From the Executive Pastor
Rev. Jeremy Wicks

Dear UMMMC Members and Friends:

 

As we head into the summer season, I want to share an important opportunity that I believe has the potential to strengthen our ministry and deepen our sense of shared purpose across United Methodist Ministries of Mecosta County. Beginning this Sunday, June 8, and continuing through the summer months, we will be worshiping together as one body at the First Church Campus in Big Rapids.

 

This shift will allow us to bring together the energy, gifts, and fellowship of all three campuses in one shared service – creating space for new relationships, shared experiences, and, I hope, a deeper understanding of what it means to be one church in multiple locations. Who knows, by the end of the summer, we might even fall in love with one another – which is exactly what Jesus expects from us: “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples – when they see the love you have for each other.”  (John 13:34-35 MSG)

 

I understand that this shift may come as a surprise to some of you – and for others, it may stir up frustration, disappointment, or even fear. I know the anxiety many feel when change happens, especially when it touches something as meaningful and familiar as worship. Some may wonder if this is a step toward closing one or more of our campuses. 

 

I get it, and as I have been all along, I am going to be honest with you: this is not about closure, but it is an intentional pause. We need time to reflect, to listen for what God might be saying to us, and to consider seriously what it means to be one church – not in theory, but in practice.

 

I imagine some of you may be thinking, “It’s only been a year!”, and you’re right – our shared identity as one church was formalized just last year, but this conversation has been unfolding for much longer than that. It has spanned multiple years, three pastors, and at least two District Superintendents. The vision of coming together didn’t appear overnight, and neither did the challenges. While we never expected everything to come together instantly, we had hoped to see growing connection, investment, and momentum – and we simply haven’t seen that yet. Time alone won’t make us one church. That only happens when we choose to show up, invest in one another, and live into the future that we said yes to.

 

There are other factors that make this a “good” time to try something new. Summer brings shifting schedules, travel, and lower attendance. Additionally, Pastor Ray will be away for five of the twelve Sundays this summer, and one of the most frequently named frustrations in the past has been the lack of consistent pastoral presence in the pulpit. Rather than filling those weeks with a rotation of guest preachers, we’re choosing to lean into this season as a moment of discernment and connection – a chance to offer one unified worship experience with steady leadership, shared energy, and deeper relational possibilities.

 

My hope is that this summer becomes a chance to reset – to show up for and with one another, to build new relationships, and to begin living as a shared community, even as we look ahead to fall, when the plan is to return to gathering in our separate locations. That future – returning to worship in our separate locations – is still possible, and in many ways, preferred. But it’s only possible if there’s a willingness to actually engage across campus lines. If we’re going to live into the call to be ONE CHURCH, which is what all three campuses voted for last year, then we must start acting like it. 

 

We’ll gather for worship each Sunday at 10:00 AM at First Church (304 Elm Street, Big Rapids), followed by coffee and fellowship. If transportation is a concern, please don’t hesitate to contact the church office – we have a team of volunteers ready to help make sure everyone who wants to attend can get there.

 

If you know someone who doesn’t use email, please give them a call or pass this message along. We’ll also be posting signs outside at the Paris and Third Avenue campuses later this week, and sharing this letter on Facebook as an additional reminder.

 

I truly hope you’ll be part of this season of shared worship and join with your siblings in reconnecting and reimagining our life together as one church. I’m looking forward to what this summer can hold for all of us.

 

Peace,

JW

 

Rev. Jeremy Wicks

Executive Pastor

United Methodist Ministries of Mecosta County

O (231) 796-7771