Love, Joy, Peace...
Calendar, Upcoming Events, and News
*Please note that some activities are not church-sponsored or may be private; contact the church office to confirm.
St. Matthew Upcoming Events
Thursday Morning Study with Pastor Ann
Pastor Ann will continue the 9:30 Thursday morning study at St. Matthew UMC in C6-7. The first two weeks, July 3 and July 10, will be less “Bible study” and more a devotional with a chance to get to know your pastor. Everyone is welcome and light refreshments will be served. (Remember to wear your nametag!)
Beginning on July 17, the study will be “Purveyors of Awe” and will coordinate with the worship series that will begin on July 20. Workbooks for this study will be handed out on July 17, which will be an introductory session.
July Worship schedule
7/6 “Beginning Together” - An introduction to Pastor Ann
7/13 “Let It Begin With Me” - A celebration of and report on Annual Conference 2025
7/20 Purveyors of Awe: “In the Beginning: Awe” - Scripture: Psalm 5, John 1:1-18
7/27 Purveyors of Awe: “The Ache of Beauty” - Scripture: Job 33, Psalm 27, Luke 2:22-38
July Mission Focus: Collecting Bottled Water
In July, the Missions and Outreach Committee is collecting cases of pint-sized bottles of water for a neighborhood City of Mesa hydration center.
The committee thanks you for your generous and continued support of our projects!
July Youth Schedule
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Events Hosted by Our Partners in Ministry
From the Desert Southwest Conference 7/3/25:
UWF Mission u Registration - July 17-19
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Summer Camp registration is open!
St. Matthew is part of the Desert Southwest Annual Conference, which is blessed to have two camps: Mingus Mountain (north of Prescott Valley) and Potosi Pines (southwest of Las Vegas, Nevada). Children and youth from St. Matthew and their friends may go to either camp. Mingus will also be hosting a Friends & Family Camp Sun.-Tues. July 20-22, which will be open to all ages! Register soon--our camps fill up fast! (Financial assistance may be available; please contact Tonia or Pastor Ann.)
     Mingus 2025 summer camps
     Potosi Pines 2025 summer camps

News
From UMNews 7/7/25:
by The Rev. Amanda Banda and Heather Hahn
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Workers search through debris at Louise Hays Park in Kerrville, Texas, on July 6 after catastrophic floods over the Fourth of July weekend killed at least 95 people, including 27 campers and counselors at nearby Camp Mystic. Photo by the Rev. Amanda Banda, Rio Texas Conference.
Shortly after midnight July 4, leaders of First United Methodist Church in Kerrville got word that the Guadalupe River was rising rapidly and people needed shelter.
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.”
From UM News 6/17/25:
By Heather Hahn
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United Methodists pose for a photo during a June 9 vigil outside the Los Angeles federal building to pray for immigrants detained inside. California-Pacific Conference Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank [not pictured] also was in attendance. Photo courtesy of California-Pacific Conference.
Four United Methodist ministries — including the Council of Bishops — are among 215 nonprofits facing demands from a U.S. congressional committee about their work with immigrants.
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.”
From the weekly email 7/4/25:
Food Box Update
Upcoming 7:30 a.m. distribution: July 19, 2025
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.
The Food Box Crew thanks you for your participation in this much-needed mission.
Farewell Letter from Pastor Joel 6/27/25:
Dear St. Matthew Family,
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:
A Blessing for the Journey
As you make your journey, may God come so close to you and you come so close to God that you know all of God is in every place, in all of Creation.
Carry with you the gifts given to you before you were born, by the One who said such amazing things and did such wonderful things in every season and every mystery.
Remember that you are always part of the sacred circle, where the Spirit moves like a dove bringing comfort and strength.
You are a storyteller and peacemaker, a light bearer and a beloved child of God, still creating the part that hasn’t been written yet.
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:
Summer Update...
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!
From UMOM 7/1/25:
UMOM Update
This summer, UMOM is raising funds to build a brand-new dog park at our family emergency homeless shelter to keep tails wagging and spirits high! And thanks to a generous matching gift, donations made through July 31 will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $37,500, doubling their impact!
Artwork provided by Jomi, a child staying at UMOM New Day Centers
Affectionately known as the Bark Park, this space will include:
• A pet-friendly water fountain to beat the heat
• Agility equipment for exercise and play
• A shaded awning to protect people and pets on warm summer days
At UMOM, we believe that pets are family. That’s why we work hard to help the entire family, including furry companions, stay together during times of transition.
From the Desert Southwest Conference:
The Desert Southwest Conference lists job openings weekly for positions in local churches, Conferences across the country, and United Methodist General organizations.  To see the listings, check out dscumc.org/classifieds/jobs.
Page updated 7/7/25