Special events that are coming soon, or that require special instructions (like making fleece blankets for Faith Homes), can be found here.

The parking lot was full, the doors were open, children were running around, and the church hall was packed with almost 70 laughing, cheering people. What was so exciting? The Annual Spaghetti Dinner to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and its Breast Cancer Walk. Parishioner Julie Milner and 5 of her friends (the Chestnuts!) committed to walking the full 60 miles and raising over $12,000 for the fight against breast cancer. Their wonderful spaghetti dinner, capped off by a Dessert Auction and raffle raised over $1,300 of the total.

Once again St. Matthew sent a team of parishioners to participate the American Cancer Society’s fund raising Relay for Life. Under the team name Godspeed, St. Matthew has previously pitched tents, rolled out sleeping bags, and camped at the site of the 24-hour relay. This year our greatly expanded team (34 walkers including some young apprentices) had participants both much younger and somewhat older than we have had in the past. Group camping at the Relay site was not feasible so each walker’s one-hour stint expanded to include the drive from home as well as their drive back.

Godspeed Team click on photo for a larger image

The event was a success! The St. Matthew Youth Group fed approximately 60 hungry Habitat for Humanity volunteers. The group also was able to walk through the job site and see the different phases of construction as well as have Building 101 explained to them by their Youth Leader - which I am sure bored them to death.

The St. Matthew Youth Group wished to express much gratitude to all of those that baked cookies and helped pack the lunches. Special Thanks goes out to Ginny Peterson for the incredible soup that was a huge hit. God Bless and we will keep you all informed as to our next big adventure.

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A hearty Thank You to the team for the success of our Second Annual Bike Rodeo. We sold 22 bike helmets, pumped up tires, and checked brakes at our Safety Station. The creativity was high with the decorated bikes parade and the slalom. Our First Aide Station was manned inside, out of the sun.

We had some important guests in attendance. The Browns Point Fire Dept. sent two firemen and one massive fire truck. The City of Tacoma sent two Bicycle Police to teach safety. Both were big hits. All enjoyed hot dogs and goodies and had great fun.

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    Meeting the fire department          Bike decorating station

  

   Prior to the bike parade                       Bike parage

  

          Safety station                               Face painting

           Salom course

Held every August is our Antique Fair! There were over a dozen antique dealers setting up shop in the parking lot. A certified appraiser was on hand all day, and food was available thanks to several parishoners.

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       vendors setting up in the parking lot

        
  making snacks             getting an appraisal

Both the Vivace Cathedrals Choir and the Port Angeles High School Symphonic Choir put on an absolutely outstanding performance Sunday afternoon, March 20th, each singing several beautiful songs. The concert lasted about an hour and 45 minutes to a standing room only audience.

They sang separately and together, each with about 50 members. Andrea Klouse directed the Vivace choir and the Port Angeles Choir sang the beautiful song Who Will Fight No More Forever composed by Andrea Klouse.

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            Vivace Choir                                     Port Angeles High School 
                                                                   Symphonic Choir

 

Founder’s Day - Friends Of Argyle Knight

Twenty-five to thirty people celebrated Argyle Knight’s 93nd birthday (November 13th) with a party held at the Swiss Restaurant in Tacoma. The whole restaurant sang Happy Birthday to Argyle as a cake covered with candles was presented to him. On behalf of the Swiss Restaurant, the manager also wished Argyle a very happy birthday.

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The Art Committee unveiled their latest project on Easter Sunday with the addition of bright new banners in St. Matthew’s sanctuary. The matched pairs of multicolored banners are adorned with five styles of crosses and mounted on multipurpose wooden molding high on the side walls of the church.

The molding and flag blocks were designed and manufactured by Bob Witter and installed by Bob Witter, Bob Wright, George Dennett, and Jim Sloan. The flags were designed by Jackie Whorten, Committee Chair, and made by Emily Hill, Jill Little, and Ginny Peterson.

Banner makers: from left to right: Bob Wright, Bob Witter, Jim Sloan, Jackie Whorton, Emily Hill, Jill Little, and Ginny Peterson

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During the dedication of the new new wall hangings, we gave thanks to Jill Little, Ginny Peterson, Ginny Sloan, Sandy Goretti, Janet Witter, Adam Cuevas, Dar Pirie, and Pam Ladley with help from Jackie Whorton, Karen Burd, Clair Scharmach, Brita Barry, Lyn Zimmerman, and Deborah Abington for all their work and creativity in designing and creating these beautiful works of art. Ann Darling gave the gift of the cloth for the wall hangings.

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                           banners being hung                         Dedication at Sunday services

Thanks to a gift from Helen Stern, Jane and (the late) Fred Shanaman, Bea and Bud Stensrud, and an anonymous giver, a new stained-glass window graces our sanctuary. James Perry, of Perry Stained Glass Studio in Issaquah, was invited to create a window for us using images of the Eucharist and Baptism with colors and design in harmony with our Sanctuary and the feel of the northwest. Stained glass has been used to decorate interior space with color and light since the first century. It came to be understood as an art form from the time of Constantine. The earliest surviving example of stained glass is a Head of Christ from the 10th century excavated from Lorsch Abbey in Germany. During the 13th and 14th centuries, stained glass flourished in Gothic Cathedrals throughout Europe.

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