Join your church friends and family for the annual picnic on June 13.  We will gather at 2:00 PM on Sunday afternoon, June 13, at Jim Lessig's farm (Pleasant Valley), 21000 Georgia Avenue, Brookville (map available in the church bulletin).  Call the church office if you need a ride.  Bring enough chicken to feed your family, and there is a sign up sheet in the narthex for side dishes (salads, veggies, fruit, and desserts). Everyone is invited to come and have a good time! 

 

 
St. Matthew is proud of our 10 high school graduates this year.  We celebrated our graduates on May 23; here are their names and their plans for next year.
 
Rodrigue Andele - plans to attend college at either Bowie State or North Carolina Central University.
 
Philip Ellis - plans to attend college locally and continue working at Music and Arts in Rockville.
 
Sara Leffingwell - plans to attend Davidson College.
 
Salmatu Lewally - plans to attend Bowie State University.
 
Marcia Myers - has completed two years at Montgomery College while finishing high school at the same time.  She leaves in August for an internship with the Magic Kingdom College program (Disney). 
 

Elizabeth Pelletier - plans to attend college at the College of William and Mary.
 
Rodney Rogers - plans to attend the University of Maryland at the Eastern Shore.
 
Rose Rogers - plans to attend Bowie State University.
 
Jake Rose - plans to attend Kansas State University.
 
Juliana Sesay - going to the University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus.

 

 

Have you ever wanted to make a brick, weave on an old fashioned loom, make a sphinx, or learn how to embalm a mummy? Well, this year we will learn all this, and more as we travel to Egypt to explore the world of Joseph, from slave to prince.
 
June 28-July 2 will be our 2nd Annual Vacation Church School. We will once again be partnering with St. John's Methodist Church. The program will be held in their building on Aspen Hill Road , only a mile or two from St. Matthew. If you want to participate and can't get to St. John's, we will provide transportation from our church to theirs; all you have to do is let us know! Registration is available through the church office. For more information contact Konni.
---------------------------
HELP! We need a lot of help for VBS.           
     We need canopies: the kind you use at the beach or in the back yard, no sides and free standing.
     We need anything Egypt- as part of the week, we'll be setting up an Egyptian Marketplace, so we need anything we can get to help transform an ordinary fellowship hall into a magical ancient setting.
     We still need volunteer help.  We are doing great with our volunteers, but we still need more!
      If you can help or if you have anything we could borrow, please let Glenda DeJong or Konni know ASAP.
 
           
CAMP JOY IS COMING... very quickly.
This year we will be going to the hills of West Virginia July 18 - 24.
Camp Joy, is a youth oriented work camp, located in Berkley Springs, West Virginia.  It is a wonderful opportunity for our youth and adults to experience the joy of helping others, while enjoying the great outdoors. This year, as in the last 3 years, Millian Memorial United Methodist Church will be joining us. In order to finance this trip we will be holding two fundraising events:
 
JULY 11 we will be holding a car wash, immediately after church, in our parking lot.
 
Save these dates and watch for more information.
 
SUMMER CHURCH SCHOOL Begins June 13
June 13 is the last regular church school.  This summer we are hoping to offer two classes, one for Preschool - 1st grade and the other for 2nd- 5th grade.  Some activities will be for all the children, but we'd like to be able to divide the group for the bulk of the summer. If you are willing to help out for a week, or 2 or 3 or more... please let Konni know.  The lessons will be prepared and the crafts will be provided.
Watch for a sign up sheet in the narthex.
Know your target audience. Who are your most important customers, clients or prospects, and why? Know what is important to them and address their needs in your newsletter each month. Include a photo to make your newsletter even more appealing. Drive traffic to your website by entering teaser text for the article with a link to your website for readers to view the full text.

 

 

Greetings from Leslie
 
I LOVE SUMMER!  I know that it is not as laid back a time as it was when I was a kid, but I do experience a mental shift of sorts.  I take things more slowly, enjoy more frequent gatherings with family and friends, and do not feel as rushed as I normally do.  It's one of my favorite times of the year.
 
Right now I am doing some planning for my summer preaching schedule.  I know some people plan some summer traveling, and have a few reading suggestions for long car rides or plane trips.  In the month of August, I am going to revive the "Faith in Fiction" summer preaching series that I have done in a couple of previous summers.  People are invited to read the books over the summer, and we will have a brief discussion of the book after church.  I have chosen a couple of short stories by Leo Tolstoy to balance out the reading load.  Of course, no one is required to read any of this - it is just fun and stimulating to read some good stuff together once in awhile.  If reading all of it feels overwhelming, just choose one or two.  Here is the reading/preaching schedule:
 
August 1: Lark and Termite by Jayne Ann Phillips.  This is a powerful story about a disabled child abandoned by his mother and the community of people, including his older sister, who come together to give him a safe life where he is unconditionally loved.
 
August 8: "Two Old Men" by Leo Tolstoy. This short story gives us a perspective on the true nature of Christian pilgrimage.  It was recommended before my Israel trip.  It is a quick read with several New Testament parallels.
 
August 15: The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle.  This book came out in 1996, but is very timely right now with all the public debate about immigration laws.  Boyle tells the story of affluent people in Los Angeles unknowingly living alongside struggling illegal immigrants.  Tragic, but with glimpses of hope.
 
August 22: "Three Questions" by Leo Tolstoy.  A very short fable (around 6 pages) about a king trying to find someone who can answer what he sees as the three most important questions of life.  Gives us a look at our own skewed priorities and invites us to a new way of thinking.
 
Also, mark your calendars for July 18. At last year's auction that benefited the St. Matthew Endowment, Robin Ingle purchased the right to choose a topic for a sermon.  She has asked me to research the comparisons and parallels between Buddhism and Christianity, and I will preach on that topic on July 18.  I have already started reading for it, and am excited to see what will develop. 
 
Be sure and let me know if you read anything especially moving or interesting - I'm always on the lookout for new material!
 
Happy Reading and have a Blessed Summer!
 
Leslie

 

 

This year, the Mary Martha Circle has been studying the book of Joshua.  As we concluded our 2009-2010 Bible Study, we looked at the covenant between Joshua and God.
 
This type of covenant is called a Suzerain Covenants.  It is similar to a form of international treaty.  When a powerful king (a Suzerain) spells out stipulations with a less powerful king (vassal), it clearly tells what one must do to maintain the protection and care of the powerful ruler.  Both the suzerain and the vassal's responsibilities are clearly laid out. 

This type of covenant includes a recital of the past history of the suzerain with the vassal, the stipulations or conditions of the agreement, and a public declaration and posting of the covenant. 

After looking at the covenant between Joshua and God, the women of Mary Martha created their own covenant with God.  
  
GOD has...
            Blessed me with wonderful parents and children
            Healed
            Forgiven
            Listened to my prayers and answered them
            Given us strength
            Loved us
            Led us
            Saved us
            Given us the earth (to rescue)
 
GOD requires...
            Honesty
            Us to worship and believe in no other gods
            Total faithfulness
            Obedience to God
            Us to gather in fellowship with other believers
            That we love one another
            Us to take care of others
            Us to take care of the world
            Us to treat others with respect and kindness
 
But, GOD promises...
            To never abandon us
            To love us no matter what
            To always forgive us, (if we ask)
            To comfort us
            That if we care for the world, the world will take care of us
            To welcome us into heaven
            To provide for us (when we ask)
 
In gratitude and thanksgiving, WE will....
            Love God and one another
            Be faithful to God
            Attend church regularly
            Follow the example of Jesus Christ
            Be open to helping others without expecting a reward
            Give to others
            Forgive one another