Hello, Beloved Children of God,

As I write this newsletter, I am feeling two things: First, very blessed to be one of God’s beloved. And second, COLD! I’m so very grateful for an indoor job! The next couple of weeks will be chilly. If you or someone you know needs assistance with housing, utilities, or groceries, please email me at mary.teague@saintmatthewumc.com. You may also text me if that is easier. God has blessed Saint Matthew with a group of generous, loving people who are always willing to take care of each other. We are extremely blessed.

Shannon performed another amazing song for us on Sunday morning, “Footprints in the Sand.” The music and lyrics touched my soul, but it was the passion in Shannon’s voice that brought tears to my eyes:
“I promise you, I’m always there, when your heart is filled with sorrow and despair. And I’ll carry you when you need a friend, you’ll find my footsteps in the sand.”

Shannon sings like someone who believes God is always present, always offering comfort and peace. Her voice, those lyrics, and that music give me hope. Thank you, Shannon, for singing God’s truth and love into our lives.

I am preaching this Sunday, so I will keep this newsletter brief. My sermon will be from 1 Corinthians 12 and 13 if you want to read ahead! Bring a friend if you can. We are going to talk about being the body of Christ to the world. I look forward to seeing you.

Love to all,
Mary

P.S. You didn’t really think I was finished, did you? We have a couple of important business meetings coming in February, and I am asking for specific prayers for our church as we enter another year of serving God on the Eastside of Fort Worth. Thank you!

Hello Church and friends of Saint Matthew,

Sunday morning was a “magical” feeling, according to Ian Charbonneau after his baptism. It was also magical for me as I considered the mystery of God in the water sprinkled on Ian’s head. The sacredness of Baptism is foundational to our United Methodist faith tradition. The UMC describes the sacrament of baptism as initiation into “Christ’s holy Church.” The questions asked of Ian are part of the tradition as well. Max asked, “Do you know that God loves you? Do you love God? Do you want to live your life as a follower of the Son of God, Jesus Christ? Today you are committing yourself to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.” One very important point Max made: “Neither Mary nor I are going to do the work. But the Lord Jesus Christ is watching. He is doing the work. And He is receiving you into His church.” God always does the work. God pursues a relationship with us, covering our lives with prevenient grace.

Prevenient grace happens just before we are aware that God is seeking us out. It readies us to respond to God’s presence in our lives. Justifying grace is that moment when we recognize that sin controls our lives, that we need salvation, and we walk into salvation from God through the door of justification. Wesley compared the knowledge that we need God to a porch—the step we take when we recognize that we need God, just before we walk through the door and into the house connected to that porch. All of this is a gift from God because God loves us. We cannot earn any of this; there is no work for us to do. We must only accept God’s forgiveness and God’s unconditional love. This is not an easy task, and for many of us, it is an ongoing process. Thankfully, God does not wait for us to do any work. It is already done.

Max’s sermon reminded me how very special it is to be a part of the Saint Matthew family. Your commitment to the church, to each other, and to the neighborhood inspires me, and I am blessed to be part of your lives. As we continue to grow in love and understanding, remember that all around us are people who need to hear about the love of Jesus Christ.

My deepest gratitude,
Mary

Greetings to all,

The Women’s Luncheon on Thursday and the speaker from the Alzheimer’s Association have been rescheduled to Thursday, January 16th at 11:30 AM.
Still a potluck! Still open to everyone.

I pray this newsletter finds you warm and well. By the time you read this, we may or may not be surrounded by snow and ice. Our friends at Under the Bridge Ministries have an urgent need for coats, blankets, sleeping bags, hand warmers, and other cold-weather essentials. They’ve shared that shelters are often filled with women and children, leaving many men outside in the freezing cold.

If you’d like to purchase one, Walmart offers reasonably priced Arctic sleeping bags. I’m happy to deliver any items brought to the church. If ordering and shipping directly to me is easier, just text or speak with me for the address. This cold weather is expected to last a while, and anything you can contribute will be deeply appreciated.

My prayer for you this week is that you have an intense and undeniable experience with God. May God’s presence fill your quiet moments, especially if the weather keeps you indoors. If your schedule feels too full for quiet time, I urge you to carve out a few moments just for God.

This week’s sermon reminded us to be kind to one another, to live humbly, and to remain open to the needs of others, along with tending to our own. I encourage you to pray for guidance on what it looks like to live as God’s beloved children—growing in love and knowledge of God.

On Sunday, I mentioned the opportunity to start Wesleyan classes, but no one reached out to express interest. I pray that was simply due to timing. Please consider if God is calling you to be a leader or participant in a small group. Imagine the joy of welcoming a visitor to Saint Matthew and inviting them to join a small group in their neighborhood. What a blessing that could be to someone feeling isolated! Let’s pray together for God’s guidance for our church family.

Special prayer requests:

• Keith Butterfield
• Brian McCosky’s brother, Bill McCosky
• Our friends without access to warm, dry shelter
• Our neighbors living without adequate resources or services

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

I invite you to join me in prayer every day at 3 PM. I set an alarm on my phone as a reminder to pause and pray.

Finally, this Sunday, immediately after church, the Admin Board and all committees will meet in the fellowship hall. If you’re not currently on a committee, please consider joining one.

Love and blessings to all,
Mary

I bring you good tidings of great joy! A Savior is born and remains with us. It has been difficult to look around and find joy very often this past year. Most of you will be reading this on January 1, 2025—the beginning of a new year and our hope that 2025 will be better. As I said on Sunday, the calendar is completely oblivious to our trauma and grief. The calendar has no idea what makes us happy or sad. We are what changes. We are where hope can be found! So yes, January 1 is the beginning of a new calendar, but we get to have new hope every day. God’s mercy is new every morning. My prayer is to be better in 2025. My prayer is to be more because people will need more. My prayer is to love more because love is in a battle against hate in our world, and I want love always to win.

I visited Keith Butterfield tonight in the hospital. His son Bruce was with him and has been all day. Keith missed church Sunday morning, and several of you asked about him. Doug Kelcey sent a friend on Sunday to check on Keith, thankfully, because Keith was very ill and needed transport to the hospital. Keith is at Texas Health HEB Hospital. The address is 1600 Hospital Parkway, Bedford, Texas 76022. Call before you drive over to make sure he is still there: 817-848-4000. You can get his room number from the hospital operator. Keith is very weak, and not able to eat or drink much. He was not completely sure what his diagnosis is, so please wear a mask when you visit him. And if you cannot visit, I know your prayers are greatly appreciated by Keith and his family. Let’s keep each other updated on his progress.

Keith is part of our church “home.” He welcomes visitors and tries to meet everyone he can. Keith’s love is unconditional for everyone, and his support is unwavering. Keith is often parked at the sink after a family meal washing dishes as part of the clean-up crew. We are blessed beyond measure that Keith is part of our church family. We are blessed beyond measure to have each other. Thank you for being my church home, the place where I bring my joy and my pain, the place where I can hang my heart. Let’s make 2025 a year of joy!!

Love,
Mary

I bring you good tidings of great joy!

I want to start by thanking the kids who helped me decorate the church on Saturday morning. Angela Monreal’s grandchildren, along with Vicki and Jose’s children, showed up just in the nick of time. One thing we learned is how challenging it can be to figure out where all the Christmas decorations go. Next year, I’ll be asking for help from someone who knows exactly where everything belongs!

Another thing we discovered is that much of the garland we have is old and falling apart. We may need to have a garland collection next year before decorating for Christmas. Unfortunately, our current garland has seen better days. Despite these challenges, the sanctuary looks beautiful—especially the tree. A special thanks to Danny and Brian for putting up the tree on Friday and adding the decorations to the top.

Advent is a time in the Christian faith where we eagerly wait in anticipation for the arrival of God made flesh. Yet, we know God is already with us, has been with us throughout eternity, and will remain with us forever. So, what are we truly anticipating?

For me, I will never stop anticipating that moment when I see Jesus face to face. I cannot imagine what that will be like. I also long for something I’ve hoped for my entire life: peace on earth. My earliest memories include news stories about the JFK and RFK assassinations, escalating conflicts around the world, and local struggles during the civil rights movement. It seems my whole life has been marked by war or conflict somewhere in the world.

I long for peace. I pray fervently for the day when all we do is live in peace with God and with one another. I pray for a time when taking care of our neighbors becomes our priority, consuming our efforts and energy. I beg God daily that we will immediately begin caring for our planet and protecting it from harm. And I pray that the light and love of God made flesh will shine in the lives of all His creation. These are the things I eagerly anticipate. What about you?

While we look toward the future, waiting in eager anticipation for the peace that surpasses all understanding, we must remain true to Christ’s command to love our neighbors as ourselves. Remember, Jesus said, “When you did something for the least of these, you were doing it for me.”

Don’t forget the many activities we have at the church this month:

• There’s still time to order a cheese enchilada dinner for this Friday night.

• The Ladies’ Meeting will be held on Thursday, December 12th.

• Our children’s Sunday School class will present something special during the service on Sunday, December 15th.

• Join us for our annual Christmas with Santa celebration and concert on Saturday, December 21st.

• And, of course, we’ll gather for our beloved Christmas Eve service on Tuesday, December 24th, at 6:00 PM.

We will continue to hold church services every Sunday, including December 15th and 22nd, and every Sunday until the Lord comes back to get us.

My love and blessings to you all,

Mary