The Weekly Word

The Weekly Word
November 14, 2004
Please take this Announcement Sheet home with you.

LOVE LETTERS: What I Love About St. Matthew’s Is… "I love the outpouring of love that everyone here shows each other."

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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

A Very Brief Visitor’s Orientation will be held TODAY immediately after the 10:30 a.m. service. At that time one of the priests will meet with you and answer any 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 in front of the altar at the end of the service

Excellent, 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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An Important Reminder: St. Matthew’s stewardship campaign is still underway. If you have not completed your pledge card, please pick one up in the Commons this morning and
take this opportunity to contribute to the work of the church in 2005.

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*Items marked with an asterisk (*) are run for the first time today.

TODAY Women’s Story Circle will meet for lunch in Huffman Hall right after church. This monthly women’s sharing group, meets on the second Sunday of the month for a light luncheon ($5, pay at the door). Our speaker for today will be The Rev. Susan Barnes, "After Ordination, What’s Next?" Child-care, including lunch and activities, is provided.

*TODAY 4:45 p.m. the Rev. Jim Williams will teach on the practice of silent, contemplative prayer. This teaching prepares worshipers for the 5:15 p.m. Contemplative Eucharist service.

*TODAY at 5:15 p.m. Contemplative Eucharist. This is a 45-minute liturgy which includes readings from Scripture, the Holy Communion and at least 15 minutes of absolute silence. Quiet and peaceful evening worship.

*CURSILLITAS TAKE NOTE! Convocation Ultreya tonight 6 p.m. at Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest (ETSS). Please bring a snack to share. Child care IS provided. This is final Ultreya for 2004, none planned for December. See you there! Submitted by Dyke Miller

*Daughters of the King will meet on Tuesday, November 16, at 6:00 p.m. in Room B-18. Margaret Carpenter will lead us in a discussion on service, the 2^nd aspect of our Rule of Life (Prayer, Service and Evangelism). Please come about 15 minutes early to allow time to fill Bags for Hungry and do a little visiting before we begin the meeting promptly at 6:00 p.m.

*The United Thank Offering is next Sunday, November 21. In this month of Thanksgiving you can give thanks with a donation to the UTO, an international outreach sponsored by Episcopal Church Women. Your donation will help where there is compelling human need, be it in Western New York or Papua New Guinea, or hundreds of other locations. UTO began as a way to set aside a few coins in thanks for something special in life. Think about all you are thankful for on November 21 and participate in this wonderful outreach project.

Attention St. Matthew’s Youth interested in serving as an acolyte! We are in need of mature, responsible team members for this important ministry. Training for the Advent and Christmas seasons will begin soon. Please call Judy Myers (835-6570) or Janet Williams (244-6980) for more information.

The Bible in Many Languages: More copies of the Bible have been printed and purchased than any other book on earth…and our Level III, 4^th and 5^th grade, Sunday School children is very interested in studying copies in various dialects of other languages! Do you have such a volume you would be willing to donate or lend to us? Afrikaans to Cherokee, Hebrew to Vietnamese to Zulu…you get the idea! Please contact Barbara Pitts at 345-8314, if you might be able to make such a donation or loan. Thanks!

Thanksgiving and No Plans? New to Austin? No family in town? Don’t spend this day alone. The Extended Family Community of St. Matthew’s invites you to share a Thanksgiving Meal with them in Huffman Hall at

4:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Not new to Austin or have family in town? You can join us too! Contact Dyke Miller, 974-9032

*Have you considered being a member of the St. Matthew’s Vestry? Five new vestry members will be elected at the Annual Parish Meeting on January 9. After your prayers for discernment, why not stop by the office, or look online (www.stmattsaustin.org) for information on nomination.

Bob Lively, noted Austin author and
friend of St. Matthew’s, will be here on
Sunday, December 5, 2004, at 5:00 p.m.,
to read from, sell, and sign copies of his new book,
Waiting For Bluebonnets, Letters About God’s Love to my Daughter.
The Epilogue of the book describes his experience of
healing at St. Matthew’s in Lent, 2002. All are invited.

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Discovery Class to Begin Soon

Are you new to St. Matthew's? Would you like to learn more about the Episcopal church? Would you like to become a member of this parish?

The Rt. Rev. Don Wimberly will visit St. Matthew's for Confirmation on Sunday, January 30, 2005. To prepare individuals for confirmation, Rector Merrill Wade will teach a Discovery Class on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m., beginning on November 28. The classes will run through December 19, take two weeks off and resume meeting on January 9, 16, and 23.

If you are interested in taking this class, please give Dedee Norman a call in the Church Office, 345-8314, sign up at the Welcome Table in the Commons or email dedee@stmattsaustin.org

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Adult Education in November

7:30 a.m. - noon Bride’s Room, B-6, open as a quiet place for individual contemplative prayer

9:30 a.m. Education for Adults, Children and Youth

Three learning opportunities for Adults:

Our Rector, Merrill Wade, teaches a Discovery Class called "Connecting Sunday to Monday." This class focuses on new members and visitors but all are welcome. We study the ways and means that our Sunday services prepare us for serving Jesus Christ in our homes, jobs and relationships. We give significant attention to the Holy Eucharist and the meanings of Baptism.
This class meets in Room B-14

"Listening To Your Life", is led by a team of facilitators, to find the blessings hidden in our own stories of struggle. This class provides 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 meets in Room B-18

Traditional Bible Study, led by Bill Donnell and Clive Smith. Selected scripture from the Book of Acts and commentaries are studied. Study questions are used to prompt discussion of how these words speak to us in our day to day lives.
This class meets in Room B-21.

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Square Foot Certificates to Fund Habitat

*Holy Smoker Briskets For Sale! Be sure to order your briskets today. Complete an order form today in the Commons right after church! The briskets you order today will be available on Sunday, November 21, at the Square Foot Lunch so tell us how many you want. Money from the brisket sale will go to support the Habitat for Humanity Project.

*November 21 is the Square Foot Luncheon right after church. At no charge to you, the Outreach Commission invites you enjoy chili and side dishes and learn a little about Habitat for Humanity. You will also have an opportunity to meet the family whose house we helped to complete. And this is your opportunity to purchase Square Feet Certificates to show your support!

*Square Foot Certificates are on sale now in the Commons for only $5 each. It will only take 1,000 square foot sales to fund our portion of the Habitat House. They make terrific stocking stuffers – claim your square feet today!

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