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.

 

Where has Flat St. Matt been so far? Check out the photos

School’s  out for summer, which means time for family vacations, summer camps, adventurous long weekends and more. Although you can’t take all of us with you on your trips, you can take Flat St. Matt! Send your pictures to admin@stmatthewssnellville.org with information about where they were taken, and we’ll display them on a bulletin board for all to enjoy. We’ll miss you while you’re away, but with Flat St. Matt, we’ll be with you in spirit. We look forward to seeing all the adventures you and Flat St. Matt will have this summer!

 



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A Word from Fr. Tim: Resurrection and Mothers’ Day

Resurrection and Mothers’ Day

We have eighteen days left in Eastertide (or the Great Fifty Days of Easter). We are still celebrating the joy of the Resurrection. The Paschal Candle remains lit when we worship as a reminder of the hope that carries us from darkness to light. If that spirit and gladness of the Resurrection have worn off, or you are anticipating a summer vacation to the mountains or the beach, don’t worry; you still have plenty of days to praise God for the victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ. Easter is still going strong!

This coming Sunday is Mothers’ Day. If you forgot, or maybe you overlooked it with the craziness that the end of the school and program year entails, don’t worry; you have a few days left to get a gift or card or maybe make a reservation for lunch on Sunday (after you come to worship, of course). We celebrate all women who have been mothers in some way, shape, or form throughout our lives. We honor the women who gave us life in many ways – physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Perhaps this Sunday is a way to commemorate the mother figures in our lives and remember the Resurrection, which gives us new life and beginnings.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus proclaimed, “I am resurrection and life.” This statement is profound and encompasses not only the future and past but also the present. Our mothers were given to us by God to lead, protect, and, most importantly, love us. Our existence is due to both our mothers and the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus. What better way to celebrate Easter than to lift the women who made a difference in our lives and did their best to direct and guide us through life? Some of the most critical women showed me what it meant to live a whole life, and I thank God for their roles and how they shaped my life.

However you recognize and celebrate our mothers this Sunday, let’s also praise God for motherhood and how it has changed and enriched our lives. Let’s boldly declare, “Alleluia! Christ is risen!” for the rest of these Great Fifty Days. And let’s not forget the presence of God, who is always making things new and giving us new life!

Father Tim



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Derby Day 2023 Photo Album



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Easter 2023 Photos



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Rector’s Corner: The Holiest of Weeks

We are entering one of the busiest times of the church year: Holy Week. It is a time filled with multiple liturgies, schedules, and arrangements between the various ministry groups, worship times, and many bulletins (I say this as I finish another round of proofreading). The church will have a lot of activity as we prepare to welcome visitors, seekers, and guests. We will do our best to enter into the sacred space of Holy Week. But I want you to consider taking a little time for yourself in the presence of God.

A clergy colleague always says during the season of Advent, “Slow down, be quiet; it’s Advent.” Maybe we can apply this slogan to Holy Week and hear me out before you say, “That’s all well and good, Father Tim, but you know how insane this week can be?” When I invite you to take some time to yourself, it can be just about anywhere and anytime during Holy Week. You may find the time for silent meditation for a moment throughout one of the liturgies, especially during the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday liturgies, where there is intentional silence. You may find time on Holy Saturday as you prepare for the Easter celebrations. Perhaps you can find time to reflect on the last week of Jesus during a walk in the beautiful spring we are experiencing in Snellville. You could find time during an early morning in the week as you pray and offer yourself and your day to God with your first cup of coffee.

And you may find that the only time you get is during a drive to church or somewhere else. Regardless of where you find time for yourself, know that all our occasions with God are holy, sacred, and unique, and God is interested and wants to be with you and, hopefully, vice versa. However, as you enter and experience Holy Week this year, I hope you are intentional and open to the time God gives you and the wonder of this week’s liturgies.

May God be with us as we travel with Jesus to the cheering crowds of Jerusalem to the intimacy of Maundy Thursday, from the solemnity of Good Friday to the joyful proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection and victory over death at the Great Vigil of Easter and Easter Sunday. I pray that we all have a wonderful Holy Week and find God in some unexpected places during our journey with Jesus.

Holy Week Blessings!

Father Tim Meyers
Rector



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Parish Workday Thank You and Photos!

A BIG Thank You to those 42 Worker Bees who came out to the Parish Work Day today! Fun, fellowship, and hard work was completed by everyone who came out! Things were cleaned and organized that have been needed for a very long time!

We completely emptied and reorganized the parish shed, the pantry and kitchen cabinets, the closet in the parish hall, storage rooms, pressure washed the preschool Little Tyke cars, and put down mulch in the lower gardens to the left of the church building outside the undercroft. And thank you to the Brotherhood for providing lunch for everyone.

We have set up a new Meeting Room #2 next to the copy room, moved a volunteer desk into the office, established a new Flower Guild space, and set up a storage room in the undercroft.

We have many items in the parish hall on tables available for FREE! Please take a look at them and feel free to take anything you can use. Anything left will be donated or put in the St. Matthew’s Yard Sale on April 22. More info to come on the Yard Sale soon!

Watch for photos of this fun and productive day in next week’s newsletter, The Messenger.

Sincerely Thankful for the St. Matthew’s Family,

Trisha Voiles, Senior Warden

 



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Youth: New Beginnings Wrap Up

This past weekend we had several of our youth, our Youth Interns Jessie and Caroline, and Fr. Tim as the Spiritual Director attend New Beginnings. The weekend’s theme was Paved Way and the middle schoolers experienced spiritual formation through games, talks, music, and building their relationships with leaders and peers.

During the weekend the middle schoolers came out of their shells making new friends and discussing topics with peers that are tough to discuss with others. They had some amazing discussions about friends, parents sibling, God’s Love, and what the church means to them.

Our thanks to the adults and senior high youth who formed the team and accompanied the middle school on this retreat weekend.

 



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A Word from Fr. Tim+: New Community

Last weekend, New Beginnings #45 was held at Camp Mikell. New Beginnings is a spiritual retreat for middle school youth staffed by high school youth and adult leaders. The retreat is a wonderful way to connect or reconnect with God.

Many youth from around the diocese, many of them from St. Matthew’s, gathered for music, spiritual talks, small group time, four-square competition, and fellowship. Having been the spiritual director for the weekend, I observed what I call “instant community.” No matter where everyone came from, what the previous week was like, or what grade you were in, people formed a community. I loved seeing how strangers and old friends created community and everyone was a part of it. No prerequisites or applications, just presence. As the weekend restart unfolded, I saw how tight the community had become and friendships that became solid and treasured. I saw the community that Jesus envisioned for the world unfold, which is beautiful and hopeful.

We are always asked in the baptismal liturgy, “Will you respect the dignity of every human being?” and New Beginnings is the place where the answer to this question is not just answered but is put into practice. We have the opportunity to learn so much from teenagers about our faith. We can see how the love of Jesus for all is the community that young people form.

Let’s continue to support our youth ministries and renewal retreats for youth as much as possible. And let’s embrace New Beginnings as a model for the community we want to build, not just because Jesus wants to make it a reality for us, but because it will help form us into the people that God wants us to be.

Blessings and Beginnings, Fr. Tim+



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Pancake Supper Served by our St. Matt’s Youth on Shrove Tuesday

Many thanks! and kudos to the Youth and the youth parents for an outstanding Pancake Supper on Shrove Tuesday, February 21! We had a great turnout for the evening, and appreciate all the support from the parish for our youth program. All funds generated will support youth programs.

Check out a few photos from the evening!



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