WELCOME TO
ST. MATTHEW'S

• New Member classes start in September
God has given us the gift of Christian community. It provides for two of our most basic needs. The church can be a place to belong and a place to become. If you have had an opportunity to worship with us and would like to learn more about St. Matthew’s please consider attending our membership classes.Classes will be held on Sunday mornings, Sept. 12 and 19, 9:45-10:45 a.m., Tuesday Sept. 28, 7:00-8:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 3, 9:45-10:45 a.m. New member Sunday is October 10. Childcare is provided. Details [here].

•We have already begun planning for the 2010 Fair Trade and Sustainability Fair
Craft days are coming - and you are welcome

The Fair Trade and Sustainability Fair is coming up soon on Saturday, Nov. 20. As we prepare for the fair we are working on “repurposing” items such as buttons, Christmas cards etc. for fresh purposes. Join us for one or all of these days. No special skills are needed. Dates: Wednesdays, Sept. 15, Oct. 13 and Nov. 10, 9:00 a.m. –Noon, and Tuesday,  Oct 26 - 6:00-9:00 p.m. More information is online [here].

Mission Trip information

Plans for 2011 Youth Mission Trip are underway
Info Meeting Sept. 19. Plans are already being finalized for the youth mission trip next summer. The destination and details will be announced at an informational meeting on Sunday, Sept. 19 at 12:15 p.m. All senior high students (9th – 12th graders) are invited to be a part of the trip. We will also need some adult chaperones.

Jambo Rafiki! - Tanzania Mission Trip successful!
Jambo Rafiki! - Our Mission Trip to Tanzania was a great success! Tthe travelers to Tanzania were: Tim & Jill Nelson, Bridget Smith, Gordon Moehling, Pastor Elias Kitoi, Pastor Chris Manke and Pastor Margaret Schoewe.Thank you for your generous donations of cows and other items to benefit our Tanzanian partners in ministry.If you wish to make a gift in support of the trip, it could be directed toward the Anniversary Fund, which will benefit all three of our partner congregations. The Mission trip began Aug. 16 and concluded Aug. 31 [more].

Photo Album: 2010 Tanzania Mission Trip [here]

Interested in going to El Salvador in January? Sign up now!
We are excited to be planning another congregational trip to El Salvador from Jan. 6–15, 2011. The purpose of the trip will be to continue the relationships and further the partnership that we are building with the Lutheran Synod in El Salvador. If you have an interest in being part of this trip, please talk to Pastor Chris or Gretchen Haugse [more].

Blue Ridge Mission Trip photos [here]

New at St. Matt's

• Canning Classes: Canning classes offer a great way to eat local and enjoy the produce of the coming season all year round. All classes are held at St Matthew’s beginning at 6:00 p.m. Classes scheduled include Tomatoes - Aug. 31 and Pickles - Sept. 14 and 21. Each class has a cost, and you can sign up for one or all of them. Details are and a brochure to download [here].

• Paraments to be woven for Lent 2011: The parament committee has begun planning new paraments for Lent. The loom is assembled near the east entrance to the church. Marge Crawford and Sandy Cristan will warp the loom over the summer and we will begin to weave around September 1. See Marge or Sandy if you would like to help with weaving.

• Photo album: Reformation Youth Summer Project [here]

Care for Creation events this summer:

• Eat Local Challenge - Sept. 1-15
Focus on Wisconsin Foods: For the first two weeks in September, participants are urged to eat more local food than they usually do, with the level of participation completely up to the individual. Some ways to participate include to visit a farmers market, or eat at local restaurants rather than chains. [more]

• Eating local = caring for creation
Eating local, organic and lower on the food chain (when possible) is an important part of the movement to Care for Creation. Farmers around Milwaukee are responding to this trend. Known as CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) there are a number of sites around Milwaukee the offer “shares” in their farm in exchange for boxes of produce throughout the summer. More information [here]. The home of Kristen and John Charlson will again be a drop off site for TIPI Produce CSA. More [here].

• Care for Creation Quick Tidbits
• Care for Creation meetings resume on Monday, September 20. Come with your ideas
• Sept 21 6:00 PM – Pesto making – Pesto and Salsa will be sold on Sunday, Sept. 26
• Our gardens are producing fruits and veg­etables and the farmers market is filled with produce. Some of you may be canning. Why not make a few extra jars for St. Matthew’s Sustainability Fair? We hope to have a booth to sell food items made by St. Matthew’s members [more].

• Reformation/St. Matthew’s partnership to grow with local garden
The St. Matthew’s Reformation garden con­tinues to need care and weeding throughout September. We will continue to gather on Monday evenings from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Some of the produce will be used for making salsa on Sept. 25. . Please contact the church office [here] if you can help us with plants and in any other way [more]. On Saturday, April 17, members of St. Matt's worked with members of Reformation Lutheran on the start of their garden. Photos are [here].

• New: Altar flowers to be locally grown
St Matthew’s will be trying a new approach to altar flowers. While signup and bulletin recognition will continue in the same way, our plan is to use native and garden flowers during the months when flowers are available. Sunday, May 16 through Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010, altar flowers will be arranged from flowers donated from members gardens and from the St Matthew’s/Reformation garden [more].

See the Care for Creation section for more [here]

Events of interest

• Divorce Care group
Are you (or someone you know) coping with the difficulty of separation or divorce? St. Matthews’ Divorce Care group meets twice a month and is open women, both within and outside of St. Matthews. This group provides a combination of 1) support to help you move forward and 2) friendship/social time. For details, contact Aleta Norris (aletanorris@sbcglobal.net or 414-708-1472).

• Toy Swap!
A St. Matthew’s Toy Swap has been scheduled for Sunday, November 7. Based on the Clothing Swap model, the toy swap will allow parents to donate outgrown toys and choose more age-appropriate ones. Watch for more details to come.

More events of interest [here]

It's happening at St. Matt's

• Outreach for Hope Family Bike Ride, Saturday, Sept. 11 [more]
• Quilt Ministry meeting, Saturday, Sept. 11, 9:30 a.m. [more]
• RALLY DAY - Fall Worship: 7:30, 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. [more]
• RALLY DAY - Sunday School resumes, 9:45-10:45 a.m. [more]
• New Member Classes begin Sunday, Sept. 12, 9:45-10:45 a.m. [more]
• RALLY DAY, Sunday, Sept. 12 - Adult Forums resume, 9:45-10:45 a.m. [more]
• Sr. High Youth Forum , starting Rally Day, Sept. 12, 9:45-10:45 a.m.[more]
• Rise With the Guys Men’s Breakfast, Saturday, Sept. 18, 7:30 -9:00 a.m. [more]
• 2011 Youth Mission Trip Info Meeting, Sunday, Sept. 19, 12:15 p.m. [more]
• Weekly Bible study resumes, Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 10:00 a.m. [more]
• Book of Faith Lecture series with the Rev. Tom Long, Sunday, September 26, 12:30-3:00 p.m. [more]
• Youth Drama Group, first meeting, Sunday, Sept. 26, 12:15 p.m. [more]
• Gr. Milwaukee Synod Women’s Organization 2010 Convention, Atonement Lutheran Church, Muskego, October 1-2 [more].
• New Member Sunday, Oct. 10, 8:30 a.m. [more]
• Jr. High youth Book Group first meeting, Sunday, Oct. 10, 12:15–1:30 p.m. [more]
• Jr. High Digital Scavenger Hunt, Friday, Oct. 15, 7:00-9:00 p.m. [more]
• Sr. High Commando Night, Wednesday Oct. 27 from 7:00-10:00 p.m. [more]
• Toy Swap, Sunday, Nov. 7 [more]
• Sustainability Fair, Saturday, Nov 20 [more]
• Congregational Mission Trip to El Salvador, Jan. 6–15, 2011 [more]
• Women’s Retreat at Cedar Valley, Friday-Saturday, April 1 & 2, 2011
• More news and events here

Contact the Church Office for more information