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EVEN IN OUR FAILURES
I remember the little white country church on the newly paved road. It appeared to be one of those independent, free-spirited organizations, open to the movement of God's spirit every Sunday morning and evening. I suspect there was no worship bulletin, no printed budget, and the congregation probably numbered in the teens. I figured the congregation would be more concerned about the shape of the minister's soul than about the degrees after his (definitely "his") name. It appeared to be one of those places where they let you cry and shout if you need to, made up of good people who would probably welcome a visitor.
On the front lawn was a large sign that proclaimed, "Saturday Night Healin Service," and of course I noticed the error. Such a mistake causes some theological concerns, does it not? Can a church that cannot spell properly claim to be sound and proper? Will God perfect the body if the mind is not yet perfected? Does the Lord, the creator of the universe, work well with typographical errors and misspellings? Should not the church be a shining example of perfection in looks, in grammar, and in theology? Should we not spend more time speaking of our promotions, our excellent reviews, and our children's victories, than about our needs and failures? And does not a new BMW look better in the parking lot than a rusty pickup truck? In short, where there is human intervention, human error, and human ignorance, does God still work?
The answer, of course, is an overwhelming "Yes!" The word of God comes from Heaven even when the church is a poor steward of that word. To be sure, I prefer the slick bulletin, the four-color poster, thick carpet, temperature controls, and a large crowd, but, truth be told, God is no more present in that church than in any other. Of course we must educate ourselves and systematically analyze our theological systems, but such things alone do not quench the thirst of God's people nor abate the hunger of those who have not yet dined at God's table. And we are wrong if we think they do.
Our church is imperfect. It is made up of imperfect people. WE mistakes and errors together, but the word of God can be heard here. Even when we cannot spell all the words or grasp all the concepts, the spirit of the living God will meet us here.
And I'll see you this Sunday.
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It's time to help pack lunches for the MUST Summer Lunch Program Thursdays at 10 a.m. in the Lower Room. visit www.mariettafumc.org/summerlunch to learn more about this vital summer program and to volunteer(Forrest Cate, ext. 7806)
Elementary Summer Camps. Sign up for some of our summer camps just for elementary ages!
Half-Day (9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
- Martial Arts, June 20-24
- So You Think You Can Dance, June 27-July 1
- Our Daily Bread Cooking Camp, July 18 -21
Full Day (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- Builder Bunch Lego Camp, July 11-15
Visit www.mariettafumc.org for more information and to register. (Kelly Duncan, ext. 7812)
Great American Family Picnic. Celebrate Independence Day with family and friends in the Park on Polk. Make your reservation for a pre-determined lawn space or table for a picnic dinner, two reserved parking spots, access to organized activities, and the best seats in town for the holiday fireworks show. Visit www.greatamericanfamilypicnic.com to register. Proceeds benefit MUST Ministries. (Forrest Cate, ext. 7806)
Cornerstone, a gathering of Young Adults in their mid-20s to mid-30s, meets Sundays at 10:10 a.m. in room 255 in the Discipleship Building. (Rev. Brian Smith, ext. 7840)
Support Groups are available here at the church for a variety of concerns: grief, caring for a loved one with dementia, addiction, or other needs. Visit www.mariettafumc.org/support for meeting times and details. (Rev. Elaine Wilder, ext. 7826)
Join our fall Peru Mission Team for travel and service to Chimbote, Peru, September 17-25. You can help as a team member, prayer partner, or through providing project supplies. Projects include a medical clinic, construction and fellowship events. There will be an information session about the trip on Sunday, June 12 at 12:30 p.m. in the library. (Nancy O'Donnell, nancyodonnell@bellsouth.net or Forrest Cate, ext. 7806) Interested in MFUMC's history? Helping in our Archives is a great way to learn (and help preserve our past). Please contact Milli Robinson at millirobinson@mariettafumc.org or ext. 7857 to volunteer.
Help restore lives impacted by human trafficking in our area. Volunteer at the Marietta Treasure Store, a consignment store which benefits Wellspring Living located at 800 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta 30064. Wellspring Living helps victims of Human Trafficking move forward with their lives through group resident and independent living programs. For more information, contact Forrest Cate. To sign up to volunteer, click here.
We invite you to serve with our Parking Ministry on Sunday mornings in half-hour and one-hour shifts from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Help members who have difficulty walking to and from worship and Sunday School. Training is provided. (Forrest Cate, ext. 7806)
The Hospitality Ministry is looking for friendly, creative and energetic volunteers to help greet on Sundays, provide special event setup and décor and be helpers at Church Family Supper on Wednesdays. (Beth Dawson, ext. 7829)
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 Want more information about Restore To Glory! and its progress?
Visit its Web site, which includes the latest news about projects with photos to show our progress. There, you will also find information about how to donate or make your pledge.
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All men of the church are invited to a Men's Night Out on Thursday, June 9 at 7 p.m. at Andretti Indoor Karting and Games located at 1255 Roswell Road, Marietta 30062 for food, fun and fellowship. Racing is optional. (Scott Stewart at
scott.stewart@us.qbe.com or Forrest Cate, ext. 7806)
Youth Lake Day. The Fusion Youth group will have a lake day on Sunday, June 12. Meet in the Lower Room at 12:30 pm. (Josh Owens-Sweeney, ext. 7808)
The Cobb County Daylily Society will hold its annual DAYLILY SHOW and PLANT SALE on Saturday, June 11th at the church in the Family Life Hall. You are invited to come and view the spectacular daylilies from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Questions? Contact Diana Waldrop at dianarae@aol.com.
June Food Drive. It's time to re-stock the Food Pantry. Lists of needed items will be available at donations boxes at each elevator and at the Reception Desk. (Forrest Cate, ext. 7806)
Mission Mondays. All rising 4th-6th graders are invited to Mission Mondays in June and July. We will do a group mission project at the church and then walk to the Square for lunch and dessert. The dates are June 20 and 27, and July 11 and 18 from 10:00 to 1:00. Meet in the Welcome Center lobby. Only cost is lunch and dessert. E-mail Kelly Duncan at kellyduncan@mariettafucm.org for more information.
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Connect Through Table Fellowship
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Church Family Supper
takes a break during the late Spring
and early Summer.
Check back in August for menus and upcoming events!
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For more information about events
at First United Methodist Church of Marietta,
College Mission Trip to PeruThrough June 8
Mission Trip to GuatemalaThrough June 10 MUST Summer Lunch Packing Thursday, June 9 10 a.m. Lower Room Forrest Cate, ext. 7806 Youth Choir HomecomingSunday, June 12 Both Worship Services Peru Mission Trip (Fall 2016)Interest MeetingSunday, June 12 12:30 p.m. The Library
Forrest Cate, ext. 7806
Weekday Wild West CampJune 13-16 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kelly Duncan, ext. 7812 kellyduncan@mariettafumc.orgVacation Bible SchoolJune 13-16 6-8:30 p.m. Kelly Duncan, ext. 7812 kellyduncan@mariettafumc.orgMUST Summer Lunch Packing Thursday, June 16 10 a.m. Lower Room Forrest Cate, ext. 7806 AARP Safe Driving CourseWednesday, June 15 9:30 a.m. Room 322 Rev. Lori Ethridge, ext. 7835 loriethridge@mariettafumc.orgMid-High Youth Mission TripJune 17-22 Children's Movie DayFriday, June 17 10 a.m. The Fuse Box Kelly Duncan, ext. 7812 kellyduncan@mariettafumc.orgFather's DaySunday, June 19 Choi Kwang Do Camp
June 20-24
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Kelly Duncan, ext. 7812
kellyduncan@mariettafumc.orgMen of the ChurchServe Dinner at The ExtensionThursday, June 23 6:30 p.m. Away Forrest Cate, ext. 7806
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