Greetings dear friends and family of Saint Matthew UMC,

I want to begin by telling you all that I am so very moved by your response to our new children’s project of raising money to help those less fortunate. Your response Sunday morning was phenomenal. The children ended up collecting $198 in change and small bills. For those of you who placed large bills in the bucket, I’m grateful for you. In the next few weeks, we will have newly decorated buckets, and we will have one large bucket for each child who comes to church.

I also want to tell you that our project with Bill J. Elliott Elementary School is off to a roaring start. We delivered quite a few pairs of undergarments to the school, and I have just been informed that the socks are already starting to show up at the church for our next event with the school. Your generous hearts are the perfect example of a follower of Jesus Christ putting action to their faith. We will have information very soon about a warm coat drive. This drive will include sweaters, hooded sweatshirts, coats, and warm mittens. Connie Michael is our liaison to the school, and we are grateful for her work.

I am excited by the many new connections we are making in our community. I’m also very excited about the work that we continue to do that we’ve always done. I know that a couple of our anonymous angels reached out to Charlotte Holder Sunday afternoon just to make sure that she had everything she needed. I was able to visit with Bill and Linda Parker that same afternoon. Bill is still recovering and still telling those same dad jokes that he always tells. We look forward to the day when Bill and Linda are back with us in worship.

By the time you read this letter, I will either be in the middle of or just finished with my interview with the District Committee on Ministry. You are all aware that the Board of Ordained Ministry opted for me to wait before being approved for ordination as a provisional elder in the United Methodist Church. I was devastated by that decision last March, but from where I stand today, it was one of the greatest blessings of my life this year. The work that would have been involved in being a provisional elder in the UMC is more than I would have been able to complete successfully given the events of 2024. I look forward to talking with DCoM on Thursday, and to interviewing with the board again next March. Your prayers and your support are absolutely vital to my success.

These horrid temperatures and the unsafe conditions they create will remain with us for the foreseeable future. It looks like it may not even be safe to go outdoors during the day before September. I also want you to be aware that mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus have been found in our neighborhood, making dusk also an unsafe time to be outdoors. Please try to remain indoors as much as you can over the next couple of weeks. I look forward to being outdoors with you in the fall, maybe even having a cookout or an outdoor worship service sometime in October. Speaking of October, on October 13th, Texas Health Fort Worth Faith Community Nursing will be at Saint Matthew from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM giving flu vaccines. The vaccines are not the senior dose of the flu vaccine; we will not have any supply of the senior vaccine. However, we will have plenty of regular flu vaccines for those folks in the congregation who want to receive a free flu shot. We will also be sharing this event with the elementary school for the parents to come and be vaccinated at our congregation. More to come as we will need volunteers to help with setup and managing the traffic I’m hoping we have that morning.

My love to all of you and wishes for a cold front to come sooner rather than later into our lives,
Mary

Good Wednesday to you from your sacred servant,

Blessings and peace from Jesus Christ, our Lord, to all the sacred servants of Saint Matthew UMC. I am overwhelmed this week by the generosity of this congregation. We have collected $5,000 toward the sound system! We can now move forward with the necessary repairs and even complete a few upgrades that we previously couldn’t afford. I am also deeply moved by the love and grace you extend to each other and to visitors at our events and worship services.

Saturday night was especially touching, not just because of the beautiful music, but also because of the fellowship afterward. Laughter and storytelling filled the room long after plates were cleaned and dessert was enjoyed. What I witnessed filled my heart with joy. I look forward to the day when I can be at the church full-time, so we can schedule even more fellowship time together.

On Sunday, we talked about the sacredness of “never letting your love fail for your siblings” and the importance of serving God by serving each other. What you do at Saint Matthew and in the surrounding area is akin to what the 12 Apostles did over 2,000 years ago to start the church and share the gospel of the Risen Christ. We are all called to this ministry of service, and I am grateful that we are doing it together.

This Thursday, August 15th, at 10:30 am, we will lay to rest the remains of JK Ware in a graveside service at Shannon-Rose Hill Cemetery. Mr. Ware and his dear wife Betty attended Saint Matthew years ago. Cindy and Sheila were members of the church then, and are with us again now. The family will return to Saint Matthew after the service for a meal and fellowship. We need volunteers (aka sacred servants) to help with food preparation, set-up, and clean-up.

I’ve also been in contact with Ms. Blackman, the counselor at BJ Elliott Elementary School. She is thrilled to have the church’s support for their 334 students this year. According to Counselor Blackman, winter coats are the perfect focus right now. Connie Michael will provide more details about when our Winter Coat Drive will begin.

I am blessed to be a part of this church family. You are with me, “like a handprint on my heart,” as Julian and Shannon sang to us on Saturday and Sunday. And I am better because I know you.

Gratefully,

Mary

Jazz Concert Fundraiser for Eastside Community Assistance

Saturday August 24^th 6pm @ Meadowbrook/Poly UMC

3900 Meadowbrook Drive Fort Worth, TX 76103

We learned in church yesterday just how fragile every moment of our lives can be. Being with Dwayne and Sheila, as Sheila learned that her father had gained his eternal reward, was a sobering moment for all of us. At that moment, as I looked at your faces, I saw nothing but compassion and caring. You are, by far, some of the most loving people I have ever met.

We have no details yet about JK’s services (Sheila and Cindy’s father). However, from the many stories I’ve heard about him, I can tell how much they loved him and how much he loved their mother. I am certain I heard shouts of hallelujah and welcome home yesterday in that sacred space. Another thing I witnessed yesterday is your willingness to hold sacred space for each other in times of illness, injury, and loss. I know you probably cannot recall everyone’s name, but you pray for every need. And to those of you who volunteered on Sunday afternoon to help us put some framework around our community service, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Your willingness to take over the reins of Eastside Ministry and our hospitality/meal ministry is Christ in motion. I am humbled to be among so many who live the gospel of Matthew 25.

Saturday Night on Broadway is this Saturday, August 10, 2024. Doors open at 5:30 PM, music starts at 6:00 PM, with dinner afterward. We are looking for volunteers to set up and clean up for the meal. Don’t be shy; everyone is welcome to the hospitality ministry! We will pass a plate during the concert, with the proceeds being applied to the general fund of the church. The general fund pays for the daily operations of Saint Matthew UMC.

As I mentioned on Sunday morning, the choir at Western Hills High School is looking for a few good booster club members from our congregation who would be willing to help with the activities of the choir. Please see Blake if you can help.

I am submitting more paperwork this week to the District Committee on Ministry. This is a repeat step for me but one I am excited to complete. Your prayers are appreciated. My interview with them is on August 22, 2024, at 1 PM. I know I can count on your prayers.

I am preaching Sunday, and I look forward to the preparation this week as I put the finishing touches on a lesson about baptism. I hope you can join us.

There are many needs in our church, and the prayer requests are extensive. BUT, there is nothing that our God cannot do, and the prayerful requests of faithful followers of The Way are music to God’s ears. My love to all of you,

Mary

Greetings, dear church, in the name of the risen Christ. It was so good to be in worship with you on Sunday morning, especially during our prayer time with Bill Parker. The power of prayer changes lives, and we hope for the healing power of Christ to be present in Bill’s life and in the lives of so many of you who are dealing with difficult health situations.

We should’ve known that prayer was important because Jesus took time out to teach us to pray during his lifetime. We’ve been having good crowds lately on Sundays, and I am grateful that we are gaining members in our church. I get excited when I think about the future, serving our neighborhood and serving God.

I have my big inspection tomorrow at the hospital for the program that I manage, so I am excited and a little bit nervous. As always, I ask for your prayers on Wednesday.

Blessings to all,
Mary

Good Wednesday to all,

I am back from my many recent travels. This last trip to Lubbock to celebrate the 7th birthday of my great-niece Ady. I am telling you all these details because 7 years ago this church prayed for this baby girl who was born at 20 weeks and overcame tremendous odds to survive. It is your prayers and faithfulness that my family depended on during those 6 months that Ady was in the NICU. Please remember that the prayers of a faithful believer are powerful. This is one of the reasons we pray for each other, because through these prayers we tap into the healing power of the Holy Spirit. I also believe that prayer connects us to each other. The Holy Spirit that dwells with us and never leaves us is ONE spirit, not a bunch of individual spirits. It is the ever present, always loving, presence of God in our lives. The touch of this kind of supernatural love binds us together as children of God. When you bow your head in prayer, or whisper a prayer under your breath, you are never praying alone. Faithful people are praying with you and for you. And even when we are not consciously praying, the Lord is aware and listening to our thoughts. I can remember a time in my life when praying was separate from everything else that I did. When I was young, my family had “prayer circle” at night in our living room. We all sat on the floor, holding hands, taking turns praying. The habit was helpful. Now that I am older, it seems I am constantly in conversation with God. Asking silly questions, “What do you think, Lord” and “Where are you today, Lord”? It is really strange that I rarely bow my head and close my eyes for prayer anymore except when I’m in church, or before a meal. My scheduled prayer time is now that constant conversation with God.

I am grateful for your love and your commitment to Saint Matthew United Methodist Church. I was incredibly pleased to see that this past Sunday there were 69 people in attendance. Our numbers are moving back to pre-COVID levels very quickly. Blessings to all. Mary