Announcements

Worship with us in-person, or online on YouTube, Facebook, as well as on this site on our Sermons page.

Carter is a diverse community of faith grounded in scripture, experience, tradition, and reason. Sunday services are in our Needham sanctuary at 10:00 am and live-streamed on social media. Our service is a blend of both traditional and contemporary worship styles that we hope you find uplifting, fulfilling, and comfortable! To get a preview of what worshiping with us is like, visit our Sermons page to view an example of a recent service

Carter Memorial UMC Christmas Tree Pickup 

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's Christmas Tree Pickup ministry! With the help of our generous community, this season was a wonderful success.

Now in its 28^th season, this annual ministry continues to support local missions by benefiting immigrant assistance and hunger relief efforts throughout New England.

If you were unable to participate this year but would still like to support this meaningful ministry, contributions are always welcome and deeply appreciated.

WATCH OUR WORSHIP SERVICES ON NEEDHAM CABLE TV

Catch our services at the following times:

• Wednesday: 3:00 p.m.
• Thursday: 11:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.
• Friday: 1:00 p.m.

Channels:

• Comcast: 9
• Verizon: 29
• RCN: 15

Stay up to date with the full schedule here:
Needham Cable Schedule

LOOKING AHEAD IN WORSHIP

Sundays at 10:00 a.m. - In-Person & Live-Streaming
Join us each Sunday morning for worship in our Needham sanctuary or from home via our live-stream. Our services blend traditional and contemporary elements, offering an uplifting and welcoming experience for all.

Worship with Children
Families are always welcome at Carter. Children (through 7th grade) remain in the sanctuary until the Time for Young Christians, after which they are invited to Sunday School. Children are also welcome to stay with you throughout the entire service if you prefer.

Worship Online
If you're joining us from home, you can watch live or view past services anytime. Visit our Sermons page, or find us on Facebook and YouTube to worship with us online.

Carter is a diverse community of faith grounded in Scripture, tradition, reason, and lived experience. We invite you to join us—whether in the pews or online—and discover the warmth of our community and the spirit of our worship.

MIDWINTER MUSIC FEST

Carter Memorial United Methodist Church invites you to join us for our 4th Annual Music Celebration!

Come and hear music from members of our connexion.

When: Saturday, February 7th
Time: 10:00 AM
Where: St. John Korean UMC
2600 Massachusetts Ave Lexington, MA 02421

Highlights:

The Chancel Choir will sing Just a Little Talk with Jesus and Fill Your Jar at the Well.

This fun event will be hosted by St John Korean United Methodist Church,

Don't miss this inspiring day of music and fellowship!

SOUPER BOWL COMPETITION

Join us for a fun and flavorful fellowship event at Carter Memorial United Methodist Church as we gather for our annual Souper Bowl Competition!

Saturday, February 8 | 11:30 AM

Competitors are invited to bring their favorite soup, stew, or chili in a crock pot, ready to serve and share. Not cooking? No problem! Everyone is welcome to come taste the entries, enjoy the fellowship, and vote for their favorite recipe.

The winning chef will receive an award — and, of course, bragging rights for the year!

Come hungry, bring a friend, and enjoy good food, friendly competition, and community together. We hope to see you there!

SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE DINNER

Pancake Dinner – Shrove (Mardi Gras) Tuesday
February 17 | 6:00 p.m.
Carter Memorial United Methodist Church

Join us for a joyful evening of food, fellowship, and tradition as we gather on the night before Lent begins.

Shrove Tuesday has long been a time to enjoy rich foods—eggs, butter, milk, and sugar—before entering the 40-day season of Lent. This year, we invite everyone to celebrate together with a free pancake supper and warm community fellowship.

Come enjoy delicious pancakes, good conversation, and a fun, welcoming atmosphere as we prepare our hearts for the season ahead.

All are welcome!
Please click HERE to register if you plan to attend.

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE

Ash Wednesday Worship Service
February 18 | 7:00 p.m.
Carter Memorial United Methodist Church

You are warmly invited to join us for our Ash Wednesday worship service, marking the beginning of the sacred season of Lent.

This meaningful service offers a time of prayer, reflection, and renewal as we turn our hearts toward God and prepare for the 40-day journey of Lent. During worship, you are invited to receive ashes as a solemn sign of mortality, repentance, and our dependence on God's grace.

All are welcome to come as you are and share in this quiet, reverent beginning of the Lenten season.

We look forward to worshiping with you.

LENTEN STUDY FOR ADULTS

Soup & Spirit: Lenten Study for Adults
Tuesdays, February 24 – March 24 | 6:00 p.m.
Carter Memorial United Methodist Church

Join us for Soup & Spirit, a meaningful Lenten study series combining warm soup, thoughtful conversation, and spiritual growth.

This year's adult study will focus on Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living by Rueben P. Job. In this insightful and accessible work, Job offers a modern interpretation of John Wesley's General Rules, calling us toward a deeper, more intentional daily walk with God.

Through the book and accompanying DVD teachings by the author, we will explore the simple—but challenging—guidelines:
Do no harm.
Do good.
Stay in love with God.

Together, we'll reflect on how these timeless principles invite us into lives of mutual respect, unity, and faithful discipleship.

Books are available for $7 at the church.
Please click HERE to register if you plan to attend.

All are welcome — come nourish both body and spirit this Lenten season.

GENERIC MINISTRY DRIVE

At Carter Memorial United Methodist Church, the Generic Ministry Drive is underway, inviting members and attendees to contribute essential items to support those in need.

A dedicated bin stationed in the narthex awaits donations.

We are collecting essential items to support those in need.
Requested donations include toiletries (deodorant, shaving cream, conditioner, lotion, tissue packs), women's clothing (bras size 36, underwear, hoodies L/XL, shorts, sneakers, sandals, new white crew socks, belts), men's clothing (new underwear M, t-shirts S/M, jeans size < 37, sweatpants L-XXL, hoodies all sizes, belts), and other items (rolling suitcases, adult sleeping bags, backpacks, tote bags). Please donate clean items with no holes or stains. There is a bin in the narthex for these items.

Through collective generosity, the Carter Memorial community endeavors to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals facing various challenges.

Announcing a New Sunday School class for grades 3-7.

We are offering a separate Sunday School class for older children. Meeting in PM Hall, we plan to offer more challenging and fun activities around the week's Bible lesson. We also need more teachers to staff this to keep up with our increasing number of children (Hooray!). Please see Tim or a member of the Children's Ministry Team. You can also sign up online to help.

YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL
Join us for Sunday School at 11:45 am

Our youth program at Carter offers a nurturing environment for kids in 6th through 12th grades to grow together in their faith and commitment to Christ. Weekly youth Sunday school offers a space for middle and high school students to engage Scripture, ask questions, share experiences, work through problems, and foster a personal, relevant faith.

Youth Group
In addition to weekly Sunday school, our youth have several opportunities to connect. One of the core tenets of our youth development approach is getting youth engaged in mission and outreach as a way to better understand and engage with the world around them.

BREAD OF LIFE

Bread of Life is Carter's meal ministry, offering a meal to any who comes. Whether needing food, fellowship, or community and the love of God, Bread of Life welcomed all to a home-cooked meal.

Before the pandemic, Bread of Life met on the first and third Tuesday evenings with a fellowship time, music, and service with a smile. Volunteers set up, cooked, served, and cleaned up each meal, including Carter members, community friends, and teens learning about community service. Costs were paid through free-will donations and Mission funds.

We are currently working to bring our kitchen up to the new requirements of Needham Public Health. When that work is done, we hope to restart the ministry.

If you would like to help with Bread of Life, please contact Beth Henrich at brhenrich@yahoo.com to volunteer. We will keep you all up to date on our progress and plans.