The Weekly Word

The Weekly Word
December 5, 2004
Assigned Vestry Members for December: Reid Kirchem and Debbie Meleski

LOVE LETTERS: What I Love About St. Matthew’s Is… "healing prayer, openness, acceptance of all, love and support."

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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.

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

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Today is Good Faith Sunday….

On the first Sunday of each month the loose offering and designated checks are given to the Good Faith Fund. Your generous gifts enable us to assist many people who need financial help to get through a crisis.
All gifts are sincerely appreciated.

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*TODAY Coffee and Lemonade will be served on the front porch following the 10:30 a.m. service. Come visit with old friend and greet new members of the parish family.
No agenda, just a time to socialize!

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TODAY! 5:00 p.m. in Huffman Hall
Bob Lively, noted Austin author and
friend of St. Matthew’s, will be here today
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.
Cash or checks only.
Please make checks payable to Riverbend Book Store

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*TODAY Discovery Class Continues 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., in Room B-14. 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

*TODAY Sign up in the Commons today to share your blessings with children of those in prison. See Janet Williams to sign up today!

*TODAY 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 meets once a month after the 10:30 service for study. We are always happy to have new folks and visitors! We will have a potluck lunch after the service in B-13 (note room change) with an informal discussion/study of different denominations. Also, our Xplorers Xmas Xtravaganza party is Dec. 11!! Contact Heather Walter, 627-6938, for more info or email Kristi Robison, kristi_robison@gsdm.com, to get on our email list and receive our fall schedule!
*TODAY the first Sunday of the month, Dec. 5, is here and that means Coffee & Conversation with our visitors and new members. It is a time to gather together to express what your needs and expectations are in a church home and ask questions and it is the Newcomers Council's opportunity to listen. The coffee will be at Pat Boon's house, 6809 Edgefield Dr. 78731 at 4:00. Pick up a flyer at the Welcome Table in the Commons and come.

*Youth Council Meeting is on Tuesday, December 7, at 7:00 in the youth building. For more information please contact the youth office.

*Attention St. Matthew’s Youth interested in serving as acolytes! We are in need of mature, responsible team members for this important ministry. An important training for the Advent and Christmas seasons will be held on December 12, immediately after the 10:30 a.m. service in Room B-13. Plan to join us for pizza and training by the Rector. Please call Judy Myers (835-6570) or Janet Williams (244-6980) for more information.

*Youth movie night is Dec. 12, 6-8:30 p.m. in the Youth Building. All youth, 6-12 grade, are invited for fun, pizza, and a little movie discussion. We're watching Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas (in the spirit of the season). Come hang out and enjoy with us! Call or email Robisons for more info: 339-4063 or kristi_robison@gsdm.com.

News from the Nursery: On Saturday, December 11, from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. we will be offering a bonus day out for parents. Parish parents can take their children to the nursery and gain a few child-free hours to get ready for Christmas. Parents must leave a cell phone or pager number with the sitters. The doors will be locked for the safety of the children and the sitters. If you arrive after 3:15 p.m. you will need to call Tracey’s cell phone number - 947-7509 and ask a sitter to open the door for them. Please call Tracey Nichols home number, 331-0653 to pre-register your children for the event or to ask questions. Reservations are mandatory! Call 331-0653.

*Old Fashioned Family Christmas Party on December 19. Please reserve Sunday afternoon, for this fun family activity in Huffman Hall. Starting 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 treats; and we’ll share the warmth of hot cocoa and good friends. There will be craft tables for the kids and the traditional story time with jolly Old St. Nicholas.

3 – 4 p.m. Kids’ crafts, cookie decorating, kid-made ornaments to trim the tree.
Warm cocoa, homemade treats and sharing of holiday cheer. Crèches from around the world.

4 – 5 p.m. Story Time with Old St. Nicholas, Christmas carol sing along with surprise soloist! Your Associate Vestry hopes to see you there!

Attention Chili Cookers! Even though the Annual Parish Meeting and Chili Cookoff is not until January 9, NOW is the time for your group to meet and decide your plan of action. Prizes will be awarded for best chili, of course, but also for best costumed team, best decorated table, and on and on. So give it some thought before the Christmas rush closes in. To officially enter your chili-cookin’ team, call Jack Ryfle 345-3830, or call Betty in the church office 345-8314 x 215.

*January 9 is the next scheduled Sunday for Baptisms. If you, or someone you know, adult or child, desires to be baptized, please call Betty Mitchell at 345-8314 x 215 or email betty@stmattsaustin.org as soon as possible.

Immediate! Urgent! Heads Up Please We are required to leave clearance for emergency vehicles in both parking lots and unless the colored curbs are left vacant, this is not possible. If we were to need the services of fire trucks and/or ambulances, they could not pass. If the lot is full when you arrive, please park at Anderson High School and walk in. By all means, please do not park along our red or yellow curbs. Thanks so much for your cooperation.

*There is Room at the Inn! Two IHN families will be living at St Matthew's January 2 to January 9. We are taking in these families to fill a critical holiday season gap when alternative shelter is very difficult to find. Since this is very short notice, we would like trained volunteers for the Evening and Overnight hosts. Anyone can help with the meals, however the Diocesan course "Safeguarding God’s Children" is required of those working with the children. If you have not yet completed this course and would like to, there will be two classes offered at St. Michaels Episcopal Church on Wednesday, December 8. Signup after service or call Amy Tuvell (346-0656) for more information.

*Interfaith Hospitality Network Family Reunion. Thursday, January 13, 6:00 pm at St. Thomas More Catholic Church on 620. Open to all graduate families and volunteers. Come celebrate the successes of the families in their new homes. Lisa and her family have a nice duplex so the boys can walk to the elementary school and they just got a car.

Baby gifts for El Buen: In this season of giving, ECW asks your financial
support for its ongoing project of providing baby gift packets to needy moms
in Austin through El Buen Samaritano. Each packet, containing diapers,
wipees and baby items, amounts to about $25, and 12 are taken each month to
El Buen. Give one baby gift or more by marking your check in the memo "ECW
baby gifts." These gifts mean so much to needy mothers. A sample baby
packet will be displayed in the Commons this month.

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Advent Quiet Afternoon
Sunday, December 12

3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
with Fr. Jim Williams

5:15 p.m. Contemplative Eucharist
An Invitation to Silence and Prayer

Advent – calls us into simply waiting, quietly, to prepare with expectant hearts to receive what God is really doing in our lives, and in God’s world.

Advent – calls us into solitude, to be present now, listening with expectant hearts to the
One who is eternally present with us, and in us.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. God with us.

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