Dear St. Matthew’s Family,

I want to extend an invitation to you to join our 50th Anniversary celebration the weekend of October 1 & 2. You may have already seen information about some of the events that weekend, the Family Fun Day, which includes a service project, and Banquet on Saturday and a special worship service on Sunday. I hope you consider joining in the activities to mark these past years and to welcome in the years to come.

Throughout the weekend we will have Artist and Pastor Paul Oman with us. He will be creating caricatures at the Family Fun Day, be our guest at the Banquet and finally on Sunday will create a painting before our eyes at the worship service. At that worship service we will also have special music by the choir, Melvin, and guest brass players. The music will be celebratory and complement the painting that will be happening before our eyes.

Over the summer, interested members of the congregation, the Worship and Music committee and the Worship Staff considered the Bible story and what music pieces would accompany the service. It’s been a collaborative effort all around. It will be with great interest and joy that we watch the Feeding of the 5000 take shape that day.

There were many reasons why this story was suggested, selected, and seems appropriate for the day. Some have referenced the long and valued history at St. Matthew’s of feeding our neighbors near and far; some have referenced appreciating the idea that all are welcome at the table that the story highlights; some like the idea that even little things can be made large and put to good use in God’s kingdom; and some enjoy the idea of the celebration that such a gathering would have been. As I read and consider the story, I think of the communion we share each week and can’t help but wonder if on this special day, it might hold an even more special place. For all of these reasons and more, we will watch the story of the Feeding of the 5000 meet canvas on October 2 at 10am during our regular worship time.

“And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled, and what was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.”

-Luke 9:16-17

This painting will find a prominent home at St. Matthew’s shortly after its completion.

I hope you can join us! Invite your neighbors and friends!

Peace,

Pastor Kirsten