Author Archives: Max Brennan

Friday’s Word – Concert and Christmas Eve—Consider Both

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Some of us know what is coming.

We have before us a time of incompetence and

corruption like nothing we have seen before.

Imagine a nation where those in power are not

constrained by morals or a sense of decency.

But I do have hope.

They are expressed in the lines of an old carol, I

Heard the Bells on Christmas Day:

“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep. The wrong

shall fail, the right prevail.”

We need to know this.

We need to be reminded of this. That’s why I am

singing those words in the concert Saturday night.

Listen, over these next years, we are going to need

the church.

No, not that right-wing bunch with a theology that

makes them ignorant and vulnerable to would-be

dictators.

They brought us here.

We need a church built on the solid rock

that is Jesus the Christ.

Built on His love.

Powered by His grace.

A church that triumphs over corruption, racism,

and hatred of gays and immigrants.

In this space in the coming year, I will be offering

you opportunities for worship and study.

I am expecting a response.

The “mainline” church—for want of a better

name—along with honest journalism will be the most

powerful lines of defense against the darkness to come.

Help us—help us at St. Matthew make a witness in

dark times.

We have a concert Saturday night, Dec. 21, at 6:00 p.m.

We have a beautiful Christmas Eve service, also

at 6:00 p.m.

Help us make a witness.

Max’s Corner

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I Know We Had a Good Time

Because Jason is on vacation, he needed this page before he left—which means before we had our Christmas Open House last Sunday.

I’m sure we had a good time.

I had an ulterior motive for the Open House.

I wanted to get my house—and my life—in order before the beginning of a new year, and the Open House forced me to do that. (And it was hard!!!)

With my mobility problems of late, things had fallen apart at my place. I had to get my life and my work back in order. I want to devote all the time I can to ministry, and the way to do that is to get other projects out of the way.

I am looking to a new day in the life of our church. I want to put my energy toward that.

Part of that is being able to talk to you more often in the new year. If you are not yet on the church Facebook page, make a friend request. Or send me, personally, a friend request.

Let’s get ready to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every way we can in 2025.

Let’s begin now—with our two great Christmas services: the Christmas Concert and our Christmas Eve Service.

Bring the family.

Ask a friend to come with you.

Let us spread the Good News.

Unto us a Child is given.

Come, let us adore Him.

The Christmas Concert

Saturday, Dec. 21—6:00 p.m.

Dinner and Santa after

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

The most beautiful service of the year.

Tuesday, Dec. 24—6:00 p.m.

God Bless,

MB

BY THE WAY—No Pastor’s Class and no breakfast this Sunday or the next.

Edward Hjorth remains in rehab and in our prayers after his fall and hip surgery.

Let me know if this works or if you’d like anything adjusted further!

Friday’s Word – A Dinner—Another Dinner—An Open House

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Yes, of course.

We will sing White Christmas at our concert on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 6:00 p.m.

We must.

It is expected.

In fact, I sing it. But I won’t mean it.

What kind of fool do you think I am? (Don’t answer that.)

I’m a preacher. I don’t want a white Christmas. I want people in church.

No bad weather!

I’d like to see you (and all your kin) at our concert and at our Christmas Eve service. (We call it “the most beautiful service of the year”—‘cause it is!)

But back to the concert.

I sing a couple of things, but our great singers do the hard lifting.

Our Christmas Concert is a 25-year tradition with us. The music starts secular and moves into the sacred.

Then we eat, and Santa comes by with gifts for the kids.

(No, we’re not anti-Santa at St. Matthew.)

There’s a kids’ time during the concert.

We do have fun.

The heart of Christmas at St. Matthew is Christmas Eve. (Also at 6:00.)

I had an aunt who used to say to people she loved, “I’m just so hungry to see you.” And I would say I’m hungry for Christmas Eve.

Especially this year.

We need those “glad tidings of great joy.”

We need lifting. We need to be reminded that this is still God’s world.

As the old carol says:

“God is not dead nor doth he sleep.

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail.”

Oh!—I’m singing that, also, at the concert.

The Casting Crowns version of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.

Come, if you can.

Sat., Dec. 21, at 6:00.

Max’s Corner

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A Dinner—for Women

WOMEN’S LUNCHEON – Thursday, Dec. 12, 11:30 a.m. Every female person reading this is invited. The food is good—the fellowship even better. In the Fellowship Hall.

Another Dinner—a Fundraiser

For Eastside Ministries—helping the poor here at Christmas. Ronnie Sullivan and family are preparing an enchilada dinner this Friday evening—Dec. 13—at 6:00 p.m. This is always a great meal for a great cause.

Do support it.

Christmas Open House

At the Brennan Place

That’s this coming Sunday afternoon—2:30 to 5:00. Come and go or come and stay. Bring a bit of goodies, if you wish—but not necessary, and most people won’t. (My sister is doing some cooking.)

You can tour the house—lots of very old stuff—but this is not about the house. It’s about the Christmas fellowship. (The tree is up—and decorated!)

There are things to see: a chair John D. Rockefeller III bought in 1947 for Colonial Williamsburg, a 150-year-old painting in the hall that looks like Steven Moore, an old chest from 1697 that used to be in the Brooklyn Museum.

And perhaps Carolyn Bell, although that is far from certain. (She may not feel up to it.)

Address: 1506 King Arthur in Grand Prairie—one block north of I-30. (Take the 161 George Bush exit—over 161 to the service road on the other side, turn left to British—right on King Arthur.) I’ll be home.

The Class

The class is over until mid-January.

Breakfast continues.

Speaking of Breakfast

It’s a Winston Sunday.

Food and fellowship at 10:30 a.m.

Followed by worship.

Come, let us worship together.

God Bless,

—MB

Friday’s Word – Second Sunday of Advent

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The focus turns to Christmas. And it couldn’t come at a better time.

The days are getting darker, both literally and figuratively. Incompetent and unethical people are about to take the reins of power. It looks like all is lost.

And then the Babe comes.

Christmas is on its way.

We talked last week about a world in which God intervenes.

And God does, indeed, intervene, and the biggest intervention of all is the Babe.

And I find my heart lifted.

“With God, all things are possible,” the angel said to Mary.

And I am filled with hope.

Because I know where the power truly lies.

The Babe is invincible.

There is no power against his love.

They killed him.

They tacked him to a tree and watched him die.

Yet, he is with us today.

He runs the whole show.

And fighting him is like standing in a rushing river with your arms stretched out to stop the water.

The Spirit of the Babe is moving the world in one direction only.

Toward community.

Toward unity.

Toward love.

I’m not just confident. I’m in good spirits. I’m feeling all “Christmasy.”

I am sitting here tonight planning our Christmas concert. I just added an ancient carol.

It has in it the line, “There came a flower bright amidst the cold of winter.”

There are hard times ahead. But we will move through them.

The Babe is born.

(Christmas Concert, Sat., Dec. 21—6:00 p.m.)