Can you feel the excitement in the air? Christmas is almost here! We are in the home stretch of our Advent journey, and the energy around the parish is contagious!
Scrooge: The Musical
First and foremost, I invite you to experience a little bit of magic right here on our campus this weekend. Our production of the musical “Scrooge” is finally here! The musical will be so much fun. It’s heartwarming, hilarious, and just the kind of joy we need this season. We will also host many visitors and guests for the musical, so please help people navigate the campus and greet them with the welcoming St. Matthew’s hospitality.
To the cast, crew, musicians, set builders, costume designers, and all the volunteers who made this fantastic offering possible: Thank you! Your hard work has created a wonderful gift for our community.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Amid the joyful celebration, we also approach a meaningful spiritual moment: the Fourth Sunday of Advent. As we light the fourth candle on the wreath, we focus specifically on Mary and the upcoming birth of Jesus. We will also hear the Christmas story from Joseph’s perspective this Sunday. I invite you to join us for worship this weekend to take a deep breath, center your heart, and make that final spiritual preparation before the Christmas festivities begin. If you need a moment of peace, come to church on Sunday morning!
There will also be a special rehearsal for those interested in participating in this year’s Christmas Pageant. The rehearsal will be in the nave during formation starting at 9:30 am on Sunday. We invite all children to join the pageant during the 4:00 pm worship service on Christmas Eve.
A Season of Welcome and Celebration
Looking ahead to next week, we are preparing to welcome many guests, visitors, neighbors, and extended family members for our Christmas services. For many of them, this might be their first time in a church in years, or perhaps their first time at St. Matthew’s. I am asking for your help to make our parish the warmest, most welcoming place it can be. Let’s continue to show our wonderful hospitality:
- Slide into the center: When you sit in the pew, move toward the middle so guests can easily find a seat on the ends.
- Wear your nametag: It may seem like a small thing, but knowing a name breaks down walls. It turns a stranger into a neighbor.
- Be the first to say “Hello and welcome”: If you see a face you don’t recognize, offer a smile and a greeting (you don’t have to be a greeter or usher to do this!)
Many people are searching for a welcoming, inclusive community and a spiritual home at Christmas. Your smile and warm gestures might just be what help them find it. Let’s open our doors and our hearts wide this Christmas!
We will have our worship services on Christmas Eve at 4:00 pm and 11:00 pm. Before the 11:00 pm. service, there will be a congregational sing-along starting at 10:30 pm. Additionally, there will be one service on Christmas Day at 10:00 am. The Christmas season and celebration will continue on Sunday, December 28, with one service of Christmas lessons and carols at 10:00 am. Our regular worship schedule will resume on January 4.
The parish office will be closed from December 24 to January 1. If you need to take care of any financial matters, please do so before the office closes or online through Realm by December 31. If you haven’t pledged for 2026 yet, there’s still time.
I can’t wait to see you at Scrooge and during worship this weekend and next week as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior at St. Matthew’s.
Father Tim