Seekers looking at the church today might think Christians are crazy.
And with good reason.
Look at this: The Southern Baptists are set to vote on banning women from
ministry. They already ban women, but some feel they are not banned enough.
Catholics, too, just want men as priests, but they specify single men.
Baptists don’t generally like single pastors. They want them married.
Baptists, Catholics, and the folks that left the UMC ban gay people, male or female, from being pastors.
One Baptist leader said, “We must believe what the Bible says and put that into practice.”
They must all have different Bibles!
It does look a bit crazy.
What if God fails to follow the rules? What if God just goes plum off the rails and calls a woman or a gay person to ministry?
What then?
I once had a profound experience while I was serving Communion. It was, I must tell you, a very Catholic experience.
I shared it with a priest at the University of Dallas. He studied it carefully and noted that I am Methodist.
“No,” he said, “You can’t have an experience like that. You are not a Catholic.”
Guess God thought I was. Or, more likely, God doesn’t give a tinker’s dam. (Not a curse.)
God calls whom God will. God calls straight people, gay people, men, women, single folks, and married with children.
Ignorant and narrow-minded Christians need to get out of the way and let God work.
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Thanks for the gifts!
And hey! Remember the Gospel concert at 6:00 on Sat. June 24. Great singers.
And me, too.
Spectacular Music
We built our service last week around the glorious music from the quartet—Blake, Shannon, Andrew and Michaella Moore. Just think—we’ve got Blake and Courtney every Sunday!
Father’s Day
That’s this Sunday.
My dad, Bill Brennan, died at 62 in 1974. (My mom lived another 28 years longer.) I’m always glad to remember my parents—and I’m sure you are, too.
Mary will be preaching.
She gave one of her finest sermons on Mother’s Day. (But they are always good.)
Saturday, June 24 Gospel Nite
6:00 p.m.—light supper after
Yes, it’s a fundraiser. But it is primarily a celebration of God’s grace expressed in music.
This is a return of a St. Matthew tradition. Jerri Brauer is no longer here to bring her pot of red beans. Concert folks—many from beyond the church— called her “the Bean Woman.” We may need another Bean Woman.
The supper after is pot luck.
Anticipate the fellowship.
Love to all of you—especially those who have illness in the family. (I know some of you have.)
See you Sunday.
God Bless—MB
Catching Up
We will get a break on our roofing bill. Our own Bill
Wheeler has roofers. Praises be!
Catching Up
We will get a break on our roofing bill. Our own Bill
Wheeler has roofers. Praises be!
