Monthly Archives: May 2024

Kids’ News

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This Sunday, we talked about the birthday of the church — Pentecost.

Pentecost originated as a Jewish festival — one of the feasts where Jews gathered in Jerusalem. Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit. While the disciples and other followers were celebrating Pentecost, the Holy Spirit arrived, sounding like the wind and appearing like fire.

This was a great mystery. Everyone could understand and speak in different languages. They knew that God was working in their lives in mysterious ways. The exciting arrival of the Holy Spirit attracted a crowd. The Spirit gave them the courage to continue to spread the Good News of Jesus.

God’s spirit continues to empower us and encourages us to do God’s work. The main thing we need to remember is that God is always with us through the Holy Spirit. I hope to see you in church this Sunday! Blessings

Celebration of Life

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CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF AURORA (RORY) ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ-SOTO

(Mother of choir member, Julian Rodriguez)

Saturday May 18, 2024 @ 1130am

Saint Matthew UMC

2414 Hitson Lane

Fort Worth, Texas 76112

in lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be directed to the GoFundMe page set up to assist with funeral expenses.
https://gofund.me/60175303

Friday’s Word

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The Great Miscalculation

Paul told the Corinthians, “We will not all die.”

He was saying that many of them would still be living when the Lord came again.

But everyone Paul was writing to died.

And so did Paul.

Paul was so certain Jesus was returning soon that he advised people not to marry (I Cor. 7:32+).

No reason to bother. Jesus was coming soon.

We are glad to say most Christians ignored him.

(Except the Shakers. They are all gone. There were no children to continue the faith.)

This was the great miscalculation of the early church—the idea that Jesus would soon return.

But instead of dropping an obviously faulty idea—the church hung on to it.

For 2,000 years!

And all that time, preachers have been telling people Jesus is coming soon.

For 2,000 years!!!

And this idea is based on another equally bad idea: that this world God has made is evil, cursed, hopelessly broken.

So God wants to shut it down. End it—as soon as possible.

But the first creation story tells us God looked at his creation and declared it “good.”

And in the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us we are all “blessed,” even with all the pain we may live with.

And God keeps sending us here—into his world.

It’s like the school all souls must go to. This world is where we have the freedom to grow in grace and understanding.

The world has a purpose.

The world serves God’s purpose.

Sorry, all you endtimers.

I don’t think God is calling it quits any time soon. Stop the nonsense.

The Lord has already come. He is with us now.