St. Matthews Church - Ministries

Thank you to all who contributed to the Walk for the Homeless by sponsoring a member of the Youth Group!

Thanks to all the painters - whose handiwork has brightened up and protected the exterior wood trim on the Parish House - Ben Albinson, Scott Albinson, Karen Beaudoin, Joe Chilton, Patti Cummings, Bob Townsend, Rick Townsend, Sherman Wetherbee, Dennis Wilson. And to the kitchen crew who kept the workers well cared for - Lois Ann Cummings, Millie Cummings, Betsey Wetherbee and those who donated food and beverage - Judy Chilton, David Hight, Charlotte Townsend, Ellie Townsend, Betsey Wetherbee.

Thank you to the hard work of Steve MacGregor, Ben Albinson, David Strong, David Wilson, Andrew Piscitelli, Matthew Piscitelli and Bob Townsend who sanded and refinished our Parish Hall floor.

Thank you to all parishioners and friends of St. Matthew's who have made a donation or pledge to the Parish Restoration & Renewal Fund! Special thanks to the Fuller Foundation for the $11,500 grant!!!

Thank you to the hardworking men of our Property Committee who continue to keep our sacred space in good repair.

Thank you to all of you for all you do to help out at St. Matthew's and in witness to the Gospel in your Daily Lives. God Bless you all!

There is now available an online Bible Study that you can participate in from the comfort of your own home. The Episcopal Church has begun such an online study group, that includes study questions, the Sunday lessons and opportunity to post and read comments and thoughts. To go to the Bible Study: www.episcopalchurch.org/107902_116094_ENG_HTM.htm

Join us for "First Friday Night Knitters" and help knit scarves, mittens and hats for our South Worcester neighbors. If you don't knit or crochet but would like to learn, please join us. We have needles and yarn aplenty! Next gathering will be on Friday, September 3rd at 6:30 pm.

Prayer Shawl ministry - If you know of someone who is ill, grieving or in other crisis, consider giving them a prayer shawl. Those who have received these beautiful, soft and warm shawls, knit by women of our church, report that they have found and received great comfort from the thought that each shawl is created prayerfully, with care, concern and love for those who suffer. If you would like to give a shawl, please speak with Patti or the Rector.

The neighborhood center has been providing support and services to members of our community for almost 40 years and the work they do is as important as ever! This summer many of the children in our neighborhood depend on the center to provide them with daily meals and fun activities. Supplies are needed to help make this a good summer for these children. Please bring in crafts supplies, paper, gluesticks, markers, yarn, stickers and place in the common room. The children will appreciate your generosity and kindness!

The Interfaith Coalition to Prevent Family Homelessness invites you to help prevent homelessness in our community. Food cards for local supermarkets will be available for purchases beginning in August right at St. Matthew's. 5% of all proceeds will assist families at risk. Food cards can be used while shopping at all Big Y, Shaw's and Stop & Shop Supermarkets. These cards can make a huge difference and don't cost you anything! Please see Patti for more information.

The emergency food pantry at the South Worcester Neighborhood Center receives the non-perishable food items that are contributed to the Saint Matthew’s weekly Food Offering.

We have been learning that need for emergency food is increasing in our neighborhood and the area served by our Neighborhood Center: more individuals and families are applying, and qualifying, for assistance, and our gifts matter!

Please consider making a weekly food donation to the Food Offering. If that will create a strain on your own household’s food budget, please consider offering something once or twice a month. Watch for the sales at your grocery store: a can of soup, a box of pasta, a carton of cereal can help one of our neighborhood families a lot! Thanks for your faithfulness and generosity.

Saint Matthew’s Reading Group will be meeting on July 21st at 7 pm to discuss, Forgiving Ararat. As we gather to discuss this interesting fictional meditation on Divine justice and mercy and afterlife, we hope you will join us!!

Recent book club choices have included: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion, Peace Like a River, Velva Jean Learns to Drive, The Good Earth, The Shack, Three Cups of Tea, A Thousand Splendid Suns.

All are welcome to come join us! Speak with the Rector, Wendy Piscitelli or Cathy Goodwin if you are interested or need more info.

The Women held their annual meeting and pot luck supper on June 17th. Mille Cummings was re-elected President, Linda Albinson as Secretary and Pam Wilson, Treasurer. No meeting in July and August but will gather again in September. Upcoming meeting dates:

All women who are members of St. Matthew's are members and are encouraged to attend meetings held on the third Thursday of the month in the Ladies Parlor.

Annual events include the Mother and Daughter banquet, church fair, helping families in need at Thanksgiving and Christmas and providing camp scholarships to Summer Camp.

The Scholarship Committee offers scholarships every year to our young people to attend Bement Summer Camp and Colleges and Universities.

Summer is here and everyone is relaxed, except God. Remember that his work goes on 24/7, so in order to keep up His good work, we need to keep up our end by seeing that our weekly contributions are up to date!

We all have to think long and hard to see what we can give to help St. Matthew's continue to do God's work in these trying times. Think of all that we do have and how we can share with others.

We are sending out a gentle reminder to all to please keep up your pledges over the summer months. Last month our treasurers were unable to pay all the bills and we need to catch up. If you are away on vacation and cannot attend church, please consider mailing in your pledge. If we all work together we'll be able to stay current in paying the Parish bills....thank you!

The ongoing work of the Parish Restoration and Renewal Campaign continues, even through the lazy, hazy days of summer. In July, we expect that the Clerestory windows will have their frames repainted and protected with new glazing, as well as the Tudor-style stucco and wood Clerestory north and south walls will be replaced. The completion of the Clerestory work will be a major landmark in the Parish Restoration and Renewal Campaign, as this work represented a major portion of Phase One of the campaign's scope. There is some more work to be done, as well as the need to press forward with Phase Two - replacement of the Church Organ.

A word about the Organ. We are now using the Clavinova (electronic keyboard) instead of the Rodgers Organ. The Rodgers is over 30 years old, and has reached a point where not only is it no longer reliable, but it is also in imminent danger of complete failure. The Parish Restoration and Renewal Fund has some money designated the organ, but there are not sufficient funds to do so at present.

To date over $70,000 has been donated or pledged to this fund! Thank you one and all!!!!!

We would like to thank the parishioners and friends who have committed gifts and pledges of over $70,000 the “Parish Restoration and Renewal Fund” Campaign to restore and preserve our spiritual home. This is great start to our parish’s ambitious effort to raise approximately $195,000 for much needed capital repairs – some of which are already underway – but we have a long way to go!

If you are among those who have not yet stepped forward to make a commitment to help maintain our sacred space, please think and pray about how you and your household will participate. We know that the present economic climate is very challenging, but we are encouraged by the commitments that have already been made, and we hope that you are also encouraged and inspired by them as well. We want you to know that “Every giver matters, and every gift counts,” and we need as much participation as possible from all of our parishioners.

Saint Matthew’s is a dynamic parish and provides a spiritual base for so many. This has been made possible by the vision, faith and hard work of our clergy and laity. This has been made possible by YOU! Help us to fulfill our parish’s mission “to build on the past, while looking to the future, and provide a Christian community for worship and fellowship that extends to others in joy, witness and outreach.”

Your gift in thanksgiving or in memory of a loved one will be acknowledged in the Remembrance Book located in the church.

Fair for All Seasons

Pam Wilson, Linda Albinson, and Patti Cummings Co-Chairs

Set-up: Thursday, October 14th

Fair: Friday, October 15th, 4-8 pm

Saturday, October 16th, 8 am - 3 pm