Scripture: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 and Luke 24:1-12

“Hallelujah and Amen"

Rev. Erin Wyma

Easter Sunday

April communion will be celebrated on Easter. 

Click here to sign up for Sunday service volunteer opportunities (reader, greeter, acolyte, or usher)

Good Friday, Noon Worship

Easter Sunday, 9:30am Worship

The Celebration of Life service for Sue Lellbach will be on Saturday, April 8th. Vistation from 9:30-10:30am, followed immediately by the service. 

The Worship committee purchased a variety of Easter flowers for the sanctuary. You may take one home with you after church on Easter for a small donation ($10 suggested), payable by cash or check. 

We are not taking preorders this year. Thank you!

Monday, April 24th, at 7pm. Free community program!

Grounding and Balance -- Social Media Awareness from the experience of an Influencer. (And how the term "influencer" isn't at all helpful)

The rush from experiencing social media kudos can often be offset or even erased by the negative feelings after reading caustic comments. In this seminar, former associate pastor from St. Matthew UCC, and also a social media personality with hundreds of thousands of subscribers, Rev. Kirk Moore, from personal experience, talks about ways to be grounded into ourselves and to seek balance in our lives both on and off of social media. 

Rev. Kirk Moore is a minister in the United Church of Christ, a certified therapeutic musician, hospital chaplain, advocate, and somehow became "tiktok famous" during the pandemic. 

Do you have a 2023 high school, college, or post-college graduate?

Email the office with their name, where they are graduating from, degree, and future plans! 

Graduates will be honored on June 4th.

Sunday, April 16th, 4pm

First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton

715 N. Carlton Avenue, Wheaton

FREE (Donations welcome)

Join the Men's Social Group for an evening at TopGolf Naperville on Thursday, April 13th from 6-8pm. 

You do not need to be a golfer to come chat, watch, and enjoy the camaraderie.

Please RSVP to Doug Miller or Eric Lindberg ASAP, and let them know whether you'll be a golfer or non-golfer. 

We look forward to a fun evening!

Please join the Mission Committee on Saturday, April 29th, from 6:30- 9pm, for our Shrimp Boil Fundraiser to benefit Back Bay Mission.

The cost is $25 per adult and $5 for children, with a maximum cost of $60 per family.

RSVP by April 15th so we can determine how much shrimp we need. The more, the merrier!

There will also be a wine pull. Donations of wine are needed. 

Shrimp, salad, bread, and dessert, as well as mac & cheese will be provided. Checks can be made payable to St. Matthew with “Shrimp Boil” noted. To sign up, please see the board in the narthex, click here to sign up online, or email John Adams with the number of adults and youth in your party.

We hope you can join us for a night of great food and fellowship while supporting Back Bay.

We are excited to announce that St. Matthew is planning a fun-filled week of activities, June 5th-9th from 9am-12noon. A family ice cream social will be held Friday, June 9th at 6:30pm. 

For children ages 3-4 (must have completed at least one year of preschool) and grades K-5th grade (completed grades K-5th)

Cost is $35 per child. Scholarships available. Contact the office for more information. 

Registration is open and online. 

Click here to register!

VBS planning is underway, and we need lots of help this year!

The theme is Compassion Camp: What Every Living Thing Needs, and the dates are June 5th-9th. Prior to that week, we need help with craft prep (will have some at-home opportunities), check-in/registration on June 5th, decorating, as well as helpers during the week for Preschool - 5th grade. If you can help in any way, please let Dawn Schubert know. Thanks in advance for your willingness to help with this fun church event!

Prairie Path Clean-Up #1 is April 16th at 2 pm. We will meet at the corner of Liberty and West. New waivers will need to be filled out for 2023, and they will be in the narthex. Contact Dawn Schubert with any questions.

Come play Euchre on Friday, April 21st! Eat and socialize from 6:30-7pm. Play begins at 7pm. 

Join the women of St. Matthew on Thursday, April 27th at 7pm in Dobstaff for fun and fellowship. Contact Joyce Miller with questions. 

April 15th - movie begins at 12noon

United Church of Hyde Park, 1448 E 53rd St., Chicago 60615

CHICAGO PRAY AWAY FILM SCREENING & DISCUSSION

A screening of the documentary PRAY AWAY & panel discussion with survivors, faith leaders, LGBTQ advocates, and mental health experts. PRAY AWAY is a Netflix documentary that explores the narratives of former leaders and a survivor of the “conversion therapy” movement who speak out about its lasting harm and its devastating persistence.

The screening will be followed with a panel discussion featuring survivors of "conversion therapy," mental health experts, LGBTQIA+ advocates, and faith leaders who will reflect on the themes of the film. Come learn, connect and get plugged into a movement working to advance liberation for LGBTQIA+ Chicagoans.

This event is being hosted by the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches, Chicago Theological Seminary, Eden United Church of Christ, Gather, Living Well Ministries, Multitude Films, The Open and Affirming Coalition Of the United Church of Christ and United Church of Hyde Park

Doors open at 11:30 am, program begins at 12:00pm. Lunch provided! Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance. 

Click here to reserve a ticket!

On Saturday, April 15th, DuPage PADS will host their annual Rock & Bowl fundraiser at Fox Bowl in Wheaton from 12-3pm. 

If you would like to support team “St Matthew Strikers” or one of the team members, Dawn Schoening, Lori Chatten, Amy Barnshaw, Julie Schubert, or Howard Peterson, click here to donate. Any amount would be greatly appreciated!

The Chicago Cubs are having a Pride Night on June 13th! There is a significant discount for a group, so if enough people are interested PCNI will organize a PFLAG group. Signing up here is letting the organizers know you are interested in being a part of that group. It is not a purchase of the tickets at this time. 

Click here to let them know you would be interested in attending!

Please join us for the annual Crop Walk to help end world hunger. This is a great family activity and we are hoping for a big turn out this year! The Crop Walk this year will be held on Sunday, May 7th, at Gary Memorial Methodist Church in Wheaton. Check-in begins at 1pm and the walk begins at 2pm. It is a 3-mile walk. Click here to join the St. Matthew team or donate to our team. Contact Erin Walsh with questions. 

https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2023/team/st-matthew-ucc

We were glad to see some St. Matthew folks at the Interaith service.

Click here if you would like to watch the service. 

We are in need of a second adult to help in the nursery on Sunday mornings from 9:15-10:30. You can sign up to help once a month or just to help occasionally when it works in your schedule. Please contact Dawn Schubert with an questions. A church-run background check is required for all nursery volunteers. 

Click here to volunteer to help in the nursery!

Pastor Erin would like to engage with you in person about involvement in this beloved community. Reach out to Pastor Erin via email to setup a time to chat or contact the office. 

Download the Instant Church Directory app from the Apple® App store in iTunes®, Google Play™ store and the Amazon Fire App Store. Simply search for “Instant Church Directory” to get the download. 

You will need to use your email address as listed in our directory to create a log-in the first time you use the directory online and via the mobile app.

To view the directory online, go to members.InstantChurchDirectory.com and follow the prompts under “Sign In” to “Create a login now.” Please remember, you must confirm your email address before you can sign in.

Contact the office with questions.

For coffee after church, please consider bringing a treat on the following weeks:

Last names A-C, 1st Sunday

Last names D-H, 2nd Sunday

Last names I-O, 3rd Sunday

Last names P-Z, 4th Sunday

Anyone, 5th Sunday

Please contact Wendy Fanning if you are able to set up or clean up coffee hour. Thanks for your help.

The St. Matthew worship service will be streamed every Sunday at 9:30am. The service will be available on our website after the service.

Access the service through the St. Matthew YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/StMatthewUCC

**Once you are on YouTube, you have the option to turn on closed captioning and resize the font. Once the video is playing, click on the setting wheel in lower-right of your screen, choose Subtitles/CC, then choose English.**

You can also go to the St. Matthew homepage (stmatthewucc.org) to access the online service. 

Go to our website for instructions on how to donate to St. Matthew. Thank you!