Word from Father Tom
Our Senior Warden, Junior Warden, and I, as your priest, will be travelling on Friday morning to Springfield, Illinois, for the 145th Annual Synod of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield. We appreciate your prayers as we seek to faithfully represent Christ and St. Matt’s as examples of the light and love that God has given us through His son and the power of the Holy Spirit. We look forward to returning on Saturday afternoon and worshipping with you all on Sunday.
Have a blessed weekend!
Fr. Tom
OUTREACH ITEMS OF THE MONTH
As Christians, we are asked to feed the hungry. Here’s how you can help: In August, September, and October The Outreach Committee will collect and deliver food and nonfood items for the Home Sweet Home Mission, which feeds and shelters people in need. We are asking for regular-sized items for the Mission’s Bread for Life Food Coop, where the needy can shop, and large or even bulk-sized items for the Mission’s kitchen. Here’s HSH’s needs list:
FOOD: canned chicken; cooking oil; low sodium items, such as soups and veggies; canned pasta; jelly; boxed meals, such as Hamburger Helper; brown rice; bottled water; 100% juice; Glucerna
NONFOOD: toilet paper; paper towels; dish detergent; bleach or disinfectant; plain notebooks.
Thanks so much for your generosity. -The Outreach Committee
NEWS FROM THE “HIVE”
Last year the Stitchn’ Bees began an association with the group, Fostering Dignity. Fostering Dignity provides new backpacks to DCFS offices throughout the State of Illinois through donations from caring citizens. This allows DCFS Staff to give each child who may be in the process of being removed from an unhealthy living situation, a new backpack into which the child can place their personal belongings.
The Bees involvement is that we provide the Fostering Dignity staff with our quilts, both cotton and fleece, which the Bees work on throughout the year. Recently, forty-one (41) of our lovingly created fleece quilts were given to Staff of Fostering Dignity to distribute to DCFS offices. A quilt is given to each child along with the new backpack by DCFS staff to take with them to their new residence.
The Stitchn’ Bees are thrilled to be able to provide a warm bit of comfort to these children who have been placed in a difficult situation.
P.S. If you are looking to fill up some free time on your calendar each week or just once in awhile, and want to be involved in something that ‘warms your heart’, come join the Stitchn‘ Bees on Tuesday mornings from 10 a.m. to Noon in St. Matthews Fellowship Hall. If you knit, crochet, or whatever, bring your projects, or not. Just come and join us around the table for wonderful Fellowship… (The treats are terrific too!)