Greetings, dear church and family,
I want to say thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make the celebration of life for Bill Parker such a success. Specifically, I want to thank Nan McCosky for cleaning the church, and a special thank you to Veta and all of the folks who served the lunch. Thanks to all who brought food, and especially for making every visitor feel welcome and special. Bill would be proud of you. Finally, I want to thank everyone who stayed to help clean up. The fellowship hall looked beautiful thanks to Connie and her decorating folks. However, I know there was a big mess to clean up after serving almost 100 people. I’m grateful for the way everybody pulled together to make this a special event for the Parkers. This isn’t the end of memorials for Bill. On October 15th, Bill will be interred at the DFW VA cemetery. He will receive full military honors there for his service in the Vietnam War.

This Sunday at 9:00 AM sharp in the fellowship hall, we will have a table set up for flu vaccines. These are the regular flu vaccines and are appropriate for folks over the age of nine. These are not the senior vaccines. The regular dose takes a few more days than the senior dose to be effective, but both provide the same immunity. Please be there between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM to get your vaccine.

Last weekend was a very busy time for us as a congregation. Words cannot express how grateful I am for all of you. I also can’t say enough about how this grief is going to impact us. Be gentle with each other, patient with each other, and kind. Look for opportunities to carry on the acts of service Bill did in our congregation. We need a new chairperson for the Pastor Parish Relations Committee (PPRC), as Bill Parker filled that position for us in the past. Winston will be arranging a meeting of the PPRC soon so that we can nominate a new chairperson. The PPRC is the “human resources” part of church operations, managing staff and pastor issues along with annual evaluations. Please be in prayer that God will raise up someone to serve.

I am preaching this weekend, and I’m hoping to see all of your faces in your usual seats on Sunday morning. The choir is working on some beautiful numbers, and this weekend is no exception. Try to be there on Sunday if you can. If you can’t make it to the church, please join us online at saintmatthewumc.com.

Love to all,
Mary

This week, we learned about how God asked Noah to build an ark. God saw that the earth had become very corrupt and filled with violence. So, He said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I will destroy them along with the earth. Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and out with pitch.” Although it wasn’t raining yet, Noah listened to God and began building the ark as instructed. The ark was to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high, with a window and a door on its side. It would also have lower, second, and third stories.

(A cubit was a measurement used in ancient times, typically the length of a person’s forearm—from the elbow to the tip of the fingers. This would make the ark about 450 feet long!)

Can you imagine building something this huge without any power tools? Noah got busy and worked hard, doing exactly what God asked. Once the ark was finished, it was time to load the animals. Noah, his family, and the animals God selected entered the ark, waiting for the flood to begin. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights. When the rain finally stopped, Noah sent out two birds to see if the land was dry. However, it was God who ultimately told Noah when it was safe to leave the ark. Noah continued to trust God and follow His instructions.

God’s promise to Noah extends to all of us. In return, He asks for our trust and faithfulness. Join us this Sunday in church, and together we’ll learn more about how God wants us to follow His teachings!