St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church in Snellville, GA

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

 

Scrooge! Wrap-up and photos

No “Bah Humbugs” here! Thanks to an extraordinary team of 32 volunteers—including a talented cast of 15 bringing the characters to life, a visionary director and musical director, and a dedicated crew of 15 handling tech and front-of-house duties—our holiday production of Scrooge! was a success! With generous donations of time, costumes, talent, and wonderful camaraderie, these volunteers shared Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of redemption through repentance and forgiveness, celebrating the true joy of giving through charity and goodwill. The show delighted approximately 260 patrons across the holiday season. We’re filled with gratitude for everyone involved and excited for the new year ahead with fresh shows on the horizon!



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Rector’s Corner: Humbugs, Hospitality, and Holy Expectation and Celebration

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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Knit, Crochet, & Pray

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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Christmas Worship Schedule

Dec 24  Christmas Eve Eucharist with Pageant 4:00 PM (live-streamed)

Dec 24  Christmas Eve Carol Sing & Eucharist 10:30 PM

Dec 25  Christmas Day One service 10:00 AM

Dec 28  One Service 10:00 AM with Christmas Lessons and Carols and Potluck Brunch after service



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ECW Lunch and Learn

The Episcopal Church Women gathered yesterday for fellowship and learning as Sylvia and Vicki led us in “The Making and Breaking of the Bread.” The program began with the lighting of a candle—kept burning until the bread came out of the oven—and continued with Sylvia’s thoughtful reflections on how each ingredient and step in the process symbolizes the life of Jesus.

Of course, everyone enjoyed tasting the freshly baked (not consecrated!) bread, warm from the oven. By the end of the gathering, three women felt inspired to join the Bread Guild—thanks be to God!

This special ministry is open to everyone—women and men of all ages. If you’d like to take part in the holy work of baking our Communion bread, please reach out to Sylvia Campbell.



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All Saints’ Day Celebration at St. Matt’s

What a beautiful day it was for All Saints’ Day at St. Matthew’s! The sun was shining, the air was crisp, and our beloved church and grounds looked their very best. We started the morning with a full hot breakfast—good food, great company, and plenty of laughter. Our new class, St. Matt’s 101, had its first session and was a wonderful way to welcome those just getting to know our parish family and the Episcopal faith.

During both services, we paused to remember and give thanks for the saints who have gone before us, reading aloud the names of those we’ve lost this past year. In a moving part of the service, parishioners brought in small wooden crosses—decorated at home in memory of loved ones—which were placed in front of the altar as a sign of love and remembrance. The children’s choir added their beautiful voices to the day, filling the church with music and joy.

We closed our celebration with the annual In-Gathering, as congregation members placed their 2026 pledge cards in the basket—an act of gratitude, community, and hope for the year ahead.

 



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St. Matt’s Vintage Bazaar

See you next year!

The 2025 Vintage Bazaar was a resounding success, bringing together faith, fellowship, and community spirit under the warm (hot!) sun. We had a 70% increase in vendor participation compared to last year, with more than double the number of booths showcasing goods and services from parishioners, small business owners and neighbors throughout Snellville.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped make this day so special. Your support continues to build a stronger, more vibrant community. See you next year!

      

 

September 20, 2025

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” – Hebrews 13:2

DOWNLOAD 2025 VENDOR APPLICATION

Need more information? Email admin@stmatthewssnellville.org



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Dinner Theater Wrap-up

It’s a wrap! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made our Mystery Dinner Theater event, The Mystery of Montley’s Manor, a resounding success! Our incredible team of 22 cast and crew volunteers poured countless hours into crafting this fun filled production, while 40 dedicated “day-of” volunteers ensured a seamless and delightful experience for all who attended. Together, these 62 remarkable individuals delivered joy and fellowship to 150 community guests, serving more than 200 delicious meals to patrons, volunteers, cast, and crew across two incredible shows. Additionally, we’re thrilled to share that we raised over $3,000 for our capital campaign. To everyone who joined us, we hope you had a blast! Missed it? Stay tuned and keep an eye out for our next production!



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“Lord, I love the house in which you dwell
and the place where your glory abides. *
Psalm 26:8