Faith & Fellowship - Christian Education at St. Matthew’s

Chapel Chats

On designated days, bring your coffee with you to the chapel at the First Avenue end of the church for a Chapel Chat session. These start at 11:30 am, last about 45 minutes and feature a presentation (usually by a parishioner) on a timely topic. Speakers leave lots of time for questions and discussion. Recent topics have included contemplative prayer, and, on Remembrance Sunday, the profiles of three of the 48 men of this parish who died in the First and Second World Wars.   Click here for June 2, 2019 Chapel Chat documents on Jerusalem

Conversations

“Conversations” is an opportunity to meet on Sunday between the 8:00am and 10:00am services to discuss that Sunday’s Lectionary readings. Archbishop Barry Curtis leads the group and together we seek to better understand the readings and to relate them to our lives in this modern world. “Conversations” is usually held in 6 week blocks several times a year. We meet in the church hall beginning at 9:00am and finishing at 9:45am. Coffee and tea are available.  Come for the whole series or just join us for a single Sunday. Please consult the Sunday Bulletin and the “Pulse of the Parish” for notice of future “Conversations” series.

Lenten Adult Bible Study

Each year during Lent there is a Bible study lead by a member of the clergy.  Look for news of the Bible Study in the Sunday Bulletins as Lent approaches.

Meditation

Meditation sessions are held on Monday evening at 7:30pm and Wednesday at 12:15pm in the Chapel. Both groups are part of a worldwide organization called the World Community for Christian Meditation. (http://www.wccm.org/). Most groups follow a simple format: a brief recorded talk by Fr. John Main the founder, Fr. Lawrence Freeman the current leader or by another teacher. After the talk, the group meditates in silence for 20 - 25 minutes, generally using a prayer word or phrase and then closes with a simple prayer. Sometimes people linger to discuss the talk or other aspects of the practice. The weekly group is a wonderful way to support a daily practice or just take time to sit in openness to God's presence. We at St. Matthew's are very fortunate to have our beautiful chapel for our gatherings and to have a priest in our parish to encourage us on this path. For more information contact Susan Rayner at (613) 233-8380 or speak to the Rev. Prof. Kevin Flynn. The meditation sessions usually run weekly from January – June and September – December but please consult the Sunday Bulletin for current information on the sessions.

Occasional Adult Learning Events

From time to time, adult learning events are planned.  Look for more information about other events in the Sunday Bulletin and the “Pulse of the Parish”.

Open Doors

Our members open the main doors at St. Matthew’s Monday to Thursday between 11:30 and 1:30 inviting the community at large into our beautiful church. In doing this, we hope to provide our neighbours with a time and a place for quiet reflection and rest in their busy day. Many Open Doors volunteers also appreciate this quiet time in the church while extending hospitality to the community. For more information please contact Jane Oulton 613 236-7608.

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Children - Learning and Participating

 

Creativity at the crafts table

Registration for Sunday School at St. Matthew’s begins in September, and continues throughout the year as new children are welcomed to the parish. Please ask about a registration form if your kids will be attending. We use the Augsburg Fortress SPARK curriculum which offers excellent online materials for students and teachers.   It follows our Anglican lectionary, so the whole family can discuss what they learned at church.

Young visitors watching Christmas Pageant

We plan for three classes:  Pre-school and JK; Pre-reader; and Grades 4-6.  The children generally meet at the back of the church before 10:00 so they can help ring the church bell and then follow the choir procession on their way to the chapel for a short gathering time.  Then there is a short lesson, with crafts and activities. 

Our facilities include a Sunday School room, which was repainted this summer, a nursery space for parents with infants and an office style classroom for the older students, with new-to-us furniture.

Children tell the Christmas story

Special events for “children of all ages” include the Christmas Eve Pageant in which the kids tell the story of Jesus’ birth.  Our Chocolate Fountain appears twice a year, at the St. Nicholas Party in early December, and the Spring Picnic in June.  The older students are encouraged to participate in our worship service by reading the lesson, helping with the collection, or greeting parishioners.

Youth Group

St Matthew's youth includes two groups: one for ages 9 to 11 and another for 12 to 16. Both groups aim to meet monthly. The senior group focuses on outreach. The junior group activities range from bible studies, to board games, to cooking, to field trips and more. If you wish to participate, please contact our youth coordinators Aicha Ducharme-LeBlanc (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and Becky McCoy (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

 

Youth Group on the October 21 Walkathon to raise money for the Centretown Emergency Food Centre.