Welcome to St Matthew's Lutheran Church
Dear Visitor,
First things first. Biological life begins at conception not at birth, a new life with a unique genetic imprint made up of DNA shared suddenly by the biological father and biological mother. Yes, it’s quite amazing the first time parents see the sonogram and hear that tiny heartbeat. Often, before a woman tells anyone she is pregnant, she can be observed protectively cupping her hands around her abdomen. It’s exciting walking those forty weeks of waiting, hoping, planning, and dreaming. Grandparents and others start buying for the baby right away. Will this baby be a boy or a girl? How will she or he be named?
The season of Advent begins four Sundays before Christ Mass. This year, it compresses the nine months of anticipating a birth into twenty-seven days. During Advent, the Church prepares not only for the celebration of the birth of God’s Son Jesus whose very name means “God saves.” Advent is also the beginning of another year of God’s grace during which we relive the life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of the God-Man Jesus followed by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the mission of the Church to declare what God in Christ has done. Already at the beginning, the Church preaches the necessity of repentance and Baptism for salvation (Acts 2:38). During the new church year, our preaching focus will be on Holy Baptism.
First things first. Our mother, the Church, reminds us to focus on Who comes first, last, and always: the one God in three persons. In the penitential season of Advent, we prepare our hearts and minds to receive the gift of God’s Son our Savior. Once again, a new set of “Unsung Saints,” daily memories of ordinary Christians who struggled with sin all the way to the end of their lives in this world, will be available on this website and on Facebook. The intent is for each of us to think about the unsung saints in our lives and how they helped us, intentionally or not, to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We will offer midweek Advent worship at noon and 7pm on December 1, 8, and 15 to keep us focused in the midst of the annual onslaught by advertisers. Finally, we will begin the twelve days of Christmass with candlelight Eucharists at 5pm (children tell the story), 8:30pm (led by the Adult Choir), and 11pm (Solemn High Christ Mass with pipe organ and string quartet) on the evening of Friday, December 24.
Put first things first this December. Join us as we begin again the story of salvation!
Thanks for stopping by!
Pastor Sam Zumwalt+
szumwalt@bellsouth.net
Come Worship with Us
Saturday 6:00 PM
Sunday 8:30 AM
Sunday 11:00 AM
Monday 5:00 PM
Wednesday 12 Noon
WE HAVE RESUMED CORPORATE WORSHIP WHILE MAINTAINING GREAT CARE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS! Hand sanitizer is available inside each entrance. The pastors wear masks and gloves when distributing the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. While most of our people are either vaccinated or have immunity, we understand that some worshipers are more comfortable wearing masks. At the sharing of the peace, we wave or bow to those who are not of our own households. 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 on the link below: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1n7DcvSmSFXYO51dWbdykw
We welcome you in Jesus’ name to celebrate with us on the Second Sunday in Advent, December 5, 2021. The Rev’d. Dr. Samuel David Zumwalt, STS, preaches the sermon, “Holy Baptism: A Good Work Begun” (Philippians 1:2-11).
From the console of our 47 rank Austin pipe organ with trompette-en-chamade, Bill Glisson leads on Saturday at 6 p.m. and on Sunday.: “Sing Praise to the God of Israel” (Entrance); “On Jordan’s Banks the Baptist’s Cry” (Hymn of the Day); “Prepare the Royal Highway” (Recessional). Our Sunday distribution hymns are: “Blessed Be the God of Israel,” “Baptized in Water,” and “Wash, O Wash, Your Sons and Daughters.” The color for Sunday is blue signifying our hope for eternal life with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Special music for the weekend: Organ prelude by Bill Glisson, “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” (Burkhardt); Saturday offering “The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came” (Manz). At the Sunday 8:30 offering, the Adult Choir sings: “In the Silence, Wondrous Love” (Schram). At the Sunday 11 a.m. offering, Teresa Hall and Clare Zumwalt sing “A Litany for Advent” (McRae). Bill Glisson’s organ postlude, “Prepare the Royal Highway” (Held). Greg Gore will play the Saturday 6 p.m. Eucharist.
Fr. Peter Hoyer will be our guest preacher for midweek Advent worship on December 8.
Did you know that you can give online to St. Matthew’s? https://stmatthewsch.org/online-giving/
Sheila Whitmeyer has reopened the nursery on Sunday mornings for up to five children per service. For more information, please email: lshp4561@yahoo.com
We commune in the following way. Worshipers line up to receive Holy Communion at one of the chancel gates. After the pastor dips the host into the chalice, please receive the Body and Blood of Christ in your flattened palm. If you are unable to receive the Blood of Christ due to the alcohol content, please let the pastors know you wish only to receive the host. If you wish to take home communion to your family, please bring a baggie to receive the hosts. Offering plates are just inside the nave so that worshipers may place their offerings as they enter or leave the nave. New Portals of Prayer devotions booklets for July-September 2021 and retired copies of the Lutheran Book of Worship are still available to take home. These may be found on a table in the narthex. Mr. Bill Glisson, our Director of Music, will lead from the organ. Streaming of online services begins about 4 minutes before the advertised 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
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