Ministry Quicklinks
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Dear St. Matthew Family,
Please plan to be with us at our Annual Meeting this Sunday, after the 10:30 a.m. service in which we will elect three new members of vestry, approve the 2016 Budget and hear reports from your congregational leaders. Our nominees for vestry are Jo-Ann Pennerman, Lisa Tablada and Joe Consolo. By congregational vote and approval, Raul Rueda will fulfill Joe Flanagan's last year on vestry.
We have just learned that the property next door, owned by the University Baptist Church, may soon become the home of Somerset Academy, a kinder to High School, with 2500 students. (see article below) If this happens, there will be many changes for us at St. Matthew Church, and I will be talking about this at the meeting. In addition, the primates of the Anglican Communion met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, to discuss the feasibility of another Lambeth Conference, given the serious disagreements the Third World bishops have with the American Church and Canadian Church over same sex marriages and the ordination of partnered gay clergy. Sanctions were imposed on the American Church for three years in anticipation of a Lambeth Conference in 2020, but this may include expectations the American Church will not fulfill. I will be talking about this at the Annual Meeting as well. I will give my Rector's Report of the Parish at the time of the sermon in both services. The meeting itself will be in the parish hall following the 10:30 service.
Please join us!
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NEW! ADULT EDUCATION BIBLE STUDY
The Gospel of John. 9: 30 a.m., Huston Meeting Room. All are welcome!
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BAPTISMS!
Jordan and Justin Gutierrez were baptized on Sunday before a large gathering of friends and family. Praise God!
"Go into the world and make disciples, teach them all I have taught you and baptize them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and, lo, I will be with you to the end of the age." Mt. 28:19f
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ANNUAL MEETING OF
THE PARISH
This Sunday, at our Annual Meeting, we will approve the budget for 2016, hear reports, and elect three new members of vestry. The Vestry of the church is responsible for the budget and the maintenance of the church facilities. Working with the rector, the vestry plans and finances the ministries of the church. Our candidates are Jo-Ann Pennerman, Lisa Tablada and Joe Consola.
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Ash Wednesday Services
2/9, Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper,
5:30 - 8 p.m.
2/10 Ash Wednesday, 12 Noon, 7 pm.
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WEDNESDAY
EVENINGS in LENT
"Earliest Christianity, Experience of the Divine"
Luke Timothy Johnson
Professor of New Testament
Emory University, Atlanta
After 2,000 years, Christianity is the world's largest religion and continues to prosper and grow. What accounts for its continued popularity? Simply put, Christianity is powerful and persuasive as a religion. It offers a convincing
personal experience of ultimate, or "divine," power. During this series, we will explore some of those encounters with divine power of God that make Christianity so powerful and life transforming.
2/17 The Role of Religious Experience
2/24 The Resurrection Experience
3/02 Meal is Where the Magic Is!
3/09 The Community's Worship
3/16 The Transforming Word of Scripture
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ANNUAL CRAFT FAIR
Saturday
March 19
We will hold our annual craft fair and bazaar to raise money for Vacation Bible School in the summer. If you would like to rent a table or assist in organizing the day's activities, please contact Kristine Velazquez.
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BISHOP EATON DISCERNMENT MEETINGS
On Monday, January 11, Bishop Peter Eaton became our diocesan bishop, succeeding Leo Frade. Following his investiture on the 30th, there will be a series of meetings with the clergy and lay leaders of our diocese to discern the direction of our future ministry. This approach is collaborative with the intention of building a consensus and a more unified vision. The dates in 2016 are published on the diocesan website (follow link above).
Please be in prayer as we continue through this important transition in our life together in the Diocese of Southeast Florida. Please feel free to share any ideas you have with Fr. Jamie, Deacon Joanne, or our delegates, George Monticino and Kristine Velazquez.
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Diocesan Events
January 30, 11 a.m., Trinity Cathedral. The seating of Peter Eaton as Diocesan Bishop.
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|  SOMERSET ACADEMY TO BEGIN BUILDING NEXT TO
ST MATTHEW CHURCH
After years of waiting, the University Baptist Church, now known as "Christ Journey", which owns the 19 acres of property to the east of St. Matthew Church, has agreed to allow Somerset Academy to build a charter school on their property for the reputed price of eight million dollars. This will, eventually, include a church sanctuary on the north side, near the road.
In February of 1997, the church was originally approved for a Day Nursery limited to 98 children with hours of operation from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m in addition to the proposed church sanctuary, which was mammoth in size. The new application submitted last September, 2015 proposes a kinder to High School with 2500 students with 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. hours of operation, proposed speed zones of 7:15 a.m. - 8:45 am and 2:25 p.m. - 3:34 p.m. where traffic must slow to 15 mph. In all likelihood, there would be a traffic light at the school entrance. The church sanctuary would be smaller than in the original proposal.
Approximately forty neighbors gathered in the parish hall on Tuesday evening to express their opposition to the project and to discuss strategy. Fr. Jamie and Kristine Velazquez were present.
This will bring major changes for us. Because of the size of the project and entry and exit roads limited to Sunset Dr., traffic and congestion will increase dramatically and make commuting for those living in West Kendall that much more difficult.
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MIDWEEK PRAYER GROUPS
On the second Tuesday evening every month, at 7:30 p.m., a group of women meet to pray for the parish, individuals in need of healing and for other concerns they share. We meet in the Library of the Huston Office Building
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New members are welcome.
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PARISH WEBSITE
Go to stmatthewmiami.org for pictures of the latest parish events and activities!
Available in the narthex on the ledge as you enter or leave the sanctuary.
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|  HAVE YOU REMEMBERED ST. MATTHEW CHURCH IN YOUR WILL?
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