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Monthly Archives: March 2024
Friday’s Word
A Good Lunch Wouldn’t Do It
Scientists have tried a new peer-reviewed test on the Shroud of Turin. It’s called a Wide-angle X-ray Scattering test.
It dated the cloth to the time of Christ—as have 210 other tests, including one other dating test.
Only the Carbon 14 tests of 1988 came up with a date in the Middle Ages.
It is scientists who keep the Shroud conversation going. Many of them who have studied the Shroud are convinced by it.
I’m not a scientist.
But I’m smarter than I look. And I am convinced.
And have been for 40 years.
I did a mean thing once, back in theology school. Just for fun, I asked one of my professors what he thought of the Shroud.
Apoplectic. I think that’s the word for his response.
“That old rag!” he said.
He didn’t want it to be real. His idea of the resurrection is something like this: Jesus died.
The disciples were sad.
They had a good lunch.
Felt better.
“Hey!” they said. “It almost feels like Jesus is still with us.”
Let’s go tell the world!
Was there something in the meatloaf that set them on fire?
Or was the grave empty?
And did Jesus appear to them?
I would guess the latter.
A filmmaker in England has offered one million dollars to anyone who can reproduce the Shroud.
No takers yet.
But here’s how you do it.
To reproduce the image on the Shroud, you would have to crucify somebody.
That’s the easy part.
(Except for the poor guy who gets crucified.)
Next step: You wrap the poor chap in linen and persuade God to raise him from the dead.
That’s it!
You’re a millionaire!
Max’s Corner
One More Year
Mary has been asked by the Ordination Board to wait one more year for her commissioning. I think they are afraid to do anything before getting beyond the vote at the upcoming General Conference. They know it will not make a difference in Mary’s ministry—which continues as it is. Which is, of course, a continual blessing to us.
After that vote, there may be no commissioning.
I would hope Mary would go straight to ordination and this long journey of preparation would be over for her. But she is as much “in ministry” now as she will ever be. We can all wait.
No Breakfast This Sunday
It is Winston’s birthday and he will be away celebrating. We do still need someone to take over breakfast preparation one Sunday a month. Winston can’t continue to do it every week.
This Sunday
Sermon: “The Cross Is an X-Ray”
We will open this Sunday with an old hymn that is fun to sing but which has some bad theology in it.
We will be talking about the Atonement.
How does the Cross of Christ save us?
If I asked you that question—how would you answer it?
Expect great music this Sunday.
Why? Because we always have great music.
Two Sundays Till Palm Sunday
And Palm Sunday dinner and then Holy Week. And then—you guessed it—Easter.
See you in worship.
God bless—MB
Mary’s Corner
Good Wednesday to you!
Anna is holding her own in the ICU at Fort Worth Harris Methodist Hospital. I am overwhelmed by the love and support shown to us. You are all angels on earth and I am grateful for those of you who sit in the sacred space of healing with Anna, and for those of you who hold us in prayer. I cannot imagine being anywhere else but with you at this moment.
I will admit to you that I have not ever had to write a newsletter article as difficult as this one is to write.
The Central Texas Conference Board of Ordained Ministry decided that I needed another year of “learning and training” before I could be commissioned as a provisional elder. I was in shock when I heard their verdict and I am still in shock as I update you. “I am profoundly disappointed” is about all that I can muster right now in the way of communication about the entire thing. I was not prepared that this might be the outcome. I am so sorry.
I am taking some time away from ordination work to discern what God has next for me. General Conference is in April and the issues of human sexuality are being discussed. The conference will then vote on the worthiness of the lives of LGBTQ persons as they relate to ordained ministry in a United Methodist context. I will not make any decisions until after that vote. I have not yet spoken to the District Superintendent so I do not know what is next for me. I am appointed to serve this church and will continue in my current role as Associate Pastor at Saint Matthew. As I said previously, I cannot imagine being anywhere else but with all of you.
Kids’ News
This Sunday, we explored the story of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. This is something typically done by a servant, so the disciples were surprised. Peter said to Jesus, “No! You will not wash my feet!” That was a strong response. But Jesus, who would soon be led to His death, had a purpose behind His actions.
By washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus wanted to make it clear that in God’s world, all are created equal. The servant and the master are all loved equally by God and treated the same.
Many churches use this story during Holy Week and hold a foot washing service. Children might see this practice as a yucky job, not something we want to do today. Try comparing this practice with other acts of service, such as helping a neighbor take out their trash, caring for a sick friend, or helping them clean up a spill. Through this story, we can see that serving others, like Jesus did, is an unexpected act of love.
Easter will be here before we know it, so we must prepare for our annual Easter egg hunt. Last year we had lots and lots of eggs filled with candy and prizes brought to church for all our kids to find. This year we could use donations of individually-wrapped candy to fill our eggs.
The Easter Bunny has always been nice to us, but we also need your kids and grandkids to join the hunt. During church on Easter, we will have a movie and popcorn for the kids.
See you all in church!