Author Archives: Mary Teague

Mary’s Corner

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Greetings, dear church, on behalf of the Horizon Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church,

Great things are happening in our denomination, and I am excited to be a part of this ministry with you. The leadership of the conference has very specific strategic plans for our work together in the future. I will have more details about all of these in upcoming sermons. As I said on Sunday morning, being in the Abilene Convention Center and listening to a 1,000-voice choir of committed United Methodist believers in Jesus Christ lifted my soul to the rafters. I know that God will do great things in our lives as we serve God’s creation.

On Sunday morning, I also discussed the new air conditioning unit and the cost to our congregation for the comfort of a controlled temperature in our sanctuary. Once again, you have amazed me with your love and generosity. We received a donation of $10,000 toward the cost of the new unit! Without revealing the donor, let me just say that nowhere on earth are there folks like the ones we have at Saint Matthew. You are always willing to help, no matter the request. To you, dear donor, whoever you are, just know that you are God’s gift to us, and we are grateful for your generosity. There remains a balance on the cost of the AC, but this very generous gift pays a little more than half of what was due. Bless you all as you continue giving your gifts, tithes, talents, and time to God.

Preparations are in progress and moving along well as we plan for the celebration of life for William J. “Bill” Parker. Services are on October 5, 2024, at 11:00 AM. The service will be followed by a meal in the fellowship hall. We will need desserts, please, as we expect a large crowd. We will also need assistance setting up, serving the food, and, as always, lots of help cleaning up.

Blessings to all of you, and special blessings to those of you who are unable to be physically in the church. You are loved and missed.

Mary

Mary’s Corner

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Greetings, dear church and friends of the church,

I bring you peace and love in the name of the risen Christ. I returned Sunday from the beautiful state of New York. The memorial service for John McIntosh was beautiful. The service was held in a chapel built in the late 1700s. John’s family participated in the memorial, sharing touching stories and sentiments about their father, grandfather, and uncle. John’s great nephew, a professional opera singer, filled the wood and stone chapel with his powerful voice. There was a naval flag ceremony at the graveside that was incredibly moving.

At the same time, I missed you all terribly. My heart is broken, as is yours, over the loss of our dear brother Bill Parker. The thought of John greeting his friend Bill just inside those pearly gates was the thing that kept me going through this difficult weekend. I am grateful to God that I will see these men again, that their suffering is no more, and that they are busy watching over us in heaven.

I have spoken to Linda, and she sends love and thanks for the cards, text messages, and prayers. Bless you all for gathering her up in your arms as you have done for so many who have lost loved ones. I know that when I look out at you, I am in the presence of angels.

My love to all,
Mary

Mary’s Corner

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Blessings and peace to all in the name of the Risen Christ,

My heart is heavy as I write this newsletter. Bill and Linda Parker have made the incredibly difficult decision to pursue comfort care for Bill. He has chosen hospice and was placed on service today, September 17, 2024. I know that you all join me in understanding that this is not the last time we will see Bill, while also living with the grief that he will not be here with us. Bill is one of the people I imagine to be most like Jesus—always forgiving, always loving his neighbor, always serving others. Linda will need her church family now more than ever, and I have promised Bill that we will take care of her.

While the timing is hard, there are still many things happening in our community that need mentioning. First, the Bill J. Elliott Elementary School blanket drive starts October 6th and runs through October 18th. We are providing warm children’s coats for this drive. Please begin bringing the coats we’ve discussed, starting this Sunday. We will collect all warm clothing items until October 18th. Also, Saint Matthew Women United are providing breakfast for the teachers on September 25th. If you are contributing to the breakfast, please have your contribution at the church by September 24th. We had our first choir practice on Sunday morning, and our new members, along with our wonderful existing singers, are making us sound better than ever. After church on Sunday, at our annual choir luncheon, a couple of the new members volunteered to organize a fall activity for the church—either a “Trunk or Treat” or a table at the Bill J. Elliott Elementary Fall Festival on October 24th. More to come on that soon.

Unfortunately, the AC unit at the church has completely shut down. Brian McCosky has worked diligently this week to find a dependable AC company to replace the broken air handler and heat pump unit. We cannot avoid replacing both, but Brian was able to save the congregation about $5,000 from the original estimate we received. We are truly blessed to have volunteers in our congregation who dedicate so much time and effort to keep us running.

It seems like I have asked for a lot in the past few weeks—food and money for Eastside Ministries, clothes and coats for the elementary school, volunteers for various projects, and now, financial support for AC replacement. I want to be clear that while I am asking, I also feel incredibly blessed. I am blessed because I am in fellowship and service to this congregation, and each of you reminds me of Jesus—always loving your neighbor, always forgiving, and always serving others. There is no church like this one, and I am deeply grateful for you. My cup overflows.

With love,
Mary

Mary’s Corner

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Greetings to you, the beloved of Christ,

I pray that you were able to spend some time outside this morning enjoying the beautiful 57° weather. Fall is my favorite time of the year—cooler temperatures and sweaters. I know everyone has their favorite season, except maybe summer in Texas, with its 100+ heat and oppressive humidity.

It was wonderful to be in church with you yesterday morning. Wonderful to hear your voices as you sang those old hymns, praising God and worshipping together. I am thankful for all of you who spoke to me after church about becoming prayer warriors. Many of you expressed a willingness to pray for others and to intercede “with groanings that only the Holy Spirit can understand.” Prayer is a vital part of any ministry and our congregation, as we lift each other up. It’s also important to pray without ceasing for that person in the mirror. Talking to God is the best way I know to bring peace and comfort to your own heart. It’s also the best way I know to keep yourself out of trouble! Ha ha!

I just left Bill Parker’s hospital room. This afternoon, he is surrounded by his loving wife and his amazing sons. Bill is awake and talking to them, but he told me that this morning, he had a dream about heaven. I don’t have to tell you how much Bill loves his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. The one thing he wanted me to make sure everyone knows is how much he loves our church. Bill is an important part of many of our lives, and we are blessed to call him our friend. But I also don’t need to remind you that Bill is very sick, and your prayers are so important to him right now.

I will be attending the Eastside Ministries board meeting on Friday, September 13th, at noon, standing in for Bill Parker. While I can attend this time, I may not be able to get the day off for future meetings. We are still looking for someone who can volunteer to sit on the board of Eastside Ministries as a representative of Saint Matthew United Methodist Church. The food, clothing, and counseling provided by Eastside Ministries to the 76105, 76103, and 76119 zip codes are vital to the survival of the people in these neighborhoods. Eastside Ministries has struggled since COVID, as many of us have, but now is not the time to let our generosity and efforts lag. People need help more than ever—with groceries, clothing for their children, and with occupational, financial, and mental health counseling.

I am putting together a list of items we will need to assist in the Under the Bridge Ministry. The ladies’ group has volunteered to get us started by packing bags with snacks and hygiene products. I am grateful to all of you who are so generous with your time and talents. As I said yesterday, we can’t save the whole world, but we can do our part in our own neighborhood to be the hands and feet of the risen Christ.

My love to all of you,
Mary

Mary’s Corner

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Fall has arrived! At least the fall we know in Texas: rain, humidity that is not quite as bad as summer, and cooler mornings. This is my favorite time of the year. It is raining as I write these comments, making it very hard for me to concentrate. I would rather sit on the porch listening to the raindrops hitting the earth. I spent a wonderful weekend with my family over Labor Day, eating really good food and enjoying each other’s company.

September will be a very busy month. At the end of the month, there is a Convening Conference for the Central, North Texas, and West Texas conferences of the UMC. These three conferences have joined together and will now be known as the Horizon Texas Conference. The name is packed with symbolism and hope, and I am excited that our Central Texas Conference will be part of the healing process of the UMC through relationships with all of the northern portions of Texas. The conference is truly a picture of the “horizon” as you consider that our geographical expanse stretches from East Texas to the border with New Mexico. Please begin to pray for this event, September 26-28.

Please continue to pray diligently for Bill and Linda Parker. Bill remains very ill, and Linda has rarely left his side. There are several specialists on the case, seeking answers and designing treatment therapies to help in the healing process. Bill and Linda are strong in their love for each other and in their faith. Your prayers for them are greatly appreciated, as are all the prayers you lift to God for each other. Intercessory prayer is one of our greatest responsibilities as followers of The Way. Intercessory prayer is powerful in both the life of the one being prayed over and the one voicing the prayers. Continue this sacred act for Bill and Linda and all of our congregation.

Faith Community Nursing at Texas Health Resources will have a Fall Flu Vaccine Clinic at St. Matthew on Sunday, October 13th, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. We will have regular flu vaccines but will not have access to the senior dose of the vaccine. The regular vaccine is identical to the senior dose in every way except dosing. The senior vaccine is a double dose, designed to quickly and powerfully stimulate the immune system. The regular dose just takes a few more days to be at full strength. Anyone 9 years old and older may receive the vaccine.

Blessings to all,
Mary