The Weekly Word

August 20, 2006

To Know Christ, Grow in Christ, and Share Christ’s Love.

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. For information about St. Matthew’s, call Barbara 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.

10:30 AM Children’s Chapel " It IS a beautiful day -- and we invite you to join us to celebrate the day, and the fact that God loves us and we love God in Chapel each and every Sunday in Room B21 at 10:30. Children age 3 and older, parents, and anyone who is looking for a little change of pace in their worship style are welcome to join us. We will all come upstairs at the Peace to share communion together. Questions? Contact Kathy Dugat -- 343-7989 or kdugat@austin.rr.com

Thanks for Wearing Your Nametag! If you need a new nametag please visit 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. Prayers will also be offered immediately after church by the team stationed near the windows. 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.

If you have articles for the Weekly Word please email your articles to Office@StMattsAustin.Org and to JeriM@austin.rr.com The Weekly Word deadline is noon on Wednesday.

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.

*Newcomer’s Council meeting today following the 10:30 service in room B-14. If you are interested in joining the Newcomer’s Council or just seeing what we are all about, we look forward to seeing you there. Today’s topics of discussion are – the upcoming dessert party, luncheons, greeting visitors and so much more. See you then.

I Spy children...ages 3 years through fifth grade...laughing, building friendships, learning what it means to be part
of the family we call St. Matthew's!

If you missed Sunday School at 9:15 today, don't worry...we'd love to have have you next week. Set those alarms and get your feet moving...we WANT YOU HERE for Sunday School! Sunday School for children ages 3 years through fifth grade begins at 9:15 in the following basement rooms each and every Sunday:

Preschoolers -- B 16

Kinder, 1^st & 2^nd graders -- B17

3^rd, 4^th and 5^th graders -- B13

Questions? Contact Kathy Dugat at 343-7989 or kdugat@austin.rr.com

Wednesdays 4 YOUth! This Wednesday, August 23rd, join us in the Youth Building for the kick-off of the Wednesday night Youth program, 7:00-8:30. We'll have pizza and games—reconnect after summer vacation and welcome the new folks. And we'll look at how Wednesday nights will be part of Ministry, Mission and ME! Ben Wright will lead music/worship. Come. Bring your friends!

*The Adult Choir resumes regular rehearsals are on Wednesdays from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Choir Room. Why not sing with us this year?
There is a Fundamentals of Music Class offered in the choir room each Wednesday night from 6:00-6:45 p.m. The aim of this course is to help singers become more comfortable with using their voices, improving music reading skills, and reviewing basic musicianship. Choir membership is not required to come to these sessions. Adults and/or anyone at least 8 years old are invited to come with their parents to learn and share the fun.

CURSILLISTAS LISTEN UP ! CURSILLO # 213 begins this week, Aug. 24-27 at Camp Allen. We have four candidates attending from St. Matthew's: Craig and Sheri Tolliver (sponsors Susan and Jack Robertson), Carol Mynes (sponsor Peggy Ryder), Suzanne McCurley (sponsors Cynthia Wilson and Pat Boon). Make plans now to attend the closing , 4pm Sunday, the 27th at the All Saints Chapel, Camp Allen. If that is not possible than come to Elgin at 7pm, Cattle Company , for a bite to eat w/the returning new Cursillistas. THEN, come to the St. matthew's Ultreya on Monday night, the 28th. at 7pm in Huffman Hall to welcome the Cursillistas home.

Submitted by Dyke Miller

*Youth (6^th – 12^th grades) prepare for adventure with “M³ --Ministry, Mission, and ME!” in the Youth Building. Questions about Youth Sunday School? Contact Susan Barnes (345-8314 or susan@stmattsaustin.org)

Adults NEXT Sunday

… We Can End World Poverty Now

Sound like a pipe dream? It’s not!   Come hear how we can end poverty in THIS GENERATION next Sunday, August 27 morning to Huffman Hall with Rev. Susan Barnes.

      Coffee and Fellowship 9:15 – 9:30, Lesson 9:30 – 10:15

Questions about Adult Sunday School?

Contact Susan Barnes (345-8314 or susan@stmattsaustin.org)

*Attention New Members: The Newcomers Council is excited to sponsor a “sweet” party in your honor on August 27^th at 7:00p.m, at the house of Crystal & Merrill Wade. Please don’t forget to RSVP to Betty Mitchell betty@stmattsaustin.org right away and indicate if you will need childcare, which will be provided at St. Matthew’s.

If you are a new member and did not receive an invitation and want to attend this social gathering, please email Betty and let us know. You are so welcome to attend!

COMMUNITY BIBLE STUDY: Register now for the fall coed class

beginning August 29^th studying Kings and Prophets. “CBS” is a non-denominational weekly Bible study with fellowship, small-group discussions, and quarterly socials. The first social get-together is Tuesday, August 22^nd where new members can meet other members and our Core Leader, Win Chapman. The classes meet during the school year on Tuesday nights from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Park Hills Baptist Church at the NW corner of MoPac and Bee Caves Road. To register, call Patty or John Baker at 345-0008. You will be welcomed.

ROUND UP UPDATE: NEW DEADLINE WOW: we had over 270 sign up by the deadline! We've begun to make our waiting list. To confirm your reservation, make your final payment. The deadline is Labor Day. After that, no more refunds. On September 4, we'll begin filling out the roster from the waiting list. Please continue to sign up for the Round-Up as we anticipate a few folks will have to cancel. You may download registration from our website at www.StMattsAustin.Org or contact Barbara Haynes at 345-8314 to sign up.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BROUGHT US THIS FAR!

On the memo line was…Thank you for being so thoughtful in putting a clear notation on the memo line of your checks. We rely on this consistently. It is essential to our budget, our accounting process, and to your contributions record. With so many on-going programs, organizations, and special events in the life of St. Matthew’s, your short, simple note on a check makes all the difference in the world to the accuracy of our work in the office. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated.

Dave Bowman, Business Manager

Interested in EFM? Got questions? Information about the program is available in the August WORD and on the St. Matthew's website. Please contact Kathy Vail, 343-7367 (evenings) or kvail@austin.rr.com, for more information.

Merrill, Susan and the Wardens cordially invite you to the next VESTRY MEETING at 7:00 P.M. on Tuesday August 29th in

Room B-18 at Learn first hand about where the church is going, then you can tell others where to go.

**Sanctuary A/C’s Done, Lighting Next – What Else?**

The new A/Cs serving the sanctuary are installed and working. They have been programmed to cool the sanctuary, commons, balcony and cry room on Sundays to 70 degrees. The cycle is in two parts, 6:30am to 1:00pm and 4:30pm to 6:30pm. Once the new lighting is installed in the sanctuary and we return to our normal schedule of classes and meetings, we will program additional cycles in the thermostats.

The lighting work has now begun and the Sanctuary will be a bit messy until the work is accomplished. The deadline for completion is Labor Day weekend.

We have begun to receive bids for replacement of the roof on the sanctuary. A contractor should be selected shortly.

Next, we will solicit bids for the five A/Cs that serve the basement area.

We have also met with representative of Austin Energy to explore the feasibility of participating in their free thermostat program to manage our A/C’s more efficiently. They have done an inventory of our equipment and will soon respond with a proposal. As we have more details, we will share them.

Dave Bowman

Business Manager

*St. Richard’s of Round Rock Episcopal Church is in need of a full time Parish Administrator. Position opens 8/21/06. Please email (daybyday@saintrichards.org), fax (512-255-4157), or mail your resume to 1420 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock, TX 78664

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!

This Evening: Contemplative with Fr. Jim Williams

Next Sunday: Contemplative Eucharist with Fr. Jim Williams