Daily Archives: September 3, 2025

Friday’s Word

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NDEs seem to verify much of what Jesus taught us: life after death, the forgiveness of sins, and the nature of God as love.

They also point to Jesus as the divine Savior of the world.

But some people who experience NDEs leave the church and Christianity.

Why is that?

If a person shares his NDE with a conservative pastor, the pastor will likely reject the NDE and may even suggest a demonic origin.

That person who had the near-death experience is stuck. He knows his experience was real, so he chooses it over the church.

And here’s another problem: The information from the NDE does not match what his conservative church has taught him.

He discovered in his NDE that there is no “wrath” in God, no anger, only love.

There is judgment.

But the judgment comes from us, against our own sins. God has only love for us, and all our sins are forgiven.

Just as Jesus taught us.

In other words, NDEs fully support the teachings of Jesus.

But they do not support the angry, punitive God of conservative Christianity.

That angry God does not exist.

And if that is the only God a person has heard of from the church, that person may well give up the church after an NDE.

But some churches preach the loving God we meet in our deepest experiences.

St. Matthew is one of them. We proclaim the unconditional love of God.

And I am encouraging you—yes, YOU, in this hard time—to support such a church. Come. Sunday.

At 11:00 a.m.

saintmatthewumc.com
revmaxb@tx.rr.com

Max’s Corner

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Thanks to Shannon Davidson, Blake Glass, Julian Rodriguez, and Josh Flores for a superb concert Saturday night—and to Cindy Wheeler and her helpers for a great meal. Together we raised $1,100 for Eastside Ministries! Please continue to support our future concerts.

The Link Returns

The direct link to Friday’s Word is back in this newsletter—just click and enjoy.

Reserved Seats

The three short pews at the back of the sanctuary are reserved for our ushers, with one folding chair by the entrance. With these changes, our pews are now back to their original 1992 design. The fire department does not allow folding chairs in the back crossway. We may also return to ushers greeting worshippers and handing out bulletins.

Pastor’s Class

This week’s class will spark a passionate discussion: Is God good—or not? Is God love—or not? We continue our study, When Scripture and Experience Disagree, at 9:45 AM, followed by breakfast.

Breakfast This Sunday

It’s a “Winston” Sunday! Come help serve at 10:30.

This Sunday

My sermon is “Try a Little Kindness.” Are you a kind person—all the time? Jesus has much to teach us about how we speak to one another. (It’s also Communion Sunday.)

We are glad to welcome Lesleyann and Lynette back after medical procedures. Please keep Carol in your prayers as she recovers, and Charlotte as she awaits surgery.

God Bless,

MB

Mary’s Corner

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Let me begin by saying the newsletter is a day late this week, and that is my fault. My nursing job and the program I oversee at the hospital have received much of my attention and time. Still, I bring you peace and blessings in the name of Jesus Christ, who loves us unconditionally and is present with us always.

I loved the music from Sunday. Traditional hymns are beautiful, but there is something especially uplifting about singing contemporary songs, especially those from the Gaithers. I don’t know if it’s the upgrades to the sound system or simply the strength of your voices, but the music has been so powerful lately!

We also had a very successful school supply campaign for Bill J. Elliot Elementary. Thank you, Connie Michael, for coordinating delivery and serving as St. Matthew’s liaison to the school. The few leftover items will be donated to Eastside Ministries. Thank you, church family, for your generosity—you have truly cared for your neighbors.

Tickets are still available in limited quantities for the MSB concert on September 20th. If you are unable to attend, please consider donating the cost of a ticket. That evening, we’ll be serving hamburgers and hot dogs, and we need desserts from those who can help. A sign-up sheet is located on the bulletin board, offering numerous opportunities to serve. Thank you to Brian McCosky for printing and distributing flyers, to Jason Hardy for handling online marketing, and to the Horizon Texas Conference for sharing the event details. I pray for God’s blessing over this outreach, that it may draw people into our loving, accepting, and affirming congregation.

My love to all! I’m thankful for the cooler weather ahead and for the beauty of God’s creation.

—Mary

Kids’ News – Faith in the Fire

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King Nebuchadnezzar made a giant gold statue and said, “When the music plays, everyone must bow down and worship it” (Daniel 3:5). If anyone refused, they would be thrown into a fiery furnace.

The music played, and everyone bowed—except three young men named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The king shouted, “If you don’t bow down, you’ll be thrown into the fire. Then what god could save you?” (Daniel 3:15).

The three answered bravely: “The God we serve is able to save us. But even if He does not, we want you to know that we will never worship your statue” (Daniel 3:17–18).

The king was furious! He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter and had them thrown inside. But when he looked, he gasped: “Didn’t we throw three men into the fire? Look! I see four men walking around unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:24–25).

God kept them safe—no burns, not even the smell of smoke on their clothes. The king then praised the one true God who had rescued them.

This story shows us that God is with us in scary times. Even when others pressure us to do wrong, we can stand strong in our faith.

What We Learned:

  • Only God deserves our worship.
  • Trust God, even when it’s hard.
  • God is always with us in tough times.
  • Our faith can help others see God’s power.