October 2, 2026

SUNDAY MORNING

All are welcome to join us Sunday morning for a message from Rev. Dr. Simon Osunlana at the Longleaf campus, or a message from Pastor Britt titled Breaking Bread at the Mandarin campus.

If you are not joining us in person, we invite you to participate online at any of the platforms linked at the end of this email. We are excited to worship with you!

GET INVOLVED

Looking Ahead

Oct 3 | Annual Craft Festival
Oct 8 | Young at Heart
Oct 16 | Alhambra Theater - Meet Me in St Louis

October 3 | Annual Craft Festival

Save the date for our annual United Methodist Women’s Craft Festival on Saturday, October 3, from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM. This is a fun, community event that features hand crafted items, baked goods, concessions and more! It’s the perfect event for gift shopping for the holiday season. All proceeds support the United Women in Faith mission projects.

Volunteers are needed to help run this amazing, community event. Please see the United Women in Faith section, below, for more information on how to serve.

October 7 | Wednesday Night Activities

Join us Wednesday nights on the Mandarin campus! See more information on each of the following in their ministry section. Learn more about Wednesday nights here. See the schedule here. Register for dinner here.

October | Pastor Appreciation

This month let’s take a moment to thank our pastors for the countless ways they serve, lead, and care for our church family.

The Staff Parish Relations Committee invites everyone to share their gratitude by bringing cards, notes, or words of encouragement for our pastors. A basket will be available at the Welcome Center at both campuses throughout the month of October for you to drop off your cards. Let’s show our pastors how much they are loved and appreciated!

CLASSES & STUDIES

Upcoming Sunday School, Classes & Small Groups

To learn more about the below, click the following links:

October 4 | Immigration: Faithful Learning & Conversation Series

Join the Renewed Sunday School class October 4, from 10:05 to 10:50 AM in room 852. This week we will engage in a discussion of the Book of Ruth and how this might help us shape our understanding of immigration in the United States. Even if you missed the first class, all are welcome.

October 7 | New Class – Present Over Perfect

Beginning Wednesday, October 7 at 6:15 PM in Room 852, join Rich Clark for a meaningful six‑week journey through Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. This video-based study invites us to step away from frantic, perfection‑driven living and embrace a life grounded in the presence of God. Together, we will explore how choosing presence over performance can reshape our spiritual lives, our relationships, and the way we move through the world. Books will be available for purchase. Sign up here.

October 7 | New Class – Living in the Lordship of Christ

Beginning Wednesday, October 7 at 6:30 PM in Room 842, join Elaine Redmond for a meaningful six‑week journey through the video-based study, Jesus Is Lord: Living in the Lordship of Christ by Bishop Tom Berlin. In this study, we will explore what it truly means to proclaim Jesus as Lord — not only with our words, but through the shape of our daily lives. Together, we will consider how surrender, obedience, trust, and discipleship form a life fully aligned with Christ’s leadership and love. Books will be available for purchase. Sign up here.

October 8 | Young at Heart

Please join us from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM for community, lunch and a presentation by Jennie Jenkins about Wounded Warriors. Please bring a bag lunch; we will provide a cake, dessert, and soft drinks. Please also bring candy for the Pumpkin Patch Trick or Treat Night. No sign up required.

October 8 + 9 | True Beauty Book Club

The True Beauty book club will meet in October after having read the book The Correspondent by Virginia Evans for a discussion. Upon registration, the location will be emailed to you the week of the meeting. Meeting dates will be:

Longleaf – Thursday, October 8, 12:00 PM
Mandarin – Thursday, October 8, 6:00 PM
Mandarin – Friday, October 9, 12:00 PM

October 27 | Sophia Circle

Join the Sophia Circle on Tuesday, October 27 at 5:30 PM in Bence 304 as we begin reading As Yourself: The Sacred Work of Embodying Grace by Caroline Vogel. The first three chapters will be the subject of discussion on the 27. All are welcome to attend.

MISSIONS MINISTRY

Upcoming Ways to Serve + Get Involved

Oct 3 | Craft Festival
Oct 7 | Hearts Around the Table: A Missions Moment Series Adult Class
Oct 31 | Saturday Service: Cup of Love

October 7 | Hearts Around the Table

Join us on for Hearts Around the Table: A Missions Moment Series Adult Class beginning Wednesday, October 7, at 6:30 PM. This is a six-week series where we will discuss food insecurity in our community. We will hear from guests, from organizations that we partner with, that focus on food insecurity. Sign up on Realm.

MUSIC MINISTRY

October 4 | SongFest

You are invited to enjoy the 5th annual SongFest event at Arlington United Methodist Church on Sunday, October 4 at 3:00 PM. This is an interdenominational celebration of God's gift of music, and each choir attending will offer two songs.

December 13 | Christmas Caroling

Fa la la la la! We will be Christmas caroling on December 13. Pizza will be served at 12:00 PM and then we will carpool to several different locations to spread Christmas joy through song. All ages and abilities are welcomed! Sign up on Realm here .

RECREATION MINISTRY

Pickleball Schedule

Sundays – 1:30 - 4:00 PM

Tuesdays – 5:00 - 7:30 PM

Thursdays – 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Fridays (new session!) - 1:30 - 3:30 PM

Registration now open for 2026 Basketball/Cheer Season!

Registration is open for the 2027 basketball and cheer season at MUMC!

Basketball – Sign your athlete up here
Cheerleading – Sign your athlete up here

The fee for each activity is $175. There is a $15 discount if you register by December 4, the day before evaluations. There are limited scholarships available. We ask that you volunteer as a coach or in the concession stand if you are the recipient of a scholarship. Evaluations will be Saturday, December 5. We will have divisions for 4-year-olds through 12th graders for basketball and kindergarten through 4th graders for cheerleading. Practices will start the week of January 4, and the first game day will be January 16. For more information or to volunteer as a coach or referee, please email Chris.

YOUTH MINISTRY

For more information, see the Youth at a Glance email. Email Paula to sign up for our weekly Youth at a Glance, sign up for text message reminders here, and visit our website. View weekly activities, the calendar, and full list of events here.

Upcoming Youth Dates

November 20-22 | Team Survival Challenge
December 6 | Progressive Dinner
February 12-15 | Ski Trip
July 12-16 | Passion Camp
July 25-August 1 | Paddle with Purpose

Pumpkin Patch Truck Dates

Oct 4 | 1:00 PM

Oct 10 | 8:00 AM

Oct 17 | 8:00 AM

Oct 23 | 4:30 PM

November 20-22 | Team Survival Challenge

Mark your calendar now! We are a little later this year due to scheduling conflicts at Lake Swan. However, we are excited for this year's retreat. The cost is $285.

Youth – sign up here
Coaches – sign up here

July 12-16 | Passion Camp 2027

It's time to sign up for this coming summer's trip! The total camp cost is $715, with an early bird rate of $665 for those who sign up by September 30. A $125 deposit is required to reserve your spot, and payments can be made throughout the year. We have 40 spots available for this coming summer, so don’t miss the chance to claim yours. While costs have increased this year, we are working to keep any additional fees as low as possible. Sign up here.

Adult Volunteers Needed

Sunday School Teachers – Sign up here

Youth Dinners – Sign up here

Team Survival Coaches – Sign up here

Progressive Dinner Hosts – Sign up here

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

What are the Children Learning this Month? Click here. If you would like to volunteer, we need help! Click here. If you have any questions, please contact Angie.

Coming Up in Children's Ministry

Sundays | Junior Youth

Click here for a full list of Children’s Ministry Events and to sign up.

October 4 & 11 | Welcome to Worship

We invite 3rd -5th grade students to participate in Welcome to Worship class, which will run October through April, meeting most Sundays. This class is for children from Mandarin and Longleaf and will be held on the Mandarin campus from 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM. Children will enjoy class, lunch ($6), gym time, and more.

October 6 | Mommy & Me

Mommy & Me Book Club meets on the first Tuesday of each month, 9:00-11:00 AM September - May. We invite all moms, dads and grandparents with kids aged 0-5 years to join us on Tuesday, October 6! Sign up here.

We cap our class at 20 kids to keep things safe. Please make plans to join us for a story, craft, and snacks. As always, we will begin and end with playtime. Our story and craft will begin around 9:30 AM. Email Jennifer Wydler if you have any questions or would like to join our Facebook group.

Sunday Morning Volunteers + Acolyte Sign Up

Volunteers sign up for Sunday Acolytes and to help in Children’s classes at 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00 AM.

Did you know that volunteering can get you a parent's night out? Serve once a month, or equivalent, and receive a night out in January and August.

Click here to sign up for Acolytes or class help.

Junior Youth (New 4th & 5th)

We invite all 4th and 5th grade children to join us each Sunday at Junior Youth. We meet at Portico at 12:00 PM. We enjoy food ($6), fellowship, and fun. Pick up at Portico at 2:30 PM. Registration required for attendance and food ordering. Sign up here.