Special Thanksgiving Edition -- This Week At St. Matthew's November 25, 2018

St. Matthew's Messenger

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the Friday e-letter is being delivered to you today.

***A Thanksgiving Eucharist will be held tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.***

All are invited.

This Week At St. Matthew's

Sunday, November 25, 2018

The Last Sunday After Pentecost

Christ the King Sunday

Visit our Website

Last Sunday After Pentecost

Christ the King Sunday

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist

9:00 a.m. Breakfast

10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist

Family Service with

Children's Sermon

READINGS FOR THIS SUNDAY :

are found here . (Track 1)

Adult Christian Education

Connecting Through Holiday Traditions

10/ 28: 11/ 4, 11; 12/ 2, 9, 16

Click here for info.

NO SUNDAY SCHOOL OR

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

DUE TO THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

NO CHERUB PRACTICE OR JUNIOR WORSHIP

Counting Our Blessings

We at St. Matthew’s are abundantly blessed!

Our Consecration Sunday/Thanksgiving Feast was overflowing with joy, love, gratitude and delicious food!! To the many people who made the event happen, I give heartfelt thanks: the Fellowship Committee who gave their entire weekend to the luncheon, especially Nancy Drury, who organized her team while also serving on the Stewardship Committee; the Brotherhood who helped behind the scenes but especially with clean-up; the Stewardship Committee; and anyone else who was “volunteered” to help out.

I am also grateful for the people who were willing to go outside their comfort zones to share their personal stories about how the practice of stewardship has strengthened their faith and deepened their relationships with God. I pray that they are as blessed by their sharing as we are by hearing their stories.

Many thanks to all who have returned your Estimate of Giving cards. If you are still prayerfully discerning what financial amount God is calling you to give to our parish, please complete your estimate of giving card and drop it in the lock box on the parish office door soon.. Estimate of Giving cards can be found in the church narthex or in the parish office.

Should you have any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. And as always, should you feel called by the Holy Spirit to join our Stewardship Committee, we will welcome you with open arms and grateful hearts.

For a photo gallery of the days events, click here .

Terri Hurst , Stewardship Chair

NEW THIS SEASON:

ST. MATTHEW'S CHRISTMAS PAGEANT!!

4:00 p.m. December 24

at the

Family Christmas Eve Service

We still have space for kids who would prefer to have a group part (animal, angel, etc) and would love to have them involved.

We are especially looking for parents, older youth and other adults to assist with dress rehearsal and pageant help to make this a success.. We especially need help on the 23rd and 24th to help things go smoothly. We would really like this to be a parish-wide effort to tell the story of the birth of our Savior! Rehearsals are every Sunday in December from 2-5 p.m.

Any questions, please contact Karen at karen@stmatthewssnellville.org or at 770) 979-4210, ext 200.

Opportunities For Engagement

OUTREACH -- CHRISTMAS

1. Glimmers of Hope, SE Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry

The Co-op Christmas assistance program has changed this year. Eligible clients who have minor children living in their household will be given one $25.00 gift card for each child and one additional card per family. We will be collecting $25.00 gift cards from Walmart and Target . A gift card tag board will be posted in the Narthex. Please return donated gift cards to Dotty Merrifield or Cheryl Wheeler or place in collection container in parish office. If the office is closed, you may place them in the new lock box in the office door (please mark them for SE Co-op). All gift cards need to be turned in by November 30 ^th .

2. Mending the Gap, Inc. Seniors Ministry

Mending the Gap will be delivering gifts to 400 Grandmas and Grandpas this Christmas. We will be collecting items to help them. A gift tag board will be up in the Narthex starting November 4 ^th and all donated items will need to be returned no later than December 2 ^nd . There will be bins in the old narthex for your donations. If you have any questions, please contact Becky Olbon

To find out more about the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry click here:

www.segwinnettcoop.org

To find out more about Mending the Gap, Inc, go to www.mending-the-gap.org

COME JOIN THE FUN!

Ham and drinks will be provided.

Bring your favorite side or dessert.

Contact Nancy Drury to her her know what you will be bringing, please or call her at

678-779-3482.

Please bring a pair or two of Athletic Socks for the homeless, or any kind of lotion: hand, body, foot, face, etc. All will be donated to Outreach for organizations they are currently working with. Hope to see you there. Rebecca & Nancy

All women of the church are members of ECW (Episcopal Church Women) and are invited to attend this fun holiday event.

ECW ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY

POT LUCK

Monday December 3rd. 6:30-8:30.

SANTA / ST. NICK BREAKFAST

Saturday, December 8

9:00—10:30 a.m.

Pancake Bar, Ornament Craft,

Photo w/Santa, Story Time

Tickets at the door:

1y-Grade 5—$4, Adults $5, Family $20

Everyone welcome—bring your neighbors and friends!

All proceeds benefit the St. Matt's nursery for supplies and toys/books

December 16 ^th

5:30 p.m.

St. Matthew's Sanctuary

Festival of Lessons & Carols

The Sanctuary and Handbell Choirs will present a Festival of Lessons and Carols modeled after the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols of King’s College, Cambridge. The Lessons and Carols Order was originally conceived by E. W. Benson the first bishop of Truro, later Archbishop of Canterbury, for Christmas Eve 1880. In 1918, Eric Milner-White, Dean of King’s College, adapted the Order of E.W. Benson for use on Christmas Eve at King’s College.

Musical selections will include favorite carols, anthems and readings of the season that celebrate the birth of Christ. The prelude will begin at 5:15pm.

Around St. Matt's

NO YOUTH GROUP ACTIVITIES

THIS SUNDAY DUE TO

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS

YOUTH GROUP meets Sundays at 6:00 p.m . in the Undercroft. ALL youth of the parish 6th - 12th grades are invited to be a part of this exciting year. For more information, contact Holly Bond or Amanda Livermont.

DIVE BIBLE STUDY FOR HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH meets Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. in Mother Liz's office. For more information on this dynamic Bible study please contact Mother Liz or Amanda Livermont..

DELMAR GARDENS SING- ALONG

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 AT 4:00 PM

Volunteer musicians are needed to play Christmas and simple gospel music for residents of Delmar Gardens nursing care facility in Lawrenceville on Saturday, Dec 1. Both instrumental, such as guitar, etc. and singers needed and welcome.

The residents truly enjoy your presence. This is a great family ministry--the residents especially enjoy seeing the children. For more information contact Heather Pratt at

hpratt4@yahoo.com .

"Other Than Sunday" Offerings During the Week

Click the Icons below for more info:

Wednesdays With the Word

PLEASE KEEP THE FOLLOWING SNELLVILLE POLICE OFFICERS

IN YOUR PRAYERS

THIS MONTH: NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Communications Officer: Brian Howard, Nov. 7
Officer David Nguyen, Nov. 7
Communications Officer: Barbara Ratcliff, Nov. 7
Officer Scott Hermel, Nov. 11
Lt. David Matson, Nov. 14
Communications Officer: Lisa Maddox, Nov. 21
Officer Neal Carter, Nov. 24

We are in need of $10.00 gift cards from Subway, Chick-fil-A, Panera Bread, or Race-Trac for the officers Birthday cards. Please contact Becky Olbon at beckyolbon@yahoo.com or by calling 770-923-9186 if you can help out.

ST. MATTHEW'S PRESCHOOL

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Great Christmas Gift Ideas!

Scholastic Book Fair

Tuesday - Friday December 4 - 7

9 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

in the parish hall

Proceeds benefit the preschool

THE STEPHEN MINISTRY CORNER

What a Stephen Minister is Equipped To Do

While much has been written about a Stephen Minister’s role, and additional info is available on the St. Matthew's website or from stephenministries.org , many people do not get the whole picture of what a Stephen Minister is equipped to do.