St. Matthew's: The Church With a Welcome!

Dear Visitor,

God does the work - that's the key insight that Martin Luther gleaned from Holy Scripture. As a Bible professor and an Augustinian monk, Luther discovered anew that grace is God's free gift in Jesus Christ.

Luther emphasized that God always works through external means of grace - His Word and Sacraments (Augustine, the great theologian, called them the Visible Word of God).

Every weekend at St. Matthew's we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the biblical worship pattern of Word and Meal. We don't put on a praise show followed by several pithy insights for living. We listen to God's external Word and receive God's Visible Word in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Musical styles vary within our worship, but the music always serves as a handmaiden to the Gospel.

The Greek word for church (ekklesia) literally means those called out of the world. As we listen to God's Word, we hear the Lord Jesus calling us out of self-centered lives into a community that reflects His servant life. In other words, it's not about us! After all, real Christianity is never about accommodating ourselves to the surrounding culture!

Thoughtful Christian writer Marva Dawn once said that a person sitting next to her in worship one weekend griped about not liking the song they just sang. Dawn remarked in her inimitable style: "We weren't singing to you."

So…when you visit St. Matthew's, it's really not about you or me. Thanks be to God! It's about the Triune God who has made Himself known in Jesus Christ. You may not always like all the music or even all the sermons, but you will hear the Lord Jesus saying: "Come, follow me in a life of humble service."

If you're in the area, please join us for the Word and Meal. Thanks for stopping by!

Pastor Sam Zumwalt