Saint Matthew United Methodist Church

Category: News

  • Mary’s Corner

    Mary Teague
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    I bring you peace in the name of the risen Christ,

    We honored the life of Bill Parker today at the DFW National Cemetery. The setting there is breathtaking and heartbreaking at the same time. Bill received the honor and recognition he deserved for his service during the Vietnam War. And Bill would have been reluctant to receive those honors, as his humble service in all areas was a way of life for him. Service never seemed anything more than “as it should be,” to quote Bill. I do not know how we were able to experience an actual angel among us, but I do believe that we have many in our small but mighty congregation. We saw Don Horton volunteering at the cemetery. He sends his love and well-wishes to all and promises to be back in church soon. Don told me that the DFW National Cemetery sits on more than 650 acres and can be the final resting place for 283,000+ veterans and spouses. Don reports that there are currently 92,000 folks interred on those sacred grounds. If you have not seen it already, it is worth the drive.

    The bulletin Sunday contained information on upcoming events, specifically Eastside Ministries events and Bill J. Elliott Elementary School events. Please check our website, saintmatthewumc.com, for details about the upcoming events. I am grateful for your support of all our ministries. These actions are our witness to our neighbors. This is how they know we are followers of Jesus—by the way we love them with our time, talent, and resources. The end of October is coming quickly, and we know that the school is having a fall festival. We have not received guidance from the school counselor about how we can participate, but we will let you know as soon as that guidance comes. I am telling you this because we may not have much notice, and I know you do not want to miss an opportunity to serve our community.

    Also, the St. Matthew Women’s United group will be assembling women’s hygiene bags containing tampons, pads, and lotion. If you can, please bring any or all of these items: medium and large sizes for the feminine hygiene products and travel-size lotion. I have ordered 100 opaque, resealable bags and will have them on Sunday.

    Peace in the name of the risen Christ is a peace that we cannot understand, because it is nothing like what we can provide for ourselves. God’s love for us creates this kind of peace. At the same time, we can make peace with ourselves and each other, with life and with death, but most of all, with our Creator.

    My love to all,
    Mary

    PS: We just received word from the elementary school that they would love for us to participate in their Trunk or Treat on October 24. We have been invited to bring candy to the school and to dress up a trunk and distribute candy at the event. If you are interested in being at the school with a dressed-up trunk, let me know. Otherwise, please bring a bag of candy to church this weekend. Don’t forget!

  • Kids’ News: Abraham’s Journey

    Sue Kelcey
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    We were so happy to have a wonderful group of children for Children’s Church this week! We learned about God’s promise to Abraham. God appeared to Abraham and told him to pack up his family and belongings to travel to a new land. This wasn’t Abraham’s first move, as earlier in Genesis, we learn he had attempted to journey to Canaan before but settled in Haran. Now, God was calling Abraham to finally finish his journey to Canaan—a journey that required a lot of trust.

    At 75 years old, Abraham obeyed God and left his home with his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot, and all their belongings. Along the way, God promised to give the land to Abraham’s descendants. Can you imagine being 75 and gathering up all your animals and possessions to travel by foot to a new country? Abraham even built an altar to worship God along the way. We have so much more to learn, and we’re so glad you’re bringing your kids to church!

  • Max’s Corner

    Max Brennan
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    It went long, but nobody noticed. It was filled with more laughter than any memorial service I can remember. And it seemed a fitting remembrance. The music Bill chose for his own service was appropriate, and some of it was funny, as we would expect. We give thanks.

    The Class: Discovering God

    We are looking for God in all the right places. This Sunday, we will name those places. How do we know the truth about God?

    This class is for those who want to “see God more clearly and follow Him more nearly.” We have some exciting discussions ahead. In this class, you’ll hear some of the most remarkable accounts ever shared.

    Join any time.

    Class at 9:45 AM—followed by breakfast.

    Speaking of Breakfast:

    This is a “We-Bring Sunday.” We need a good breakfast. Feel free to help out.

    Food and fellowship at 10:30 AM.

    This Sunday:

    Mary preaches—it feels like it’s been a while. We’re ready for it.

    The choir will get a little Pentecostal this week with a rousing, Every Time I Feel the Spirit.

    How great our choir is sounding!

    And Kristi has been stirring us up with that prelude each week.

    Church.
    What a joy!

    See you Sunday.

    God Bless,
    MB

    Remember the new class.
    Check the board in the hall for times for the Saints and Sinners Tour. Jim Bailey says you’ll have a good—and a bit spooky—time.

  • Mary’s Corner

    Mary Teague
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    Greetings, dear church and family,
    I want to say thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make the celebration of life for Bill Parker such a success. Specifically, I want to thank Nan McCosky for cleaning the church, and a special thank you to Veta and all of the folks who served the lunch. Thanks to all who brought food, and especially for making every visitor feel welcome and special. Bill would be proud of you. Finally, I want to thank everyone who stayed to help clean up. The fellowship hall looked beautiful thanks to Connie and her decorating folks. However, I know there was a big mess to clean up after serving almost 100 people. I’m grateful for the way everybody pulled together to make this a special event for the Parkers. This isn’t the end of memorials for Bill. On October 15th, Bill will be interred at the DFW VA cemetery. He will receive full military honors there for his service in the Vietnam War.

    This Sunday at 9:00 AM sharp in the fellowship hall, we will have a table set up for flu vaccines. These are the regular flu vaccines and are appropriate for folks over the age of nine. These are not the senior vaccines. The regular dose takes a few more days than the senior dose to be effective, but both provide the same immunity. Please be there between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM to get your vaccine.

    Last weekend was a very busy time for us as a congregation. Words cannot express how grateful I am for all of you. I also can’t say enough about how this grief is going to impact us. Be gentle with each other, patient with each other, and kind. Look for opportunities to carry on the acts of service Bill did in our congregation. We need a new chairperson for the Pastor Parish Relations Committee (PPRC), as Bill Parker filled that position for us in the past. Winston will be arranging a meeting of the PPRC soon so that we can nominate a new chairperson. The PPRC is the “human resources” part of church operations, managing staff and pastor issues along with annual evaluations. Please be in prayer that God will raise up someone to serve.

    I am preaching this weekend, and I’m hoping to see all of your faces in your usual seats on Sunday morning. The choir is working on some beautiful numbers, and this weekend is no exception. Try to be there on Sunday if you can. If you can’t make it to the church, please join us online at saintmatthewumc.com.

    Love to all,
    Mary

  • Kids’ News

    Sue Kelcey
    Categories:

    This week, we learned about how God asked Noah to build an ark. God saw that the earth had become very corrupt and filled with violence. So, He said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I will destroy them along with the earth. Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and out with pitch.” Although it wasn’t raining yet, Noah listened to God and began building the ark as instructed. The ark was to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high, with a window and a door on its side. It would also have lower, second, and third stories.

    (A cubit was a measurement used in ancient times, typically the length of a person’s forearm—from the elbow to the tip of the fingers. This would make the ark about 450 feet long!)

    Can you imagine building something this huge without any power tools? Noah got busy and worked hard, doing exactly what God asked. Once the ark was finished, it was time to load the animals. Noah, his family, and the animals God selected entered the ark, waiting for the flood to begin. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights. When the rain finally stopped, Noah sent out two birds to see if the land was dry. However, it was God who ultimately told Noah when it was safe to leave the ark. Noah continued to trust God and follow His instructions.

    God’s promise to Noah extends to all of us. In return, He asks for our trust and faithfulness. Join us this Sunday in church, and together we’ll learn more about how God wants us to follow His teachings!