“There is nothing small in the service of God.”— St. Francis de Sales
A beautifulSunday spent in the shade of the sycamore tree in our Grove was the perfect setting for our first event of the season, an Outdoor “Lunch-and-Learn,” with special guests from Cedar RunWildlife Refuge. Congregation members gathered with chairs, lunches, and blankets while Bridget, a dedicated and knowledgeable Cedar Run staffer, introduced us to friends Chevy (a corn snake), Nazar(an Eastern screech-owl), and Apollo (a turkey vulture). These long-time residents of Cedar Run had much to teach us about the important work of Cedar Run in habilitating wildlife and protecting endangered species in our area.
To learn more about Cedar Run visit their website where you can also make a monetary or non-monetary donation of supplies to support their mission.
Continuing on our theme of “Endangered Species,” we are thrilled to host special guest speaker, Dante Trozzo (son of our very own Pastor Eric), for the Intergenerational Activity Time on Sunday, October 24 at 11 AM in the Library for a presentation of “Experiences in the Malaysian Coral Reefs.” He has made 60 dives exploring coral reefs in Malaysia, and will be sharing from his extensive diving photography. He will talk about helping with attempts to restore reef ecosystems and the marine life he has encountered diving in the South China Sea and well as from Sipadan in the Celebes Sea, one of the great dive sites in the world.
Looking ahead to November, we are again seeking volunteers for our Annual Thanksgiving Packing Event which will be held on Sunday, November 14, 1:15 – 3:15 PM, sponsored by our local mission partner, NJ Farmers Against Hunger. We are thrilled that this is our fifth year of partnership with Farmers Against Hunger! As we have done for the past four years, St. Matthew will be packing produce for distribution to local food banks, including our own Bridge of Peace Thanksgiving Baskets.Also, a bonus that this year the event will be LOCAL, at FAH’s new headquarters at Laurel Run Park(173 Creek Road in Delran)! This is a great outdoor service project for all ages, including families, seniors, and confirmands/mentors, and COVID-related precautions will be in place. To sign up, please RSVP to Rebecca Masserini-Cooper.
Finally, you have heard the saying,“many hands make light work.”We are seeking volunteers to help us with organizing the bulletin board, service events, and Sunday school. If you are interested to lend a helping hand in fulfilling our mission “to reveal the connection of our congregation and community to God’s presence in the natural world, by fostering a culture of environmental reflection, engagement and stewardship,” please contact me. We welcome your service to Godin creation!—Brian Lestini