Weekly Word Announcements

The Weekly Word

May 6, 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.

*Flowers on the Altar today are given to the Glory of God by Laurie Holt and Mike Johnson who were married here yesterday. Laurie is the daughter of George and Sandy Holt.

*Thank you to John McElroy, Eagle Scout candidate from our own Troop 511, for organizing and overseeing the planting of the bed on the North side of Huffman Hall. John took this project on as his Eagle project. Members of Troop 511 put in the "scout power" to get the job done. Stop by and enjoy their work. It looks great!

*Vision Workshop on Saturday, May 19 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. in Huffman Hall. This is your opportunity to help determine the future direction of St. Matthew’s. the morning session will utilize small groups to answer questions about what St. Matthew’s will be like three years from now. After lunch, we will set goals for our parish. Your participation is important and will influence the future of our church. The information obtained at this workshop will be used by the 16-member Vision Committee to create a written report describing who we are and what we want to look like three years from now.

YOUTH NEWS

*The Youth of St. Matthew's will be "washing cars for cash" Sunday, May 27th after the 8:30 service until 1:00 p.m. Starting next Sunday tickets will be available to purchase from the youth."

*If you are or know a graduating senior, either from High School, College,
or graduate school, please call Betty in the church office to let her know. We will honor our graduating seniors on Sunday May 13. 345-8314.

The next date for Baptisms will be Sunday, June 10 at the 10:30 a.m. service. If you or your child would like to be Baptized, please notify Betty Mitchell in the church office 345-8314 x 214 or betty@stmattsaustin.org

If you have a sewing machine and a tiny bit of time to spare, why not help Peggy Ryder assemble the beautiful Baptism Banners that we give to little ones on their Baptism Day? This is a special ministry unique to St. Matthew’s, won’t you please check it out? Give Peggy a call, 472-5679 and make her day.

*Look Ahead to the Convocation Ultreya at St. George's at 7pm, on May 6th. Submitted by Dyke Miller

*May is Older American's Month. St. Matthew's will acknowledge its Senior
Members on Sunday, May 13th, at the 8:30 am service. Senior Activity Center
Members who are not members of St. Matthew's have been invited to join us.
We are Blessed by the Senior Members of our parish.

*We don't want to admit it...it isn't something we like to talk about or think about...but the truth is we live in a world where children are abused every day. Help us take a stand against child abuse. Children's Ministry is offering Child Abuse Prevention Training Tuesday, May 8th, 7:00 - 8:30 PM in B14 and again Saturday, May 12, 9:00 - 10:30 AM in B13. If you have more than three contact hours with children or youth in our St. Matthew's family over the course of a year, we ask you to attend one of these important sessions. Help us make St. Matthew's and our community as safe as possible for our children. Call Kathy Dugat for more information -- 343-7989.

*Coins for Construction: The outreach project for this year's VBS is to support the Sr. High Summer Mission Trip to Juarez. The Sr. High students will be building churches in the city of Juarez. We are collecting coins (or dollar bills or checks!) to purchase tools and building supplies to support this project. Look for the colorful coffee cans in the Commons, Church Office, and Sunday School classes and empty your pockets and coin purses! (You can also drop a check in the offering plate labeled "VBS project"!) Let's collect enough coins to build a whole church!

*Our Special Guests today represent our Outreach commission. Our Preacher at 8:30 ad 11:00 is Steven Tighe, a former youth minister at St. Matthew’s and currently is with Gateway, a school in El Paso for the training of missionaries and youth ministers for the world. It is a non-denominational center that works closely with the Episcopal churches in the area. St. Matthew’s has helped lend some support to the Tighe family in their work for the Lord. They raise their own income through pledges and we are proud to be a small part of that effort.

*Teaching the Adult Sunday School Class in B-18 this morning will be Cathy Nobles, another missionary for whom we provide partial support. Formerly a school teacher in Austin, Cathy was called to join the Reconciliation Walk. You have, no doubt, enjoyed reading her articles in The Word. Now that the Reconciliation Walk is accomplished, in an effort to continue to bring Christ as we really believe Him to be to this part of the world, Cathy is staying on as the training director for the project.

Children’s Shoes (New or Used) and Children’s Chewable Vitamins are needed by Sarah Neely for her upcoming medical mission trip to Costa Rica. Sarah is the daughter of Judy and Don Neely and is a college freshman, longtime member at St. Matthew’s. Donations of new or used shoes or vitamins are welcome by either dropping them in the red half barrel in the Commons, South Entrance, or in the box in B-18, the Word Made Fresh Sunday School class. Questions? Outreach Commission, Holly Decherd, 328-3944

A Special Deal for YOU! You want to help with our children…but need a short time commitment? Super Summer Sunday School is back! A short time commitment and plenty of fun! Sign up now for teacher teams for five sessions, 9:00-10:15. You will have all materials prepared for you! Are you musical? Then sign up for some Sundays you will be in town, 9:00-9:25. Look for more info in your May issue of The Word. Sign up with a friend, sign up with a spouse. Sign up in the Commons or call me at my house! Barbara Pitts, 345-8314, ext. 221 or 419-1434.

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.

REVISED WORSHIP SCHEDULE

8:00 a.m. Rite I Service

9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Children’s Sunday School

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Adult Sunday School

10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Fellowship/Coffee &Choir/Praise Band warm up

10:30 a.m. Rite II Service

This schedule begins Pentecost Sunday, June 3