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