The Weekly Word

The Weekly Word
December 19, 2004
Assigned Vestry Members for December: Reid Kirchem and Debbie Meleski

LOVE LETTERS: What I Love About St. Matthew’s Is… "The people of St. Matthew’s – their love of God and each other."

NOTE: There will be no Weekly Word next Sunday, December 26.

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

*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. After today’s class, we will 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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You and your family are invited to an
Old Fashioned Family Christmas Party

TODAY
3:00 p.m. in Huffman Hall

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!

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Offering envelopes for flowers to "green the church for Christmas" have been placed in the pews in the Sanctuary. Perhaps you would like to dedicate your offering in memory or celebration of a person or an event. If so, please write your name and the names or occasions of those you wish to honor on the back of the envelope and drop it into the offering plate All dedications received by Monday, December 20, will be published in an insert in the bulletin on Sunday Dec. 26. Any amount you donate will be greatly appreciated. You do not have to have an honoree. Thank you so much for your continued support of St. Matthew’s Flower Guild. We love doing what we can to Glorify our Lord in our Worship space. Sincerely, Harriet Houston, Chair

*Cynthia Clawson invites you to share her Christmas gift to Austin, a concert of Carols and Chant, on Tuesday, December 21, 7:00 p.m., at 2600 Exposition Blvd.

*The St. Matthew’s Vestry will hold its regular meeting (and a little holiday celebration), on Tuesday, December 21, at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Babs Clendenin As usual, vestry meetings are open to members of the parish.

*The Flower Guild will green the church (Decorate for Christmas) on Thursday, the 23rd of Dec. Starting at 1:00 p.m. and staying until we finish. ALL FLOWER GUILD MEMBERS please come. Everyone else is invited to come for a short time or to stay until finished and all are very welcome. A lot of moving things around, bow tying, wreath making, and cleaning is required. In advance, thank you so much for your time and help. Flower Guild Chair ,HH

*As a Reminder, please note these dates on your calendar – there will be no Sunday School classes on December 26 and January 2. All classes, for adults and children, will resume on Sunday, January 9. On that Sunday morning a new adult class will begin, featuring Bob Lively with lessons based on his book, Simple Steps…Costly Choices. The class is entitled: "The 12 Steps to Inner Peace". Other adult classes resuming that Sunday will be: Discovery Class in Room B-14, "Listening to Your Life" in Room B-18, and Bible Studies in Room B-21. What a great way to begin the new year!

*A Special Treat is in store for you on Sunday, December 26. That morning, our new Junior Chorus will perform during the service. Choral Director Shannon Magee has been working with our talented and enthusiastic children to deliver a lovely presentation that all will enjoy. Chuck Huffman will be the preacher for the day.

*"Amazing how fast 2004 has gone by." A familiar phrase at this time each year. To use another familiar phrase, "It's time for year-end tax-planning." After you take care of your annual pledge (if you haven't already done so), set your sights on the future. What better way to do that than to make a year-end tax-deductible gift to the St. Matthew's Permanent Endowment, a gift that will endure - permanently. Just mark your payment to St. Matthew's "For the Permanent Endowment," and deliver it to the Church by December 30.

Please note: The office will be closed on December 31. Mail postmarked December 31 will, indeed, make the deduction deadline.

*Make a great New Year’s Resolution: Serve as a St. Matt’s Usher! People, are urgently needed to adequately staff the usher teams. For more information and to sign up, contact Larry Richards at 345-4913.

*Young at Heart/Senior Activity Center, First Friday Luncheon speaker series will meet on Friday, January 7, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. in Huffman Hall. January’s speaker is Tim Smith, St. Matthew’s Director of Music Ministry, whose topic will be "A Concert in Provence". The presentation will be followed by a covered dish luncheon at 12:00 noon. Bring a dish to share – casserole, meat, vegetable, salad, bread, dessert, etc. and partake of food and fellowship.

URGENT! Attention Chili Cookers! The Annual Parish Meeting and Chili Cookoff is January 9 and we still need more entries! 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. To officially enter your chili-cookin’ team, call Jerry Ballard 459-9471, 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.

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.

Interfaith Hospitality Network Family Reunion. Thursday, January 13, 6:00 p.m. 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.

*February 4 – 6 Women’s Retreat at Camp Allen – Have YOU registered? Signup today in the Commons for this significant beginning to the Lenten season. Space is going fast – don’t be left out!

*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, wipes 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.

*Work is now underway to produce an up-to-date church directory for distribution at the Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 9. If you have changed information in the past year, PLEASE call or email the church office with your new information. Call 345-8314 or office@stmattsaustin.org

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Annual Chili Cookoff and Parish Meeting
Sunday, January 9, 2005

5:00 p.m. Chili Judging Begins
5:15 p.m. Chow Line Opens – Come and Git it!
(Special kid-friendly foods will also be served.)
6:00 p.m. Annual Meeting Begins with Elections
and State of the Parish Reports
7:30 p.m. Annual Meeting Ends

If your last name begins with A - M,
please bring a side dish that goes with chili

If your last name begins with N – Z,
bring a dessert for all to share.

The nursery will be open for your little ones.
Special activities are planned for school aged children and youth.

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