June 5th, 2026 | Pastor Rachel

Beloved Friends,

I am writing this after the opening Wednesday night worship service of Florida United Methodist Annual Conference. During that time, our young people from multiple campus ministries across the state led worship and shared their testimonies as to how ministry to and for young people made an impact and planted a seed for the growth of the Kingdom of God.

I sat next to Jessica Scott (Memorial member and our district lay leader) and behind Heather Pancoast (the Gator Wesley Foundation co-director) and Molly McEntire (Director of Connectional and Mission Ministries). And in sitting there, I was once again struck by the ways in which God’s grace moves through our connection. Jessica and I participate in holy chaos with our families weekly. Heather was my youth director and assistant director when I served at Warren W. Willis Camp. Molly and I went to Florida State together and served on summer camp team together. Dozens of people in the auditorium together tonight have similar stories of connection and ministry, and when we share those stories with others we can testify to the impact of the Holy Spirit on each of our lives. After all, John Wesley called holy conferencing a means of grace. The work we do is not our own, but all of us, together called by God, participate in the work of the Spirit.

Conference also happens to be the place where I felt the Spirit moving in my life, calling me to move to Fernandina Beach three years ago. If it wasn’t for an empty chair next to Carrie Yoder at the Deacon’s luncheon, or for running into Charlie right after that, I am not sure I would be writing these pastor’s notes. But Charlie posed the question about whether my family might come to Memorial, and here we are.

I will forever be grateful for the way he has encouraged me to grow in ministry, for the ways he has pastored me in the process. It has been a joy to serve alongside Charlie. I hope you will join me in offering your appreciation for Charlie and his entire family this Sunday at the potluck at noon. I am certainly sad to see him go, but the beauty of our connection is that we will continue to serve alongside each other as members of the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Our churches will continue to follow the mission to create disciples for the transformation of the world. That is something worth celebrating!

With love and peace,

Pastor Rachel