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39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Such a good place to be—especially if you mean home from the hospital.
Actually, I’ve been home all week—left Arlington Memorial after a three-day stay last Sunday afternoon.
A persistent infection (and 103 degree temp.) laid me low.
I will be taking off another Sunday, so you will be celebrating America without me. (Mary and the crew have planned a good service.)
Throughout my ordeal, my “numbers” have been what the doctor called “disgustingly normal.” And the antibiotic is taking care of the infection. I am feeling much better.
I will be back the week after this Sunday.
Or, at least, wasting time.
Just before I began this newsletter, a show from 1961 came up on my computer. I had watched it then—on Jan. 27. 1961—a week after the inauguration of John F. Kennedy.
Jackie Gleason did a game show the week before that had bombed miserably. It was so bad he asked the network to give him a half-hour to apologize to the audience. And he did. It was a hilarious thirty minutes.
The funny thing was seeing it again—after all these years.
I’ll tell you in a minute why I brought this up.
When I get back after this Sunday, I will be preaching a sermon series on “Big Questions.”
Why are we here? Does life have a purpose?
How long have we existed? Do we begin at conception?
Are we born sinful? Does God create us sinful?
What did Jesus know that no one else knew?
Are all religions equally true? (Can you answer that one right now?)
How does a Muslim person get to heaven? (Or does he?)
How do I get to heaven? Can I know for sure I am headed there? Or do I have to guess till the moment I die? Is it OK to have questions about God?
What has this got to do with Jackie Gleason.
He just came out, sat in a chair, and began to talk.
These sermons will be more like talking than preaching. They will be informal.
And this will be an “only at St. Matthew” kind of thing. You will never hear much of what we will talk about anywhere else.
We will find some riches in some scripture we have not seen before. And I expect us to decide that life is more wonderful, more gracious, and more God-filled than we have ever dreamed.
On July 9, we will go back to one of the greatest stories ever told—the story of Adam and Eve.
And we will look at it with new eyes—and open hearts.
I won’t see you Sunday.
But expect a great service and great music.
Don’t worry about the financial statement below.
We are entering a new day.
Expect some bumps along the way.
God Bless—MB
Our goal is averaging $5,000 per Sunday.
1st Sunday: $5,911.
2nd Sunday $3,535.
3rd Sunday: $2,713.
4th Sunday: $1,214.
With $1,500 from me (the rest of my $2,000) we have $14,873, leaving a $5,127 shortfall.
We have the money to cover that.
And things will begin to improve.
Just watch.
Peace and love to you all in the name of the risen Christ! I pray that you are staying indoors and that your indoor is a cool and comfortable place to be. If you are having issues with air conditioning this summer, please email me. I know some excellent HVAC technicians! If you do have to be outside, early morning is best and take water with you everywhere you have to travel. There will be weather advisories to stay indoors for the next few weeks; try to comply with those warnings as much as possible.
I am preaching again this week and our service will also have some patriotic music included to celebrate July 4th. Max will be home resting from his recent adventures to the hospital. We pray for a speedy recovery for our senior pastor and a quick return to service. Shannon Davidson will be our soloist this weekend as Blake is visiting his family in Tennessee. I know it will be amazing. Shannon lost her grandfather last week. His obituary can be found at donnellyscolonial.com. His name is H. Neil Davidson. Please pray for Shannon and her family as they navigate their grief.
Blessings to all, Mary
We were extremely happy to have a wonderful group of kids with us Sunday. We have been learning different names that refer to God.
We read Revelation 22:1-13. This passage reminds us of the character of God, as we learn about the names of God. As we learn about the names, this story helps us know God is more than a being in the sky. God formed us from His very breath. This week, the lesson is about God’s names: Alpha and Omega or beginning and end. As we learn the many names for God may we also learn the truth about God’s never-ending presence. There are times when we feel closer to God. Regardless of how we feel or what we do, God’s presence never changes.
Hope we see you in church Sunday.
Blessings, Miss Vickie, Miss Angelia, Mr. Jason and Miss Sue