Children and Youth Learning Report
by Terese Lewis
Welcome to the second half of our program year! Christian education classes for children and youth resumed last week after our two-week holiday break and an all-ages gathering about Zimbabwe on January 10, but we're not quite back to our regular schedule yet. This Sunday, January 24, our annual parish meeting will take place during the education hour. While youth and children are welcome and encouraged to attend, a kid-friendly movie will be shown in the LEGO classroom following breakfast.

On January 31, we'll return to our regular schedule of Sunday morning classes, with a few exceptions. Intergenerational Living Faith gatherings will take place on February 28 (Faith & Technology), March 13 (Lenten Gathering), April 10 (Celebrating Resurrection), and May 15 (Pentecost Festival of the Holy Spirit). Classes will not meet on Easter Sunday; please join us instead for a celebratory brunch. 

Some youth highlights to look forward to this winter and spring include an outing to "Jerusalem" (the IMAX film, not the city, unfortunately) and a pre-TEC retreat hosted by our middle-school April 15-16. Our final day of classes for children and youth will be May 22 and we'll celebrate with our customary end-of-year potluck. Thank you to all of our dedicated teachers and to our families for faithfully bringing children and youth to our Christian formation offerings. Please contact me with any questions: terese@visi.com or 651-487-6404.

St. Matthew's Annual Meeting 2016  

Dear Friends of St. Matthew's:
I hope you can join me and our Vestry members - new and retiring - this Sunday in the Parish Hall for our Annual Meeting. It is the one time we meet officially as a congregation each year! The meeting begins promptly at 9 am, but I encourage you to come at 8:45 for breakfast and the chance to meet and catch up with other members of our faith community. If you are able, please bring baked goods, egg dishes, fruit, and juice to share.

During our meeting we will pray and dwell in scripture together, review some key learnings from the last year, elect new vestry members, and say thank you to retiring vestry members including Senior Warden Katie White, Linda Brady, Michelle Chiezah, and Erik Johnson. Our exciting Vestry slate for 2016 includes Judy Johnson, Junior Warden, Bernon Lee, Yusuf Shalita, and Sherry Latty. John Lawyer our Junior Warden in 2015 will automatically become our Senior Warden.

We will also acknowledge and thank our staff and ministry team leaders, review the 2016 budget already approved by our Vestry, and take some time to pray and discern how we might steward our building well and wisely in the next five years. On this front, as in so many others, the Vestry and I are grateful to be part of a thoughtful and creative faith community in which there is no shortage of good ideas!

Last but not least, we will have the opportunity to thank one another.
Hope to see you Sunday!
Blair
Zhandi Chidothe Baptism this Sunday
 
St. Matthew's will joyfully celebrate the Baptism of Zhandi Chidothe at the 10:30am service this Sunday. Elizabeth Chidothe writes:

I am Elizabeth Chidothe and my husband is Edward Chidothe. Edward is a director for Medtronic and Elizabeth is a nurse practitioner for RetraceHealth. Zhandile Noelle Chidothe entered this world on 8/15/14 at 9:08pm weighing 7lbs2oz and 20.5". We learned quickly that God was watching over us and our baby girl. Zhandile was hospitalized and nearly severely injured during her first week of life. She then struggled to gain weight over the next month. Edward and I quickly learned that as soon as our baby girl was born our hearts would now be walking outside our body and our faith would have to land in the hands of God.

Luckily over the last year Zhandi has grown into a happy, healthy, intelligent and delightful child. She is exposed to and is speaking 3 languages (english, spanish and shona). She loves hugging and kissing everything and everyone! She loves to eat pasta , cheese, fruit, broccoli and avocados and much more. She enjoys sitting at the dinner table and engaging in her father's conversations by cocking her head to the side and saying "ah huh." We have recently found she adores sledding and can frequently be found singing or dancing. :)

Essentially Zhandile is an absolute delight to be around.We are truly blessed to have her and could not be more proud of who she is. Zhandile means "we are fulfilled" in Zulu and Zhandi has provided an undescribable fulfilment.
-Beatrice Garubanda          
Artist Selected for Beatrice Garubanda Portrait
By Arnold Carlson 

The Art Ministry has followed a mindful process as we seek to find an artist to paint a portrait of Beatrice Garubanda.  We are excited to let the St. Matthew's community know that we have selected an artist, Leslie Barlow.  Leslie is finishing her Masters of Fine Art degree at Minneapolis College of Art and Design.  Leslie's excellence as a painter and the thoughtfulness of her artistic direction convinced the committee that she is the right artist to create this important piece for our community.   As an important part of the painting process, Leslie will be meeting with members of our community that knew Beatrice on Sunday, February 7, at 9 a.m.  If you have stories or images of Beatrice that will be helpful in allowing Leslie to get a better understanding of Beatrice, please consider attending this meeting.
City Tips
  • A reminder about parishioner emails and addresses -  they are on The City!  Message people directly - simply click Write a Message then type in the name of the person.  The person's name should automatically pop up.  No need to spend time and energy going through Sue - our parish administrator.  This is much quicker!
  • Post your pictures!  We would love to see your pictures on The City. Go ahead and share away...
  • A City Learning Session is scheduled for January 31 after the 10:30am service.  Judy Johnson and Lis Christenson will be in the library to offer a quick overview of The City and answer questions.  
Faith + Learning Resources 
 
The Rev. Blair Pogue recommends these  resources for Lent and Easter (yes, they are coming soon!):
  • Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter (Orbis Books) - A collection of Lenten and Easter-themed writings by C.S. Lewis, Frederick Buechner, Madeleine L'Engle, Henri Nouwen, Dorothy Day, and others 
  • Martin L. Smith, SSJE, Love Set Free: Meditations on the Passion According to St. John
  • William Willimon, Thank God It's Friday: Encountering the Seven Last Words from the Cross
Lisa Wiens Heinsohn writes: Jim Wallis has just written a book called America's Original Sin about racism. He is speaking at the Westminster town forum on February 4 at noon in downtown Minneapolis.  Here is a link to the talk.
Looking Ahead: Calendar Highlights
  • January 24: Annual Meeting: 9:00am in the parish hall. 
  • January 24: Zhandi Chidothe Baptism at 10:30am service
  • January 25: Circles of Trust Training, 6:30pm
  • January 30: Northside Achievement Zone Tour, 10:00am
  • January 30: Community Art Show - Day for Artists to drop off their artwork, 10am - 1pm at church.
  • January 31: The City Learning Session - 12:00 in the library
  • February 7: Opening Reception for The Celebration of Community Art Show
  • February 10: Ash Wednesday
 
Please share your news and photos with us: tidings@stmatthewsmn.org 

Visit our website for the prayer list, calendar and sermons