You are invited to join us for these upcoming events and to participate in these ongoing ministries..
Church News & Announcements
Food Box Program
Next 7:30 am distribution dates:
September 30, October 14, 28
St. Matthew is proud to serve families who are in need of food assistance by giving out non-perishable food boxes from 7:30 a.m. every other Saturday. Each box is given on a first come, first serve basis and feeds a family of four for 3-4 days. Most of the food is picked up from the Midwest Food Bank through a partnership with them.
We have all felt the effects of our current inflation. Unfortunately it has also impacted the donations we receive for the food box program and we have some empty shelves that could use your help. How can you help: Canned vegetables or fruit, canned tuna or chicken, and small jars of peanut butter. Midwest food bank rarely provides us with these items. They can be dropped off at church in the shopping cart in front of the church, or between 5-6pm on the first and third Wednesdays of the month in the East side pull through. Please help if you can, one or two of the listed items per person will make an impact. If you would like additional information please contact Steve Childs, Virginia Hughes or Rosemary Glithero."
Join the Food Box Crew
The Food Box crew could use a couple of volunteers to join our team on Thursday mornings every other week. We could use one or two people to help pack the food boxes from 8:00-10:30, and/or someone with a truck to pick up our order from the Midwest Food Bank at 8:20 and deliver it to St. Matthew.
If interested, please contact Virginia Hughes at hugvirginia@gmail.com. We’d love to have you be a part of our team!
Thanks again for your continued support of this important mission.
Steve Childs
Food Box Coordinator
Combined Service with AZ Korean UMC
World Communion Sunday, October 1, at 9am with the Korean Congregation. Come celebrate with our Korean siblings what God is doing in our midst.
50 Years of Celebration
St. Matthew is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Pastor Joel is collecting everyone’s input on what has been special to you in your experience of St. Matthew. Whether you began as a charter member or just recently started attending, your voice is needed. Your responses will also be shared with the leadership teams as we consider what God is calling us to do and be in the next 50 years.
Please name and share significant events, major transitions, new ministries, and community influences that have impacted our congregation over the years. Also, because we are on a journey, include achievements and failures, gains and losses, traumas and healings. These events are very important as well because they show how God has helped us through the difficult times. If possible, please give approximate dates of the events that you list. For those who have been at St. Matthew from the beginning, you may want to name a highlight from each decade. Please send your responses to the church office or you can email them to Pastor Joel.
May this exercise be a rewarding experience as you name what God has done through the people of St. Matthew and may our celebration of 50 years of ministry inspire us to discern how God is calling us to serve in the next 50 years.
A New Leaf East Valley Men's Center
A New Leaf's East Valley Men's Center is a safe haven for men facing homelessness as they re-integrate in the community.
EVMC accepts homeless men 18 years of age and older, providing up to 120 days in emergency shelter, during which time they work with case managers to find permanent housing options. Residents are required to pursue employment and to save a majority of their income.
We provide 96 sack lunches about 20 times per year. We make lunches on Sunday mornings after worship and deliver. Each lunch contains 2 ham sandwiches, chips, Rice Krispie treat, an apple and a bottled water. The cost per lunch is about $2.00.
We do have some donations from our volunteer team to defray cost. We have been doing this for over 10 years. Donations are greatly appreciated. Checks can be made to St. Matthew UMC and marked for EVM lunch program. Thank you so much for your support.
St. Matthew Music Ministry
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Racial Justice Library
The Racial Justice committee has installed a small library in the cabinet in the chapel (sanctuary). We have included publications that we thought would interest our congregation:
- Several excellent publications from the Southern Poverty Law Center
- Book: River of Fire by Sister Helen Prejean
- Book: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- DVD: Just Mercy (2019)
- DVD: Slavery by Another Name (PBS – 2011)
Please stop in to see if there is material you’d like to check out!
Just sign your name, publication title and phone number on the form next to the publications.
Celebrating Black History Month
The Racial Justice committee has added a few items to our Racial Justice library, located in the chapel in the sanctuary. The items include:
- Southern Poverty Law Center's 2023 calendar, "Vision for a Just Future" which notes events as interest to those who are interested in racial justice topics
- A copy of Learning for Justice magazine
- SPLC's publications "The Year in Hate" and "Hate and Extremism in 2022"
Why not go to the chapel and check out all the offerings in honor of Black History Month? They are in the large cabinet, behind the glass doors.
Men's Bible Study
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