I am deeply honored and extremely grateful for Fr. Tim to ask me to serve as Senior Warden for this coming year. I am thankful to God for the trust placed in me and for the opportunity to serve alongside such faithful and dedicated people. It is a privilege to support the life and mission of St. Matthew’s in our shared journey.

We are blessed with Fr. Tim, parish staff and every member of the Vestry who has committed time, prayer, and thoughtful leadership to the well-being of our parish. Healthy parishes such as ours are built on shared ministry, open hearts, and a common vision. I look forward to working closely with the entire Vestry to ensure that our decisions reflect both faithful stewardship and bold hope for the future.

At the recent Annual Meeting, Fr. Tim talked about the need to experiment and try new things with the understanding that they may not always work. Yes, there is risk in change; but there is also a level of risk in not changing as the world around us certainly is in so many ways. By listening to one another, praying together, and embracing fresh ideas, we can build on the strong foundation that already exists at St. Matthew’s.

Your Vestry is tasked with looking at the big picture—balancing budgets; maintaining our wonderful but aging facilities; supporting staff; and, planning for the future. Even when decisions are complex or not universally popular, a spirit of patience and unity strengthens the entire parish. When parishioners share ideas, hopes, and concerns respectfully and constructively, it builds a culture of trust rather than tension. Ask questions of the Vestry with curiosity. Offer feedback with kindness. Assume good intentions. Vestry members are fellow parishioners who love St. Matthew’s as much as you do.

Our mission statement places a call that extends beyond our campus. We are blessed to worship and serve in the vibrant and growing Snellville and south Gwinnett community. We have meaningful opportunities to deepen our presence here. Together, we can continue strengthening our ministries, welcoming new families, supporting those in need, and being a visible sign of Christ’s love in our neighborhoods.

I thank you again for your prayers and your support.

Blessings,
Dave Lott
Senior Warden

 

St. Matthew’s strives to be a welcoming home for all who seek Jesus Christ as we share God’s Love with the community.

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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

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Wrapping oneself in a prayer shawl is a way of focusing one’s eyes and heart on God to feel his presence and loving embrace. Prayer scarves and squares are also a way of keeping focus on God as a reminder of God’s presence. This rewarding ministry brings joy, comfort, hope and God’s love to the church, the larger community and the world. The Knit, Crochet & Pray group meets on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. in the library, located off of the parish hall. All are welcome!

** We maintain a pattern book, also in the library! **

See below resources, all are suggestions and starting points — you are completely free to follow your own patterns!

RESOURCES:

Hat Sizing Chart

Basic Crochet Cap

Coming soon: Common lap robe pattern (36″ x 45″ is suggested)

Coming soon: Common baby blanket pattern

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