|
|
The Weekly Word
November 6, 2005
New Member Sunday
LOVE LETTERS: “We love the community of Christ, its caring, warmth and acceptance.”
[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.” ]
† † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † †
Welcome to Our Guests! We pray that your visit to St. Matthew’s will richly bless you and that you will come back again soon. 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 Barbara or Betty at 345-8314 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 Betty Mitchell 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.
† † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † †
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.
† † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † †
*Items marked with an asterisk (*) are run for the first time today.
*Our Sincere Thanks to those who have completed their pledge cards. As of October 31, we have received 268 cards including 56 new pledges, representing total pledges of $926,310.21. This is an exciting early response. We anticipate we may yet receive another 30 to 40 additional pledges. If you need a Pledge Card, they are located on both credenzas in the Commons or call the church office to have one mailed to you. Please place your completed Pledge Card in the offering plate on Sunday, or bring it to the Church Office.
*ECW Story Circle is next week – November 13. Come after church for a light lunch ($5) and enjoy hearing Laura Huffman Powell. Laura is one of three daughters of Chuck and Caroline Huffman and came to St. Matthew's in 1972 when Chuck was called to be our rector. She will be speaking about her connection with St. Matthew's, her life in general (including her divorce) and her experience in this summer's play "Annie Get You Gun". As an added bonus, Laura will close with a song!
*St. Matthew’s participates annually in Angel Tree Christmas, an outreach project developed by Prison Fellowship Ministries. Angel Tree works by connecting parents in prison with their children through the delivery of Christmas Gifts. Church members can buy two modest gifts for a child and give them in the name of the parent. Most of the children, who range in age from infant to sixteen years, are needy. Gift requests have included, jeans, coats, shoes and pajamas. An age-appropriate gospel booklet is included as a gift from our church. Last year, St. Matt’s gave seventy five children a gift of love and hope! To volunteer call Janet Williams as 2444-6908.
*November is United Thank Offering (UTO) Month! Our ingathering at St. Matthew’s will be on Sunday, November 20, and members of the ECW will be passing around the blue collection baskets during the 10:30 a.m. service. You may, however, turn in your UTO offerings at any time during the month of November. Please remember to indicate “UTO” in the memo line of your check as you give generously to this worthwhile cause.
*Back by Popular Demand: Family Bunco Night, Friday, November 11, 7:00 p.m. The Children’s Council invites everyone to a casual evening of fun and fellowship. Don’t worry if you’re new to Bunco: it’s a very simple dice game that even four-year-olds can play. Don’t worry if you don’t have a partner: you’ll have several before the game is over. Don’t worry that you’re too cool for this: sophisticated people from coast to coast play Bunco every month. Whether your family has one member or ten, just come to Huffman Hall on November 11. Cookies, lemonade, and coffee will be served.
The Order of the Daughters of the King – No regular meeting in November. The retreat on spiritual direction is November 19, in B-18 from 9 until 3 including lunch. Cost $10 Please register by contacting Diane Sparks at 345-7757 or diane_sparks@sbcglobal.net Prospective members are encouraged to attend.
The St. Matthew’s Women’s Spiritual Retreat, led by renowned retreat leader Jeanie Miley, is Feb. 3 – 5, 2006 at Camp Allen. Registration forms are available at the sign up table in the Commons, the church office, and on www.stmattsaustin.org Please contact Diane Sparks at 345-7757 or diane_sparks@sbcglobal.net or Debbie Marshall at 926-5424 or dmarshall@sacheminc.com if you have questions.
*St.
Matthews Alternative Gifts Market-Sunday, November 20!
Frustrated about finding that perfect
gift for someone who has everything? Longing for a way to experience more of
the real spirit of Christmas? Then don't miss the Alternative Gift Market on
November 20. There you will be able to buy meaningful gifts to honor special
people, and you'll also be helping to build a better world. Imagine giving the
gift of education to young people in Honduras in honor of Aunt Sarah who is a
school teacher, or support for an orphan and caregiver in Uganda in honor of your boss who is a single parent. Come and celebrate the true spirit of
Christmas. Remember, it's on November 20 at Huffman Hall right after church, 12
noon to 1:00 P.M. We'll serve you a bowl of soup and have entertainment by the
local African percussion group, the Djembabes. . Questions? Contact suzannemccurley@mac.com
*Helping IHN at Thanksgiving. A new Interfaith Hospitality Network church, Metropolitan Community Church, is hosting for the week of Thanksgiving at Highland Park Baptist Church, 5206 Balcones Drive and they need some extra volunteers. They have a very small support church, Taiwanese Presbyterian that will supply a few volunteers but anticipate needing some more because it is a holiday. If you can share some of your Thanksgiving week with the IHN families, cooking for a meal, visiting as an evening host or sleeping over, call Amy Novak (795-8089) who is assembling the St. Matthew list to share with MCC’s primary coordinator.
*JOIN US FOR THE THANKSGIVING MEAL. An Extended Family group is planning on sharing the Thanksgiving meal with anyone that would care to join them. Thursday, Nov. 24, at 4:00 p.m. in Huffman Hall. This will be a 'pot luck' meal so plan on sharing your time and providing to the meal. Contact Dyke Miller at 794-9032 for more information/details. Submitted by Dyke Miller
*THANKSGIVING AFTERGLOW. Why not consider spending the Thanksgiving weekend, November 25-27, at the Well Springs Wessendorff Ranch on the Little Blanco River with the Extended Family Ministry of St. Matthew's. Lunch Friday through lunch Sunday. Relaxation and fun with Morning Prayer on Sunday. We'll even have a TV available but only for watching the Texas - A&M Game. Interested? Contact Dyke Miller, 794-9032 for information/details. Info also available in November issue of The Word. Submitted by Dyke Miller
† † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † †
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 Fr. Jim Williams
Next Week November 13: Contemplative Eucharist in the Sanctuary
† † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † †
Outreach in Action
WARM CLOTHES NEEDED FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN PAKISTAN The earthquake that recently shook South Asia killed nearly eighty thousand people and three million are at risk of dying from hypothermia this winter. With snow already falling, these poor men, women, and children are in desperate need of warm clothing. This would be a great time to clean out your closets and bring any old sweaters, jackets, and blankets to Huffman Hall (look for the boxes). The Pakistani community in Austin is asking local churches to fill a 40 ft. container (size of an 18 wheeler). They will pick up the donations, package them, and ship them to Pakistan where they will be distributed to the earthquake survivors. If you have questions please contact Vickie Blumhagen or Susan Robertson. Thank you and God bless!
MISSION TRIP TO ST. JOHN’S, SILSBEE The weekend of Nov. 11-13, St. Matthew’s is planning a cleanup mission trip to East Texas (Silsbee, to be more exact), to help them after the devastation of Hurricane Rita. According to The Rev. Mary Wilson, rector, about 80 % of her parishioners had at least one tree on their roof. Lots of clean up of brush and trees is needed. If you have expertise in barbed wire fencing or repairs to siding and tin roofs, then you are needed, also. If you would like to join this group, please contact Armando Ruiz at (Armando_Ruiz@USRCorp.com or (w) 419-5508 or © (817) 614-1106. There will be a meeting after church on Sunday regarding the trip, and he will let you know the details.
*LOOKING FOR A DOG? Jay Robison says that if you are looking for a dog to add to your family, please check out www.dogboys.com/rescuedogs.php These dogs were also victims of Katrina and are looking for a good home.
Thanks to you, St. Matthew’s Outreach has touched these families: Katrina Families Bios Bob (Wilbern Henley) came for peace - Judy Neely helped Bob move out of the Austin Convention Center on September 21, when an apartment was found for him; all his earthly belongings fit in a shopping cart. Bob had been stranded in New Orleans for days in his 4th floor apartment without his medications. He was hospitalized twice soon after coming to Austin. A widower for many years, Bob had no family. Judy and Sandra, a Red Cross volunteer, helped Bob navigate multiple systems, got him a recliner, a bed, and other household items. Unfortunately, Bob was soon back in the hospital and then placed in St. David’s assisted living facility. Vickie Blumhagen recruited some of the wonderful gentlemen of St. Matthew’s to go visit Bob in what turned out to be his last days (including Jim Sparks, Will Brown, Tony Hatheway, and Reid Kirchem). Bob said repeatedly, “I don’t know how to thank you for all you’ve done for me.” The Rev. Susan Barnes gave Bob Last Rites on Sunday, October 30th; he died soon after. We will have a memorial service for Bob this morning, a man who blessed us as much as we blessed him.
Early Robinson came to stay - Early and her children were stranded in the attic of their two story house when they were rescued by valiant citizens in boats. Looking out on the rising flood with dead bodies floating by was like “the end of the world”. Ms. Robinson plans to stay in Austin. She is glad to be away from the violence in her old neighborhood; she lost two teenage children in drive-by shootings. Early is taking advantage of special job programs through WorkSource; she really wants to work in the lucrative computer industry so she can stay in the nice 2-story house off North Lamar where she, her sons Kevin (19), Darnell (17), and Terrance (14), her daughter Audra (15), and a daughter-in-law live. Kevin is also job-hunting. Ms. Robinson also has a daughter and grandchildren living in Waco; she hopes to get together with them at Thanksgiving. Early created a special prayer room in her new home; the walls feature some of the drawings she and her son created.
Janet & Melanie are making the best of a crowded house - Our other two St. Matt’s adopted families are living together--13 people in one home. Janet came as a caregiver to an elderly man who is now in hospice care. She obtained her home through an IHN placement; it’s a very nice residence behind Fiesta supermarket east of IH-35. Janet is a Certified Nursing Assistant who will be attending ACC in the spring to obtain a Surgical Tech certification. Her son is a senior in high school; her daughter, Bronwen, has four children (7,4,3,2); son and daughter are seeking employment. Melanie, Janet’s sister, was scheduled to deliver a baby November 2; she has 4 other children (16,13,12,10). Melanie and her husband Dwayne have found Section 8 housing through IHN. All the family members need coats now that the weather is cooler.
