Summer Sermon Series, All Things New
We are in an odd season of transition between what has been and what will come. We're not in the height of the pandemic anymore, but neither are we to a point where it is over. We're not waiting for a new pastor anymore, but we don't really know the new pastor yet, either. We're in a between time. In this odd season, let's remind ourselves that we're in good company! God has always asked people of faith to leave behind the old and do a new thing. And God's people have--surprise, surprise--always resisted leaving behind the familiar and following God to somewhere new. Join us this summer for our sermon series All Things New, where we find comfort and companionship in stories from scripture about God calling people to a new thing. 
Pride Social Connection
A new, independent LQBTQueer+ group called Pride Social Connection has formed to connect, chat, share bond, share, bond, tell our stories, and make lasting friendships in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. ALL are welcome. No drama, sales pitches, political action, controlled or restricted topics, money or required memberships. If you want to socialize with other queer people near Marysville, this is your group. Your best authentic self belongs where you are appreciated. All you have to do is show up. Meaningful conversation in a large room at Marysville United Methodist Church every other weekend. Saturdays from 11-1, July 31, August 14 & 28. Masks required inside. Weather permitting we may be outside on the patio. For more information contact Ron Whiteaker by text or email. 
UMW2
United Methodist Women 2 group will be meeting in person, the third Saturday of the month, 9:00am to 10:30am. We will meet in the church’s backyard and through Zoom. Please wear a mask and maintain social distancing. I can’t wait to see you all! Zoom Link |
Summer Worship
Starting Sunday, June 6, we’re going to try something new. At 10:00 am we will have our first outdoor worship service. We plan to start simply. It will be a short service with just a Bible reading, a message, and a time of prayer. But it will be so wonderful to actually SEE you! Here’s how it will work: • Households will be seated 6 feet apart • Everyone needs to bring their own chair • Everyone will wear masks • No childcare • No Sunday School/Kids Club Children are invited to attend worship with their families. If it rains, bring an umbrella and dress appropriately. This is the Pacific Northwest and we won’t let a little rain stop us. Before our outside worship, we will continue to stream our online worship as we’ve been doing, at 9:00 am with staff and sound team only. 
Stepping Forward Safely in Love and Trust
We recognize that in person indoor worship is important to the community, as it offers the best opportunities for the full worship experience. Therefore, we will work toward worshiping indoors in mid-September. Moving to indoor worship is not a "going back" to how worship was before the pandemic. On one hand, some elements of pre-covid worship may no longer be possible. On the other hand, the pandemic has taught us valuable lessons about how worship and church life can be more effective. Therefore, moving to indoor worship will require us to start fresh in many ways. It will take several weeks of work to reset the building, recruit lay volunteers, create appropriate safety policies, and craft the best Sunday schedule for the community. We're excited about doing a new thing, but also realize we need to rely on the congregation's continued patience. The good news is, we have learned in the last year that we can do hard things, and we can be patient! We can do this, too. It seems like many of us are tired of wearing masks. I have paid close attention to our state and county leaders throughout this pandemic, and it is a bit jarring to see Governor Inslee, who was such an advocate for mask wearing, to be out and about maskless, shaking hands, and mingling with people. Masks were our lifeboat for so long. Additionally, the wearing of masks became so politically charged that the mask was a symbol of your beliefs and identity, not just a safety precaution. For some, masks are still a necessary layer of protection. For many, it is emotionally challenging to give them up. Others are delighted to at last take them off and breathe freely. So how do we approach masks in our congregation right now? Despite responsible scientific and elected leaders giving the okay to go maskless, we are still asking the congregation to wear masks during worship. Our guiding principle continues to be "Do no harm." This means that we will take a more cautious approach than the minimums set forth by the CDC and Washington State health experts, as we want to continue to care for the most vulnerable among us. The most vulnerable are now those who are still unable to get a vaccine, meaning those under age 12 and those with compromised immune systems. Our organization's main objective is not to make a product or make a profit, but to be a community. Therefore, we are willing to make some sacrifices for the benefit of others in the community. While many of us are no longer required to wear masks, we choose to for the safety and comfort of the whole community. For me right now, wearing a mask reminds me of church music. There are some hymns and praise songs that--gasp!--I just don’t like. But those same songs are the favorite songs of some people I love. So I choose to sing those songs not because I like them, but because people I love like them. I don’t need to wear a mask, but some people I love still need masks, so I will wear one for them. I hope you will join me. Pastor Meredith |