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.

Thanks for Wearing Your Nametag! 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.

*Exciting Opportunity In Spiritual Formation At Camp Allen. Trinity Church Wall Street is sponsoring a week-long conference featuring national leaders in spirituality, April 7-11. Several members are already planning to go, and your clergy urge you to seize this opportunity. Act quickly! The event was sold out at Kanuga Conference Center last year. For information and registration forms log on: www.campallen.org/html/spiritualformation.htm.

*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 today 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.

Christmas Bells And Christmas Ribbons! We are going to present St. Matthew's with a beautiful new Christmas Processional Banner! We want it to come from contributions from our parish. There is a Bell and Ribbon Basket in the Commons for your contributions. We need Brass Bells, no larger than 3 inches. We need beautiful cloth Christmas Ribbon to attach the bells to the banner. Approximately 3-3 ½ yards each. These can be gold or Christmas red, or combinations thereof. Other colors won't work. Each time the banner passes, you can say, "I hear my bell, isn't it beautiful!" Please contact Rita Eccles, 345-7396 jandr@austin.rr.com, LuAnn Barrow 345-4544, or Babs Clendenin 795-8894, ba69claus@aol.com Gifts accepted through December 15.

*The Hospitality Committee invites you to a Reception Honoring Bishop Payne and the Newly Confirmed and Received immediately following the 10:30 service today in Huffman Hall.

*The Undesignated Offering at services this morning will go to Bishop Claude Payne’s Discretionary Fund.

*The Men’s Fellowship welcomes The University of Texas Baseball Coach Augie Garrido as guest speaker on Wednesday, December 11, in Huffman Hall. Garrido, Baseball America’s 2002 College Coach of the Year, will speak to the men about teamwork, leadership and camaraderie. Please come at 5:30 p.m., supper ($6) is at 6:00 followed by his talk concluding with showing the 2002 NCAA Championship highlight film. Reservations are a MUST! Sign up in the Commons this morning or call the church office tomorrow.

*Deadline for The Word, January issue, is next Friday, December 13. Please submit your articles (500 word max) to betty@stmattsaustin.org

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.

*Two Alternate Delegates to the Diocesan Council Meeting in Houston, February 6-8, will be elected at the Annual Parish Meeting, January 12. If you would like to represent our parish, please submit a brief bio to the church office as soon as possible. Also, two new members of the Special Gifts Committee will be elected. If you would like to be considered, please let us know ASAP by sending in a brief bio sketch. Contact Jack Eccles 345-7396 or betty@stmattsaustin.org

For the latest information on what’s happening here, please go to www.StMattsAustin.org

Family to Family:
The Children's Council, Outreach Commission,
and St. Matthew’s Day School
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, toys under $12 before December 11

+Honduras Mission: children's vitamins (no iron)

+Angel Tree: adopt inmate’s child(ren) for Christmas gifts
(see display in Commons)

+Safeplace: baby items; socks, books or toys

Watch for more information about this exciting opportunity!
Watch for Donation Baskets in the Commons and in Sunday School Rooms!

Questions? Call Barbara Pitts 345-8314 or Holly Decherd 328-3944