St. Matthews Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church in Snellville, GA

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1b

2019 Vestry Candidates

St. Matthew’s Annual Parish Meeting

9:00 a.m.: Coffee & donuts & Sign In  
9:30 a.m.: Annual Meeting:
Election of four vestry members
Click here for candidate information
Parish business
Forum discussions
followed by one combined Service. 
12:30 p.m (time approx.): Annual Brotherhood Fish Fry!

CANDIDATES FOR VESTRY 2019:

Elliot Griffiths

Elliot was “brought” (he didn’t have a choice at the time) to St. Matthew’s in the mid-late 80’s by his father Tom Griffiths.  We quickly found this to be our church home and were very active until the early-mid 2000’s.  He now attends with his own family: Jenny (wife), Ian (son age 11), and Ethan (son age 8), can be found at church most Sundays.

Elliot works as a Supervisor to the emergency services division of a restoration company which is why he always has one eye on the “bat phone” (yes even in church… sorry, Mtr Liz).  He went to college for music and spent some time touring around the southeast in his younger(dumber) years.

He was heavily involved with the youth and the New Beginnings movement as a participant at weekend number….. drum roll………….1.  He served on team and didn’t miss a single New Beginnings weekend for nearly 15 years.  As a young adult he led music on the weekend and in general, helped set the stage for how the weekend currently stands…..which is awesome 😂….. Recently, since his return, he is more involved with the children’s ministry and education (having children in the program and also teaching J2A).

Elliot’s vision for St. Matthews is steady, smart growth.  To continue the trend of the Episcopal Church in its methodology of accepting all no matter what, under GOD. We all have something to give to the church just like we all have something we can take away from the church in our own individual lives. He would like to also see further development within the youth programs.  As a product of the church, he always had the feeling that he was really a part of something special.  While he does not spend as much time in the youth today as he once did, he would like to become familiar enough to ensure that the feeling is still thriving.  Our youth make up the future of our church (and world).  Molding these lives with productivity, GOD and love are absolutely paramount in these times.

Bernard McGhee

Bernard was raised Roman Catholic but became an Episcopalian as an adult. He started going to St. Matthew’s about two years ago after moving to Gwinnett County from Atlanta, where he and his family went to St. Luke’s.

He grew up in the New Orleans area and majored in Mass Communication at Xavier University of Louisiana. After graduating from college, he started working for The Associated Press, where he spent time at AP bureaus in Seattle, Iowa and South Dakota, before coming to Atlanta in 2004. He currently works as an editor on the news agency’s South regional desk in downtown Atlanta.

Bernard is married to Elizabeth, who also attends St. Matthew’s, and they have a 7-year-old son named Maxwell. When not working, Bernard enjoys reading, writing fiction, listening to music and watching movies.

Becky Olbon

Becky was born in Boaz, Alabama but grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She has been married to Clay Olbon for 27 years and they have two adult children, Tara and Nate. Becky was baptized and confirmed at the Cathedral of St Phillips in 2002.

At St. Matthew’s, Becky is currently a member of the Outreach and Finance committees and serves as the 1C1P liaison with the Snellville PD. She also serves as a greeter and as a member of the Preschool executive board.

In the past she has served on the vestry as the Building and Grounds liaison and as the Youth liaison as well as Junior Warden,

Becky’s vision for St. Matthew’s is one in which we continue to grow our Inreach and Outreach ministries so that we are serving God and our community to the best of our abilities.

Sam Rotella

My choice to become a member of the Episcopal Church was an easy decision my wife Priscilla you either join or there’s no us. Both were 2 of my best life decisions.

My now 47 year career spans leadership, sales, business development, facilitation and working with clients to achieve their vision. As a business we look at our purpose is to” give back the gifts of our skills and learning with passion and commitment to make a difference for our clients”

At St. Matt’s I have chaired long range planning for 2 1/2 years, worked on a series of projects for Mother Liz and the Vestry as well as currently being involved in Christian formation.

It is not my job to determine the vision of St. Matt’s but rather to facilitate the achievement of an aligned parish vision.



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New Vestry Members Elected At the Annual Parish Meeting January 27, 2019

Congratulations to our newest vestry members Eliot Griffiths, Bernard McGhee, Becky Olbon, and Sam Rotella, elected at the Annual Parish Meeting. They will serve a three year term. Members also reviewed the 2019 budget and participated in table discussions  about the year(s) ahead. This year kicks off a celebration of St. Matthew’s 40 years of ministry in the Snellville / Gwinnett County area, as the parish looks ahead to the next forty years and beyond.

A single combined Eucharist service followed the meeting, and the Brotherhood of St. Andrew hosted its annual Fish Fry after the service.

St. Matthew’s extends heartfelt thanks to Oscar De Leon, Mara DiGiovanni, Scott McEvoy and Beth Still for their faithful service on the vestry these past three years, and thanks to Eliot, Bernard, Becky and Sam as they begin their three year term.

 



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Musings from Mother Liz

Dear Beloved, Advent is upon us! What is known in the world as the Christmas Shopping Season has an almost opposite meaning in the Church. Rather than the busyness that inevitably comes with this month before Christmas, Advent invites us to slow down and reflect on the miracle that gave us the reason for Christmas: God chose to become incarnate and dwell with us in the Person of his Son Jesus Christ. Last Sunday, we finished Year B with acknowledgement of Christ as King. This Sunday, we begin the story again, but told through the voice of St Luke.
It is my favorite season, and I think I put more emphasis on the first Sunday of Advent than January 1st as the start of a new year. That’s because this time in the church calendar invites us into a season of hope – hope that counters the encroaching darkness of winter; hope that tells us that as difficult as things may be, the resiliency and persistence of God in Christ to bring light into that darkness perdures (endures).
I mark time using an Advent wreath at home that I light as I begin evening prayers. There is something about the light of those candles as the day goes dark and cold that is meaningful to me. I keep the wreath lit through the reciting of the Phos hilaron (BCP 118), so that the candles might last the whole season of Advent. The lighting of the wreath and the praying of the Evening Office settles my heart and mind for the evening. All the stress of the day fades as I consider the miracle of God’s love in the gift of his Son.
Last year, I put together a list of readings materials that are good to mark the season. If you would like a copy of the list, send me an email and I will send it to you. This year, I would like to share a couple of websites that will have Advent meditations on line. The first is from my seminary in Austin, the Seminary of the Southwest. The link can be found here: https://ssw.edu/blog/advent-meditation-sunday-december
If you click on the link, on the right side you will see a place where you can enter your email to sign up.
The other link is from Virginia Theological Seminary. The link can be found here:
There may be other places on-line, but these are two good ones with which to start.
I pray that you are able to set a side time for prayer, or reflection, or just time to be quiet, so that you are able to prepare your heart for God’s gift to us at Christmas: Emmanuel, God with us.
Advent Blessings,
Liz+



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The Advent Wreath: A Home Tradition

The season of expectation, called Advent, is upon us.  Advent begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas and marks the start of a new liturgical year.  This new year, which we begin on this Sunday, is noted as Year C, and our gospel focus moves from the Gospel of Mark (Year B), to the Gospel of Luke.

The four Sundays of Advent are also commemorated by the lighting of the Advent Wreath.  According to information provided on Wikipedia[i], the concept of the Advent Wreath originated with the Lutherans during the 16th century. It was a way to mark time from the first Sunday of Advent to Christmas.  The original Advent wreath had 20 small red and four large white candles.  A small candle was lit successively on weekdays and Saturdays and on Sunday a large white candle was lit.  The use of the wreath changed to marking only the four Sundays in Advent, and some churches added a fifth white candle in the center, which was lit on Christmas.  The Roman Catholic Church in Germany adopted the custom in the 1920’s and it spread to the United States sometime in the 1930’s.

Today, many denominations use an Advent wreath during Advent.  The wreath is circular, representing eternity.  Four or five candles are arranged on the wreath, depending on whether a center candle for Christmas is used.  Set on the outer wreath are four candles: three are either blue or purple, and one is rose.  One candle on the outer ring is lit each Sunday.  Whether the wreath uses four or five candles, the idea is that the wreath, and the lighting of the candles successively each Sunday, represents the light of Christ coming into the world.

The first blue or purple candle that is lit is called the “Prophecy Candle”, reminding us of the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah. This first candle represents HOPE.  The second purple or blue candle that is lit represents LOVE.  Some traditions have named this candle the “Bethlehem Candle”, representing Christ’s manger.  On the third Sunday, the rose candle is lit.  This candle is called the “Shepherd’s Candle” and it represents JOY.  The fourth candle is often referred to as the “Angel’s Candle”, and it represents PEACE.  On Christmas Eve, the white center candle is lit.  This candle is called the “Christ Candle” and represents Christ coming into the world[ii].

Using an Advent Wreath at home is a wonderful way to mark the season.  You can find advent wreaths in many craft shops, in Christian Bookstores, and on-line.  There are also some available at the Cathedral Bookstore at St. Philips in Atlanta.  The candles are often sold as a four pack, with three blue or purple and one pink or rose in the box.  You can set the wreath on a plate or a charger, and then decorate the wreath with Christmas greenery.  The candles can be lit in the same way we light them on Sunday.  On Sunday evening, perhaps before dinner, light one or more of the candles, depending on which Sunday it is, and share a prayer of either thanksgiving (how has God blessed me this week), or a prayer of hope (what does it mean to you that Christ comes into the world?).

The Advent wreath is a home tradition that I adopted many years ago.  It has infused an added level of spirituality and reflection in what would otherwise be a very hectic season.  I highly recommend it!

Advent Blessings, Mother Liz+

[i] Wikipedia, “The Advent Wreath”, found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent_wreath, accessed 11-30-18.

[ii] “The Advent Wreath”, Terra Sancta Guild.



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Counting Our Blessings

We at St. Matthew’s are abundantly blessed!

Our Consecration Sunday/Thanksgiving Feast was overflowing with joy, love, gratitude and delicious food!! To the many people who made the event happen, I give heartfelt thanks: the Fellowship Committee who gave their entire weekend to the luncheon, especially Nancy Drury, who organized her team while also serving on the Stewardship Committee; the Brotherhood who helped behind the scenes but especially with clean-up; the Stewardship Committee; and anyone else who was “volunteered” to help out.

I am also grateful for the people who were willing to go outside their comfort zones to share their personal stories about how the practice of stewardship has strengthened their faith and deepened their relationships with God. I pray that they are as blessed by their sharing as we are by hearing their stories.

If you are still prayerfully discerning what financial amount God is calling you to give to our parish, please complete your estimate of giving card and drop it in the lock box on the parish office door.

Should you have any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. And as always, should you feel called by the Holy Spirit to join our Stewardship Committee, we will welcome you with open arms and grateful hearts.

Terri Hurst, Stewardship Chair

Photos from Consecration Sunday / Thanksgiving Ingathering Feast can be found here:



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News From Annual Council & One Delegate’s Impressions of the Event

Archbishop Michael Curry spoke at the 112th Annual Council Convention this past week on November 9. The convention was held at Holy Innocents Episcopal School and Parish in Atlanta as parishes from all over the diocese gathered to meet and worship together. Archbishop Curry spoke during the council meeting on Friday, and celebrated Eucharist on Friday afternoon.

To hear Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s sermon, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ-wwhVy0Yg&feature=youtu.be&t=3037

Present at the convention were our delegates Greg Andrews, Jay Jones, and Janis Williams, along with Mallard and Althea Benton, Sheila Ferrell and Richard Morris who all sang in the choir at Eucharist, and Jessie and Jacob Hurst who attended the youth lock-in held in conjunction with the event. In addition, attendees packed  15,000 meals for the hungry to be sent wherever they are needed in the world.

Impressions of a First Time Delegate to Diocesan Council

by Janis Williams

This adventure was amazing. I was a newbie, in rooms with a lot of white collars and quite a few black cassocks, and so proud to be among them. The first familiar face after finding Jay Jones and Greg Andrews, was Bishop Wright, welcoming me. I have only been a part of the Episcopal Church for 20 years, and was thrilled to be there and to find out more about our church on a broader, higher level. In spare moments, I visited the tables from different ministries to learn more about opportunities to serve and to share.

The purpose statement of the 112th Annual Council is Challenging Ourselves and the World to Love Like Jesus. The highlight of the weekend was the Eucharistic service Friday afternoon. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry gave the sermon with an engaging story of the Good Samaritan. Greg and I participated a little later in the service project, helping to make 15,000 food packages which will be sent all over the world when and where they are needed. Many of the young people participated in a Lock-in on Friday night, where six very tall posts were made, which will travel around the world to display and convey some of their concerns today. The final worship service Saturday morning was conducted entirely by the Youth with songs, a sermon, and prayers. If I have the opportunity to go again, I would love to!

 



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Ingathering : Consecration Sunday is November 18

SINGLE COMBINED SERVICE

AT 9:30 a.m.

followed by a

THANKSGIVING  POTLUCK FEAST

Bring your favorite side dish or dessert to share. You can sign up to bring a dish on the poster on the bulletin board in the main hallway.

Meats and beverages will be provided.

Please plan to attend this special service and dinner.

You may complete a Consecration Sunday Reservation Card (found in the narthex) to let us know you will attend worship and the luncheon,



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Musings From Mother Liz: Stewardship — Where Does It All Go?

As much as we stress the spiritual discipline of making a financial commitment to the church, there are practical aspects as well.
In 2018, the vestry approved an operating budget of $567,000. A little over 50% of this amount goes towards staff salaries and benefits: pension, medical and disability insurance, travel, continuing education and social security. The cost to maintain and repair the physical plant, categorized as Buildings and Grounds, is 20% of the budget. A little over 9%, or $53,600 goes back to the diocese to help fund the cost of their operations. The cost to run the office, including office machines, computers, phone, internet and equipment replacements, requires 8% of the budget, while ministries uses 7%. Outreach is allocated 3% of the budget.
The vestry and the finance committee work hard to be good stewards of the monies donated to the church. Ideally, an increase in donations allows us to increase funds for Outreach as well as accrue funds for Buildings and Grounds to cover unexpected repairs, and expected replacement of high-priced items like air conditioners and roofs.
As you pray and discern what your financial commitment to St. Matthew’s will be, I hope learning what it takes to operate the church will be helpful to you. If you have questions about any of this, please contact our Treasurer, Chuck Marsh, the chair of our Finance Committee Mark DiGiovanni, or Bret Hurst, vestry member and liaison to the Finance Committee.
In Peace,
Mother Liz+



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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.