Parish News, January 27, 2019

From the Pastor’s Pen

In our Epistle lesson this week, Paul uses our bodies as metaphors for life in the body of Christ. Paul tells us that each member of the body is indispensable to the operation of the church. Yet, his metaphor crescendos by saying something odd: God has arranged the body so that its most vulnerable parts receive the greatest honor. Think of how many important parts of our body are extremely vulnerable to injury or disease. If our brains were left exposed to the elements, we wouldn’t survive. Likewise, our genitalia need to be covered because they are fragile and sensitive parts of the body. An eye is far weaker than a hand or a finger. Yet, we regard the eyes as the “window to the soul,” not our hands.

Paul uses this language to tell us something about the way Christians should treat one another. We are not all treated equally in this life. We know that the structural sins of racism, homophobia, economic inequality place us all at different points in our social atmosphere. White nuclear families have long been celebrated above all others in churches. Meanwhile, LGBT people have long been scorned, hated, and driven out of Christian spaces. It is clear that LGBT people are more vulnerable in our society than heterosexual people. Since we know this, Paul tells us that the more vulnerable members of our body of Christians should receive the greater honor in church. “But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the more vulnerable member, so that there may be no dissension in the body.” If a group is marginalized and oppressed by our society, we are called to celebrate them and lift them up to a place of honor inside the church. When we do that, Paul writes, “the members may all have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.”

Paul is giving us a perfect image of what it means to be a Sanctuary church. In this church, we are called to lift up and make a safe space for those that are cast down in the world. It’s not enough to just say that everyone is equal when we know that they are not. We have to actively live a different way in the church. May we all take these words to heart as we listen and share over the next year of ministry.

Pastor Isaac

NEWS AND EVENTS

LISTENING SESSIONS in Epworth Hall today following service. In light of new ministry opportunities at Wesley for 2019, we are going to come together as a church to reflect on where we have been and where we are going intentionally. Join us in Epworth Hall immediately following service to express your ideas. For more information, see the letter in Aldersgate Room
following worship.

CARDS FOR FLUVANNA WOMEN’S CORRECTIONAL CENTER. Now is the time to bring your unused Christmas, Birthday and All Occasion cards to church. These cards are sorted throughout the year, then distributed to inmates at FWCC for their use. Please leave your cards in the box in the Narthex. Any questions, call Carolyn at 295.9094.

PACEM. February 9-23. Winter cold is a killer of the homeless.  Wesley Memorial participates as a host congregation for men.  Please be a part of this important ministry. We need your help.  Please see the sign up sheets in the Aldersgate Room for opportunities. If you have questions, contact any of the following:
Maury Early, regarding meals: 974-6871, maury.early@vnb.com
Tom Miller, regarding set up 703-489-1345  xcski10@gmail.com
Jim Lambert regarding overnights
531-4529, lambert@virginia.edu
Sandy Staggers regarding visitation sandystaggers@embarqmail.com,
Pat Rader regarding guest laundry
973-3831, raders1@comcast.net

FIRST THURSDAY LUNCH GROUP will meet on Thursday, February 7, 2019 at 11:45 at the Timberwood Grill at Hollymead.  Please contact Peggy Bidwell (ejbmcb@gmail.com)or Gay Morris (gcm3g24@gmail.com) for more information or to RSVP.

PANEL DISCUSSION: CONDITIONS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER. Tuesday,
January 29, 2019 7pm – 9pm, Wesley
Memorial Sanctuary. In December, a
delegation of lawyers and clergy from
Charlottesville went to Tijuana to provide aid to asylum seekers. Come hear Pastor Isaac and members of the delegation discuss what they witnessed. Maria will also be discussing her experience in ICE detention. The event is open to the public and we expect a large turnout. Childcare provided.

CHITA, Charlottesville Immigrant Transit Assistance, helps support immigrants transiting through Charlottesville to their sponsor families while they pursue their asylum cases. If you’re interested in taking a leadership position within Wesley Memorial to coordinate with CHITA, see Pastor Isaac.

THANK YOU

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you so much for all the messages, calls, and visits. We feel so loved! We came home on Thursday, but Jorge had to return to the hospital on Friday to take care of his Jaundice. We are all home now, and doing well!

Since Jorge is our second child, we have most of the items we need, but if you are considering a gift for Jorge, we would really appreciate a contribution to his college fund, which you can do directly using the link below.

Virginia 529 college fund
GiftID: 4AHWKVD

If you’d rather, we do have a baby registry through Amazon. Thank you so much for all of your generous love and support.

Baby Registry

Brian and Narumi

SUNDAY LEADERSHIP