St. Matthews Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church in Snellville, GA

 “Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
I will enter them; I will offer thanks to the Lord..” Psalm 119:19
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A Word from Mother Pat+: Holy Week – a week like no other week….

April 7, 2022

Finally, we see the end coming near. Holy Week is that time when we journey with Jesus through the final days of his earthly life and we witness at the end of our journey the most amazing event – the death and resurrection of our Lord – the Paschal mystery which is the very core of Christian belief. This year will be unlike any other Holy Week you might have experienced as we will match Jesus’ movements as closely as we can and that means changes in our readings and in our worship.

We begin Holy Week with the blessing of palms this Sunday. At St. Matthew’s, this joyous celebration, commemorating the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, is capped by a procession around the church campus so be careful as you come “flying in on Sunday not to hit people gathered outside for the procession of the palms. Then we continue to hear readings of Jesus’ day in Jerusalem before he heads to Bethany to stay at Mary, Martha and Lazarus’ house for a few days. There is no reading of the passion narrative on Palm Sunday this year – instead the passion narrative will be enacted by our youth on Good Friday when we believe the actual events occurred.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week tell us of how Jesus continued to surround himself with his close disciples and friends – each night at 7 p.m. we have a special liturgy with Holy Eucharist to share in this journey with Jesus. The readings for these services give us the background for what will quickly happen on Thursday and Friday. You may not have ever heard these readings and you are invited to come and find out how Jesus and his friends spent the first part of this week.

On Maundy Thursday we will gather for a final Eucharist. One aspect of this service is the (Mandatum which is Latin for command). Jesus washes the disciples feet and commands us to love one another as he has loved us. We join in this rite of Foot Washing to signal our readiness to serve others as Christ served. At the end of the Maundy Thursday liturgy we enact one of the most solemn rites of the Church year, the stripping of the Altar. The Altar and Sanctuary (tabernacle) light are symbols of Christ’s presence. In this ancient rite we commemorate the abandonment of Jesus by his followers and the stripping of Jesus by the soldiers prior to his crucifixion. To signify Jesus’ arrest and later crucifixion we extinguish the sanctuary light to remind us that the light of Christ has gone out of the world. Temporarily darkness seems to have the final word.

At noon on Good Friday when we assume the crucifixion might have occurred, we gather to walk the stations of the cross which remind us in graphic ways of the agony of Jesus in his walk to Golgotha and his death. In walking the stations of the cross, we stand symbolically with those who stood at the foot of the cross with Jesus in those final hours.

The 7 p.m. Friday evening the liturgy of Good Friday is divided into four parts. It begins in silence followed by the Liturgy of the Word which includes the Passion narrative from Mark’s Gospel which is lead by the youth of the parish. The second part is a solemn form of the prayers of the people. These bidding prayers and collects date as far back as the 3rd Century CE. It is traditional to kneel in prayer during the bidding and to stand during the collect. The third part, the Veneration of the Cross is a time to reflect on the cross as both an instrument of death and a symbol of the resurrection. ((For a bit of historical trivia, the veneration of the cross was first described in detail by Egeria (an early Christian): a fragment of the true Cross was processed to Calvary and, while the deacons stood guard, the bishop would lift it up for all to venerate. All would then come forward to kiss the cross. The deacons were in place to guard the relic because some particularly fervent pilgrims would try to bite off pieces of the cross to take home. The rite, minus the guards, remains much the same in our liturgy today.))  After anthems and silent veneration of the cross, then all depart in silence remembering the great sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Jesus has died and been placed in the tomb just before sunset.

Holy Saturday at 10 a.m. we continue the liturgy which began on Maundy Thursday – no dismissal of the gathered faith community occurs from Maundy Thursday until Easter. This brief Saturday service of prayer and scripture is intended to mirror the disciples gathered in the upper room trying to hide from the authorities and praying for God’s guidance as Jesus, their friend and leader, has been killed and they are in mourning.

Then when evening arrives on Saturday, the Great Vigil of Easter begins with the lighting of a new fire outside and the recounting of the history of salvation. Vigils have a long history in the Church; frequently they lasted all night and culminated with the celebration of Eucharist at dawn. Our Great Vigil is not an all-night vigil, only about two hours. It is time well spent as this is the beginning of our move toward Easter and the recounting of salvation history is one of the most beautiful and ancient liturgies of the church. It begins with the blessing of a fire kindled outside about dusk. From this fire our Paschal candle is lit. This large candle will burn at all services during the fifty days of Easter and also burns at any baptisms and funerals. This candle reminds us that Christ, the Light of the World can overcome even the darkness of sin and death. We will process behind this candle into the dark church where we will gather in the light of this candle around the Baptismal font. At this point a cantor will chant the ancient hymn known as the Exultet. This hymn begins to tell the history of God’s tremendous love for creation and humankind. Following the readings from Scripture, water is blessed and if there are candidates for baptism they receive the sacrament at this time. We renew our baptismal vows and all are sprinkled with the blessed water. At this point in the Liturgy, we end our recounting of God’s actions in creation and we return at dawn to discover what God has done in the darkness of the night.

On Easter Sunday morning Alleluias, grand music and incense fill the air as we conclude our Holy Week celebrations with the festive Eucharists at 7 a.m. sunrise and 10:45 a.m. These beautiful celebrations are the apex of our liturgical life. In these liturgies, commemorating the Paschal mystery, we are connected with Christians from all over the world in our time, from the past, and those yet to come. We celebrate as resurrection people the victory of Jesus Christ over death and the grave, and we are reminded that we too have eternal life.

On Easter morning, bring bells and cut flowers, if you have them, as we celebrate with joy the gift of God’s love. Egg hunt to follow the 10:45 service for those 5th grade and younger.

 Come and journey with Jesus through Holy Week.  Don’t miss out on this most mysterious and wonderful spiritual journey – 7 p.m. each evening.



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Filed Under: Lent, Spotlight on Ministry, Worship

Holy Week and Easter Services

April 1, 2022

Palm Sunday, April 10

8:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
Palm Procession and Holy Eucharist (no Passion narrative until Good Friday)

Holy Monday, April 11

7:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist

Holy Tuesday, April 12

7:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist

Holy Wednesday, April 13

10:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist, 7:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist

Maundy Thursday, April 14

7:00 p.m. Foot-Washing, Holy Eucharist, and Stripping of the Altar
9:00 p.m. Prayer Vigil begins (Sign up sheet in the narthex)

Good Friday, April 15

12:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross outside (weather permitting)
7:00 p.m. Good Friday service, Veneration of the Cross and
Passion Gospel enacted by youth. (no Communion)

Saturday, April 16

7:00 p.m. Great Vigil and Baptisms (no Communion)

Sunday, April 17, Easter Sunday:

7:00 a.m. Sunrise service—begins outside
10:45 a.m. Festive Holy Eucharist (with incense)

  • The congregation is invited to bring bells to either service to ring as we celebrate the Resurrection.
  • Flowering of the Cross before and after both services in the courtyard; you may bring flowers or use the flowers provided.
  • There will be an egg hunt immediately following the 10:45 service for children 5th grade and under. Older youth are invited to help hide the eggs. Contact Holly Bond to volunteer.

 



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Filed Under: Easter, Lent, News, Worship

A Word from Mother Pat+: Lent is drawing to a close…

March 31, 2022

Lent is drawing to a close….

So here we are nearing the end of the season of Lent and we know that the crucifixion of Jesus is just ahead of us. But we also know that God takes the sorrow and pain of death and turns it into the joy of eternal life. So this season forces us to acknowledge our dependence on God for our very existence. We are reminded that God does not insulate us from pain and difficulty, but God does walk with us, support us, encourage us and challenge us to live faithful lives of service and love.

It takes a day of clouds for us to rejoice in the sunshine. It takes a day of hunger for us to appreciate the abundance of food which we have. It takes a power outage for us to remember how much we like lights and television and heat. It takes a disciplined Lent for us to celebrate the joy of Easter. And it takes us a lifetime to realize the vastness of God’s love for us and the magnitude of the support God gives us, even when we don’t think that God is present with us.

Remember the story entitled “footprints” about the man who looked back on his life only to discover that in the most difficult times there was only one set of footprints. He responded as many of us do and yelled at God for abandoning him in his times of greatest need. In the quiet voice which answered the man’s angry outburst, God simply said, “it was then that I carried you”. The cross of Christ carries our sins so that we don’t have to be burdened with them. The cross of Christ assures us of victory over death. And the cross of Christ calls us to new lives of love and service in this life and the next.

Use the remaining weeks of Lent to gain a renewed perspective of God’s grace and mercy in your life and how you might share that joy with others. Remember everyone leaves a legacy, whether they are intentional about it or not. Be intentional in your life’s work and leave a legacy of faith and hope for those who walk this journey with you and those who will follow in our footsteps.

Have a blessed and holy Lent, Mother Pat+



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Filed Under: Lent, News, Spotlight on Ministry, Worship

A Word from Mother Pat+: Spiritual Weightlifting

March 18, 2022

In Lent, we are encouraged to practice our faith in ways which produce lasting results. Much like we might take on a new exercise routine to tone our muscles and increase our endurance, Lenten practices help us tone up our spiritual lives and provide us with tools to persevere through life’s ups and downs.

In your holy and sacred space “bag” – tool kit, you have items designed to help you develop a practice of spiritual exercise. Sometimes, it is just a glimpse of an item that makes us mindful of God’s presence; but often we need to be more intentional. Somewhat like developing an exercise or walking routine, our spiritual practices must be done regularly and with an intentionality which helps us grow in our Christian journey.

Consider adding or changing your daily routine to include a few minutes intentionally focused on God’s presence in your life. Select a spiritual discipline which helps you recognize Christ in yourself and in others. To start, remember that you are the beloved of God and believe it. Practice self-care and self-respect. If we love ourselves then we can more easily express our love for others. Second, look for Christ in others – listening to the opinions, needs and concerns of another person allow us to treat them with love, for they too are God’s beloved and they can be a reflection of God’s love to us. Lastly, remember that our lives are gifts from God. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son….” Love is the basis of God’s gifts to us and we are God’s beloved.

Live this Lent as the holy person you were created to be. And remember, we are not called to perfection, we are simply called to love God, love ourselves and love others. We will in this life miss the mark; but God takes our imperfect actions and turns them into loving gifts which help bridge the gap between what is and what can be. Blessings, Mother Pat+



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Filed Under: Lent, Spotlight on Ministry, Worship

A Word from Mother Pat+: Marathon

February 17, 2022

Can you run a marathon?

Some people have said that our Christian life is like running a marathon. Unlike a sprint or short race, a marathon requires endurance and stamina. Our Christian journey is that sort of long race and so we have to do spiritual training in order to have the endurance and stamina to accomplish our life’s goals. We have to train to serve. We have to master skills of prayer, study, and habits of discipline in order to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. We even have to form a habit of worship to offer our praise to God. So during Lent we are once again going to focus you on a spiritual training plan.

Next week we will be offering each family a bag containing items for creating a Holy and Sacred space in your homes. This bag is meant to help you connect Sunday worship with Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday… creating a spiritual training plan not just for Lent but for the whole year.

This idea of Holy and Sacred space is not so you can stay home and watch Sunday worship on your computer or phone. This is to connect your corporate Sunday worship with the rest of your week.

St. Matthew’s has fully reopened all worship and parish programming so we hope everyone will resume in-person attendance, unless prevented by personal health reasons. The Pastoral Care Team will try to ensure that those unable to attend for reasons of health will also receive a bag for their Holy and Sacred space in their home or care setting.

Jesus’ life is a model for us. Jesus prayed throughout the day, the Jewish hours of prayer were 7 times a day. Jesus offered himself to the Father in prayer, not holding back. When we pray, we offer ourselves to God. Jesus not only committed to a life of prayer and ministry, but he trusted in God’s unfailing presence. He made himself vulnerable to God’s will just as we do when we pray. In your Holy & Sacred Space bag, you will find a prayer card for a model of short prayers throughout the day.

Yet, even in our private prayer, we are in community with each other and with others around the world who are engaged in prayer. Part of the discipline of attentiveness is this sense that we are not alone, we are part of God’s kingdom in this place and our faithfulness in prayer (regardless of the results) help bring the fullness of God’s kingdom.

Take the time to develop spiritual habits of daily prayer, regular worship, study, and occasional fasting in order to run with endurance the race which is set before us. (Hebrews 12:1-3). May you find joy in each new day, freedom in each hour, and peace in God’s presence.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone on Sunday. Mother Pat+



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Filed Under: Lent, Parish Life, Spotlight on Ministry, Worship

Musical Meditation For Holy Week

March 24, 2021

by Kyle Osborne, St. Matthew’s Director of Music

Music for Holy Week

As we approach Holy Week, I wanted to share some music for meditation that may not be familiar but that I feel should be more well known.

The first piece I would share is “O Mensch, bewein’ dein’ Sünde groß” BWV 622 from the Orgelbuchlein (Little Organ Book) by J.S. Bach (1685-1750). This piece is an organ setting of the Lutheran Chorale by German theologian and hymn writer Sebald Heyden (1499-1561). O Mensch, bewein’ dein’ Sünde groß” is a Passiontide Hymn based on the Four Gospels and was originally 23 stanzas. Bach choose to set the first stanza as an ornamented chorale. Bach vividly depicts the chorale text with appoggiaturas, sighs, and striking chromaticism. The text and listening link are below.

O Mensch, bewein’ dein’ Sünde groß,
darum Christus sein’s Vaters Schoß
äußert und kam auf Erden.
Von einer Jungfrau zart und rein
für uns er hier geboren ward,
er wollt’ der Mittler werden.

O man, thy grievous sin bemoan,
For which Christ left His Father’s throne,
From highest heaven descending.
Of Virgin pure and undefiled
He here was born, our Saviour mild,
For sin to make atonement.

https://soundcloud.com/user80906043/bach-o-mensch-bewein

“Crucifixion” from Symphonie Passion by Marcel Dupre (1886–1971) is a programmatic organ work that was originally improvised during a recital on the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia. In this work you can hear Jesus walking to Calvary, falling along the way, the hammering, the anguish, and torment of being nailed to the cross, crying out to God before he breathes his last, his body being lowered and laid in his mother’s lap. Dupre ends quietly, in peaceful sorrow with the Stabat Mater chant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s_N9e32bcw&t=43s

Last year we recorded Stations of the Cross with organ interludes French organist and composer Cesar Franck (1822–1890). The results were very moving, and I would like to share them with you again this year. Here is the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIq9KiYmTlc&t=16s

I hope these works will enhance your Holy Week meditations.

Kyle Osborne
Director of Music



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Filed Under: Lent, Music, Worship

Holy Week and Easter At St. Matthew’s

March 3, 2021

Palm Sunday – March 28th:
8:00 a.m. Zoom (see your newsletter, The Messenger, for Zoom info.)
Drive-Thru Communion after the 8 am service for 30 minutes.

10:45 a.m. – Outside In-person and live streamed with communion.
Please register on Realm.

4:00 p.m. Garden Eucharist on the lawn to the left of the church. Casual, informal, no technology.
Please Register on Realm.

Maundy Thursday – April 1st: 7:00 p.m. Live-Stream Service from Sanctuary. Hand-washing (no foot-washing due to Covid restrictions), stripping of the altar, no Holy Communion.
Maundy Thursday Watch — In Person or At Home  from 9:00 p.m. Thurs – Friday 10:00 a.m.
Please register here
  (via SignUp Genius) for either In-person or At-home prayer time slots so that someone is praying throughout the night.

Good Friday – April 2nd. 
12:00 p.m. Live-Streamed Service from the sanctuary. No Holy Communion.

Easter Sunday – April 4th: Two Services–
6:45 a.m. Sunrise Eucharist No technology or music at this service.
Please Register on Realm
.**

10:45 a.m. – Holy Eucharist Livestreamed From the Sanctuary, Easter music, including hand bells and violin.
Flowering of the Cross at the church steps during Drive Thru Holy Eucharist from 12 noon – 1:00 p.m.

 

**Registration on Realm for all services will open approximately 2-3 weeks ahead of time. Attendance limited to 50 individuals for services, including all service participants, due to Covid restrictions. In case of inclement weather, outdoor attendance will be canceled. For questions regarding attending any service, please contact the church office.

REGISTER ON REALM



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Filed Under: Easter, Lent, Worship

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes Photos

February 18, 2021

St. Matt’s tradition for Shrove Tuesday each year has been for the Youth to serve a yummy pancake supper to the parish in the parish hall, complete with pancakes and all the trimmings, bacon and sausage, and a huge serving of fun and fellowship. This would be followed by the Burning of the Palms to prepare ashes for Ash Wednesday the following day. But of course since the 2020 Covid pandemic lingers into the beginning of 2021, this event could not occur this year. That didn’t mean that pancakes were off the menu, though.

Instead, families prepared pancake or waffles (or latkes!) at home, and posted the results on Facebook. Here are some of the great photos we received.  Many thanks to all who made this a “together-separately” Shrove Tuesday to remember!

 



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Filed Under: Lent, Parish Life, Spotlight on Ministry

Getting Ready For Lent: Shrove Tuesday Is February 16

February 12, 2021

Written by Mara DiGiovanni 

It may be hard to believe it, but Lent is almost here again! The old liturgical season will start this week with Ash Wednesday, albeit in a new and more virtual way this year. Before we get to the familiar rites of Wednesday, we celebrate Shrove Tuesday, where, traditionally, we burn the palms of the previous year’s Holy Week, and also eat a LOT of pancakes. But why do we do these things, and how can that knowledge help us celebrate together during a time when we cannot gather as one body?

Let’s start by looking at the name itself; “shrove” is a form of the English word “shrive”, which means absolution of sin. The purpose of the Ash Wednesday service is to absolve the penitent of their sins, to wash them clean for the spiritual desert journey that is Lent. Likewise, the purpose of Shrove Tuesday is to prepare one’s pantry for the Lenten season. Traditionally, when Lent was celebrated, there were certain things that EVERYONE was expected to give up, EVERY YEAR. These things were generally rich foods, like sugar, milk and cream, and eggs, ingredients that pancakes use up a lot of, making them an efficient choice for one last pre-Lenten party!

One way we would like to encourage a little long-distance fellowship is by inviting you to share your favorite pancake recipes with each other. You can share your recipes on the St. Matthew’s Snellville Facebook page, try out someone else’s, maybe even post some photos a your syrupy stack, but most importantly, have a great Lent!



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Filed Under: Lent, Parish Life

Observing Lent At St. Matthew’s — See What’s New This Year

February 11, 2021

What if we prepared for everyday like we do for Lent? We get so busy with work, kids, home, committee meetings, exercise that we often forget the important things. COVID-19 has made this even easier by allowing us to become really lax about our spiritual life. When we first began this pandemic journey almost a year ago, we all showed up for the online services but as time has gone by and the pandemic deepened, it has been easy to step back into our isolation.

Lent is a time of preparation and personal reflection for Good Friday and Easter that marks the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have put together several ways that you can refocus yourself and your family this Lent:

Stations of the Cross: An outdoor Stations of the Cross has been set up on the left side of the church for you to come and walk at your leisure.

Sacred Space Pilgrimage: Have you missed being in the sanctuary? Here’s a time to pray and meditate there during Lent: Thursday’s – 10 – 11:30 am and Saturday’s – 2 – 3:30 pm
Individuals and/or families are invited to take a Spiritual Pilgrimage of prayer and meditation to St. Matthew’s Sanctuary. Please registister on Realm due to Covid restrictions.  Spaces limited to 10 individuals at a time, inclusive.

Sunday’s Outside Live In-Person Service @ 4 pm. w/ communion (weather permitting)
Beginning Sunday, February 28th
Bring your own chair and join us for a Casual Outside & In-Person Service in the Garden area, located beside the undercroft. **Weather Permitting. Registration on Realm is required due to Covid restrictions.**

Palm Sunday – March 28th:
8 am Zoom (see your newsletter, The Messenger, for Zoom info.)
Drive-Thru Communion after the 8 am service for 30 minutes.

& 10:45 am – Outside In-person – live streamed with communion.
Registration on Realm is required due to Covid restrictions.**

Maundy Thursday – April 1st: 7 pm Live-Stream Service from Sanctuary
Plans are being made for the Maundy Thursday Watch following the service. Stay tuned for information on registering for this Lenten tradition.

Good Friday – April 2nd:
12 pm Outside Live & In-Person Live-Streamed Service
Registration on Realm is required due to Covid restrictions.**

Easter Sunday – April 4th: Two Services– 6:45 a.m. Sunrise Eucharist
Registration on Realm is required due to Covid restrictions.**
No technology or music at this service

10:45 a.m. – Livestreamed From Inside the Church, Easter music
Drive Thru Holy Eucharist offered for 45 minutes after the 10:45 service.

**Registration on Realm for all services will open approximately 2-3 weeks ahead of time. Attendance limited to 50 individuals for services, including all service participants. In case of inclement weather, outdoor attendance will be canceled. For questions regarding attending any service, please contact the church office.

Register on Realm



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Filed Under: Lent, News, Worship

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