The Weekly Word

July 17, 2005

 

LOVE LETTERS:  “What I love about St. Matthew’s….compassion…lack of judgment/moral superiority…acceptance…support…love!”

 

[Note:  The quotes printed here each Sunday are randomly selected from remarks written by parishioners in response to the question, “What do you like most about St. Matthew’s.”  ]

 

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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. From there, step out to the porch and enjoy a cup of coffee or a cold glass of lemonade with the church family. For information about St. Matthew's, call Dedee Norman at 345-8314 Ext. 219 and visit our web site at www.StMattsAustin.org 

 

The Church Offers Excellent, Experienced, Child Care for children ages infant to four years of age.  Because of the small number of children who attend the 8:00 a.m. nursery, all children ages infant to years of age four are in the Education Building nursery beginning at 7:45 a.m.   At 9:00 a.m., children below two years old are taken to the Huffman Hall Nursery (located on the parking lot side of the hallway) and children from two to four years are cared for in the Education Building nursery.  Both the Huffman Hall and the Education Building nurseries close at 12:15 p.m.  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.

 

If you attend church but are unable to walk to the altar for Holy Communion, please notify an usher and the communion elements will be brought to where you are seated.

 

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 Coffee and lemonade will be served on the front porch after the 10:30 a.m. service.  Plan to hang around for a few extra minutes, enjoy a cool drink and visit with new friends and old!

 

*Attention Members of the Associate Vestry:  Today, following the 10:30 service is an organizational meeting for the Seven Acre Showcase (formerly known as Ministry Fair).  It is really important that as many AV members as possible attend so that jobs may be distributed and committees formed.  Meet with Chairman Cliff Harrison and Betty Mitchell in Room B -14  right after the 10:30 a.m. service.  Our goal is to gather quickly, meet and adjourn with no wasted time in between.  Sounds like a deal!

 

HopeArts Festival, July 14-31: Launched in 1998 as a celebration of visual, poetic and performance art, the HopeArts Festival is based out of Hope Chapel.  The community is comprised of people from many congregations and locales, inviting believing artists and art-lovers to join in the conversation.  For information, log on:   http://www.hopearts.org/festivals/af2005/index.htm.

 

*TODAY Young adults! Xplorers may be for you Are you looking to connect with friends and fun at St. Matt's?. The Xplorers is a fellowship group for young adults that meets for social times and does service projects together. Come out to eat together TODAY, after the 10:30 service, with us. Meet in the Commons and we'll carpool or follow each other to The Peony. We are always happy to have new folks and visitors! Next social event: Movie night at Heather and Todd's, Saturday, July 23, 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact Heather Walter, 627-6938, or Kristi Robison, kristi_robison@gsdm.com.

 

*IS CURSILLO IN YOUR FUTURE? "Cursillo is not just for couples or for certain age groups.  In fact, you will be surprised how many single people attend and how varied the age groups are. You need not worry about your kids, your home or your pet.  Your sponsor, someone who has previously attended Cursillo, will take care of everything for you" The next Cursillo weekend opportunities are August 4-7 and November 10-13 at Camp Allen.  What is your interest? Contact Father Joe or Steve Ryder, Dyke Miller.  Parts of this message reprinted from the June Texas Episcopalian.   Submitted by Dyke Miller

 

 *CURSILLO PALANCA PARTY TONIGHT!!  Room B18 is the place. Time 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This will be the last party of this sort for the year. We are going to be doing things for the last two Cursillos of 2005. Soooooooooooooo we need some hands. Bring yours, your kids, your friends. Also bring some $ to share in pizza.     submitted by Dyke Miller

 

2005 Discipleship Journey (Omega Week) July 25 – July 31 The second week of the Discipleship Journey to Emery House near Boston. Please remember in prayer these people as they prepare for the second part of the journey: Kat Price, Hannah Brock, Asya Congor, Ellie Byrom, Chelsea Murphy, Dillon Denney, Nathaniel Murphy, Jay Robison, Kristi Robison, Sarah Neely and Phil Webster.

 

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As summer approaches, the El Buen Samaritano pantry runs low as folks go on vacation and food drive quantities go down.  Please help the food pantry with the following basic food items: peanut butter, sugar, cereals, oatmeal, pastas, breads and dry box items. Collection baskets are in the Commons.

 

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Daily Evening Prayer in the Cauley Bell Tower Chapel Continues every night at 6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer is led by a lay reader of the church.  Lasting 12-15 minutes, the service involves the reading of a psalm, a scripture lesson and includes prayers and intercessions for the church and the world.

 

Legacy Society Membership Continues to Grow:  The Special Gifts Committee has been informed that Leon and Kay Whitney have notified the Church that they have included St. Matthew's in their estate plans and become the newest members.  Their faithfulness and commitment to the future of St. Matthew's is inspiring to all.  This opportunity is open to us all, and the important point is the commitment - the size or value of a bequest is not.  All that is required is to notify Dave Bowman, the Church's Business Manager that a bequest has been made to the Permanent Endowment.

 

Help Daughters of the King Help St. James Episcopal School  St. Cecilia’s Chapter, Daughters of the King, is joining other local chapters in collecting Campbell’s labels to redeem for free merchandise, equipment, and educational materials for St. James Episcopal School.  We invite anyone interested in helping with this worthwhile project to join us.  A collection box has been placed on the East credenza in the Commons.  Beside the box is a list of eligible products or you may see the list online at www.labelsforeducation.com.  Besides Campbell’s soups, products such as Pace’s salsa, V-8 juices, Prego pasta sauces, Pepperidge Farm stuffing, rolls, etc., Goldfish crackers, and Franco-American SpaghettiOs are also eligible.  Questions?  See Mary-Lynn Polk.

 

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10:30 Sunday School continues year-round for children 3 yrs -- 3^rd grade.

During the summer, these children are invited to participate in activities related to the day's Gospel,

by signing in before the church service at our

Kinney Outdoor Chapel.

 Children will be brought into Church at the Peace.

 

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   A TRADITION AT ST. MATTHEW’S

OUR SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE

Each Sunday evening there will be a service

in the Sanctuary at 5:15 p.m.

Some days it will be Contemplative Eucharist, some days it will be Youth Led Worship.  It may be Compline, it may be Taize music or a Healing service.  Whatever the service, it offers you an additional opportunity for Sunday worship at St. Matthew’s.  And to fit into your family schedule, we will do our best to complete the service in 45 minutes.  Please join us!

Tonight’s Service:  Contemplative Eucharist with Rev. Susan Barnes

 

Next Week, Sunday, July 24:Contemplative Eucharist

with Rev. Susan Barnes

 

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Announcing the St. Matthew’s

Seven-Acre Showcase

(formerly known as Ministry Fair)

 

Sunday, August 14, 2005

8:45 – 10:15 a.m.

 

Would you believe …

…that there may be places on our

beautiful seven-acre campus

where you have never been?

 

…that we have many ministries

you may have missed?

 

…that we have ministers among us that

you may have never met?

 

Come and enjoy a small bite, progressive breakfast

and a cup of coffee as you roam about the campus

learning more about who we are, what we do,

and how we strive

 

To know Christ and to make Him known.

 

At the end of our summer break, plan to be here

as early as 8:45 a.m. to visit the numerous educational,

hands-on exhibits set up by the

various ministries of the parish.

 

Prizes will be awarded in several categories

so come have some fun with us on August 14!

 

Sponsored by your Associate Vestry