I bring you peace and greetings in the name of the newborn Christ. As we bring our Advent season to a close, we have come to realize that this season has called us into a deeper understanding of the birth of Christ. I ask that you remember these things.

First, we have experienced Christ’s light breaking open our world from the inside out through an encounter with a humble king who chose gentleness over force. Second, we encountered the peace of a servant king who chose to leave the splendor of heaven to be with us. Third, we discovered an unexpected sense of peace in the midst of a world that feels on fire. And finally, remember this above all else: for all of eternity, you are loved.

I wish you good tidings of great joy this season.

Mary

The loss of Carolyn Bell feels like the end of an era to me. But most of our present members did not know her. She has been with her family in Flower Mound since 2014. That family is largely Church of Christ, so Carolyn’s family brought their minister to conduct a Church of Christ service in our church, with my eulogy in the middle of it.

Robbie, Carolyn’s daughter, knew her mom would want her service at Saint Matthew. And the family was happy with the service. That, of course, is what is important with a memorial service.

With my knee replacement only 10 days before, I was definitely in no shape to participate in the service. I did anyway, and I am so glad I did.

Danny and Leslie Detrick, the former choir director and his wife, were present, along with beloved former members. An era closes. Life goes on.

After My Surgery

I am making slow progress. It is harder and more painful than I thought it would be. The church has made a big difference. My sister and I are so grateful for the food that has come in. Thank you.

I hope to see you on Christmas Eve. Do not expect miracles. My movement will be limited. But what a time of rejoicing it will be.

We will have a great Christmas Eve service, and I will arrive hungry for worship.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

And a big Christmas dinner, with Santa for the kids.

Mary finishes her beautiful Advent sermon series this Sunday. The choir sings a glorious anthem. And then Christmas dinner.

Come prepare your hearts for the Babe in the manger.

God bless.

All that some of you must bring to the dinner this Sunday is desserts. Wish I could be there. I like desserts.

Greetings, dear friends and family of Saint Matthew!

As we draw near to the end of our Advent season together, I find myself looking back and wondering what happened to all the days between the first Sunday of Advent and now, here on December 16. I’ve told myself for years that life would calm down someday. And yet, when I look back and see how quickly time has passed, I sometimes feel cheated, as though it only keeps getting busier.

Today, I’ve decided to stop fighting that feeling. I’ve decided to trust that what is happening in my life is exactly what is meant to be happening. God’s grace and presence place me right where I’m supposed to be, doing exactly what I’m called to do. So instead of looking back and wondering where the time went, I’m choosing to stay right here in this moment—grateful for what is unfolding.

Because what is happening right now, in my life and in all of our lives, is that God continues to reveal God’s self in both microscopic and magnificent ways. We simply have to be open to noticing. It’s easy to become focused on the mundane, to slip into a kind of stupor as the world rushes by. But no more—not when every breath is precious, every word matters, and every interaction and experience can be a vessel of God’s grace. I encourage you to lean into each day. Advent may be marked once a year, but Jesus shows up every single day. Don’t blink, or you might miss him.

I also want to remind you that this Sunday, following worship, we will gather for our annual Christmas dinner. This year we’ll celebrate simply, sharing pizza and leftover spaghetti—along with an abundance of desserts, thanks to those of you who are bringing them. After lunch, we will enjoy the cutting of the cake with Joshua and Julian. I look forward to seeing you there. And for those watching remotely, please know that I am thinking of you and that you are missed. We love you so much. I am deeply grateful to be part of the ministry of Saint Matthew United Methodist Church and humbled to walk this journey with you each week.

With love,

Mary

This Sunday, we learned about the family story of Jesus, a story that begins in a very ordinary way. Mary was not a queen or a princess. She was a young woman, engaged to be married, living a normal life. At first, there was nothing about her situation that seemed special or important.

Then something unexpected happened. An angel came to Mary and said, “Do not be afraid.” Those words appear again and again in the Bible, especially when God is about to do something new. The angel told Mary that she would be part of God’s plan to bring love into the world through Jesus. What makes Mary’s story meaningful is not power or position, but her willingness to trust God when she did not have all the answers, just as we hear in the Gospel of Matthew’s telling of Jesus’ beginnings (Matthew 1).

Mary did not walk this path alone. She leaned on her community and found comfort and courage alongside her cousin Elizabeth, who was experiencing her own unexpected joy. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we remember that God’s love often shows up quietly, through ordinary people, and that this love, once given, lasts forever.

What We Learned:

• God often works through ordinary people.
• God’s love does not need power or fame to change the world.
• Trusting God can be hard, but we are never alone.
• When we share love and kindness, we help show God’s light to others.