Dear Friends,

We are in week three of our Sermon Series: Growing a Healthy Church. Our scripture this week is John 15:1-11. Please take a look and listen for God’s voice in this passage. Is that voice speaking about pruning and nurturing or abiding and trusting? We are in a different place than we ever thought we would be. Some are scared of COVID19 and others wonder about sending their children back to school safely. A few are hoping their employment stays strong with no lay-offs while others cannot wait to get back to work. It is a peculiar time so pray for one another. Call and share your concerns. Listen and nurture the presence of Christ that is with each of us. There are no easy solutions but we can grow in Christ and open our hearts to those who need to be heard.

I have shared with you Bishop Farr’s encouragement to read, “How to Be An Antiracist” by Ibram K. Kendi and “White Fragility” by Robin Diangelo. We have copies of each in my office. I would like to arrange discussion groups for each. We can meet via Zoom and in-person (small group socially distanced in the Café). Genie Hatch and Joan Province are available to lead conversations as well. We cannot solve racism in America but we can look into our hearts and see how we have been influenced by society and the social norms that impact us today. Please contact me at markdumas@wentzville-umc.net regarding these discussion groups.

Zoom meeting: Tuesday, July 28 at 6:30 p.m. and face to face discussion in the Café Sunday, July 26^th at noon. It will be a brown bag (bring your own lunch).

God bless us every one, Pastor Mark