Welcome to St Matthew's Lutheran Church
Dear Visitor,
The Sundays after Pentecost are not a season but are called ordinary time from the Latin “ordinalis” meaning “numbered.” The first Sunday after Pentecost is the Feast of the Holy Trinity, the sixth and final major feast day on the Lutheran liturgical calendar for which the color is white signifying God’s purity and the joy of His eternal life and love. Thereafter, the Sundays are “The 2nd Sunday after Pentecost,” et cetera, and the color on paraments and vestments is green signifying Christ’s Church on earth growing in the grace and knowledge of her Lord Jesus Christ, His Father, and the Holy Spirit.
Our summer preaching focus will be on the Ten Commandments and Martin Luther’s longer explanation of each in his Large Catechism. During the week before each numbered Sunday, I am inviting hearers and interested parties to read Luther’s explanation of each commandment. An online version of the Large Catechism may be accessed at https://bookofconcord.org/large-catechism/. Each week through the week before August 28, we read a particular commandment and Luther’s explanation.
Take note that the commandments tell us what God wants of His people. In other words, God’s No to sin is telling us, “Not that way but this.” The first three commandments focus specifically on God and the last seven on our neighbors, but all the commandments are extended commentary on the first, “You shall have no other gods.” Whether you join us online from a distance or assemble with us around the Word and Sacraments on weekends, we hope you will grow more deeply into the likeness of God’s Son.
St. Matthew’s is an evangelical catholic parish, which means we confess the Scriptures and creeds of Christ’s whole Church on earth, worship using the liturgy of the western Church, practice one Baptism with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins, and receive the Lord Jesus’ true Body and most precious Blood in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar every Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, and other feast days. With all Christ’s faithful people on earth, we are unapologetically pro-life.
As always, we are delighted to welcome summer visitors to our beautiful beaches and to join with St. Matthew’s church in praise and adoration of the Blessed Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
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 HERE https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1n7DcvSmSFXYO51dWbdykw
We welcome you in Jesus’ name to celebrate with us the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, on August 13-14, 2022. The Rev’d. Fr. Samuel David Zumwalt preaches, “Holy Baptism: The 9th Commandment” (Luther’s Large Catechism on the Ninth Commandment and Hebrews 11:29-12:2). The color of the day is green signifying growing in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, His Father, and the Holy Spirit. To prepare for the sermon, please review Martin Luther’s explanation of the 9th commandment here: https://bookofconcord.org/large-catechism/ Congregational president Beth Hales invites voting members to attend a Q&A session at 9:45 a.m. in advance of the upcoming Special Congregational Meeting on Sunday, August 21, at 1 p.m.
From the console of our 47 rank Austin pipe organ with trompette-en-chamade, Bill Glisson leads the traditional Eucharists on Saturday at 6 p.m. and 11a.m. Sunday in the singing of joyous hymns: “Let the Whole Creation Cry” (Entrance); “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light” (Hymn of the Day); “Faith of our Fathers” (Recessional). Our Sunday distribution hymns are: “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word”; and “Baptized into Your Name Most Holy.”
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”; “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”; “In My Life, Lord, Be Glorified”; “I Will Sing of the Mercies of the Lord.”
Special music for the weekend includes: Bill Glisson’s Saturday prelude “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light” (Pelz); Bill’s Saturday offering, “Little Prelude in G Minor” (JS Bach); Clare Zumwalt sings at the 11 a.m. offering, “Spirit Song” (Wimber); and Bill’s Sunday postlude “Let the Whole Creation Cry” (MacMillan).
Did you know that you can give online to St. Matthew’s? https://stmatthewsch.org/online-giving/
Sheila Whitmeyer and Allison Scalora have reopened 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
Vote for St. Matthew’s
St. Matthews made it to the final vote for “best place of worship”. Art Gallery – Entertainment & Leisure – 2022 Best of Shore Picks (gannettcontests.com)
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