50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY HISTORY PROJECT
2008 will be the Golden Anniversary of St. Matthew’s (50 Years). One goal of our 50 Year Anniversary is to remember the Story of St. Matthew's. We plan to document and archive our Story to help ourselves and all those who come after us see how we have come to be who and what we are.
One of the ways we will do this is to print an in-house history of our Parish, citing major events, activities, rectors, statistics, dates, etc. In addition to that effort, however, we want to collect and archive the "stories within the Story." To do this, we are inviting members to submit to us their memories about experiences, anecdotes, encounters and events relating to themselves and others. We are looking for all kinds of stories, from the simple, ordinary humorous ones, to those life-changing, "Ah hah" moments and epiphanies. Any story, no matter how small, that you remember about a happening that connected or involved you and St. Matthew's in a special way is an important story that needs to be included as part of our parish family history.
Our goal is to illustrate, or in some way capture, the essence or spirit of St. Matthew's Church through the personal stories of the people who "were" St. Matthew's during all or part of these past 50 years. We hope this will give us a glimpse of the warp and woof of our St. Matthew's fabric. Therefore, in addition to describing the details of an incident itself, please also include the qualities of St. Matthew's that you think your story illustrates. If you can, answer the question, "what effect did my story have on my life, on the life of others, or on the life of St. Matthew's?"
Our intention is to compile all of these personal stories and reflections in Story Book Form. Some of the story writers may be asked, "would you be willing to be interviewed on video for a fuller discussion of your story?" A few other Stories will be selected to be published in the Word as one way of reminding the congregation during our Anniversary Year of our living heritage. Our stories, both past and present, are what comprise the St Matthew's Story. Your story will be accepted in whatever form you choose to submit it, typed or handwritten. Or you may e-mail it to Rita Eccles at
jandr@austin.rr.com. Submit as many stories as you like, but write only one story to a page(s). Be sure to put the date or year your story happened at the top of the page.
There is a Hasidic Tale told by Elie Wiesel which ends with the line:
"God made humankind because He loves stories."
Please take that to heart and tell us your story!
