I’m Back

For what it’s worth, I’ll return Sunday after a three-week absence following my collision with a concrete slab.

Great thanks to Mary for her loving and excellent work in my absence. I know you’ve enjoyed her sermon series—and so have I.

And online, Mary ended up doing a couple of solos last week when all help deserted her.

She was preacher and songleader. (Shannon and Julian were out, and Blake left early.)

But Mary’s a singer. She’s in our choir—one of her many hats.

I’m excited about being back.

If ministry were not at the heart of my life, I would have retired years ago.

But I warn you—I’m not moving very fast.

I know! I know!—I moved like a turtle before the accident.

Well, now I move like a dead turtle.

Been Watching

I’ve been watching online like many of you.

I now realize that the primary microphones for picking up the organ are the ones on the pulpit and lectern. These are usually off at the beginning of the service, which makes the organ sound distant online.

Big in-house. Distant online.

We also hear almost no congregational singing, which is why Mary sounded like she was doing a solo. This is also why we mic Blake, Shannon, and Julian during the hymns.

Breakfast This Sunday

If Winston is present, he’ll be doing breakfast.

Feel free to help. Breakfast is at 10:30.

Come early and eat. This fellowship time is lovely.

My Class

I’m easing back into things.

Preaching and Communion will be enough for my first Sunday back.

My class, Discovering God, will resume the following week—July 13.

Our topic: What NDEs Tell Us About Salvation—Who Gets In, Who Doesn’t?

New Procedure

I’m asking our musicians to get music titles to me by Wednesday morning by email or text. (It may not work this week.)

If you have announcements, get them to the church office—or to me—by Wednesday morning.

There will be an announcement page in the bulletin so that we do not have to take worship time for announcements—at least not much of it.

Veta will run the bulletins on Thursdays.

This Sunday

It’s Communion Sunday.

My sermon title is: All Are One

We’ll talk about the first great truth of our existence: that we are all one with one another—and one with God.

I’ll share a couple of wonderful and surprising stories.

We will sing.

We will gather at the Lord’s Table.

And I will have the joy of being back in church.

Come—let us rejoice together.

God Bless,

MB

Words That Carry Us Closer

Every breath we take, every move we make—everything we do is done in the presence of God.

Over the past three weeks, we’ve explored how words matter—how communication is not just between us and others, but between us and God. We talked about the way we speak to each other, the way we speak to ourselves, and the way we speak to God.

And what we’ve discovered is this: it’s all conversation with God.

We are commanded to love our neighbor—that’s how we speak to each other.

We are created in God’s image and pursued by grace—that’s how we speak to ourselves.

And when we pray, worship, sing, study, and serve—that’s how we speak to God.

I hope you’ve found something meaningful in this sermon series. I know I have.

Please lift up our dear friend and church member Linda Pruett in prayer. She experienced a stroke last week and is now recovering at home. Her daughter is with her, and she’s doing well—but prayers are deeply appreciated. If you’re one of our Methodist chefs, a few small meals would be helpful in this season of healing.

And now… Max is back!

This Sunday, I encourage you—if you’re able—to be present in the pews. If not, send him a note or a message to let him know you’re glad he’s back. I’ll be sitting in the pew myself, feet up, simply ready to be fed by whatever word God has placed on Max’s heart.

I love you all,

Mary

Got one more Sunday off—this Sunday.

I will return on July 6.

My doctor, Maria Gaydos, commented on my dress shorts. She had never seen me in shorts—nor have you. Nor has anyone else in the world. I don’t wear shorts.

I have no shorts. To keep the cloth of my pants off my wounded knee, I shortened the legs of a regular pair of pants. The cut was jagged and uneven. Looked pretty sad. This is what elicited the response from my doctor. She could not believe I did not have a regular pair of shorts.

Sorry. I’m just not a shorts person.

I’ve still got swelling and bruises, but Brian and Doug have the wheelbarrow ready, and I am returning on July 6. Brian and Doug will roll me down the aisle while the congregation sings Roll, Jordan, Roll.

I enjoy watching our services from home.

I could hear the piano last week. That problem was fixed.

But Julian and Shannon do not need to share one microphone. Couldn’t hear them. Could not hear a word of the hymns. Have no idea what the words are to that new hymn Mary likes.

Sounds pretty, though.

Thinking Differently

So—I have been in the place of the home viewer. That home viewer is becoming more and more important to churches. Before people visit churches these days, they usually check them out online. That first impression is everything.

And we sometimes have more watching from home than we have in the sanctuary.

I got an e-mail recently from someone who watches regularly from Houston.

Let’s give thanks—and get excited!

Breakfast this Sunday

It’s a “We-Bring” Sunday.

If we don’t bring—no breakfast.

Breakfast at 10:30.

Come early and eat.

This fellowship time is lovely.

July Experiment

During July, we will experiment with an “Announcement” insert in the bulletin each week.

And there will be a brief-as-possible moment after the offering for vital information the congregation needs.

Please get all announcements to Vita, our church secretary, by Wednesday.

Bulletins will be printed on Thursday.

Worship is a kind of drama. We are going to see what it feels like to let the drama of worship play out without interruption. From Winston’s eloquent welcome to Kristi’s postlude—just worship.

That’s our July experiment.

For a whole month, let everything we do in worship—be worship.

A Mighty Thanks

It has been hard just doing the ordinary things after my fall.

My sister has carried extra work—especially in the days following the accident.

The food from the church has helped us carry on more normally. And the love and well-wishes have encouraged us.

A mighty thanks to all of you.

A special thanks to Mary Teague for just doing her thing and doing it so well.

I look forward to her sermon this week: How We Talk to God.

See you Sunday on my TV.

See you on July 6th in person.

God bless—MB

Greetings to all in the name of the risen Christ,

I want to share an important update from Under the Bridge Ministries in Fort Worth. They are currently in urgent need of the following items:

• Men’s clothing (especially shorts)
• New underwear and socks
• Men’s shoes, size 12 and up

There are also a few children now attending the Sunday gatherings. A small, easy-to-carry toy would bring them so much joy. For now, please hold on to any winter clothing, as this ministry has no storage space, and our church storage is also limited.

If you’re able to help or if you have specific donations for this ministry, please speak with Ronnie Sullivan. Your generosity always makes a difference.

In other news, a neighborhood choir has reached out about hosting an Eastside Community Assistance benefit concert. I’ve tentatively agreed, pending approval from Pastor Max, and I’m hoping to schedule it for a Saturday night in July or August. Stay tuned for more details.

I pray you’ve spent this week speaking kindly to yourself. Life is too short to be unkind to others or yourself. This Sunday, we’ll wrap up our Words Matter series by looking at how we speak to God.

May peace and blessings be with you—and a whole lot of shade! Please stay hydrated and take care in this summer heat.

With love,

Mary