THIS WEEK

Mason United Methodist Church

A theologically progressive,

open, and affirming faith community.

Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors.

September 29th – October 6th, 2022

Unfolding Light

On Sunday, I shared with you a resource I use for my own centering and insights on the Divine, and how the Devine is woven though our lives. Steve Garness-Holmes is a Methodist Elder who has offered these reflections for years and years. If you go to his website, Unfolding Light, you can search for scriptures, or themes that he has written about and shared in the past.

If you would like to benefit from his wisdom, you can go to his website and check it out. Personally, I signed up for his daily devotion. It is waiting for me in my in-box each morning and I read and ponder his sharing over my coffee almost every morning. I hope you will check it out. I'm certain you will find great value in his reflections.

(click here) UNFOLDING LIGHT

Peace to each and everyone of you, and may you unfold the Light today,

Pastor Susan

WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK: Thurs, Sept. 22th – Wed, Sept. 28th

Friday, 9/30

    Art Class will not be meeting this week

    11:00 -1:00 - Pastor Susan's office hours

Sunday, 10/2

   10:00 - New Worship Series begins: Looking In, Reaching Out

   11:00 - 1:00 - Pastor Susan's office hours

   5:00 - 6:00 - NOOMA - a young adult conversation

Monday, 10/3

   Church Office Closed

Tuesday, 10/4

  10:00 -12:00 - Pastor Susan's office hours

Wednesday, 10/5

    12:30 - 2:00 - Living the Questions

     5:30 - 7:00 - Living the Questions

Thursday, 10/6

    1:00 - 2:30 - Living the Questions

     4:30 - 6:30 - Pastor Susan's office hours

     6:30 - 8:00 - Living the Questions

Friday, 10/7

    11:00 -1:00 - Pastor Susan's office hours

     Church Office closes at 1:30pm.

Sunday, 10/9

    10:00 - Worship Series continues: Looking In, Reaching Out

     5:00-6:00 - NOOMA - a young adult conversation

Monday, 10/10

   Church Office Closed

LIVING THE QUESTIONS - Week 5

This Week's Reading: Lives of Jesus

(Click Here for week #5 reading)

(Click Here for week #5: "Living in Out")

AFTERNOON                        EVENING 

 Wed from 12:30 – 2:00pm.       Wed. from 5:30 – 7:00pm

Thurs. from 1:00 – 2:30pm.       Thurs. from 6:30 – 8:00pm

Join us anytime in person OR

by ZOOM - (Click Here for ZOOM link)

FOR YOUNG ADULTS

A video-based God study for those seeking to live their best lives possible.

SUNDAYS! 5:00 - 6:00

Feel free to bring a snack and a friend.

PRAYER IS IMPORTANT TO US

BECAUSE WE ARE A FAITH FAMILY.

Families share what's happening in our lives, and since we are a church family, we too can share our joys and concerns with one another.

JOYS

We celebrate Karen Nelson’s 81st birthday this week on Thursday, September 28^th. Happy birthday, Karen!

Betty Serjeant rejoices for her wonderful neighbors, who are celebrating Rosh Hoshanah.  

CONCERNS

Jennifer and Elena Permann ask that you hold in your prayers their dear friend, Peggy, who is experiencing pain with her metastatic cancer.  

We continue to pray for all of those who have lost jobs and security during this time. If you know of anyone who needs assistance with paying bills, please have them contact the church. Funds are available in our Pastor's Discretionary Fund.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE CONTINUES!

Even though the donation box has gone, we can still help Communities in Schools serve our local schools. This charity accepts monetary donations and checks, which can be made out to COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS and mailed to:

Communities In Schools Development Department

2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 700

Arlington, VA 22202 

BLESSING BAGS for UNHOUSED PEOPLE

An Easy-Peasy Outreach Ministry 

that is so appreciated and so needed.

Consider being the coordinator!

This is an Outreach Ministry that we can all participate in. However, every project needs a leader.

The ministry is simple.

We collect supplies from the congregation, such as socks, power bars, tissues, hand sanitizers, water, feminine hygiene products, dog food, and many other things that unhoused people need. We arrange a table for these items, and we call on a few people to fulfill the task of readying these essential items. Then EVERYONE can keep a number of bags in their car, and as we come across our homeless brothers, sisters, and siblings—maybe on a street corner, maybe at a rest stop, or maybe even near the neighborhoods call our own—we offer them these bags filled with items that are occasionally a luxury, but more often a live-saving necessity for those who are destitute.

EASY-PEASY—all we need is a coordinator. No matter what your ability or age, this is something everyone can take part in. If this is a ministry that tugs on your heart, or even a ministry that you know would be meaningful, and you're willing to coordinate these efforts, please let Pastor Susan know and we'll get this project up and running in no time.

Sound for Sunday Livestream is Still a Problem

BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IT!

We are still working on delivering the best quality Sunday service live on Facebook, and we hope that we are close to being done with all our troubleshooting. However, regardless of whether or not we are able to livestream the service, each Sunday, several hours after worship, a video of the service will be available on our Facebook page. We understand that it's not the same, but it seems to be the best we can do at this time.

This link will take you to our Facebook page.

Whole Worship

Video from

September 25th, 2022

We're Pilgrims

Seeking Life

SERMON ONLY Video

SEPTEMBER 25th, 2022

We're Pilgrims

Seeking Life

Click below to read the manuscript of Sunday, Sept. 25'ths sermon.

Click Title: "We're all Pilgrims searching for Life."

WEEK of September 25th, 2022

In attendance:

43 adults

 0 children

TOTAL: 43

Facebook attendance is unknown.

Your Generosity is Greatly Appreciated!

Click below to go directly to

paypal on our website.

Paypal on Mason's Website

Earn all you can. Save all you can.

Give all you can. - John Wesley

Introducing our October Worship Series: Looking In, Reaching Out! As we ourselves work on the transformation of our own hearts and lives, that work spills over into the transformation of our communities and, in essence, the world. In October, we will look into our own "personal holiness" and look out into the participation of "social holiness." If those two phrases seem familiar, it is because those two phrases are in your hymnal, with hymns and songs that speak of the holiness of our Creator and thus, the holiness of us and the world. Hope you all join us, and bring a friend.

GUESS WHAT?

We have been chosen to hold the Interfaith Celebration of Gratitude this year! What an honor!

Tuesday, November 22, 7:00-8:30pm

For decades, this annual gathering has brought together people of many faith traditions. This gathering has included participants from the Baha'i Faith, Buddhists, Roman Catholics, the Center for Spiritual Living, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jewish people, Muslims, members of the Puyallup Tribe, Sufi, Unitarian Universalists, and other faith traditions.

After two years of virtual-only gathering, we will come together in person!

Hosting will be a whole lot of work, so we will need all hands on deck to volunteer. Please put this date on your calendar so you can help host and make an inviting atmosphere at Mason United Methodist Church. Let's show our neighbors what we are all about!

 Hopefully, Margaret Nelson will be a featured musician for Mason on the bagpipes!

SOCIAL JUSTICE ..............

Photo: Heidi Varga — CBS News

Climate Crisis: Flooding In Alaska 



Two weeks ago, a powerful storm hit western Alaska, doing damage across the region. The Anchorage Daily News describes the landscape around Nome as "physically altered for the foreseeable future, with raw material scattered wildly, the coastline reconfigured." 

The report describes the impact upon the community in similar ways to UMC Alaska Conference Communicator Rev. Jim Doepken, who was in Nome this week. "A lot of folks noticed minimal damage in town, although businesses and roads were hit harder. One business was leveled by a fire that occurred during the storm. It is a different story with the subsistence fish camps – some people have had for a couple of generations – along the water. Many were wiped out." 

Whether it is a storm ravaging the Alaskan coast or floods and wildfires devastating rural areas of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, the impact is often felt hardest by those already economically vulnerable. Sometimes, they are only able to recover with the help provided by benevolent response organizations and dedicated volunteers.

Last weekend also saw a devastating storm pass over Puerto Rico. The category one hurricane led to widespread flooding and, for a time, the loss of power for the entire island. Different parts of the GNW Area continue to be impacted by wildfires and the toxic smoke they produce. These (un)natural disasters fueled by climate change are becoming all too common.

Consider what you can do to contribute to relief efforts for those impacted near and far. We are blessed as a church to have the support of The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) in this work. Consider how you can give in ways beyond money as well – through prayer, training, and preparation.

Donate to UMCOR's relief programs HERE:

UMCOR Disaster Response

Disaster Response:  Florida

As this newsletter reaches you, Tropical Storm Ian is pummeling the coast of southwest Florida. Though the storm has not yet waned, it has already been labelled as a “500 year flooding event”, and President Biden has declared a state of major disaster in Florida. 

What the National Hurricane Center is describing as “catastrophic flooding” has stranded individuals, knocked out power, and devastated infrastructure. Florida’s governor stated that “this is going to require not just the emergency response now, and the days or weeks ahead...this is going to require years of effort, to be able to rebuild, to come back.” And as we have tragically seen time and time again in the past, it is the people who are already destitute and disenfranchised that lose the most when disaster hits. 

As early as this morning, UMCOR volunteers and staff have been gathering supplies in their central Decatur depot, preparing to deploy as soon as it is safe to do so. 

You can aid their efforts with your donations. Click HERE:

 UMCOR Disaster Response: Hurricane Ian

The Red Cross has an urgent need for blood donations in the wake of Hurricane Ian. You can find a blood drive in your area by searching your zip code at the link below:

Donate Blood

Volunteer Florida is also accepting monetary donations for Hurricane Ian relief through the Florida Disaster Fund. 

You can access their website HERE: Florida Disaster Fund

HOW WE HAVE FUN........

Be on the look out for our upcoming Stewardship Campaign.  

We'll have more information for you coming out in October; check your mailbox for out upcoming letter!

Finance, Trustees and Lead Team meetings are listed on the calendar at the head of the newsletter. All are welcome to attend any meeting other than nominations and SPRC. Hope you'll come and learn more about how Mason works.

 PASTOR'S OFFICE HOURS set aside for you.

 Sunday from 11:00 - 1:00

 Tuesday from 10:00 - 12:00

Thursday from 4:30 - 6:30

Friday from 11:00 - 1:00

The church office will still be operating regular hours: 

Tuesday - Friday from 9:00am - 2:00pm.

NEW WEBSITE

Pastor Susan has been working on Mason's website this summer. It is a work in progress, as Emma has been editing along with Susan. 

No, it's not done, but we're getting there, and there's enough information for you to check it out and pass it on. In today's world, people find churches through the internet, so it is imperative that we present ourselves in ways that are inviting. Look it over. Remember it's a work in progress. And pass it on to your friends!

PASS THIS ON

Want to be a part of reviving Mason? Want to fill the sanctuary with folks who wish to live a meaningful life? There's one little thing you can do to help make that happen. It only takes seconds. Forward this newsletter to two people this week. Don't fear judgment. We're all judged no matter what we do; just do it. Just spread the Word without words.