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.

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.

Bishop Theodore Daniels visits St. Matthew’s today 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. Let’s gather and give Bishop Daniels and those newly confirmed and received our support, encouragement and love.

An Old-Fashioned Family Christmas Party at St. Matthew's
Please reserve next Sunday afternoon,
December 21
for a
Good Old-Fashioned Family Christmas Party
in Huffman Hall.  Starting at 3:00 p.m., we'll gather together for fun and friendship.
We'll make decorations and decorate 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. – Your Associate Vestry.

*The Annual Children’s Christmas Pageant will be held during the 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Service. If you have children among family or friends visiting during the holiday, they are welcome to join our parish children as shepherds or angels! Costumes can be provided from home or picked up upon arrival at church at 3:30. All children are also invited to join in singing the anthem. (Anthem music may be found in the Advent Take Home Packets.)

Angel Tree signup continues today in the Commons. Millie Roden and Janet Williams will be oh so glad to help you select the child of a prisoner who needs your help with Christmas gifts. Look for the Christmas Tree on the Credenza in the Commons.

*Advent Take-Home Packets To enrich this season of preparation and waiting, please stop by the commons to pick up a packet of activities suitable for children of pre-school and school age – one per family unit, please.

*Baby packets for El Buen Samaritano: Each month St. Matthew’s donates 12 packets for new babies to El Buen Samaritano, who distributes them to needy new mothers.  The baby packets, which cost about $25 each, are the main outreach project of St. Matthew’s ECW.  Total cost of the project is $3,600 each year.  ECW annually collects funds for the baby packets at the Advent Coffee and throughout the month of December.  So far we have collected $1,027.  You are invited to donate to the baby packet project during this Christmas month to help ECW meet its annual goal.  Donations of cash or checks should be clearly marked for "ECW baby packets."

Women’s Lenten Retreat:  Now’s the time to sign up for the Women’s Lenten Retreat at Mo Ranch on Feb. 27-29.  Focus will be on "The First and Great Commandment: Loving God" through song, visual arts and meditation on scripture.  The event will be led again this year by The Revs. Susan Barnes, Posy Jackson and Cynthia Clawson.  Cost will be $170 for meals, retreat costs and double occupancy rooms.  Pay all or part now to reserve your room; the balance is due by January 6.  Partial scholarships are available.  Registration forms are available at the ECW table in the Commons.  For information, see The Rev. Barnes, Leslie Kjellstrand or call the church office, 345-8314

*2004 Great Teachers Series begins Sunday, January 4, with Kirk Watson, former Mayor of Austin and chairman-elect of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, speaking on the role of faith in leaders. The class will meet at 9:00 a.m. in Huffman Hall.

*Oh the weather outside is frightful and it is chili cooking time at St. Matt’s! Why not get with your Bible Study group, your Sunday School friends, or any other church organization and form a chili-cooking team to enter the Sometimes Annual St. Matthew’s Chili Cook Off that will be held in Huffman Hall on Sunday, January 11, just before the Annual Parish Meeting. The competition will be stiff, the conditions will be friendly and camaraderie is cool! Make up a big batch of chili, make plans to decorate your table and maybe your chili team will take home the prize!

Sponsored with love by your Associate Vestry

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