News - St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

Stewardship Talk #2, Given by Trisha Voiles, Senior Warden Oct 1

October 5, 2023

(Dressed as a pirate with cloak and pirate hat)

Did someone say there was a search for an Abundance of Time, Talent, and TREASURE here at St. Matthews???? Argh!

For those who do not know me by now, I am Trisha Voiles, Senior Warden of St. Matthew’s. I began coming with our family to St. Matthew’s in 1984, 39 years ago. I was a senior at Brookwood, and my parents were the ones in the family in charge of the giving of the Treasures. I volunteered with VBS.

After a year, I moved out, went to college, faded away from going to church regularly, and got married. Treasure was definitely NOT in abundance in those years. I remember counting pocket change to just get gas to get to Snellville to my teaching job. I got involved with our ECW, Episcopal Church Women, and got hooked giving much of my Time and Talent. Although it wasn’t a great abundance at first, the more I was able to give the better I began to feel about myself, and the abundance of Love from God as He sent it through the Love of our Church members. I began getting involved in VBS, Christian Formation classes, and helped with breakfast between services. I was Sunday School Superintendent and Youth Group Parent Team for a few years. I was ECW President for almost 20 years. Now, I have Vestry and Senior Warden. My children were involved in Christian Formation, youth choir, VBS, Acolytes, Youth Group, Talent Show, and were my shadows for many years, especially after my divorce. We did not have an abundance to give in treasures, but we gave what we could every year. I increased my percentage of giving each year, even if the increase was just a few extra dollars at first. I circle where I am on the proportional giving chart and see if I can make a jump to the next step or two.

Now for today, although Jim and I have had two bittersweet losses in recent years, God has blessed us abundantly. We are able to help where we can with Time, Talent, and Treasure now. The treasure may not be the overflowing abundance, but it has increased from the long ago days counting the coins. If you are just starting out or are in a place of less than treasure-ly abundance, I would like you to prayerfully consider what you do have to give. Consider helping in a new ministry you have been thinking about, if you have been in a ministry for a while, consider taking on a leadership role in that ministry. Encourage your family members to get involved in ministries. Even if you can only give $1, 5, 10, 20, or just two coins a week, you can add that on the pledge card in the envelope. Only our treasurer and financial secretary see any of the giving cards. These are between you and God, a promise that you can help in any way you can. On the front of the card you can list your treasure. On back of the card, list areas you do– or would like to– spend some Time and Talent. I wrote my name on the Ministry card, checked my ministries, and added that in my envelope. If you’re filling out the card for your family, you can put the initials of each family member also by the areas of their involvement. You can return the envelope in the mail, on one Sunday in October in the offering plate or bring it up to the basket on the altar, or put it in the slot in the office door. We would like to have them by Sunday, Nov. 5^th.

Right now, I would like to call on my crew, Fr. Tim, The Vestry and Finance Committee, to join me in Surrendering our Stewardship Envelopes. We have all been blessed with our Abundance of Areas we can help serve St. Matthews. We cannot do our jobs without YOU! We would like to encourage you to prayerfully listen to where God is leading you to put your Time, Talent, and Treasures in order to help St. Matthews share our abundance of Love with each other and the community. I promise you, YOU won’t regret the abundance given in return! Thank you! Trisha

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St. Matthew’s Day Mattie Awards & Photo Gallery

September 28, 2023

What a wonderful St. Matthew’s Day! Thank you to the Fellowship Committee for a delicious Taco Bar Luncheon, and to members of the Communications team for their work on the Flat Matt slideshow! Thank you to all who attended the lunch and service today!

Flat St. Matt has traveled the world this summer! The first annual Mattie Awards were awarded at the lunch: 3rd place to Nancy New, 2nd place to Mona Livermont and Carolyn Coil, 1st Place to the Roca family.

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Stewardship Talk #1 by Terri Hurst, Stewardship Chair

September 28, 2023

9/24/23 Given on the Feast of St Matthew’s

Today’s Gospel reading, short and sweet, tells of Jesus calling Matthew to follow him. It was shocking – Matthew was a tax collector, reviled and distrusted by most, but Jesus saw in him something that no one else did. He recognized that Matthew had gifts that only he could offer His ministry. Just imagine if he had not. Or, worse, if Matthew had said “no” to Jesus’ call. The world would have missed out on his witness to Jesus’s ministry and we’d be celebrating a different parish namesake on a different day.

It’s one of the common themes of the Bible – God using unexpected and decidedly unaccepted people to accomplish His purpose here on earth. In fact, most of the main characters in scripture are not your Hollywood hero types. Isn’t that good news for us? There’s a comfort in knowing that I don’t have to be rich or famous or beautiful or exceptional to be used by God.

There’s a challenge in it, too. Since God uses common people to do His work, we have no excuse to say “no” to His call.

The only requirements are that we have a willing heart and an obedient attitude. And if you’ve ever spent time with a toddler, you know that that’s not really human nature. If we’re honest, we all can be toddlers on occasion, which is why we need the Holy Spirit to nudge us into action and to discipline us. Sometimes I picture the Holy Spirit as Jiminy Cricket sitting on my shoulder and whispering in my ear.

You could spend hours digging around in scripture for stories of unexpected heroes – although I don’t like to call people heroes since God is the hero of the Bible. I encourage you to do that, but for now I’ll just highlight a few.

The little boy in Matthew 14 who gave up his lunch so that the multitude could eat. Two fish and five small loaves of bread miraculously fed a crowd of 5000 – and there were even 12 baskets of leftovers. God multiplied that humble offering into abundance, and even overflow.

The poor widow in Mark 12 who gave her last coin. Jesus praised her, saying, “This poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in everything – all she had to live on.”

Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, who in Mark 14 broke open an alabaster jar and anointed him with expensive nard. Her extravagance shocked the others and demonstrated her deep devotion to her Lord.

The brothers Abel and Cain all the way back in Genesis 4 – Abel kept the flocks and Cain worked the soil. Abel offered the fat portion of some of the firstborn of his flock, and the Lord looked with favor on him and his offering. But Cain only offered “some” of the fruits of the soil and “on Cain and his offering the Lord did not look with favor.” Abel is a beautiful example of joyfully giving to God out of gratitude, while Cain was a cautionary tale of what can happen when we give begrudgingly and with a stingy heart.

If you want a lesson on how to give joyfully no matter your circumstances, look at 2 Corinthians Chapter 8. Paul implores the church in Corinth to help the suffering Christians in Jerusalem. He brags on the churches in Macedonia, who were themselves impoverished. He says,

“Their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part … They gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability … They urgently pleaded … for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they … gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.”

Those early Macedonian Christians are a powerful example of the dynamic and dramatic difference that God’s grace makes in the lives and attitudes of His people.

The bottom line is, God just wants us to give with a joyful heart, out of gratitude for all that He has blessed us with. Paul told the Corinthians, “For if the willingness is there the gift is acceptable.” He reminds us that through His abounding grace, God enables all of us to abound in generous deeds.

“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous in every occasion and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.”

Reflect on that last part. “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.”

That sounds a lot like our collections for the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op. Or our contributions to any number of our outreach programs. Or giving our time and talent to serve the children of the community at Vacation Bible School. What service are you performing that is overflowing with gratitude to God?

As for figuring out how and when you can use your gifts to serve God, both here at St. Matt’s and beyond these doors? Well, you only need Proverbs 3:5, one of our other readings today. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

You don’t need to figure it out – God’s got it covered. You just need to get out of the way and listen for His call. And then answer it, of course.

And just like Matthew had gifts that only Jesus recognized? We all have particular gifts and it’s possible that we too have some that only Jesus knows about. This is the perfect time to prayerfully discern what they might be and how we might be able to use them for His glory, too.

Terri Hurst

Stewardship Chair

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Gettin’ Crafty with Sunny’s Kids!

September 8, 2023

Using crafts in Sunday school can be an effective way to teach Bible stories to young parishioners for several reasons:

ENGAGING! When kids create, they are more likely to pay attention and remember the lesson.
INSPIRES CREATIVITY! Children express their creativity while learning about Bible stories. They can personalize their crafts, which can make the lesson more meaningful to them.
STARTS the CONVERSATION! Teachers can facilitate discussions while crafting, encouraging children to ask questions and share their thoughts. This promotes a deeper understanding of the lesson.
INCLUSIVE! Crafts accommodate different learning styles and abilities, providing an inclusive teaching method for all children, including those with special needs.
FUN for ALL! Children often associate crafts with fun and enjoyment. When Sunday school is enjoyable, children are more likely to want to attend and continue learning about the Bible.

Are you INTERESTED in BECOMING A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER?

Being a Sunday school teacher is a critical ministry within a church community. It is a ministry of love and dedication. It can be incredibly rewarding to witness the spiritual growth of young parishioners and to be part of their faith journey. Sunday school teachers play a significant role in shaping the faith and values of the next generation.

At St. Matt’s, being a Sunday School teacher is not a full-time commitment! Rotating schedules and having the option to serve as a helper allows for a diverse group of volunteers with varying levels of experience and availability to contribute.

A Note about Planning: Not having to plan lessons can be a relief for some volunteers who may feel more comfortable assisting with established curriculum. However, those who are interested in creating lesson plans should also be encouraged to do so, as it can be a fulfilling aspect of teaching.

Interested in becoming a Helper? Please contact Mona Livermont or Cheryl Wheeler

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September is Food Drive Month

September 2, 2023

For the Month of September, we are collecting CANNED TUNA and CANNED CHICKEN. Please place items in the food barrels in the main hallway outside the parish hall.

Special Outreach Needs – Food Drive

The Southeast Gwinnett Food Co-op has asked all their supporting churches to hold a Special Food Drive in the Month of September. The state-run GNAP program (Georgia Nutrition Assistance Program) ended on Aug 31st. This program offered food products for purchase to all the food banks for pennies on the dollar. The co-ops will now have to stock their shelves by purchasing food wholesale. The co-op normally distributes 100 lbs. of food to the client households each month. That amount will have to be reduced to 40 lbs. The more donations the churches can raise will be a huge benefit to the Co-op. For those wishing to donate by check, please make the check payable to St. Matthew’s and put Food Co-op in the memo section.
Please support the food bank during this immediate need in keeping their shelves stocked!

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Youth Bear Witness at Camp Mikell Retreat

August 21, 2023

St. Matthews youth had their annual retreat at Camp Mikell, and it was amazing! The weather was hot, but the kids enjoyed learning about this year’s youth ministry theme, “Witness.” It is a noun for a person who sees an event take place, but it is also a verb – To profess Christ and proclaim Him. The group did Bible lessons on bearing witness and learned about the great commission and how they can bear witness and be witnesses in today’s world. Many thanks to our ministry leaders, adult chaperones, and program leaders, Jessie Hurst and Caroline Bowen, for making the weekend retreat successful.

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Many STM Hands Serve Dinner at the SE Gwinnett Co-op!

August 12, 2023

We’re so grateful for the many hands that helped prepare and serve dinner for clients of the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry on July 31, 2023. After the 10:30 a.m. service on July 30, several volunteers bagged sliced watermelon, and made and packed coleslaw. On July 31, at the Co-op, nine volunteers served more than 200 dinners from 4-6 p.m. Volunteers grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, and packaged them along with watermelon, coleslaw, chips, cookies and condiments to share with co-op clients.

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Plainsong Psalm Chanting In Two Minutes

August 3, 2023

By Warren Drury

During August, the Congregation and Choir of the 10:30 Sunday Service will be experiencing the Psalms using plainsong chant tones. The plainsong tones are among the oldest music of the Christian Church and certain forms of it can be traced to the liturgical music of the Jewish synagogue. There are eight tones settings that are used with the Psalms. They are listed as “Tone (Roman Numeral)”. I.E. Tone VIII. Some also include a letter or numeric suffix where the end of the phrase notes pitches (cadences) are modified from the standard tone. These tones were incorporated for use with the Book of Common Prayer by John Merbecke in 1550. These Psalm settings are still sung in many larger congregations and cathedrals.

To appreciate and follow how to perform these tones, please click on links below.

Plainsong is essentially melody heightening a text. It is designed with a single line melody that does not include harmony that is repeated for each verse. The flow of the chant is governed by the natural flow of the words, rhythm, and phrasing of each verse. It should not be rushed. Please note that the notes without stems on the staff are only for pitch and not duration of each notes. The flow of the text and number of syllables determines the duration of the notes value. In traditional settings, the Psalm has special marking that connect the Words or Syllables to the music. This is know as Pointing. To make the transition to this style of Chanting the bulletins will be using conventional musical staffs with all the verses corresponding to their musical pitch. In later Psalm settings we may use the pointed Psalm Text with a single music line, which is the way it is typically shown in church music and bulletins.

The components of Plainsong Chanting includes the Antiphon, Intonation, Reciting Note and Cadence.

ANTIPHON

Plainsong Chants begin and end with an Antiphon. The text is a portion of a verse or summarizes a truth about the psalm.

The Antiphon precedes the Psalm and will be sung once by the Cantor and then repeated by all. (Fig. 1)

[Antiphon]

The Psalm begins with Intonation, sung by the Cantor. (Fig. 2 Pointed Structure of the Chant)

INTONATION

The first two syllables of the first line of the Psalm are paired with a few notes (with or without slurs) that introduce the recitation tone. The intonation notes only occur on the first verse. Subsequent verses begin with the reciting note.

Pointing: The Intonation words or syllables are italicized. If they have double dots over the words they are attached to the slurs in the Tone.

Sunday’s Psalm begins

[Chant]

RECITING NOTE

The notation for a reciting note is a Whole note or Lozenge or rectangular note symbol. The reciting note is the same tone in both halves for the Psalm verse. Dashes in the text indicates omission of the reciting note for that portion of the verse. The chanted reciting note text includes all words and syllables for the verse until an accent mark occurs over a word. This mark indicates the preceding word is the end of the reciting note and the word or syllable with the mark is the beginning of the cadence. For our convenience, we have modified the setting to show the relationship between the text and the notes. See Figure 4 for Reciting Note and Cadence

CADENCE

Each Verse is divided into two parts. The cadence before the asterisk “*” is called the Median Cadence and the portion after is called the Final Cadence. The half verses are also called Versicles. A Cadence consists of one or two accented syllables and one, two or three preparatory syllables. Accent marks in the psalm text (‘) word or syllable correspond to the accent marks under the notes in the psalm tone (‘). The notes in parenthesis are used only when needed. In a few cases, the verse ends with an accented syllable. In many cases this should be sung to the final accented note in the half of the psalm tone, omitting the note(s) in parentheses and the final note.

So to put it all together, here is the beginning of the Sunday’s Psalm 99. (See Fig 5 – Pointed Text Version and Fig. 6 for Conventional Version)

[First 2 verses of Chant]