From the Pastor’s pen:
It’s funny how the Spirit works. 10 days ago, when I wrote the Pastor’s pen for 9/30, I didn’t know we would become a Sanctuary church in less than 24 hours. I didn’t know everything that would be going on at the church. What I did know is that whatever God had in store for Wesley Memorial would require trust. I wrote the following: “If we trust that everyone in the community wants Wesley to faithfully fulfill the mission given to it by Jesus Christ, then no conversation is too difficult, no change too painful.” I want to reiterate those words to you this week.
The next few weeks our focus needs to be on creating space for the new. New people. New activities. New challenges. We are about to do something very public, and we don’t know how the community with react. What we do know is that God is on our side. The ministry of Jesus Christ is about to get real in this place. When the Council met with the community last week to decide to become a sanctuary church, I heard the following phrase: When you do the right thing, the right things will happen. It’s a reminder that when we are doing what God wants us to do that things will fall into place. Even though there are a lot of new things happening, and that can be scary, I feel certain that the new will be a source of joy for our congregation. God will be moving and revealing in a powerful way in the next few weeks. Let us look for signs of the joy of the Lord. Amen.
Pastor Isaac
CHOIR REHEARSAL is held Wednes-day, from 7:15pm – 8:45pm in the choir room.
BELL CHOIR is held Wednesday, from 6:15pm – 7:15pm in the choir room.
WEEKLY EMAIL If you have not been receiving our weekly email, please send an email to Gina at: office@wesleymumc.org
YOUNG ADULT FORUM is held every Sunday at 9:30 in Room 202 and is led by Pastor Isaac.
ADULT FORUM is held every Sunday at 9:30 in Room 102 with the theme “Exploring Dimensions of Faith: Paul Tillich (1886-1965)”.
THE TUESDAY MORNING BOOK GROUP meets at 10:00 a.m. in the Ed Building, Room 102.
POINSETTIAS FOR SALE. William Lambert is selling poinsettias to raise funds to support the Western Albemarle Band and their trip to Nashville. The colors offered are Red, White, and Pink. There are two sizes: 6.5 inch for $10 and 8.0 inch for $20. Plants are foil wrapped and will arrive the week after Thanksgiving. Dead-line for ordering is October 17. Email sherry@alumni.virginia.edu or see one of the Lamberts at church to order. Many thanks!
CROP WALK. The 47th Annual Crop Walk will be held on October 14, 2018 at 1:00 pm, beginning at Westminster Presbyterian Church. If you are inter-ested in creating a team of walkers, or donating to the cause, see Jim Lambert.
NEW BANNERS. The banners at the side of the sanctuary, “I Will Praise Him” and “Yet Will I Praise Him” are not meant to be just beautiful, but to elicit a response. How do you feel when you look at each one? Do you praise when you are sad as well as when you are happy? Is yours just a ‘fair weather’ faith or do you have the internal resilience to say with David “I will praise him” all the day long?
LEONARD BERNSTEIN’S MASS. On October 13 and 14, Pastor Isaac and Natalee are performing in a produc-tion of Leonard Bernstein’s MASS, an oratorio and musical theatre hybrid. The piece was written for the opening of the John F Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and was a protest against the Vietnam War. The piece is rarely performed so do not miss this opportunity to see this incredible piece here in Charlottesville. The per-formance is at the Paramount Theater and tickets are available through their box office and website: http://www.theparamount.net/