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The Weekly Word
September 25, 2005
LOVE LETTERS: “What I love about St. Matthew’s are the wonderful, precious members who show God’s love to each other in good times and in bad times.”
[Note: The Love Letter 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 Nurturing, Experienced, Child Care for children who are infants 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 you 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.
The October issue of The Word is now on-line!
*The Vestry will meet on Tuesday, September 27 at 7:00 p.m. in B-18. As always, visitors are welcome to observe from the back of the room.
*Next Sunday, October 2, the Newcomers Council will meet immediately after the 10:30 a.m. service in room B-14. If you would like to serve on the council and be active in this important ministry of St. Matthew’s, come on down! For additional information, contact Betty in the Church Office at 345-8314 x 215 or betty@stmattsaustin.org
*October 8 is the date for an outstanding conference: Aging Well: Mind, Body, Spirit. Co-sponsored by Good Shepherd and Resurrection Churches, this is designed for older adults and those who care about them. Expert speakers will conduct workshops on several pertinent subjects. For details and registration information, call Lucy Boyea at 345-8314 x 226 or go to the website: www.stmattsaustin.org/2005octagingwell.pdf
*TODAY The Discovery Class taught by Merrill Wade and Susan Barnes Class continues. Did you miss it? It is not too late to enroll. Call Betty Mitchell at 345-8314 x 215 or email her at betty@stmattsaustin.org to register This class is specifically for those new to St. Matthew's, new to the Episcopal church, or who just want to get to know us better. The class will meet at 9:30 in B-18 on Sunday mornings through October 23. Confirmation Sunday with Bishop High will follow on October 30. Curious? Come join us!
TODAY Youth, grades 6 - 12, Movie Night is this evening from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.! We plan to watch Mean Girls, which is PG-13, so if you are 13 or under please bring a signed permission slip to the event. We'll have free pizza as usual and good conversation about the movie afterwards. Feel free to bring friends! For more information, contact Jay and Kristi Robison, 339-4063, or kristidoglady@yahoo.com.
*YOUth Confirmation: Youth considering confirmation may participate in Sunday afternoon classes in preparation for Bishop Wimberley’s visit on Oct. 30. These classes will be held from 12:00-2:30 on Oct. 16 & 23. Please contact Barbara Pitts for more information: 345-8314 or bpitts@StMattsAustin.org.
*Families of Children & Youth … Do You e-mail? So do I! And you should be getting e-mail from me. If you have a child between 3-years (by this Sept. 1) and 5th grade, then you should have received a “test” e-mail from me this week. If you have a 6th-12th grader (or if you are a 6th-12th grader), then you should be receiving a weekly e-mail from me. If you are not on my “lists,” please let me know by e-mailing me at bpitts@StMattsAustin.org. Thanks, Barbara Pitts
*Lane Murray Kairos #1: A heartfelt “thank you” to all of you who supported the weekend with your prayers, cookies and financial help. Thanks to you and the team of 50, forty two women in prison woke up this morning, knowing that they are loved unconditionally by their new Kairos family, but most important, that God loves and forgives them. Shirley and Kelley Meyer and Margaret Carpenter.
*Calling all St. Matthew’s Women The St. Matthew’s Women’s Retreat is February 3 – 5, 2006 at Camp Allen. Our speaker, Jeanie Miley is planning a wonderful program entitled “Teach Me to Dance.” Watch for the October issue of The Word for more detailed information on the retreat and the program.
Mom’s and Tots will be meeting weekly in the Bride’s Room (Room B-6) from 9:15 until 10:30 a.m. each Monday starting. Childcare is available in the Nursery in Huffman Hall. Please contact Marilyn Wright at 401-8382 or mjwright@austin.rr.com if you have any questions.
*THE NEWEST ST. MATTHEW'S LEGACY SOCIETY MEMBERS are Nancy and Hink Johnson. Thanks and congratulations to these dedicated members of St. Matthew's for their support of our Permanent Endowment. Their names will be added to the Legacy Society Roll and placed on the Legacy Society Plaque along with the names of others who have provided for bequests to the Permanent Endowment. The plaque is now hanging in the Commons.
Information Revised 9-21-05
Adult Education Programs For Fall 2005
“What Does it Take for Forgiveness and Reconciliation to Happen?” taught by Keith Miller
September 25, October 2 and 9,
9:30 – 10:15 a.m. in Huffman Hall
This class, taught in six sessions, will examine the way Jesus presents the attitudes, awareness and courage necessary to hear another person’s pain, to face the effects of our own behavior on others, and to enter the process of spiritual transformation that slows us to move from needing to be right, to wanting to receive God’s kind forgiveness and love.
Discovery Class taught by The Rev. Merrill Wade and Susan Barnes
Each Sunday morning through October 23
9:30 - 10:15 a.m. in Room B-18 *Note Room Change
If you are new to St. Matthew’s or would just like to know more about the Episcopal church, this class is for you. To prepare individuals for Confirmation, the Rector will teach this class for six weeks. On October 30, The Rt. Rev. Rayford High will be here for Confirmation.
Contemplative Spirituality taught by Sharon Lowe and Jim Duncan
Sunday mornings 9:30 - 10:15 a.m. in Room B-14 *Note Room Change
The goal of this class is to share life experiences as Christians listening to each other and connecting them to the larger story of Christianity. We seek to accomplish this through prayer, meditation, reflection, dialog, witness and the study of scripture, poetry and works by contemplative spiritual writers.
Bible Study taught by Joe Behen and Clive Smith
Sunday mornings 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. in Room B-21
The goal of this study of Scripture is to gain a greater understanding of our relationship with the Lord through study of the story of God’s reaching out to His chosen people as given to us in Scripture. In addition to the words of Scripture itself, fairly extensive use will also be made of study aids. The format of this study is not that of lecture but of group study. Participation in discussions is always optional but encouraged. Topics of study will by decided by the group, with deference to topics that give some logical flow to the material over time.
The History Corner taught by Marty Novak
To be presented on the 3rd Sunday of each month 9:30 – 10:15 a.m.
Beginning October 16
The History Corner: Thoreau wrote that “Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in.” One Sunday a month, Marty Novak will act as historian and fishing guide in exploring a wide variety of topics relating to Christian history and belief. This fall’s topics include: “Joseph and the Siblings of Jesus,” “Bishop Ussher and the Dating of Creation” and “The Council of Nicaea.” Be assured that Marty will be chasing a great many different “fish” of interest over the course of the class.
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Come to LunchToday
Celebrate St. Matthew’s Day!
in Huffman Hall
Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, Ice Cream Sundaes and
Frozen Lemonade served by the Associate Vestry
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TRADITION AT ST. MATTHEW’S:
THE 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!
Today: Contemplative Eucharist in the Sanctuary with Merrill Wade
Next Week 10/2: Contemplative Eucharist in the Sanctuary
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Outreach in Action:
St. Matthew's Response to Katrina
We are continuing to work closely with Texas Interfaith Disaster Response to assess how St. Matthew's can most affectively help evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. One of the biggest needs right now is furniture. The St. Vincent de Paul Store needs usable furniture. Donated furniture will be made into "family packs" and given free of charge to evacuees. Donations can be dropped off at their 1327 So. Congress location from 9:30 am to 5 pm, Monday through Saturday. According to TIDR, helping evacuees is a long term project and could potentially last two years.
Vickie Blumhagen and Anne Matthews
St. Matthew's Task Force Coordinators
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Bob Lively’s Sunday Evening Relationship Course
Continues meeting downstairs in Room B-18
This new and cost-free course for singles and couples is entitled,
“Breaking New Ground…A Course in Making Your Relationship Work.”
The class involves voluntary homework and meets on Sunday evenings from 6:15 until 7:45 throughout the fall semester. The focus of this fun and informative experience is to invite individuals to think and perhaps behave in new and more functional ways in the cause of making relationship systems more open and communication patterns far more honest.
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Safeguarding God’s Children
TRAINING UPDATE:
Resurrection,
Sat., Oct. 1, 9:00 am - 12 noon
St. Matthew's, Sun., Oct. 2,
12:00-3:00 pm
St. Matthew's, Tues., Oct.
11, 6:00-9:00 pm
St. Michael's, Oct. 18, 9:00 am -12
noon
St. Matthew's, Sat., Oct. 29, 9:00 am -12:00 noon
TO ATTEND, PICK UP A FORM FROM ST. MATTHEW'S -OR- PRINT IT FROM WWW.EPICENTER.ORG
PLEASE PRE-REGISTER.
SCREENING UPDATE:
Send an e-mail to R.C. Thompson to schedule an interview before Nov. 1, 2005. R. C. will send you dates and times from which to choose: rcthompson@austin.rr.com
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Thank you, and may God bless you, for your part in helping us create and maintain the safest possible environment for all children and youth entrusted to our care.
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