The number is 10.

Christmas Schedule

There are five important dates:

• Thursday, Dec. 12th @ 11:30 AM: Ladies of Saint Matthew Luncheon @ St. Matthew.
• Friday, Dec. 13th @ 6:00 PM: Annual Monreal Sisters Enchilada Dinner @ St. Matthew.
• Sunday, Dec. 15th @ 2:30 – 5:30 PM: Christmas Open House @ the Brennan Home.
• Saturday, Dec. 21st @ 6:00 PM: The Christmas Concert with dinner and Santa @ St. Matthew.
• Tuesday, Dec. 24th @ 6:00 PM: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service @ St. Matthew.

These events are important. Let them be for you.

The Class

Do you truly want to understand Christian theology? Do you want to know how God works in the world? Do you want to renew your sense of awe before God—your sense of living on holy ground?

Come to this class. Start at any time.

Every week at 9:45—breakfast after.

Speaking of Breakfast

We must bring it this week. Help, if you can. I’ve got pigs-in-a-blanket covered.

Food and fellowship at 10:30. Followed by worship.

Church Facebook Page

Are you on it?

We have a goal to get everyone who has a computer to join the St. Matthew Facebook page. Someone Sunday will be talking to you about how to do that.

Come, let us worship together. This Sunday.

God Bless,
—MB

Greetings to all in this 2024 Advent season,

I am thankful beyond words that I don’t have to sit and wait and wonder if the Messiah is coming to save us. I am grateful for this tradition of following Jesus Christ, God made flesh and dwelling among us. I’m grateful that this faith tradition survived the Roman Empire. I am thrilled that this faith tradition has survived all the empires for the last 2,000 years.

Paul tried to tell us in Romans 8:38-39:
“In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. I’m sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Common English Version).

And because nothing can separate us, we must be certain to make the way clear and smooth for those who are oppressed and marginalized in our society. There must be a clear path to God’s love, visible in our actions in this world. We know that this is a story older than storytelling, the story of oppression. We also know that love always wins.

We have a lot of events happening at our church over the next few weeks. Beginning this Saturday morning, we will be decorating the church. The fun will start at 9:00 AM. Brian and Danny are going to do the heavy lifting this week, getting everything out of storage and putting the Christmas tree up. The rest needs to be completed by people with “artistic skill,” per Brian and Danny. I may have to work at the hospital on Saturday and so will be unable to attend. If I am not working, I will see you there at 9:30.

This Sunday and every Sunday until the Christmas show, the children will be practicing their Christmas presentation. If you have small children or even preteens, please make sure they’re in church on Sundays at 11:00 AM.

Other events are as follows:

• Thursday, Dec. 12th @ 11:30 AM: Ladies of Saint Matthew Luncheon
• Friday, Dec. 13th @ 6:00 PM: Annual Monreal Sisters Enchilada Dinner @ St. Matthew. A sign-up sheet will be available Sunday morning to reserve your spot. The cost is $12 per plate, $20 per couple.
• Sunday, Dec. 15th @ 2:30 – 5:30 PM: Christmas Open House at the Brennan Home.
• Saturday, Dec. 21st @ 6:00 PM: The Christmas Concert with dinner and Santa
• Tuesday, Dec. 24th @ 6:00 PM: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

As we finish another year together, I pray for peace and blessings in your life.

Mary

Please remember this. I will ask you this Sunday.
The number is 10.

ADVENT

Yes—the four-week countdown to Christmas begins this Sunday. The colors go all purple, and the music gets sweet and tender—all for the Baby Jesus. Mary will preach on Advent 1.

We will light that first candle.

The Class—Discovering God

Did you see my little article this week on God’s intervention in our lives? That was a voice from an unseen presence. But what about physical interventions in the created order? That’s what we will talk about in class this week. Should be interesting.

Class at 9:45—breakfast after.

Speaking of Breakfast

Yep—Winston is up to bat this week. (Bring something if you wish.)

Food and fellowship at 10:30, followed by worship.

Christmas Schedule

I’m working to get ready for our Christmas Open House at my place on Sunday, Dec. 15. We’ve had some badly needed work done recently, so the house is a mess. That has got to change pretty quickly. And I will need to get my tree up earlier than usual.

+++ We will need some of you to help with the refreshments. +++

The purpose of this event is just to give us a time of Christmas fellowship. And you may find the house interesting. Everything in it is pretty old—including me.

That’s from 2:00 to 5:00 on December 15.

Our Christmas concert is late this year due to our singers’ schedules: Saturday, Dec. 21, at 6:00 p.m.

But!!—you will be glad to hear, Christmas Eve remains on the 24th. Some things do NOT change. That’s also at 6:00 p.m.

God Bless,
MB