September 18th, 2026 | Rev. Rachel Williams

Beloved Friends,

Every Sunday we gather together. We worship as one through communal song, prayer and Scripture. If you attend 8AM worship, you’ll partake in the sacrament of Holy Communion, and, even so, we’ll join together one the first Sunday of the month to partake together at all our services. These are all means of grace, outward signs of God’s inward love.

Perhaps you experience a bodily change when you hear a familiar tune. You are transported back to another place and time, maybe standing beside a beloved family member, as you sing the refrain of a beloved hymn. Or you’re keenly aware of the Spirit’s movement every time you hear the words “The body of Christ, broken for you. The blood of Christ, poured out for you.” These are holy moments. And we don’t do them alone. We worship together in community in part to be reminded that we are all a part of the body of Christ, that we are in union together through the love of Christ.

That union was on full display this past Sunday as we celebrated additional holy moments. First, we participated in the sacrament of baptism with two of our new members at 8AM. We welcomed them into the beloved community of God, and as a congregation we re-committed ourselves to the work of accompaniment, to doing everything in our power as the people of God to support and grow the spiritual life of the baptized. This is an exciting moment! And we have the opportunity, now, to walk alongside Risa and McKenzie as they take this next step in their faith journey. Additionally, we welcomed 17 new members across all three services. And we will welcome another dozen folks in the coming weeks. That’s incredible! That is thirty people committing themselves to be active participants in God’s Church, serving through the United Methodist Church, for the advancement of God’s love in this world.

I hope you’ll join me in welcoming our new members in the weeks to come, and I hope you’ll continue to extend the invitation to your friends, your neighbors, the people you meet on the streets and in our local stores, so that others may come to know and experience the love of God. And maybe, just maybe, they will also find their home at Memorial.

May you experience God’s love in surprising and mundane ways this week. You are all in my prayers.

With Love and Peace,

Pastor Rachel