Greetings, Sir.
You are wrong. Yes, God is love, but
his heart was not overflowing with love
when he destroyed the world with a flood.
He was angry. God shows wrath toward
any who oppose him. They will not see his
loving side. Respectfully,

   Apologies to the writer for using her e-mail. I’m sure she’s a fine person
  And apologies to all for staying on this subject.
  But biblical inerrancy is the chief illness of the church.
  It allows people to think that God has a “loving side” and a mean side. (A two-faced God.)
  It allows us followers of Christ to be loving when it suits us and mean as Old Billy when we want to be.
  And biblical inerrancy is what makes Christians so often vulnerable to the lies of truly evil politicians.
  It undermines morality and judgment.
  I know, with some of you, I’m wasting my breath in saying all of this.
  But God can’t be both loving and wrathful. God can’t love his enemies and also destroy them.
  God can’t, through Jesus, condemn retaliation, and then retaliate.
  Jesus tells us to love even those who do not love us. He says loving like that makes us perfect, like God. (Mt. 5:38-48)
  Read that scripture I just noted—ten verses.
  There is not even one biblical inerrantist in the whole wide world who believes those verses.
  If I shout this real loud, can everyone hear me?
  GOD—IS—LOVE!!!
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St. Matthew lives on the gifts of those who love this church. We preach a God who loves us as we are. Not everyone does. If you want to help, go to our website and click on “give.” Or mail a gift. Or—radical idea—bring it with you Sunday at 11:00.

Oops!

One thing I look forward to every week is whatever Blake (or Blake and Shannon) may do. But I was really tired Sunday—and something got lost.

I got home Sunday afternoon and lay back in my recliner. It seemed strange to me that I could not remember

Blake’s solo. Was I so sleepy I missed it. No! I was so tired I left it out! Went right from the prayer to the offering. So, we missed a blessing. But Blake is already prepared for
this Sunday.

Saturday Nite Gospel

A monthly Saturday Gospel Nite was once a big part of St. Matthew life. It was a door to the church for some people. They came to the concerts before they came to a worship service.

These begin again this month—on June 24. Leading it will be me, Mary, Blake, Shannon and Kristi. (Not everyone will be involved every time.) And we will have guest performers occasionally.

No one in the above gang but me knows what these concerts look like—feel like—but everyone will know after the first one.

There is a light supper afterwards—a good time of fellowship. We all bring the food. We eat what comes in.

Most of the music will be Gospel, but Shannon will soon do a whole evening of Frank Sinatra. And we will have a Broadway night. We used to fill the house for our Christmas concert in December. It was a big deal. We had our Christmas dinner after the concert and Santa came for the kids. (Expect this again—on Dec. 12.)

These will not be live-streamed. (We use some rec orded music we can’t get permission for.) You will have to come in person.

Great singing. Great time. Be looking forward to our first one. Saturday, June 24—6:00p.m. (Get home before dark.)

See you Sunday.
Yes—first Sunday. We gather at the Table.

   I said last week that Paul can be wrong—as he is in saying women should be quiet in church. This is one response I got:

I have a problem with that. If the Bible is the Word of God, you can’t say the words God gave Paul to speak are wrong. If Paul is wrong, what else in the Bible may be wrong?
(Name)

   That takes a lot of answering. The Bible is not the Word of God. Jesus is—the “Word made flesh,” John tells us.
   And God inspired Paul, but God did not take away Paul’s freedom to think and speak on his own.
   And something is never true just because it is in the Bible. The world is not flat with “four corners,” as the Bible indicates.
   And God did not tell the Hebrew people to slay the Amalekites—men, women, and babes in arms.
   The Bible says it, but it’s not true. That is against God’s nature.
   We know something is true when the evidence shows it to be true.
   I know the teachings of Jesus are right because our lived experience proves them to be right. And the God we meet in personal religious experience is the God we know through the teachings of Jesus.
   The fellow whose note I printed lives on dangerous ground. A person cannot believe God pushed for the slaying of the Amalekites and believe Jesus.
   Jesus said God loves all people–even his enemies. He said God is “kind to the wicked.”
   Biblical inerrantists do not believe the teachings of Jesus. That’s where the problem lies.
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   We just had a $16,000 plumbing break at St. M. If you would like to help fund Friday’s Word during our “crunch,” go to “Give” on our website.
Blessings

A Nice Note

Dear Reverend, I always enjoy/get sad/find humor/start to despair/regain some hope/always rejoice at your simple and profound wisdom.
In short, thank you. One of these days I might come join you for a service or a study. I know I would enjoy either. Stay strong in body and spirit.
Tony —

The Way It Works

   Tony has probably read Friday’s Word for years. Then he begins to think about giving us a visit. And I expect he will. This is the way it works at St. Matthew.
   We need to be glad about this—because this is the only reason St. Matthew exists (while many once-strong strong Eastside churches are closed).
   Churches can no longer survive by reaching the neighborhood around the church.
   I saw a report on a once-strong church trying to hold things together with an attendance of 20 on Sundays. They could not make it. And the closing of that church was particularly sad, because they maintained a soup-kitchen that fed a hundred people during the week.
   And the more progressive a church is, the wider the net it needs to throw. A couple visited from down the street recently. The gay issue was addressed during the service. I knew they would not be back. St. Matthew is a lovely and loving place. But we are a shock to some people who just wander in our door.
   Friday’s Word still works. (Our three newest members found us through it.) And we better be glad it works. There is no substitute.
Someday, when I am gone, Mary will have to write once a week in a little box in the paper.

Pentecost Sunday

It’s a big day—on a holiday weekend. Come to church before you go visit Aunt Sally. And wear something red. We’re going to have a rousing time of it. Sermon: God Does Stuff. (Acts 2:1-12)

   We just took a financial hit that was entirely unexpected. A problem with our sewage system caused the two pumps for our two buildings to burn out—dumping the sewage outside the kitchen door.
   We are replacing them to the tune of $16,000. Our property is below the level of the city sewage line in the street so we must have pumps to move the waste uphill. The good news is we are getting better pumps. Also, it is unlikely to happen again. The bad news is the bill.
   We are not in trouble financially.
   We even have a substantial rainy-day fund stuck back. But we do not want to touch it.
   This is not a rainy day.
   But we do want to put a moratorium on any extra spending right now. (At the same time we will not scrimp on what we do need for choir, our children, and worship.)
   So, on Mother’s Day I paid for the flowers—something the church usually does. And I will pay the $700.00 cost to go to Waco (hotel, gas and food) for the three-day Annual Conference in early June. The church usually pays this, but I am paying my way this year.
   I will be doing all that I can to (1) make sure we have the money we need for the usual operations of our church, and (2) work to avoid extra spending.
   Let me remind you: We are not in trouble.
   We are doing fine—and we want to keep it that way. Your love and faithfulness will help us move on in the Lord’s work—and keep the sewage out of our back yard.
   Can I get a witness here?
   Amen!

White, Red, then Green

   Our white paraments will be put away after this Sunday, May 21, the last Sunday in the Easter Season.
   Mary will be preaching–Part 2 of her really wonderful sermon which she began last week.
   The next Sunday, May 28, we go red for Pente cost—the “Birthday of the Church.” It’s a big day. So, help make it a big. Be sure you are present to celebrate.
   And after Pentecost, we go green for what is called “Ordinary Time.” It lasts all the way to Advent—four weeks before Christmas.

Last Week

   You may have noticed I was not present last Sunday. My sister had a bad reaction to an antibiotic and we spent much of Saturday night in emergency.
   So glad Mary was scheduled to preach!
   I watched online. (What a good job Jason and whoever was helping “up in the booth” do with our livestream!)
   I counted five in our choir last Sunday–a mere quartet.
   Such lovely sound from so few! (We usually have two or three more.) The choir will sing one more time—this Sunday—before summer break.
   Which means Blake and Shannon will have to figure out something big for Pentecost Sunday.
   Of course, everything they do is big.

Teaching Returns

   In July, we resume classes on Sunday mornings at 10:00 and on Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. We will have some guest teachers from outside the church. My sister and I will both do a series of lessons. I’m sure Mary will teach a series.
   We will have a lively summer.

Annual Conference

   On Sunday, June 4, after church, I will head for Annual Conference in Waco. (I haven’t checked with Mary to see if her work schedule will allow her to attend.) Our bishop says we have now lost 118 churches out of 254—about 47%. That’s churches, not people. Annual Conference, made up of pastors and lay delegates from all Central Texas Conference churches, will be smaller this year. But we are heading for a more inclusive—and less sinful church.
   Let us witness to the world in this fateful hour: Excluding people for their sexual orientation is sin.
   I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.