A Special Message from Pastor Mark

Dear Saint Matthew Friend:

"I wish I knew more about my faith"

I hear statements like this from Christians all the time.

They also say things like, "I wish that my children [or grandchildren] [or nieces and nephews] had a closer relationship with God."

At Saint Matthew, we try to address these very real concerns. We provide a variety of learning opportunities not just to fill people's heads with information, but to help them to live each day with confidence and hope and joy!

One of the missions of Christ's Church is to make disciples. That isn't just about evangelism, sharing the Good News with those outside of the fellowship of the church. It's also about growing in our own faith. That growth is something that mostly happens in our Monday through Saturday worlds, where followers of Jesus Christ face their daily ups and downs with faith, prayer, service, and immersion in the Bible.

But, if you're serious about your own growth as a Christian or the growth of the faith of the important children in your life, then we have some great opportunities to help you with that at Saint Matthew.

For example...

Sunday School kicks off its 2008-2009 program year tomorrow morning. There are classes for every age group. Adults start at 9:00/ Everybody else at 9:15. (If parents want to wait to show up for the adult class in the Luther Room until after their kids are in their classes, that's fine.)

Searching for the Truth, a six session class in which we compare our Christian faith to the beliefs of other world religions, begins on Monday, September 22. Each session will run from 7:00 to 8:30pm. (No class on September 29.) I've just been doing some work on this class and I'm getting really excited about it!To register, contact the church office at 385-2272.

Catechism is Saint Matthew's three-year program to prepare sixth, seventh, and eighth graders for their lives as adult Christians. The great thing is that we have several high school students who have decided that they want to be part of the class as well. If you have a young person in your life who would like to be part of this exploration of Christian belief, they can be registered by calling the church office at 385-2272. The first class for the 2008-2009 year happens on October 18, from 9:00am to 2:30pm. (Breakfast and lunch provided by parents on a voluntary basis.) We actually have a ton of fun in Catechism. Our focus this year will be on The Small Catechism by Martin Luther.

Watch for more opportunities for help with becoming more joyful and assured in your relationship with Jesus Christ!

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Mark

To Help You Prepare for Worship on Sunday

See here.

Last Sunday's Sermon...

is here.

More Mission Trip Pictures #6

To find out what Bailey, Jesse, and Pastor Mark are doing here, scroll down and read the post about Mel Trotter Ministries.

More Mission Trip Pictures #5

Jesse, taking a break from his endless sorting, shows how truly dangerous static cling can be.


Why is Garth Brooks sneering from Kylen's T-shirt? Doesn't he like the color of paint she's using?

More Mission Trip Pictures #4

Jacob and Fran (top and bottom pictures) joined Sam and John, along with folks from other congregations, in cleaning the Potter's House School in inner city Grand Rapids. The school began as a prayer, a dream, and a dare of faith with almost no cash. The school has continued to grow and bring the hope of Christ to a community that needs it more than most.

Our youth and adults were inspired by Potter's House.

They also worked very hard...including cleaning the entire building with paper towels!

More Mission Trip Pictures #3

Becky strikes a pose with her crew. They put in a full week at Mel Trotter Ministries.


Ask Hannah about her definition of tedium. It's bound to include as an example planting grass...one single blade at a time!

More Mission Trip Pictures #2

At the thrift store of Mel Trotter Ministries in Grand Rapids, a number of Saint Matthew mission trip campers joined their work crews in sorting through donated shoes, articles of clothing, sporting goods, toys, books, and other items. Literally thousands of shoes, each needing to be paired together with rubber bands and classified, were poured out of boxes where campers did the tedious work on the loading dock.

Mel Trotter Ministries, named for the man who in the early part of the century led it, helps people addicted to alcohol and drugs to get a new start in life. It's done in complete reliance on Jesus Christ. You can learn more about Mel Trotter Ministries in the book, Man with a Mission: Mel Trotter and His Legacy for the Rescue Mission Movement.

More Mission Trip Pictures

Stephen on the job.

Kylen and fellow crew members showing off the muscles they developed from their service.

Mission Trip Picture #1

In June, eight youth and four adults from Saint Matthew participated in the Group Work Camps Foundation's 'Week of Hope' mission trip in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It's one of a number of such mission trip camps run by Group each year. Our particular camp brought together sixty campers from four congregations from three states.

The daily routine included opening worship, work at various agencies, schools, and homes, daily devotions, and evening worship. Participants also had a lot of fun.

Pictured above is the Saint Matthew group. Each day, they were put with people from the other churches in work groups of which they were a part all week long.

[Click on the image to enlarge it...if you dare.]

Picture #1 from Saint Matthew's Vacation Bible School

Power Lab, Saint Matthew's Vacation Bible School for 2008, took place from August 4 through 8. A fantastic group of adult and youth volunteers made sure that the 21 children who came to Power Lab had a great experience and learned for certain through Jesus Christ, God gives us all powerful love. AHA!




[If you don't know what the AHA is about, ask one of the participants in this year's VBS.]

Jesus' Love is Powerful!

Clay and Ryan demonstrate that Jesus' love is powerful during this year's Vacation Bible School (VBS) at Saint Matthew, held, August 4 through 8.

More Pics from This Year's VBS

Lutheran Disaster Relief Needs Donations for Hurricane Gustav Recovery

[From the Southern Ohio Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, comes the following press release.]

LDR [Lutheran Disaster Relief] Ohio is coordinating resources to assist over 2 million people who were evacuated when Hurricane Gustav struck the Gulf Shore states on September 1, 2008.

Funds are needed to transport the Disaster Response Shower Trailer to the Gulfport, Mississippi area. Additionally, donations of building supplies, furniture, and appliances are being accepted to fill the Disaster Response semi-truck. Funds are needed to cover transportation costs.

In the coming weeks, volunteers will be needed to start home repairs and rebuilds. Information for volunteer reception centers will be made available as the centers are established. Monetary donations will be used to assist families with special needs that are not addressed by government services.

To donate items for the semi-truck and for other information, please contact Mary Woodward, LDR Ohio Disaster Coordinator, at 740-732-6700. To make monetary donations, please forward donations to LDR Ohio, 810 Main St., Caldwell, Ohio 43724 or to donate online go to the Lutheran Disaster Response Hurricane Response website.