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The Weekly Word
November 30, 2003
Assigned Vestry Members for December: Phil Hatlen and Cliff Harrison
Welcome to Our Guests! 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. 219 and visit our web site at www.StMattsAustin.org
Excellent, Experienced Child Care for Your Young Children is Offered from 7:45 a.m. until 12:15 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.
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.
The Good Samaritans Ministry offers love in the form of a hot meal for you and your family if you are in the hospital, sick, or recovering from adversity. In addition, other pastoral care services are available if you will just call the church office, 345-8314 with your needs and requests. In case of emergency, St. Matthew’s clergy may be reached by calling 771-0680.
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.
Personal Prayer Teams are available during Communion at Prayer Stations on either side of the sanctuary. One station is located on the east side, by the windows, and the other station is on the west side in the gallery. Prayer requests and discussion are completely confidential.
Receive weekly info and breaking parish news by subscribing to St Matt’s email. Just send a blank email to: StMattsEmail-subscribe@yahoogroups.com then respond to the confirmation email.
*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 TODAY immediately after the 10:30 service.
St. Nicholas of Myra is Coming to St. Matthew’s!
What great timing, too, as his visit coincides with our
Pot Luck Supper on Wednesday, December 3.
Please join us in Huffman Hall, from 6 – 7:00 p.m. for a meal, followed by a very special service. We will share the story of this saintly bishop’s life: his love and concern for children. Just as Bishop Nicholas gave to the needy, all children will be encouraged to bring a new toy or book/activity book to give away.
And as an Outreach Project, our 4th and 5th graders ask you to please bring a new toy or book for children who are hospitalized at Christmastime. And who knows, maybe St. Nicholas will have a little gift or two for our children!
Attention Parents/Grown-Ups: If your last name begins with:
A – L, please bring a main dish
M – T, please bring vegetable or salad
U-Z, please bring a dessert
(enough for your own family plus six)
-- oo - o - oo --
*Bishop Theodore Daniels will visit St. Matthew’s on Sunday, December 14, for Confirmation.
Following the 10:30 a.m. service, our Hospitality Committee, ably headed by Louise Waddill, will host a reception in Huffman Hall to welcome the Bishop and our new confirmands. The Bishop’s visit is a "command performance" day in the life of a parish. Let’s gather and give the Bishop Daniels and those newly confirmed and received our support, encouragement and love.*TODAY QUESTION #3 We want to hear from you! The Congregational Involvement and Assessment Subcommittee of the St. Matthew’s Music Committee
wants to know how music enhances (or detracts) from your worship experience and other church activities and how we can improve our music program at St. Matthew's. This is the third week of a five week survey; see the yellow sheet in your Weekly Word for last week's question (applied to today) and an additional question. Please fill out the survey (each week, if you like) and turn this form into our box in the Commons. Or, you can go to St. Matthew's website (stmattsaustin.org) and fill it out, or e-mail your response to: rraynolds@austin.rr.com. Thank you for your interest and response!
*St. Matthews to Host AISD Community Task Force Forum on School Safety Thursday, December 4 at 7:00 p.m. presented by the Austin Independent School District.
AISD is concerned about security and safety of our children at all times, especially when they are at school. Anyone interested in this important issue is encouraged to attend. Those attending will be able to express verbally their views and concerns, and may submit written comments as well. Please pray for the well-being of all our children.
*The Xplorers, a fellowship/study group for young adults, would like to invite you to come see what we're all about. We DO NOT meet today, but we'll continue our series of discussion and PBS videos on Luther and the English Reformation Dec. 7, led by Xplorer Will Lutz, who can make any political or historical topic come to life! We'll also have our potluck lunch after the 10:30 service in Huffman Hall as usual that day (visitors/newcomers most welcome! Don't worry about bringing a dish -- lunch is on us!). Contact Heather Walter, 627-6938, or Kristi Robison, kristi_robison@gsdm.com, for details or more info.
The fourth monthly St. Matthew's golf outing will be held on December 5th at Shadow Glen golf course. We have 5 tee times, at 10 minute intervals, beginning at 8 a.m. The cost is $29.95 (plus tax) for all ages and includes cart, green fee and range balls. The course is located on the west side of 290 east shortly beyond the traffic light in Manor. We will car pool from the Church leaving at 7:15 a.m. Please call me at 345-0499 to let me know you will join us. Milt Williams
Children’s Ministry has a Gift for your Children – Advent begins today, and we want to help you prepare! Please pick up your family’s copy of the 2003 Advent Devotional Hide and Seek book in the Commons today or at Supper with St. Nicholas on Wednesday, December 3. Have a blessed Advent.
For children! Available in the Commons, a write-on/wipe-off booklet that follows the Rite II, Eucharist, order of service. Because it is published by the Scottish Episcopal Church, it is not identical to our service; however, it provides explanations on an age-appropriate level that we think will foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Holy Communion. Call Barbara Pitts, 345-8314 x 221, with questions.
ECW Christmas Coffee coming up: Mark your calendars for next Saturday, December 6 at 10 a.m. Crystal Wade, wife of our rector, The Rev. Merrill Wade, will be our hostess, at her home, 11561 Cedarcliffe Dr. This is the time when ECW collects donations for El Buen baby gifts. Any amount would help; $25 will purchase one baby gift pack and we give 12 each month. Also, if you wish to bring your favorite Christmas cookies or other finger foods, call Kay Whitney, 345-0574.
Take the chill off the Chrysalis Cottage! The 7th graders of the Rite 13 Sunday school class would love to have a few cozy afghans to wrap around themselves on a chilly winter morning. We have a heater, but by the time we get the room warmed up, it's time to go! If anyone is skilled at crochet and would like to make an afghan for the Cottage, or if you have an extra afghan you no longer need, please contact Laura Adolph at ljadolph@juno.com or at 502-1413. Even more fun would be for one of our crochet artists to visit our class and show how one long thread can become a useful blanket. Thanks for wrapping our youth in warm, wooly love!"
*Book Club Anyone? If you are interested in participating in a Book Club, please email Gidget Fisher gid92get@yahoo.com We would like to know your preference regarding meeting time (day or night?) Title selection will be by group recommendation and majority vote.
*The Book Table from St. David’s Book Shop is in Huffman Hall today. You can shop for very good Advent supplies and Christmas gift for friends, family. Their books and other items are very interesting. And you can shop without dropping! The book table will remain open 30 minutes after the 10:30 service is over.
*An Old Fashioned Family Christmas Party at St. Matthew’s Please reserve Sunday afternoon, December 21, for this festive event in Huffman Hall. Beginning at 3:00 p.m., we will gather for fun and friendship. We’ll make decorations and trim our Christmas tree; we’ll sing your favorite carols and enjoy homemade cookies; and we’ll share in the warmth of hot cocoa and good friends. There will be craft tables for the kids and Story Time with St. Nicholas for the kids at heart.
*Young At Heart/Senior Activity Center "First Friday" luncheon speaker series will meet on Friday, December 5, at 11:00 a.m. in Huffman Hall. Our speaker will be Dr. Ralph Comer, a member of St. Matthew’s and an active participation in Senior Games. His presentation will be "Fitness and Fun". The program will be followed by a covered dish luncheon at 12:00 noon. Bring a dish to share – casserole, meat, vegetable, salad, bread or dessert – and partake of food and fellowship.
