I said last week that Paul can be wrong—as he is in saying women should be quiet in church. This is one response I got:

I have a problem with that. If the Bible is the Word of God, you can’t say the words God gave Paul to speak are wrong. If Paul is wrong, what else in the Bible may be wrong?
(Name)

   That takes a lot of answering. The Bible is not the Word of God. Jesus is—the “Word made flesh,” John tells us.
   And God inspired Paul, but God did not take away Paul’s freedom to think and speak on his own.
   And something is never true just because it is in the Bible. The world is not flat with “four corners,” as the Bible indicates.
   And God did not tell the Hebrew people to slay the Amalekites—men, women, and babes in arms.
   The Bible says it, but it’s not true. That is against God’s nature.
   We know something is true when the evidence shows it to be true.
   I know the teachings of Jesus are right because our lived experience proves them to be right. And the God we meet in personal religious experience is the God we know through the teachings of Jesus.
   The fellow whose note I printed lives on dangerous ground. A person cannot believe God pushed for the slaying of the Amalekites and believe Jesus.
   Jesus said God loves all people–even his enemies. He said God is “kind to the wicked.”
   Biblical inerrantists do not believe the teachings of Jesus. That’s where the problem lies.
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   We just had a $16,000 plumbing break at St. M. If you would like to help fund Friday’s Word during our “crunch,” go to “Give” on our website.
Blessings

A Nice Note

Dear Reverend, I always enjoy/get sad/find humor/start to despair/regain some hope/always rejoice at your simple and profound wisdom.
In short, thank you. One of these days I might come join you for a service or a study. I know I would enjoy either. Stay strong in body and spirit.
Tony —

The Way It Works

   Tony has probably read Friday’s Word for years. Then he begins to think about giving us a visit. And I expect he will. This is the way it works at St. Matthew.
   We need to be glad about this—because this is the only reason St. Matthew exists (while many once-strong strong Eastside churches are closed).
   Churches can no longer survive by reaching the neighborhood around the church.
   I saw a report on a once-strong church trying to hold things together with an attendance of 20 on Sundays. They could not make it. And the closing of that church was particularly sad, because they maintained a soup-kitchen that fed a hundred people during the week.
   And the more progressive a church is, the wider the net it needs to throw. A couple visited from down the street recently. The gay issue was addressed during the service. I knew they would not be back. St. Matthew is a lovely and loving place. But we are a shock to some people who just wander in our door.
   Friday’s Word still works. (Our three newest members found us through it.) And we better be glad it works. There is no substitute.
Someday, when I am gone, Mary will have to write once a week in a little box in the paper.

Pentecost Sunday

It’s a big day—on a holiday weekend. Come to church before you go visit Aunt Sally. And wear something red. We’re going to have a rousing time of it. Sermon: God Does Stuff. (Acts 2:1-12)

   We just took a financial hit that was entirely unexpected. A problem with our sewage system caused the two pumps for our two buildings to burn out—dumping the sewage outside the kitchen door.
   We are replacing them to the tune of $16,000. Our property is below the level of the city sewage line in the street so we must have pumps to move the waste uphill. The good news is we are getting better pumps. Also, it is unlikely to happen again. The bad news is the bill.
   We are not in trouble financially.
   We even have a substantial rainy-day fund stuck back. But we do not want to touch it.
   This is not a rainy day.
   But we do want to put a moratorium on any extra spending right now. (At the same time we will not scrimp on what we do need for choir, our children, and worship.)
   So, on Mother’s Day I paid for the flowers—something the church usually does. And I will pay the $700.00 cost to go to Waco (hotel, gas and food) for the three-day Annual Conference in early June. The church usually pays this, but I am paying my way this year.
   I will be doing all that I can to (1) make sure we have the money we need for the usual operations of our church, and (2) work to avoid extra spending.
   Let me remind you: We are not in trouble.
   We are doing fine—and we want to keep it that way. Your love and faithfulness will help us move on in the Lord’s work—and keep the sewage out of our back yard.
   Can I get a witness here?
   Amen!

White, Red, then Green

   Our white paraments will be put away after this Sunday, May 21, the last Sunday in the Easter Season.
   Mary will be preaching–Part 2 of her really wonderful sermon which she began last week.
   The next Sunday, May 28, we go red for Pente cost—the “Birthday of the Church.” It’s a big day. So, help make it a big. Be sure you are present to celebrate.
   And after Pentecost, we go green for what is called “Ordinary Time.” It lasts all the way to Advent—four weeks before Christmas.

Last Week

   You may have noticed I was not present last Sunday. My sister had a bad reaction to an antibiotic and we spent much of Saturday night in emergency.
   So glad Mary was scheduled to preach!
   I watched online. (What a good job Jason and whoever was helping “up in the booth” do with our livestream!)
   I counted five in our choir last Sunday–a mere quartet.
   Such lovely sound from so few! (We usually have two or three more.) The choir will sing one more time—this Sunday—before summer break.
   Which means Blake and Shannon will have to figure out something big for Pentecost Sunday.
   Of course, everything they do is big.

Teaching Returns

   In July, we resume classes on Sunday mornings at 10:00 and on Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. We will have some guest teachers from outside the church. My sister and I will both do a series of lessons. I’m sure Mary will teach a series.
   We will have a lively summer.

Annual Conference

   On Sunday, June 4, after church, I will head for Annual Conference in Waco. (I haven’t checked with Mary to see if her work schedule will allow her to attend.) Our bishop says we have now lost 118 churches out of 254—about 47%. That’s churches, not people. Annual Conference, made up of pastors and lay delegates from all Central Texas Conference churches, will be smaller this year. But we are heading for a more inclusive—and less sinful church.
   Let us witness to the world in this fateful hour: Excluding people for their sexual orientation is sin.
   I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

   We opened worship with the old hymn, Revive Us Again—and the day felt a bit like a revival.
   We received three new members: Jim and Annette Wells and Jim Bailey. We already counted them as church family, but we made it official.
   We had 100 in attendance—just 10 short of what we had on Easter. Some of our guests from my 10:00 a.m. Meet ‘N’ Talk time with some of the readers of Friday’s Word stayed for worship.
   And the Meet ‘N’ Talk was a joy. We didn’t have enough time—45 minutes—but we knew that to start with. We had a great discussion.
   Thanks to Brian McCosky, our guests took home a hard copy of every article we have ever put in the Star Telegram—150 or so. It was a huge task for Brian. (One guest already had a big collection of them. She brought them with her to the Meet.)
   Brian also provided the hotdogs and brats (cooked outside—during the Saturday storm!) for our feast after worship—down at the old gazebo. We had not eaten down there for over 25 years.
   A great day for it—except for a bit of wind.
   Mark Callahan had to hold up the sun tent with one hand and eat with the other for a while—and on his first day at our church! (It was Kathy’s third visit.)
   But all was fine.
   The building did not fall.
   Some of our guests stayed to eat with us.

   Listen!—a lot of people worked hard for us to have that meal. I know they did because I sat and watched them! My sister and I continued to sit and talk with the Rev. Bob Weathers and wife Mary while the tents came down. (We were not useful but we were happy.)
   A big thanks to all who made our meal possible.
   And thanks to the singing duo, Blake ‘N’ Shannon, for the glorious rendition of The Prayer. It brought the house down and raised some people to their feet. We are blessed to have such music. Blake filled in for organist Kristi. I loved the arrangements he played of Jesus Loves Me and What a Friend. How Lovely.
   Kristi and Steven will be back this Sunday. (Don’t tell anyone, but I think they went to Las Vegas!)
   I think our choir is singing this Sunday.
   Enjoy it while it lasts. The choir has only two more performances before summer break.