Holy Week Schedule

Holy Week is the primary period of special devotion to the passion and resurrection of the Lord. Here is the calendar of the week’s special services.

March 20 Palm Sunday – 10:30 am - Liturgy of the Palms in the Courtyard and special reading of the Gospel story of the Passion and death of Jesus

March 21 Monday in Holy Week – Noon - Holy Communion – B-14 (Wilson Room)

March 22 Tuesday in Holy Week – Noon – Holy Communion - B-14 (Wilson Room)

March 23 Wednesday in Holy Week –

7:00 am – Holy Communion – Wilson Room

Noon – Healing and Holy Communion – Sanctuary

March 24 Maundy Thursday – 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary followed by Prayer Vigil 8:00 - 11:00 pm at the Labyrinth

March 25 8:00 am - Noon: Prayer Vigil—B-14 (Wilson Room)

9:00 am - 11:00 am: Wilderness Stations of the Cross - Bull Creek area, meet at church

Noon: Good Friday Liturgy – Sanctuary with Choir

5:45 pm - Children’s Stations of the Cross begins in B-21

6:00 pm - Adult Stations of the Cross – Sanctuary

March 26 Holy Saturday Liturgy – 10:00 am – Sanctuary

Easter Vigil, in conjunction with All Saints’, The Front Porch, and the Episcopal Student Center at UT– 7:30 pm – Scholz Garten

March 27 Easter Sunday Services at approximately 9:00 am and 11:00 am

Holy Week For Children and families

Good Friday—March 25 5:45 pm, Children’s Stations of the Cross, B-21 A child-friendly Stations of the Cross that begins in room B-21 and continues in throughout the church.

Flowering the Cross—Easter Sunday, March 27, immediately prior to the 9:00 and 11:00 am services Children are encouraged to add a flower of their choice—one from home or one that the Flower Guild provides—to a cross that’s set up at the front of the sanctuary. Just come a few minutes early and join us at the cross, to put your flower there before the service starts.

Easter Egg Hunt—Easter Sunday, March 27, immediately following the 9:00 and 11:00 am services Brightly-colored plastic eggs stuffed with all kinds of goodies! Children looking in all places to find them! We invite you and your children to join the fun!

W EEKLY WORD M ARCH 20-27 , 20 16

Easter Vigil – Ancient and Austin

This year St Matthew’s will be celebrating the Great Easter Vigil Saturday night at 7:30 pm at Scholz Garten in downtown Austin. St Matt’s will be collaborating with the Front Porch, All Saints Episcopal Church, and the UT Episcopal Student Center to celebrate this most ancient of liturgies with performance artists from around Austin. It will be an evening of plain-chant and poetry slams, Rabbi Neil Blumofe chanting and Ballet Afrique moving to the Gospel. In short, it will be a Eucha-rist service like none other and something you won’t want to miss. Keep an eye out for Soul of a Musician participants Mer-rill Wade, Robert Harrison, and Cam Rogers playing a role, too. Submitted by Christian Hawley

The church office is

closed on Good Friday &

Easter Monday. We will

resume regular hours on

Tuesday, March 29.

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The Soul of a Musician Series is an outreach to musicians and to those who appreciate and respect their craft. Each evening is a concert and a conversation with the artists. We gather Sunday evenings at 6:30 pm at Iron Cactus, 10001 Stonelake Blvd, and invite you to come early to enjoy fellowship, food, and beverages before the show. Here are the upcoming shows:

March 20 - Billy Harvey - http://www.billyharveymusic.com/

March 27 - no show - Easter Sunday

April 3 - Emily Bell - http://www.emilybell.com/

April 10 - Jackie Venson - http://www.jackievenson.com/

April 17 - Jeff Black - http://www.jeffblack.com/

A link to the Soul Series can be found on St. Matt’s website, http://stmattsaustin.org/ and on Facebook at Soul of a Musician Series. Submitted by Merrill Wade

Help us with Easter Lilies to Welcome the Risen Lord

As you may have noticed, Lent is a time when there are no flowers on the altar or in the Commons, as we use this meditative time for reflection and renewal. On Easter Sunday, though, we’ll welcome the Risen Lord with an abundance of flowers and lilies all around the sanctuary!

You can help the Flower Guild provide those flowers by contributing a donation in the envelopes provided in the chairs of the sanctuary or by just making an annotation of “Easter Flowers” on the memo line of your check. Please join us in making our church a beautiful place to celebrate Easter! We will honor all those who donated by listing names in the Easter Sunday Order of Service. Submitted by Joyce Statz

Sunday Morning Adult Class on March 20, at 9:15 am in Huffman Hall: Pondering Some Big Questions

March 20 What’s so good about Good Friday? An exploration of Holy Week and our theologies of salvation. In this class, on Palm Sunday, the Rev. Christian Hawley will lead us into classical theology to raise our awareness of the Cross as we hear the Palm Sunday passion narrative that morning and again on Good Friday. Submitted by Merrill Wade

Volunteers Needed For Vestry Training Meeting– Saturday, April 2

Saturday, April 2, the Diocese of Texas will be holding a training meeting for Vestry members in the Central Texas region at St. Matthew’s. We need volunteers to help with check-in/breakfast (continental breakfast) and lunch (box lunch ordered in) coordination. The volunteers will not be responsible for cooking or extensive food preparation. First shift (4 people) is 7:30-9:30 am and Second shift (4 people) is 11:00 am-1:00 pm. If you are available, please contact Lisa Ottenbacher at lisao.atx@gmail.com or 512-461-7480. Submitted by Lisa Ottenbacher

Good Faith Needs Volunteers!

Lately, it’s been quieter around the office on Tuesdays during the Good Faith call hours. Not because we have fewer calls—we have just as many as ever—but because we have fewer volunteers; some have retired in the last couple of months. We need your help! If you’re available even just one or two Tuesday mornings a month, between 10:00 am - noon, please consid-er becoming a Good Faith volunteer—no experience necessary, training is provided! For more information or if you’d like to help out, please contact Christy Wittie at cwittie@austin.rr.com. Submitted by Christine Havens

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Monday Noon Clergy Class – Looking Ahead

All classes are held in B-18—start at noon sharp and end at 1:00 pm sharp

March 21 – Holy Week – no class

March 28 – Easter Monday – office closed – no class

The Rev. Norb Firnhaber, retired Lutheran Pastor, will lead our classes in April, looking at the markings of each Gospel and selected texts that illustrate the writing. Since we are in the Easter Season, we will also examine resurrection narratives from each Gospel.

April 4 - Mark

April 11 – Luke

April 18 - Matthew

April 25 – John

All are invited! Submitted by Merrill Wade

Remembrance Memorial Wall

Late last year, the vestry approved the proposal from the Memorial Garden Committee (MGC) to build a Remembrance Me-morial Wall alongside the common urn, just west of the Memorial Chapel. This wall will have room for 170 tiles that are 4” by 8”—enough room for the name and dates of the person you wish to remember.

This picture is an artist’s rendition of the wall. After the 10:30 am services on Sunday, March 13, members of the MGC will attend a table in the commons to answer questions and accept applications. The plaques will be offered at a special introduc-tory price with 4”x 8” available for $150.00. The special price for larger plaques (8” x 8”) will be $400.00.

Please be sure to stop by on March 13 and find out more about this Remembrance Wall! Submitted by Chris Schumacher

Last Call….We’re Loading the Ark

If you missed your chance to make a donation to Heifer, please feel free to drop a check in the of-fering today or Easter Sunday.

Be sure to make your check payable to: St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church and please note: Heifer on the memo line.

Children: Deposit your filled ‘Ark Banks’ in the large Heifer Boxes in the Commons on Easter Sunday.

Thank you everyone for your generous donations. Submitted by Lisa Hobbs

Maundy Thursday Prayer Vigil at the Labyrinth, 8:00 - 11:00 pm

“Stay with me... Remain here with me... Watch and Pray.”

Can you stay and watch and pray for one hour?

Whether you sit quietly at the labyrinth praying, or share your walking prayers on the labyrinth . . . This is a very special time to be with Jesus in the 'Garden of Gethsemane'. Submitted by Judy Neely

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Save the Date: Men’s Annual Retreat, June 3-5, 2016

All men of the parish are invited to attend the 2016 Men's Retreat, June 3-5, 2016, at the Well Spring Retreat Center, near Blanco, TX. Enjoy good fellowship and good food with the men of St. Matthews.

Fr. Jim Williams, assisting clergy at St. Matthew’s, will be our Retreat Chaplain and lead us in an optional morning session on Centering Prayer, a meditation that places a strong emphasis on interior silence. Travis Helms, Youth Minister, will serve as this year’s Retreat program leader, with content details forthcoming.

More details on registration, schedule, speakers, and content will be released when finalized. Questions by email, call, or text to Don Neely (neely2175@gmail.com, 512.507.5023). Submitted by Don Neely

Gorgeous weather, generous spirit

Thank you to everyone who generously brings non-perishable food items each week for the Caritas Food Pantry. We are well on our way to achieving St. Matt’s 2016 goal of contributing more than 10,000 pounds of food to those who are hungry in the Austin area.

Right now, there is a particular need for: canned ham, canned mixed vegetables, pasta sauce in cans or plastic containers, pasta, canned fruit, cold cereals and shelf safe milk cartons. Caritas could also use some heavy duty reusable grocery bags if you or your company have extra sup-plies. Please be sure that all donated food items are not past their expiration date as they have to be thrown away.

Caritas could also use some heavy duty reusable grocery bags if you or your company have extra supplies. Caritas collection baskets can be found in the Sanctuary Commons and in Huffman Hall.

If you weren’t able to bring an item this week and would like to contribute, you are welcome to place a $1.00 donation in the Caritas money box, near the collection baskets in the Sanctuary Commons, the proceeds from which will be used to purchase food. Thank you. Submitted by: Jane Baxter Lynn

noun, Latin, meaning: Love

Note from Your Treasurer Where did all the money go – Gratitude Together capital campaign money, that is?

Starting in 2014 ‘til February 2015, contributions were $1,734,000. St. Matthew’s paid off the bank debt from the earlier kitchen renovation ($69,700) and paid the campaign consultant and the expenses of the pledge-raising ($70,900), then started the construction and maintenance projects. These are the projects started in 2014 and finished in 2015.

Sanctuary and education building roof replacement $ 401,900 Sanctuary west wall water remediation 318,200 Johannes sanctuary organ 175,000 Huffman Hall renovation 133,500 Heating and air equipment 89,000 Parking lot lighting 34,300 Exterior moonlighting completion 7,000 Altar carpet replacement 6,800 Projects in progress 47,700 TOTAL $ 1,213,400

St. Matthew’s has about $380,000 cash in the bank, awaiting contributions to complete the pledges due through June 2017. The vestry will soon start other 2016 projects. News will be forthcoming. Contact Treasurer Jack Roberston at jcrobertson@austin.rr.com. Submitted by Jack Roberston

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The Breakfast Club Continues Sunday Mornings, 9:00 – 10:15 am, Youth Center.

The Breakfast Club has been a huge success for the past few weeks!

Who: ALL parishioners and visitors

What: Come join us for breakfast…adults can come grab a quick bite of breakfast before Adult Sunday School OR families can swing by and drop kiddos off before Sunday School or stay together as a family for fellowship.

Where: Youth Center (2nd floor of the Day School - terra cotta bldg.)

When: Sunday mornings, 9:00 - 10:15

Why: Fellowship! We are offering a relaxed intergenerational offering for folks of all ages to gather together.

Each Sunday we will offer coffee, juice, fruit, tacos or pastries (gluten-free option every Sunday, too). Submitted by Susan Goodman

Family Ministry News

Family Service Dates: March 20: Family Service (Palm Sunday, gather in the courtyard first) March 27: Easter Sunday combined services April 3: Family Service April 10: Family Service April 17: Family Campout at Inks Lake

Easter Egg Fillers Needed! The Family Ministry Team is in full gear preparing for Easter Sunday—one of the most exciting events at St. Matthew's is the annual Easter Egg Hunt (after the 9:00 and 11:00 services). We are in need of Easter candy, snacks, toys, stickers, etc. The stuffing has started and we have MANY eggs to go! Please drop off donated items in the Easter boxes in the Commons or the parish office. We are so grateful for your support of this fun event! Thank you in advance. Submitted by Susan Goodman

Vacation Bible School 2016!!!!! Save the Week—June 27 - July 1, 9:00 am - Noon

Surf Shack VBS, Catch the Wave of God’s Awesome Love! Surf’s up! Surf Shack VBS will keep our surfers in the pocket so they’ll hit the impact zone with a deeper understanding of God’s amazing love. Daily themes include God Creates, God Helps, God Loves, God Calms and God Sends. Your child won’t want to miss this amazing week! Ages 3 (potty-trained) - 5th graders. Registration will begin April 1, $75 per child. Extended care is available—see the webpage for more information: http://stmattsaustin.org/dfc/newsdetail_2/3177461 or contact Susan Goodman, Family Minister, at sgoodman@stmattsaustin.org. Submitted by Susan Goodman

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Children’s Ministry News

Please join us for an intergenerational breakfast gathering for folks of ALL AGES during the Sunday School hour, 9:15 – 10:15 am. This will replace our usual GRACE offering. Adults are welcome to drop off their kids and attend an adult offering or stay. Submitted by Gloria Bankler

Youth Ministry News March Youth Events — we have some great ministry events this month. Please join us for the following—and, as always, feel free to bring your friends!

Sunday, 3/20 — Youth Group, 6:00-8:00 pm in Youth Center.

Sunday, 3/27 — Youth Group (tentative), 6:00-8:00 pm in Youth Center.

Submitted by Travis Helms

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS - Brotherhood of St. Andrew Scholarship Program Due Date: Thursday, March 31, 2016

This year, the Texas Diocesan Assembly of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew will give $2,000 scholarships to eligible high school graduating seniors to go toward the payment of college tuition. The St. Matthew chapter is eligible to sponsor/recommend one candidate application for the Diocesan-wide competition. Below are the qualifications for eligible applicants:

Must be a member of a parish or mission in the Diocese of Texas

Must have been baptized

Must be a graduating high school senior in 2016

Must be planning to attend a college starting in 2016

Must be in good standing and active in school and church

Must have a GPA OF 3.5 or better

In addition to the application materials, applicants must complete a fifteen-hundred word or less response to the following questions:

“What experience have you had at your church and/or your community that inspired you to serve? How are you serving God right now? Why do you think you qualify for this scholarship?”

Interested applicants can receive the application (electronic or hard copy) by contacting the St. Matthew Office (office@stmattsaustin.org or call 512-345-8314) or by clicking this link: BoSA Scholarship Application 2016.

DUE DATE: Thursday, March 31, 2016

Completed applications and essays (electronic or hard copy) must be submitted by March 31 to Don Neely (neely2175@gmail.com or 512-507-5023), who will provide applications to the St Matthew Chapter Committee, who will forward a single application to the Texas Diocese Brotherhood of St Andrew office for receipt by Wednesday, April 6, 2016. No late applications can be accepted

We encourage all qualified applicants to consider this wonderful opportunity! Submitted by: Don Neely

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In Our Prayers March 20-27, 2016 This list is read aloud at daily Evening Prayer (6 pm, Charlotte Cauley Gray Bell Tower Chapel)

and is included on the Intercessory Prayer Network.

Clergy: Justin of Canterbury; Archbishop; Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Andy, Dena, and Jeff, our Bishops; Merrill, Christian, Chuck, Jerry, Jim, Dorothy, and Margaret, our clergy; and John and Carrie, our seminarians.

Lay Leadership: the Staff, the Wardens, Treasurer and Vestry, the Endowment Committee and the Memorial Garden Committee, and all the other commissions and councils of the Vestry of St. Matthew’s.

Our Outreach Partners and Ministries: Kairos, Habitat for Humanity, El Buen Samaritano, Good Faith Ministry, MPAC, Job Support, Care for the Caregiver, Heifer Project, Casa Marianella, Caritas, Capital Area Food Bank, Trinity Center, Women’s Story Book Project, Hope House, Honduras Good Works, Interfaith Action of Central Texas (IACT), Prayer Shawl Ministry, Threads of Love, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Daughters of the King, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Community of Hope, and the Episcopal Veterans Fellowship.

Our men and women in the Armed Forces and others who serve our country at home and overseas.

Our brothers and sisters in Christ who are actively being persecuted for your name, and all of God’s children who know suffering at the hands of war, disease, natural disaster, injustice, and oppression. Remembering especially the churches in Syria, Egypt, and Iraq, and the people of Afghanistan, Ukraine, and the Holy Land; the people of Syria; hospitals in war zones and all those around the world affected by terrorism and violence; the people of Flint, Michigan.

The students, families and staff of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School and other schools and seminaries: General Theological Seminary and Seminary of the Southwest.

Those on our prayer list:

Jim Sparks Kelley Meyer Tom Hudson Alex Acosta Jane Bray

Judy Hogan Barbara Borden Larry Nichols Glen Ellis Colette Torres

Mike Wilson Sue DuMond John Burton Dorothy Keys Rich Miller

Howard Murphy Cressa Mast Jeffrey Seiler Virgie Seiler Nicholas Lane

Nancy Richards Suzanne Strocko Eric Lambert Jane Bugnand Lauren Upchurch

Justin Reed Carlyn Erma Warhus Mary Angela

Jill Karen Laura Mary Matthews Sarah

Josh & Tracie David Dubbink Kin Wetherille Kathy & Bill Harlan StahleckerMare Winter Truman Owen Reenie & Bill David & Charliss Arianna D.

James & Glenda Peggy S. Andrew & Amanda James Logan Brown

Laurie Wells Matson Jamie McGillicuddy Rev. Dorothy Robinson

Capt. Michael Patrick Brown Julie & family Mark Clifton & family

Mike & Melissa Stokes Todd & Carolyn Wittie the family of Rosalin Braulick

Lynn Durrenburger and family Jim & Martha Funderburgh the family of Marjorie Bounds

the Ledenhams & the family of Suzanne Little

Debbie Noack & the family of Clarice Yahn

Those who have died

Suzanne Little, niece of Woody & Susan Ledenham Cyril Durrenburger, husband of Lynn Rosalin Braulick

Marjorie Bounds Altar Flowers Dedications

The altar stands empty of flowers during the solemn season of Lent.

We invite you to dedicate lilies when flowers reappear at Easter

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This Week In the Life of the Parish March 20-27, 2016

The Church Calendar can be accessed on the St. Matthew’s Website: http://stmattsaustin.org/About/resources.html

Evening Prayer Daily at 6:00 pm in the Cauley Bell Tower Chapel

THE CHURCH OFFERS NURTURING AND EXPERIENCED CHILDCARE EVERY SUNDAY MORNING

8:30 - 11:30 am in Huffman Nursery for children 0-4 years old

Personal prayer teams are available during communion at the 10:30 service in the sanctuary. We have a prayer station on the west side in the gallery. All prayer requests and discussions are completely confidential.

Home delivery of communion is available if you are unable to come to church and would like Holy Communion brought to you on Sunday, please call the church office at 512-345-8314.

If you are unable to walk to the altar for holy communion today, please notify an usher and the communion elements will be brought to you where you are seated.

BE IN THE KNOW about parish events and news! You can subscribe to the St. Matthew’s email list by visiting our website at www.stmattsaustin.org and clicking the “Subscribe” button on our homepage.

All submissions, including prayer requests, for the Weekly Word must be received by the church office by Wednesday at noon in order to appear in the upcoming Sunday’s edition. Please send Weekly Word articles to Christine at chavens@stmattsaustin.org or word@stmattsaustin.org; prayer requests, send to Mickie at office@stmattsaustin.org

Church Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sunday, March 13: 8:00 am HE I, 18; 10:30 am HE II, 216; 10:30 am Family Eucharist, 70; 5:15 pm Contemplative HE, 6; Soul of a Musician, 70; Total: 380

Wednesday, March 16: 7:00 am, 6; 12:oo pm Service of Public Healing, 5; 6:30 pm, Evening Prayer, 17; Total: 28

Vestry Persons of the Month for March: Debbie Simons & Alexis Bagshaw

If we can assist you in any way, please contact the Church Office.

Rector: The Rev. Merrill Wade

Associate Rector: The Rev. Christian Hawley

Rector Emeritus: The Rev. Charles Huffman

Assisting Clergy: The Rev. Jerry Chapman, The Rev. Dorothy Robinson, The Rev. Jim Williams, The Rev. Margaret Waters

Director of Music/Organist: Ms. Jean Farris Fuller

Choral Director: Eric Johnson

Family Minister: Susan Goodman

Youth Minister: Travis Helms

Children’s Minister: Gloria Bankler

Seniors’ Minister: Lucy Boyea

Our Vestry: Senior Warden, Doug O’Connell; Junior Warden, Lisa Ottenbacher; Lise Harding; Debbie Simons; Jim Michael; Janice Watkins; Christian von Wupperfeld; Charlie Smith; Alison Street; Sandra Bravo; Alexis Bagshaw; Becky Casares; Lisa Hobbs; Mark Strickland; Anne Webster; Treasurer, Jack Robertson

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church 8134 Mesa Drive Austin, TX 78759

Telephone (512) 345-8314 FAX (512) 346-2085 www.stmattsaustin.org Follow us: Facebook: St Matt’s Austin Twitter: @StMattsAustin

ST. MATTHEW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH