To know Christ, grow in Christ, and share Christ's love.
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To know Christ, grow in Christ, and share Christ's love. |
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Dear Friends,
In the liturgical life we share at St. Matthew’s, we are preparing for the Advent/ Christmas cycle. First we celebrate All Saints Day, wherein we remember with deep devotion and affection all the saints gone before us. We remember our beloved family members, friends, ancestors, and all those persons who laid a foundation for us to exist and serve Christ in our time. There is a veil drawn between this world and the next, and at times that veil thins out and we can feel or intuit the presence of those who shaped us, even when they have been dead for many years. To be certain, this presence is beyond our control to manipulate. Yet I am persuaded that heaven and eternal life are real, as real as this life is and that when we die life is not ended, but changed, changed forever.
I recall the Burial Collect on Page 493 of the Prayer Book, recounted in part as follows:
Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence
we may continue our course on earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
On All Saints Day we offer to God our prayers and gratitude for all the saints departed, and as the hymn states, “God helping (me) to be one, too.” Our services will be held on November 1 at 7AM with sermon, and 12 Noon, with preaching and music. On Sunday, November 5, we will observe All Saints Sunday at both services.
Update on Rector’s Downtown Women’s Group
At this point I have received positive responses from 9 women who will gather with me weekly at Paul Williams office located near 12th and Nueces. This is a "bring your own lunch" event and Paul will furnish coffee and cold drinks. We will meet at the 509 West 12th Building on the southeast corner of 12th and Nueces, with parking on 12th Street on the east side of the building in a small lot available to us for this purpose. Those who attend come together as available between 11:30AM to 12 Noon to eat and the class begins promptly at Noon with Noonday Prayer and ends at 1:00PM sharp. We will meet six consecutive Mondays beginning November 13 through Monday, December 18. In our first meeting I will make a presentation on stress management (as if I have this subject figured out!) based on Dr. Gerald May’s work, Addiction and Grace. Please email me at Merrill@stmattsaustin.org if you are interested in this gathering.
Second Notice of Youth Confirmation Classes
Our new Bishop, Dena Harrison, will be present at St. Matthew’s on Sunday, December 10, at 10:30AM for confirmation. We have a large group of adults preparing for confirmation that day. If your child is age 12 or older and would like to be confirmed it would be my pleasure to lead a confirmation class or classes for youth before December 10. Please email me at Merrill@stmattsaustin.org and let me know if you are interested in this opportunity and I will set class times based on availability of the youth!
Clergy Conference, 2006
Susan and I attended Clergy Conference from October 9-11 at Camp Allen and had an excellent time renewing friendships, making new friends, attending classes and worshipping and learning with our fellow clergy. We have a strong diocese with a deep commitment to one another and the future of the Episcopal Church in Texas. Bishop Wimberly spoke to the clergy about his recent actions and meetings concerning the role of the Episcopal Church in the Anglican Communion. He assured us that he has no desire to leave the Episcopal Church USA though he wants to use his influence to move the Episcopal Church USA to follow the Windsor Report. His article in the October Texas Episcopalian sums up what he said to us in detail. I commend it to you. Go to www.epicenter.org and follow the link through Texas Episcopalian to Bishop Wimberly’s Columns (October, 2006) and you can read the text on-line.
Christmas Services
This year Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday. This means, of course, that the 4th Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve are the same day. After consulting with members of the Children’s Council, staff and others, I have been encouraged to and have decided to move the time of the Children’s Pick-up Pageant from 4PM in the afternoon to 10:30AM on Sunday, December 24. This will allow families more time to gather that day and will maintain the pattern of attending church at 10:30AM on Sunday. This means that the schedule for services that day will be as follows:
Sunday, December 24
8:00AM – Holy Eucharist, Rite I observing Advent 4.
NO CHRISTIAN ED TODAY
10:30AM – Pick-up Pageant and Holy Eucharist – Christmas Celebration
7:00PM – Holy Eucharist Rite Two – brass, choir and sermon.
10:00PM – Christmas Music by choir, congregational hymns and instrumental offerings
10:30AM – Midnight Mass with brass, choir and sermon (with incense)
God bless you one and all!
Merrill
