Are you new to the St. Matthias Family?  Or do you already worship at St. Matthias' but don't have time to hang around after a service for fellowship?  Would you like the opportunity to get to know each other a little better, over a meal (a different type of communion)?  Join a Foyer Group!

What are Foyer Groups?

• Groups of 8-10 people get together once a month for three months in order to get better acquainted.
• Each group is made up people that initially sign up for a three-month period. Members are randomly assigned to a group.
• Each group determines when and where they will meet once a month. (One of the group members will be designated to coordinate each meeting.)
• Groups may meet for dinner in one of the group member's home, at a coffee shop or restaurant, picnic grounds, etc. The date, time and location will be up to the group. 
• If a group meets at someone's house, the hosts will provide beer and wine and the entr�e. The rest will be potluck.

When do they meet?

• Each group meets once a month for three months. Each group determines the date and time.
• Individuals may sign up for one three month session at a time.

This months' series will be September, October, and November 2014.

The Transition Team has been meeting since early 2014. Recently we started meeting twice a month, identifying the tasks that need to be done, scheduling those tasks and fixing responsibilities to accomplish them. On August 17 we will be sending out part one of our congregational survey, with part two scheduled for late September. Those written surveys will help to build our parish profile. We also plan to have a congregational meeting on August 17 where we will ask for your opinions on St. Matthias' strengths, future challenges, and the interim period of activity following Fr. Edgar's retirement and before the new Rector is selected and installed. Late in the year we plan to have a series of small group discussions which will be based on all the data we have been collecting to that point. We also hope to schedule a day for a "living history" discussion led by one of the Diocesan staff.

The Transition Team also has a meeting scheduled with our new Bishop Matt to review our work and get his input into the process. He and his staff will be assisting us in the selection of an interim leader and the Bishop will be involved in the final steps leading to the Vestry's invitation to our new Rector candidate.

Concurrent with the above steps we will be putting together an outline of our needs and desires for a person to become our interim leader for the period beginning January 1, 2015. This will involve our best estimates for what needs to be done and for how long.

During the early part of next year our focus will be on the preparation of our parish profile, putting together a "job description" and making information available when we "open the door" to invite persons who may be interested in applying for the permanent Rector position. Reviewing applications, evaluating qualified candidates, visits and reviews of candidates, and ultimately interviewing people will occupy our time in mid-2015.

Based on all the above, we currently anticipate that having a new Rector selected could be accomplished by October 2015. That includes final interviews, working with the Bishop on the last steps, making a recommendation to the Vestry, an offer being made, and acceptance by the recommended candidate. Every plan and projection is, of course, subject to change based on emerging information and circumstances. We regularly remind ourselves as a Team of several things: take our time and do our tasks well, listen to feedback and suggestions from our members and friends, and offer our work to God humbly and in the quiet confidence that all our efforts are under His control and timetable.

Thank you for your support and encouragement. As the year draws to a close we look forward to celebrating Fr. Edgar's many years with us and trust that our efforts to identify the future leadership of St. Matthias will work in harmony with the conclusion of the years we have been wonderfully led by Fr. Edgar.

Vocation comes from the word vocare which means calling. What have we been called to be and do? Theologian Frederick Buechner defined vocation as that place where our great gladness meets the world's deep hunger. Fr. Henri Nouwen said that a job is a temporary incarnation of a vocation. Author Gail Godwin said that a vocation is that which makes more of us. So to follow these ideas, we can find aspects of our vocation in our job, in our leisure, in our homes, in our churches, and in our relationships. We can find it in our photography or writings, in our music and dancing, in our loving others and receiving love back, in a myriad of different ways. The calling can come from the deep wells of our spirit, from others around us, from God, and from other sources that cross our paths and accompany our journeys. One of the most important things we can do in life is to help others re-discover, or uncover for the first time, that they might have something to offer. Just perhaps this may be you.

Sr. Joan Chittister says we can choose to thrive, not wither. "We can recreate ourselves in order to be creative in the world in a different way than the boundaries of our previous life allowed." We can start again at any age on the journey. Where am I on this journey of discovery about my vocation and work in life? What would I like to learn about myself and the opportunities I might have to live life more fully?

EFM (Education for Ministry) was created to help you find your vocation and ministry within a trusted group. By studying scripture, history, and reading other people's writings, we discover more about God's wonderful plan for our lives.

If you're like me, you're wondering how the summer could be passing so quickly. It seems like just a few weeks ago that we had our Ascension Day lasagna dinner.

I want to express a HUGE belated Thank You to all who participated, donated, and worked at our annual EFM fund-raiser last May. The event was the most successful ever, with over $600.00 going into our local scholarship fund.

The weather cooperated - though it could have been a bit breezier for the kite-flying. The food was delicious and a good time was had by all.

There were several requests for the Mexican lasagna recipe so here it is:

Ingredients:

1 � lbs ground turkey or beef

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 c salsa

1 can (16oz) refried beans

1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (10oz) enchilada sauce

1 can (4oz) chopped green chilies

1 envelope taco seasoning

� teas pepper

6 flour tortillas (10 inch size)

3 c shredded Mexican cheese blend (I used Jack & Cheddar)

2 c crushed tortilla chips

Directions: