Just These Lines Pastor Blog

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Rejoice

Christ the King Sunday/November 20, 2019 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that Sunday was beyond sacred for me. Your presence made it one of my holiest moments as your pastor. I loved watching you stream forward and place your cards in the Joash Chest. Thank you for your passion and desire to be a part of...
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Quantify Feelings

The 22nd Sunday after Pentecost in Ordinary Time/November 6, 2019 Just these lines, my friends … … to say what a special Sunday: celebrating the Saints, our music in all services, the actions of Holy Communion, an additional hour of sleep, preparing for November 17, and Pastor John with Kidron Valley Ministries in Uganda. You can watch a short video...
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Gathering Around the Communion Table

Ordinary Time/World Communion Sunday/October 2, 2019 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that the last few days have been full when it comes to our transforming community of Matthews United Methodist Church (MUMC). On Tuesday, September 24 – Pathways to Peace: What a remarkable evening we shared with Dr. Elise Mae Cannon,  Rabbi Dr. Daniel Roth from...
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The Catholic Spirit

16th Sunday after Pentecost in Ordinary Time/September 25, 2019 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that what a beautiful weekend … and over the weekend … Some of you were able to participate in the Leukemia/Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Walk for the Cure celebrating my dear friend, Rev. Larry Whitley of the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church. Rev. Whitley...
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Pilgrimage of Trust

9th Sunday after Pentecost in Ordinary Time/August 7, 2019 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that I continue to write to you from Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa. Karen and I are here with our son Ryan, our daughter-in-law Gina, and our granddaughter Rosa. We will begin to make our journey home later this week. It is a good...
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The Unstoppable Flow of Love

8th Sunday after Pentecost in Ordinary Time/July 31, 2019 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that though I wasn’t with you in worship, we did give our best shot to worship with you by live stream. We were in and out with connectivity sketchiness, but I know it was a marvelous day of allowing God’s transformative work...
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O Long May It Wave

5th Sunday after Pentecost/July 3, 2019 Just these lines, my friends … … to say “thank you” for a wonderful day of worship. At 8:30 and 11:00 we concluded our service with a new hymn written by Choir member Darlene Presbo, Shall We Gather at the Banner, and our Sanctuary Choir sang a beautiful arrangement of Morning Has Broken. You...
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The Common Objects of Our American Love

3rd Sunday after Pentecost/June 26, 2019 Just these lines my friends … … to say that we had some beautiful days in the mountains at Lake Junaluska. It was Annual Conference week for United Methodist churches across Western North Carolina. The days were full, exhausting but renewing. I heard Sanctuary worship from this past Sunday (June 23) was surprising (power...
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The Heart of Summer

Pentecost/June 5, 2019 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that last week was quite a week for us at Matthews United Methodist. Rarely in my 40+ years of serving in the church have I officiated four funerals in one week. We shared in celebrating the life of four persons (Judy Reynolds, Caleb Barnhardt, Maddon Shirley, Fairy Moore)...