Saint Matthew United Methodist Church

Log in

  • Kids’ News

    Sue Kelcey

    We had a wonderful lesson on Sunday—Praying in The Garden. Our Bible story begins after Jesus and the disciples shared the Last Supper. Jesus knew his death was coming soon. He didn’t want to die and was probably sad and anxious. He prayed that God would present him with a solution so he wouldn’t have to die, but he also knew it was up to God. After fervently praying, Jesus was visited by an angel. The angel set his mind at peace, and Jesus knew what he had to do.

    In this story, Jesus provides us with a model for prayer, taking his sadness and his fear and turning it over to God—as we are taught to do. Jesus asks for what he wants but ultimately prays for God’s will to be done. This is what we are expected to do. Everyone needs to know that no matter what is happening, we can go to God, just like Jesus did. It might not change the outcome, but it will bring comfort to know that God goes with us and is present amid our fear and sadness.

    We need to remind all of you that we will have an Easter egg hunt before church on Easter Sunday. Get to church early that day. Have Mom and Dad get you to church by 9:45! And ask Grandma or Grandpa! We have some real goodies this year! Lots more than just candy, I noticed the bunny already left a really big golden egg with big bucks inside!! The bunny says there are lots of toys inside. Talk to Mom about this egg hunt. We also have a movie during church complete with popcorn and juice.

    See you there! Blessings….

  • Saint Matthew Today for March 20, 2024

    Jason Hardy
    2024-03-20-St-Matthew-TodayDownload

  • 2412 – The Cross Is an X-Ray

    Jason Hardy
    YouTube player

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

    https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/saintmatthewumc/episodes/Episode-2412—The-Cross-is-an-X-Ray-e2haelj
    Register your attendance

  • Friday’s Word

    Max Brennan

    A Misconception

    The late John Shelby Spong, Episcopal Bishop, was a skeptic. He asked of the Resurrection:

    Do bodies dead for 36 hours resuscitate and walk out of graves?

    Do these revived bodies have working vocal cords allowing them to speak? Do they have a functioning skeletal system so that they can walk?

    And how can such a body walk through walls with locked doors and barred windows?

    Clearly, Bishop Spong thought the Christian claim for Resurrection meant a resuscitated corpse. And he did not believe in that.

    I don’t either.

    But Bishop Spong had no other concept. And I suspect many (or most) Christians share the same misconception.

    A resuscitated corpse would simply put Jesus right back in the world.

    Flesh and blood again—someday to die again.

    Is this what you believe?

    Have you ever really thought about it?

    This is where the image on the Shroud of Turin becomes a vital witness.

    For those who are willing to think about what they believe, the image on the Shroud presents a powerful picture.

    The Shroud image records a physical event that left physical forensic evidence.

    Jesus did not resuscitate. His body transformed.

    It dematerialized in a quantum physics event.

    It returned to the spiritual state from which it had come.

    The cloth fell through the body, recording x-ray-like images of the bones in the hands and the sockets for the teeth.

    A life-sized replica of the Shroud will feature in our Good Friday service two weeks from today.

    Light supper at 6:15.

    Worship at 7:00.

  • Max’s Corner

    Max Brennan

    Got New Shoes

    I Know.

    That’s not worth a headline. But I bought my last shoes before COVID! It’s hard for me to choose new shoes because I have feet problems. My feet look fine. In fact, a foot doctor once told me I had great looking feet. (It’s a shame my best feature is on the wrong end.) But my feet don’t work that well. The good news is—my new shoes help. You can tell I must be excited about that—because I’m talking about my shoes!!

    Of all things.

    Breakfast

    I told you last week we would not have breakfast because Winston was out. Turned out, we had a huge breakfast this last Sunday—and not enough people to eat it—because I said we would not have it.

    Shame on me.

    This Sunday

    Sermon: “The Cross Is an X-Ray”

    It is the sermon I had planned to preach last week but I changed it to address Mary’s situation.

    Mary will be moving on with her ministry.

    Uninterrupted. Undeterred.

    Mary will be back this Sunday.

    Two Sundays Till Palm Sunday

    And Palm Sunday dinner and then Holy Week. And then—you guessed it—Easter.

    See you in worship.

    See what would happen if everybody decided to come to church on the same Sunday.

    Let’s do that this Sunday.

    God bless—MB

    By the way, this Sunday we will sing Love, Mercy, and Grace—not a big deal to most of you, but it was this congregation’s favorite hymn when I came here 100 years ago.

    AND—remember to bring those plastic eggs and candy for the Easter egg hunt for our children.