St. Michael's E-Messenger

Submissions for the E-Messenger should be emailed to the Church Administrator by Tuesday at 5 pm for that week's edition. The E-Messenger is distributed every Thursday.

stmichaelschurch.com

(407) 843-8448

2499 N. Westmoreland Drive

(Corner of Bryn Mawr)

Your Church Home

in College Park

REFLECTIONS FROM MIKE ROBERTSON -- OUTREACH

Part of the vision statement of the SMC children's ministry is : We want our kids to know they are children of God and are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Love God and one another; serve others with a joyful and willing heart . What better way to do this than leading by example?

When Sara and I were looking for a new church home 8 or so years ago, it was our participation in one of Saint Michael's outreach programs that made us think we should visit the church. Our young adults group at our former church had served with The Gathering on the fourth Tuesday of the month for years and we had always loved talking to the folks from St. Mike's that brought the food.

I'll be honest. When I signed up for Vestry, I knew what I was getting into. I prayerfully considered it and knew that it was an important way for me to grow and serve my church family (one you may want to consider!). Andrew Cole and I volunteered to lead outreach efforts as part of our service. What surprised me was how quickly opportunities would begin presenting themselves, both in long established outreach, such as
The Gathering, and with new partners like IDignity and Lake Silver Elementary.

Starting with our backpack and school supply drive in August, the kick off of Feed My Lambs, and our book drive as we move into September, we are putting together a calendar of monthly Corporate Outreach projects. These will be opportunities for the people of St. Michael's to support important entities and organizations in the community.

While we love serving together, we also have opportunities for individual service. One outreach that has been blessed with volunteers, but could always use more hands, is The Gathering. In our efforts to feed folks weekly, one of the most important volunteer shifts is also the most flexible. From 8-11 am on Tuesdays they need up to 12 people chopping, cutting, washing veggies and other assorted tasks. If you can hold a knife or spoon, this is for you!

The best part is that the time spent working is not the entire three hours. If you have an hour, that's super! If you have two, that's great as well! Anything you can do to help during that period of time is appreciated. We are also looking for drivers to fill in the first and third weeks of the month. These folks come to church at 5:30 pm to pick up the meal, deliver it, and return to church when finished.

We also have individual opportunities for mentoring, reading and classroom assistants at Lake Silver Elementary. We have several other positions at the Orlando Union Rescue Mission, IDignity, The Howard Phillips Center for Children and Families among others.

The outreach team will be posting opportunities for individual service as they become available on our website. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me directly at 407-538-7823 or [email protected]. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Christ in College Park and beyond!

In Christ's love,

Mike Robertson

Mike Robertson (purple shirt) delivering SMC backpacks to Lake Silver Elementary School.

As We Look Toward Sunday...

Who do you say that I am?

By Deacon Carter Smith

In the Gospel for this coming Sunday we hear Jesus ask two important questions. In the first He asks His disciples: "Who do the people say that the Son of Man is?" And they answer: "John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." Now, I'm not sure that Jesus really cared all that much about what the people thought, but He certainly did care what His disciples believed about Him. So He asks, "But who do you say that I am?"

I think that is an all important question for us as well today. Jesus is asking us, who do you say that I am? We must be careful how we answer that question. If we answer it in the same way Peter did, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God," that changes everything. It changes how we will live our lives. It changes how we will treat each other. And certainly there is no place for hate when we live in the light of Jesus Christ.

You will remember that Jesus gave us a new commandment, that we are to love God with all our heart, mind and soul and that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are even called to love our enemies. It may not be easy, but if we answer that question like Peter did, that is our call. "Who do you say that I am?"

Parish Office Closed

The Parish office will be closed on Friday, September 1 and Monday, September 4 for the Labor Day Weekend. The office will reopen on Tuesday, September 5 at 9 am.

Feed My Lambs Food Pantry Project Very Successful -- Bags Due This Sunday

The Ministry started by the St. Michael's Choirs to help feed the homeless children and families at Lake Silver Elementary and Edgewater High Schools has gone parish wide! Our first Sunday of opening this ministry to the whole parish was AMAZING! All 52 bags were taken very quickly last week with 15-20 folks looking for more. We are having more bags made and will offer them again next month.

"Feed My Lambs Bags" are due on Sunday, Aug. 27th.

Thank You, St. Michael's!

WE ARE LOOKING FOR HELP WITH THIS EXPANDED MINISTRY! We need, any day or time during the week:

1. Food sorters

2. People to transport the food to the schools

Contact Andrew Walker at the church 407-843-8448, Ext. 246 or by email if you can help.

Love God. Love Others. Serve the World.

Cub Scout Pack 207 Informational Meeting Aug. 29

There will be a Cub Scout informational meeting in Quigley Hall on Tuesday, August 29. There will be fun activities for the boys like smores & kickball while we go over the year's schedule and step through the requirements of boys to advance to the next rank with the parents. If you, or someone you know, would like more information about Cub Scouting and Pack 207, please have them attend or reach out to Erik Olson, Pack 207 Cubmaster, at [email protected].

St. Michael's Day Brunch on the Grounds

Please join us for a Brunch on the Grounds immediately following the 10:15 service on September 24th. A donation of $5 per person, $10 per couple, and $20 per family is requested to help cover the cost of the meal. RSVP here by September 19th.

We are in need of those who can serve by setting up or

cleaning up. If you have any questions, or to find out how you can help, please contact our Hospitality Team Coordinator, Edythe McNickle, at [email protected] or 407-234-2167.

We look forward to a wonderful day of celebration!

St. Michael's Invites You to Greg Favazza Ordination

We are delighted to announce that our Assistant Church Administrator and newly appointed Youth Minister, Greg Favazza, will be ordained in a beautiful, spiritual ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 9th. All of St. Michael's is invited to attend the ordination and the reception that follows. See the official invitation below for details! God bless you, Greg!

Your Prayers and Presence are Requested!

Women's Monday Night Bible Study

Beginning Monday, September 18th

6:45- 8:45 pm

Fordham Hall

For more information or questions, please email the Monday Night Bible Study Team at [email protected]

Children's Family Service Debuts Sept. 17!

The exciting new Children's Family Service begins at St. Michael's on SUNDAY, SEPT. 17! Designed for College Park area families looking for a church service that is friendly and targeted for children and their parents, the service will last from 9-9:30 a.m. and will be held every Sunday.

Look for upcoming ads and publicity in the College Park Community Newspaper about this family-focused new program at your church!

Youth News

EYC Every Sunday Night

The youth of St. Michael's, AND their friends, are invited to

join the weekly EYC activities on Sundays starting at 5:30 pm at the church. Contact Greg Favazza in the church office for information!

Do You Pray? Pray for our Youth!

If you would like to become a Prayer Warrior for one of St. Michael's youth members, please contact Greg Favazza in the church office. Prayer Warriors hold our teens up in prayer throughout their journey to high school graduation. Please consider joining this important and life-changing mission!

To get more information on our events, check out our Facebook page at either "St. Michael's EYC" or "St. Michael's Young Adults" or on Twitter at @StMichaelsYYA.

Youth Ministry Director Greg Favazza

[email protected]

NOTE: There will be NO Church School on Sunday, Sept. 3 for the Labor Day Weekend. The Nursery WILL be open.

WE'RE BACK! September 10th!

Back to Sunday School Breakfast @ 9:30 am

Join us in Quigley Hall for breakfast, crafts and a chance to meet our Sunday School teachers and friends in your class.

First Day of Sunday School @ 10 am

Club 412's first event of the year from 5 - 7 pm

Our 4th and 5th graders will go to Lil' 500. Cost is $12 and includes rides and pizza. Meet at St. Michael's @ 5 pm and pick up @ 7 pm. We will need one or two parents to help chaperone this event. RSVP by 9/8 by emailing Tiffany (link below). As with all events, if cost is an issue, please talk to Tiffany.

We need your help organizing and putting away decorations and getting our 5 classrooms ready for our start date of September 10th.

If you have time available on Friday, August 25th from 9:30 am - 2 pm or Wednesday, August 30th from 9:30 am - 1 pm we would appreciate help with this. Any time you have to give would be helpful!

Hold Our Babies

Do you love to hold and nurture babies? Come hold ours! The Nursery needs a few extra loving arms in the Crib Room that opens soon. We'll work around your schedule!

Come bless our children! Contact Tiffany for more information. Thanks!

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3

Children's Ministry Director Tiffany Stieger

[email protected]

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN....START

YOUR ENGINES!

EVERYTHING in the Music Department has started again -- some groups with a brand new schedule!

ANGELS CHOIR - check

YOUTH CHOIR - check

ADULT CHOIR - check

CHAMBER SINGERS - check

ST. MICHAEL'S BANDS - check

CARILLONNEURS - check

WEEKLY UPDATE OF SUNDAY

SCRIPTURE AND MUSIC - check

As we begin the year we continue looking for NEW MEMBERS in the Youth Choir, and we could also use an extra Alto or 3 in the Adult Choir. See this year's schedule here: ajwsmmd.com/Year.html

YOUTH CHOIR WORKSHOP

Last week, Wednesday through Saturday, our Youth Choir got back together again for singing and fun! Our usual rehearsals, sleep-over and annual trip to DeLeon Springs were greatly enjoyed by all! We welcomed Hadley Smith into the crew, too!

Soli Deo Gloria -- To God be the Glory!

Listen to or read the Music & Scriptures for this coming Sunday by clicking this link: Sunday's Scripture & Music

PRAYERS

Allen, Ann R., Arel, Audrey , Barbara, Bill B. , Bill M ., Britt, Burke, Cathy, Dale, David, Dinorah, Don, Elbert, Gary, Jack, Jacob, Jenny, Joann, Judy, Kelly, Leigh, Lisa, Mary, Marci A., Marci B., Marcy, Martin, Naomi, Rob, Robin, Robert, Roger, +Russell, Scott, Walter

BIRTHDAYS

24: Kristen Scott, Jack Sommerville 25: Penny Galbraih, Danielle Morris, Greg Macgregor 26: Lauren Beale, Susie DiDea 27: Chet Parker, III, Lila Midkiff, Ethan Hilton
28: Charlie Lang 29: Robert Nevill, Kyle Smith, Pam Webb, Alexandra Milbrath, Thomas Cole
30: Jim Garner, Jr., Elizabeth Barnhart, Ellis Searl

ANNIVERSARIES

25: Bill & Viki Leedy 25: Jason & Ellis Searl
26: Bill & Yvonne Traylor 28: Andrew & Angelica Cole
30: Tom & Deborah Cook

Reminder:

Prayer list names will rotate off after a three month period unless we are made aware that an individual needs to remain on the list.

To place someone on the prayer list, please contact Deacon Carter at [email protected] or Rev. Diane at [email protected].