September 12th, 2025 | Rev. Rachel Williams

Beloved Friends,

               I write this pastor’s note this week knowing that there is much weighing on us all in our community, in our nation and in our world. If you feel anything like I do, it just seems like things are incredibly heavy. Our church family has experienced a series of losses of people we love dearly. We miss them and continue to grieve their absences. Our nation has, once again, been plagued by the evil of gun violence.

As a pastor, I continue to lament the tragic loss of life at the hands of these weapons as a result of hatred and malice. As those who follow the nonviolent teachings of Christ, may we be reminded that violence is not the answer to our disagreements, as it only opens us all up to debilitating cycles of revenge and retribution. I am grieved that this nation is simultaneously gripped by the fear of yet another shooting and numbed to the headlines because of the frequency by which these shootings occur. 

Bishop Tom Berlin wrote a blog post reflecting on the last mass shooting that took place at a Catholic school in Minnesota just two weeks ago. In that blog, he urged us to remember the words that John Lewis popularized, “Pray and move your feet.” So we pray for the families and victims of gun violence this week, but we also move forward, working for a more just and peaceful world. And we don’t do that alone. We have the opportunity to move together.

               And we have the opportunity to offer transformational hope borne from Christ’s love to a dark and hurting world. I preached about this on Sunday; we can offer help. But that requires us to come together, to do the hard work of approaching disagreements with curiosity rather than vitriol, with humility rather than self-assurance.

I was amazed that in the midst of this dark week, over one hundred people showed up for Wednesday and Thursday events, where we joined together in study, worship, and fellowship. You are taking your call to be participants in the Church seriously, and when we do that together we offer the world another way- a better way- to do life. May we make the extraordinary effort to do what must be done to do life together.

With grace and peace,

 Pastor Rachel

September 5th, 2025 | Rev. Dr. Mark Charles

Dear Memorial,

What a pleasure it was to kick off our new sermon series, "The Gospel According to The Beatles," this past Sunday! It was wonderful to gather with you in worship as we explored the big theme of God’s everlasting hope hinted at in the timeless  Beatles classic Here Comes The Son and professed in Revelation 21:1-6. I believe this series is a fun and accessible way to see how the gospel shows up in surprising and unexpected places.

This is also a fantastic opportunity for us to share Christ's love beyond our walls. I'd love for you to consider inviting a friend, neighbor, or family member to join us this Sunday as we continue the series. It's an easy "ask" and a great way to introduce someone to the grace-filled and welcoming church family we have here at Memorial.

I'm also excited for the return of our Wednesday night dinners and classes on September 10th! This is a great time for us to gather, connect, and enjoy fellowship together. Our evening begins with a delicious dinner at 5:30PM, followed by our classes at 6:15PM (with choir beginning at 6:00PM).

Gathering in this way through the week give us an excellent opportunity to catch up with each other, grow in grace through our study, and to enjoy a wonderful meal at a great price: just $10 per person, and kids eat free! It is truly outstanding value for an outstanding meal.

You can find this week's menu and the link to RSVP here: https://www.mumconline.com/wednesday. Please take a moment to sign up so we can get a good headcount.

See you there!

Blessings,

Charlie

August 29th, 2025 | Rev. Dr. Mark Charles

This past week, our hearts have been heavy with news of violence and destruction in our world. We have seen renewed, tragic violence in Ukraine and Gaza, bringing grief and loss to communities already suffering. But closer to home, we've been confronted with a pain that is perhaps even more acute: the senseless shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

The loss of two children—an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old—and the injury of 17 other people, many of them also children, is simply lamentable. It is a heartbreaking reminder that this is the 339th mass shooting in our country this year. The numbers are staggering, but behind each one is a family grieving, a community shattered, and a heart in need of healing.

As Christians, our first response must be to pray. We must lift up those who have suffered loss and trauma, asking God to bring comfort where there is pain, and peace where there is chaos. I ask you to join me in holding the families and the entire Annunciation Catholic Church community in your prayers this week.

But our faith also calls us to more than just prayer. The gospel reminds us that we are called to be people of action—to not just stand by, but to actively work for a world that reflects God’s kingdom of peace and justice. To pray for an end to gun violence is to pray for a world where such tragedies are not repeated. But to act is to put our hands and our feet to that prayer.

A gospel-centered response to such violence is not partisan; it is pro-life. It promotes life and healing. It calls us to seek out and address the roots of violence in our society, and to advocate for a world where all God’s children are safe.

As we gather this coming Sunday, let's come together to seek hope and to pray for peace and justice in our world, and then let's leave inspired to act for it.

See you Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Charlie

PS - I commend to you Bishop Berlin’s writing in response to the tragic events that took place in Minneapolis this week. You will find them here.