Welcome to St Matthew's Lutheran Church
Dear Visitor,
“Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” These are the words spoken on Ash Wednesday, the most solemn day for Christians, as each penitent comes forward to be marked with a cross of ashes. The ashes remind us that all of us must die on account of our sins. The cross reminds us of the Risen Jesus’ promise: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).
The forty days of Lent, which echo Jesus’ forty day fast in the wilderness (see Matthew 4), began on Ash Wednesday and will reach their spiritual destination at the Triduum (the three days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday which celebrate the heart of the Christian faith). During the forty days of Lent, which do not include the six Sundays in Lent, Christians devote themselves to prayer, fasting, and works of mercy. This is a time of setting aside the false gods to which we turn but which cannot save us.
Our Lenten daily devotional theme at St. Matthew’s is another set of Unsung Saints, reflections on various persons that have caused me to grow in faith and life… and not always because they were exemplary Christians. If you would like to receive daily devotional emails, please make your request to: szumwalt@bellsouth.net.
We invite you to join us each Wednesday in Lent at noon (spoken Eucharist) or 7pm (sung Evening Prayer) as we meditate weekly on the Lord’s gift to the baptized of His true Body and most precious Blood. Two of our five retired pastors, Peter Hoyer and Robert Kuppler, provide the midweek homilies on March 1, 8, 15, and 22.
Thanks for stopping by!
Pastor Sam Zumwalt, STS+
Come Worship with Us
Saturday 6:00 PM
Sunday 8:30 AM
Sunday 11:00 AM
Monday 5:00 PM
Wednesday 12 Noon
THE GREEK WORD FOR CHURCH, “EKKLESIA,” means the ones “called out” of their homes to assemble with the Lord for the apostles teaching and fellowship, the breaking of the bread, and the prayers (Acts 2:42). We urge you to join us in person for worship!
If you can’t worship with us in person, be sure to worship with us on YouTube Live this Saturday @ 6pm; Sunday @ 8:30 and 11am; Monday @6pm; Wednesday @Noon. To access our YouTube channel, please CLICK HERE https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1n7DcvSmSFXYO51dWbdykw
We welcome you in Jesus’ name to celebrate with us The Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 25-26, 2023. The Rev’d. Fr. Samuel David Zumwalt preaches, “Holy Communion: The LORD Does Provide” (Genesis 22:1-14). The color of the day is violet signifying our sorrow over our sin. The Sundays in Lent are little Easters and are not included in the forty days of Lent, which began on Ash Wednesday.
From the console of our 47 rank Austin pipe organ with trompette-en-chamade, Bill Glisson leads at 6 p.m. on Saturday and at 11 a.m. on Sunday in the singing of joyous hymns: “Christ the Life of All the Living” (Entrance); “All for Christ I Have Forsaken” (Hymn of the Day); “Be Thou My Vision” (Saturday Recessional); “Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow” (11 a.m. Recessional). Our Sunday distribution hymns are: “I Am the Bread of Life”; “Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee”; “Be Thou My Vision.”
The Joyful Noise Ensemble leads the 8:30 a.m. Eucharist in the singing of joyous hymns and spiritual songs: “Open Your Ears, O Faithful People”; “All for Christ I Have Forsaken”; “I Am the Bread of Life”; and “Be Thou My Vision.”
Special music for the weekend includes: Bill Glisson’s organ prelude “All for Christ I Have Forsaken” (Childs); Bill’s Saturday offering “Out of the Depths, I Cry to You” (Luther); The Joyful Noise Ensemble sings, “I Surrender All” at the 8:30 a.m. offering; The Adult Choir sings, “My Soul, Be Still” (Debussy/Sterling) at the 11 a.m. offering; Bill’s postlude, “Christ the Life of All the Living” (J.S. Bach).
Midweek Lenten liturgies continue on Wednesdays at noon (spoken Holy Eucharist) and 7 p.m. (Sung Evening Prayer). Fr. Samuel Zumwalt preaches on March 29. Daily Holy Week worship begins on Saturday, April 1, 2023 (no fooling)!
Did you know that you can give online to St. Matthew’s? https://stmatthewsch.org/online-giving/
Sheila Whitmeyer oversees the nursery on Sunday mornings for up to five children per service. For more information, please email: slwhitmeyer@aol.com
For online worshipers, be sure to download the bulletin: https://stmatthewsch.org/bulletin/
Live broadcast of each worship service begins several minutes before the posted worship time.
St Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church
612 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 791-4582
Worship Services
Saturday 6:00 PM
Sunday 8:30 & 11:00
Monday 6:00 PM
PRAY daily
“To be a Christian without Prayer is no more possible than to be Alive without breathing.” - Martin Luther
WORSHIP weekly
"To gather with God's people in united adoration of the Father is as necessary to the Christian life as prayer." - Martin Luther
READ the Bible
“The Bible is Alive, It speaks to me; It has feet, It runs after me; It has hands, It lays hold of me” - Martin Luther
SERVE at and beyond St. Matthew’s
“God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does.” - Martin Luther
Be in Relationship to encourage spiritual growth in others
"If he have faith, the believer cannot be restrained. He betrays himself. He breaks out. He confesses and teaches this gospel to the people at the risk of life itself." - Martin Luther
GIVE of my time, talents and resources
“I have held many things in my hand, and have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands that I still possess.”– Martin Luther
Pastor Sam's Blog
Read Pastor Sam's blog for current news and inspiring articles
FUNERAL OF RICHARD THOMPSON ON WEDNESDAY 3/1/23 @ 2 P.M.
The Funeral of George Richard Cunliffe Thompson III (Richard) will be in the nave on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at 2 p.m. Burial follows immediately in the Memorial Garden. A…
Read MoreUNSUNG SAINTS: JIM THE BISHOP
https://mailchi.mp/stmatthewsch/saturday-after-ash-wednesday-5wzscma6jf?e=423ab67a37
Read MoreMARGARET BALDWIN FRENCH GRAVESIDE SERVICE 2/24/23 @ 1 P.M.
We will give God thanks and praise for the life of Margaret Baldwin French on Friday, February 24, at 1 p.m. at the Bethany Presbyterian Cemetery on Castle Hayne Road.…
Read MoreUNSUNG SAINTS: THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY
https://mailchi.mp/stmatthewsch/thursday-after-ash-wednesday-98j6vtx52o?e=423ab67a37
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