Healing Service 

10:30 a.m. Wednesday

***

The church office is open

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

Monday through Thursday.

Closed Fridays

Please note: the office will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov 24-25 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

IN THIS ISSUE:

• A Word from Mother Pat+: Thanksgiving
• Senior Warden's Corner: We are Blessed
• Junior Warden: Budget
• November Outreach: Peace of Thread Open House Nov 29, & more
• Coming Events:
• Youth: Search for the Blue Gnu Dec 4
• ECW Christmas Party Dec 4 after the 10:30 service
• Advent Lessons and Carols Dec 11 at 6:30 p.m.
• Lunch Bunch Dec 15 at 12 noon
• Christmas Service Schedule

A Word from Mother Pat+: Thanksgiving

We are called to an attitude which expresses gratitude. This week look at all the people, places, pets, and things that you have in your life and give thanks to God for the gifts.

The following is the collect/prayer for Thanksgiving Day (BCP 246):

Almighty and gracious God, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our lord, who lives and reigns with you and the holy Spirit, on God, now and for ever. Amen.

Want to have a week full of thankful prayers, then check out the prayers of Thanksgiving

beginning on page 836 in the Book of Common Prayer.

May your Thanksgiving week be filled with an abundance of God’s presence and may blessings abound. Mo Pat+

Warden's Corner - We are Blessed

I remember when we were searching for a rector when Mother Liz was called. At the time, I could not understand why we couldn’t know who the Nominating Committee was interviewing, how many candidates we had, why they couldn’t tell us about the new rector. It made me anxious and that may be how some of you are feeling. 

Now that I am on the other side of the search, I have a better understanding. Many of the candidates have applied but may not have told their home church they were looking. If the interviews fall through and they do not get hired, they still have to remain at the current position. There is a lot of time in discernment and prayer built into the process. The time allows for all parties to have time to make sure the steps taken are for the best situation for all. In between many of the steps the Nominating and Vestry take, there are steps taken in the Bishop’s Office. We need time to tell the interim of the plans so they can prepare for their next move. As excited as things can get, there is a process behind the scenes that needs to be followed.

Here's the process: After their work identifying candidates, the Nominating Committee presents those candidates to the Vestry, who interviews them and then meets with the Search Advisor from the Bishop’s Office when they vote on the candidates. When a candidate is chosen, the Bishop’s Office is notified of the selection. The candidate is then notified, and a meeting set up with the Wardens for negotiations. A Letter of Agreement is signed by Wardens and Candidate. The Interim is notified a minimum thirty days prior of the release of contract. The Letter of Agreement is signed by the bishop and the Nominating Committee is decommissioned. All Vestry members and staff from the other congregation are notified by the candidate, and once all these steps are in place, both congregations will be notified at the same time in an email. A meeting is then set by the Senior Warden for the Interim, Search Advisor, and Candidate, and a Litany of Farewell is celebrated for the Interim. The process calls for a few weeks of transition to be in place between the Interim and New Rector. The bishop will perform an installation of the New Rector at the Church once the process is complete.

I hope these steps outline the process to help you have a better understanding. Please know the confidentiality is not something to keep things from you, but to respect the steps of the process. We need to respect the feelings of the other congregation who will be losing someone dear to them. Just know we can tell you that St. Matthew's is Blessed!

Trisha Voiles, Senior Warden

From Your Junior Warden: Budget Talk from Nov 13

Hello everyone! My Name is Jack Denton, and I am Junior Warden here at SMEC.

A question for you; Have you ever had that burning desire for that one thing that you always dreamed of? For that one need that was always in the back of your mind? But found it to be just a little out of reach?

It could be that dream beach or mountain second home. I can help you with that one! It could be the goal of getting your kids through college, or maybe for me, it’s a 1958 or 1960 VW bug, which is just a little out of my reach for now. Maybe it’s even praying that the one you love will say yes when you pop the question? That could be just a little out of reach sometimes too.

For Pam and I, we always had a great burning desire that all of our girls would get a good education for their future and the future of their families, no matter what obstacles we faced and sure enough when all the stars aligned or didn’t align, we had both Amanda and Tiffany in college at the same time, right after our daughter Kelly had just finished school. Wow! Talk about being a little out of reach, but we had a desire and a need and with hard work and prayer we made it through.

Well, all this is not so dissimilar than what we face here at St Matts. For me and my family, we have a desire to see a bright future for SMEC. A future that has, at its core, the calling of the right person to be our new rector.

The vestry has been working hard to formulate a draft budget that will be voted on before the end of the year. 

At the top of the budget is the Revenues section or the income of the church, which has to do with pledges, loose plate offering, a fundraising amount and the Preschool contribution. 

The rest of the budget are the Expenses, which include rector salaries, insurance, staff salaries, Ministry needs and everything else for the operation of the church, utilities, etc. Over 90% of the budget is in this category.

At the very bottom on the last line is a deficit of a little over $53,000. That is our shortfall or, if you want to call it, “our out of reach number”. I’m not going to bore you with a bunch of numbers. I only mention this one number for you to consider. That’s the gap we want to close.  

We are on the verge of calling what we desire and hope and pray is someone who can grow with St. Matt's, someone who understands our shortfalls and is willing to work with us all to grow this church. With the right person, we can do it.

Someone who is a true follower of Christ and loves the Lord and the church. But, again, like everything else we talked about, sometimes these things become a little out of reach, thus the draft budget shortfall.

Back several years ago here, a group of parishioners had a desire and a goal to pay off the mortgage on this building. The funds were not really available, but with prayer and determination, we at St. Matt's got it done.

If you haven’t yet made a pledge to St. Matt's, I urge you to do so. If you have already made it, I would encourage you to prayerfully consider increasing your pledge.

I hope you share in mine and the Vestry’s desire to call the best person for the job of Rector of St. Matthew's. We can do this and close that deficit gap. Let’s get this done!!

The Nominating Committee has completed their job, and I might say they did a wonderful job. The ball is now in the Vestry’s court. the Vestry has been given the candidates and we are in discernment and prayer over the next few days. Folks, we are getting close!

Join us in prayer for that one person who will Lead St. Matthew's into a bright future for all of us.

God Bless,

Jack Denton

Junior Warden

A BIG THANK YOU to the St. Matt's Fellowship Committee and to everyone who prepared and brought food for our Annual Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner. Putting together an event like this takes planning and dedication, and the food was delicious! Thanks to all who prepared food, decorated the parish hall, set up and cleaned up for this annual fellowship event, and thanks also for the handmade Thanksgiving cards! St. Matt's has much to be thankful for, & we are thankful for YOU!

Please Note: No Youth Group Nov 27 due to Holiday.

But don't miss the Blue Gnu on December 4!

YOUTH: The Search for the Blue Gnu

NEXT Sunday, December 4, 3:30—8:30pm.

Small groups work together to complete a scavenger hunt for the missing blue gnu. at the Mall of GA. Meet at the church, commence the hunt, have dinner in the food court and do a bit of holiday shopping. Money needed for food and shopping (optional). Adult Driver's needed!  All Youth Grades 6-12 invited. contact Holly Bond, Amanda Livermont or Jay Jones to sign up, so they can get a head count.

ECW Christmas Party

Sunday, December 4 after the 10:30 service

A Taco Bar Lunch will be served. This will be a Crafty Christmas Party. Supplies will be provided to make 4 different crafts.

Service Project - The Coop provides birthday packages for children up to 18-years-old. Birthday plates, napkins, and candles are given along with the cake. Diane Eberhart let me know that there is a need for 'Happy Birthday' plates and napkins (no particular theme). They have been giving out as many as 22 birthday packages a week. So we will be collecting plates and napkins for the Coop. Monetary donations will also be accepted. Any questions about the Happy Birthday plates and napkins can be directed to Diane Eberhart.

All women are members of Episcopal Church Women and are invited to the ECW Christmas Party.

Lunch Bunch

December 15 at 12 noon

Bambinelli's Italian Restaurant

4153 Lawrenceville Highway NW, Lilburn, GA 30047

Great company and great food--come meet old and new friends! All are welcome.

BREAKFAST SIGNUP - Thank you!

Breakfast hosts this Sunday: Christian Ed

Which Sunday would you or your group like to help serve breakfast?

To sign up to host in December, please click here.

Funds are available to assist with costs. Ministry groups, committees, and individuals are invited to sign up for any open Sunday,

For more information on this ministry or to volunteer, contact Trisha Voiles.

GIVE ONLINE THROUGH REALM

To request a Commitment Form,

please click here.