Weekly Word Announcements

The Weekly Word

April 8, 2001

A warm welcome to our visitors! Those of us who worship and minister in this church pray that your visit to St. Matthew’s will bring you closer to the Christ whom we love and serve, and that the Holy Spirit may fill your life with the love, joy and peace of Jesus Christ. Please fill out one of the visitor cards and a red-bordered visitor name tag available in the chairs in front of you so that we may identify you and welcome you. For newcomer information, call Dedee Norman at 345-8314.

St. Matthew’s offers nursery care from 8:00 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. on Sundays. Nurseries for children 0-18 months are located in Huffman Hall on the parking lot side of the hallway. The nursery for children 18 months - 4 years is in the Education Building. There is also a cry room upstairs for parents with unhappy babies.

When life's challenges appear overwhelming, we encourage you to call on your St. Matthew's family for love, prayer, the support of a friend, or a meal in time of need. With loving respect and confidentiality, we offer these and many other pastoral care services to our church family. Contact the church office,

345-8314, with needs and requests. Or you may contact Interim Rector, Fr. Joe, at 490-9398 anytime.

*Homebound? If you or someone you know are unable to come to church and would like Holy Communion brought to you on Sunday, please call Jim Sparks at 345-7757.

*Were you out of town? Did you miss the Weekly Word? Simply go to our website, and get the information you’ve missed!

www.StMattsAustin.org

*Items marked with an asterisk* are being run for the first time today.

*Summer worship schedule coming soon! Beginning on Pentecost (June 3rd) we will be combining the 8:30 and 11:00 services into a single Rite II worship service while preserving the music styles of both. There will be ample time for our Sunday morning adult, youth and children's programs, plus time for fellowship including lunch, which will be provided after the service through the summer. Watch the Weekly Word, the web, and the Word on the Wall for additional details.

*Children's Ministry invites you to join the festivities on Easter morning. We'll be serving up cookies, coffee, lemonade and good old fashioned fellowship from 10:00 - 11:00. There will be an Easter Egg hunt for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary school age children. Toddlers will hunt for eggs on the toddler playground. Preschoolers will hunt on the big playground. School age children will hunt for eggs in the courtyard. The Easter Egg hunt will begin at 10:30. Questions? Call Kathy Dugat (343-7989)

Mark your calendars - the 14^th annual SafePlace Walk for Safe Families and Safe Streets at Waterloo Park is on Saturday, April 21^st. It’s an easy walk distance of 2.2 miles. Festivities begin at 10:00 with children’s activities and sign up. The day will feature plenty of live music, and food will be sold with all proceeds going to SafePlace. You can walk or just bring a picnic lunch and listen to the music and celebration. This is definitely a family event with the opportunity to have fun, entertain and educate your kids, and make a real contribution to the community at large.

*Do you appreciate a beautiful garden? St. Matthew's parishioners and guests do as well. WE NEED YOUR HELP. There are garden plots of all sizes and gardening intensity for you, your family, your Sunday School class or your group to "adopt". Effort ranges from occasional weeding to seasonal planting, for plots ranging from a few plants to a large area. Signs will be created for each area and can be customized if you want to dedicate your effort. Please call David Harakal at 451-0893, send him an e-mail at David_Harakal@tivoli.com or sign up on the plot on the Word on the Wall.

*Thanks to the Marriage/Parenting class for their work in sprucing up the Kinney Outdoor Chapel (especially the new plantings around the cross), the big clay pots in the courtyard, the bed on the southeast corner of the Sanctuary and general weeding, raking, blowing leaves and trimming in the northeast quadrant of the grounds and courtyard in preparation for Easter.

We have The Word (monthly newsletter); we have the Weekly Word (Sunday announcement sheet) and now – ta da – the Word on the Wall! The bulletin board on the West wall of the Commons is where you can now find up to date information on what is happening here at St. Matt’s. If you do not have access to the internet, please get in the habit of checking the board each week for pertinent information.

ECW and Dinner With Dorothy Sign up today in the Commons for the ECW dinner meeting Tuesday, April 17 at 6:00. Our guest speaker will be The Rev. Dorothy Robinson who was part of this church family for many years. She is now chaplain at The Children’s Hospital. You won’t want to miss out as Dorothy tells us about her life and her work at the hospital. The cost of the evening is $5 and there is babysitting available upon request. If you have questions, please call Susan Robertson at 453-4115.

We wish we may, we wish we might…. The nursery is in need of some new toys for our children. Our wish list is posted in the church commons. Please help us in improving our nursery environment by aiding us in filling up the ark. New or gently used items will be accepted in the nursery or the Children’s Ministry office. Thank you for your support!

Help! Children and Youth Chapel are still in need of some volunteers. Youth Chapel needs a 2^nd Sunday presider for the 11:00 service and Children’s Chapel needs a musician for 2^nd and 4^th Sunday 11:00 services. These are once a month, first half of the service commitments, and there are only two more 2^nd and 4^th Sundays left in our school year. That’s only two times you would have to volunteer! If interested or for questions contact Heather Harmon (345-8314 x 221).

Need something fun to do this summer? Why not become a Children’s Chapel volunteer? The Children’s Ministry team is now recruiting for summertime volunteers. This is a once a month, first half of the service commitment. We are in need of presiders, helpers, and musicians for both the 8:30 and 11:00 services. Keep your eyes open for sign up sheets in the commons or call the Children’s Ministry office at 345-8314 ext. 221.

Ecumenical Holy Week Noon Services will be held at First Presbyterian

on April 9, 10 and 11. Musical begins at 11:15 a.m., lunch at 11:30, $5,. Prayers, scripture, sermon and hymns begin at 12:15 to conclude around 1 p.m. Leaders from our parish have been invited to participate and we hope you will add these luncheons to your Holy Week schedule. Details available in the church office.

Handbell Ringers Needed! The choir needs two handbell ringers for the 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. services on Easter Day. If you can help, please contact Suzanne Daniel, at 773-0910, or email her at suziq@jump.net

CURSILLISTAS, LOOKING FORWARD: Stay in touch through the monthly news letter. If you are not on the mailing list, contact Peggy Ryder. Cursillo #188 will be held April 26-29. The candidate list is full. If you were considering sponsoring someone look to June 7-10, #189. But hurry, the list is half full as of last week. NO Ultreya is planned for April. Look for St. George's to host an Instructional Ultreya on May 6th. Take advantage of candidate applications on the web: www.jsrsys.com/cursillo. Remember that the application must still go through the St. Matthew's Office. Interest in Cursillo within the Diocese of Texas is picking up. Plan ahead to get your candidates started. Only four scheduled Cursillos after April. Submitted by Dyke Miller

Maundy Thursday Prayer Vigil Sign Up Continues Today in the Commons. Select which hour(s) you want to go to the Bell Tower Chapel and pray in contemplative solitude throughout the night of Maundy Thursday and the morning of Good Friday. The Prayer Vigil will conclude at noon on Good Friday. Security will be provided.

During Lent we have no flowers in the Commons or Sanctuary. On Easter the explosion of beautiful lilies and Flowers represents Christ's resurrection and new life for us in him. Perhaps you would like to make a donation for Easter flowers to honor someone or some occasion, or in memory of a loved one. You will find envelopes in the pews for these donations. Please write your name and those to be remembered on the envelope. These names will be listed in the Easter printings. The deadline for printing is Monday, April 9. The Flower Guild is so pleased to glorify our worship space with God's beautiful flowers. We thank you for your generous gifts so that we can continue our service to you and our church. Thank you again. Harriet Houston, Guild Chairman.

Inquirers’ Class: Friday, May 11, 5:30 - 9:00 p.m., Saturday, May 12, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. You are invited to explore your relationship with God and with St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in this weekend seminar. Meet other people, review basic Christian beliefs and learn about the worship of the Episcopal Church. If you are not baptized, or if you are baptized but have never been confirmed or received by an Episcopal bishop, or if you are already an Episcopalian and desire to renew your baptismal vows, this seminar is for you. The seminar consists of a series of talks by clergy and laity followed by roundtable discussions with others on the spiritual journey. Sign up in the commons at the Education Table or call DeDee Norman,345-8314 to register.