St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
Tidings 
 October 5, 2014
   
St. Matthew's Anniversary Celebrations: 

125th of Faith Community and 100th of Church Building

 

Every church has a culture or "DNA" which manifests itself repeatedly over time and is hard to change. If you look back over the history of St. Matthew's you will see many of the same themes appearing over and over again. This coming Sunday, October 5 from 9:15-10:15 in the Parish Hall twelve presenters will be sharing highlights and remembrances related to ten "themes" in the life of our congregation: food and hospitality, the arts, a passion for working with the homeless, a global community, an ongoing culture of discernment, worship and Christian formation, fellowship, and people. The themes will be preceded by a brief historical overview of major events in the life of our faith community, and followed by a time of sharing stories. The entire session will be filmed by Randy Croce, a parishioner and documentary film maker at the University of Minnesota. We have a lot of stories to tell (and want to make sure there is time for you to tell your story), so will begin right at 9:15.

 

Other memorable events that will take place the morning of October 5:

  • The Rt. Rev. Bishop Brian N Prior will be with us for the 10:30 service, where he will preach and preside at the Eucharist. We will use an historic chalice and paten for the celebration
  • Laura Bathke and her Archives Ministry Team (Heather Craig, Paul Brady, Ruth Donhowe, J Michael Compton, and Martha Hotchkiss) have outdone themselves with a wonderful Archives show sponsored by the Art Ministry highlighting people and events in our congregation's history
  • Heidi and Brian Gordon, Ed Lotterman, Liz Morrison, and Laura Bathke will be hosting a festive and delicious coffee hour featuring foods from different eras in St. Matthew's history. The menu includes deviled eggs and "Crazy Cake" from the depression era. There will also be coffee and tea available from the church's silver service (polished for the occasion)
  • A scavenger hunt including 20 church items will be available for anyone interested in learning more about the church, its furnishings, and in whose memory different items were given (thank you again Laura Bathke!)

Please join us for this incredibly special, once-in-a-lifetime celebration of St. Matthew's and what God has done over the years through the amazing people the Holy Spirit brought together!

 

Faithfully,

Blair

 Blessing of the Animals - October 5

 

By Lisa Wiens Heinsohn

 

All neighbors are welcome to bring your animal companions to a very special and short service in College Park at the corner of Raymond Avenue and Carter Avenue in St. Anthony Park on Sunday, October 5 at 4:30 pm.  We will celebrate our animal friends and offer blessings (and an optional treat) to all creatures who want a blessing.  Though this service is conducted in honor of St. Francis, who loved animals and all creation, people from all faiths and no faith are very welcome.  You might even consider popping across the street to St. Matthews at 5:30 for a free community dinner (regretfully, meals will not be provided for our animal friends).

Generosity: A Practical Approach  

 

 By Mary Griffin

 

Grant Abbott once said that most people who return to church as adults come with the same beliefs they had when they left the church at about age 12.  That certainly applied to me.  The words and the music were the same, but apparently I was supposed to have a relationship with God that had nothing to do with my mother's opinions.  Besides that, they kept asking me to pledge, and I had no idea what they wanted me to pledge. What, you want me to pledge money?  The building looked pretty old -- wasn't it paid for by now, or who owned it anyway?  Didn't they just pay the preacher out of the collection plate every Sunday?   

I can't advise anyone about spiritual things, but I've figured out pledging in the last 27 years.  Ray and I have pledged money, Ray has been the treasurer, I've been an usher and a money counter, we've run fundraisers, and I've worked with the bookkeeper and the church accounting system.  Which is to say, I've seen it from several angles.

  • We pledge money in the fall, as a congregation, so that we'll know how much money we have to work with in the coming year.  The church building is paid for, but we have other fixed expenses such as salaries, heat, insurance, and so on (salaries are way more complicated than just handing the preacher the cash out of the plate). We try to have reserve funds for things like clogged toilets and too-snowy winters. No one wants their pledge to pay the electric bill or water bill, but it's hard to have the church open without electricity and water. Basically, when you pledge money, it makes it easier for the vestry to figure out a budget and easier for the church employees to do their jobs.  Unlike Congress, we can only count on spending what we have.
  • It also helps the bookkeeper and the money counters when you pledge, simply because pledgers go in the computer system, and it's easier for us to record your donations.  We have to make a photocopy of every check that is not from a pledger. You may think you don't give enough to bother with pledging, but if you're going to give anything over $1.00 to St. Matthew's in the coming year, just pick an amount you can commit to and fill out a pledge card for it.  If you give more, it's okay.
  • Most people give by check.  If you don't tell us what the check is for, we assume it's for your pledge and enter it as such.  The money counters don't know, and don't care, what your annual pledge is.  We don't know, and don't care, how often you give money.  We just want to  get your intentions right: is this for your pledge, flowers, a retreat, a staff gift or what?  Many people send in their pledges through on-line bill pay systems.  This works very well: the money counters just add those checks to the weekly collection.  

When I first came to St. Matthew's, the 12-year-old in me thought people dropped money in the collection plate according to their love of God and what was available in their wallet.  Now I see promising to give money, and giving it, as an act of faith with the group we call a congregation, and the first step in witnessing to the world our Christianity.  My pledge enables my priest and my congregation to be the face and voice and hands of God in our world.


 
The Way of Jesus, Social Justice & the Twin Cities Regional       Plan

 

Sunday, October 12 and 19: 9:15 - 10:15am in the library

 

Faith communities have played an important role in shaping the new long-range plan for the Twin Cities region, and several St. Matthews parishioners have played roles in helping to advance that plan.  In the October 12 session Mark Vander Schaaf, the Regional Planning Director at the Metropolitan Council, will share his insights into Thrive MSP 2040, the plan that was adopted in May of this year.  He will especially focus on the plan's strong emphasis on equity and engagement with historically under-represented communities, how this focus might align St. Matthews' emphasis on the way of Jesus and social justice, and what opportunities it provides for the involvement of faith communities in urban and regional issues.

Way of Jesus Business Discussion Group

The Business Discussion Group meets periodically to discuss  about  how our work lives in the business world intersect with our  faith.  If you find yourself wondering about this topic, you are invited to join us Saturday morning, October 11th from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m. in the St Matthew's library.    Please also invite friends and colleagues in the business community who also might have interest in exploring this topic.   Breakfast will be served beforehand in the parish hall from 8:45 a.m. to 9:15, prepared by the ever capable Ed Lotterman.
Looking Ahead: Calendar Highlights
  • Oct. 5: 125 Year Celebration, 9:15am stories and remembrance, Bishop Prior celebrates at 10:30am & Blessing of the Animals 4:30pm in College Park
  • Oct. 11: The Way of Jesus Business Discussion Group, 8:45am
  • Oct 11: Novel Faith, Till We Have Faces, by C.S. Lewis, 6:30pm
  • Oct. 12: Faith Forum "The Way of Jesus, Social Justice and the Twin Cities Regional Plan" 9:15am
  • Oct. 12: Apple Toss Up Dinner, 5:30pm
  • Oct. 26: Commitment Sunday: Dedication of Pledges and Luncheon
  • Nov. 2: All Saints Sunday: Dixieland Jazz & Children's Processional
Please share your news and photos with us: tidings@stmatthewsmn.org

Visit our website for the prayer list, calendar and sermons
 
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