The Holy Spirit is on the Move: Two Gatherings in the Church Library

 

February 8: Learn More About High-Commitment Social Justice Discernment Team

February 22: Discuss Recent Social Justice Ministry Recommendations

 

After nine years of "going deeper spiritually" together, I believe the Holy Spirit is calling us to enter into more vulnerable, ongoing, and two-way relationships with neighbors who are struggling. What has come through loud and clear in the recent Social Justice Ministry discernment sessions, survey, and Faith Forum discussions is a desire to walk alongside neighbors who are struggling personally, economically, and educationally on an ongoing basis, and a desire to devote our time and energy to relationships and actions that effect long-lasting change. Two specific pockets of energy have emerged: advocacy, and finding a way to engage in ongoing two-way relationships with neighbors in the Twin Cities to help them reach their educational and personal goals, and to help us meet Christ.

 

As you can imagine, there is no shortage of ideas at St. Matthew's about how and where our faith community might be involved, most of them involving education. One other important emerging theme is the need for focus. All of us are already engaging in ministry. By virtue of our baptism we are already Jesus' ministers or ambassadors in our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, and places we volunteer around the Cities. St. Matthew's is a congregation of extremely generous people who give of their time, talent, and resources in many different ways. What we would like to do is identify one area of ministry in which we can participate as a community, and then share our learnings and struggles through intentional gatherings for prayer and reflection (what some have called a "practicum") as we seek to participate in God's work to bring healing and new life to all people.

 

To focus on the major pocket of energy named above, the Social Justice Ministry has recommended that we do Project Home differently this year. After hosting Project Home for 15 years, we think it would be wise to have another church host, ideally one of our Project Home ministry partners in the neighborhood. We would still participate in Project Home, but would be freed up to devote more time and energy to discerning and implementing a specific plan for going deeper in relationship with our neighbors. For more information about the discernment process that led to this recommendation, and to share your thoughts and questions, please join me, Social Justice Chair Paula Kringle and our Vestry (leadership board) in the Library Sunday, February 22 after church. Together, in an atmosphere of prayer and mutual respect, we will share our thoughts and feelings, and seek God's leading.

 

A high commitment discernment team will be formed and tasked with discerning God's leading for the people of St. Matthew's through prayer, dwelling in scripture, and pilgrimages around the Cities to places like the St. Paul Promise Neighborhood, YouthLink, schools, and the North Side Achievement Zone. During these pilgrimages we will have the opportunity to listen to our neighbors and hear more about their hopes and dreams. We will also learn from parishioners and community leaders who work daily with homeless populations, struggling students, and families facing many challenges. Participation on the team is open to anyone interested, but requires a high commitment level. The commitment includes participation in all meetings and field trips, and regular attendance at church, relevant Faith Forums and Lenten programs. The team will stay in regular touch with the congregation by sharing their learnings in Tidings, and aim to make a recommendation by the end of May. While many of us will come to the high commitment discernment team with ideas, passions, and preferences, participants must also come with an open mind and heart, and be open to the Holy Spirit's leading. This coming Sunday, February 8, Paula Kringle, Katie White, and I will be in the library after church to talk to anyone who may be interested in or want to learn more about this high commitment discernment group. Please let me know if you are interested at rector@stmatthewsmn.org.

 

Faithfully,

Blair

Don Samuels' Message

On Sunday, February 1, Minneapolis School Board Member Don Samuels led our Faith Forum and preached at the 10:30 service. He inspired and challenged us, asking us to consider the possibility of walking more intentionally alongside families in our church who live or may choose to live in some of the most challenged neighborhoods in the Cities - or who work daily with children and adults from these neighborhoods. For more information and to be inspired listen to Don's sermon podcast, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" 

Lenten Offerings at St. Matthew's

 

Ash Wednesday Services

Wednesday, February 18 at noon and 5:30 pm 

 

Race and Reconciliation

  • Racial Reconciliation and Shalom: Two separate two-hour sessions with Dr. Ruben Rivera, Chief Diversity Officer at Bethel University on Tuesday, February 24 & March 17 from 7-9 pm in the Parish Hall
  • "By the Way, Meet Vera Stark" Saturday, February 21 matinee at 2pm, Penumbra theatre followed by a discussion $32 per person, scholarships available. To reserve a ticket contact Blair Pogue.
  • Discussion of "Selma," Directed by Ava DuVernay Thursday, March 5 at 7 pm in the church library, facilitated by Dr. Barrett Fisher  Please see the film on your own before the discussion

God's Five Act Play

Between the first Sunday of Lent (February 22) and Easter (April 26), St. Matthew's preachers and members of our congregation will engage in an ongoing conversation about the Judaeo-Christian story of God and God's people focusing on the following five "acts": Creation, Fall, Israel, Jesus, and Easter.

 

YouthLink Artists' Statements

Two young artists from YouthLink in downtown Minneapolis are showing their art in the Undercroft Gallery through March 7th. (YouthLink offers young adults and youth a safe and supportive refuge from life on the street).  Both Mya Flowers and De'Yondre Colbert wrote artists' statements capturing their creative intent and purpose as artists. We are honored to have their work in our Gallery and encourage you to spend some time looking at their drawings and paintings. All of the pieces are for sale - more information is located in the  parish hall.

 

Mya: "My name is Mya and I am a passionate artist. I am a painter, a spoken word artist, and a great mom. Most of the emotion in my art is drawn from my children.

These paintings were made in 2013 and 2014 and were inspired by my lifestyle and my pain. I am thankful to be part of this show because it gives me an opportunity to share a piece of my emotion and experiences.  Please use the headphones to listen to a spoken word piece I created to accompany these paintings."

 

De'Yondre: "I am an artist, a human, and a Youth Advisor. I don't have plans for the future yet, but I hope I can follow what ever path God has chosen for me.

I create art because I have to. I can't imagine not. I started drawing after being inspired by the anime illustrations of Dragonball Z and went on to build a portfolio of anime, comic book characters, animals and work illustrating my own imagination and story. These particular pieces were drawn over the course of 2013 and 2014. For me they represent concentration, freedom and creation.  I am honored to share my work with the congregation of St. Matthew's and I hope that these drawings bring you smiles, hope, and a moment of happiness." 

Denise Mayotte at the Faith Forum Sunday February 8
   

Denise Mayotte serves as the Executive Director of the Sheltering Arms Foundation, a small foundation that makes grants statewide to non-profits that help Minnesota's most vulnerable children.  Denise is the co-chair of the Start Early Funders Coalition and of the Youth Funders Forum and also serves on the governor's Early Learning Council and Mayor Hodges Cradle to K Cabinet. She holds a BA from the University of Minnesota and was a policy fellow with the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs.  
St. Matthew's Care Team: February 15

St. Matthew's Care Team was formed during Rector Blair Pogue's sabbatical last summer to provide support for those who are giving and receiving care of many kinds - including rides to appointments, companionship, and meals during times of need.  Many friends of St. Matthew's continue to offer and receive support both among and beyond our immediate community.

 

Anyone interested in or already involved with this ministry is invited to meet for a brief catch up and support meeting on Sunday February 15th at 11:45-12:30  in the Library.

  -  Rev. Phil Boelter Obl OSB  
- John and Frances Hunt                 
Celebrating a Church Leader's Gentle Wisdom

By Dan White

 

It was a real pleasure to read the summary of the Hunt family history at St. Matthew's in the January 25 Tidings.  There is no question that each member of the family played an important role in the life of our parish.

 

I remember John Hunt with special fondness.  From the time of my family's arrival at St. Matthew's in 1964 until Jane and my departure for Minnetonka in 1987 John was truly the admired and loved patriarch of St. Matthew's.  His most prominent attribute was his consistent, unfailing Christianity in the face of challenges and adversity both from within and outside our parish family.

 

The late sixties and early 1970's were times of real difficulty for St. Matthew's.  The parish had shrunk to a skeletal few and tough choices had to be made, for instance, should we heat the sanctuary in winter or hold services in the undercroft?  John's gentle wisdom helped guide us through those choices in a way that kept the doors open and yet showed good stewardship of limited resources.

 

Perhaps my favorite memory of John was one Christmas Eve when he was the lay reader.  He read from the second chapter of Luke, the shepherd's story, in a way that was so fresh and new that it sounded as though he and we were hearing it for the first time and he and we were as astounded as the shepherds.  It was magic.

 

I have no doubt that John's most notable contributions were those that only he and perhaps one or two others were aware of.  Genuine church leadership is often that way, composed of gifts and actions that are known but to the individual and God.  The thriving life that St. Matthew's experiences today is the contribution and legacy of many, not the least of whom is John Hunt.
Young Adult Diocesan Gathering: February 21-22

 

Common Place: Stories & Silence is coming up on Feb 21-22. This will be our FIRST young adult retreat in recent memory and we would love for young adults ages 18-35 to come and participate.  This could be a great chance for young adults from your faith community to grow in relationship with each other, the wider ECMN community and with God.  The cost is only $10 for food and lodging and it takes place at Shattuck -St. Mary's school in Faribault, MN.

- from John Mullaney, Missioner for Young Adults and College Ministry  

  RSVP Here for the retreat.  
Looking Ahead: Calendar Highlights
  • February 8: Denise Mayotte at the Faith Forum (Sheltering Arms Foundation) 9:15am in the library.
  • February 8: High Commitment Social Justice Discernment Group information  session, 12:00pm in the library
  • February 14: Kitchen and Pantry Clean-Up, 9:00am
  • February 14: Novel Faith Book Group, 6:30pm  "The Blood of the Lamb"
  • February 15: Jeff and Kristen Kidder at the Faith Forum, 9:15am
  • February 15: St. Matthew's Care Team, 11:45am in the library
  • February 18: Ash Wednesday services, noon and 5:30pm
  • February 22: Loaves and Fishes at the Dorothy Day Center, 2:00 - 6:00pm
  • February 22: Social Justice Ministry Recommendations: 12:00pm - library
  • February 24 & March 17: Racial Reconciliation and Shalom with Ruben Rivera, 7:00pm
Please share your news and photos with us: tidings@stmatthewsmn.org

Visit our website for the prayer list, calendar and sermons