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Monthly Archives: July 2025
Friday’s Word
Several kudos and one big Praise the Lord! for Chip and Joanna Gaines.
Their new HBO show features three families trying to survive as 1880s homesteaders.
And one of the families is a gay couple—two dads—along with their 10-year-old twin sons, born via surrogate.
Good for Chip and Joanna!
There is a loud backlash from the conservative side of the church family.
Rev. Franklin Graham is all bent out of shape.
He says same-sex marriage is not biblical:
“God’s design for marriage is between one man and one woman.”
Well—not so. Biblical marriage is all over the place. Just ask Solomon. He had a bunch of wives.
And with some biblical heroes, marriage was not required.
Men had concubines.
It’s there—in the Book.
You know what else is in the Book? Some powerful insights from Jesus.
Including this one: “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath.”
It’s a general principle.
Rules don’t hold when they work against kindness and compassion.
Marriage was made for people, not people for marriage.
I know several couples in strong, loving same-sex marriages.
And the Jesus I know is very happy with this.
Chip and Joanna are standing firm against the extensive criticism from conservative Christians.
“People want to judge first and understand later. Never!” says Chip.
Chip and Joanna have a lot, which means they have a lot to lose.
God bless them for taking a risk for Christ.
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Max’s Corner
This Week’s Sermon: God Talks to Us
I’ve been doing a series—three sermons in which we get our info about God from two sources: SCRIPTURE and EXPERIENCE. Sermon three will be this Sunday: God Talks to Us.
I must admit, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with last week’s sermon. Not sure I got it across. But—I hadn’t slept the night before. Not a wink. It’s hard for me to get into a good sleep position with my wounded leg. So—no sleep.
I was so tired, I wasn’t sure how things had gone in the service. But I was checking the music on the recording last week—something I often do—and decided to also listen to my sermon, something I seldom do.
I was satisfied. The witness from the young man I quoted was as powerful as I had intended.
This week, you’ll get the third dose. You’ll then have what I consider three things we all must know about God.
My Class: The Resurrection
We’ll be talking about the resurrection.
I have a chapter in Discovering God on the resurrection.
Two questions we’ll discuss:
- If there were no resurrection, would there still be a church?
- If you had to give evidence for the resurrection to a non-believer, what would you say?
We’ll raise those questions in class this Sunday at 9:45 AM, followed by breakfast.
Breakfast This Sunday
It’s back to Winston! You may also bring something.
(What a great big breakfast we had last week!)
Listen—do come early to church to share this food and fellowship.
Breakfast at 10:30 AM.
Watching Online: A Quick Note
The service is looking good.
But Julian and Shannon must NOT share one microphone. You can’t hear them well enough. The problem: right now, we have only one mic for me and one for the singers. (Mary has a lapel mic.)
That must change—and it will, once the upcoming work is done. So, consider adding just a little bit to the dollar sign—enough for:
- Three microphone outlets on the post near the piano
- One new microphone
(Currently, we have long mic cables running around the piano, through the south transept, behind the organ, and to the amp in the little Tower Room. In other words, Jerry-rigged. I don’t know who Jerry is, but we are getting rid of his rigging!)
The Big Project—new sound booth, new cameras, moving all recording from the high media room to the sanctuary floor (which means complete sound and video rewiring)—may begin next week.
Our Special Offering: Thank You
I’m sure we’ve raised over $3,000 for flood victim relief.
Let us give thanks that we could help.
May the Lord use our gifts for those who are suffering.
Worship is such a joy. And God is so good. Come! Let us rejoice together.
God Bless—MB
Mary’s Corner
Hello to all of God’s beloved children,
I pray that your week is going smoothly—and that most of your plans are indoors! It looks like we’ll have hot and humid weather for a while longer… and maybe even more rain? My grass has never been this green in July, and my water bill has never been this low!
Summer is usually a time when attendance at St. Matthew dips a little, but not this year. We’ve been consistently welcoming around 60 people each Sunday, and I am so grateful for your continued commitment to our congregation. It brings me joy to see your faces each week. Please continue to pray for one another and for the world around us.
This Friday, July 17, I’ll be meeting with the Eastside Community Assistance Board. We have many things to discuss, including the upcoming gospel concert on September 20, 2025, featuring MSB. Tickets will go on sale July 27, both in print and online, and will be available until we sell out. I truly hope many of you will invite your friends and family to enjoy this evening of music, fellowship, and a shared meal afterward. I’ll share more details next week.
I also want to personally thank you for your generosity and prayers in support of the flood relief efforts in the Rio Texas Conference of the UMC. Our goal was to raise $2,000, and you gave $4,000! You overwhelm me with your kindness and love. A check will be sent to the Rio Texas Conference, and 100% of your donations will go directly to help those in need. Please continue to lift these families—and so many others around the world—who are being affected by extreme weather.
My love and blessings to you all,
Mary
Kids’ News – Deborah: Under the Tree of Wisdom
Things weren’t going well for the people of Israel. Once again, they had turned away from God, and now a cruel army, led by Commander Sisera, was making life miserable. The people cried out to God for help.
And God sent someone… unexpected. Not a warrior. Not a king. But a woman named Deborah.
Deborah was both a prophet and a judge. She was so wise and trustworthy that people from all over the land came to see her. She didn’t have a palace or a courtroom—she sat under a palm tree in the hill country (Judges 4:5), listening to people and helping them solve their problems.
One day, Deborah sent for a military commander named Barak. She had a message from God:
“The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Take ten thousand men to Mount Tabor. God will hand Sisera over to you” (Judges 4:6–7).
But Barak wasn’t confident.
“I’ll go,” he said, “but only if you come with me.”
Deborah agreed.
“I will go with you,” she said. “But because of the way you are doing this, the honor of victory will go to a woman” (Judges 4:9).
Together, they led the people. At just the right moment, Deborah gave the signal:
“Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Hasn’t the Lord gone ahead of you?” (Judges 4:14)
Barak charged forward, and God gave Israel the victory.
This story matters because Deborah listened to God and used her voice to bring justice and peace. In a time when women were rarely leaders, she showed strength, wisdom, and courage. She reminds us that anyone—girl or boy, young or old—can lead when they trust God and do what’s right.
What We Learned:
- God chooses leaders who listen, even when they don’t look like what people expect.
- Deborah used her wisdom and courage to help others.
- Barak learned to trust God’s plan—even when he was unsure.
- When we listen to God and act faithfully, great things can happen.
We hope to see you in church this Sunday!
Blessings!