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Home , November 22

WEEKLY WORD FOR 22-28

WEEKLY WORD DEADLINE FOR THE ISSUE With the shortened work week due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the Weekly Word deadline for the Sunday, November 29 issue is Monday, at 12:00 pm. Please email announcements to [email protected]. Anything submitted after this deadline will appear in the Sunday, 6 issue. Thank you! Submitted by Nooshin Ghanbari

VIRTUAL EVENTS ON OUR WEBSITE Stay up to date on all of our online offerings — like Adult Formation, Noonday and Evening Prayer, and events for families — by visiting our Virtual Events page. On the red overhead Navigation bar of our website, there is a tab that says “Virtual.” Simply click on the page that drops down, titled “Virtual Events.” Make sure you have the URL bookmarked, too: www.stmattsaustin.org/virtual/events.html.

ADULT FORMATION: SUNDAYS AT 9:15 AM VIA ZOOM Rounding out our November Adult Formation lineup, join us on Sunday, November 22 for “Faithful Conversations with Indigenous Communities” with the Rev. Dr. Bradley Hauff, the Episcopal Church's Missioner for Indigenous Ministries. Then, on Sunday, November 29, we kick off our Advent Contemplative Series with Daniel Hope, Director of Formation at Seton Cove. All Zoom information can be found at www.stmattsaustin.org/virtual/events.html.

FAMILY SERVICE AT A NEW PLACE AND TIME Our Sunday morning Outdoor Family Eucharist Service has moved back to 10:30 am. This in-person offering takes place on the Day School Outdoor Classroom, which can be found behind (south of) the church offices. It is best to park on the far side of the Steck Parking lot and come into the classroom via the fire lane. Staff will roam the campus starting at 10:15 am in case you need help locating the service.

SECURE A SPOT FOR OUTDOOR EUCHARISTS Our Outdoor Eucharists in the Memorial Garden are going great, and we invite you to join us Wednesdays at 5:00 pm, Thursdays at 8:00 am, or Sundays at 8:00 am. In addition, a Family Service Sundays at 10:30 am will be held in the Day School Outdoor Classroom; all are welcome, but please bring your own chair to that service. To find out more about these outdoor services and reserve your spot, head over to www.stmattsaustin.org/worship/reservations.html. Submitted by Doug Webster, Senior Warden

NO OUTDOOR EUCHARISTS ON AND 26 In observance of Thanksgiving, and as a little breather for your clergy, we will not be having our regular Wednesday evening and Thursday morning Outdoor Eucharists in the Memorial Garden next week.

VIRTUAL ANGEL TREE IN 2020 Children in our communities are counting on us to make Angel Tree possible! Will you help connect children with their incarcerated parents through Virtual Angel Tree? This year, St. Matthew’s will sponsor 120 children throughout the state.

Here is your link to get started: https://vat.angeltreetool.org/6a9b6d41-67e7-44c8-92ba-6b83101aad50. Your access code is RHG05. After entering the code, you will see virtual tags with the names of children assigned to our church. Just browse through the tags, select the child(ren) you want to sponsor, and click checkout! With just a few clicks, you can show a prisoner’s child the love of Jesus — the greatest Gift of all. Questions can be addressed to Linda Noy at [email protected] or Stephanie Koller at [email protected]. Submitted by Linda Noy

EL BUEN SAMARITANO EPISCOPAL MISSION: HANDS FOR HOPE It’s been a tough year, and some families in our community have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, increasing the need for community resources like El Buen Samaritano’s emergency food pantry. El Buen provides families who have been hit hardest by COVID-19 with food assistance. This year, as many families struggle to put food on the table, they are expanding their Hands for Hope event to reach 1,750 families over three distribution days. Interested in contributing? Read the full announcement at s3.amazonaws.com/dfc_attachments/public/documents/3284644/HandsforHope.pdf. Submitted by Gladys Valles

12 UPCOMING YOUTH MINISTRY EVENTS This Sunday, November 22 from 6:00-7:00 pm, Youth Group will be checking in with Justin and Fr. Christian about school stress and discussing the church’s relationship with Indigenous peoples. In observance of Thanksgiving, we will not meet the following Sunday, November 29. For additional information, please refer to the most recent Youth Email Blast or contact [email protected].

IACT’S 36TH INTERFAITH DAY OF THANKS: SUNDAY, NOV. 22 AT 3:00 PM All are invited to virtually attend the 36th Annual Interfaith Day of Thanks Service and Celebration this Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm via Zoom and Facebook Live. If you have never attended one, it’s a wonderful introduction to the Central faith communities that comprise iACT; St. Matthew’s, for example, has been a partner faith community with iACT since 2011. This year’s theme is “Love Has No Distance,” and the Austin Buddhist Community will be our host. Free and family-friendly, this event and is a wonderful way to introduce your kids to different expressions of faith, as the service spotlights music, dance, and readings from many traditions. Register at www.interfaithtexas.org/dot36 to receive a link. Submitted by Ann O’Connell, Outreach Commission

ADVENT DEVOTIONAL: PRACTICING HOPE WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, STRENGTH, AND MIND Copies of our Living Compass Advent Devotional are available in the church office during regular business hours. This year's devotional includes reflections from the Rt. Rev. Jeff Fisher, the Rev. Cathy Boyd, and many other notable spiritual leaders in the realm of whole-person wellness.

ADVENT CONTEMPLATIVE SERIES | NOV. 29, DEC. 6, AND DEC. 13 AT 9:15 AM VIA ZOOM All sessions will begin with a mindful practice followed by a clergy-led discussion on our Advent Devotional. Nov. 29: Join Daniel Hope, Seton Cove's Director of Formation, for a session on Centering Prayer; Dec. 6: Join Sarah Pendergraft, Yoga Instructor, for a session of mindful movement you can do in your chair at home; Dec. 13: Join Fr. Christian for a session of three meditations to calm your mind, body, and soul before Christmas. There will not be class – 10.

ST. MATTHEW’S 2020 CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE at 4:00-5:30 pm — In-Person Nativity Walk on campus December 24 at 8:00 pm — Virtual Choral Concert via YouTube Live December 24 at 8:30 pm — Virtual Festival Eucharist via YouTube Live at 12:00 pm — In-Person Christmas Hike at St. Edward’s Park

NATIVITY WALK HELP NEEDED This year, instead of a Christmas Pageant, we will be doing a campus-wide, outdoor Nativity Walk on Christmas Eve, complete with live animals. Socially distanced groups will participate in a self-guided tour with prayers and scriptures through eight different stations: the Annunciation, the Journey to Bethlehem, the Inn (Posada), the Shepherds in the Field, the Choir of Angels, the Magi, the Creche, and the Light of the World. Each station will also include live actors and some sort of "bit." Clergy and staff will take care of the Choir of Angels and Light of the World, but we need your help with the other six stations. If you and your family (or friend pod) are interested in adopting, setting up, and manning a station, please contact Fr. Christian with your name and idea for the station.

2021 STEWARDSHIP UPDATE Thank you to everyone who has turned in pledge cards for next year — not just for your stewardship of your parish, but also for helping the vestry to better plan during this unique time. As of mid-week, we have received 164 pledges for a total of $857,622, compared to this stage in the campaign last year when we had 189 pledges for a total of $933,356. If you haven’t yet been able to mail in your pledge card or register your 2021 pledge online, the earlier you are able to do so, the more insight the vestry will have in their budgeting process. If you don’t know yet, that’s fine too; please submit it with an “I don’t know yet” and follow up when you have more visibility. Any and all participation is valued and appreciated. Many thanks again! Submitted by Kasey Gilliam, Chair of Stewardship Committee, and Doug Webster, Senior Warden

LOVE NOTES CHORUS WINS HIDDEN HEROES CAREGIVER GRANT Love Notes Chorus was recently a winner of the Alzheimer’s Texas Hidden Heroes Caregiver Grant Award! Each of the ten winners received a $1000 grant to help them continue making the lives of others better through thought, word, and action. Congratulations, Love Notes!

13 VIRTUAL EVENING PRAYER SERVICE Evening Prayer services have been held every day at 6:00 pm in the Bell Tower for many years. Before the pandemic, a dedicated team of leaders would conduct the service in person, and we would lift up our prayer concerns, along with every name listed on the St. Matthew's Weekly Word Prayer List. Now, we meet every day at 6:00 pm for a virtual Zoom Evening Prayer service. It has been a wonderful time of connection, prayers, and fellowship, and people can come and go as their time allows. If you would like to participate, there is always room for more on Zoom! Join us at www.stmattsaustin.org/virtual/events.html. It's a beautiful way to end your day. Submitted by Judy Neely

AND HE SAID, “FEED MY PEOPLE” (AND HELP THEM CLEAN UP) Please keep saving those egg cartons, but as you go shopping, consider picking up a few things for the Westover Pantry and bring them over. Most in need right now: big packs of paper towels (we split them into one per family), canned chili, and canned beef stew. To donate, please drop things off at the Westover Church office, on the east side of the sanctuary facing Anderson HS. Ring the doorbell and talk with the receptionist, letting them know that you’re leaving a donation: 8 am-5 pm Monday-Thursday, and 8-noon on Friday. If you’d like to help pack bags of groceries on Thursday mornings, please email [email protected] to learn more. Thanks, everyone! Submitted by Joyce Statz

YOUR ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE IS SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS! The St. Matthew’s Permanent Endowment Fund consists of donations in memoriam and other gifts made by members and friends of St. Matthew’s. We are seeking your help in identifying innovative and transformational projects that fulfill our purpose to share God’s love and which we can help get going by providing funding. For information and instructions regarding the grant application process, visit www.stmattsaustin.org/dfc/newsdetail_2/3204341. Submitted by Paul Koller

SMALL GROUPS Small Groups are a chance for parishioners to share a diversity of passions with one other and with our neighbors. If you want to form your own Small Group with support from church staff and clergy, email [email protected] and [email protected]. For more detailed group descriptions, we invite you to visit the Small Groups page on St. Matthew’s website. Submitted by Christian Hawley

Art Among Friends Linda Fryer [email protected] Tuesdays at 1:00 pm In courtyard if weather permits; otherwise over Zoom. Anti-Racism Small Group Beaty [email protected] Resources regularly shared over Facebook and email. CensusVoterGENTE Jack Roberston [email protected] Timely census and voting information shared periodically. Cycling Group Adam Bartlett [email protected] Next cycling event to be announced. Español con amigos (Spanish with friends) Kathryn Miller [email protected] Next meeting to be announced. Family Camping Group Brad Banister [email protected] Fall 2020 trip has been cancelled. Next trip TBD. Let’s Go to the Movies Babs Clendenin [email protected] Wednesday afternoons; please contact Babs for details. Saturday Morning Prayer & Share/OSL Group Sandy Lanier [email protected] Saturdays at 9:00 am over Jit.si Third Monday Book Club Diane Sparks [email protected] Next meeting Monday, , 5:00 pm, Zoom Wall Street Musing Chris Wilson [email protected] Next meeting to be announced.

14 IN OUR PRAYERS

Clergy: Justin of Canterbury, Archbishop; Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Andy, Jeff, Kai and Hector, our Bishops; Christian, Andrew, Chuck, Jerry, and Seth, our clergy. Lay Leadership: The Staff, the Wardens, the Treasurer, the Vestry, the Day School Board of Trustees, the Rector Search Committee, the Endowment Committee, the Memorial Garden Committee, and all the other commissions and councils of the Vestry of St. Matthew’s. Our Outreach Partners and Ministries: Angel Tree (prison ministry), the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Caritas, Casa Marianella, Community First, Daughters of the King, EfM, El Buen Samaritano, Episcopal Veterans Fellowship, Foundation for the Homeless Family Rehousing Initiative, Good Faith Ministry, Habitat for Humanity, Helping Our Neighbor, Honduras Good Works, Hope House, Interfaith Action of Central Texas (IACT), Job Support, Kairos (prison ministry), Ladies Let’s Talk, MPAC, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Threads of Love, and the Women’s Story Book Project (prison ministry). Our men and women in the Armed Forces and Peace Corps. Those in civil authority, especially our President, Governor, Mayor, and legislative and judicial branches. Our brothers and sisters in Christ who are actively being persecuted for your name, and all of God’s children who know suffering at the hands of war, disease, natural disasters, injustice, and oppression, especially the Hughes and Lane Murray prison units, frontline responders, and all affected by coronavirus. The students, families, and staff of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School and other schools and seminaries: Seminary of the Southwest.

Ongoing Prayer Requests Ender Mary Kara Wright Alex Acosta Talmadge Fitts Mary Ratcliffe Bob Yeargain Rosemary Alexander Ann Fry Larry Richards New Prayer Requests Linda Allen Elaine Goessling Lawrence Richards, Jr. Steve Brock Amy Cliff Harrison Ridgeway family Omar Garcia Jill Bacon Michael & Gina Hatheway Cletus Romay Good Faith Counselors Beatrice Barzetti Tony & Maly Hatheway Nancy Satterfield Susan Fugate Judy Bates Jack Charlotte Schexnayder James Hall Lucy Boyea Dawn Jarvis Earlyne Seaver Hannusch/Richardson family Jane & Don Bray John & Deanna Jeffrey Seiler Mary Howard LaVaughn Bray Hink & Nancy Johnson Virgie Seiler Scott & Laurie Murphy Glenda Brown Julie & family Mary Graham Sheppard & family Karen Bunton Caitlin L. Arlene Smith Cathy Newman Wanda Burnette Tracy Land Jim Sparks Nora Glenda Carl Becky Litherland Michael Stanley & family Ann Palmier Margaret Carpenter Marcus Reenie Starfelt Jack Scholl Jonelle Chapman Marianne & baby Bates Steans family West/Williams families Barbara Bass Clarke Kim Martinelli Stephanie Wright Mark Clifton & family Laurie Wells Matson Laurie Frucella Thaxton Those Who Have Died Ed & Betty Davis Leland McCullough Collette Torres John Guy Dedee & Steve Suzanne McDaniel Kate Vickers Vera Hannusch Delker family Donald Pearce Christine Warner & family Anna Pane Josie Dougherty Bob Peckham Kathleen Webster Judy Scott Shirley Dyer Pete Cynthia Wilson Glen Ellis Jose Prado Mike & Jocelyn Wilson

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