CELEBRATE!

The next opportunity for the sacrament of Holy Baptism is the Day of Pentecost, Sunday, May 11, during the 10 a.m. Eucharist. A Baptismal Preparation Class will be held on Wednesday, May 7 from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. for parents and godparents of those about to be baptized.

If you are interested or have any questions, please talk with Lucinda Laird, Jim Trimble or Debbi Rodahaffer at 895-3485.

Our library officially opened on Sunday, April 13! Now that it’s open, its features will soon become more apparent.

Display windows will showcase exhibits of various St. Matthew’s artifacts and other interesting materials. These displays will allow the church to spotlight not only archival items of importance to church members, but also books and other informational materials related to current and future topics of church programs and classes.

Examples of topics of special displays and bibliographies might include: People (Thomas Merton); Programs/Committees/Events (Habitat, Horizon Readers, Dimensions in Faith); Series (New Church’s Teaching Series); Subjects: (World Religions, Children’s titles, Biographies, Spiritual Journeys); and Recommended Reading (Clergy choices and Horizon Readers).

Most recently, there was a display featuring the building of our latest Habitat Home in conjunction with Holy Trinity Church.

Currently displayed are contemporary library books on science and religion, a theme selected in honor of the upcoming visit by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, who is a pilot and was an oceanographer before her call to the priesthood. There will be an adult education program with some Horizon Readers on the Sunday prior to the Presiding Bishop’s visit which will focus on her book: A Wing and a Prayer: A Message of Faith and Hope along with other readings that provide her viewpoint on science and religion.

Since September, Horizon Readers has been reading and discussing recent issues involving science and religion. During the past year, the group read Bodies and Souls, or Spirited Bodies by Nancey Murphy; Language of God: a Scientist’s Evidence for Belief by Frances Collins; Thank God for Evolution! How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World by Michael Dowd; and the Presiding Bishop’s book.

230 Macq John McQuarrie: Stubborn Theological Questions

Please join us at Corner Cafe, 9307 New LaGrange Road, on Thursday, May 15, at 11:30 a.m. All are welcome! Please call Betty Triplett, 425-9733, if you have any questions or need to carpool.

We are women who live and worship among you. You may recognize us by the silver cross we wear. Inscribed on the cross is "Magnanimiter Crucem Sustine," which means "With heart, mind and spirit, uphold and bear the cross." There are twenty-two Daughters in the Hildegard Visionary Chapter here at
St. Matthew’s. Each of us prays daily. There are three of us in the choir and four of us ring bells in one of the bell choirs at St. Matthew’s. At least three of us usher on Sunday mornings and at least five of us serve on the Altar Guild. All of us are active in the life and worship of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. Talk to any of us to find out more, or call Ann Hines at 894-0225. We will install new members in the fall.

Facilitate Your Pledge Payments

If you would like to make pledge payments for 2008 become easier, consider using our Direct Deposit program.

You can participate beginning in January by filling out a form you find in the Narthex, or by calling Ruth Kempf at 895-3485 if you have questions. Your pledge will be divided into twelve payments and directly deposited into the Church’s account each month of 2008 from your account. We now have around 70 people joining in this program.

It has multiple blessings. Ask around to see how much others like it. I would hope it helps to manage the personal financial life of members while keeping their Church’s life running.

"Are you passionate about recycling? Is old electronic equipment piling up at your home, school, and or office? Would you enjoy earning money for the church’s Green Team or other projects? EcoPhones is a fundraising organization that pays for cell phones, ink jet cartridges, DVDs, and numerous other used IT products. The Green Team is searching for a leader who likes a challenge. To learn more check out http://www.EcoPhones.com, or call Jan Garver (426-7981) or email her at (garverdl@msn.com). She has lots of printed material from EcoPhones about their campaigns and steps needed to organize such a parish-wide fundraising project."

Do you have questions about your account? Those who made any payment during 2007 will receive a statement during January. If you are concerned that you might be in arrears and would like to know your balance, or receive a payment record by mail or e-mail, contact Lee Fletcher at 896-1224, or lee.fletcher@insightbb.com.

Please remember that regular and building pledges go into two different bank accounts. To avoid confusion, write separate checks.

Make checks payable to Building the Spirit or St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church Capital Campaign or just put Building the Spirit in the notes field.

Donations to the Building Fund are always welcome, especially at this time.

Did you know that we moved the Clothes Closet, and Food Pantry to one of the Mission Offices above Saints Hall? Those offices were specifically built for mission – mission outside the parish. We have a committee currently looking at possibilities for groups, agencies, etc. using the other offices. Right now, the first office (as you come in from the main building) is used to collect gently used clothes, non-perishable food items, and other donations. (Food brought in on Sunday can be left in the narthex, but we’re trying to keep it neat during the week!)

Did you know that we donate money to St. MAMs (St. Matthews’ Area Ministries) to help people in our area (40207) and beyond in time of need (e.g. mortgage payments, rent, LG&E, food, etc.)? We are one of 13 churches in the area who support St. MAMs, and they have a line in our annual budget. They do a lot of outreach, including serving as a clearinghouse for people in

Horizon Readers will focus their attention this fall on these and other issues involving religious faith and scientific understanding. We will begin September 10 with theologian Nancey Murphy’s Bodies and Souls, or Spirited Bodies?, a 148-page exploration of some of the implications of science and the soul.

On October 8 we will take up the national best seller by geneticist Francis S. Collins, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. Since its publication last year Prof. Collins’s book has received much national attention. Descriptions, citations and reviews are widely available on the internet.

For additional information call Kit Kincade (426-1641) or Lee Fletcher (896-1224).

Each Sunday at St. Matthew’s flowers are given to the glory of God, and in memory of loved ones, in celebration of special occasions, or in honor of someone deserving special recognition. These names are printed in the Bulletin and are read during the "Prayers of the People." The donor is asked to make a suggested $30.00 tax-deductible donation to the St. Matthew’s Flower Fund. This contribution not only pays for the flowers selected and arranged by the Flower Guild but also helps defray the cost of special music for the choir as well as guest musicians.

Donors often prefer to give flowers every year on a specific Sunday – for example, "the third Sunday in September." Donors are notified by mail as to the actual date when the flowers will be displayed. Every effort is made to accommodate requests for specific dates; however if there are a large number of requests for a specific date, an alternate date may be selected.

If you are interested in giving memorial flowers, or if you are a current donor and would like to make changes to your memorial flower information, please contact Flower Fund Chairman, Barbara Uligian at 292-0604 or by e-mail at b.uligian@insightbb.com .