June 15,
 
2016
   
TATTOOS
 
I stood beside a young man this week at a fast food counter. He was a great deal younger than I and had a colorful tattoo on his shoulder. I looked at it for a moment and made out the face and crown of a queen. When he noticed my interest, I commented, "That's an interesting tattoo. Does it bother you when people like me look at it?" He replied in the affirmative, that yes, he was bothered when people looked at his tattoo. So I apologized and stopped looking.
A young woman behind a lunch counter had some interesting designs on her arm. She volunteered that the tats were of the official state flowers of the states where she had lived. She pointed out Tennessee and Florida, then Georgia. "That's the magnolia," she said, "the state flower of Georgia." I didn't want to burst her bubble or discolor her tattoo, but I knew then and know now that the Cherokee Rose, and not the magnolia, is our state flower.
I know that some tattoos are beautiful works of art, often saying something about the persons who wear them. But I'm not sure what people with tattoos do when they decide that they have made a mistake, don't like the attention, or that they don't know the state flower of Georgia. I hear that removal is expensive and painful, but I have no personal knowledge.
What I do know is that we all have our tattoos. We are all marked by decisions and actions through the years, some of which might bring unwanted attention, some that might be completely wrong, and some that don't represent us at all. The vicissitudes of life have had their toll on us and we have the bruises and bumps to prove it.
We also know that the tattoos are difficult, if not impossible, to remove. We are the sum of our actions and thoughts and those actions and thought and actions have impact upon us. But there is a place where we can rest from the pain, from the hurt, from the memory, and from the toil that those tattoos represent. The church proclaims and lives God's grace. The church is the place where our sins are made "whiter than snow" and the scars and blemishes of the past are smoothed away. We live in difficult times, times made even more difficult by the poor choices we have made.   But there is help, and we proclaim that help in this place every day. And there is a place for you.
    And I'll see you this Sunday.

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News
 
Save the Date: Schoolhouse Rock Live! July 14-17, MFUMC's Jubilation Drama Ministry will present this piece of musical theater, based on the smash-hit cartoon series from the 70s. The show will include "Conjunction Junction," "I'm Just a Bill" and the other toe-tapping favorites. Tickets will go on sale Sunday, June 26. (Brian Parks, ext. 7809)
 
Summer Youth Activities. Here are a few ways to stay connected with the Fusion Family all summer long!
  •  Tuesday Lunch Crew 
  •  Mission Fridays 
  •  Summer Theme Nights (Color War, Olympics, Hunger Games, Pirate Night)
Visit www.mariettafumc.org/events for more information. (Jessica Ferguson, ext. 7822) 
 
Save the date for the annual Back Pack Event. Saturday, July 23 in the Family Life Hall. Help prepare backpacks with school supplies to support Marietta City Schools and MUST Ministries for students in need. This is a service opportunity for all ages. (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
  •  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)
Restore to Glory!
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.
This Week

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. 

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)
 

 
Connect Through Table Fellowship
Church Family Supper
takes a break during the late Spring 
and early Summer.

Check back in August for menus and upcoming events!


 
Save the Date

For more information about events
at First United Methodist Church of Marietta,
 
MUST Summer Lunch Packing
Thursday, June 16
10 a.m.
Lower Room
Forrest Cate, ext. 7806
 
AARP Safe Driving Course
Wednesday, June 15
9:30 a.m.
Room 322
Rev. Lori Ethridge, ext. 7835
loriethridge@mariettafumc.org

Mid-High Youth Mission Trip
June 17-22

Children's Movie Day
Friday, June 17
10 a.m.
The Fuse Box
Kelly Duncan, ext. 7812
kellyduncan@mariettafumc.org

Father's Day
Sunday, June 19

Choi Kwang-Do Camp
June 20-24
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Kelly Duncan, ext. 7812
kellyduncan@mariettafumc.org

Children's Mission Monday
Monday, June 20
10 a.m.
Family Life Hall
Kelly Duncan, ext. 7812
kellyduncan@mariettafumc.org

Pack Lunches for MUST Summer Lunch
Thursday, June 23
Noon
Lower Room
Forrest Cate, ext. 7806
forrestcate@mariettafumc.org

Men of the Church
Serve Dinner at The Extension
Thursday, June 23
6:30 p.m.
Away
Forrest Cate, ext. 7806
forrestcate@mariettafumc.org

MUST Lunch
Friday, June 24
10 a.m.
Away
Forrest Cate, ext. 7806
forrestcate@mariettafumc.org

Youth Mission Friday
Friday, June 24
10 a.m.
Lower Room/Away
Josh Owens-Sweeney, ext. 7808
joshsweeney@mariettafumc.org

Meet Our Missionaries:
Henry and Cindy Ethridge
Sunday, June 26
10 a.m.
Room 104
(Wesley Dining Room)
Forrest Cate, ext. 7806
forrestcate@mariettafumc.org

Great American Family Picnic
Monday, June 27
Great American Family Picnic
Online Reservations

Children's Mission Monday
Monday, June 27
10 a.m.
Family Life Hall
Kelly Duncan, ext. 7812
kellyduncan@mariettafumc.org

Youth Tuesday Lunch
Tuesday, June 28
Lower Room
Jessica Ferguson, ext. 7822
jessicaferguson@mariettafumc.org

Pack Lunches for MUST Summer Lunch
Thursday, June 30
Noon
Lower Room
Forrest Cate, ext. 7806
forrestcate@mariettafumc.org

Serve Lunch at MUST
Friday, June 1
9:30 a.m.
Away
Forrest Cate, ext. 7806
forrestcate@mariettafumc.org

Youth Mission Friday
Friday, June 1
10 a.m.
Lower Room
Jessica Ferguson, ext. 7822
jessicaferguson@mariettafumc.org

Patriotic Sunday
Sunday, July 3

Great American Family Picnic
Monday, July 4
5 p.m.
The Park on Polk
www.greatamericanfamilypicnic.com












First United Methodist Church of Marietta
56 Whitlock Avenue, N.W. Marietta, GA 30064

770-429-7800 |  info@mariettafumc.org
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