May 23rd, 2025 | Rev. Dr. Mark Charles

I received some sad news this morning - my Dad’s oldest brother, Billy,  passed away peacefully during the night. It was news that we knew would come through at some point in the weeks or months ahead, but even so it was and is still a shock. My Uncle was a good, kind man who consistently made time for and took interest in his extended family. As a young boy, I was always excited to hear that he was coming to visit, and as an adult man that feeling remained. He would always ask how we were doing and about what was going on in our lives. He was curious and inquisitive, and it was clear that he always took great joy in getting to be and catch up with his extended family.

Taking that kind of time to be and catch up with family is important, right?  And that applies to church family as well as our blood relatives or chosen family. Gathering to visit and eat together makes space for those connections with one another to flourish.  That’s why our annual Memorial Day @ Memorial celebration is a Sunday in the year I look forward to.

This coming Sunday, we will worship together as one church family in a 10:00am service at Maxwell Hall. Then we will serve together as one church family when we put together 203 flood buckets as part of the Florida Annual Conference-wide Buckets Of Hope campaign. When that work is done, we will gather right there on our church campus and take time to visit with each other and eat together (please bring your own chairs for outside/there will also be some seating inside). It is going to be a special morning of worship, service, and fellowship together. Please plan to be there.

One other special moment that will take place in worship this Sunday is the presentation to Pastor Rachel of a new set of robes, in celebration of her upcoming ordination. It would be fantastic to fill Maxwell Hall and celebrate this significant moment in Rachel’s ministry journey. Don’t miss it!

Family matters, Memorial. Gathering together for worship, service, and fellowship as one church family is an important annual marker in our life together. I can’t wait to see you all there.

Blessings

Pastor Charlie