the way you have responded has been nothing short of gracious. I have heard your sadness, which I deeply share, but I have also been moved by your expressions of gratitude for the years we have journeyed together. To hear that there is "no shock"—only a recognition of the seasons of ministry—is a testament to your maturity and health as a congregation. Thank you for holding Margaret, Eva, Jackson, and me so tenderly in your hearts this week.

As we begin to navigate this transition together, I want to invite you into a season of intentional prayer. Transition in the United Methodist Church is a "holy shuffling," and it requires us to lean heavily on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Please join me in praying for:

• Our Family: For Margaret, Eva, Jackson, and me as we begin the process of saying goodbye to the community and the church we love so dearly, and as we prepare to move to Gainesville.

• The Long Family: For Angie and Keith Long as they prepare to move to Fernandina Beach. Pray for their hearts as they prepare to enter into the life of this wonderful congregation.

• Our Staff Team: For our dedicated church staff as they navigate this season of change and continue the daily work of ministry with excellence and grace.

• Our Congregation: For each of you, as you go through the spiritual work of "letting go" of one pastor and preparing your hearts to welcome another.

  
  

While the face in the pulpit may change, the mission of Memorial United Methodist Church remains steadfast. In the middle of all the logistics of moving and transitioning, I pray that our focus remains exactly where it has always been: on the work to which we are called.

Our mission - to ensure that Christ’s love shows up in our worship, study, connection, and service - does not pause for a transition. It is the constant that holds us together. I am excited to see how the Spirit’s work continues in our life and witness throughout these coming weeks.

As I said last Sunday morning: I will always be so proud and deeply grateful that I got to be the Senior Pastor of Memorial United Methodist Church.

Blessings,

Pastor Charlie

Senior Pastor

The Good News: Your Support Reaches Around the World with Memorial's Six International Mission Partners

"Did you know that Memorial's mission reach extends over four continents?" Pastor Rachel asked the group from the Wesley Dinner Club who gathered Thursday night.

"These mission partners allow us to grow our own missional impact. Thought this United Methodist Connection, we can expand where we care. We can see the image of God in the diversity of the people we reach, and we can share the love of Jesus Christ to more people."

Pastor Rachel was referring to the six international Mission Partners who work with and through Memorial to help those in need around the globe. Joining her on Thursday night in Maxwell Hall was Jack Burk from Mobility Worldwide/PET Project, Diana Twiggs from The Lviv, Ukraine Volunteer Kitchen, Brooke Rimondi for Porch de Soloman, and Diane Hamrick from Kenya Partners. Joining via Zoom was Lianne Muholland from East Belfast Mission in Norther Ireland and Tricia and Nick Fourman from Roots of Grace Cambodia. (Story continues below the photos.)

Each mission champion spoke about the work of their mission and the ways that the Memorial family could support their work from here in Fernandina Beach,

Mobility Worldwide/PET Project:

Mobility Worldwide began over 30 years ago when a United Methodist pastor in Congo noticed the number of people he met who were missing limbs and unable to move around. He began the process of making hand-cranked mobility carts to provide for free to those who were mission limbs in third-world countries. Hand cart production grew and branched out into other production hubs around the county. One of those hubs is the PET Project at Memorial, where 12-14 volunteers manufacture a few of the metal parts for the carts. Their parts are shipped to Penny Farms (one of 24 shops) for final production of the carts and shipping overseas. Roughly 700 carts per year are shipped for free and given for free to those in need in 117 countries.

Jack said that the support of the church is vital. The volunteers in the shop work three days a week and the metal and welding supplies they use all come from donations. So volunteers with carpentry or welding experience are welcome, as our financial donations. Another thing that is welcome are prayers, not only for the mission and the volunteers, but for those who are receiving the carts and finding new opportunities through the independence they provide. You can learn more about Mobility Worldwide HERE and by following them on Facebook. East Belfast Mission: East Belfast Mission has been going strong for 200 years, meeting the needs of the homeless and the hungry in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They are part of the Methodist Church in Northern Ireland and give the people of East Belfast the building blocks to build better futures and opportunities for themselves.

The multiple services they provide aim to "alleviate the difficulties faced by our community through projects such as our Hosford Homelessness services, our Employability project which helps people back to work, our Irish Language project to connect a divided community and of course our thriving church community which offers community groups, counselling and pastoral care to those who need it."

While they work to meet the immediate needs of those who come to them for help, they also provide long-term support to help get them back on their feet in a healthy way. Along with feeding ministries the group provide job support and reconciliation programs for the community. You can keep up with the work of East Belfast Mission through their podcasts on their YouTube channel and follow them on Facebook. Lianne shared that Easte Belfast Mission appreciates financial donations and welcome groups who want to visit and learn more about their ministries. And prayer is vital: prayer for their ministry, prayers for the projects and fundraising, prayers that they can serve the people who need help, and prayers for those in transition and reconciliation programs. And as Lianne said, "Pray that they can see that we coming to work with them for the love of Jesus."

Roots of Grace Cambodia:

Roots of Grace was founded by Chris and Heidi Smith in 2015, when on a trip to Cambodia they were moved by seeing children sleeping in the streets. The program focuses on spiritual investment, physical care, emotional care, and education to the poorest of the poor, with the goal of building Christ-centered families to transform generations. Since 2015 the group has baptized over 300 new Christians. They serve adults, teens, and children in over 20 locations including a preschool, vocational programs, women's literacy, bible studies in colleges and remote villages, and more. Their vocational program has a partnership with Mobility World-wide where students learn a trade while assembling hand-crank carts.

Tricia told the group that financial donations are welcome and also spreading the word about their work. They welcome groups to come and help with their schools, missions, and vocational program. They ask for prayers for their newest believers who have just been baptized, for their students in the schools, vocational program, and for the growth of their ministry. Currently, Roots of Grace is in a capital campaign to bring all of their many programs together into one new building. This will expand the reach of the work they do t together and save money on renting multiple facilities. Learn more about Roots of Grace Cambodia through their website and follow them on their Facebook page.

Lviv, Ukraine Volunteer Kitchen: Relief work began at the Lviv Volunteer Kitchen in 2015, when Russian annexed Crimea and has continued through the most recent war. It was begun by the wives of soldiers who worked to prepare meals and provide relief to their husbands who were fighting on the front lines. While the Kitchen still provides that relief today, it has grown and now has become a hub for many volunteer efforts in the warzone by supporting the people of Lviv. Now with volunteers and women and men, both locally and from around the world, the Kitchen continues to make meals for the men fighting and gathering supplies for the soldiers and community. As a volunteer hub, some come to help for a day, others stay for weeks. Everyone can find a way to help through the Kitchen: It might be knitting camouflage netting for the war, serving or cooking meals, or helping a family evacuate. Diana has taken many trips over to work with the Ukraine Volunteer Kitchen, along with her husband and son, and plans to go again in the future.

The best way to keep up with the Lviv, Ukraine Volunteer Kitchen is through their Facebook page. Diana said that prayers are of course always welcome. And a big way to help is to keep aware of the current war and keep talking about it. "Share stories from the Kitchen on your social media, " she suggested. "Help spread the word about what is going on. The people of Lviv feel abandoned. Help them see the world has not forgotten them." She also welcomes donations of items that they can take with them on their trips over to Lviv. "Before we go we often ask for first aid kits, medical supplies, whatever they say they are in need of....which, usually, they say 'everything'."

Porch de Salomon: Since 2005, Porch de Salomon has been serving the people of Panchal, Guatemala. The mission works locally to help feed and house those in need, provide scholarships so children can afford to go to school, and also water filtration systems. They also host work groups who come and work to build houses and provide medical and dental clinics in the rural villages. "The goal is transformation on the long-term," Brooke told the group. The Porch facility is also a community center, bringing together people for volunteering, for music, for hope, and for learning about Christ. Memorial has sent many mission groups to Guatemala throughout the years to work through Porch, headed by Linda and Don Twiggs. Another groups will be going in February 2027. While everyone is welcome to come on the mission trip to help, there are also ways that you can support Porch de Salomon from Fernandina Beach!

"Pray, share, and give," Brooke said.

You can pray for the programs, the organization, the leadership, the visiting teams and the projects they come to work on. And pray, as well, that the people of the area are able to get engaged with this program which can help transform generations. And you can also donate financially to the work of Porch or provide needed supplies before the next mission trip. You can learn more about Porch de Salomon on their website, and follow them on their Facebook page (and share their stories.) Kenya Partners: According to Diane Hamrick, "Kenya Partner's is all about hope." She says for 20 years their work has brought hope to the orphans, the vulnerable, the abused, the sick, the pregnant mothers, and the hungry throughout Kenya. Kenya Partners provides both preschools and k-12 schools that have provided education for over 600 students (who also receive food through the program.) Many of those students go on to graduate college and some even come back to work with Kenya Partners to help transform generations. They also offer a much-needed medical clinic that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. the facility has an x-ray machine, ultrasound, eye clinic, and a prenatal care/maternity ward, which is vital in an area where infant mortality rates are so high.

There are many ways that you can support Kenya Parnters from Fernandina Beach. Of course, prayer is welcome as are financial gifts.. They hold a fundraiser each year that can use volunteers. There are also administative volunteer opportunities for the group that they alwasy need help with.

A group from Memorial travels every year to Kenya to volunteer at Kenya Partners. The next mission trip is in June.

Learn more about Kenya Partners through their website and follow them on Facebook.

The panel discussion revieled the real work of transformation in the name of Chirst that these mission are doing around the world each day. (The group even learned that Mobility Worldwide's connects with the work of Roots of Grace Cambodia, and also privides carts to Kenya and Ukraine!) The work of these international mission, and your prayers and gifts, helps Christ's #LoveShowUp in some of the places in the world that need the light of Jesus most. Thank you for your continued support of our international outreach. If you are interested in more ways to get involved, contact Lucinda at missions@mumconline.com

April 17th, 2026 | Rev. Rachel Williams

Beloved Friends,

               Today, I am going to take the opportunity to share about one of the many support systems I have that makes it possible for me to do full-time ministry, and that is the Lamb Early Education Center. Many of you may not know this story, but the week that I accepted the appointment to come to Memorial was the same week that I found out I was pregnant with Aidan. It felt too early to tell staff. It felt too early to tell anyone, but as we dropped off Austin on his first day at Lamb I told Renee and Cindy, our wonderful director and associate director, that I would need an infant spot in the summer if one came available. Since he was five months old, Aidan has thrived at Lamb, as did Austin during his time at the school.

               Lamb has been a ministry of the church for over fifty years, but it often flies under the radar of the congregation unless you have a child or grandchild attending. Nearly a dozen staff currently care for thirty-nine children with the encouraging news that we should be adding a new class in the fall. As we kick off the summer, starting with Teacher Appreciation Week from May 4th to May 8th, my hope is that we as a church congregation can continue to celebrate and support the wonderful work that Lamb does every weekday, nearly fifty-two weeks a year.

One way we can do this is by bringing in gift cards to the church office before May 4th to support our teachers. Another way is to talk with me about ways you can offer in-kind donations or volunteer with Lamb. Finally, one of the greatest ways to share about the goodness of Lamb is to hear stories and share those stories with anyone who might be looking for a community for their children. We have loving staff. We have a wonderful curriculum. And we are looking forward to some fresh and new happenings over the summer. I hope you will eagerly join us on this journey!

With grace and peace,

Pastor Rachel