Peace and love to all from the first Annual Conference of the Horizon Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Many things are happening in our conference, and I am thrilled to be in the service of God at this exact time in history.

Before I get to the business of this meeting, I want to ask for prayers for our beloved Max and Jackie. Max took a tumble yesterday, scraping up his hands and arms, hitting his head, and falling hard on his right knee. He was admitted to the hospital for observation and to help decrease the swelling in his knee. The scan of Max’s head was normal, and for that we thank God. His knee is very swollen, and surgery is one option to assist with decreasing the swelling. He will keep us updated about the plan. Your prayers are vitally important to his recovery.

Please refrain from calling him at this time. Max can be emailed at pastor@saintmatthewumc.com or cards sent to his home address. Please email me at mary.teague@saintmatthewumc.com if you need his address. Or call the church, and Veta can help you. Finally, you can send cards to the church:

2414 Hitson Lane
Fort Worth, TX 76112.

Now, back to the work of the annual conference. This has been a learning experience for me and another lesson in humility. I am learning more and more about the operations of this conference, called “holy conferencing.” Holy conferencing is supposed to be covered in the Holy Spirit and fueled by our commitment to God, to each other, and to our neighbors. Holy conferencing invites us to put aside our egos and our personal opinions. It invites us to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in the work of the gospel.

There are still some passionate conversations about how we should do the work. And by passionate, I mean sometimes contentious. In the midst of these difficult decisions, someone always stands and reminds us to breathe and to refocus on our commitment to each other.

I am humbled by the work being done by so many for the honor and glory of God. I am humbled to be a part of these ministries and to serve as God intends. I am humbled and blessed to be able to take time away from my nursing job to be here.

I will close for now. Sunday I will have a report of some very important decisions made here.

My love to all,

Mary

Blessings and peace, my siblings in Christ,

Seeing you all on Sunday filled my heart with joy! I cannot tell you how amazing it is to come home to such a loving and caring congregation. This was my first time to have a “sabbatical” from both jobs, and while I very much love what I do for a living, I’ve come home with a new perspective on life, work, and the connection between the two.

Like many of you, I come from a generation that defines itself by what it does. We find our worth in what we do instead of who we are. That leaves very little room for exploring and enjoying anything unrelated to work. Being on sabbatical gave me a different perspective. I feel more present in what is happening now and less pressured to worry about what work needs to be done next. I hope to hold onto this presence and remember that the work is just the work—it will always be there.

This brings to mind Max’s sermon yesterday. The scripture in Acts describes the apostles as “staring off into the clouds.” The church is at high risk of doing the same—looking up, waiting for Jesus to return—when all around us, Jesus is active in the presence of the Holy Spirit. God has never left us, but we often take this story so literally that we imagine God is somewhere else, looking down on us. If you find yourself feeling that way, stop and breathe in the Holy Spirit. You will feel the power and presence of God immediately.

Also—a quick note of care: the temperatures have quickly risen, and the humidity is high enough that any time spent outdoors can put you at risk for heat exhaustion or dehydration. Try to plan your outdoor activities for early morning or late evening—and be ready to battle the mosquitoes! Please take care of yourselves as we enter another hot Texas summer.

Blessings and peace, always,

Mary

Greetings to all in the name of Jesus Christ!

Peace and love to you, my siblings, from my heart to yours. I have missed you all and am so very grateful for the chance to take a short sabbatical. I hadn’t realized how much my spirit needed rest and renewal. It’s so easy for all of us to get deeply entrenched in the day-to-day business of life that we forget to stop, breathe, and be present in the blessings we’re given.

I return to church this Sunday, revived and renewed. I look forward to sharing with you the things God placed on my heart while I was away.

Don’t forget—we’ll be celebrating the life of Dan Mitchell this Saturday, May 31 at 11:00 a.m. here at the church. Lunch will follow.

Blessings to all,

Mary

Greetings to all of you in the name of the risen Christ. Easter is still with us—as is the miracle of God the Holy Spirit dwelling among us. All those years ago, when the stone was rolled back, it was God’s plan to stay with us, to comfort us, and to give us strength. I am grateful for a God who never leaves us.

Very soon, we’ll return to what the church calls Ordinary Time—the season when we get back to the everyday business of the church. And we’ve got quite a list of things to “get about.” First, we’re preparing to do a few upgrades around the building: a little fresh paint here, new bathroom stall doors there… just a few sprucing-up projects to keep our church home looking loved.

When I was growing up, that’s how my family sometimes paid our tithes. We owned a construction business, and there wasn’t always enough work to cover everything at home. But my parents were committed to giving back to God what God had blessed them with. Sometimes that meant working at the church when we didn’t have money for the offering plate. I’ve pulled up and laid carpet, installed pews, tiled bathrooms, replaced toilets, painted walls, and hung sheetrock—with my family and for my church. I’m looking forward to picking up a paintbrush again… and hopefully seeing a few of you with one too.

These past few weeks have also been full of conversations about funerals, as we’ve grieved the loss of several dear members. I just want you to know what an honor it is to be asked to participate in those services. I am moved beyond words every time.

The newsletter will be taking a short break, but know that you are all in my prayers.

Love you all,
Mary

Greetings to all in the name of the risen Christ!

I will admit that Holy Week is not easy for me. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services break my heart, and it does not get any easier year after year. Holy Week services—and especially the music—coupled with the number of church members who have passed away in the last two months (and in the last several years), have brought a great deal of grief into my heart over these last ten days.

Grief is an odd companion, coming in wave upon wave across one’s heart. Reliving the last days of the life of Jesus creates this kind of grief in me every year. And yet, Holy Week is the most spiritual time of the year for me. I tend to lean in toward God during the forty days of Lent, and especially in the last seven days leading to Easter.

After every Easter, I pray for a continuation of the intimacy I find during Lent and Holy Week. I am praying for all of us to be reminded EVERY DAY that we are Easter People.

Don’t forget our Saturday night concert, April 26th—music at 6:00 PM and a lovely spaghetti dinner provided by the Kitchen Crew at 7:00 PM. All proceeds will go to Eastside Ministries.

Blessings and love to all,

Mary