Making Peace: Finding True Peace in Life and Faith
Watch the full service on our YouTube channel by clicking here.
How do we find true peace in every part of our lives? In this week’s sermon,
Rev. Teague explores what it means to be a peacemaker, as Jesus describes in Matthew 5:9.
👉 Want to learn more about how to bring peace into your life and those around you? Join us here: saintmatthewumc.com
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
– Matthew 5:9
“Making peace with others and God begins with forgiveness and love. Let peace start with you.”
– Rev. Mary Teague
No. 2444 – Rev. Teague touches on making peace with our past traumas, accepting our mortality, offering forgiveness freely to others, and opening our hearts to God’s love and grace. It’s a powerful reminder that peace isn’t just a feeling; it’s a way of living.
Put Jesus First
He said, because of immigrants, “we have some really bad genes in this country.”
God, help us!
He said, “Over 13 million immigrants have murdered people.”
God, help us!
Bad genes! Thirteen million murderers!
Eating cats and dogs!
God, help us!
Something is seriously wrong, isn’t it? And sadly, most people who believe the lies are Christians.
Or do they believe them?
Is it possible that a lot of Christians just do not care?
Lie, if it helps.
Lie, if you can get your way.
But make sure to display those Ten Commandments in classrooms, so the kids know the rules their parents are willing to break.
What does it mean that nearly half our population can’t tell right from wrong?
What does it mean that much of the conservative church seems to be a moral mess?
The source of the problem is simple: Too many Christians worship the Bible without paying attention to Jesus.
Christians are trained to accept moral chaos.
God is love, yes, but at the same time, God killed all the first-born sons of the Egyptians.
Love your neighbor, yes, but if your neighbors are the Amalekites, God says destroy all of them—men, women, children, and babes in arms.
For those who read the Bible as inerrant, God is only love sometimes.
Christians who worship the Bible deny Jesus of His authority over Scripture.
Put Jesus first in reading the Bible. His standards do not change with every dictator on the horizon.
Max’s Corner
It went long, but nobody noticed. It was filled with more laughter than any memorial service I can remember. And it seemed a fitting remembrance. The music Bill chose for his own service was appropriate, and some of it was funny, as we would expect. We give thanks.
The Class: Discovering God
We are looking for God in all the right places. This Sunday, we will name those places. How do we know the truth about God?
This class is for those who want to “see God more clearly and follow Him more nearly.” We have some exciting discussions ahead. In this class, you’ll hear some of the most remarkable accounts ever shared.
Join any time.
Class at 9:45 AM—followed by breakfast.
Speaking of Breakfast:
This is a “We-Bring Sunday.” We need a good breakfast. Feel free to help out.
Food and fellowship at 10:30 AM.
This Sunday:
Mary preaches—it feels like it’s been a while. We’re ready for it.
The choir will get a little Pentecostal this week with a rousing, Every Time I Feel the Spirit.
How great our choir is sounding!
And Kristi has been stirring us up with that prelude each week.
Church.
What a joy!
See you Sunday.
God Bless,
MB
Remember the new class.
Check the board in the hall for times for the Saints and Sinners Tour. Jim Bailey says you’ll have a good—and a bit spooky—time.
Mary’s Corner
Greetings, dear church and family,
I want to say thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make the celebration of life for Bill Parker such a success. Specifically, I want to thank Nan McCosky for cleaning the church, and a special thank you to Veta and all of the folks who served the lunch. Thanks to all who brought food, and especially for making every visitor feel welcome and special. Bill would be proud of you. Finally, I want to thank everyone who stayed to help clean up. The fellowship hall looked beautiful thanks to Connie and her decorating folks. However, I know there was a big mess to clean up after serving almost 100 people. I’m grateful for the way everybody pulled together to make this a special event for the Parkers. This isn’t the end of memorials for Bill. On October 15th, Bill will be interred at the DFW VA cemetery. He will receive full military honors there for his service in the Vietnam War.
This Sunday at 9:00 AM sharp in the fellowship hall, we will have a table set up for flu vaccines. These are the regular flu vaccines and are appropriate for folks over the age of nine. These are not the senior vaccines. The regular dose takes a few more days than the senior dose to be effective, but both provide the same immunity. Please be there between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM to get your vaccine.
Last weekend was a very busy time for us as a congregation. Words cannot express how grateful I am for all of you. I also can’t say enough about how this grief is going to impact us. Be gentle with each other, patient with each other, and kind. Look for opportunities to carry on the acts of service Bill did in our congregation. We need a new chairperson for the Pastor Parish Relations Committee (PPRC), as Bill Parker filled that position for us in the past. Winston will be arranging a meeting of the PPRC soon so that we can nominate a new chairperson. The PPRC is the “human resources” part of church operations, managing staff and pastor issues along with annual evaluations. Please be in prayer that God will raise up someone to serve.
I am preaching this weekend, and I’m hoping to see all of your faces in your usual seats on Sunday morning. The choir is working on some beautiful numbers, and this weekend is no exception. Try to be there on Sunday if you can. If you can’t make it to the church, please join us online at saintmatthewumc.com.
Love to all,
Mary