Just These Lines Pastor Blog

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Mercies in Disguise

12th Sunday after Pentecost in Ordinary Time/August 19, 2020 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that Karen and I have returned from our road trip adventure to and from Shawnee, KS. We got Karen’s mother all moved and returned with a bunch of her beautiful things. You would have loved watching us bounce down the freeway in...
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Patient Trust

11th Sunday after Pentecost/Ordinary Time/August 12, 2020 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that in the past few days two families have joined our Church: Joe and Christie Thomas (Sienna,10) and Mike and Alix Arndt (Andrew, 18, Daniel,16, Caroline, 13, and Abigail, 10).  By the way, Alix is a part of our staff community here at Matthews...
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Thankful in the Tough Times

6th Sunday after Pentecost/July 8, 2020 Just these lines, my friends … … to say I hope you’ve had the opportunity to view the wonderful GodStory from Lauren Smith. We shared it in worship on Sunday, July 5 for the first time. Lauren and her husband John have three children: Jackson and twins, Evan and Brady. They have been a part...
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Listen, Lament, Learn & Love

Trinity Sunday/June 3, 2020 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that the murder of George Floyd, following a long list of unjust deaths of so many black women and men, rips back the veil yet again – assuring us that racism, our malignant cancer, remains powerful and deadly. In our Sunday, May 31 reading of Acts 2,...
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Pentecostal Explosion

Day of Pentecost/May 27, 2020 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that Pastor’s Paul message from Sunday was just tremendous. Here are a couple of quotes that just stopped me in my tracks: I have also witnessed how this same virus pulls us apart.  I see it in the “Run and Grab” competition for scarce products, hoarding...
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Approach Toward Re-Opening will be Cautious, Deliberate, & Methodical

6th Sunday of Easter/May 13, 2020 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that I hope you were able to join us online for our Mother’s Day celebration at 9:30 am and 11:00 am. So sorry about our technical difficulties at 9:30. If you missed the ending of my message, you can watch here. I conclude with a...
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The Reality of the Resurrection

2nd Sunday of Easter/April 15, 2020 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that we have just celebrated the Easter of our lifetimes that may have been more like the first. Instead of rushing to the Church to celebrate the joy of Easter in the Sanctuary, we remained apart in our homes. Instead of lifting up our voices...
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Hope, Light & Love

Easter/April 8, 2020 Just these lines, my friends …  … to say that I really miss you. I so miss being with you on Sundays (face-to-face). It’s strange – when I gather with our pastors and musicians (no more than 10) on Sunday in our expansive Sanctuary to do our livestream worship service, we still do feel the presence of...
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What Might Be Birthed in This Season?

5th Sunday in Lent/March 25, 2020 Just these lines, my friends … … to say that I do hope, if you haven’t already done so, that you will please take some time to watch our worship service from Sunday, March 22. The music was uplifting and Pastor Paul’s message was a straight arrow for our hurts and fears. Here is...