A Secret Isn't A Secret If Everyone Knows

Hello my friends. Some of you by now may have heard, so it's time for a public announcement.

Saturday, August 29th with be my last day as Lead Manager of Mead's Corner.

Over this last year I have loved working for and with First United Methodist Church and their extreme vision of opening a community based and friendly coffee shop in the heart of downtown. Mead's Corner has become a very special place for me. I look inside and out and see countless hours of hard work and dedication to a cause that, in my opinion, is unique, amazing, and awe inspiring. I have loved my time here, the people I have worked with, the equipment that I've fixed (snicker), and the walls that I have painted. But God really gets the glory for this special little coffeeshop. He's opened doors for it to be a reality.

Starting September 1, I will be the Church Administrator for Andover United Methodist Church. This is a position that I am very excited about! I will be tasked with supervising the church staff, programming, coordinating events, and serving the pastoral staff there. It is a position full of detailed management, servant work, and ministry (things that pull my heart strings!). This position will also allow me to care for my family, and give me more time to be at home. Don't worry! I'll still be a faithful tweep! Just in a different capacity!

As for the transition from Mead's? It is peaceful and full of love. I have no ill will toward FUMC and Mead's. This transition has been perfect in timing and smooth. I will allow FUMC to discuss my replacement at their timing. I have great respect and admiration for Mead's. I want to encourage all of you (spiritual or not) to support Mead's. Their vision for change in our community and world is sound... I know I'll be spending plenty of time there... just as a private customer instead of as an employee.

Thanks for the opportunity to serve all of you as a Barista and a friend. It'll be exciting to serve you all purely as a friend now.

~matt

All We Need

“Cuz we have all we need in You. All we need is You.” – Charlie Hall

Fact, I’ve sung and played this song countless times. When I was worship leader at Ridgway Community Church this particular song was the “closing song” for every service for months… Fact, the act of playing this song for about 30 weeks straight ruined the song for me… Fact, we sang this song yesterday in church… Fact, the deep truth of this song inspired me to think about God and His divinity and His role in my life.

All we need is God is a true statement. Let me explain. I’m speaking logically here, I won’t spend time throwing meaningless pulled out of context Scripture verses. Also shed your preconceived notions of Christianity and God for a moment. Ponder the thought that God exists. That there is a divine Being who has created the universe, who hold the keys of life and death in His hand, that as the Creator has Divine Sovereignty over His creation… but also is perfect in love, peace, understanding, mercy, justice, and grace. Now if He has all the power and resources in the universe at His command and He loves His creation unconditionally and desires to supply His creation with everything they need then the statement “All we need is God” must be true.

But herein lies the problem… is this truth statement an unattainable truth? God has given us everything we need really to latch onto this truth, but we’re fallen, imperfect beings bent on making a way through existence on our own. I will be successful. I will supply for my family. I will make myself happy. I will (fill in the blank). If I was God (thank God I’m not), I would be very very frustrated in mankind. Adam and Eve are the prime examples. They were innocent and placed in an environment where they had everything given to them. All they needed was God and He was present with them… yet they turned away searching for something on they’re own… we’re vagabonds… because of our condition the truth of “All We need is God” is unattainable.

But here is the awesomeness of God. He doesn’t get frustrated with us. Rather He supplies us with more! He knows we can’t make it on our own… so He goes the extra mile. Family, Church (regardless of where you go), Freedom, and Friends… these are things that help us have security and comfort in this world. God displays His Grace and Love toward us by supplying us with things that we don’t need but we do need!!

Unfortunately, these earthly things that God freely supplies to us can let us down. How many of us have been let down by our friends, family, our own freedom, and come on the church (more often than the others unfortunately)? What do we do? Throw up our hands? I can’t attain the fact that God is all I need… but the things that God gives me to help me cope with life let me down… what do I do??

We must learn to grasp for the contentment and trust in God while enjoying the things He has gifted to us… Peace ultimately is found only in God and the things He gives us are here to help us when we don’t feel in relationship with God. Peace is found in God… peace in God… train our minds. I had a blast with my friends this last weekend; felt a stir in my soul at church; fall in love with my family everyday; feel comfortable with the freedom in life God has given me… but… peace is in God.

“You (God) will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.” – Isaiah 26:3-4