The Weekly Word

September 10, 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 Choir Room (B-7) 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 StMatt’s Email Notices. From the address you want to receive the email, send a blank email to: StMattsEmail-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .

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

*Please come to today's Women's Story Circle featuring a light luncheon and a wonderful talk by "one-of-our-own", Phaedra Kline. This will be held in Huffman Hall immediately following the 10:30 service. Listening to Phaedra's story of her personal search for God will be time very well spent - and that's a guarantee!!

*CURSILLISTAS CHECK THIS OUT! Convocation Ultreya tonight at St. Matthew's, 6p.m. Huffman Hall. We have four new Cursillistas to welcome! Bring a friend, a snack to share and support the Austin Convocation with our leadership. Child care available. Submitted by Dyke Miller

*Discovery Class Now Forming! Our Rector will lead the Discovery Class which is for those new to St. Matthew’s, those new to the Episcopal Church, or those who just want to get to know us better. The first class will begin on Sunday, September 17, at 9:15 a.m. in Huffman Hall with weekly classes until confirmation day on December 10. Registration will begin TODAY at the Welcome Table in the Commons. You may also register by emailing Betty Mitchell, betty@stmattsaustin.org or calling the church office, 345-8314.

Jewish/Christian Dialog Group of the Austin Area Interreligious Ministries will begin their 2007-2007 year on Tuesday, September 19^th at 7:00 p.m. in Room B-14. All who are interested are invited to attend.
For information please contact Anna Dodge, 339-8011, Kathy Morris, 918-9373, or Jim Newman 345-0544.

We have wonderful news!...our 10:30 Chapel service will be held in the Choir Room. Precious words... Interactive liturgy… Child-oriented lessons and songs...! Hope you will join us! Questions? Contact Kathy Dugat (343-7989 or kdugat@austin.rr.com)

We're looking for Angels! Our Chapel teams are staffed by "Angels" -- folks just like you! -- who serve one Sunday a month to bring the Love of God and wonder and majesty of our liturgy to life for our children. We need your help! No teaching involved...no musical skills needed...no prep...just a willing heart and warm smile and 45 minutes once a month will change the life of a child. PLEASE...contact Kathy Dugat for more information or to volunteer (343-7989 or kdugat@austin.rr.com)

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 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

Parents: Two important Sunday School messages for you from the Children's Sunday School team...

* PLEASE sign your child in on the attendance book each week.
PLEASE sign in with your child's first and last name.

* Sunday School begins at 9:15. The classes begin their "rotations" to the Storyteller and the activity room at 9:20. If you arrive and discover that your child's class has already left their "homeroom" in the basement, don't fret! The rotation schedule is posted on the door to the classroom. Check the schedule and take your child to find his/her class and join the fun "en route." Look for our Sunday Morning Facilitator, Virginia Hauser, if you need help finding your child's class.

*M³ Ministry, Mission and Me: 6^th-12^th Grades
Youth Building at 9:15 every Sunday morning
and 7:00-8:30 Wednesday nights.

*We are a new creation! New Youth Ministry team. New energy. New music on Wednesday nights. New focus. New program. God is calling us all to ministry and mission next summer. In the weeks through September we’re getting to know each other. We’re exploring our identity as a Youth Group and as part of the St. Matthew’s parish family. We’re having fun! Come and bring your friends.

The St. Matthew's Book Group, AKA The Ladies of the Book, will start again on September 18th at 5:00 in the Bride's Room. At that meeting, we'll share what we have read over the summer, and we will decide what we will read in the future. If you love to read, come join us. If you have questions, please call or email Susan Robertson at 453-4115 or srobertson44@austin.rr.com.

*The next date Holy Baptism will be Sunday, October 1. If you or one close to you desires to be baptized at that time, please notify the church office right away, 345-8314 or email Betty Mitchell betty@stmattsaustin.org

*The Kerygma Bible Study training session for the diocese will be held at St. Matthew’s Thursday, Nov. 9^th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch is included. As hosts our registration fee is $10.00 per person and there is also a price reduction on materials. If you have questions regarding the program call Kerygma 1-800 537-9462 or Email explore@kerygma.com. You can register with Rita Eccles 345-7396 or Email jandr@austin.rr.com.

*"Mark Your Calendar" the ECW 2007 Annual Women's Retreat will be held March 2-4, 2007 at Camp Allen. Further details will be coming soon.

*Care for the Caregiver (CFTC) is a St. Matthew's ministry that hopes to serve those in our parish family and our community who are in a caregiving role. The needs of the caregiver is as individual as the caregivers themselves. If you have a concern or feel that this ministry can be of help in any way, please contact Gidget Fisher @ gid92get@yahoo.com or 328-2088.

*The Edge of Adventure New Edge of Adventure groups are now forming, to meet for 13 weeks beginning the week of September 10. The cost per person will be $30 for study materials. Please sign up today in the Commons or you can go to the St. Matthew’s website at www.stmattsaustin.org and click on the Edge of Adventure link. This will direct you to a place where you can sign up for the course online. Edge of Adventure groups are open to anyone in the community, so invite your friends and neighbors to join. Groups. are forming on Monday and Thursday evenings from 7-9 PM. To sign up or request information send an email to office@keithmiller.com.

*St. Matthew’s Day is almost here, Sunday September 24 is the big day. Come join us for the celebration. There will be only ONE service, at 10:30. We will be presenting our Pledge Cards on the Altar. There will be a Celebration Picnic with good eats from the Holy Smokers following the service.

%Cut and Save
Adult Education begins next Sunday,
September 17 at 9:15
the following five classes will be offered

Living What We Believe in B-6, Family Life in B-18,
Bible Study in B-21, Contemplative Class in B-14 and the
Discovery Class will be in Huffman Hall

Discovery Class This class is designed for you to learn the basics about the Episcopal Church including studies of the Holy Eucharist and Baptism, Prayer, The Holy Scriptures, traditions of the church, how to get involved at St. Matthew's and other topics. This is the perfect class for those of you who simply want to have better handle on the basics of our faith journeys. This class is required adult preparation for those who desire to confirmed when the Bishop visits in December. If you need more information, please contact me at merrill@stmattsaustin.org or call me or Betty Mitchell at 345-8314.

Living What We Believe In the Living What We Believe class we take a small group approach to building community. We come together in an atmosphere of trust and faith to share our stories and develop lasting relationships that provide the foundation of love and support crucial to making God a part of everyday life. We value the perspective of diversity in all areas and welcome everyone to join us on the adventure of finding out what it may mean to really follow Jesus. Oswald Chambers in My Utmost For His Highest writes, "Having the reality of God's presence in not dependant on our being in a particular circumstance or place, but is only dependant upon our determination to keep the Lord before us continually. Our problems arise when we refuse to place our trust in the reality of His presence. Contact Paul Williams at 346-0640 or apwedw@earthlink.net

Bible Study Ever wish you could see an actual portrait of Jesus? Or walk and talk with Him on earth in the year 30 A.D.? Or more realistically, ever wish someone would just give you a better understanding of the Jesus who, even in the year 2006, can be real to us and IS. This is what the author of the book of Hebrews did for us... he gave us a portrait of Jesus! Come join the Adult Bible Class as we glean from Hebrews new personal insights of Jesus, the One who continues to call us to follow Him in 2006 just as before. After studying Hebrews, we plan to move on to the book of James, so we are in for an interesting year, and we need your input. We will learn together and encourage each other as we go! Contact Clive Smith 918-9098 or email clive@austin.rr.com

Contemplative Class “Stories of Homecoming” Merrill talked about a spiritual homecoming in his August 6th sermon. Henri Nouwen talks about his spiritual homecoming in his book "The Return of the Prodigal Son." Jim Fryer says, "I know of no better way to see (recognize and acknowledge) your own spiritual homecomings than to join the free-flowing discussions with Linda and me this fall." Please call 258-2571 to reserve your book.

Family Life Our individual lives fit together like pieces of a puzzle, interlocking to create relationships which can be a rich source of love and grace. Relationships also present challenges that sometimes distract us from living the life God calls us to – caring for one another and sharing the love of Jesus. Please join us as we build friendships and embark on an interactive journey exploring the dynamics of Family Life. Contact Scott Murphy at 336-9879 or email
smurphy 760@aol.com