"Henry, I heard Mary yelling at you last night."

"No, no -- not at me," said Henry, fumbling for an answer. "She was yelling at the dog."

"Oh, I see" said the neighbor. "Poor animal. I heard her say she was going to take the front door key away from him."

It's time for us to examine the bad excuses we make -- including the ones for not going to church. The information is now in. A shortage of faith can do you harm.

Results of various studies were published in Psychology Today. There is now "a mound or evidence pointing to the preventive and healing effects or religion."

"-- In one report of 232 people who underwent elective open-heart surgery, those who received no strength or comfort from religion were more likely to die within six months of the operation."

"-- Among women recovering from hip fractures, those with stronger religious beliefs and practices were less depressed and could walk further at discharge."

"-- In a rigorously controlled study of older women, the less religious had mortality rates twice that of the faithful."

"-- A review of 200 medical studies suggests that religious faith has positive effects on diseases ranging from cervical cancer to strokes."

"-- A decade long study of 2,700 people showed that only one social attribute -- increased attendance in worship -- lowered mortality rates."

So now you know.

Faith makes a profound difference in our lives. Even the doctors say so.

People of faith have a source for joy and strength that others lack.

So start the year off right. Be in church somewhere this Sunday.

The morning services at St. Matthew are at 11:00. This coming Sunday we will have a -- special but fairly short -- Holy Communion service at 6:00 p.m. We wanted to close out the year by gathering at the Lord's Table.

In a Methodist church, everyone is welcome to take Communion -- regardless of your denomination or the state of your faith.

It's informal. "Come as you are -- and leave better."