Mary’s Room

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Peace and love to you from a follower of Jesus Christ,

My prayers for you this week have been for comfort and peace. Anxiety, worry, and fear are palpable in the air as we approach this most contentious election next week. I understand those feelings and find myself frequently “belly breathing” and inviting the peace of Christ into my mind. I remind myself that “the Lord is my shepherd, walking with me through green pastures, still waters,” and whatever chaos the world is experiencing. I tell myself, “let not your heart be troubled.” I am a follower of Jesus, and I do feel the presence of the risen Christ in my life, even in the middle of a society at war with itself. I remember that God is eternal and all-knowing. God has already seen what happens in the future, including the election next week. I know we all have an outcome in mind that either brings us joy or fear. I encourage all of you to choose to trust in God. The best we can do is to vote in the way our conscience leads us. The next best thing we can do is to continue to love our neighbors and to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in our neighborhood. Neither of those two things depends on who sits in the White House. All politics aside, it is imperative that an open, affirming, accepting, and loving voice of the church is heard above the noise of people at war with each other over political ideals. Saint Matthew is such a church, and we have that voice.

Don’t forget our picnic this weekend, which looks like it will be held indoors. We had very few folks sign up on Sunday for the event. Please let Vita know what you plan to bring if you did not sign up on Sunday. This will be a very informal event; we will have no decorations, but we will need a cleanup crew. I encourage you to bring everything that you and your family will need that you would bring for a picnic, and then bring a little more to share with others.

We have two important events coming up. On November 5th, Saint Matthew will host a voting location. After our picnic on Sunday, we will work together to make sure the bathrooms and the fellowship hall are clean and ready to receive guests. Our second important event is a wedding that has been booked at the church for December 7th. This is our first time hosting a wedding as a paid venue. We will work together on Thursday evening, December 5th, and Friday, December 6th, to make certain that the church is clean and ready to receive guests.

Finally, my beloved siblings, keep your thoughts on things that are good, things that are right, things that are just, things that are loving. When we think on these things, the world is a better place.

Mary

Kids’ News

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Last week, we talked about the three visitors who came to Abraham’s tent and promised that Abraham, who was 99, and Sarah, who was 90, would have a son. True to God’s promise, they had a son named Isaac, which means “He Laughs.” Later, Isaac had a son named Jacob.

When we meet Jacob, he’s on the run. Jacob had tricked his father into giving him his older brother Esau’s birthright, and now Esau wants to kill him for it. So Jacob flees. After a long journey, he stops to rest, and while he’s asleep, God appears to him in a dream. In the dream, God promises Jacob land, many descendants, and His protection, just as He did for Abraham. God also promises to be with Jacob always. God keeps His promises and is always present with us.

We look forward to seeing you in church this Sunday to talk more about God’s promises!

It may sound early, but we’re already preparing a Christmas program for the kids. During church, they’ll present the program, and if we’re lucky, St. Nick himself will join us after lunch! Parents, please let Miss Vickie or me know if your little ones will be part of the program, so we can make sure Santa has enough stockings filled with goodies for each child.

Blessings…

We Are Like Them

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This is a strange time.

This may turn out to be the quiet before the storm, the days before the fall, the last light before darkness comes.

In just 11 days, we may lose that which so many have died to save: our democracy.

I used to think Germany must have been a truly perverse nation to elect Hitler.

(Yes, he was elected.)

In 1932, the Nazi Party won only 33 percent of the vote, but that was enough for Hitler to insist that he be appointed Chancellor.

That 33 percent looks pretty good compared to us.

Nearly half of our people are vulnerable to the same prejudicial hatreds that drove the Germans.

Germans hated Jews and gay people.

In our country, the reviled groups are still the Jews and gay people, but add immigrants.

Germany was a mostly Christian nation, the land of Martin Luther. But as in America today, Christians in Germany held onto their hatreds and fears of anyone different.

Recently, millions of Methodists left the UMC so they could continue to marginalize gay people.

Millions of American Christians today support someone who called immigrants “vermin.”

(That, by the way, was Hitler’s word for Jews.)

However things go in 11 days, we are looking at a massive failure of the church.

I will tell you again: at the root of our problem is biblical inerrancy.

A majority of Christians worship the Bible, not Jesus. They have never accepted his call to love all people. Now we face the cost of that failure.

May God help us.