Hello, neighbors!
Happy New Year! As we transition from Advent and the celebration of Christ birth, we move into the twelve
days of Christmas. Yes, that’s right. The twelve days of Christmas do not actually begin until after Christmas.
At the end of the twelve days, we celebrate Epiphany on January 6th. For those that thought everything
wrapped up on December 25th, this joyous season continues for a little longer to kick off the New Year.
Last month, I spent some time reflecting on all that God blessed us with in 2021. I believe there are even
bigger things on the horizon for us in 2022. One of the challenges still in front of us is the pandemic and its
continuation into this next year. I know that 2020 and 2021 have been difficult for many, and it seems
unclear when this struggle to end the pandemic will end. Again, I will encourage those who have not been
vaccinated to do so. If you are vaccinated, then please get the booster. Please consider others health and
wellbeing when making these decisions on how to be good neighbors to those around us. One of the
blessings since my arrival, we have not had to close the church due to a reported case of Covid. I certainly
would like to keep that gift intact going into the next year.
A couple of thoughts go through my mind as I sit down to write this piece. First, I wrote a couple of months
ago about having an inward focus. Second, I think about the townhall meeting we had in December. Despite
the pandemic and the challenges that have come with, we have overcome a lot of things. I think some of the
struggles we still experience came before the pandemic, but it doesn’t mean we cannot get past them.
Changing culture is not easy and presents a whole other set of problems. In the Bible, we read about how
God creates covenants with the people and launches the start of something new. During times where a new
covenant is created, it’s like an epiphany showing us that something better is awaiting us and that we can
overcome any issues in front of us.
As we move into 2022, let us continue to meet new neighbors, and not only nurture their relationship with
Christ but love on them as we transform the world together. Although loving our neighbors seems like a
simple message, we must in order to help turn things around in and at Marble. Engage with those around
you, love on them as God loves you, and may our neighborhood grow spiritually and physically. I thought
our town hall meeting provided an opportunity to talk about those things on our mind, and also a chance to
continue moving forward. God is with us, and Christ is working through us, when we let them. I am your
neighbor, and I love all of you even when it might be difficult to believe. Won’t you be my neighbor, and
continue to walk with me on this journey? If so, then nothing can stop us from building the neighborhood of
God’s kingdom.
Let me leave you with a couple of questions to discern during the twelve days of Christmas:
What are you most looking forward to in 2022?
Also, what direction do you truly believe God is leading us in for the New Year?
Let us continue to engage in healthy conversation, show respect to each other, and build the neighborhood
as part of God’s kingdom here on earth. Happy New Year, neighbors!
Peace be with you.
Pastor Matt

Hello, neighbors!
The end of 2021 is almost here, and it seems just like yesterday that I wrote a piece for the end of 2020. This
year has seemed to have flown by, but a lot of wonderful things have happened as well. I must admit there
have been some ups and downs along the way for us, our state, and our country. Regardless, God is present
each day of our lives and continues to bless us. Before we move into 2022, let’s look at some of the blessings
of 2021!
January 6th is a day all of us will remember and not exactly how most of imagined kicking off the new year.
We were not worshiping in person still, but with the Coronavirus vaccine becoming available there was
hope. During this month, I was also able to share the vision I have for Marble moving forward. The start of
Lent happened in February, and we launched the start of two worship services. These services allowed us to
provide a traditional and modern worship experience for all our neighbors. The season took us all the way to
April and being able to celebrate Easter together in person. During these first four months, I believe we were
able to get the ball rolling despite the start of the year.
Over the course of the year, we continued to experience the gifts of those amongst us. I am thankful for the
ones that shared a message from the pulpit with us each month. What a blessing to have neighbors willing to speak and provide us with another voice to hear the Good News. As a neighborhood church, we enjoyed the
spring and summer months with special events. We hosted Community Dinners starting with a to-go option
until the last couple of months where we were able to invite our neighbors to dine-in. From a traditional St.
Patrick’s Dinner to good old Turkey Dinner, our hearts and stomachs have been filled. These are just a couple
more of the blessings of this year.
One of the things I looked forward to is being able to participate in 3rd Thursdays. Milan Main Street brought
these neighborhood event back for 2021, and Marble was able to be the Church for the community by
provide fun and games for families. August brought another one of those turbulent times for our community
in the form a storm that knocked out power for days. Since we didn’t have power, we made the decision to
love on our neighbors by hosting a Free Community Breakfast for everyone in Milan. Not only did we serve
those that came to eat on our front lawn, but we also delivered meals to the various workers trying to get our
city back up and running. Another highlight of August was coming together with Peoples Presbyterian
Church to offer a “Church in the Park” service for our community. Milan certainly looked different from when
I arrived in 2020 to this year with being able to do a lot more things with the church and city.
This fall has been a continuation of the blessings God has provided us with. In October, our kickoff series “Get
In The Game” let us have some more fun with our neighbors. As we discussed how to serve and be helpful
like Jesus, we gave away some football tickets, enjoy some time together with a tailgate party, and some
enjoyed wings and a football game with Melissa and me. Our state has been going through another one of
those rough patches with Covid numbers rising and still being high. We keep striving to respect and protect
those who come to worship with us and will maintain precautions for everyone’s health and wellbeing.
My prayer for the end of this year is for us to be thankful not just during Thanksgiving but every day. Also,
may we love on our neighbors during a time that can be difficult to celebrate the holidays. We have lost loved
ones and good neighbors this year, may we celebrate their lives by not forgetting they are still with us and
the difference they made in our lives. Please take time to enjoy the Advent Devotionals we have sent out to
everybody again this year. If you don’t receive one, let us know and we will make sure we get one to you.
Thank you again for the wonderful year we have been able to share together. I look forward to what God has
in store for us in 2022!
Peace be with you, neighbors.
Pastor Matt

 Hello, neighbors!
This month, I want to share with everyone an article written by the Midwest District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Margie Crawford. She speaks to something all of us as individuals and churches are experiencing. We are boldly going where churches have never gone before to reach new people and frontiers. I hope you enjoy what Rev. Dr. Crawford writes for us to think about in the days ahead. Enjoy… Pastor Matt

“One evening as I was channel surfing, I landed on CNN. William Shatner was being interviewed by Anderson Cooper a week before he was due to fly on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin spacecraft. It was a very delightful interview. Shatner spoke about how nervous he was, and yet he couldn’t contain his excitement about the journey he was about to take. I encourage you to watch the interview on YouTube or find Shatner’s New York ComiCon segment, as it was similar.

A week later, I watched the launch of the Blue Origin spacecraft. I was almost as excited as I usually am when I watch a NASA launch. Even though it was only the second flight for Blue Origin, the audience was still able to view some traditions. Each astronaut was dressed in a blue uniform, as was Jeff Bezos. They rode to the launch site in a truck. As they walked toward the capsule, each astronaut rang a bell. Engines ignited, and the rocket lifted off. The main engine separated and returned to earth, only a few feet off its target location. The capsule made its return trip several minutes later. Trucks made the trip to the landing site to escort the astronauts back to the Space Center. And another chapter of pioneering has been written.

As a lifelong Trekkie, I am pleased that William Shatner was able and willing to truly go where few have gone before. The opening words to the original series have played over and over in my mind, and I prefer Spock’s version. In his interviews, Shatner did not share how he was contacted by Bezos to become part of the second suborbital journey. We were able to witness all of the emotions Shatner was experiencing before and after the flight.

Although Michigan United Methodists will probably never reserve a seat on a suborbital space flight, each of us is still a pioneer. This is a very transformative time for our faith and for what it means to be children of the living God. We have been called to serve.

There continues to be much for us to accomplish in the name of our Lord. We are encouraged to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, to make disciples of all nations and to shape our lives to be more like Jesus in all that we say and do.

You and I are the example of selfless love for others to follow. We are the herald, declaring in the wilderness of a pandemic that is still too much a part of our lives, that we are about to give birth to something new, something exciting, something that will bring a new harvest for the salvation of the world. We are the instruments of God, who are meeting others just beginning their journeys of faith. We are called to bear witness and testimony for those who are ignored, forgotten, oppressed, and abused.

The tasks before us will not be easy. All of us are being asked to see ourselves, our faith, and our relationship with our Lord in a different way. God is with us in all we say and do. How do we tell our Lord’s story in a way that engages rather than rejects? How do we care for all of God’s creation in ways that are helpful rather than destructive? How do we view the world through God’s eyes of steadfast love, rather than seeing it through lenses which divide and separate us? How do we plant seeds of growth and understanding rather than allowing weeds and thorns to choke and strangle what we hope to accomplish?

These are some of the questions before us as we continue our journeys. The words of a Gospel song inspire me, and I hope they will inspire you, to remember who we are and who’s we are. “We’ve come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord, trusting in His holy word. He’s never failed me yet.”

Our Lord goes before us in all we do, preparing us to bring others to the new frontier. Michigan United Methodists are rethinking, reimagining, and redefining what it means to serve now and, in the days to come. May we each be blessed as we listen and respond to what God asks of us. “

​Amen. Pastor Matt

  Hello, neighbors!

What is an inward focus? A simple way to explain this is that one is only thinking of themselves and not concerned about what others may want. Every week, I attempt to share what it means to be a good neighbor and how we should strive to live like Jesus. My concern is that not enough people hear this message or vision I am trying to cast. An inward focus destroys churches because of an unwillingness to change, live like Jesus, and continue to do what they have always done. An inward focus causes more of a divide between God and us.

This topic is an uncomfortable one for many because they do not believe it pertains to them. I hate to break it to everyone, but I am talking to everyone when I speak about this topic. I have heard a lot of input from some people about how we or I should do things at Marble. Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, I am not interested in living in the past. Times are different, and if things done in the past worked so well, why have the numbers continued to decline? Marble has continued to have a steady flow of decline over the last several years. I would say a lot of that is attributed to an inward focus that still exists today. I am sure that is not easy to hear or listen to if someone does not think it pertains to them.

We need to focus more on the essential things like the Gospel, spreading the Good News, and loving our neighbors. This way of living is difficult when we focus on things like what we want in service, where we have a coffee hour, making sure the pastor meets all of our personal needs, and willingly offering advice on what to do but not wanting to help make them happen. I am sure by this point; people might be thinking that I am frustrated. Well, I am. As your pastor, I am trying to do things that will address those who are here and those who are not here for the better of the church. I love Milan and enjoy being here. I like the potential I see in Marble. But if we ever want things to get better around here, we must be willing to change who we are and what we do to keep our doors open.

“When we hold an inward focus, it not only separates us from God but also our neighbors.”

Marble Memorial is not a place where membership entitles us to the things we want or how we should be served. Marble Memorial should be a place that all feel welcomed, and they want to stay because we believe in something better so all may experience God's love and grace. People should walk out the doors feeling good about what they have experienced when they worship with us. We do not want them going home and feeling upset or frustrated because of a negative vibe or inward focus being displayed. Jesus did not go after the ninety-nine but instead went after the one. The ninety-nine that are here should care for each other while we chase the one we do not want to getaway. Living like Jesus in plain sight and loving on our neighbors is what will draw us closer to them and God.

Please understand something that I feel is important. God loves you, and so do I! As a pastor, trying to get people to see what the problem(s) might be in the local church context is always a challenge. Again, my job is to make the comfortable uncomfortable. Yes, you can be upset. The question I will ask is, "what are you truly upset about?" Are you upset with me? Are you upset because you are not getting your way? Maybe you are upset because anything new or different makes you uncomfortable. Finally, how does one set aside an inward focus, not be bothered by change, and create a space for all to feel welcome? I wish I had a simple answer for all of you, and I do not. I believe that if we can do everything with love and grace, not just for ourselves but for our neighbors too, we will not be upset and appreciate God's love for us even more.

To an outsider, this piece might bring up some questions or make you question why come to Marble. My answer would that we are just as broken and hurting as the next church. We are not perfect, but we are working on what it takes to be the neighborhood church for everyone. So, whether you are someone that attends here already or not, we must support each other as we strive to become a welcoming neighborhood church so that all may experience God’s love and grace.

Peace be with you, neighbor.
​Pastor Matt

​With everything going on in our community, I thought it would be good to update everyone on some things happening at or with the church. We have been involved in community events and looking to start interacting outside of Sunday mornings. I will try to catch everybody up, but I may miss a couple of things. Anyway, here we go!...
We are participating in the Milan Area Chamber community project called “The Great Artdoors.” If you
haven’t had an opportunity to check any of the doors out, then get out and look at some of the wonderful art
and ideas that are up and round our lovely town. Marble’s own door, created and painted by Jason & Tammy
Balk, is located in Wilson Park behind the church on the hill. They did a wonderful job and thanks to them for
helping the neighborhood out!
Church in the Park is coming up this Sunday (Aug. 8th) at 10:00am in Wilson Park. This is the first
community service that I have been able to take part in since coming to Milan. What an opportunity to
worship with other churches and our neighbors! We hope everyone will join us and invite everybody they
know to come as well. My prayer is that this becomes an annual event that Milan can look forward to each
summer.
I have heard through the grapevine that people are asking about our Traditional service being in-person.
Again, I would be glad to open this up once we have the volunteers to run it properly. When I speak about
volunteers, I’m not talking about for media and sound. Instead, I’m thinking of greeters, ushers, and anything
else that would fall under hospitality. If we are going to invite people into the church, then we have to be
ready for them and not assume that everyone knows what’s going on when they come here. For anyone that is
interested, please contact the office to let us know and we will determine a date to open that service up for
people to attend in-person.
Along with that last item, I want to open up the lounge again or put together something for outside to
offer to those who attend. This is part of those volunteers we are seeking for hospitality. We cannot just sit out coffee and snacks for people and expect them to understand how that all works. Being able to enjoy some time before and/or after service with people again would be nice! As part of what we are looking for, it would be nice if someone would step forward to organize our hospitality volunteers. If that is something you are
interested in and willing to do, then let me know or call the office. Let’s get back to doing more than worship.
Speaking of doing more than worship! I mentioned a couple of Sunday’s ago that I plan to roll out some groups for people to partake in soon. Yes, I want to offer a few small group, Bible studies, and personal interest groups by September with a launch date after Labor Day. If you are interested in leading or co-leading a group, then let me know ASAP, please. We should offer something that everyone can participate in and not feel left out. So, our groups should not only offer variety, but also different days and times for younger or older people to engage with each other. For this fall, I would like to see a women’s group, a men’s group, a Bible study, a book study, and a couple of just-for-fun groups to get together as neighbors.
The last thing I am going to discuss in this piece are the plans to offer a monthly dinner. This type of
program is one that will require volunteers to properly function. The Charters have taken the lead for the two
we have done recently, but we cannot expect them to do it all. We shouldn’t expect those that helped in the
past to just pick up where they left off before the pandemic shut us down. I believe being able to offer a
monthly dinner to our neighborhood and community would be awesome! But as the phrase goes “it takes a
village.”
​
As I wrap us this month’s notes, I will leave everyone with these thoughts:
The possibilities are endless as far as what we can do moving forward. We don’t have to return to what
we did before the pandemic started or do something because that’s we have always done. This is an
opportunity to reinvent ourselves and be something new that all of our neighbors want to be a part of moving
forward. I know there are some that feel they don’t have the energy to do some of these things. My response is,
“Are you inviting others that could help us do those things?” If not, ”why?” Otherwise, I might say, “Do you still
love God? If yes, then don’t you think God will give you the energy to do whatever you want?” God is doing
things for us every day of our lives and we need to do our part in this relationship, too.

Thank you for taking some time to catch up with me this month! Keep your eyes and ears open for anything and everything we might get involved with coming up. We want to continue to love our neighbors and find ways to love on them beyond worship. Enjoy this weather because it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

Peace be with you, 
Pastor Matt

Early this year Marble introduced a new outlook and vision for our church body and as members of the Milan community. You have been seeing sentiments such as: “Hello Neighbor!”, “Welcome Neighbor!”, and “Dear Neighbor”. Being a good neighbor is doing the work that we have been called to do as the church in Christ’s name.

Our vision begins with the characteristics of what a neighbor is at Marble -
     A Neighbor is...
     Loving – Showing love or great care towards everyone.
     Kind – To each other and anyone new to the neighborhood.
     Faithful – Being loyal to God, the church, and the community.
     Compassionate – Showing sympathy and concern for all.
     Peaceful – Making the neighborhood harmonious, calm, and at peace.
     Patient – Being able to accept change or deal with problems without being anxious or stressed.
     Joyful – Feeling or expressing happiness for all God gives us.
     Generous – With our time, gifts, and talents, but willing to give more when it is not expected.
     Respectful – Making sure everyone feels loved and valued in the neighborhood.

From there we move into the Core Values -
     1. As neighbors, we are seeking to love God in worship through prayer, preaching, and praise.
     2. As neighbors, we are looking to include everyone in what we do with love and respect for all.
     3. As neighbors, we are willing to serve others through outreach in our community and the world.
     4. As neighbors, we are continuing to grow in our faith with small groups, Bible studies, and mission work.

Then we add our Vision and Mission Statements -
     Vision Statement-
     To be a welcoming neighborhood, so that all may experience God’s love and grace.
     Mission Statement-
     To meet new neighbors, nurture their relationship with Christ, and transform the world together.

Marble is on an exciting journey. We are called to come together and care for each other with Christian love.
At Marble we are committed to our neighbors, no matter who they are or where they are, as our commitment to transform the world – TOGETHER!

Hello, neighbors!
Summer is almost here, and it is already heating up.
As we enter the month of June, I have many things I have been thinking about for the summer.
Our mission statement is "To meet new neighbors, nurture their relationship with Christ, and transform the
world together." So, how do we live this out over the next few months? Thankfully, the weather should help us
get out in the neighborhood and do some fun stuff.
One of the questions I have been hearing is, "When will Traditional Service be in person?" This is a good
question with what I consider a simple answer. When we have more volunteers to help us with this service, I
will make it in person. I know some of our people would prefer to come to this service, but are you willing to
serve to make this happen, or are you just wanting to be served? If it is the latter, then now may not be the time, and we continue to offer it online only. I am not opposed to doing this service in person, but we have to have volunteers to make it happen weekly.
Next, I have been thinking about doing service outdoors again this summer. When I arrived last year, having
service outdoors was a great way to start considering everything going on with the pandemic. Doing service
outdoors requires the help of volunteers for things to run smoothly. There are some logistical things that we
have to figure out as well. Something I will share about outdoor services: On August 8th, we will be holding
“Church in the Park” along with a couple of other churches in Milan. The Outreach Team is working with the
other churches on something to go with the service, too. I am looking forward to this day of worship outside!
Another thing I would like to get back to would be some small group time. I have been thinking about seeking
out a couple of different people to lead some groups this summer. We could meet on the lawn and enjoy the
weather while we can for now. It would be nice to offer a book study, a Bible study, and a couple of other
options for everyone to choose from. Do we have people willing to serve in this capacity? If we do, then we will
make some groups happen.
Does anyone notice a trend with these things I am discussing? That's right! We are looking for willing
volunteers to help us carry and live out our mission. Again, it is one thing to say we want to do this or that, but it will take the church to do whatever we decide to offer. We are asked to give of our time, gifts, and talents as
members of the church. This ideal seems to be a bigger task than it should be because we allow other things
outside of the church to consume us. We rely on God being there for us, especially in our time of need, but are
we holding up our end of the relationship? Yet, this is the reality we live in currently. A lot of us have forgotten
what it means to be a part of the body of Christ. Or we feel like we have done our time, and it is time for
someone else to take over. What if there isn't anyone else? Do we depend on the few willing to help and don't
want to see things not get done? Those people will burn out, and then there won’t be anybody to help. We are
not a large church with a huge staff, and even if we were, we would still need volunteers to help live out our
mission and vision.
Last month, I wrote a piece based on Bo Schembechler's "The Team, The Team, The Team." I still want everyone
to be a part of the team or body of Christ. But if everyone does not do their part, then we will not be as strong as we could be for our neighbors. Don't forget that our work goes beyond the walls of the building we worship in as well. Community involvement is vital for meeting new neighbors and inviting them to be a part of what we can offer them. Let us set aside what we want personally and consider how we can help the team and offer our neighbors to transform Milan and the world together.
Peace be with you, neighbors
Pastor Matt

Hello, neighbors!

Being a Michigan State fan in Go Blue country can be difficult at times. The irony is that there was a time in
my life that I did root for U of M. I had no real connection to the school and cheered for them because that is
what a lot of my friends did, too. At some point, I started making some connections with MSU and found
myself more invested in GO GREEN than Go Blue. Regardless of what color or school we may cheer for we
should all be pulling for the State of Michigan. We are the ones that tend to make it difficult to be fans
whether we are in MSU or U of M territory.
Many of you might be wondering, “Why is he talking about a college rivalry?” Well, despite being a Spartan
fan, I do have respect for many of the programs at Michigan. Also, having spent time being a coach for a
number of years, I appreciate motivational speeches by coaches. One that popped into my mind the other
day was Bo Schembechler’s famous “The Team” speech. I believe any fan or team can set aside their
differences and appreciate his words. “The Team, The Team, The Team” is why I am talking about a college
rivalry.
The word TEAM has been used as an acronym as well. T – Together E – Everyone A – Achieves M – More.
Schembechler discusses taking everything else, that some coaches and players focus on, and setting them
aside to become “The Team.” One cannot focus on themselves in order for the team to be successful.
Players/people cannot criticize other players/people and expect to be successful. Each person has to pour
themselves into the common good of becoming a team. Then success can happen because Together
Everyone Achieves More.
How is this any different than what Jesus is trying to teach us with The Greatest Commandment?
Jesus is telling us to set aside our egos, differences, personal agendas, etc. Instead, we are loved by God
every day and we must share that love with our neighbors. We are to love God and neighbor with
everything we have and as much as we would love ourselves. Jesus spent a lot of time with his disciples
trying to convey this message of “The Team.” I am trying to coach this team and stress the importance of
loving God and neighbor. Yet, there are days I feel like some of those first years of coaching. Every decision
you make is questioned, there are more complaints versus solutions offered, nobody wants to trust you
because you are the new person entering their life, and so on and so on. I do not just want to coach or lead
you, but I want to love on you at the same time. I guess the question we have to ask ourselves is, “Can we
set aside our personal feelings, leave the past behind us, trust the coach/pastor, and move forward while
we love on each other to become ‘The Team’ for God?”
Imagine a future for Marble Memorial where we not only speak about love, but people actually feel that
love when they walk in our doors or join us online. I understand that this last year has been hard on a lot of
people. Let’s be honest the last several years have been tough for Marble. In order for us to see this future,
we may have to let go of some things and have faith in some of the new things. Will this happen overnight?
Nope. But let’s put whatever is holding us up in the past or behind us so we can move forward. It’s not
about us but it is about God.
Again, Together Everyone Achieves More. So, Marble Memorial, let’s be “The Team, The Team, The Team!”
Peace be with you, neighbors.
Pastor Matt
GO GREEN!!!!
(And I guess, Go Blue. LOL)

Hello, neighbors.
Holy Week is upon us, and I pray you are just as excited as I am to celebrate it this year! Last year at this
time, our buildings were closed down, and we hoped it would only be for a couple of weeks. It has been a
year, and we are still working toward getting things back up and running to 100%. Not being able to
celebrate Easter last year was heartbreaking. But we have the opportunity this year to gather safely and
celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I encourage everyone in the neighborhood to extend this
invitation for Holy Week with all of your neighbors.
The week begins with Palm Sunday (3/28) as we cheer on Jesus and his arrival into Jerusalem. Then on
Thursday, we share in the Last Supper with Jesus and his disciples. On Good Friday, we journey to the
cross and the death of the Son of God. Easter Sunday provides us the time to celebrate the resurrection of
Jesus Christ. Please don't approach this week like any other week or go through the motions. "Yep, it's
Easter again. Get the candy out, paint the eggs, and we should probably go to church." Look at Holy Week
as a chance to not only retake this journey but to praise God for getting us through this last year.
Out of curiosity, I did a Google search on “Why is Holy Week special?” Here is what I found: “Holy Week is
important as it reminds Christians of God's sacrifice of his son and also God's love for his people.
Christians can learn much about Jesus through the last week of his life. Easter is the most important
festival in the Christian calendar. It celebrates God raising his son Jesus from the dead and the destruction
of the power of sin and death forever. It symbolizes the opening of Heaven with the gift of eternal life to
everyone.”
Despite the lives we have lost and things we have missed out on, we have a lot to be thankful for, too. We
continue to find new ways to do and share ministry with those we love and want to share our love with
moving forward. Let us lift our vision of being good neighbors who strive to be a welcoming neighborhood
so that all may experience God's love and grace. Allowing us to meet new neighbors, nurture their
relationship with Christ, and transform the world together. Be thankful that we will be gathering in the
neighborhood here at Marble to celebrate Easter this year! Can I get an “Amen”?
Peace be with you, neighbors.
Pastor Matt

Hello, neighbors!

During a recent Bible Study, I read Ephesians 4:1-16, and the passage brought up some thoughts about Marble
Memorial and our new vision. Let me share some verses with everyone to show what I am talking about here:
   1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  2 Be   completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  3 Make every effort to keep
the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

As the apostle Paul tends to do in most of his letters, he smacks us right in the face with some truth and calling us out. "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." So that everyone knows, he's not only talking to pastors but all Christians. Then comes the more difficult part; Paul tells us to be humble, gentle, patient, bearing, and do so with love. Ugh! Yes, we are called to do these things as well. Trust me, and I understand how some may feel about this part. Patience is a tricky thing for me, especially when I want to do something and be done with it! Then he writes that we need to keep unity through peace. We may not always agree on how things are done or what we are doing. I said this before, and I will repeat it, "That's ok!" As long as we do things with love and peacefully.
Paul continues by speaking of there being one body and one Spirit. John Wesley says this same thing by telling United Methodist that we don't have to agree on everything but should be of one mind, heart, and body.
   11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Now, the apostle tells us that he gave us the evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip his people for service works. Thus, leading to the body being built up. In other words, it is not only the pastor's responsibility to guide people to build up the church. If we work together, then we will grow and reach a special kind of unity.
   15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is
the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
I read this section to mean that if we can stop taking things personally and see that what we are doing is out of love, then the body will continue to grow. We must move forward and be united as we do so. We don’t want to forget the past or disrespect history, but our problems will not be resolved by sitting on our hands and doing nothing.
WE have to work together!
We attempted to organize some opportunities a couple of months ago to help our neighbors while we continued to navigate our way through the pandemic. Besides a few people who were already involved, I had two individuals talk to me after sharing that message. Yes, I know that there is still some concern regarding the virus. We are also getting closer to opening things up more. As we add tasks each time we open more up, we need more help. If we want to welcome new neighbors to the neighborhood, then we have to invite those not here already.
This conversation might be a boring conversation to some but answer this for me. Besides cosmetic changes from the Vital Church Initiative, tell me what has changed about Marble Memorial? What has been done to bring new members into the church? How many of those baptized or brought into membership are still at Marble? I share these thoughts and ask these questions not to be discouraging. Instead, I am trying to open our eyes to the situation around us.
   “1 To equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”
Jesus calls us to step and work together. Know that I write this piece out of love and wanting nothing but the best for Marble and God’s kingdom. Spend some time in prayer and see what God is putting on your heart after reading this article. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”
Peace be with you, neighbors.
Pastor Matt