May 15th, 2026 | Rev. Rachel Williams

Dear Beloved Friends,

               I got to sing the praises of Holly and our youth and the great job they did with Shrimp Fest this year. As in prior years, this was another highly successful year for sales and for volunteer involvement. The youth showed up. Their parents helped out. Folks within the congregation that simply wanted to serve alongside our young people made this a wonderful weekend. Now, we will celebrate our youth once more this Sunday as they lead all three of our worship services.

               I want to offer you an encouragement for this Sunday. Don’t let it be the Sunday you skip. Push back on any nagging idea that you might have that says Youth Sunday is a day where you should stay home. Because these kids have worked hard to facilitate a space of worship for us all. It takes a great deal of courage to get up and sing, share a children’s message, or read in front of a few hundred people. All the while, the youth are sharing their hearts and what they have learned when they gather for Sunday night programming and Wednesday night small groups. Those of us who are older have the opportunity to learn something from their voices, to hear that they are not the future of the Church but that they are part of the leadership and voice of the current Church, for the Lord calls forth praise from the lips of infants and children ( see Matthew 21:16). And they will carry their leadership onward for generations to come if we cultivate an atmosphere of growth and support.

               I also have an ask: Are you someone who might be called to volunteer with our young people, whether that is our nursery-aged kids, our children or our youth? We need more caring and compassionate folks to step into volunteer roles, and the summer is a great opportunity to take the next step. You can volunteer for the week of Vacation Bible School. You can attend one-time fun summer events with the youth as a chaperone. You can host a meal or offer to teach a skill (sewing, anyone?). One of the things I love is that we are an intergenerational church family. You do not have to be young or know the lingo to be an accompanying and loving presence in the lives of our kids. If this sounds like something you might be willing to do, email Holly (youth@mumconline.com) or Katie (children@mumconline.com) today.

I hope you will consider this prayerfully, with an open heart.

With Love and Care,

Pastor Rachel

The Good News: Kairos Prison Ministry - Changing lives inside and outside of confinement

“I feel like I have a heart again.”

These were the words an inmate spoke to Kairos volunteer Justin Rimondi during a recent weekend of ministry at Columbia Correctional Institution.

Twice a year, men from Memorial participate in this impactful ministry, reaching into a place not many people want to go: prison. Kairos is a lay-led, interdenominational Christian ministry in which men—and women through Kairos Outside—volunteer to bring Christ’s love and forgiveness to prisoners and their families.

The program begins with a structured weekend experience and continues afterward through regular gatherings that provide accountability, support, and prayer. In Florida, there is a Kairos group serving every prison facility.

“The purpose of these weekends is to show the men in prison that they are still cared for and not forgotten,” said volunteer Lamar Wildes. “So many feel forgotten.”

Preparing for a Kairos weekend takes time and commitment, and the work is not always easy.

“It’s not for everyone,” Lamar said about volunteering.

Last month, a group of 24 men—including five from Memorial—participated in a Kairos weekend at the Columbia Correctional Annex near Lake City. The volunteers completed several weeks of training to prepare for the experience and to ensure they worked within established guidelines and expectations.

“We tell the volunteers: ‘Listen, listen. Love, love.’ If you are capable of doing that, you can make a difference,” Lamar explained. Emphasizing the non-denominational nature of the ministry, he added, “We are not going in there to save them or preach denominational beliefs. This is about offering care, compassion, and love—things many of them do not receive. Some people are simply forgotten once they are inside. For some, we are the only connection they have.”

Before entering the prison, volunteers are given the names of the inmates they will serve. However, they are specifically encouraged not to look up their offenses.

“You have the ability to find out what they’ve done, but we don’t do that,” Lamar said. “You don’t want to prejudice yourself. I don’t know what you’ve done while I’m working with you—and I’m okay with that. Why the prisoner is there is not why I am there.”

During the weekend, volunteers write letters to the inmates—one from each man—and read them aloud together. The moment can be deeply emotional.

“Leadership sits with the men as they read the letters, and it can get very emotional,” Lamar said. “Some of them don’t receive many letters while they are in prison, and certainly not like this.”

Local churches also play a vital role in supporting these weekends. St. Peter’s in the Glen Anglican Church, located near the prison, houses and feeds the volunteers.

“That small church—maybe 20 people—fundraises all year to support these weekends,” Lamar said.

The recent Kairos weekend was the first for volunteer Justin Rimondi. He was drawn to the ministry because it helps prisoners find Christian community in one of the most isolating environments a person can experience.

“The weekend can deepen your own relationship with Christ and give you a better understanding of what life in prison is like,” he said. “As the weekend continues, you see the men slowly recovering their humanity. You begin to see their unique personalities and talents—parts of themselves that have been buried. One inmate told me, ‘I feel like I have a heart again.’”

Volunteers hope to leave the prisoners with lasting hope, the assurance that they are loved by Christ, and practical tools to support one another after the weekend ends.

“We work to develop ‘prayer and share’ communities within the prison,” Lamar said. “We train them to lead their own weekly groups. Our goal is to build a community of believers inside the prison.”

Memorial supports the Kairos ministry through financial contributions, providing cookies for the weekends when requested, and by sending volunteers to participate. The next Kairos weekend will take place this fall.

To learn more or to get involved through Memorial, contact Rick Smither at rjsmit937@gmail.com.

May 8th, 2026 | Rev. Dr. Mark Charles

Dear Grace-filled Family,

I really don’t know where the time goes—it feels like only yesterday we were preparing for the busy-ness of Spring, and now we are already looking toward the summer!

First, I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who supported our youth this past weekend at the Shrimp Festival. Even though the weather wasn't exactly "festival-perfect" (though I know many of us were grateful for the much-needed rain), our team showed incredible resilience. Once the clouds cleared, the response was fantastic, and our youth had a very successful weekend selling those famous shrimp quesadillas.

To the youth who worked so hard, to the adults who showed up to support them, and especially to Holly, our Youth Director, I am so grateful for you all. Holly, your leadership and organizational skills were on full display, and we are so blessed to have you heading up this vital ministry.

As we move into the summer months, our pace at Memorial tends to slow down just a little bit. It’s a natural rhythm to do so each year, but I want to encourage you to remember that while our programs might slow down, our discipleship never does.

The summer is actually a wonderful time to be more intentional about our personal journeys with Christ. I want to invite you to use this "quieter season" to take up a new spiritual practice or revisit a beloved one:

• Study something new: Perhaps there is a book you’ve been meaning to read that might deepen your understanding of faith in a new way.

• Return to a favorite: Pick up a beloved devotional that has nourished you in the past and journey through its pages once more.

• Intentional Fellowship: Use the extra daylight to gather for a meal. Sometimes the most sacred thing we can do is sit across a table from one another and share in genuine fellowship.

  
  

However you choose to do it, I encourage you to stay attentive to your devotional life. Let’s make sure that even in the heat of the summer, we are staying connected and energized in our faith.

Blessings,

Pastor Charlie