Midweek Messenger for March 14, 2024
Circuit Rider Deadline is Tomorrow!
Please submit your articles by tomorrow, Friday, March 15, to circuitrider@stmatthews-bowie.
Schedule Highlights
St. Matthew’s offers a variety of worship and study opportunities. Please join us for any or all of these services and activities:
- Simple Prayer: The special format for Simple Prayer on the Wednesdays of Lent, focusing on the theme The Cross: The Central Mystery of Christianity, will conclude during Easter Week. Please join us for these special prayer services.
- Sundays 10:00 AM, Regular Sunday worship
- Sundays 11:00 AM, Adult Sunday School, in the Parlor
- Daily 6:30 AM, Morning Prayer (except Sundays), Call-in 267-807-9601, access code 111-576-270#
The Youth Group meets on Sundays from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Invite your friends and see what it looks like. If you would like more information, please contact Becky Roper at beckyroper@stmatthews-bowie.
Tuesday Morning Bible Study is studying of the book of Psalms, at 9:45 AM every Tuesday. Please feel free to join us. Bring your Bible!
Our Lenten weekly Bible study group is reading The Third Day by Tom Berlin for our Lenten Study. This book focuses on how the resurrection changed the lives of 6 key Bible characters. Our study occurs on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM. The book is available in paperback or Kindle (e-reader) format from Amazon, or other retailers.
Christian Book Club: At our next meeting via ZOOM on Tuesday, March 19, we will once more discuss Mark Schaefer’s book entitled Religious, Not Spiritual: Toward a Faith that Matters. Please join us.
Free Concert This Sunday at St. Matthew’s
Storee Denton, a 14-year-old organist from the District of Columbia, will play a recital at St. Matthew’s this Sunday afternoon, March 17, at 4:00 PM. All are welcome. Come and hear a remarkable young musician!
His program is expected to include the following numbers:
- Festive Trumpet Tune by David German
- Prelude in E Minor, Cathedral BWV 533 by Johann Sebastian Bach
- Gymnopedie No. 1 by Erik Satie (arr. Alain Brunet)
- Variations on Amazing Grace by Denis Bedard
- Festal March and Adoration by Florence Price
- O Divine Redeemer, Repentir by Charles Gounod
- Toccata from Symphony No. 5 in F Minor”, opus 42 by Charles-Marie Widor
Register for Bowling Event by This Coming Tuesday
The Bowie Interfaith Recreation Council (BIRC) is again putting on a BIRC Bowling event to raise money, canned goods, and boxed items for the Bowie Interfaith Food Pantry and they can use your help.
This BIRC Bowling Event will be held at the Crofton Bowling Center on Sunday, March 24, from 12:30 to 4:00 PM. The cost per Bowler is $35 which includes 3 games of bowling, shoe rental and catered lunch by Bayside Bull. Checks should be made out to B.I.R.C. and submitted along with your name, phone number and names of other team members (if applicable). We will match small teams with other bowlers to even out the teams. This event is all about bowlers having fun, so do not worry about how good or bad you are. Just know that your day of bowling fun will help people in need. All proceeds from this event go to the Bowie Interfaith Food Pantry.
We ask that bowlers pay in advance to hold their spots and ensure that we have enough space and food available.
Please send your checks and information by or before March 19 to BIRC, 1767 Tyrone St, Crofton MD 21114. If you have any questions, please email them to Mike Parvis, maparvis@comcast.net.
Everyone Is Invited to the Lenten Brunch
All people of St. Matthew’s are invited to a morning of food, fellowship and faith on Saturday, March 23, at 10:00 AM in Fellowship Hall. Our speaker will be JW’s wife, Rev. Dr. Hi Rho Park! Hope to see you there! For more information, send an email to uwf@stmatthewsbowie.org.
Have Soup and Salad Before Lenten Simple Prayer Service
Join us for a Lenten Soup and Salad meal on Wednesday, March 27 from 6:00 to 6:45 PM in Fellowship Hall. Our Simple Prayer service will follow.
Jean Baker will be 90 years old on March 27!
In celebration, we would really appreciate it if you would kindly give her a card wishing her a happy 90th birthday. Any fond memory of Jean, congratulatory note, or words of encouragement you would like to include would make it even better.
Birthday cards will be in the Narthex on both March 17 and 24. Please sign one, place it in an envelope and drop it in the decorated box. If you would prefer to send your own card, her mailing address is:
Jean Baker
10450 Lottsford Rd, #5008
Mitchellville, MD 20721
If you know of anyone else who would also like to send her a card, please encourage them to do so with our gratitude. The more the merrier! Thank you so much for helping to make this milestone occasion even more special. If you have any questions, contact Don Genson (her firstborn) at (dongenson@stmatthews-bowie.
Get Ready for Messy Easter and Our Youth Mission Trip
Join us as we focus on the last days of Lent through arts and crafts and learn how Jesus surprises us in all that he does. Messy Church welcomes everyone to share in Jesus’ ability to love us for who we are, despite our failures, weaknesses, and fears. Invite your family and friends. Let’s get “Messy” together on Saturday, March 30 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. We will start with arts and crafts, move to our Celebration experiencing Holy Week, throw in an Easter egg hunt, and share a meal together.
If you are able to volunteer, please let Becky Roper know (beckyroper@stmatthews-bowie.
We are looking for an adult male to join us on our ASP Mission Trip and help with our male Youth. The mission trip will be from July 7 through July 13th. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Becky Roper (beckyroper@stmatthews-bowie.
Requesting Announcements in the Sunday Bulletin
If you need to request an announcement to be included in the Bulletin, please email your announcement to announcements@stmatthews-
Bulletin announcements may be no longer than 3 lines plus a subheading (approximately 50 words) to allow us to accommodate as many requests as possible in the limited bulletin space available for announcements. Please submit your message exactly as you would like it to be included. Announcements will not be rewritten, and the message will be truncated at the end of the third line. See examples in any church bulletin, which are available in the church narthex or in the attachment to the Order of Worship e-mails that are published each Friday.
If you have an announcement or article that needs a little more space, consider submitting it to the Midweek Messenger (enews@stmatthews-bowie.org) no later than 12:00 PM on the Wednesday of the week when you need it published. To announce events or deadlines, please plan to submit your article at least three weeks before the event or deadline so we can run the article three consecutive weeks leading up to the event or deadline.
Longer articles may be submitted to be considered for publication in the Circuit Rider by emailing them to circuitrider@stmatthews-bowie.
Thank you for your cooperation!
St. Matthew’s Supports UMCOR in March
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) (https://umcmission.org/umcor/
- UMCOR Sunday is on March 10th, and UMCOR is the recipient of the March Communion Offering. These general contributions to UMCOR fund administrative fees, which enable UMCOR to react quickly during disasters. UMCOR also solicits donations for specific programs like U.S. disaster response, international disaster response, and global migration (each one known as an “Advance” in UMCOR parlance). Contributions directed to specific Advance numbers go 100% to the cause associated with that Advance number. To learn more about UMCOR Sunday, watch this 1-minute video, UMCOR Sunday Did you Know?.
- Join UMCOR in prayer for those affected by the devastating #wildfires in #Texas. With wind gusts up to 60 mph, more than 850,000 acres have been affected, and a disaster declaration has been issued for 60 counties. UMCOR continues to provide updates on continuing response efforts on their UMCOR Facebook page as more information is announced. Donate to support those affected by disasters throughout the U.S. here: UMCOR US Disaster Response and Recovery (Advance #901670)
- Join UMCOR in offering continued prayers for safety, comfort, and peace for those in the Holy Land. To date, UMCOR has awarded six emergency grants to local partners in Israel and Gaza. Partners are using funds for relocation support, food and hygiene kits for internally displaced people, psychosocial treatment and trauma counseling to women and children, and telemedicine services for disabled children in need of follow-up care, but without safe access to a clinic. To support people and communities impacted by the war in Israel/Gaza, donate to the UMCOR International Disaster Response and Recovery Advance (Advance #982450)
Please note that contributions made to UMCOR via church offering will be used for the UMCOR Sunday Advance number during the month of March. If you want to contribute to a specific cause, please go to the UMCOR Gives website to donate directly to your preferred cause.
Calling All Bowie HS Students – Scholarship Opportunity!!
Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12 NRSV)
All seniors at Bowie High School (BHS) are eligible to apply for a St. Matthew’s 1 Timothy 4:12 scholarship. The scholarship program is intended to honor a senior student at BHS who is making a difference in the world, even while still in school.
To be considered for a scholarship, the senior should complete and submit a four-part application process:
- An application with your contact information;
- A reference from a teacher or mentor, etc.;
- An essay about what you are doing to make the world a better place; and
- Proof of meeting your service hours requirement either from your unofficial transcript or a copy of your report card.
The deadline for applications is April 12, 2024. Please pass the word about this opportunity to any BHS senior who is a change agent bringing positivity and service to the world. Contact Beth Obear at bobear18@comcast.net with any questions you may have.
Additional Scholarship Contest for High School Seniors in PG County
The Prince George’s County Executive is sponsoring a scholarship for high school seniors in honor of Gladys Noon Spellman. This year’s theme is: “Celebrating Women Who Fight for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” The application deadline is tomorrow, March 15 at 11:59 PM. Eligibility requirements and entry instructions are available at this link: Gladys Noon Spellman Scholarship Application | Prince George’s County (princegeorgescountymd.gov.
Theatre Troupe to Perform in April
MY FAIR LADY is on her way to St Matthew’s UMC in Bowie. My Fair Lady is an endearing tale with warmth and vivid characters. Professor Henry Higgins loves language and Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle desires to speak like a lady. With jubilant songs including “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” My Fair Lady is frequently called, “the perfect musical.”
The St. Matthew’s Musical Theatre Troupe is thrilled to be presenting this musical two weekends in April: April 12 and 14, and April 19, 20 and 21. Friday and Saturday evening performances are at 7:30 PM. The Sunday matinees are at 3:00 PM. Ticket prices have been finally hit by inflation this year, but we did break it into 3 groups: Adult (Over 18): $20; Youth (10-18): $10; and Children (under 10): $5.
Save the Date for the CROP Walk to End Hunger
St. Matthew’s will again have one or more teams participating in the Traditional Hyattsville Area CROP Hunger Walk on Sunday, May 5, 2024, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Participants will meet at the Linsom Pool parking lot for registration and then walk around Lake Artemesia. Coming soon: more information about choosing your favorite Dueling Doggie!
Please see or email Angela Cockrell (angela.g.cockrell@gmail.com) for sign-up sheets or more information about the walk and how we can help end hunger in our area.
Little Free Pantry Update
The current need is for a stocker to fill the LFP on Wednesdays beginning on April 3. Please give this important need your prayerful consideration. We also need a substitute shopper. Thank you. Beth Lingg (lfp@stmatthews-bowie.org)
Bowie Food Pantry Update
St. Matthew’s EEC Kindergarten class recently brought a large donation to the Pantry. A BIG thank you to the class for collecting and delivering the food — WELL DONE! At this time, the Pantry is most in need of pasta sauce (regular size) and low-sugar cereal. Please leave donations in the cart in the coatroom. Thank you!
To ensure that your item is included in the Midweek Messenger, please send it to enews@stmatthews-bowie.org