Author Archives: Max Brennan

Max’s Corner

Posted on by

The Passing of Bill Parker

Bill passed last Saturday. He was 78 and a vital and beloved member of this church. He will be greatly missed. Our love goes out to Linda and their sons. The memorial service will be held after the cremains are available. Bill moves on with his life. Thanks be to God.

Choir Sings

And they sang beautifully, too. We welcome the three new members. The anthem this Sunday is called Mercy.

Chuy from 4Stage, the company that does our lights/sound work, arranged our microphones for us. So—the recording of the anthem was better than ever.

NDE Class Ends

This is the last Sunday. We will be answering questions that have grown from our study of NDEs this Sunday—some of the “big questions” that most Christians have. (For example, “What happens to children who are stillborn or who die very young?”) We welcome guests for this session, even if you have not attended before.

When my sister’s class ends, I will begin a study of my book, Discovering God. So, we will continue lessons at the same time each week.

Class at 9:45—followed by breakfast.

Speaking of Breakfast

This week is another “We-Bring.” It’s up to us eaters. Feel free to help. We serve a lot of people each Sunday.

Food and fellowship at 10:30.

This Sunday

I wrote about this recently. Now I am preaching about it: Does God Get Angry?

How do we deal with Paul’s words about “the wrath of God”? Where does Jesus stand on this?

I would rejoice to see you in worship.

God Bless,
—MB

The Lies Must Stop

Posted on by

Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, live in fear now. They keep their kids home from school.

Some schools are closed, as are businesses, because of bomb threats.

These immigrants were invited here to fill factory jobs. One boss said they are hard-working and dependable.

Their lives have become a nightmare, and the town is in chaos.

We heard it first at the debate. It sounded funny, indeed, ridiculous: Haitian immigrants are stealing people’s cats and dogs and eating them.

It sounded crazy.

It was crazy.

But they keep repeating the lie. The leaders of the Orange Cult keep the lie going.

They know it’s a lie.

They know it is hurting people—innocent people, including children.

Ah! But these are Black people. Black children.

So, the leaders of the Orange Cult just do not care. Certainly, the Orange Man himself cares about no one but himself.

But what about his followers? What about the many Christians who have gone orange?

It is pure evil to deliberately hurt innocent people, to promote a lie that makes families hide in fear.

Do Christians who have fallen into the cult not care? Can they no longer tell the difference between good and evil?

I think much of the church has failed. It has harbored racism, debased women, and ostracized gay people.

Much of the church does not teach the inclusive love of Jesus Christ. This leaves people vulnerable.

“If we stand for nothing, we will fall for anything.”

The lies must stop.

People are being hurt.

Max’s Corner

Posted on by

Choir Practice Resumed

The choir will look bigger this Sunday because it is! There are three new members!

The choir enjoyed lunch together at the Dixie House after church last Sunday.

They will grace us with their first anthem of the new church year this Sunday: Fairest Lord Jesus.

Expect some lovely singing.

NDE Class

We have two more sessions—this Sunday and the next. (There will be additional classes later when the room is prepared for showing a couple of NDE videos.)

When my sister’s class ends, I will begin a study of my book, Discovering God. So, we will continue lessons at the same time each week.

Class at 9:45—followed by breakfast.

Speaking of Breakfast

Winston provided a beautiful breakfast last week. This week, it is a “We-Bring” Sunday. It’s up to us eaters. Feel free to help. We serve a lot of people each Sunday.

Food and fellowship at 10:30.

This Sunday

Mary will not be with us. She will be in New York to perform the memorial service for John McCormick, a member of St. Matthew and a dear friend of Mary’s who knew her before he came to the church. John was around 90 at his passing and lived in another state. The flowers will be in his memory this Sunday.

Sermon this Sunday: What We Got Wrong about Salvation. We should not have gotten it wrong because Jesus always had it right.

Jesus always gets God right.

Things are going well in our church, but we are burdened by the illness of beloved members. Keep our sick fold in your prayers.

I would rejoice to see you Sunday.

God bless,
MB

No Wrath—Just Love

Posted on by

One reader writes to remind me that God is “a God of eternal wrath.”

Sorry—no wrath, eternal or otherwise.

I know Paul talks about the wrath of God. I could try to twist the scripture here to save Paul’s words.

Instead, I’ll just tell the truth: God ain’t mad.

Never has been.

Never will be.

Jesus had a thing against anger. He says being mad at someone demeans that person’s value. It is a serious sin (Matthew 5:21-26).

It can get us into trouble.

But—it won’t make God mad at us.

In spite of our sins, God has only love for us.

Five hundred years ago, the great Julian of Norwich had an extensive near-death experience at the age of 30. She met the Lord face to face.

As a Catholic of the Middle Ages, she was very aware of human sin.

But she was surprised.

She expected some wrath against the sinner. But she found no anger in God.

Just love. Just kindness. Just grace.

And in the millions of experiences people have had of God through the ages, not one person has met a God of wrath.

Yes, some experienced hell, but that was never God’s doing. God is the one who breaks into that torment to pull them out.

Unconditional love is love that is never altered by any situation. It is pure, unmixed with anything.

God IS love.

This has become very clear to us in the St. Matthew class on NDEs.

We are not just loved; we are cherished.

As one NDEer put it, “Each one of us is God’s favorite person.”

Loved—as you are. Loved—forever.

Live with it.

(Sunday at 11:00.)

Max’s Corner

Posted on by

Choir Practice—Sunday at 9:30

You know what that means.
Summer is definitely over—done with, gone.
Our choir won’t sing this Sunday, but very soon, they will. We already have at least two new members, and we could use more.
If you can sing, think about joining us!

NDE Class

There are four more NDE classes, but studies will continue at the same time every week.
This class has brought encouragement about our deceased loved ones. It has pushed us toward the certainty that God is real and shown us that God is always loving, always forgiving, and never angry at us.
Class is at 9:45, followed by breakfast.

Speaking of Breakfast

We continue to have a great breakfast every week. Come early for church and enjoy it. This is a “Winston Week,” and feel free to help if you’d like!
Food and fellowship at 10:30.

This Sunday

Last Sunday, Mary laid out a wonderful agenda of loving service for this church. Look for ways to bless others, for we are blessed.

Now, this Sunday, I have a problem. There are so many things I want to preach about that it’s hard to decide what comes next! I’ve decided to go with this: The Two Witnesses.
We have two absolutely reliable sources of information about God. I’ll begin my sermon by asking if you know what those two are.

I hope to see you Sunday. Don’t make me come to your house to find you! And I’m not looking for you on the golf course. You come see me—at the Lord’s house.

God Bless,
MB

Yes—keep our sick loved ones in your prayers.
When people we love are sick, we hurt too.