This Week At St. Matthew's November 11, 2018 - Twenty-fifth Sunday After Pentecost

St. Matthew's Messenger

This Week At St. Matthew's

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Twenty-fifth Sunday After Pentecost

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Twenty-fifth Sunday After Pentecost

8:00 a.m. Eucharist

9:00 a.m. Breakfast

9:30 a.m. Sunday School and

Christian Education

10:30 a.m. Eucharist

Karen Anderson, Seminarian, Preaching at both services

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.

MUSINGS FROM MOTHER LIZ

The Season of Stewardship: Where Does It All Go?

As much as we stress the spiritual discipline of making a financial commitment to the church, there are practical aspects as well.

In 2018, the vestry approved an operating budget of $567,000. A little over 50% of this amount goes towards staff salaries and benefits: pension, medical and disability insurance, travel, continuing education and social security. The cost to maintain and repair the physical plant, categorized as Buildings and Grounds, is 20% of the budget. A little over 9%, or $53,600 goes back to the diocese to help fund the cost of their operations. The cost to run the office, including office machines, computers, phone, internet and equipment replacements, requires 8% of the budget, while ministries uses 7%. Outreach is allocated 3% of the budget.

The vestry and the finance committee work hard to be good stewards of the monies donated to the church. Ideally, an increase in donations allows us to increase funds for Outreach as well as accrue funds for Buildings and Grounds to cover unexpected repairs, and expected replacement of high-priced items like air conditioners and roofs.

As you pray and discern what your financial commitment to St. Matthew’s will be, I hope learning what it takes to operate the church will be helpful to you. If you have questions about any of this, please contact our Treasurer, Chuck Marsh, the chair of our Finance Committee Mark DiGiovanni, or Bret Hurst, vestry member and liaison to the Finance Committee.

In Peace,

Mother Liz+

With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.

Ps. 54:6

INGATHERING

CONSECRATION SUNDAY

NEXT SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18

SINGLE COMBINED SERVICE

AT 9:30 a.m.

followed by a

THANKSGIVING POTLUCK FEAST

Bring your favorite side dish or dessert to share. You can sign up to bring a dish on the poster on the bulletin board in the main hallway.

Meats and beverages will be provided.

Please plan to attend this special service and dinner.

You may complete a Consecration Sunday Reservation Card (found in the narthex) to let us know you will attend worship and the luncheon ,

NEW THIS SEASON:

ST. MATTHEW'S CHRISTMAS PAGEANT!!

Our seminarian, Karen Anderson, is heading up the plan to offer a Christmas pageant at St. Matt's for the Family Service on Christmas Eve (at 4:00 p.m this year).

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 also looking for parents, older youth and other adults who would commit to being part of the team to make this a success, including costumes, lighting, sound, etc, and assistants to the director. We would really like this to be a parish-wide effort to tell the story of the birth of our Savior!

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

GUYS NIGHT OUT --

Come play trivia at Mellow Mushroom in Snellville on Wednesday November 21 at 7:00 p.m. All men of the parish are invited--bring a friend! This group meets every 3rd Wednesday. For more information contact Levi Livermont.

ROSEBUD WARMTH

We are once again collecting donations for the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota.

Click here to learn more about donating handmade or purchased hats, gloves and scarves to the children of the reservation.

St. Matthew's Turns Forty Next Year!

Do you have photos or memorabilia from St. Matthew's people or events in the "old days"? If so, please consider getting them out and dusting them off to share. Please contact Diane Eberhart or Marsha Elixson for more information..

Be sure to put Sunday, September 22, 2019 on your calendar. It will a Homecoming Sunday you won't want to miss!

H ave you noticed the directory posted on the bulletin board? Please write in your birthplace or where you or your family is from beside your name in that directory. We'll be putting up a map next year showing where our parish family comes from! We'd like everyone to be represented on the map!

Photo: Altar in original St. Matt's sanctuary (now the parish hall), 1981

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

ACOLYTE TRAINING WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 17

The Acolyte Ministry will hold a training session from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, in the church fellowship hall to prepare for the Advent and Christmas seasons. The workshop will be in two sessions: acolytes, ages 8-12, will train from 10 a.m. to 12 pm. Acolytes, ages 13 and up will train from 1 to 3 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

Acolytes play a vital role in our worship service. The workshop is a chance to sharpen acolyte skills and etiquette. The workshop will also be a time to measure for albs (robes) and update contact information.

Attendance is strongly encouraged as we plan for new processes and services during the Christmas season. Kindly RSVP by email to dockjones@gmail.com or by text or voice to 404-217-8172.

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!

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..

CHOIR PRACTICES

Come join the choir!

Cherubs, Children's, Epiphany, Bell Choir, or Sanctuary--there's something for everyone!

Click here

for information on dates and times.

Contact Kyle Osborne for more information.

"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.

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.