Monthly Archives: December 2025

Friday’s Word

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(The Last One)

Yes, I am sad that this is the last Friday’s Word in this space.
I don’t like changes.
I hate losing contact with any of you.
But I hope you will keep up with me by subscribing to the church newsletter.
(Address below. Click “subscribe.”)

I’m not going anywhere.

And 2026 will be a big year. We will celebrate the 130th Anniversary of the St. Matthew congregation in October 2026.
And by that time, I will have finally published my book, Discovering God.
It will be available at the anniversary services.

By the end of January, I hope we will be online, on YouTube, and on a podcast, with the class on Discovering God, which I teach every Sunday morning at 9:45.

And in the New Year, you can get a free copy of my first book, God, Grace, and Gooseberry, just by visiting us on Sunday morning.
(Or order on Amazon.)

You know, I hear a lot of people say, “I am spiritual but not religious.”
What that usually means is that they believe in some kind of God but not in Jesus Christ or the church.

Much of my effort in this spot has been to show that the evidence for Jesus Christ is overwhelming.
God is both knowable and available to us.

I hear people say, “I like Jesus but not the church.”
If it were not for the church, Jesus would be a mere footnote in history.

So, those of you still seeking, come seek the Lord with us.
Those who have found him, come rejoice with us.
Give us a visit. Do come check us out.

Thanks for the time you have spent with me in this little box each week.
I begin the New Year with joy, expectation, and a hundred sermons I want to preach.

Happy New Year!

saintmatthewumc.com
revmaxb@tx.rr.com

Max’s Corner

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IT’S CHRISTMAS

I am filled with expectation.
I have been deprived for weeks!
I get to come back to church tonight.
Christmas Eve!

Yes, I’m doing OK after my knee replacement surgery.
I pulled a muscle in my groin area, which has set me back a little. I’ll be moving slowly.
But I get to return!
What joy!

Usual time: 6:00 p.m.
Usual beautiful service—perhaps a bit more beautiful than usual.

The choir is doing a Handel piece from The Messiah:
“And the Glory of the Lord.”

I hope to see you at the Christmas Eve worship.
And our love to those who are unable to come due to health, or for any other reason.

And this coming Sunday—Dec. 28—
it is called “The First Sunday after Christmas Day.”
It is still the season. We will sing some carols we don’t usually sing.

My sermon will refer to the rather unusual Christmas I have had.
No breakfast.

I watched last Sunday from home and enjoyed it so much.
Thanks to Mary for her beautiful work over these last weeks.
(Mary is a gracious presence.)

And the next Sunday, on January 5th, we will celebrate the beginning of a New Year.

Life can be rough.
But we will not be discouraged.
With Jesus Christ, the best is always yet to come.

God bless.

Congratulations to Julian and Josh.
May God be with them as they build their lives together.

Kids’ News

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Sunday, we had a wonderful group of kids with us, and our lesson focused on something that might sound a little tricky at first: the genealogy of Jesus.

We learned how Jesus’ family line stretches all the way from Abraham to King David, through the time of the Babylonian exile, and finally to Joseph, the husband of Mary. This family history helps us understand that Jesus is part of God’s long-promised plan and the one God sent to bring hope to the world.

While a genealogy can feel like a long and complicated family tree, it teaches us something important. God’s story is big, and it includes everyone. Many of the people in Jesus’ family were ordinary people. Some made mistakes, and some had difficult stories, but God worked through each one of them. This reminds us that God works in every family and in every generation, even when we cannot yet see the whole picture.

To make the day even more exciting, Santa stopped by after lunch to visit with the kids. He took time to hear their Christmas wishes and handed out stockings filled with goodies. He even paused his busy schedule to wish all of our kids a very Merry Christmas.

Mary’s Corner

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I bring you peace and greetings in the name of the newborn Christ. As we bring our Advent season to a close, we have come to realize that this season has called us into a deeper understanding of the birth of Christ. I ask that you remember these things.

First, we have experienced Christ’s light breaking open our world from the inside out through an encounter with a humble king who chose gentleness over force. Second, we encountered the peace of a servant king who chose to leave the splendor of heaven to be with us. Third, we discovered an unexpected sense of peace in the midst of a world that feels on fire. And finally, remember this above all else: for all of eternity, you are loved.

I wish you good tidings of great joy this season.

Mary