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THE CIRCUIT BOARD
Join us for worship on
Sunday mornings
Traditional Worship
8:15 & 11:15am
Modern Worship 9:45am
Classes & Studies for all
ages 9:45am
In This Issue
A Note from Pastor Neil
St. Matthew’s
Upcoming Events
Music Ministries/
Worship Schedule
Among our
congregation
WDS Update
Inclement Weather
Policy
Children’s Ministry
Update
New Sermon Series
Ash Wednesday
Service
Welcome New
Members
Staff Spotlight
UMW Corner
Women’s Retreat
St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church February 2016
St. Matthew’s Upcoming Events
February 7th
Lent Sermon Series Begins
February 10th
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday Services
1:30PM & 7:00PM
February 14th
Handbell Dessert Concert
Lenten Prayer Study Begins
February 15th
President’s Day
Church Office Closed
February 17th
Lenten Evening Worship @ 7:00PM
February 20th
Children’s Council Parents Night out
February 24th
Lenten Evening Worship @ 7:00PM
February 28th - March 6th
Hypothermia Shelter
March 2nd
Lenten Evening Worship @ 7:00PM
March 9th
Lenten Evening Worship @ 7:00PM
www.stmatthewsumc.org
From Pastor Neil’s Study
On Wednesday February 10, Christians around the world will embark on a
very special spiritual journey. The Christian season of Lent, which begins
on Ash Wednesday (February 10), is a 40-day season of spiritual preparation
for the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection at Easter. (Sundays are always
feast days and are not included in the 40 days of Lent.) During Lent, we ex-
plore the depths of our need for God’s grace and commit ourselves to de-
votional practices like worship, prayer, study, service, silence, solitude, and
sacrificial giving.
I know that many Christians don’t particularly like the season of Lent. It is
serious – even somber – and less celebratory than the high seasons of
Christmas and Easter. (If you’re a musician, you might notice that a lot of
Lenten music is written in a minor key, in contrast to the major key of Easter hymns like Christ the
Lord Is Risen Today.) But sometimes we need to take a step back and look at our lives with honesty
and humility. We need to remember that we are mortal, and renew our commitment to Christian dis-
cipleship. For many of us, our annual Lenten journey is when we make the greatest strides in our rela-
tionship with God.
At St. Matthew’s, our 2016 Lenten theme will be Finding Life: Following Jesus in John’s Gospel. In
our sermons (which start on February 7) and in the church-wide study that we will be offering, we will
explore The Gospel According to John. John’s Gospel is filled with rich images and profound truths to
help us understand who Jesus is. Specifically, John says that his purpose for writing the Gospel is that
its readers will not only believe in Jesus Christ, but that they “might have life in his name.”
We invite you to worship each week and participate in the church-wide study as we explore the major
themes of the Gospel and use the weekly Grow-Pray-Study guide (available on our website and as an
insert in the bulletin every Sunday) as we read The Gospel According to John together.
You’ll find information about the sermon series, discipleship study, Lenten offering, and special wor-
ship services elsewhere in this newsletter, on the church website, and in worship bulletins. I hope
that you will participate in all of the services and the church-wide study, but even if you are not able
to attend a single activity, I hope you will make your relationship with God priority in your life. Take
(or make) time every day to connect with God.
Lent is one of God’s great gifts to the church. I believe that you will be blessed if you join with Chris-
tians around the world, and across the centuries, and observe a holy Lent.
In Christ,
New sermon series starts February 7
Our Lent 2016 sermon series – Finding Life: Following Jesus in John’s
Gospel – starts on Sunday, February 7. John has been called the most
spiritual of the four New Testament Gospels. It includes some of the most
loved verses in all the Bible: “The Word became flesh…”, “For God so loved
the world…”, “You who are without sin cast the first stone…”, “I am the
resurrection and the life…”, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” The
Gospel is filled with rich images and profound truths to help us under-
stand who Jesus is. Specifically, John says that his purpose for writing the
Gospel is that its readers will not only believe in Jesus Christ, but that
they “might have life in his name.” Join us for worship each week as we
explore the major themes of the Gospel and find life – with a capital “L” –
as a follower of Jesus.
Among Our Congregation
January In Sympathies
St. Matthew’s mourns the loss of the following
people. Please continue to hold their loved ones
in your thoughts and prayers.
Gunther Dailey - Father of Rachel Dailey
Kenneth W. Gideon - Father of Emily
Yosmanovich
Jongjune Park - Father of Eunmee Lee
Fred Blevins - Grandfater of Many Lloyd
February Prayer Focus
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of
stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26
St. Matthew’s Inclement Weather Policy
It is that time of year again
when we will be dealing
with inclement weather.
The inclement weather pol-
icy for St. Matthew’s is as
follows: The church office
follows the Fairfax County
School guidelines on weath-
er related closings. The of-
fice will be closed when
Fairfax County Schools are
closed.
January Baptisms
Quinn Avery and Grayson Delanie Bousman-Stanczak - Daughters of Heather and Jamie Bousman-Stanczak
The St. Matthew’s Church family will gather to ob-
serve Ash Wednesday during worship services
at 1:30pm and 7:00pm on February 10. These
will be services of scripture, song, quiet reflec-
tion, and the imposition of ashes, and will include
an invitation to observe a holy Lent. Please join us
as we begin our Lenten journey together.
UMW events are open to all wom-
en. Circles meet at various times dur-
ing the month to accommodate our
busy schedules.
If you are interested in more information, please con-
tact Sandy Plate 703-425-4470/[email protected] or
Karen Cogan 703-978-1640/ [email protected]
UMW February Events
Deborah - Mary Circle - Feb. 23rd @ 7:30-8:30
PM, We will assemble care packages for the Hypo-
thermia Week guests.
Elizabeth Circle - Feb 23th @ 1:30PM in Room 302
Esther Circle - Feb 18th @ 10AM in Room 302 - Nan-
cy Cappel to show our group the slides from her
summer trip to Africa
Priscilla Circle - Feb 17th @ 7:30PM Room 312. We
will send cards to prayer list and Feb 27 noon- Tea
at British Pantry
Traditional Worship Music Schedule
February 7 8:15 Chapel Choir
11:15 Sanctuary Choir
March 6 8:15 Sanctuary Choir/Praise Ringers
11:15 Chapel Choir/Celebration Ringers
February 14 8:15 Altar Choir/Chancel Ringers
11:15 Sanctuary Choir
March 13
All Services: Youth Musical
“Welcome Back Billy Best”
February 21 8:15 Chapel Choir/Carol Ringers
11:15 Sanctuary Choir/Peace Ringers
March 20 8:15 Altar & Wesley Choirs/Mitchell Ringers
11:15 Altar, Wesley, Sanctuary Choirs/Mitchell Ringers
February 28 8:15 St. Matthew’s Brothers
11:15 St. Matthew’s Brothers
March 27 8:15 Chapel Choir/Carol Ringers
11:15 Sanctuary Choir/Carol Ringers
St. Matthew’s Weekday School
Looking back on last year we had a wonderful December with lots of
Christmas activities! The 3 & 4-year olds went on a field trip to Woodson
High School for a special show “Holiday Tunes for Tots” sponsored by the
band. We traveled by bus and the bus ride was almost as much fun as the
program!
We had a visit from a very special guy – SANTA! Each of the classes had a
chance to visit with Santa and have their picture taken. The children
brought in donations of canned food to give to Santa and all of the dona-
tions were given to St. Matthew’s food pantry.
A BIG thank you to all who brought in mittens, and hats for the WDS Mitten
Tree. 175 children were blessed with warm hands and heads because of our tree. That’s dou-
ble what we collected last year! All of the mittens, hats and scarfs were given to St. Ste-
phens UMC for their December Grace Ministries.
In January we had a little rivalry going on in the OWL class in preparation for the “big game,”
Packers vs Red Skins. Fun was had by all!
Our in-house registration will begin February 17 and registration to the public will begin
February 24.
Currently we have openings in the 5-day 5-year old classes. Don’t forget to mark your calen-
dar for summer camp, June 6-10 and June If you know of anyone looking for a Preschool
please put in a good word for us. You are our best form of advertisement!
Save the Date!
Youth Musical
“Welcome Back
Bill Best”
March 13th
ALL services!
Name: Carrie Schwab
Title: Director of Children’s Ministry
Area of Responsibility: Programing for children birth through 6th
grade and their families
What do you like best about working at St. Matthew’s?: The biggest joy for me about
working at St. Matthews has been watching children grow up in the church. I have had the
privilege of walking alongside several classes from Preschool all the way through to Jr. High.
Seeing children grow and mature and come to know Christ for themselves and put their
faith into action in their own lives is my biggest joy. Watching the
community of loving adults who give their time to share their
faith with the children in our church has taught me so much about
the body of Christ and how at its best is functions as a loving fami-
ly. Perhaps the moments when I am most proud of what I do is
when children are able to name for themselves the core truths of
our faith in their own words. Often the things our children share
with me are the most honest, thoughtful, and deep reflections of
God I ever hear.
Hobbies: Spending time with
my family. My husband Tyler, daughter Lily, and golden
retriever Hank. We are looking forward to the arrival of
Lily’s little brother! We enjoy walking and hiking together.
Personally I enjoy cooking, reading, spending time out-
doors, and crafting.
Favorite Food: Ben and Jerry’s White Chocolate Raspber-
ry Truffle Ice Cream
Favorite Music: I don’t have a particular favorite type of
music, but enjoy a wide variety depending on the day. I
spend most of my time listening to NPR ;)
Favorite book to recommend: I can’t say that I have a
favorite book to recommend, but the most recent book
that I have read that I really enjoyed was The Nightingale
by Kristin Hannah.
Altar Choir
On Sunday, February 28 the Altar Choir,
those children who sing in grades 3 – 6 will
be attending a Children’s Choir Festival spon-
sored by the Beltway Chapter of Choristers
Guild. The children will leave at 12:30 PM to
rehearse & present a concert with over 100
children in Laurel, MD. They are preparing
the music now so that it can be part of what
they sing on Sunday mornings.
Welcome! Heather and Jaime Bousman-Stanczak
began attending St. Matthew’s last summer. They
both work in Fairfax County Public Schools.
Heather, an Assistant Principal, is a native of Virgin-
ia (born in Norfolk and raised in Richmond). Jaime,
a school-based technology specialist, is a native of
Pittsburgh. In their spare time they enjoy outdoor
activities, reading, and spending time with friends
and family. Their spare time is very limited now as
they welcomed their beautiful twin daughters,
Quinn & Grayson, in August.
In the Gospel of Matthew, we read a story that Jesus tells about when the Son of Man will
come in glory (Matthew 25:31-46). In this story Jesus says that when we feed the hungry,
give water to the thirsty, welcome strangers, give clothes to those who need them, care
for the sick, and visit the imprisoned, that we are really doing those things for Jesus. In
this story, Jesus identifies himself with those who are on the margins of society. It is by
serving the outcast that we render service to our Lord.
From the night of Sunday, February 28th through the night of Saturday, March 6th we at
St. Matthew’s will be hosting the FACETS Hypothermia Shelter in our building. This means
that, as we have now done for many years, we will be opening our doors to homeless
members of our community on those nights so that they can stay warm on some of the
coldest nights of the year. In order to do this, we need people to sign up for a variety of
things, including working shifts at the church each evening and night, providing dinner
for our guests, donating food items and clothes, and donating money so that we can pro-
vide our guests with bus passes to get to and from the church.
As we offer care to our most vulnerable neighbors, we are also offering care to our Lord.
By feeding the hungry and offering shelter to those who are cold, we are worshiping our
God – the One who is on the side of the outcast. So, this month, find a way to be a part of
this work with our homeless neighbors. Not only will you be making a difference in the
lives of others, but you will have the opportunity to serve and grow closer to your Lord.
Together, we can be a place of warmth, support, and love for all of God’s children.
Click here to sign up
“Heart to Heart” A Retreat for Women
Led by Reverend Anne Hough
This weekend of spiritual renewal, fun, relaxation and good food, is open to all women of St Matthews, their family and friends.
When: Friday, April 22-24, 2016 (7:30 pm Friday - 2:00 pm Sunday)
Where: Blessings Lodge at Camp Overlook, Harrisonburg
Although Blessings Lodge is situated in the United Methodist "camp" grounds just north of Harrisonburg, the facility is comparable to a very nice motel. Fully accessible, it sits on top of a hill among the woods with a breathtaking view from the large deck that surrounds the building. Each room has 4 twin beds, a private bathroom and full linen service. Our meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast and lunch on Sunday) will be catered and served by the Blessings Lodge staff, who have become very well known for their wonderful cuisine and great service. Please contact Anne Hough if you have any special dietary needs.
The total cost for the whole weekend (your room, 5 cooked meals, and supplies) is only $150. There is a deposit of $65, which will be applied to your total cost.
SPACE IS LIMITED and rooms will be filled on a first come basis.
To reserve your place please complete the registration form and return it and your deposit to Anne Hough as soon as possible.
Please do not let finances stop you from attending – talk to one of the Pastors about schol-arship needs. If you have questions please call Anne Hough:
[email protected] or 540-256-4372.
************************************************************************************
WOMEN’S RETREAT REGISTRATION 2016
Name _______________________________________Phone ___________________
Email address _________________________________________________________
Roommate preferences (if any): ___________________________________________
St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church
8617 Little River Turnpike
Annandale, VA 22003
www.stmatthewsumc.org
Senior Pastor: Neil Hough
Associate Pastor: Grace Han
Associate Pastor of Senior Adult
Ministries & Visitation: Bill Moberly
Senior Administrative Assistant: Nancy Manning
Director of Youth Ministries: Mike Fujiura
Director of Welcoming Ministries: Lynne Studeman
Director of Children’s Ministries: Carrie Schwab
Preschool Ministries Coordinator: Christine Moser
Director of Communications: Allison Campion
Bookkeeper: Andrea Crews
Finance Secretary: Jackie Dinker
Office Assistant: Liz Dutton
Director of Music: Nancy Cappel
Assistant to the Director of Music: Abby Madden
Handbell Director: Tammy Freeman
Organist: Carol Workman
Modern Worship Leader: Abby Madden
Worship Media Coordinator: Dan Burrer
Office Resource Assistant Volunteer: Claire Adams
Weekday School (WDS) Director: Gail Pepin-Vivian
WDS Business Administrator: Laura McLean
St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church Staff
