Healing Eucharist Wed at 10:30 a.m.

followed by

Walking With the Word Bible Study

at 11:30 a.m.

***

Church office hours:

Monday - Thursday

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Closed Fridays

The office will be closed Mon-Tues

April 1-2 for the Easter holiday.

But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. *

I have said, "You are my God.

Make your face to shine upon your servant, *

and in your loving-kindness save me."

Psalm 31:14,16

March 24, 2024 - In This Issue:

• Rector's Corner: The Never-Ending Week
• Holy Week and Easter Services Link
• Good Friday Interactive Stations of the Cross for Families
• Youth Group Activities through May
• Committee and Parish Updates
• Outreach: Co-Op Needs for March
• Parish Events: Mark Your Calendars
• Knit Crochet & Pray: Socks for CCG; Hats, Scarves and Gloves for Rosebud
• DOK Study

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Palm Sunday w/Liturgy of the Palms

beginning both services in the courtyard.

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II++

9:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast

9:30 a.m. Christian Formation Classes All Ages

10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II**++

Or view the service on FB Live

Service Bulletin

Passion Gospel of Mark insert

++ Passion Gospel read by St. Matt's Youth members.

**Nursery available for young children

Holy Week and Easter Service Schedule

Holy Week services will also be live-streamed on our Facebook page. (except for Stations of the Cross)

Feature Photo of the Week:

Confirmation, Reception & Reaffirmation

Class of 2024

Pics and Wrap-Up

Seventeen members of the St. Matt's community affirmed their faith and commitment to Christ as they were either confirmed, received or reaffirmed in the Episcopal Church, at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta last Sunday.

Congratulations to all, and thank you to everyone who attended the service, prayed for, and supported this amazing group last Sunday.

For more photos and a wrap-up of this wonderful day, please visit our website.

Rector's Corner: The Never-Ending Week

Now, before you read the title of this week’s rector’s corner and think that I am already complaining about the amount of work and nonstop services involved in planning and preparing for Holy Week, give me a chance to explain.

Have you ever read a book, heard a story, or listened to an audiobook that was so compelling, interesting, fascinating, and dramatic that you didn’t want it to stop? When did you last pay attention to a story so carefully and diligently that you didn’t want it to end? You stayed up all night reading it, even if you finished at 3:30 am! I remember these feelings when I read The Davinci Code and Ready Player One. I read the stories for hours and never wanted to put the books down!

Holy Week is like The Never-ending Story (which is one of my favorite childhood movies). What seems like an endless series of church services, liturgies, and worship is a long story that pulls you in and never lets you go. Beginning with Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, the story of Jesus’s final week in Jerusalem, the cornerstone of our faith and life, is the best you will ever read and hear—the drama, emotions, feelings, twists, unexpected characters, and enough suspense and hope that leaves us wanting more, even after the last service.

I hope you will come to the Holy Week services as much as possible to enter the story of Jesus in a new and different way. Perhaps you will hear something in the liturgies you have never heard before, sense the Holy Spirit’s presence differently, or attend a service you have never participated in. Wherever you are during Holy Week, please be a part of the story of love, service, betrayal, sacrifice, hope, loss, death, light, darkness, and resurrection.

Blessings to all of us this Holy Week!

God’s Peace,

Father Tim

Good Friday Services:

12 noon - Good Friday Liturgy, including the Passion Gospel of John, the solemn collects, and Veneration of the Cross. In the sanctuary (also livestreamed).

5:30 p.m. - Stations of the Cross - This year, on Good Friday, we will offer interactive stations of the cross on the meditation path. These stations will be open to everyone, especially children and families. Through scripture readings, tangible objects, and prayers, we will follow in Jesus' footsteps as he walks to the cross.

St. Matthew's Preschool and Kindergarten: Create for a Cause!

We need your donations! We're accepting creative works of various mediums and unique handmade crafts for our Arts and Crafts Fair Fundraiser "Art from the HeART". April 16-20. Generous donations last year allowed us to use the $4000 we raised to replace carpets in the classrooms and provided three scholarships this year.

To donate artwork or an auction item, please contact Juanita or Dalex at 770-978-1323 or email the preschool. All donations needed by April 10. All donations are tax deductible.

Youth Group Schedule through May

• 3/24 Youth Group- Palm Sunday
• The youth are involved in the passion play at both services.   Let Elizabeth Livermont know if your child can help.
• Youth Group from 5-7pm

3/31 Easter Egg Hunt- Youth Hide Eggs/ No Youth Group- Easter

• Youth will hide the Easter eggs during the Sunday School hour starting at 9:30am. Please plan to attend the egg hunt after the 10:30 service and stay to help clean up once it's complete.

4/7 No Youth Group- Spring Break

4/14 Youth Group from 5-7

4/21 Stars and Strikes Loganville- details to follow.

4/28 Youth Sunday!/ Parents of Youth Make Breakfast/ Youth Group

• Youth Group Makes Breakfast! Sign up to participate here.

5/5 Youth Group- 4 Square/ Connect 4 Tournament

5/12 No Youth Group- Mother's Day

5/19 Graduation Sunday/ Cake Reception Between Services/ End of Year Pool Party- details to follow

From Your Fellowship Committee...

Take a trip to Monastery of The Holy Spirit in Conyers, GA:

Date: April 10th. Have you heard about the Monastery of the Holy Spirit? Come spend the day exploring this Trappist Monastery a mere 20 miles away in Conyers. Meet at St. Matthew’s at 10 AM to carpool. We are planning to attend their 12:15 midday service, explore the Church and grounds and of course visit the bakery for goodies. If you are curious or have been to the monastery in the past and want to go again, please join us for the day.

To learn more about the monastery, check out the monastery's website .

Co-Op Food Drive for March

For the month of March, the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op Ministry would like St Matthew’s to concentrate on donating Pasta Sauce to the food bank. Other non-perishable food and personal care items are also always welcome and needed.

 You can place items in the barrels in the hallway outside the parish hall. If you make cash donations via check or through Realm, please notate Outreach/Co-Op on the detail line, or choose Outreach from the drop-down menu & note Co-Op in the detail.

Thank you for your support in helping the Co-op feed those in need.

Knit Crochet & Pray (KCP)

The season of Lent is known as a time for getting closer to God by praying, fasting, and giving. Giving helps you as much as it helps others. Thus, the St. Matthew’s Knit, Crochet, and Pray Ministry (KCP) wants to offer you the opportunity to help the local homeless at the Church of the Common Ground and the extremely poverty-stricken children at the Rosebud Episcopal Mission (a Lakota/Sioux reservation) in very cold Mission, SD. We have a 10-year relationship to Rosebud, one of the three poorest places in our country. 

Here's how you can help:

·       Church of the Common Ground (serving the homeless in the downtown Atlanta area)

*Socks during Lent

·       Rosebud Episcopal Mission

*Money donations** for mailing hats, scarves, gloves/mittens (Our main need)

*Donations of yarn

*Money donations to buy yarn

*Heavy/thick hats, scarves, gloves /mittens for ages 4-18 years

**If you donate money, please designate for KCP/Rosebud on the detail line via check or on Realm/Outreach.

You can place the items in the bin outside the side door marked KCP, or in the bin in the main hallway outside the parish hall.

Thank you for helping. See Beth DiGiovanni if you have questions.

Job Opportunity

Mending the Gap is looking for a Part-time Warehouse Coordinator; job information is found here.

Mending the Gap Inc. provides seniors with one-on-one supportive services that will meet their basic needs and alleviate isolation, while creating healthy and fulfilling relationships.

Committee & Parish News

*Johnson Library News The table in the library is being renovated and renewed, and the library is still CLOSED, but should be open soon. Thank you for your patience.

The unbroken portion of the glass top is available to anyone who wants it. The full tabletop is approx. 4 x 8 ft, and a large section of the glass is usable. The cost of a glass this size if purchased would be about $700. Please speak to Mark DiGiovanni or Clay Olbon if you would like to have it.

*Building & Grounds with Long Range Planning has been working to have the parking lot repaired. A contract has been signed and the work is being scheduled. We don't yet have a firm date for the work to be done.

*Your Long-Range Planning Committee Thank you to John Eberhart for stepping forward to lead the Long Range Planning committee. This committee meets monthly and is dedicated to guiding St. Matthew's in the care of resources and property for our needs. If you enjoy actively participating in "behind the scenes" efforts for the good of our church home and family, we need YOU! Please contact Nancy Griner orKatherine Reynolds for additional information. Please be sure and tell John thanks, when you see him!

*The Parish Workday has been rescheduled to Sat. April 13. Please sign up for the new date on the bulletin board in the main hallway, or on Realm. If you signed up previously but can’t come on April 13 please let Clay Olbon know.

*Schedule Changes During Holy Week:

Correction: Wednesday's Healing Service and Bible Study WILL MEET as usual;

Lilburn Crafters is not meeting.

Meeting as usual: Knit Crochet Pray & Centering Prayer (via Zoom)

The Daughters of the King National Study meets every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. (in the first meeting room on the right in the Christian Ed hallway). All women who are interested in finding out more about the mission of the Daughters of the King at St. Matthew’s are invited to participate. If you have any questions, please contact Peggy Isaacs, Cecilia Billingsley or Gail Sawyer.

Save the Dates: (and watch for info)

FODAC Run, Walk & Roll Saturday, April 27 - Click here to register.

Kentucky Derby Day Party - Saturday, May 4

Mending the Gap Annual 5K - Saturday, June 8

Gwinnett Striper Game - Friday, June 28

Every Tuesday in Lent-The Chosen, Season 3

Soup & Bread Supper and a Movie is back during Lent and continuing through April 16. Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. Continue the story of Jesus' ministry through the eyes of his disciples and others around him.

Please note, the group will NOT meet on Tues, April 2 due to Spring Break.

Men's Trivia 1st & 3rd Wednesdays each month @ 7:00 p.m.

McCray’s Tavern, 100 N. Perry St. L’ville

All men of the parish are invited. Contact: Levi Livermont, Jay Jones

Next dates: April 3 & 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Lunch Bunch 3rd Thursday each month at 12 noon, at different area restaurants

Fratelli's NY Style Pizza & Restaurant, 1711 Athens Hwy, Grayson, GA 30017

Everyone invited! Let Joan Kengla know if you will attend to get a head count.

Next date: April 18 at 12 noon

Restaurant Foyers Once a month on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at different area restaurants

Oyster Bay Seafood Cafe, 125 Crogan St. Ste. B, L'ville 30046

Individuals/couples, watch for a Realm sign up or let Warren Drury or Rebecca Bowen know you will attend.

Next date: April 19 at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday Breakfast Host Sign Up –

Thank you for all who have signed up!

Breakfast this Sunday: Ruth Chapter, Daughters of the King

Did you know there are 3 ways you can sign up to use your time and talents to help with Sunday Breakfast?

You can contact Trisha Voiles, you can Sign up on the list in the office hallway bulletin board, or you can click on the below links for sign up genius. 

Get a couple of friends and join in the Sunday fellowship in April! Sign up HERE.

GIVE ONLINE THROUGH REALM

To request a Commitment Form,

please click here.