Hello church friends!

I was waiting for pastor Todd to send me something, but due to the technical difficulties the sermon on Facebook had and he is trying so hard to get everything “fixed” – I am giving him a pass this time.

Is everyone getting ready to bust out of the quarantine? I knew we are, but we are still playing it safe. We’ve waited this long, so how can it be worse. I just need someone to tell me after I’ve watched all 450 plus old Law and Orders, what to watch next! Seriously, this has been a trying time for everyone, but I have to say our pastor and our praise team, and Pam who present our Sunday mornings have gone above and beyond to make things happen.

Also, the drive by love cars for Billy and Marlene was such a wonderful idea and so much fun. I know Max, our mini-doxie enjoyed it. It was such a pleasure and so heartwarming to see (again) our praise team already there and Pam and Matt leading our parade of cars and pickups and SUV’s to their home. It was a blessing to the Pierce’s but to all those participating as well.

There have been many ZOOM meetings also. I told Todd I grew up marked a Baby Boomer and now I am a practicing Baby Zoomer! However, I will admit I haven’t put in on my iPad yet. Monty is the expert Zoomer in our family.

Stay home if you can, and if not be safe. Miss all of you!
Hope to “see” you for the June newsletter.

-Alisa

May Birthdays                                                                   May Anniversaries

4-Winston Anderson                                                                                                          29-Dale and Mary McCrum
6-Pam Ryan
9-Kenneth Crow Jr
14-Stephanie Robertson
16-Marlene Pierce
23-Wendy Holladay
27-Scott Beller
30-Ronnie McElfresh

ALL MEETINGS WILL BE, and CHURCH SERVICES WILL BE ON ZOOM and/or FACEBOOK. Please pay close attention to emails being sent out almost daily as reminders. If you would like to be on our email list, please call the church at 806-799-4170 or email us at stmatthewumc@nts-online.net or smumclubbock@gmail.com

We’ve made it simple, secure, and convenient to GIVE ONLINE with a credit card or debit card for your tithes and offerings. If you prefer to give by check, our mailing address is:

St. Matthew United Methodist Church

5320 50th Street

Lubbock, TX 79414

I am going to add a surprise element to the newsletter each month. I think when I first started doing this many years ago, we did a family of the month or person or group. Then we left town (no we weren’t run out of town, Monty got transferred to Temple and I had to go. LOL) BUT when he served his time there (and trust me it WAS a time) we came back to our home church. I am calling this a “PERSON OF INTEREST” and it will be a secret until you get the newsletter.

If you get a hint that I’m being nosy about you, it’s probably you. 😊
My first “victim” is:

STEPHANIE WILSON

The reason I chose Stephanie is because she does so much for our church since she has re-joined our family and remains quietly in the background. I know it’s because for the most part she is a quiet person and more reserved (than some of us). I know she’s not shy, because I have seen her lead her peer, small children in church as well as being a teacher now. And I’ve seen her mentally stomp her foot and demand she be listened to while doing so (again) quietly. In other words, she gets a job done and it is well done.

When I first met Stephanie, she was quiet, but I looked into her eyes, and I could see the above paragraph eking to come out. She is happy to not be the center of attention and when she is, she kind of gives a shy little smile and as she reads this, I hope maybe she is blushing a bit.
Stephanie has without being asked and without pay and in her spare time taken over our Facebook page. I’m not sure what else she is doing, but I know that because of her self-learned expertise, we have been able to have our Sunday services “live” and preserved to go back and listen to Todd. Like the donkey service. You know some are worth repeating and were it not for Stephanie’s quality work, we’d not be able to do that!

I picked her mom’s brain and had to stop her before I had a book going! Seriously, I asked, and she delivered, and I told her not to tell! Did you tell, Penny???

Stephanie teaches 2nd grade at Ramirez Elementary and graduated Summa Cum Laude, and on the President’s and Dean’s list each year at Texas Tech and South Plains College.
She got an Associates Degree in Arts in Teaching at South Plains College and then graduated from Texas Tech with a Bachelor of Multidisciplinary Studies with a specialization in English as a Second Language. She has a twin sister, Bethany. A cat named Willow. She loves to read.

Aren’t we lucky she chose IT as a hobby and put us together so that as I understand our Facebook page has many hits every Sunday and other times? That means that we are reaching through the internet A LOT OF people, many of whom we don’t know face-to-face, or they are relatives and/or friends of our congregation and we’ve invited them.

Stephanie, I knew from the get-go you were a go-getter by looking into your eyes. You’re so “not quiet” there and very expressive. And I wasn’t wrong.

God bless you dear girl and thank you for all you do for us at St. Matt’s.
-Alisa