Mary’s Corner

If you know someone who would like to learn more about our church, its people, and upcoming events, sign up for our weekly electronic newsletter at saintmatthewumc.com/newsletter/.

Poem 78 by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Write it on your heart every day is the best day in the year.

                He is rich who owns the day,

And no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

                Finish every day and be done with it.

You have done what you could.

Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.

Forget them as soon as you can,  tomorrow is a new day;

                Begin it well and serenely,

With too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

                This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations,

To waste a moment on the yesterday’s.©

I attended the funeral of a friend this past Saturday and this Emerson poem was part of the program. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a 19th-century American philosopher, minister, and writer. He held these ideas: people are best when they are independent and self-reliant, and not puppets of society and its institutions; intuition is a higher form of intelligence and can lead people to do the right thing; all creation is essentially unified; and divine experience is inherent in everyday life. 

I stumbled on the first three lines of the poem, scoffing at the idea that happy thoughts make everything better. But the next two lines made me smile, “Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could.” We all hold a lifetime of joys and regrets, some of us are more comfortable with regret. I believe God has no intention that we hold on to anything from the past. I believe God intends for us to live in the present, basking in the eternal light and love of our risen Savior. This is a very difficult task for me and I know I am not alone. I cling to the things that I am comfortable with, things behind me that cannot be changed. I want to cling to every moment that I am experiencing now, joyful or sorrowful, knowing that God is with me in all these things. We urgently need to focus on today and what we can do today to share the love of Christ with the world. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6: 34, ‘Don’t worry at all then about tomorrow. Tomorrow can take care of itself! One day’s trouble is enough for one day.’ (JB Phillips New Testament).

Max spoke Sunday about the mustard seed and the little things we can do to cause something good to grow. I pray for us to all have those little things in mind as we move through this day knowing that this new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on yesterday’s.

I am preaching Sunday. We will talk more about clinging. My love to all, Mary   

PS: I am hearing from all of you how lovely the fellowship hall decorations are. Thanks so very much to Cindy, Sheila, Lindsey, and all the others recruited to spiff up our fellowship hall!

Kids’ News – The Call of Levi

We had a busy week! Miss Vickie talked to our class about different ways people can be baptized and what baptism means. Some churches baptize by sprinkling water, while others practice full immersion. After learning about these different traditions, our kids decided they liked the Methodist way best and are giving it serious thought!

This week’s Bible story was about Levi (also known as Matthew), the tax collector. In Jesus’ time, tax collectors were disliked because they often took more money than required and kept the extra for themselves. Most people wanted nothing to do with them.

But then something amazing happened. Jesus saw Levi sitting at his tax booth and said, “Follow me.” (Luke 5:27)

That’s it—just two simple words! And do you know what Levi did? He got up, left everything behind, and followed Jesus!

Imagine how shocking that must have been. Jesus, a respected teacher, invited someone that most people thought was dishonest and unworthy. But Jesus doesn’t just call those who seem perfect—He calls everyone, including people who have made mistakes. Levi knew that following Jesus would change his life completely, and he didn’t hesitate. He even threw a big dinner at his house to celebrate, inviting Jesus and his disciples to eat with other tax collectors and outsiders.

Some religious leaders saw this and weren’t happy. They asked, “Why does Jesus eat with sinners?” (Mark 2:16)

Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

That’s the good news for us! Jesus doesn’t wait for us to be perfect before He calls us—He calls us just as we are.

What We Learned

Jesus invites everyone—even those who feel unworthy or left out.

Following Jesus means leaving behind the things that hold us back. Levi didn’t hesitate; he got up and followed!

We are called to welcome others, just like Jesus did. No one is too far gone for God’s love.

See you in church on Sunday!