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Wedgewood is a liberal, culturally diverse, service-oriented, interfaith church in Charlotte, NC with members who are Progressive Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Pagans, Atheists, Agnostics, and many other faith journeys and perspectives. When we say everyone is welcome at Wedgewood, we mean EVERYONE! Join us as we try to change the world.
Sunday, March 15th at Wedgewood: “Don’t Hold On Too Tight”
with Melba Evans
Many of us carry heavy baggage—bitterness and anger resulting from past and present experiences. We know that this baggage can rob us of the joy of life. Simply living in today’s world can take a tremendous toll on people.
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This Sunday, we will reflect on how we might begin to let go of that baggage and what it means to live without it in a way that is resilient and life-giving.​​
As we explore this topic, we will look to the example of Nelson Mandela and consider how he was able to show such resilience and grace after spending 27 years in prison. Rather than allowing anger and bitterness to define him, Mandela chose a path that helped bring healing and transformation to a nation. What might it mean for us to follow such a path in our own lives?​
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This week, as we prepare for Sunday’s service, we encourage you to take a few moments to read the poem “Letting Go,” attributed to Nelson Mandela.
As you read, take time to reflect on the words and consider what they might mean for your own life. What burdens, resentments, or fears might you be holding onto? What might it look like to release them?
Let the poem be a quiet moment of reflection during the week—a reminder that letting go is not about forgetting the past, but about freeing ourselves to live more fully, with resilience, compassion, and hope.
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Come on Sunday prepared to share in this spirit of reflection on this poem as we explore together what it means to lay down the baggage we carry and move toward a life that is more life-giving for ourselves and for one another.
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10:30 AM: Coffee & Conversation
11:00 AM: Sunday Service
12:00 PM: After the Amen​
​A Statement from Wedgewood on the United States’ Military Strike Against Iran
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There are no words for the horror of a school reduced to ruins. There are no policy briefs that can contain the grief of parents who sent their daughters to learn and who never came home.​​
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Bombing schools does not make anyone safer.
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The United States initiated this military escalation. When powerful nations choose bombardment over diplomacy, ordinary people pay the price.
Acknowledging this does not defend the Iranian government. Iran’s record of repression and human rights abuses is well documented. We can reject authoritarianism and still condemn reckless military escalation. These truths are not in conflict.
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War is not an abstract policy debate. It is families sheltering in fear. It is communities facing destruction. It is service members placed in harm’s way. It is the normalization of violence as a first response.
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As an interfaith community rooted in justice, liberation, and human dignity, we reject the lie that security is built through airstrikes. History shows that large scale military interventions often deepen instability rather than resolve it.
We call for:
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Immediate steps to halt further offensive strikes
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Protection of civilians as the highest moral and legal priority
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Full constitutional and congressional oversight of military action
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Urgent multilateral diplomacy to prevent regional war
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A serious commitment to breaking cycles of retaliation rather than expanding them
Our interfaith traditions teach that every human life carries sacred worth. The Quran teaches that saving one life is as if saving all humanity. Jewish tradition calls us to pursue peace. Jesus blesses the peacemakers. Across traditions, we are commanded to protect life, not endanger it.
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If you hold citizenship or political power, use your voice. Demand accountability. Contact your representatives. Refuse to accept endless war as normal.
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Silence enables escalation.
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Wedgewood will continue to speak truth, organize with partners, and advocate for diplomacy over destruction. Our commitment is rooted in our faith and our mission.
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We believe in liberation, dignity, and justice for all people.
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And we believe that peace is built by those who refuse to look away.
On February 28, 2026, the United States, alongside Israel, launched coordinated airstrikes against Iran. This action preceded Iran’s current retaliatory attacks and has rapidly escalated instability across the region.
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This is not defensive restraint. It is a deliberate military escalation with immense suffering and global consequences.
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Among the verified reports from Iran is an attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab. Children were attending class when the building was struck. Iranian authorities say over 100 schoolgirls and staff have been killed and many more injured in that strike. Families are searching through rubble for survivors. Parents are mourning children who will never come home.
Ordination of Shea Watts
We are proud to offer our heartfelt congratulations, love, and support to Shea Watts on the occasion of his ordination to the ministry on March 8. Shea has been an important part of the Wedgewood community, serving faithfully as our Technology Coordinator.
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Those who know Shea know that his work is guided by compassion, humility, and a deep commitment to justice-centered faith. Whether working behind the scenes to support our community or showing up with care and thoughtfulness in moments that matter, Shea’s presence has strengthened Wedgewood in countless ways.
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Ordination marks the beginning of an important new chapter in Shea’s life and ministry. We are grateful for his leadership, his steady spirit, and the ways he continues to embody a faith rooted in care, courage, and love.
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Please join us in offering congratulations and keeping Shea in your thoughts and prayers as he begins this next step in his ministry journey.
Wedgewood Monthly Meetup
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Our next Monthly Meetup will be at Red Sea Ethiopian and Eritrean Cuisine, known for its rich flavors and traditional dishes meant to be shared.
It’s the perfect setting to slow down, reconnect, and enjoy an evening around the table together.
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Whether you come solo or bring a friend, you will be welcomed just as you are.
The Wedgewood Social Justice Book Club
The Wedgewood Social Justice Book Club will meet again on Thursday, March 5th. We will continue reading our next book, Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman. Please read the fourth chapter before we gather again.
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We meet bi-weekly on Zoom, and Wedgewood members and non-members are always welcome.
Whether you have joined us before or are thinking about attending for the first time, we look forward to beginning the new year in thoughtful community.​
​Mark Your Calendars!​
Join Wedgewood for our annual Homecoming gathering on Sunday, May 17 at 11:00 AM at Pascuales’ Farm.
Homecoming is a chance to return to one another across seasons of Wedgewood’s story. Whether you have been with Wedgewood for years, are newer to our community, or are simply curious about who we are, we would love to share the day with you.
This gathering is intentionally simple: community, food, and time together. Bring a dish to share for the potluck, and come ready for joyful conversation and connection.
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We look forward to welcoming you with open arms and creating beautiful memories together!
"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."
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His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
Stay connected with Wedgewood
​Our weekly newsletter is one of the ways we stay grounded as an interfaith community rooted in justice, compassion, and collective liberation. Each week, we share reflections from recent services, what’s coming up in the life of the community, and ways to show up for justice, community care, and collective action in Charlotte and beyond.
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Whether you are new to Wedgewood or have been walking alongside us for a while, the newsletter offers a steady way to stay connected to the people, values, and work that shape this community. You do not need to share one belief system to belong here. Just come as you are and stay connected.
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Sign up below to receive one thoughtful update each week, delivered straight to your inbox.
Land Acknowledgement
As a community that considers social justice to be a cornerstone of who we are, we would like to acknowledge that the land that Wedgewood is on the unceded land of the Xuali, known today as the Cheraw, as well as the Esaw, now known as the Catawba, and the Sugaree people.
