Peace and love in the name of Jesus Christ to you, God’s beloved children!

I’m home from Arizona and so thankful for the time I spent with my grandmother. I must make a correction—she isn’t 98 as I had shared—she’ll be 99 years old on September 15th! Her mind is still sharp, and her spirit is strong. Though she faces some age-related challenges like arthritis, she remains healthy, happy, and deeply faithful. Like many at her stage of life, she finds herself asking the question Keith has also voiced: “How much longer, Lord?”

It’s a question that speaks to something deep within us—a longing for heaven. As we grow older, many of us begin to miss the promise of eternity and look forward to that day when we shall see God face to face. The apostle Paul expresses this so beautifully in 2 Corinthians 5, where he writes about our earthly lives being like a tent, while in heaven we have a “permanent house, made not by man, but by God.” Paul goes on to say that in “this present frame, we sigh with deep longing for the heavenly house.”

Do you feel that longing too? If you do, I would love to hear your thoughts. Let’s talk about it sometime.

We continue to lift up our beloved members who are unable to attend church in person. The joy and light that we experience when gathered in fellowship is something we should pray God shares with each of them in abundance. I’d also like us to begin thinking about a visitation and card-writing ministry soon. Reaching out to others with love and encouragement can make all the difference.

Love and blessings to all,
Mary

P.S. I just spoke with Joyce Mitchell, and she shared that Dan is not doing well. Please join me in praying for them both. Lord, hear our prayer.

This Sunday, we talked about sharing—and the story we heard was all about a meal that brought people together in love and friendship.

As Jesus’s time on earth was drawing to a close, He told two of His disciples to go into the city and prepare a place for them to eat. They found a room just as He said they would, and that night, Jesus and His twelve disciples gathered around the table for what we now call The Last Supper (Luke 22:7–23, Matthew 26:17–30).

Jesus knew something big was about to happen—He was preparing to give His life for all of us. But before that, He wanted to share one last meal with His friends. As they sat together, talking and eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, thanked God, broke it, and gave it to the disciples. “This is my body,” He said. “Do this in remembrance of me.” Then He took a cup of wine and said, “This is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many” (Matthew 26:26–28).

These were not just words—this was a moment of deep meaning. Jesus was giving His friends a way to remember Him, to stay connected to Him even after He was gone.

But something else was happening too: they were fellowshipping—a word we use in church to mean sharing time, love, and life. Jesus chose a meal for this important moment because eating together helps us feel close. It’s hard to stay angry or distant when passing bread or pouring juice. Around the table, we laugh, we talk, we learn, and we grow closer.

Even though one disciple would betray Him, Jesus still invited everyone to the table. He still shared, He still loved. And that’s a lesson for all of us. Like the disciples, we are Jesus’ friends, and He calls us to remember Him and love others the same way He did—especially at the table.

What We Learned

• Jesus shared a special meal with His disciples to show love and prepare them for what was coming.
• The bread and the cup remind us of Jesus’s sacrifice and invite us to remember Him with thankful hearts.
• Sharing meals with others is a way to love, forgive, and grow closer—just like Jesus did.

Every time you sit down for dinner with your family or share a snack with a friend, you have a chance to remember Jesus. Let’s keep finding ways to show His love—one meal, one moment, one heart at a time.

P.S. Thank you to everyone who has already brought eggs and candy for our Easter Egg Hunt—we’re off to a great start! We still need lots more plastic eggs filled with candy, and we’d love your help. Please consider donating each week between now and Easter Sunday so we’ll have enough for all the children to enjoy.

Important! The Easter Egg Hunt starts promptly at 10:00 on Easter Sunday—don’t be late!

After our Easter Egg Hunt, the kids will be treated to a movie with popcorn and drinks!

I thought we had a very good class last week. And this week we move on to a tantalizing subject—After-Death Communications—loved ones who speak to us after they are gone.
Class at 9:45. Breakfast after.

Breakfast this Sunday

This is a “We Bring Sunday.” Don’t forget that. Feel free to help. Breakfast is at 10:30.

Last Sunday and This

Mary will be out this Sunday visiting her grandmother in (I believe) New Mexico. And Kristi will be gone (along with Steven). So, Blake will do the piano thing. And Julian will sing the beautiful Above All. (The choral anthem last Sunday was very powerful.)

And—OK—since I talked last week about the younger brother in Jesus’s great Prodigal Son parable, I’ll talk about the older brother this Sunday.
My sermon title is: God Is Not Just.
And let me add—you don’t want him to be.

We Will Not Ask

Two dear friends of mine—former members of this church—died last year in Oklahoma. They have left some money to St. Matthew, and it will cover the very expensive work we are about to do on our sound and light system. We could not, in fact, do this work without the loving gift of Fred Stearns and Eileen Engleson Stearns.

When they moved to Oklahoma, they never found a church like St. Matthew. Their membership remained here, and they continued to watch our services online.

So, my request is that we continue to be faithful in our regular giving. Help us pay our bills from week to week. Let us keep the work of St. Matthew going. God knows that we are here.
I believe God wants this church living and serving.
I believe God will help us meet our needs.
Thanks be to God.

See you Sunday.
God bless—MB

Peace and love to all of you in the name of Jesus Christ,

The Saint Matthew UMC newsletter happens every week, 52 weeks a year. I have had a “corner” in the newsletter for longer than I can remember, but my newsletter articles are usually late getting submitted to Jason. I wish it were not true, but my organizational skills paired with a calendar that looks like mine create problems with meeting this Tuesday at 4 p.m. deadline. Today (Monday), I have set an intention to get my newsletter article written and submitted for editing on Sunday after church or Monday by 3 p.m. at the latest. I am sharing this with you because that reinforces my commitment to do this. Jason is very patient with me every week, but he also has a calendar that looks like a hurricane, and so I want to be respectful of his responsibilities and time. By setting an intention and not just a reminder, I am making a promise to myself to do better.

I wonder what other intentions I need to set in my life? My intention this season of Lent has been to draw closer to God. Reading, praying, meditating, and physical movement have all been centered around this intention since Ash Wednesday. Jesus “steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,” knowing the fate that awaited (Luke 9:51). To be more like Jesus, we must also “set our face” toward whatever is in front of us. Pick one thing when you read this newsletter. Write one word about the subject toward which you will set an intention. Share your word with someone you trust, and then tell God. And if you want to share it with me, please email me: mary.teague@saintmatthewumc.com.

My love to all of you!
Mary

P.S. We raised $3,675 toward payroll at Eastside Ministries! Thank you for your continuously generous spirit. I will keep you posted about their future and our part in keeping this vital ministry open in East Fort Worth.