Greetings dear congregation, 

I have just left the hospital room of Eloise Rhodes, our oldest living congregation member at St. Matthew. Eloise woke up and smiled when I talked to her. She remembered many names as I spoke to her, sending love from all of you. Please pray for Eloise’s comfort and peacefulness. Pray also for her family who will be making some difficult decisions over the next few days.

Eastside Ministries Annual Fundraising Enchilada Dinner will be held at St. Matthew UMC, Tuesday, December 5, 2023 @ 6:00 pm. RSVP’s are required. We will have a sign-up page on the bulletin board this Sunday. Vegetarian option will be available.

The memorial service we had last Friday for Darrin Charbonneau was well-received by all who attended. The event also shined the light on a meaningful way for St. Matthew to remember Darrin. A “Life Fund” will be established on behalf of Ian Charbonneau, Darrin and Carla’s 10-year-old son. Donations to this fund can be made in memory of Darrin. I am starting the fund with $100 dollars this week and I encourage you to contribute what you can. The seed money will be placed into a managed account for Ian and will be available to him when he is ready to make decisions about college or whatever he chooses. If you would like to participate, please bring your gifts this Sunday and place them in the plate at offering time.  

The Tarrant County Department of Public Health is tracking specific respiratory illnesses on the website, including COVID-19, influenza and RSV. While COVID-19 is not as prevalent, it is still active in our community, along with RSV and influenza. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU: Stay away from crowded places or wear a mask in those spaces; practice social distancing and thorough hand washing; stay home if you are ill and avoid folks who are ill. I had a brief “flashback” Sunday morning as everyone was leaving the church. I forgot for a moment that it is 2023 and panicked when I saw everyone standing close together in the doorway. We need to protect those among us who are at high risk for contracting any illness. The best way to do this is to follow the previous four recommendations. My love to you all, Mary

Greetings to everyone in the name of Jesus the Christ,

I am grateful for the wonderful crowd we had this past Sunday and for your engagement in the topic of leading the UMC into the future. As a reminder, Bishop Saenz has a vision for the congregations from north Texas that includes these 5 Strategic Priorities:

1. Multiplying Followers of Jesus

2. Championing Children and Youth

3. Maximizing Care and Healing

4. Pursue and Embrace Diversity AND Inclusion

5. Telling Our Story

Our straw poll indicates that our interest lies in championing children and youth, maximizing care and healing, and pursuing and embracing diversity and inclusion. I believe that #1 will happen naturally if we are focused on #2, 3 and 4. I also believe that telling the story of the UMC can be interwoven in some of the activities of #2, 3 and 4.

Our next step is to meet with the church staff and volunteer leadership to create a plan for each of these 3 priorities and set an annual calendar with activities that support each priority. If the Holy Spirit compels you toward any of these activities, please send me an email, mary.teague@saintmatthewumc.com.

Even if you are not able to come to the church, there will be things that can be done remotely to support these priorities. I look forward to working side by side with you as we move forward in our journey to being great ancestors of our faith tradition. Blessings, Mary

Greetings from the rain forest! I am writing to you from Puerto Rico, surrounded by palm trees, pinkish sand and…RAIN.  Gallons and gallons of rain with more predicted for the remainder of the week. While I am not able to play golf, I am able to enjoy the peacefulness of the golf course and the sounds of the ocean.

When I return on Sunday, I will be bringing a message to you about the plans that the UMC has for those congregations that stayed United Methodist. If it feels like we have been having this discussion for years, we have. My first knowledge of the movement of some away from the gospel and toward exclusivity came during my last year at Perkins in 2018.

For five-plus years, our Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors have been distracted by the extremists in our congregations who, as Paul describes, “see through a glass darkly.” The verse concludes, “but then, face to face” we will see God.

I cannot wait for that moment when the risen Savior welcomes me to that plane of existence where nothing is dark, nothing is unseeable. Until that time, I am so very grateful to be loved by a congregation like Saint Matthew.

It is beginning to rain again, or it may have never stopped. Either way, I am breathing and relaxing, waiting for the sun to shine. I look forward to being with you soon.

Mary

Greetings to all of you in the name of the risen Christ! I hope you are experiencing the love and blessings of God as you read this newsletter. Fall is coming this week and I am thankful for a break from the summer temperatures. Fall also brings flu, COVID,  and other inconvenient illnesses to our communities. Remember to take care of yourselves and each other during this time when your immune systems will be challenged. Sleep, healthy meals, hand washing, and avoiding large crowds are vital to maintaining your good health. If you feel sick, please stay home and rest. 

I will be out of town this weekend but will return on November 5^th to share the message and vision for the Central Texas Conference of the UMC from Bishop Ruben Saenz. In advance of this message, please think about the following questions: “What does our church do well?” and “What does our church need to do better?” These two questions are part of the process that Bishop Saenz has asked us to work through as we strive to multiply followers of Jesus and to become relevant to the neighborhoods we serve. I am excited to share with you and to move forward in our ministries to this broken world. I pray for all of you continuously, thanking God for your presence in my life. Blessings, Mary

I am so very grateful for the message we received Sunday morning from Rev. Beverly Tye. What a blessing to hear her story and to listen as she shared her faith journey with us. We are blessed to have several retired UMC ministers in our congregation and I enjoy getting to come to church and get “fed” on such great gospel messages. Max is back in the pulpit this week and I am positive he will have some great vacation stories for us.

I got my COVID and influenza vaccines on Monday. Other than a sore right arm (flu shot) I have not had any problems with the vaccines. Please, please make an appointment at your local pharmacy or physician’s office to get these vaccines and any others you may qualify to receive. The RSV vaccine and shingles vaccine are two other important immune system boosters that may be offered to you. You know your body well enough to know how many vaccines you can handle at once. My only suggestion to you is to drink plenty of water before and immediately following your vaccines. Eat a hearty, healthy meal and get plenty of rest. Taking care of your immune system with good food, water and sleep, is the first step to successfully avoiding illness. If you need help obtaining any of these three things, please reach out to me. Another vital part of a strong immune system is having a powerful sense of belonging. This is where our congregation excels. We shower each other with love and joy. We work very hard to welcome everyone and to get to know each other. The fellowship we enjoy makes us healthier and happier. Keep up the good work! My love to all of you. Get outside this week in the sunshine and beautiful weather. Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday! Mary