To know Christ, grow in Christ, and share Christ's love.
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To know Christ, grow in Christ, and share Christ's love. |
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The Weekly Word
September 24, 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.
**Next Sunday 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. Please make checks payable to St. Matthew’s marking “Good Faith” in the memo line.
Today
is St. Matthew’s Day
After church stay for
lunch and parish picnic
in Huffman Hall and in the Courtyard area.
Sponsored by the Associate Vestry and prepared
by the Holy Smokers – yum!
Hamburgers, hot dogs, all the trimmings and as a bonus –
an opulent dessert!
Fun activities for the kids so bring the whole family!
$5 per person, maximum $15 per family
We missed you at the Vestry meeting August 29. Can we expect you Tuesday September 26? A merry time is had by all.
Everyone is invited to a very special, don’t
miss event.
Best-selling author Susan Chernak McElroy will speak in the Sanctuary on
Tuesday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. Susan will explore what it means to relate to
animals as our kin-as St. Francis did. How do we offer reciprocity for their
gifts to us, in a culture that sees animals not as kin, or spiritual beings, or
teachers, but as products? This promises to be a lively, profound---and
profoundly humorous---look at the concept of sister cats, brother birds and
divine dogs, all gathered with us at the mystery of the sacred table. Her
website is susanchernak@aol.com. A
love offering would be appreciated. The Junior Daughters of the King will
serve lemonade and cookies on the porch afterwards. The ECW and The DOK are
sponsors of the event.
COUNTDOWN TO THE PARISH ROUND-UP, October 13-15
In 4 weeks, nearly 300 people who signed up in August will gather at Echo
Valley Campsite near Leakey, Texas for a weekend of fun, fellowship and
worship. On Sunday, October 1, registration packets will be distributed to all
who have signed up. They will contain schedules, directions, lists of what to
bring, etc. Meanwhile, make plans to carpool if you can. Parking space at Echo
Valley is limited. Stay tuned!
The next date Holy Baptism will be next Sunday, October 1. If you or one close to you desires to be baptized at that time, please notify the church office, 345-8314 or email Betty Mitchell betty@stmattsaustin.org
M3
Ministry, Mission and Me: 6th-12th 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. We are continuing to get to know each other, and exploring our identity as a Youth Group and as part of the St. Matthew’s parish family. We are beginning to explore how God is calling us all to ministry and mission next summer. We’re having fun! Come and bring your friends.
Youth, grades 6 –12Movie Night is TONIGHT, 9/24, from 6 –8:30 p.m. Come to the youth building to watch a movie (Mulan), have free pizza and a good discussion. Even if you’ve seen the movie before, come and enjoy with your youth group friends. Feel free to bring friends! Contact Jay and Kristi Robison, 339-4063, if you have questions or need information.
The St. Matthew's ECW 2007 Annual Women's
Retreat
will be held March 2-4,2007 at Camp Allen. Virginia Stem Owens, author and
retired English Professor will be our retreat leader. Her topic is
"The Spirituality of Imperfection”.Virginia is a bright, funny and
inspirational speaker you will not want to miss. Registration will begin
Sunday, October 1st.
Payment of 50% of the registration fee is due at registration. The balance is
due by Jan 15th. Single room- $210 per person, Double room-$180 per
person, Teens (4 to a room)-$90 per person. Registration forms will be
available in the Commons or Church Office as of Sunday, Sept. 24.
Please contact
Debbie Marshall at 926-5424 or
Janie McMahan at 341-7432 if you have questions.
"Roots and Shoots...God had a plan!" The second session of our Children's Sunday School semester will begin Oct. 1st. We will spend the next month and a half exploring those Old Testament stories that speak over and over again of God's great faithfulness and love for his people. Children ages 3 years through 5th grade are invited to join us from 9:15 - 10:15 each Sunday morning. Questions? Contact Kathy Dugat (343-7989 or kdugat@austin.rr.com).
We have wonderful news!...our 10:30 Chapel service is now held in the Choir Room. Precious Words,.. Interactive Liturgy. .Child-oriented lessons and songs….! Hope you will join us! Questions? Contact Kathy Dugat(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)
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.
I want to invite members of St. Matthew's and their children 8 years and older to come and learn music reading and voice skills at the Fundamentals of Music class held every Wednesday in the choir room from 6:00-6:45 p.m. Lively discussions usually develop, and it's great fun as well. Drop ins are always welcome. Tim
*NEW ORLEANS MISSION TRIP: We have been in touch with the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and once again offered our services in New Orleans. As you probably read, 7 of us went in June and spent a few days helping in any way we could, mostly by listening to the returning residents and giving them what we had. We are planning to go again during the week between Christmas and New Years. If you have an interest in this trip, please call Margaret Carpenter AFTER 10/1 and before 10/15, 345-7630. There are 3 work options available for us and we would be housed at a church hall as we were before. There is a possibility some of us would drive to New Orleans and those who wanted would fly. Anyone who is interested is welcome to go.
The Kerygma Bible Study training session for
the Diocese will be held at St. Matthew’s Thursday, Nov. 9th 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.
the following five classes are being offered
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)
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, led by Merrill Wade, will be in Huffman Hall
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
