January 16 - 6:00 pm

Third Thursday
Evensong & Potluck 

January 30 - 7:00 pm

Documentary: Inequality for All

February 7 - 7:00 pm

Providence St. Mel's School Choir Concert

March 1 - (TBD)

Winter Survivor's Party

Please remember to check the server list on the bulletin board at church (or click here to see the latest monthly schedule online).

Also, if you are going to switch dates with someone, please inform either Bill Kane or Michael Tautges at the church office.

Thank you! 

Jr. Warden's Report:  Winter Safety Tips 

The Junior Warden exhibiting her favored Winter Safety Tip -- travel to Florida!

If winter fairy godmothers existed in real life, we could ask for this protective bubble around everyone so that they'd forever be spared the doom of slippery surfaces. Fortunately, there are some things we all can do to help ensure our safety.

• Walk slowly and carefully on icy or snowy walkways. Take short, deliberate steps in which the midfoot strikes the ground first, not the heel.
• Be aware that black ice can look like wet pavement.
• Be especially cautious when new snow may have hidden icy patches beneath it.
• Make sure footwear has good treads and is appropriate for cold or wet weather. (Plastic, leather, and rubber shoes are not safe.)
• Avoid walking with your hands in your pockets; keep hands free for balance.
• When possible, avoid carrying large amounts of materials.
• Place your full attention on walking. Digging in your pocketbook or backpack or using cell phones or other devices while walking is dangerous.
• Be aware of changes in friction on walking surfaces (for example walking from snow to ice, from curb to road, or from inside to outside).
• Test potentially slick areas by tapping your foot on them. Watch out for slippery parking lots, roadways, or sidewalks when stepping out of a vehicle.
• When getting out of your vehicle, look down at the surface. If it's coated with ice you might want to park in a different place.
• When entering buildings or homes, be aware that immediate entrances and stairs may be slippery from melted ice or snow.
• Remove the snow from the soles of your footwear as you enter a building or vehicle.
• If you have to walk through an icy car park or driveway, try to find a firm arm to lean on. Nearly everyone is happy to help a person move along a slippery walkway. All you have to do is ask.
• Bring a mobile phone when you go out of the house. If you fall, it could sometimes be hard to get up.
• If you have railings going up to your front door, make sure that they are sturdy. They should be able to support you in case you slip.

The mission of the Music Ministry Team is to "coordinate, monitor, and oversee the music of St. Matthias', subject to the approval of the Rector or Priest in charge."

The team continues to work out the "bugs" in the process of music selection, which includes deciding on mass music, hymns, and anthems for each Sunday. As our priest works with us in his transition over the next year, the team is figuring out details re. our role and structuring our new responsibilities.

We began with an overhaul of the choir room, which has a new, more spacious look. We have new file cabinets in the closet space that formerly housed the choir robes. The robes are now on rolling racks which are kept in the choir room and can be easily moved temporarily, when the choir practices. The choir room is our "robing room" on Sunday mornings. There are new cubbies (thanks to the Thrift Shop Furniture Annex) to house our choir folders. We have additional file cabinets in the church basement for additional music storage.

Next steps in our planning include setting up a timeline of tasks to be accomplished on a monthly basis, developing job descriptions and an annual performance review for the organists and choir director.

Touchstones:  Honesty 

Written by Diane Diederich

The second commitment to a healthy relationship is honesty.  Being honest has to do with keeping agreements and being responsible for our own actions.  It is in keeping agreements, large and small, that trust between people is built.  Sometimes agreements are broken unintentionally -- like being late for an appointment or for dinner or for not calling someone when you said you would...

These may be small things but they send a powerful message to the people who care about us.  Either I am honest or I am not.  If I break agreements, my partner has a right to question my honesty; my friendship can begin to disintegrate because of mistrust.  Other more serious commitments and promises, like loyalty and faithfulness, can be questioned when smaller agreements are broken consistently.

When we break an agreement we need to tell the truth and make amends promptly.  Keep our promises and we will be trusted.  Tell the truth at all times, even when it is not convenient or is embarrassing, and we will be believed.

The model we use for our behavior toward others, Jesus Christ, shows us over and over that honesty calls out the same in the other person. Jesus asks the woman at the well who her husband was and admitted she had none.  He asks the rich young man to give up his attachments to the things of this world; the young man admits he cannot.

Jesus embodies honesty -- that's why the leaders plotted to destroy him.  Those who practice deception or denial hate confrontation (the healthy calling to accountability).  If we are to build lasting and committed relationships, we risk being honest even when it's painful.