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The Weekly Word
September 5, 2004
LOVE LETTERS: What I Love About St. Matthew’s Is
… "the people…young and old, new members and ‘historians’, worker bees and leadership"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.orgExcellent, Experienced Child Care for Your Young Children is Offered from 7:45 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. At 7:45 a.m., all children are kept in the Education Building. At 9:00 a.m., the nursery for children 0-18 months is located in Huffman Hall on the parking lot side of the hallway. The nursery for children 18 months - 4 years remains in the Education Building. There is also a comfortable, soundproof room in the church balcony (sanctuary) for adults who wish to keep their babies with them during the service.
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.
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 the church office at 345-8314.
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.
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.
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Today is Good Faith Sunday….
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*Items marked with an asterisk (*) are run for the first time today.
Suzanne Daniel and Cary Michaels: Today Suzanne and Cary complete their term as Interim Musical Leaders at St. Matthew’s. We are so grateful for their service. Please join us in Huffman Hall immediately after the 10:30 a.m. service today for a reception in their honor.
TONIGHT! ConneXions Fall Regrouping: A new ConneXions series will begin this evening at 7 p.m. with a Social Hour in Huffman Hall. Now's the time to join one of St. Matthew's oldest and most popular groups, ConneXions, where many long-term friendships have been made while enjoying wonderful meals. Dinner groups of 10-12 singles and couples meet monthly for brunch, lunch or dinner in members homes over the next six months. To join or get more information, call Bill or Leslie Kjellstrand, 331-2121 or email
lkjellstrand@austin.rr.com.*The Church Office will be closed tomorrow for Labor Day. J
*LOVE LETTERS! Do you remember on Pentecost when Susan Barnes asked you to complete this sentence, "what I love about St. Matthew’s is…..", and you wrote your comments on a 3 x 5 card? Well, the resulting composite Love Letter was amazing and, beginning today, selected comments from your cards will be printed each Sunday. Thank you for your awesome input!
*A Message from St. Matthew’s New Music Minister, Tim Smith:
Come enjoy a St. Matthew’s Music Morning next Saturday, September 11 in the Choir Room. As your Music Minister, I look forward to this time to socialize and to get to know you and for you to get to know me. I look forward to meeting everyone and to identifying more concretely the significant music and worship gifts at St. Matthew’s. Come for coffee and a light breakfast and visit at 9:00 a.m. We’ll have some time to rehearse some as well. There are some significant services in the near future, and preparation is always a good thing. We’ll finish by 10:45. Then at 11:00 a.m., I am eager to meet those who are interested in leading praise music. It will be a time when we can visit and plan what can be done to facilitate praise and great music for our worship services. The sky is the limit! Come, join the fun and the dialogue.
*Come Sing with Us Choir rehearsals are on Wednesday nights from 7-9 p.m. in the Choir Room. We want you and need you to join the fellowship, fun, and work preparing to lead worship at St. Matthew’s. If you have been considering joining the choir, now is the time to make the move to get involved! Come check out the new guy. Tim Smith is anxious to meet you!
*Women’s Story Circle: September 12, at noon in Huffman Hall,
Marilyn Cole will tell us how going to China to adopt their baby Nora turned out to be a spiritual journey as well as a travel experience. A light lunch (suggested donation $5) will be served and childcare is available. Please make reservations with Janice Watkins, janiwat@outerscape.netor in the Commons after church.*Young adults! Are you looking to connect with friends and fun at St. Matt's? Xplorers may be for you. The Xplorers is a fellowship/study group for young adults that meets for monthly social outings, does service projects, eats together, and will meet once a month after the 10:30 service for study. We are always happy to have new folks! Our next event is a games night Sept. 17, 7:00 p.m. Contact Heather Walter, 627-6938, for details or more info or email Kristi Robison,
kristi_robison@gsdm.com, to get on our email list and receive our fall schedule*It's time to turn in your applications for Education for Ministry (EFM). There is still room in the seminar group for a few more members. Please call Kathy Vail (343-7367), if interested. Application forms are available from the church office or
http://www.sewanee.edu/EFM/EFMhome.html (see student enrollment) and should be turned in to the office or Kathy Vail. Class will start Wednesday, September 15 at 7pm.*Calling all 4th & 5th Graders!
This years' first Coffee House is almost here. Join Michele Mann and Barbara Pitts at 9:30 on Sunday, Sept. 19, as we conclude our study of saints and psalms a bit early, in order to have hot chocolate and Krispy Kremes and to have some extra time for socializing and playing games. See you in Sunday School!*September 26 will be the next Baptism Sunday at St. Matthew’s. If you, or someone you know, would like to be baptized, please call Betty Mitchell in the Church Office, 345-8314 x 214 or email
betty@stmattsaustin.org*If you have had a name placed on the Prayer List, and the person whose
name you added has improved or the situation has changed for the better, won’t you please call the Church Office with the good news? To maintain a current prayer list, it is important to remove names as well as add them. Call Barbara Haynes at 345-8314 and let her know of your changes. Thanks!Lets Go Shopping in Laredo! An open invitation to the women of St. Matthew’s (and men with brave hearts and deep pockets): the annual Shopping Trip to Laredo will be Saturday and Sunday, October 16 and 17. Cost: $110, No refunds given after October 1. Send check to reserve your spot to Margaret Parker, 3631 Kentfield Road, Austin, TX 78759. Questions? Call Margaret at 345-0495 Come eat ‘til you pop and shop ‘til you drop!
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Temporary New Contact Info for Suzanne(after Sept. 5)
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After the service this morning, you are all invited to Huffman Hall to greet Suzanne Daniel and Cary Michaels and thank them for their service to
St. Matthew’s Music Ministry
Adult Education in September
This morning, September 5, hear Dr. Peter Steinke speak on "Creating and Sustaining Healthy Congregations." Dr. Steinke has served as a Lutheran minister and is a nationally recognized church consultant. Huffman Hall
Beginning next Sunday, September 12, three learning opportunities:
-- "Listening To Your Life", will be led by a team of facilitators, to find the blessings hidden in our own stories of struggle. This class will provide a time for sharing, meditation and reflection on the Christian spiritual journey, studying Sr. Joan Chittister’s book, Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope.
This class will meet in Room B-14
-- Traditional Bible Study, led by Bill Donnell and Clive Smith. Selected scripture from the Book of Acts and commentaries will be studied. Study questions will be used to prompt discussion of how these words speak to us in our day to day lives.
This class will meet in Room B-21.
Special Schedule For St. Matthew’s Day
September 19!
9:30 a.m. Sunday School for Children and Adults
10:30 a.m. One Church Service for all
12:00 noon Feast Day Celebration, Huffman Hall
Sponsored by the Associate Vestry
Lunch prepared by the Holy Smokers
Entertainment for Kids and Adults
Wear Red! Bring the Kids! Eat Lunch! Stay Late!
