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...

People of Hope, Not Wish

". . . my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; for he has looked

with favor on his lowly servant." -

Luke 1:47-48

We light the pink candle today on the Advent wreath. Why do we light the pink candle on the third Sunday and not the fourth? Shouldn't the fourth candle be pink as a nice transition to Christmas?

That makes sense, but lighting the pink candle on the third Sunday-the penultimate Sunday-gives a deeper meaning to the Christmas story. Were we to light the pink candle on the fourth Sunday in Advent, it would be a nice transition to Christmas, night turns to dawn sort of thing.

Lighting the pink candle on the third Sunday and then returning to the purple candle on the fourth Sunday shows that hope comes to us through God in the darkness.

Christian hope is not "star light, star bright, first star I see tonight: I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight." In this instance, hope is another word for wishing.

Christian hope is the assurance of God's presence in our lives-even in the midst of darkest night. When it seems that all is lost, we don't see the morning light peeking out over the horizon, we are nevertheless not distraught, not undone, not hopeless.

St. Paul tells us why:

"and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Romans 5:5)

Our hope is not rooted in our circumstances but in the One who spoke to Mary that the child in her would be Emmanuel, God with us. We are not people of wish; we are people of hope, grounded in the very presence of Jesus, Immanuel, in us. God's Holy Spirit speaks to us of God's presence with us and love in us when circumstances and people around us would tell us otherwise. We may have hope even though the next Sunday is another purple candle in our life.

Neal+

Adult Christian Formation

December 11th, 9:35-10:15am

Pivotal Players of the Christian Faith
Stage End of the Great Hall

A multi-part film series that illumines a handful of saints, artists, mystics, and scholars who not only shaped the life of the Church but changed the course of civilization.

December 11 - Michael Angelo

Christmas Pageant 2016

Calling all youth and children! It is that time of year again. It is time to start casting and rehearsing for our Christmas Pageant. Please see all dates below:

Sunday, December 11 Pageant Walk Through

Room 208 in Garrett Building 9:30 a.m.

Sunday, December 18 Pageant Walk Through

In the Cathedral 9:00 a.m.

Saturday, December 24 Pageant Walk Through

In the Cathedral 3:15 p.m.

Saturday, December 24 Christmas Pageant

In the Cathedral 5:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, or if your child or youth cannot make one of the rehearsals, please let Logan Hurst know at [email protected].


Parish Wide Farewell Lunch Sunday, December 18 at 11:30 am Come and enjoy a time of food and fellowship! We will be having food catered by Lucy Creech as we bid farewell to Father Tony and the 12:30 congregation. Join us as we celebrate over 30 years together!	A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Sunday, December 18 at 4:30 pm The Cathedral Arts Choral Artists and selected readers unfold the Christmas narrative with familiar choral settings and scriptural accounts, according to a beloved pattern established in 1918 by King's College Chapel, Cambridge. The service includes music of Cleobury, Caracciolo, Ledger, Warlock, Gardner, Davies, Mathias, and Howells. Please join us!	Sunday, December 18 10:00 am Holy Eucharist 1:00 pm Misa en Espa ño l Sunday, December 24 5:00 pm Holy Eucharist and Christmas Pageant 10:00 pm Carol Service 10:30 pm Candlelight Service Sunday, December 25 10:00 am Holy Eucharist Sunday, January 1 8:00 am Holy Eucharist 10:30 am Holy Eucharist

Christmas Poinsettias

If you would like to donate money towards Poinsettias in memory, honor, or thanksgiving of a loved one, please pick up a flyer at the back of the church. Include "Poinsettia" on the memo line of your check or the front of your envelope. A list of donors will be included in the Christmas Eve Service bulletins.

Peru Mission Team will be commissioned at the 10:00 and 1:00 services on December 18th. The team leaves at 7:30 pm, Dec. 26th. Please keep the team in your prayers! Dean Michell has been asked to teach in Lima in addition to his classes with clergy in Cajamarca. Funds are still needed to cover this extension. Muchas gracias for all your prayers and support.

A Garden of Delight: The Golden Age of Iznik Tiles of Turkey

September 23 - December 31

Photographic Exhibition by Carolyn Brown

In collaboration with The Crow Collection of Asian Art and the University of Texas at Dallas. Justus Sundermann Gallery.

Pledging Made Easy

If you would like to submit your pledge card electronically please click here. The form provided is on secure site and all information is sent directly to the church office. For any questions please call us at 214.823.8134. If you are more comfortable with a traditional pledge card, they will be mailed out to you in the next week. Thank you for your continued support of God's work here at St. Matthew's Cathedral!

Breakfast Casseroles needed for Food Pantry Outreach

Many thanks to those who faithfully make breakfast casseroles for our food pantry neighbors. This is an ongoing ministry! Please, click here, to go to signup genius to sign up to bring casseroles. Pans and recipe are in the foyer. For more information contact [email protected] .