St. Matthews Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church in Snellville, GA

“In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, 
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,  
and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1: 78-79

Christmas Outreach At St. Matthew’s

This year the Outreach committee has chosen two area ministries as our focus for the holidays:

1. Glimmers of Hope, SE Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry

The Co-op Christmas assistance program has changed this year. Eligible clients who have minor children living in their household will be given one $25.00 gift card for each child and one additional card per family. We will be collecting $25.00 gift cards from Walmart and Target. A gift card tag board will be posted in the Narthex. Please return donated gift cards to Dotty Merrifield or Cheryl Wheeler or place in collection container in parish office. If the office is closed, you may place them in the new lock box in the office door (please mark them for SE Co-op). All gift cards need to be turned in by November 30th.  
To find out more about the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry go to: www.segwinnettcoop.org

2. Mending the Gap, Inc. Seniors Ministry

Mending the Gap will be delivering gifts to 400 Grandmas and Grandpas this Christmas. We will be collecting items to help them. A gift tag board will be up in the Narthex starting November 4th and all donated items will need to be returned no later than December 2nd. There will be bins in the old narthex for your donations. If you have any questions, please contact Becky Olbon.
To find out more about Mending the Gap, Inc, go to www.mending-the-gap.org



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Helping Hurricane Victims Through ERD

As we watch the news stories of those affected by Hurricane Florence, it may seem like it is a disaster so large that any small thing we may do to help will be a drop in the proverbial bucket. But, as with other disasters around the world, Episcopal Relief and Development is there, helping put lives back together in many ways.

Now is the time to help them help others. Here’s a letter sent out on Friday, September 15, 2018, as Hurricane Florence approached landfall on the Carolinas.

Dear Donors and Friends,

Even as we pray for those affected by Hurricane Florence and begin to provide assistance through our diocesan and church partners, I am reminded of the long-term nature of recovery from these storms.
My latest story from Texas on the first anniversary of Hurricane Harvey describes a ministry that has been serving one community since the early days of that recovery. Here is the link:
https://www.episcopalrelief.org/stories/two-women-and-a-truck-help-put-a-community-back-together
Thank you for supporting the work of Episcopal Relief & Development.

Mike
—
Mike Smith
Major Gifts Officer
Episcopal Relief & Development | 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017
D 212.518.0526 | M 646.407.0068 | T 855.312.HEAL (4325) | F 212.687.5302
msmith@episcopalrelief.org | www.episcopalrelief.org | Facebook/Twitter: EpiscopalRelief
Twitter: @mikesmithny1



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Outreach Volunteer Opportunities

**ROSEBUD WARMTH We are once again collecting donations for the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota.  As you may recall, in the past we have collected (new or handmade) hats, gloves, and scarfs for the children of the reservation. We are doing that again, and we will also accept monetary contributions to enable us to buy more items and send them. Please put your scarf, hat, and glove donations in the old narthex (parish hall entryway). For monetary donations, please see Beth Still or Beth DiGiovanni, or put your donation in the offering plate on Sunday with the designation “Rosebud Warmth”. Thank you for your generousity.

**PLACE OF SEVEN SPRINGS Place of Seven Springs needs you! Seven Springs is a thrift store, and sales are used to help those in need in Gwinnett and Walton counties. They currently need volunteers to help sort donations and help out in the thrift store. Training is provided. They are located at 3541 Stone Mountain Hwy Ste 6, Snellville, GA 30078,  770-736-3377.

**TOUR THE SE GWINNETT CO-OP
See firsthand the food co-op’s facilities and how it functions. Get a better understanding of all the different services the co-op offers to their clients, such as their emergency shelter and tutoring programs. The co-op is so much more than just a food bank. Tours are scheduled for Tuesday, October 23rd at 10:30 am and Saturday, October 27th, at 10:00 am. There is a sign-up sheet on the outreach ministry board or contact Dotty Merrifield at dmerrifieldcrn@gmail.com.



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Eighth Annual St. Matthew’s Car Show – How You Can Help

8th Annual St. Matthew’s Car Show

Saturday, October 13th 9:00 AM- 3:00 PM

How YOU Can Help!

As you know, the 8th Annual St. Matthew’s Car Show will be held this year on October 13th, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, rain or shine.  We are again excited to donate much of the proceeds from the show to The Place of Seven Springs.   This year, a portion of the proceeds will go to our Youth Ministry at St. Matthew’s to be used to refurnish the classrooms affected by the flood last year.

Seven Springs is part of the Gwinnett Coalition of Health and Human services.  Families and individuals are referred to them for assistance with emergency housing, utilities and non-narcotic prescription medication. They have a food co-op and operate a Summer Lunch Program for homeless children.  We encourage you all to learn more about Seven Springs and we invite you to visit their facility on Hwy. 78.

As always, the Car Show needs your help. There are many ways to do that. We will need volunteers on the day of the show, sponsors for trophies and t-shirts, raffle items, silent auction items, arts and crafts vendors for our vendor area and cars, cars, cars!!

You can also be a sponsor for the show. Sponsorship levels start at $200 and go up to $1500 and beyond.

We are also in need of Corporate Sponsorship.  Corporate Sponsorship levels would begin at $2000.  The Corporate Sponsor name would be added to all banners, our website and offered show space the day of show.  Their name would be announced throughout the day of show and a sponsor plaque would be awarded to the Corporate Sponsor the day of show.

We are looking forward to a very successful show this year, not only in raising money for two very worthy causes, but for a great fellowship event again. So please consider helping in any way you can to make this one of our best years yet.

Thanks and God Bless,

Jack Denton

St. Matt’s Car Show Chair

 



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Outreach News June & July

A VERY BUSY BUT EXCITING TIME OF YEAR!

• Month of June – Food Drive
• June 17th to July 15th  –  School Supply Drive
• July 22th – Pack a Backpack
• July 28th – Delmar Gardens
• July 29th – Prepare Food for Co-op Monday Night Dinner

 

SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE – Mid-June through July 15th we will be collecting school supplies for the clients of Seven Springs. You will find a list of supplies on the Outreach bulletin board and a link to the Amazon Wish List below.   On Sunday, 7/22, after the service we will fill backpacks with the school supplies.

Purchase from the Amazon Wish List

SING-ALONG / BIRTHDAY NURSING HOME MINISTRY AT DELMAR GARDENS

4-5 PM SATURDAY JULY 28

Come join musicians from St Matthew’s to sing Christian songs or help serve cake, ice cream and punch and mingle with the clients at the nursing home in Lawrenceville. For more information please contact Heather Pratt, Mindy Barringer or Chuck Marsh.

FOOD PREPARATION FOR MONDAY NIGHT DINNER AT THE CO-OP

After the service on 7/29 we will prepare sandwiches, cut and package watermelon, and package cookies that will be served at the co-op on Monday evening, 7/30.

JUNE FOOD DRIVE – The Semi-Annual drive in June is the month in which St. Matthew’s focuses on collecting additional items for the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministries.  In addition to collecting our usual items of dried beans, jelly, and shampoo, the coop is asking for donations of canned pineapple. The pineapple is always in high demand and just seems to fly off the shelves.



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Welcoming the Stranger — Our Refugee Family Update

Refugee family: Zeba P. and her three children, Judith , age 13,  Arron, age 10, and Jason, age 7, are from Pakistan, and arrived here June 7.

Their apartment is fully furnished (Thanks to all who donated!) They could use a washer and dryer, so if you have a working used one or know someone who does, let Mark DiGiovanni know: 678 227-8142.

If you want to help Zeba and her family, you can offer to take her and the children to parks, museums, shopping, etc. as they don’t have a car (or a driver’s license) yet. And dropping a gift card in the mail will always be helpful – and greatly appreciated. For information on contacting or visiting Zeba and the family please contact the church office, or see this Sunday’s bulletin announcements.



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Stephen Ministers Look A Gift Horse In the Mouth

Using a little horse sense, Stephen Ministers from First United Methodist Church (Lawrenceville) and St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church (Snellville) came to Winning Strides for a unique continuing education experience.

In equine assisted learning, we often use metaphors to reach our objective. Each Stephen Minister was asked to choose an item in the arena that represented a spiritual gift or strength they use in their care giving as a Stephen Minister. Some examples included being a good listener, having compassion, being trustworthy, skilled, and full of faith. Then, with the horse representing a care receiver, the group had to move the horse from one end of the arena to the other without touching it.

This was a harder task than they thought, since care receivers (and horses) often have a “mind of their own.” But in the end, they learned:
·     sometimes you have to lead and sometimes you have to gently push
·     care receivers get “stuck” on their journey
·     patience is always required
·     you never give up and always stick with your care receiver.

Even with torrential rains, an earlier tornado warning, and cool weather, spirits were high and laughter abundant.

 

Stephen Ministers are trained care givers, who are sometimes called the After People.

They are ready to come alongside anyone who has suffered a crises in their life and provide comfort and support for as long after as needed.

Stephen Ministry was started 40+ years ago and is active in 13,000 congregations.

For more information, visit their website at www.stephenministry.org.



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June Food Drive for SE Gwinnett Cooperative Ministries

JUNE FOOD DRIVE- June is the month in which St. Matthew’s focuses on collecting additional items for the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministries.
In addition to collecting our usual items of dried beans, jelly, and shampoo, the coop is asking for donations of canned pineapple. The pineapple is always in high demand and just seems to fly off the shelves.

Beginning on Sunday, June 3rd, the Outreach Committee will be handing out bags with attached food list after both services, so please fill bag and return to barrel outside of the Parish Hall.  All items will be promptly delivered to the Coop.



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Police Appreciation Week

St. Matthew’s partnered with Snellville Police Department as part of the One Congregation One Precinct (1C1P) initiative started by Movement Forward. The program is designed to foster better communication and cooperation between law enforcement and local congregations. Part of the program is showing appreciation for the Snellville Police Department, but during Police Appreciation week (May 13-19), we decided we would honor two of our very own parishioners who are police officers! Dennis Doane is an officer with the Gwinnett County Police Department and John Hansen is an officer with Dekalb County Police Department. On Sunday, May 13, Mother Liz presented both of them with a police car box filled with a gift card, candy, St. Michael medal, and donuts!

On the same day Mother Liz blessed the thin blue line prayer blankets made by the Knit, Crochet and Pray ministry to be given to police officers who are injured or are sick.

St. Matthew’s showered the Snellville department with love throughout the week with Chick-fil-A biscuits on Tuesday morning, home cooked dinners on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, donations of donuts, chips, candy and police car treat boxes filled with all kinds of goodies! We were even able to donate treat bags to the Lilburn Police department on Wednesday because of your generosity.

While Police Appreciation week may be over you can still make our Snellville Police department feel the St Matthew’s love by making a homemade birthday treat for an officer’s birthday. If you would like more information about this wonderful outreach ministry, please contact Becky Olbon at beckyolbon@yahoo.com or by calling 770-923-9186. We so appreciate all our police do to keep our communities safe. God’s blessing on all who serve this or other communities.



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At St. Matthew’s, our MISSION is to continue the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, by serving the greater community through loving its children, caring for the unfortunate and witnessing to the healing power of God’s love.