Saint Matthew United Methodist Church

Year: 2024

  • Human Relations Day

    Jason Hardy
    Categories:

    January 14th

    Human Relations Day is a denomination-wide Special Sunday that celebrates and raises awareness about the strength of human relationships. A special offering is received the Sunday before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and contributes to building his vision of “the beloved community” through programs such as Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Services and Youth Offender Rehabilitation Programs.

    Your contribution to the Human Relations Day offering holds the potential to bring about transformative change:

    • 57% supports community developer programs, nurturing racial-ethnic minority congregations and strengthening local UMC communities according to their unique needs.
    • 33% empowers The United Methodist Voluntary Services (UMVS), challenging unjust systems and advocating for those whose livelihoods are at risk.
    • 10% fuels Youth Offender Rehabilitation Programs, empowering young individuals to participate positively in their communities through mentoring and other empowerment initiatives.

    At a time when it may feel like we have lost so much, embracing God’s love for us can shift our perspective to recognize and share abundant grace. United Methodist Special Sunday offerings celebrate vibrant ministries while investing in servant leadership, community building and ministries of peace with justice. Concentrating our resources to support these important ministries equips us to work together, empowered by God’s love.

    For more than half a century, United Methodists have observed Human Relations Day in recognition of the message Jesus demonstrated during his life: all of God’s children are important.

  • Kids’ News

    Sue Kelcey
    Categories:

    It seems only last week that we were talking about the birth of baby Jesus. This week we were at the Jordan River with John the Baptist, who was baptizing people in the river. People from all walks of life were lined up to be baptized by John.

    Jesus came from Galilee and asked John to baptize him. John at first said that Jesus was the one who should baptize him, because he didn’t feel worthy to baptize someone as special as Jesus. However, Jesus said he must be baptized by John.

    When Jesus chose to be baptized, he demonstrated his humanity and connectedness to God’s people by joining them at the river to be baptized. Jesus did not single himself out to be baptized alone but chose to be baptized by John with a community of believers. Jesus was part of the community, so anyone could be included in the community of God.

    God spoke to Jesus during his baptism and showed a deep sense of joy and happiness in Jesus. God finds happiness in each of us too. The voice from heaven was a voice for all.

    We spent some time talking about Jesus when he was a young boy and how Mary was so upset when she lost Jesus as they were traveling with family, going home and Jesus was nowhere to be found. They had to go back to the city, where she found Jesus at the temple listening to the priest. As a mom, we all know how upset Mary was to have lost her son.

    Be with us Sunday as we explore more of Jesus’ young life. See you Sunday! Blessings

  • St. Matthew Today for January 10th, 2024

    Jason Hardy
    Categories:
    2024-01-10-St-Matthew-TodayDownload

  • 2401 – Relax and Trust

    Jason Hardy
    Categories:
    YouTube player

    Watch the full service on our YouTube channel by clicking here.

    https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/saintmatthewumc/episodes/Relax-and-Trust-e2g2hj2
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    Luke 2:41-51 New International Version

    The Boy Jesus at the Temple

    41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

    49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”[a] 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

    51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.

    Luke 3:21-22 New International Version

    The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus

    21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying,heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

  • Friday’s Word

    Max Brennan
    Categories:

    Exciting, isn’t it?!!

    I’m sure you are all a-twitter with expectation.

    January 5, tonight, is Twelfth Night!

    Wow!

    On second thought—yes, I know. Twelfth Night has lost all of its “wow!”

    It is still the last day of the Christmas season, but you may have thrown out the tree days ago.

    And it is still the Eve of Epiphany, Jan 6.

    But I don’t know anyone sitting on the edge of their seat with expectation.

    Epiphany used to be the big day. It was like Christmas Day is now.

    And Twelfth Night was like Christmas Eve.

    And people gave gifts on all of the 12 days of Christmas.

    See what we’re missing out on? When’s the last time you got five golden rings—or a bird of any kind in a pear tree?

    Things began to change in the 18th century.

    The old ways died out and the “big day” shifted from Jan 5 to Dec 25.

    But a memory lingered on in my family.

    My grandmother said her mother used to talk about old Christmas, Jan. 6.

    And the day was said to be so holy, at midnight on the night before, all the cattle in the barnyard knelt in prayer.

    Mother, age nine, wanted to check this out herself.

    So, at midnight, as Jan 5 turned to Jan 6, she went to the cattle barn to see the cows in prayer.

    Turns out—not a holy cow in the bunch.

    But the story of Old Christmas has lived on in our family for 200 years.

    And the cows may not know it, but every day is holy. Have a blessed Epiphany.

    And join us at the Lord’s Table on the first Sunday of 2024. At 11:00.