St. Matthews Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church in Snellville, GA

These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer…for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” Isaiah 56:7

A Word From Mother Pat: Seek and Serve, Baptismal Promise #4

Week 4 Baptismal Promise – Seek and Serve

Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?  Will you, Jesus asks us again this week.

If we look closely at scripture we see that there is a lot of going & coming, sending and being sent.  Some of the classics are Abram and Sarai being sent by God into the desert to find a new home;  Moses and the Hebrew people going on a journey with God to a land of milk and honey, escaping Pharaoh, and finding a way to live as God’s holy people;  Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem and from there taking a long journey into Egypt and then back to Nazareth, all guided by God’s plan.

Then we start to encounter Jesus traveling with his disciples back and forth across the sea of Galilee and into Gentile towns.  Next thing we know, Jesus is sending the disciples out two by two on mission trips to spread the good news.  And of course, the story of Paul who, while persecuting the early Christians, encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus–and we know how that turned out.  Paul, blinded by the presence of the risen Christ, is led to a home where he hears the truth about God’s love for all people; and he learns that he is called to seek and serve Christ in all the people, even those that he once considered worthless sinners.  Paul’s call to discipleship sends him to seek and serve Christ in the pagan gentile world of his time.  Paul finds out that it is only when he can see Christ in himself that he can see Christ in others.

It is likely that we will not have such a profound encounter with the risen Christ, but we are still called to seek and serve Christ in ourselves and in all persons, expressing the love of God to everyone.

This week we are invited to see ourselves as God’s beloved and to show the love of Christ to all persons.  What ministries might God be asking you to undertake in this coming year which express God’s love to your neighbor and to yourself.? What spiritual disciplines might help you find joy and wonder in God’s glorious creation?

Again this week, Jesus asks us through the power of the Holy Spirit, “Will you be my hands and feet?  Will you speak my words of love and support to those in need?  Will you give of your resources to serve others?  Will you prayerfully engage in listening for the needs of the community?”  I pray that you answer will be, “I will with God’s help”.  Amen.

 



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Baptismal Promise # 3

Rooted in Christ and carrying the cross of cross we are to Proclaim the good news.

In case you have not taken a good look at the prayer card that you got in the mail with your ministry commitment form. I invite you to take a deeper look. Rooted in Christ – what does that really mean to you?

The cross reminds us of Christ’s saving act, but it also reminds us that in our humanity we are capable of great sin. But Jesus doesn’t leave us in that sinful place – he offers grace and forgiveness. Jesus came among us in order to show us how to live and he came to share God’s forgiveness and grace with us. The Church is Christ’s body – that means that we are to live in such a way that people meet Jesus when they meet us. That is how we live out our third baptismal promise which is to PROCLAIM by word and example the good news.

That is what we are supposed to be about. We are to be that compassionate and caring place, the church, where Christ is proclaimed, lives are transformed and people’s needs are met through word, sacrament, service and community.

We, as the committed disciples of Christ at St. Matthew’s, are to be that place which centers and grounds all who come to us. We are the place where people do not have to be ashamed of their sins but rather find and experience God’s abundant love and forgiveness in our midst

In our third baptismal promise, God asks “Will you Proclaim by word and example the good news?” “Will you”, Jesus asks us again and again everyday. Will you be my eyes and ears to see and hear the needs of the world? Will you take action by your words and deeds to bring the love of God to those who have not yet found their way?

Will you, Jesus asks us. And we prayerfully and faithfully say, “I will with God’s help”.

I invite you to continue your prayerful discernment about how you are called to live into your discipleship. Rooted in Christ, supported by worship, education, community & service we grow in our spiritual maturity and in our faith. As we fix our focus on the cross gazing toward God, we see the outstretched arms of Christ which form the crossbeams of the cross – we are invited and challenged to reach out in evangelism and social outreach. As we journey with Christ we find ourselves more and more opening our arms in a wide embrace proclaiming by word and deed the good news of God’s love for all creation. Blessings, Mother Pat+



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A Word From Mother Pat+: Perseverance

This pandemic seems to be endless. Nothing is the same as it was “before”. We still can’t gather in-person for worship without wearing face masks. Our usual daily routines with work, shopping, lunch with friends, bible study, hobbies and exercise routines have all been disrupted by the threat of viral spread in our communities. Even school looks different for our children and grandchildren. So what are we to do?

 

God calls us to persevere. In the midst of difficulties, God is with us and God calls us to continue on with the work of building God’s kingdom. Our second baptismal promise is about perseverance in the face of evil and in the face of forces we cannot readily change. Now, I am not calling the pandemic evil, but it certainly obstructs our normal ways of living and working and worshiping in community. Sometimes, the pandemic has offered us a reason not commit to the work and ministry of discipleship that Jesus wants us to do.

So how do we find God in the midst of this turmoil and uncertainty when our usual spiritual practices and routines have been disrupted? First, if you are able, wear a mask and come to worship on Sunday in-person. Demonstrate by your actions your faithful perseverance in the face of this adversity. If you are not able to attend in person, then participate on-line singing the songs, reading the prayers and listening to the voices of the community of faith whose prayers support you as you join by the miracle of technology. Why do we invite you back to worship as a call to persevere? Well, on-line worship is nice, but it does not provide us with the richness and fullness of traditional worship surrounded by other Christians and hearing the music soar into the rafters and feeling the physical movement of walking, standing, kneeling and bowing. Movement is one thing we may miss in our worship at home and movement has memory attached to it which we tend to miss on-line. Yet over and over in scripture, physical movement along with seeing and hearing are a part of how we encounter God.

We promised God at our baptism and on many other occasions, that we would persevere in resisting evil and when we realized that we had not fully met our vows to God; that we would repent and return to the Lord. Our answer to the “Will you” question of perseverance is “I will, with God’s help”.

To repent and return to the Lord, is to recognize where our will has gotten in the way of God’s will for our lives. When we realize that we have not been intentional in prayer, worship, study and Christian fellowship; then we repent, we turn around and renew our commitment to God’s plan for us and for the building of God’s kingdom.

Every day, we are called to persevere in living the gospel message and in working for God’s kingdom. I invite you to prayerfully consider how you can more fully engage in the life and work of St. Matthew’s. As you pray and discern how God is calling you to serve, please complete the ministry commitment form and place it in the offering plate or drop it in the office door drop box. May your week be filled with joy and wonder in each new day. Remember God is always in our midst, even when we cannot discern God’s presence. We are called to simply persevere in our journey of discipleship and God promises to be with us always. Blessings, Mother Pat+



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A Word From Mother Pat: Fidelity

We don’t often think of fidelity when we think of our Christian journey. But fidelity is the basis of our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. Fidelity is a word which means loyalty or faithfulness to a promise. We make many promises to be faithful in our walk with Christ. Do you remember your baptismal vows–those promises made at your baptism and affirmed over and over in our worship? In response to each baptismal question, we answer that we will with God’s help.

The first vow we make is to the question, “Will you continue in the apostles teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers?” So we say, “I will with God’s help”. Our response is one of fidelity lived out not just in the words we use to answer the question, but also in the actions we take every day.

We show our fidelity or loyalty to Christ by the choices we make to live honest, truthful lives. We show our fidelity by our participation in worship week after week when it would be easier to sleep late or watch the worship broadcast at a more convenient time. We show our fidelity by giving our first gifts to God when we receive each paycheck and trusting God to provide what we need. We show fidelity by daily prayer patterns and teaching our children about God’s grace and love.
A monk at a monastery once told me that fidelity was the hardest thing he ever had to do, because sometimes he did not want to be there or to do that ministry; but he had promised and so he continued on. Fidelity in marriage is often the hardest part of living into that sacrament because we sometimes don’t feel like we want to continue; but usually we do continue because we promised. When we live into our promises we find that our desire to be faithful, to remain in relationship becomes a joy; and fidelity to our promises is what gets us through the times when we are not sure what we want to do.

I will with God’s help. I will be faithful to the one who claims me as His own. I will by my life and choices show my fidelity to God. I will intentionally live in a way which invites others to find the strength to join in this journey with Christ. Will you join me, as we at St. Matthew’s continue in the apostles teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers? Will you be faithful to your baptismal promises and continue to be Christ to one another? Faithfulness to our baptismal vows can be difficult at times. Fidelity to community is hard. Faithfulness to Christ and fidelity to the Church which represents Christ to the world are the ministry to which we are each called. I invite your prayers this week to focus on the first baptismal promise and to discern how you are called to faithfulness. “Will you continue in the apostles teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers?” So we say, “I will with God’s help”.
See you Sunday.
Mo Pat+



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History Minute: St. Matthew’s Pavilion

Have you ever wondered about our beautiful pavilion, and how it came to be? Check out the new display at the pavilion chronicling the history of this structure and the important role it’s had in the fellowship events at St. Matt’s. To see the display, click here. (Note: the old plaque did not photograph well and is missing in the graphic. To see the full display, check it out in the in the current pavilion, located next to the rear parking lot.

Our thanks to all those instrumental in the planning, funding, building, and completion of our St. Matt’s pavilion since its inception. Special thanks to the Oren Morris Chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew at St. Matt’s, those Boy Scouts from our Scout Troop 533, whose Eagle projects centered on the pavilion, and to Phil Morgan for his work in putting together and erecting the history display.

 



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Clergy Availability & Office Hours For Staff

Clergy availability & Office hours for staff

In case you were trying to determine the best time to catch me or the office staff, here is an overview of the clergy and staff’s weekly schedule.  Since we have limited paid staff in the office, I thought perhaps a brief idea about the hours that we are usually at the church would be helpful.

Susan Carson as Registrar and Communications Coordinator is also filling in for bulletin preparation.  Other activities previously assigned to the Parish Administrator are being evaluated and reassigned to committee chair persons or will become part of the new staff position when we finalize the office needs assessment.

Susan currently is trying to be at the office Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 2 pm.  Office volunteers and those hoping to drop by should do so from 10 am to 1 pm since you will find Preschool pick up and drop off will be a challenge at other times.

Please note that this is a general idea and not specific to each week since I often have meetings on Friday or Saturday and have to adjust my days off accordingly.  Susan’s schedule is also flexible since she works to facilitate parish needs and she has gone above and beyond to step in to help cover the bulletins and other urgent needs.

Sunday – Mother Pat is at the church from 7:30 am until around 1 or 2 pm and is available for meetings after worship as the parish calendar permits.  Pastoral calls are also made in the afternoon as the pandemic allows.  No office staff are scheduled for work on Sunday.

Monday – Mother Pat works at home from 9 am until 12 pm on sermons and preparation for the weeks events.  Mother Pat is in the office from around 12 pm until 3 or 4 pm depending on pastoral calls and meetings.  Susan is in the office from 10 am to 2 pm.

Tuesday – Mother Pat works at home from 9 am until 11 am on newsletter articles, special programs, and other upcoming events as well as continued sermon work.  Tuesday afternoons work continues at the church with meetings and various projects – appointment times and opportunity for phone calls are usually available.   Once a month there is an afternoon meeting of the Deanery clergy.  Also quarterly there are meetings with the clergy, or the Bishop, or a continuing education event and those may be all day meetings.  Some weeks Mother Pat will come into the office later in order to be able to stay until 8 pm to meet with folks who work during the day and for scheduled committee meetings or worship opportunities.  Susan is in the office from 10 am to 2 pm.

Wednesday – Mother Pat arrives at the church around 9 am to prepare for preschool chapel and Wednesday Holy Eucharist & service of healing.  Worship is followed by meetings and appointments as well as outreach and other pastoral activities in the afternoon.  Susan is in the office from 10 am to 2 pm.

Thursday – Mother Pat works at home on Thursday finalizing sermon preparation, working on projects and trying to answer e-mails, voice mail etc.  This day is also for finalizing newsletter articles, working on special projects and items which need uninterrupted time to complete.  Susan is in the office from 10 am to 2 pm.  Mother Pat may be in the office if there are meetings or appointments requiring a clergy presence.

Friday – Mother Pat’s day off except for meetings of the Diocese, wedding rehearsals, or urgent pastoral needs.  Mother Pat will often work at home on sermons and other projects.  No office staff are currently scheduled to work on Friday, the office is closed to routine activities.

Saturday – Mother Pat’s other day off except for Diocesan events, weddings, and other activities which are occasionally scheduled in addition to this; but not a routine day for appointments.  No office staff work on Saturday.

The best way to get information to me is to e-mail I pick up email several times a day.  If it is urgent, please text or call the emergency cell phone at 404-754-6980.  That phone remains on 24 hrs a day, so unless you need something urgently, please email the church at the address.  You can call the church office and usually I will be able to answer, although I have been known to accidently cut off the call.  If that happens, please call back and I will attempt the complicated phone system again, hopefully with more success.  If all else fails leave a message and someone will try to get back with you as quickly as we can.  If you leave a voice message at the church on Thursday afternoon or over the weekend, we won’t get your message until Monday morning so e-mail if you can.  If we don’t answer, we are either in a meeting, worship, or working on issues which do not allow us to answer the phone.  If you have an emergency illness or family death, always try the church office during the day because that is likely where we will be; but if you don’t get a “live person” then call my (Mother Pat’s) cell phone which is always on.  Of course if your question is about the parish office operations, communications (print and electronic) or registrar function, you can e-mail Susan at and she will either provide you the information or forward your e-mail to the clergy or appropriate vestry person.

I realize this transition is difficult and I am here to support you in the best way that I can.  Please let me know how I can help you and the parish in this time of change.  We are evaluating the needs of the parish and how to use paid staff and volunteers in the best way possible.  We will finalize position descriptions for the Music Director and the Parish Administrator and then move forward with the Vestry to seek the best individuals for those positions.  St. Matthew’s has all the resources needed to move forward, so we invite you to pray for the work of discernment as we continue to evaluate what is needed now and in the future to ensure God’s work is done in and through St. Matthew’s.  God’s peace and joy, Mother Pat+



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A Word From Mother Pat+: Growing Fiery Wings

Growing Fiery Wings
A Word From Mother Pat+
I keep a picture by Erica Grimm Vance entitled “Growing Fiery Wings II” by my desk in my home office. It is a painting of a person seated on the ground with their feet flat on the ground, their knees tucked under their chin, and their arms outstretched in front of them. It looked like most of us would look if we tried to stand from that sitting position – the expression on the face was one of determination and effort because it is almost impossible for someone to rise up from that position. Yet, there is more to the painting. Transparent and abstractly painted from the arched shoulders and the leaning back all the way to the outstretched elbows is a streak of red almost like webbing. The red looks like the beginning of transparent fiery wings which will lift the person upward. It is an image of what God’s Spirit does to us in this life. God’s Spirit enables us to stand when it seems impossible. God’s Spirit gives us fiery wings which help us live and act faithfully.
This long liturgical season following Pentecost, from June until the end of November is focused on living the gospel of justice and compassion. This image of growing fiery wings challenges us to do the hard work of growing our own “wings” so we can live and act faithfully. All the Sunday readings encourage us to let the fire of God’s Holy Spirit make our wings stronger and more powerful with each new day. This is the season of discipleship. This season does not focus on God’s coming into the world as a child nor does it focus on Jesus’ earthly life and ministry. The season following Pentecost begins with the arrival of the Holy Spirit often described as flames or tongues of fire; and Pentecost challenges us to live as Christ in the world. This season invites us to show the world the power of God’s Spirit within us.
Each of us has holy fiery wings which can grow in our lives and lift us up. Fiery wings which free us from the forces of gravity and worldly concerns. Many things can weigh us down and keep us stuck in a seated position from which it is difficult to do any work. So how do we grow these fiery wings? God does the work of growing our wings, if we do the work of seeking out God’s presence in our lives and committing ourselves to God’s work. Our fiery wings are good only for the work God gives us. Our fiery wings don’t give us super powers to fight crime or leap tall buildings. Our God-given fiery wings are to help us live out our ministries and build up God’s kingdom here on earth.
In this season of discipleship and growth, we invite you to pray about what God wants you to do with your life. God wants us to do more than sit on the ground and struggle to stand. God wants us to get up and work for justice. God wants us to engage in ministry and service which lets people get a glimpse of God’s Spirit and power. Take the time to pray about your ministry. Take the time to reflect on what you need to do to let your fiery wings grow. If you can’t discern what God is calling you to do with your life now and into the future, then perhaps you need to ask your family and trusted Christian friends to help you see what steps to take.
We have been marked as Christ’s own at our baptism and sealed by the power of the Holy Spirit. The genetic makeup is there and the fiery wings are ready to grow. They may appear gossamer thin and barely visible to you when you struggle to do God’s work; but with each act of faithful service and each moment of prayer and study – those fiery wings grow stronger and God’s Spirit becomes more visible in you and in me. Take on a spiritual exercise program which strengthens and grows your fiery wings. Together we can do great things through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. So, let’s get to work. Mother Pat+



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Words From Mother Pat+ :Walls Or Windmills?

Walls or Windmills?

Nothing in this life is static – everything changes. We grow older and hopefully wiser. We change jobs and find new hobbies and interests. We form new relationships with people that we meet and we negotiate new ways to be friends with those we have known for a lifetime. Change is inevitable. Now in our lives we are facing a continuing pandemic and weathering the struggles of zooming and wearing masks; and learning new ways to be the Church. We hear about change on the evening news – “changing economic conditions and climate changes” just to name a few. We can’t even avoid change in death, since our earthly bodies change when we die and we also believe that upon our death we join the saints in heaven where we continue to grow in the knowledge and love of God.

So if change is inevitable, how do we cope and adapt? An old Chinese proverb says, “when the winds of change blow, some people build walls, while others build windmills.” There are probably times in our lives for building walls and times for building windmills. I would suggest that most of the time, we tend toward building walls because we seek to protect ourselves from the winds of change; but walls also isolate us and confine us. I would invite you to also consider building windmills which can provide you with a source of power and a new way to interact with the world. When you are faced with changing circumstances in your life, seek God’s presence, seek the power that can help equip you for whatever life brings. God will help you decide whether you need a sheltering wall or a powerful windmill.

St. Matthew’s is in the beginning of a period of intense discernment over the next 12 to 18 months; as your leadership team evaluates what has been, what is and what shall be in the life of this community of faith. Your role in this interim period is to engage in prayer and ministry. I invite you to listen to the Holy Spirit and help to build windmills to power the future of St. Matthew’s. Pray for the work of this parish and pray about your ministries. Be an active part of Christ’s work in this part of God’s kingdom. Mother Pat+



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Update On Masking Policy From the Diocese

The CDC, local Public Health Authorities and the Diocese have issued updated guidance on the COVID virus and the continuing pandemic as infections are again on the rise and hospitalizations are increasing quickly. The only change to St. Matthew’s current practice is that masks should be worn when there are gatherings at the parish. The Diocese has not “changed” any of the other options. Fully vaccinated choir members can still sing without masks (although we want them in the choir loft 20 ft. from the congregation) and the clergy and other fully vaccinated individuals actively leading worship are also able to read and sing without masks (again those activities take place away from the gathered congregation). Masks are still required for clergy and others during the administration of the bread during communion because of our close proximity to each person who will be removing their mask to receive communion.
Therefore, the Vestry and clergy strongly encourage everyone wear a mask regardless of vaccination status while in the parish buildings (both pre-school and parish). On Sundays, the ushers will have masks available for anyone who does not have one. Everyone is welcome to attend worship at either service as there are no numeric limitations on attendance.
Fully vaccinated small group gatherings can decide when they have gathered, if they wish to wear masks during their meeting or if they feel comfortable deciding to remove their masks for their time together. Our goal remains the same to protect the vulnerable and to extend hospitality to everyone by taking on the responsibility of wearing masks at worship and in larger gatherings in order to prevent an outbreak of the latest viral variant which spreads so easily. We appreciate your willingness to protect those around you by wearing a mask. We invite your prayers for those impacted by the pandemic and for those who are sick.
The Rev. Dr. Pat Miller+



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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.

The St. Matthew's campus is in the process of re-opening following the pandemic shutdown.Click here for details