Saint Matthew United Methodist Church

  • Kids’ News

    Sue Kelcey

    We have been talking for some time about the twins, Esau and Jacob. In last week’s lesson, Rebecca helped her son Jacob fool her husband into bestowing Esau’s birthright onto Jacob. When Esau discovers he has been robbed of his birthright, he wants to kill Jacob. Esau is very upset, angry, and confused. Rebecca sends Jacob away and Isaac finally does give Esau a blessing; however, the blessing is more like a banishment. Isaac says Esau will move far away and will serve his brother. Everyone in this story must have felt overwhelmed. It is easy to get overwhelmed when life gets hard.

    When there is chaos all around us, we sometimes lose our ability to think clearly; and we don’t always respond in helpful ways. This story shows us what to not do. But this story allows us to act differently. We can proceed by asking God to be with us and strengthen our faith, to be able to be healthy and whole. See you in church on Sunday. Blessings.

  • Saint Matthew Today for November 8th, 2023

    Jason Hardy
    2023-11-08-St-Matthew-TodayDownload

  • 2347 – Living in the Present, Focused on the Future

    Jason Hardy
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    John 13:34-35 New International Version

    34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

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  • Friday’s Word

    Max Brennan

    Communion This Sunday

    Matthew tells us that Jesus amazed people by talking as “one having authority, not as the teachers of the law.”

    Jesus didn’t quote scripture before he spoke.

    He even contradicted scripture at times: “It was said, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’ but I say to you…”

    Jesus would say “amen, amen” before he spoke, not after. (That’s the “verily, verily” of the old King James version.)

    He was declaring what was coming to be true before he said it—and with reference to no authority beyond himself.

    And Jesus said things no one had ever said before.

    Things like: “Love your enemies.”

    Search all the ancient writers for that idea. You won’t find it. It is certainly not in the Old Testament.

    “Love people that do not love you,” he said. “Love those who persecute you.”

    He pushed an entirely new concept of God—a God who “is kind to the ungrateful and to the wicked.”

    People had never heard anything like that before—and most of them didn’t like it.

    Most people don’t like it today. Most Christians don’t like it.

    That’s why people cling to biblical inerrancy. This allows them to lift the old images of God over the God we know through the teachings of Jesus.

    It’s like Jesus said: “When people have tasted the new wine, they say the old is better.”

    Jesus is not all that popular. Many Christians pay little attention to him.

    + +

    Sermon on the Sunday after this one: What Jesus Said about the Gay Issue.

    Did he talk about it?

    Yes, of course.

  • Max’s Corner

    Max Brennan

    Topic a Week from Sunday

    You don’t need the sermon I will be preaching Sunday after this, but many beyond our church do. Ignorance is rampant. Ugliness is growing. We need to make it clear that Jesus was aware that people are different, and differences must be accommodated.

    We need to continue to say that “gay” and “straight” are not categories God cares about.

    They are differences that make no difference to God.

    Although we don’t need to be convinced, I think all of us will be interested in some remarkable scripture in Matthew.

    Following that sermon, I will begin the series I talked about Sunday.

    Communion Sunday

    Mary up to Bat.

    Mary has been in Puerto Rico because of her serious addiction—to golf! She has been helping a friend run a tournament.

    (I agree with Mark Twain: “Golf is one way to ruin a good walk.”)

    But Mary is back to preach for us Sunday as we begin the eventful month of November.

    We will gather at the Lord’s table.

    All Saints Sunday

    You will have a chance to turn in the name of someone you loved and lost this year. We will read out the names in the service, along with those in our church who have passed since November a year ago.

    All Saints Sunday.

    Julian Rodriquez will sing his first solo for us.

    Kristi is out, so Blake will play the whole service for us.

    I hope you are looking forward to the grace of Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas in our church.

    God bless—MB

    (Hey!—remember breakfast every week at 10:30. And don’t eat all the donuts before I get there!)