Saint Matthew United Methodist Church

Log in

  • Mary’s Corner

    Mary Teague

    Greetings in the name of the Risen Christ!

    I am still giggling in joy over the events of the past two weeks. I am especially joyful over the great service we had Sunday morning. Julian’s song was perfection. And, once again, you continue to overwhelm me with love. It was so wonderful to feel your joy as well. We can spend a bit of time reveling in our freedom and then we will get together to make a strategic plan for getting back to the business of loving other people. You may remember last November that Bishop Saenz laid out the plan for fulfilling our mission as the new United Methodist Church. I look forward to working on this with you.

    Please remember the family of Julian Rodriguez in your prayers. Julian sang for us Sunday. He called me this morning to tell me his mother passed away suddenly. Julian is the oldest of his siblings also and will need special strength as he helps them navigate this difficult time. We will have the funeral at the church. Julian has a large family and they will provide their own food; however, I told them we would set up the fellowship hall for them. I will provide more details as they become available. 

    Blessings to all, and my undying love, Mary

  • Kids’ News

    Sue Kelcey

    This Sunday we learned about one of my very favorite ladies in the Bible!  Maybe you have heard of her. Tabitha was her name.  She was one of the poorest ladies in the town of Joppa.  In Bible times, women were completely dependent on men for their survival. If a woman’s husband died, the woman’s life took a drastic turn for the worst.  Women were not allowed to own property, so if the husband died, they would be at the mercy of others to be able to live.  Tabitha somehow had the resources to sew for others who were less fortunate. 

    Unfortunately, Tabitha became very sick and died.  When the other disciples heard about Tabitha’s death, they sent for Peter. Peter went right over and went upstairs where Tabitha’s body lay. Many community members were there, crying and showing one another tunics and other clothing Tabitha had made. The presence of the community showed how dedicated Tabitha was to loving and serving others.

    Peter asked the people to leave the room, and he knelt down and prayed. Peter commanded Tabitha to get up, and she opened her eyes and sat up.  Her friends were astounded and overjoyed at the same time. Through this story, we can learn that the exchange of loving gestures is part of being in the community of believers. See you in church. Blessings

  • Saint Matthew Today for May 8, 2024

    Jason Hardy
    2024-05-08-St-Matthew-Today-1Download

  • 2421 – No Expense Was Spared

    Jason Hardy
    YouTube player

    Watch the full service on our YouTube channel by clicking here.

    https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/saintmatthewumc/episodes/Episode-2421—No-Expense-Was-Spared-e2jakl1
    Register your attendance

    1 John 3:16-19 New International Version

    16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

    19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:

    Tags:

  • Friday’s Word

    Max Brennan

    They Know Not What They Do

    I found it in a shop in a small Texas town.

    It was a ceramic piece depicting a cross with an American flag. Hanging on the cross beam was a gun in a holster.

    The motto: “My God, my gun, my country.”

    “We sell a lot of those,” the shopkeeper said.

    Does the maker of this piece know anything about Jesus? What about the shopkeeper selling it?

    And what about those church people who support a man of vengeance for high office.

    Do they know Jesus?

    Can you be a Christian and ignore the heart of the gospel message?

    And what is that core message? It is that God loves all of us all the time—no matter who we are or what we’ve done.

    God loves even his enemies. That includes you and me from time to time.

    And here’s the rest of that core message? We are to love like God loves.

    We, too, are to love our enemies.

    In Matthew 5:46, Jesus tells us to love those who do not love us.

    Hurting people is out.

    Vengeance is out.

    So, what of those millions of church people who support a man of vengeance for high office?

    Have they never heard the Word? Or have they heard it and rejected it?

    I think they have never heard it—not from the pulpits in their churches.

    This is where we need to remember what Jesus said from the cross:

    “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

    I think many people who claim the name of Christ don’t know who they serve or what he stands for.

    +++

    We invite your support for Friday’s Word. See “Give” at the top of our web page.