June
2013

Harvest House

Harvest House bags will be available in the foyer all weekend for you to take and fill.  We have attached a list of food and toiletry items that Harvest House is in need of right now.  Fill up your bags and return them anytime during the week or by the following weekend of the 8th and 9th to the Church Office or ARC lobby.  Please partner with us again as we seek to feed the community with this monthly opportunity.

 

Harvest house had a first time client come in on the first day of their Saturday serving hours.  Here is a story about this client.

 

"She looked down at the page. I asked if she needed any help. Her lip trembled, she looked away. Quietly, I said, "What's wrong?" She hesitated and then through broken tears, "My daughter's birthday is tomorrow and I don't have anything to give her and I don't have any money at all." I smiled big because I knew something she didn't yet know.  I told her that St. Matthew church does a food drive for us every month and she'll never guess what was delivered this month, and that we had set it aside because it was the only one we had and we were waiting to see who it was for. She looked at me not understanding. I said, "It was a cake mix with icing and candles." She smiled and through more tears and thanking me, she said, "I know there's no way you could have a gift..." And while she was talking, I reached under the front counter and pulled out a Barbie and a stuffed kitten. You would have thought that I had pulled out a diamond necklace. She couldn't stop crying. We gave her some food and a clothing voucher, prayed with her...There was still much story that had been unspoken, but maybe the next time she will reveal more."

 

God has blessed us through you, St. Matthew! The bags of groceries that you give are wonderful. The fish and loaves have multiplied and multiplied and I want to say thank you...through many tears of joy.

 

Carolyn Miller

Executive Director 

 

Harvest House 
Feed His Lambs

The youth and their families are partnering with Harvest House on their Feed His Lambs initiative. We need more hands to participate in this opportunity to feed children and teach them Bible lessons. We will meet at the church and walk over to Harvest House June 20th and 27th at 9:45am and we'll be done by 11:15am. We hope to teach them a Bible story and play a game or do a craft that goes along with the story. Any craft or game ideas can be submitted to j[email protected]Come join us on June 20th and 27th!

 

Oklahoma Relief Efforts

What started out as a "baby" idea turned into something much bigger...

 

This past weekend my family and 22 others went to Shawnee, OK to help with the tornado relief.  We met Simon from Frontline Church who took us to Emanuel Baptist Church to sign waivers. We got the address to one location and the lady helping us said, "Don't bother looking for street signs because there aren't any." They had plywood signs that were spray painted with house numbers on them. The first house we went to was flooded with help. I thought, there's got to be somewhere they can have us go that needs more help. I asked Simon if he knew where else we could go. We weren't familiar with the area or if they were only letting us into permitted areas. 

 

When we got to the house they sent us to next, we were greeted by Susan Hunt, friend and former student of Debbie Parrish. The first thing she said was "let me tell you about this amazing woman." She was her music teacher 20 years ago and is such as sweet woman. Debbie Parrish and her boyfriend live on the seven acres that is heavily wooded. Lots of trees were down and needed clearing off of the property. There were lots of hands, but lots to do. She said when the tornado hit she was at a blue grass festival in Branson, MO and her boyfriend Joe was at home. He hid in the ravine on their property because he said it was safer than being in the trailer house. Their house didn't seem to have any damage but the yard had lots of trees to cut. I spoke with Debbie and she said how blessed she was to have us there.  I hugged her and told her we were there to help.

In that moment the last few crazy days all came into perspective for me. 

 

We were called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I don't step very far out of my box and this was way out. Susan said Debbie thought she was just going to have family and friends help and then we all showed up, walking down her drive way in our green outreach shirts. This was such a life changing experience for my family and myself. To see and be a part of the goodness of people, it has been life changing. 

 

-Sheila DuPont  

 

 

 

 

We are still collecting donations for Oklahoma, Granbury and West. 

June Events
 
Mexico Mission Trip - June 8-13. A team from St. Matthew is going to Rio Bravo, Mexico to build casitas and host Vacation Bible School. Be in prayer for the team as they travel and seek to serve as witnesses of the Gospel.
 
Oklahoma Relief Trip - June 22-23. Will be traveling to Oklahoma to assist in the relief efforts. Continue to pray for those affected and those serving in this area. If you're interested in going, please email, [email protected]
 
Harvest House - Feed His Lambs - June 20th and 27th. Come help with crafts, lessons and games as we partner with Harvest House and their initiative to provide food for children as well as the Bread of Life. Contact [email protected] for more details or if you would like to serve.
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8
For more information, go to our website http://www.stmattcpc.org/outreach/