Blessings and peace to you in the name of the risen Christ,

I pray that your week is peaceful and that you are dwelling in the Lord. Max preached a great sermon last week, one of his best I believe. It encouraged me and challenged me to always tell the truth. I will be preaching the 18^th and 25^th in preparation for my March 4^th Board of Ordained Ministry interview. Not sure which part of my responses to their 16 questions will make the best sermon, but I am certain that God will help me choose.

We had a very productive All Council meeting this past Sunday. I want to especially thank those folks who volunteer their time and talent in support of the ministries of Saint Matthew. These meetings are not fun, full of business and lengthy discussions about church operations. Serving on these committees is a noble and faithful contribution to the survival of our church. I am grateful for our volunteers. Special shout out to the person (you know who you are) who helped us find a more affordable electric provider and property insurance policy. The church saved thousands on electricity in 2023 (vendor change happened in April) and will save even more in 2024. It is exciting to see what God is doing at Saint Matthew.

There is a report out this morning stating that cases of influenza are on the rise. I know that the sinus infection I had last week wasn’t COVID but I am not certain I didn’t have the flu. Either way, the instructions remain the same: wash your hands frequently, stay away from large crowds, stay away from sick people, and stay home if you are feeling ill. If you are at home and need anything, please reach out to us at [email protected] . We check that email daily. Love to all! Mary

We were blessed with a wonderful group of young people Sunday. We talked about the Sermon on the Mount as a place where Jesus taught his disciples.

We talked at length about the Lord’s Prayer. The kids all knew it and we talked about how young they were when they learned this prayer. A couple of the boys said they started repeating this prayer when they were about 2! They all knew that this prayer contains elements Jesus considered important when praying: asking God for guidance in our lives, forgiveness, praise, and thanks.

Did you know that the Lord’s Prayer is prayed all over the world and in many languages? It is a famous prayer that has been important to many Christians. This example was provided by Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount as a way of teaching his disciples. However, the focus of Jesus’ teaching is not so much on a method of prayer as it is on our motivations for prayer and our relationship with God.

As we left church to go to Children’s church, we were delighted to learn that a kind member had left a basket of treats on our table! We were all delighted that someone was kind enough to leave these treats. I want to extend a big “Thank You” to this kind person. You should have witnessed the delight of the kids when they discovered your thoughtfulness!

During class, they all picked an 8×10 canvas picture to paint as a Valentine gift to give to the person of their choice. We are blessed with the kindness of your kids! See you Sunday.

Blessings