Click here to check out the end-of-year committee reports and the approved 2019 budget, and meet your newly elected vestry members.
http://www.stmatthewssnellville.org/resources/annual-parish-reports/
Santa / St. Nick Breakfast Was So Fun!
Check out the photos from our Santa/St. Nick Breakfast held Saturday, December 8. Santa and St. Nicholas paid a visit to talk to the children about God’s love and to tell the story of God’s greatest gift to us–Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. Yummy pancake breakfast, crafts and stories made it a really fun morning!
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Junior Worship
Teaching the Traditions of Worship To Our Children
The liturgy of the Episcopal Church is participatory– that is, those attending take part in the service by singing, praying, listening and responding to what is happening during the service. The goal of Junior Worship is to help children understand the parts of the service, to help get them ready to sit and worship with their families on Sundays through the whole service. Junior Worship occurs during the first part of the 10:30 service on Sundays. Children ages 5-8 (through 3rd grade) follow the verger out of church and return to their families at the Peace so they can take Communion with their families.
Junior Worship follows the outline of a regular church service. The lead can wear a chasuble much like what Mother Liz wears. The kids get a kick out of it! They even have our own bulletins. The kids enjoy the up-close approach to the altar where they can touch everything and ask questions. They walk into the classroom down the center aisle of their “pews”; they sing, light candles (battery operated of course) and follow along in their bulletins as they would in “Big” church. They say the Children’s Creed, the Prayers of the Children (Prayers of the People), the I’m Sorry (confession), and the Lord’s Prayer.
Lessons in Junior Worship are different from what the children are learning in Sunday School. What we’re trying to teach are the “nuts and bolts” of the church, answering questions they may have while they sit in service with their families. Hopefully, once they understand what is happening, when, and why, they will be better equipped to sit all the way through service. Remember, the service can sometimes seem long to adults, too!
Check out the pictures for a little taste of what we’re doing!
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Acolyte Training Workshop November 17
The Acolyte Ministry will hold a training session from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, in the church fellowship hall to prepare for the Advent and Christmas seasons.
The workshop will be in two sessions: acolytes, ages 8-12, will train from 10 a.m. to 12 pm. Acolytes, ages 13 and up will train from 1 to 3 p.m. Lunch will be provided.
Acolytes play a vital role in our worship service. The workshop is a chance to sharpen acolyte skills and etiquette. The workshop will also be a time to measure for albs (robes) and update contact information.
Attendance is strongly encouraged as we plan for new processes and services during the Christmas season. Kindly RSVP by email to dockjones@gmail.com or by text or voice to 404-217-8172.
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New This Season!! Christmas Pageant At St. Matthew’s!
Our seminarian, Karen Anderson, is leading the plan to offer a Christmas pageant at St. Matt’s for the Family Service on Christmas Eve (at 4:00 p.m this year).
To do that, we are looking for children ages 6-12 who want to be involved in some fashion in helping us tell the story of the birth of Jesus. We have parts for kids who want to practice their theater skills and share some lines from memory with us, and we have roles for those who would prefer to simply be part of the fun! Rehearsals will be on Sunday afternoons in November and December.
An information meeting will be held Sunday October 28th at 2: 00 p.m. in the parish hall.
We are also looking for parents, older youth and other adults who would commit to being part of the team to make this a success, including costumes, lighting, sound, etc, and assistants to the director. We would really like this to be a parish-wide effort to tell the story of the birth of our Savior!
Contact Karen Anderson for more information on getting involved:
(770) 979-4210, ext 200
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Choir Practice/Rehearsal Times
Sanctuary Choir
Join the Sanctuary Choir! Choir rehearsals are Wednesday evening from 7:20 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.. in the choir room, located in the Christian Education wing. Contact Kyle Osborne for more details.
Hand Bells
Hand bells practice Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in the in the choir room, located in the Christian Education wing. If you are interested in playing hand bells please contact Sharon Ferrell.
Cherub Choir
Cherub Choir has begun practice on Sunday mornings from 10:15 – 10:45 a.m. in the Christian Education wing. All children ages three through second grade are encouraged to join this energetic group. Cherubs sing approximately once per month at the 10:30 service. Contact Laura Starratt for more information.
NEW! Children’s Choir
Children’s Choir is new at St. Matthew’s! They practice on Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. – 7:10 p.m. in the choir room. All children from third through sixth grade are encouraged to take part in this new music ministry at St. Matthew’s. Come make a joyful noise for the Lord! Contact Kyle Osborne or Sharon Ferrell for more information.
Epiphany Choir (Folk/Praise Choir)
The Epiphany Choir practices Monday nights at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. If you sing or play guitar, banjo, fiddle or other instruments, contact Flip Porter for more information. The Epiphany Choir plays every 1-2 months at the 10:30 service.
Instrumental (Any Age)
Calling all instrumentalists! If you play an instrument and would like to share your talents in worship please contact Kyle Osborne . All ages are invited to participate,
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Photos From Worship and Celebration in Honor of Sally Ulrey’s Ministry
Check out photos of Sunday’s Celebration of Sally’s Ministry!
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After 15 years of serving St. Matthew’s, Sally Ulrey’s last day was July 31. We worshiped together Sunday using a liturgy that was composed in part by alumni of Sally’s youth program. Youth participatde by serving as acolytes, greeters, ushers, lectors, communion ministers and musicians. The worship music was that used during services at youth gatherings. A reception for Sally and her family followed in the Parish Hall. We will miss Sally, and wish her Godspeed in her ministry. She was a blessing to all of us here at St. Matthew’s.
Our youth with our visitors from St. Mark’s in Jacksonville, preparing to head to the Church of the Common Ground
Youth Service Retreat “Seek & Serve”
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Sunday School and Christian Education Registration August 12
9:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall
Sunday, August 12
For all ages, Nursery through Adult
Tables will be set up around the perimeter of the parish hall for the class sign-up. Sign up for Nursery, Cherub Choir, Junior Worship, Parenting Group, Inquirer’s Class and other classes and activities.
To register your child ONLINE for Sunday School, click here.
To register your youth ONLINE for Sunday School or activities, click here.
OR You can print one out and bring the completed form with you:
To print out a Youth Permission Form/Release, St Matts Release Form 18 St Matts Release Form 17–release only pdf
To print out a children’s Release Form (Fifth Grade and Under) St Matts Children Release Form 18.
Registration forms will also be available Sunday in the parish hall.
Sunday School classes for all ages will begin Sunday, August 19 at 9:30 a.m.
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Reading Camp at Snellville
Sponsored by St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
Update:
Many, many thanks to all of you who supported our 6th Reading Camp through your volunteer time, your donations and your prayers.
We had a fantastic week with 17 really personable campers. Of those, over 60 percent of them demonstrated an improvement in their reading skills.
Without all of you, none of this would have been possible.
God’s Peace,
Your Reading Camp at St. Matthew’s Team
Reading Camp at Snellville, held annually since 2013, will be up and running again this year from June 18-22. It is modeled after the Reading Camp program begun by the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky.
A non- religious, no-fee camp, the camp focuses on campers who are rising 3rd, 4th and 5th graders and who demonstrate a deficit in reading skills. Campers participate in morning learning centers and afternoon traditional camping experiences. Nutritious meals- breakfast, lunch and two snacks are provided.
The 2018 camp, whose theme is “Alone and Brave”, is an all day camp Monday to Friday, June 18th- 22nd. The morning focus will revolve around “The Island of the Blue Dolphins”. The afternoon programing will include a guest children’s author and book signing, gardening, crafts, soda straw rocket making, yoga, cabin reading and a program presented by the Gwinnett Co. Public Library.
Our campers come primarily from the greater metro area, including public, parochial, and home schools. Although the campers are English speakers, many languages are spoken in their homes including Korean, Chinese, Amharic, French, and Creole. Many qualify for free and reduced meal programs.
For the 2018 camp we have an adult volunteer staff of 30+ and 6 teen counselors, five of whom are former campers. We are fired up and ready to enjoy a fun week with our 20 campers!
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Vacation Bible School & Special Needs VBS A Huge Success
Another great VBS has come to a close. This year’s theme was Rolling River Rampage, and we decorated the church with loaned camping gear, blue plastic, cardboard, and Christmas lights! We had around 49 adult and youth volunteers and about 67 campers.
Gosh, where to begin with the thanks? A special thanks to Sally Ulrey for wrangling the youth and opening and closing VBS each day. Thank you to all the center leads for devising meaningful activities and coming in each day ready to roll: Oscar De Leon and Amanda Lvermont in Snacks, Karen Whitehead and Persis Bristol in Music, Mother Liz in Story Time, Ciara Morris in Crafts, and Nate Olbon and Josh Hurst in Recreation. You all are the motor that keeps VBS running.
A huge shout out to Morgan Fletcher and Terri Hurst for helping keep me on track and taking over such tasks as needed, especially getting the dreaded name tags printed correctly! Thanks to Charmaine Warmington in the office for her patience as we took over the church, the copier, and her attention all week long.
Thanks also to Abby Whatley for making the Special Needs VBS such a huge success. We had three campers who participated in all the activities and had great fun!
Thank you as well to Steve McFarland for getting us set up with a sweet sound system and teaching the youth how to operate it. And last but certainly not least – a huge and hearty thank you to ALL the adult and youth volunteers! You helped in centers and shuffled the kids down the halls, rowing invisible boats as you went. You are the magic makers of VBS, and it’s you who the kids will remember most. Bless you all and thank you for giving your time and talent to the St. Matt’s VBS 2018.
~Kira Coats
