Lazarus — The Musical

Saturday, Oct. 25 · 6:00 p.m.
Dinner to follow at St. Matthew

The excellent choir from the Unitarian Universalist Church around the corner from St. Matthew presented Lazarus in May as a fundraiser for Eastside Ministries.

They’re repeating that performance here at St. Matthew this Saturday evening—again to benefit Eastside Ministries.

Lazarus brings to life Jesus’ parable of “The Rich Man and Lazarus.” Lazarus sits at the rich man’s gate, surviving on crumbs from his table. When the rich man dies, he finds himself in torment.

This story will come alive for us on Saturday as part of our monthly concert series. Your presence matters—if you’re able to come. We’re helping Eastside Ministries continue their vital work feeding hungry neighbors who depend on our support.

An offering will be taken.

For your gift of time and support, you’ll be rewarded with a good evening of music, food, and fellowship. Let’s do our best.

(And to those bringing desserts to go with the tacos, beans, rice, and homemade sauce—mmm, good!)

Pastor’s Class

What we didn’t do last week, we’ll do this week: God and grief. Our experiences tell us that God wants us to be comforted in times of loss.

9:45 a.m. — followed by breakfast.

Breakfast this Sunday

It’s a “We bring” Sunday. Help if you can.

That’s at 10:30 a.m.

This Sunday

Sermon: When Our Strength Is Gone
Anthem: They Shall Soar Like Eagles — a moving setting of Psalm 40
Featured Hymn: Precious Lord, Take My Hand

No one can fill your place but you.

God bless — MB

Let It Be, Saint Matthew! Whisper words of wisdom and let it be.

Blessings and peace to all in the name of Jesus Christ. I am thoroughly enjoying finding these secular songs that carry a gospel message—and even more, I’m enjoying hearing you sing them! What a wonderful time we had on Sunday, seeing your faces light up as you sang Let It Be. We’ll have more Sundays like this because I’ve gathered an entire list of songs with powerful gospel truths, even if they aren’t traditional hymns. Lessons from the gospel about obedience are not always easy to preach or to hear, but pairing them with good music helps those lessons settle in our hearts. Thank you for your joyful participation!

This Saturday, October 25 at 6 p.m., we will host the All People’s Church Choir as they perform the musical Lazarus. Dinner will be served immediately after the performance. Please join us if you can—and if you’re able to help with setup, cleanup, or by bringing desserts, your help will be greatly appreciated.

I leave you with the words of Jesus and the strategy of Moses. From Luke 6: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Do good and lend without expecting anything in return. Be merciful as God is merciful. Do not judge or condemn. And from Deuteronomy 6: Know the commandments of God and keep them on your heart. Teach them to your children. Talk about them with each other every chance you get. Keep visible reminders of the things Jesus commanded us to do.

May you grow in grace and truth as obedient children of God. And in all these things—Lord, Lord, let it be!

Love,
Mary

God Provides for Elijah in the Wilderness

Elijah was a prophet who loved and obeyed God. One day, God sent him to speak to King Ahab, who had turned away from God and led the people to worship a false god named Baal. The Canaanites believed Baal was the storm god who sent rain and made crops grow. But Elijah told the king the truth—it was not Baal who brought rain and life, but God alone.

King Ahab didn’t want to hear that message, and Elijah had to flee for his life. He hid near a quiet brook, where he had no food and no one to help him. But God did not forget Elijah. Each morning and evening, ravens flew to him carrying bread and meat, and he drank water from the brook. God cared for Elijah even in the wilderness.

After a while, the brook dried up, and Elijah had to move on. But he had learned something powerful: Baal wasn’t the one who gave rain—God was. God protects and provides for His people. Just like Elijah, we can trust that God will take care of us, even when times are tough.

What We Learned

• God is the true source of life, not false gods or idols.
• Even when Elijah was alone, God was still with him.
• God uses surprising ways—like ravens—to provide for us.
• We can trust that God will never abandon us, no matter what we face.

We are all planning for the very near holiday season—please be in church Sunday so we can start making plans for a Christmas play for all our kids! And by the way, it seems Santa will be able to work us into his schedule this year. I’ve called! See you Sunday!

I do believe the Holy Spirit got hold of us last Sunday. I got quite a reaction to my sermon. I knew it was something I wanted to say. I wanted to address the current mess (and pure corruption) we are in now as a nation, and how the misreading of the Bible contributes to it. I had no idea how the sermon would land, but I’m glad it spoke to so many.

And I want to thank Jason and the helpers for the beautiful work they do to help us reach a wider congregation. The camera work last week made the service feel intimate and immediate. As I reviewed the service, I felt I was there. (And as I recall—I was.)

One thing you can do is share our service with others each week on Facebook. Help us spread the word. There are so many who need to hear it.

Pastor’s Class

God and Grief

Experiences tell us that God wants us to be comforted in times of loss.

At 9:45—followed by breakfast.

Breakfast this Sunday

It’s a “Winston Sunday,” but feel free to help. That’s at 10:30.

This Sunday

Mary preaches this Sunday.

Our choir will be back and singing an anthem that will be new to you: The Storm Is Passing Over.

I’ll be looking for you this Sunday.

Good to have Joe, Joan, and Leslieann back with us last Sunday. And we had one first-time visitor, invited by the Rev. Beverly Tye.

And oh! The women will meet for lunch this Thursday. Good food. Good fellowship.

God bless,

MB

Blessings of love and peace in the name of Jesus Christ.

I continue to reflect on the message Pastor Max shared this past Sunday. He has preached from that passage five times since I joined Saint Matthew in 2011! I keep notes in my Bible, marking each date when a pastor preaches from a particular scripture—and Max’s sermon this week was truly one for the record books. His love and passion for the people of the world shone through his words and the tears that accompanied them. I am deeply grateful for the gospel that is preached here at Saint Matthew’s, and for the truth that Pastor Max shares with such conviction and compassion. My heart is still singing “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” as I replay his message in my mind.

This Sunday, I’ll be preaching from the same chapter in Luke. Max’s sermon inspired me, and as I listened, God gave me both the passage and the words to share with you. We’ll also sing another gospel song together—one that may surprise you! I’ll keep it a secret for now, but I’m excited to lift our voices with you in worship. Join us in person if you’re able, or via livestream at saintmatthewumc.com at 11 AM. You can also find all Saint Matthew sermons on our website under the Video link.

Our Saturday Night Concert Series continues on October 25 with Lazarus, performed by the All People’s Church Choir. This free concert will be followed by a dinner of tacos, beans, rice, and homemade salsa! I’m looking forward to this evening of fellowship and the many blessings God has in store for us.

With love and gratitude,

Mary