*Please note that some activities are not church-sponsored or may be private; contact the church office to confirm.

July begins our water collection to contribute to the local cooling centers. Cases of water will be accepted beginning July 13 and throughout the month of July.

St. Matthew is mighty in helping our community. You all are amazing!!!

If you're looking for ideas of what non-perishable items we can always use, we still need small jars of peanut butter, canned tuna or chicken, canned vegetables, canned pasta sauce, and cereal.

Thank you for your kindness to those in need.

--Food Box Team

As a species, we are prone to focus on that which we dread and fear. It helped keep us alive. But now the frequency of bad news is off the charts and it isn’t keeping us alive, rather it is quietly draining the life right out of us. We are stressed, and tired, and scared, and we are tired of being scared and stressed. Awe is the antidote.

Awe is a profound emotional response that can significantly impact our wellbeing and perception of the world. Awe often arises from experiences that transcend our usual understanding, such as viewing vast landscapes, listening to powerful music, encountering extraordinary acts of kindness, or feeling heightened devotion and a Divine Presence connecting us all. To be a “Purveyor of Awe” is to be intentional about curating a life of spiritual depth. This has implications not only for one’s own life, but also as motivation to tend to the wellbeing of others. We must engage in awe-filled practices that heighten our connection to that which is bigger than us, remind us that we are not alone, and offer us respite and resilience. The Word became flesh—God’s presence among us is wonder beyond comprehension. Awe is the beginning of faith.

“Purveyors of Awe” is an eight-week worship series and study. Each week we will find awe in a different frame: Beauty, Wonder, Meaning, Curiosity, Delight, Connection, and Self-Giving, and we will explore each of these with a story from the New Testament, the Psalms, and other scripture.

Flat Carlo helps us remember that faith should be uplifting, fun, and even sometimes funny. What a blessing to have a bishop who is so down-to-earth that a cardboard version of him is available for photo ops and to support our Annual Conference mission project—the food pantries of the North District. St. Matthew UMC will be making a $100 donation to the mission project in honor of Flat Carlo’s visit. We hope you got your picture with Flat Carlo, because he goes back to the Conference office soon!

So the church quickly opened its facilities — including its ministry Light on the Hill, a former retreat center that now serves as a hub for social services. Among those who came were families from across the country waiting to learn the fates of loved ones at Camp Mystic, the Christian camp swallowed by floodwaters.

By July 6, grieving church members and visitors gathered in the stained-glass-lit sanctuary to worship God and seek his comfort.

“You can just feel the heaviness in this space,” said Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, who joined the church for Sunday services.

“And at the same time, we know that we serve alongside a God of hope, a God of possibility, a God that never leaves us or forsakes us, a God that is always promised to be with us.”

. . .

As the rescue operations turn into relief operations, the Kerrville congregation’s Light on the Hill ministry will now become a staging ground for National Guard and other first responders.

Throughout the long grieving and recovery process, Harvey said she and other United Methodists in the region will hold onto God’s promise “as we walk alongside these people here whose hearts are broken alongside ours.”

She asked that people continue to pray. Referencing Methodism founder John Wesley’s last words, she said, “We know, best of all, even in moments like this, God is with us.”

Two leading members of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security last week sent letters to the nongovernmental organizations seeking to know by June 24 how they used U.S. taxpayer dollars in their work during former President Biden’s administration.

The letter states the committee “is conducting oversight of the potential use of federal resources to facilitate illegal immigration.”

The Council of Bishops, the bishops’ Immigration Task Force, United Methodist Board of Church and Society, and the Immigration Law and Justice Network all confirmed receiving the letter.

Neither the bishops and its task force nor the board of Church and Society receive any federal funding.

“The Council of Bishops does not receive any resources from the federal government,” Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, the Council of Bishops executive secretary, told United Methodist News. “We have responded to the inquiry stating the same.”

Church and Society, the denomination’s social witness agency, plans to respond the same way.

Immigration Law and Justice Network staff told United Methodist News that all they can comment for now is that they are reviewing the letter. The ministry provides legal aid to low-income immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers each year. That means they essentially work within the U.S. legal system. The United Methodist Committee on Relief founded the ministry in 1999, but did not receive a letter.

. . .

While neither the United Methodist bishops nor Church and Society receive any federal funding, The United Methodist Church has long taught — based on multiple Scripture passages — that church members are called to welcome migrants, refugees and immigrants.

Church and Society and the bishops’ Immigration Task Force also have long advocated for U.S. lawmakers to pass immigration reform to offer more legal pathways for people to come to the U.S.

Most recently, United Methodists in Southern California have been praying and engaging in peaceful protests for an end to immigration raids in their communities. Most of those being arrested have no criminal record.

“We oppose all laws and policies that attempt to criminalize, dehumanize or punish displaced individuals and families based on their status as migrants, immigrants, or refugees,” say the Social Principles approved by General Conference last year.

“Additionally, we decry attempts to detain displaced people and hold them in inhumane and unsanitary conditions. We challenge policies that call for the separation of families, especially parents and minor children, and we oppose the existence of for-profit detention centers for such purposes.”

What an incredible two years it has been! It’s hard to believe how quickly the time has passed. As I reflect on our journey together, one phrase comes to mind above all others: “Thank you.” Thank you for welcoming this “Peculiar Pastor” and allowing me to walk alongside you in this beloved community called St. Matthew United Methodist Church. It has truly been an honor and a privilege to pray with you—from the pulpit and in the pews—to study scripture seriously, to celebrate life’s joys, to grieve together at life’s hardest moments, to share stories, and to listen to the beautiful stories you have shared with me and with one another.

Speaking of stories, thank you for the incredible storytelling at the pastor’s potluck. What a memorable and heartfelt gift that was! And thank you for putting together the best potluck ever—truly, you outdid yourselves.

At this year’s Annual Conference in Las Vegas, St. Matthew received the “One Matters Award.” I am so incredibly proud of you and the work you have done as a church, expressing love and care to each other and to our neighborhood. I don’t see this as an award for accomplishment, but as a recognition of your deep commitment to being disciples of Jesus. Being a disciple isn’t always comfortable—it often means taking risks and letting go of outcomes, trusting them to God. I pray you will continue to take those risks and be all that God is calling you to be. Remember to pay attention to what you notice, to practice the spiritual discipline of “God Sightings,” and to watch for God at work in our world—through creation, through relationships, and in the unexpected surprises of life. And never forget: we don’t do this work alone. We do it together, and always with the help of the Holy Spirit.

As a farewell blessing, I offer you these words—words and phrases that are near and dear to my heart:

St. Matthew, you will always have a special place in my heart. You are loved, and you are appreciated.

With gratitude,

Pastor Joel

From the weekly newsletter 6/20/25:

Fellowship Time is alive and well in the Activity Center after service each week! Come join your fellow worshippers for conversation and light refreshments. We've started something new this spring: Fellowship Time (including providing food and cold drinks, setup, and cleanup) is now hosted by a different committee each month. But Nolan will continue to make us delicious coffee each week!

Hope to see you in Fellowship Time next Sunday!

Zoom Conference Call (Registration required; see button below)
July 17, 2025
8:00PM Eastern Time

The webinar will focus on:

• Impact of the Supreme Court decision related to Birthright Citizenship
• Tactics employed by ICE
• Travel ban and traveling in general

Live interpretation will be available in ASL, Vosa Vakaviti, Français, 한국어, Português, Español, Kiswahili, and faka-Tonga.

Registration is required via the button below.