Dear Friends of UMC Madison,
Hello! My name is Rev. Mark Schol, and I am the new pastor of The United Methodist Church in Madison. I am excited about the opportunity to be in ministry with the people of this historic community and give thanks to God that you are a part of it! In the coming weeks and months, the leadership of the church will be offering opportunities for us to meet in small groups. These informal gatherings will be held at people’s homes and will give you the chance to meet me, my spouse Meredith, and our two girls Elise (8) and Nora (5). I hope you’ll find a time that works for your schedule.
During my ministry I have served United Methodist congregations in Washington, DC, Chicago, IL, and just down the road in Jersey City and Hoboken, NJ. At all these churches there has been a passion for doing good within the world; to speak up for the marginalized and to serve our neighbors. Each of these churches has looked at their community and found a way to see God already at work. They have magnified God’s presence through feeding programs, community gardens, artist studios, speaker series, and partnerships with organizations. At Madison I see the same passion through your partnerships with Family Promise and Market Street Mission. The willingness to do good within the world speaks to the ways in which God is at work within in the community.
The ministry we will do together will create lasting change within the hearts and minds of those in the community. Lasting change comes about when we are inspired by the Holy Spirit to grow in our faith, ask deep questions about scripture and our world, and act on them. I have no doubt God has asked you to take part in change already during the pandemic and I give thanks for your willingness to try new things.
I am in prayer right now for you, your family, and those who you call family. I believe God is calling us to do something special in the Madison area. If you have any questions or would like to set aside some time to speak with me individually, I am here for you. I am excited for the God inspired moments we will share in the years to come, and I look forward to getting to know you in the coming months.
Do Good
Create Change
Stay Humble
Mark
Rev. Mark Schol
Pastor
He/Him/His
973.377.1231