Welcome to Our Visitors! We pray that your visit to St. Matthew’s will richly bless you and that you will come back again. Please fill out the Welcome Card located in the chair slot in front of you. Place the information portion in the offertory plate and affix the name tag so that we may identify and welcome you. And we have a special gift for you so please stop by the Welcome Table in the foyer after the service. For information about St. Matthew's, call Dedee Norman at 345-8314 Ext. 229 and visit our web site at www.StMattsAustin.org

Excellent, Experienced Child Care for Your Young Children is Offered from 8:00 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. 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 comfortable, soundproof room upstairs for adults who wish to keep their babies with them during the service.

Need a Shoulder for Support? 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. In case of emergency, St. Matthew’s clergy may be reached by calling 771-0680

Home Delivery of Holy Communion if you are unable to come to church and would like Holy Communion brought to you on Sunday, please call Jim Sparks at 345-7757.

And Your Name Is, What? If you need a new nametag please see Dedee Norman at the Welcome Table in the Commons right after church. Thanks for faithfully wearing your nametag each and every Sunday.

*Vestry Nominations are now being accepted for the five places being vacated. Complete information on qualification, requirements and nomination forms may be downloaded from www.StMattsAustin.org Completed forms must be signed and turned into the Church Office. There is no nomination deadline, however, in order for your information to be printed in The Word for January, we ask that you turn it in by 4:00 p.m. Thursday, December 12. Vestry election is at the Parish Meeting on January 12, 2003.

*Reception Honoring Bishop Payne And Newly Confirmed and Received: The Hospitality Committee is planning a reception on December 8, 2002, following the 10:30 service. Would you please help us with the refreshments? We need 25 people to make 3-dozen cookies each; these can be regular cookies, bar cookies or brownies. Please arrange your cookies on a suitable serving plate (preferably with doilies underneath) and bring them to the kitchen before the 10:30 service. If you can make cookies, please call or email Katie Lane as soon as possible. Her phone is 252-7084; email katie.lane@unisys.com

*The Church Office will be closed next Thursday and Friday so that our staff may observe the holiday. J

*Visitor’s Orientation will be held every other week. At that time one of the priests will meet with you to greet and answer questions you may have. If you are visiting and would like to know more about St. Matthew’s and what it has to offer you, please gather at the front of the sanctuary NEXT WEEK immediately after the 10:30 service.

*On Saturday, December 7, at 10:00 a.m. The Women of St. Matthew’s are invited to the home of Mary Nell Frucella, 4005 Enclave Mesa Circle (off of Mesa Drive between Greystone and Far West) for the Annual ECW Advent Coffee. Please plan to attend and bring your friends and family members (age 12 and older.) A special speaker will share with us around 10:40 a.m. If you would like to bring a favorite pick-up dish (dessert or otherwise) or if you will need babysitting (available by reservation) please call Kay Whitney, 345-0574.

*FYI There is a wonderful website for Morning and Evening Prayer at www.MissionStClare.com. Follow directions on the first screen and you will come to an index page. In the Calendar column, click on Read Online. On the next screen, scroll down to today’s date and click on morning or evening prayer. It will bring up the complete service for both morning and evening prayer. No need to look up lessons and psalms -- they are printed there along with a short homily on the saint who is being remembered that day.

*And while you are online, please go to www.StMattsAustin.org to check out the latest activities in our parish! What a wealth of information there is waiting for you there

*Now that the new sound system is installed, the church is looking for a group of volunteers to operate it. No experience necessary; training will be offered. Responsibilities primarily include the weekly operation of the system during the Sunday morning service. We hope to spread this across several people so that it becomes a monthly or bi-monthly job for each individual. Contact Jason Sommerville at jdsommer@mail.gbronline.com or 996-8913.

*A New Adult Education Class Begins Next Week: On December 1, 8, and 15, 9 - 10:00 a.m. in Huffman Hall, Dean Busboom, retired Lutheran pastor and member of St. Matthew’s, will teach a class on the Advent Season entitled Christmas: The Real Story. Learn the true meaning of Advent in preparation for the Savior’s second coming. The class series on the Prayer Book ended today.

*Other Adult Education offerings on Sunday morning include the ongoing Spirituality Class based on Anthony de Mello’s book Walking On Water, led by Annelle and Russ Adams and Sharon Lowe. The Kerygma class will end with the class taught on December 1.

*As we celebrate Ed's 50th birthday on Thanksgiving Day, we wish to thank all of St. Matthew's for your love and support for our past twenty years here at St. Matthew's and especially the past four years since Ed's cancer diagnosis. To each of you who have shared in his ongoing healing process we are sincerely grateful. With fondness and appreciation, Trisha, Matthew, Andrew and Ed Abrahamson

Family to Family: The Children's Council and Outreach Commission
encourage a St. Matthew's program for this holiday season of giving.
Won't you plan today to join our effort in reaching out to
one of St. Matthew's projects:
+El Buen Samaritano: food basket
+Honduras Mission: children's vitamins (no iron)
+Angel Tree: adopt inmate’s child(ren) for Christmas gifts
+Safeplace: baby items; socks, books or toys
Watch for more information about this exciting opportunity!

Thanksgiving Eve Service
at Triumphant Love Lutheran Church
9508 Great Hills Trail
Wednesday, November 27, 7:15 p.m.
Please count your blessings and mark your calendars for this
special service.