CLF hopes you all enjoyed a blessed and bountiful holiday season. We hope you enjoyed the Christmas Program by our Sunday School students. A big thanks to Cantor Dave for facilitating the show, the Grahn Family for providing the costumes, and Lisa Merrill and FCC for providing the refreshments. Thank you to all that provided gifts for Integrated Oaks Giving Tree; collectively we granted Christmas wishes to 70 children in our community. Well Done!
Sunday School teachers are working with the Green Team on winter projects. In January, each classroom created products that will support the environment during the winter months. The Pre-K/K class created pinecone bird feeders. Grades 1-4 created milk carton bird houses. Grades 5-6 created homemade bird baths, and grades 7-8 decorated bat houses. All these products are now in the Grove for us and nature to enjoy! In February, students will plant seeds and will care for them at home.
Sunday, Feb. 9, 9:45am is Bring-a-Friend/Grandparent to Sunday School Day. Teachers are eager to welcome our guests!
—Melissa Feeney
Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Day
On Jan 20th, ten 7th & 8th grade confirmands along with Pastor Peggy, Deacon Bill and parent chaperones/drivers ventured to Trinity episcopal Church for Discovery Day #2* (back in Nov. the class went to Bridge of Peace for Discovery Day #1). We prepared birthday bags for Catholic Charities in Delanco. Our teens, along with those from Trinity paired up with children who attended the birthday festivities. There was education about Dr. King, a mini birthday party with cake, games and fun.
*The purpose of our Discovery Days (two per yr.) is to allow our confirmands to learn that church is bigger than just the walls of SMLC. That it is also diverse, with many different congregations, social institutions and care facilities. It enables us to show our love for our neighbors in many different ways. Here we had Episcopalians and Lutherans preparing gifts for Catholic Charities for distribution to who knows whom.
—Deacon Bill Lawrence
ST. MATT ADULT FORUM SUNDAYS
2/2 Constitution revisions & Call Committee Update
2/9 Conversation & Coffee
2/16 Conversation & Coffee
2/23 WELCA Bold Woman Day;
Guest speaker:
Jenny Wiley Legath, author “Sanctified Sisters—A History of Protestant Deaconesses”
For those who worship at 8:30am OR 11am…then 9:45am is the perfect time to discover the S.M.A.F.S. Every Sunday 9:45am in our Library. Please contact Lisa Merrill to host one Sunday or provide a treat.
Sunday School & Adult Forum Missions
Sunday School and Adult Forum offerings through December 2019 were sent to our two partners in Ministry- NJ Farmers Against Hunger and Youth Adult in Global Mission. We were able to send both ministries $622.00 each! Glory to God that we are able to continue to support these two deserving missions.
Youth Group (Grades 7th-12th) – Book Drive & Pretzel Sale
During the last week of January and the entire month of February, St. Matt’s Youth Group will be partnering with Book Smiles, a local organization that collects new and gently used books for infants to 6th grade. Book Smiles distributes the books to local teachers who distribute the books to their students. Please check their website www.BookSmiles.org.
Please bring your books to church and drop them in the Book Smiles box in the foyer. At the end of the book drive, our youth will deliver the books to the Book Smiles Book Bank warehouse in Cherry Hill and help sort the books for delivery.
Don’t have any books to donate? The youth will be selling pretzels and winter hats, scarves and mittens (made and donated to the Youth Group by our very own Mae Trebing). The Youth Group has designated Book Smiles as the recipient of our January and February pretzel sales and winter wear sales.
—Rene Cherson