This Week at the Cathedral!

Greetings,

We hope you will enjoy this issue of our weekly e-newsletter. Each week we'll keep you informed on what's happening here at St. Matthew's Cathedral - news from the week, what's coming up, and how you can be a part of it. This should reach your inbox by Friday giving you a heads up for the upcoming week. We hope this helps you plan your week, and maybe even provides a little inspiration to get you through it! Be sure to "Like" us on Facebook to stay in the know between emails.

A Message from the Dean...

Bitter or Better?

"The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked

it into another vessel, as seemed good to him."- Jeremiah 18:4

In this passage, Jeremiah is given a word from God to speak to the people

of Israel who were going through a hard time. Josiah was the last faithful king of Judah. His death marked the downward spiral of the kingdom of Judah that would culminate in the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of many Jews to Babylon.

This may seem like a harsh word: God is the potter who manipulates Judah as the clay the way he wants. However, this is really a message of grace. God knows that Judah will be facing tough times ahead. Just as the clay in Jeremiah's story had some defect that would cause the clay, when hardened in the kiln, eventually to break under everyday use, so God would be preparing the people of Judah, through the difficult times ahead, to be able to endure faithfully the even more difficult times ahead when they would be sent into exile.

The trials of life can either make us better or bitter. Part of the reason we need Christian community is to help us through those life trials. We need people of faith who see tomorrow as better than today, who will point us to God's faithfulness when all around us our world seems to be crashing and burning, and who will point us to the suffering of Jesus as evidence that God feels our deepest pain.

Neal+

Adult Christian Formation

September 4 - October 30

9:35 - 10:15am

Stage End of Great Hall

Dean Michell, Fr. Luck, and Fr. Miller will be leading a study on the basics of Theology based on Anglican theologian Alister MacGrath's book "Theology: The Basics".

The book is written for the everyday Christian and is an excellent beginner's guide, or refresher, on the essentials of Christianity.

THE MARRIAGE COURSE

Developed by the authors of

"The Marriage Book" for couples looking for practical support to strengthen their relationship. The Marriage Course is for both married couples and couples living together. Some couples do the course to invest in their relationship, while others need more urgent help. Contact Fr. David Miller for more information: [email protected]

7 week course, Wednesdays,

Sep 14-Oct 26

6:30-9:00pm in the Great Hall

$175 per couple (Limit 20 couples)

Childcare Available

¿Hablas español? Now you can!

Do you want to better understand Latin-American culture? Do you wish you could communicate more confidently with your Spanish-speaking neighbors? Do you need to brush up on your español for your upcoming trip abroad? Aberg Center's Spanish classes are the perfect way to improve your Spanish in a fun and supportive environment. Classes are taught by first-rate instructors; all experienced university Spanish professors. Best of all, proceeds from our Spanish classes go to fund Aberg Center's tuition-free programs. Click here to sign up for classes!


Children's Chapel Takes a Break! Children's Chapel will take a break September 4. We will continue Children's Chapel on Sunday September 11!	Support Peru Mission Trip! St. Matthew's is preparing to send a mission team to northern Peru this December! The team will evangelize children, youth and mothers in three missions near Chiclayo, Peru. Please make your gift in the mission envelopes to help send the team. Your prayers are needed for the team and all the preparations. Vaya con Dios!

Join us on Friday evening, October 7th, for a fun evening of fabulous food and drink, the music of Stephen Sondheim, and the annual SMCA Silent Auction! The evening's proceeds benefit the FREE public art programs of Saint Matthew's Cathedral Arts. This year's entertainment comes from the wildly popular Sondheim Songbook, including classic hits from Broadway shows such as Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Company, A Little Night Music and Follies, performed by the fabulous singers of the Cathedral Arts Camerata and their friends, with special guest music director Damon Clarke. Tickets will go on sale September 11 ^th after services.

Breakfast Casseroles Needed

Our ministry to the Food Pantry patrons is
expanding with an offering of hot breakfast and conversation each week on
Thursday at 9 a.m. Please contact Varita at [email protected] to sign up to
bring and/or serve a breakfast casserole once a month.

Reading Partners needed for

Cesar Chavez School

Looking for a way to be a blessing in the neighborhood? Read one hour a week with some children at Cesar Chavez Elementary on Ross and Carroll streets.

Many thanks to those who read with the students at Cesar Chavez Elementary last year! If you are interested please go to www .dallasisd.org and click on volunteers. For more information please contact

Varita [email protected].

Aberg Center for Literacy needs volunteers to teach ESL, GED, and Adult Education in Spanish for our upcoming semester at St. Matthew's Cathedral. No teaching experience is necessary, just a willingness and passion to serve.

Volunteers teach 1 day per week, Mon-Thu, 2-3

- Semester: Sept 12-Dec 16
- Classes: Mon-Thu || 9am-12pm

- Programs: ESL, GED (English & Spanish), Adult Education in Spanish, Early Childhood

For more information contact 214-826-6501 ext 103 or email [email protected]

A BIG THANK YOU FROM BISHOP'S CAMP

Thank-you to all the parishioners from St. Matthew's Cathedral for your wonderful donations of supplies, food, volunteer hours and general support of St. Matthew's Cathedral Bishop's Camp! Thanks to you, 120 children entering grades K - 8 were able to participate in a free, faith-based summer camp enriching their lives through reading, math, the arts, technology & faith. With its seven-week full day program, Bishop's Camp was able to provide a life-changing opportunity for its students and their families.

According to the Jesus Movement, Bishop Curry implores us, " To go into the world to share the good news of God in Jesus Christ, to go into the world and help to be agents and instruments of God's reconciliation, to go into the world and let the world know that there is a God who loves us, a God that will not let us go and that that love can set us all free".

When you see low-income children excited about their lessons and thriving in the classroom, excited on a field trip, fascinated by a visiting artist, captivated by a Bible lesson, you know that St. Matthew's Cathedral Bishop's Camp is completely in the Jesus Movement. Thank you so much to the dedication and big hearts of St. Matthew's Cathedral!

A BIG THANK YOU TO THE EPISOPAL DIOCESE OF DALLAS FOR ALL THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT!!

History of the Cathedral Now Available

Mary Jane Hutchinson traces the history of St. Matthew's Cathedral from the beginning of Dallas through today. You'll read about each of the bishops of the Diocese of Dallas as well as the first Rector and all the Deans of St. Matthew's Cathedral. $11.95 for paperback. $25.00 for hardback. Available through the Cathedral office.