St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church in Snellville, GA

St. Matthew’s strives to be a welcoming home for all who
seek Jesus Christ as we share God’s Love with the community.

 

Spotlight on Ministry: Flower Guild

Have you ever wondered about the beautiful flowers on the altar? Did you know that there is a small group that arranges them each week? At one time in St. Matthew’s history the flowers were purchased from local florists in Snellville and the altar guild would place them on the altar. The guild was formed by Ildy Mezey in 2015 and continues now under Janis Williams and Beth DiGiovanni. The guild purchases some flowers, in addition to using greenery & flowers right from the St. Matthew’s campus.
There are times in the liturgical season that dictate the color of the flowers – Red for Pentecost, White for Easter, funerals, Bishop visit, Bare Branches for Lent, Greenery for Advent. Then there are the other times where the Flower Guild members have an open pallet for colors!
We are looking for members for the guild. You do not have to be a floral expert! We have a group of members now who are shadowing members a week a month. If you are interested in finding out more about the Flower Guild please contact Janis Williams or Beth DiGiovanni.
Flowers for the altar are supported by donations from the St. Matthew’s members. Since we are now fully open and in person after the pandemic closure in 2021, we currently have many weeks open on the Sunday Flower chart outside the church office. If you have a special week to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, memory of a family member, or just a Thanksgiving, please consider adding their name (and yours) to our flower chart or contact the office to help. The suggested amount of the donation is $65, but any contribution you are able to make is appreciated.



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Hymn Highlights: Music For Rogation Days

Our opening hymn this coming Sunday (5/8/2021) is hymn #292, “O Jesus, crowned with all renown”, a hymn for Rogation Days by Archbishop of Canterbury Edward White Benson (1829-1896). Archbishop Benson is perhaps best remembered as the creator of Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in 1880 when he was Bishop of Truro. Hymn 292 was written in 1860 whilst he was headmaster of Wellington College. This hymn first appeared in The Hymnal 1916.

Traditionally, the three days before Ascension Day are observed as Rogation Days. The Sunday before the Ascension, the Sixth Sunday of Easter, is traditionally known as Rogation Sunday. These are days of prayer to ask God’s blessing on crops, for an abundant harvest, and protection from natural disasters. Traditionally the parish vicar, wardens, choir boys, and others would process around boundaries of the parish, carrying long sticks, while occasionally stopping to recite or chant Psalms or the Litany of Saints. This procession around the geographical area of the parish was known as “beating the bounds”. Rogation days were also a time for people of the parish to settle disputes and disagreements to come together as a community. See the following link for more information on the history of Rogation Days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eLmFv-ilXA  

In The Hymnal 1982, hymn #292 is paired with the tune Kingsfold. Kingsfold was originally an English folksong that Ralph Vaughan Williams arranged for The English Hymnal, 1906 where it was paired with the text “I heard the voice of Jesus say”. Vaughan Williams first heard the tune in the village of Kingsfold in northwest Sussex where the text was about “Dives and Lazarus”. The tune was used by Vaughan Williams in Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus for string orchestra and harp which you can listen to here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQoP9iLwoos

O Jesus, crowned with all renown

1. O Jesus, crowned with all renown,
since thou, the earth hast trod,
thou reignest and by thee come down
henceforth the gifts of God.
Thine is the health and thine the wealth
that in our halls abound,
and thine the beauty and the joy
with which the years are crowned.

2.Lord, in their change, let frost and heat,
and winds and dews be given;
all fostering power, all influence sweet,
breathe from the bounteous heaven.
Attemper fair and gentle air
the sunshine and the rain,
that kindly earth with timely birth
may yield her fruits again:

3.That we may feed the poor aright,
and, gathering round thy throne,
here, in the holy angel’s sight,
repay thee of thine own:
That we may praise thee all our days,
and with the Father’s Name,
and with the Holy Spirit’s gifts,
the Savior’s love proclaim.

Edward White Benson (1829-1896)



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Confirmation Service For Three Parishes At St. Matthew’s This Sunday April 18

Congratulations to those being confirmed this Sunday:
Becky Barringer, Jessie Barringer, Caroline Bond, Nadira Desamu-Thorpe, Neema Desamu-Thorpe, Jacob Steven Hurst, and James Chester Piechowiak.
They will be part of a group of 20 individuals from St. Matthew’s, St. Michael & All Angels parish in Stone Mountain and St. Patrick’s, Dunwoody, who will be confirmed by The Right Reverend Robert C. Wright this Sunday at 2:00 p.m. here at St. Matthew’s. Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions on large gatherings, the service will be open to immediate family members by invitation only. **  Please keep our confirmands in your prayers as they take this step along their faith journey.
**You can watch the service livestreamed at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 18 at

 



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Musical Meditation For Holy Week

by Kyle Osborne, St. Matthew’s Director of Music

Music for Holy Week

As we approach Holy Week, I wanted to share some music for meditation that may not be familiar but that I feel should be more well known.

The first piece I would share is “O Mensch, bewein’ dein’ Sünde groß” BWV 622 from the Orgelbuchlein (Little Organ Book) by J.S. Bach (1685-1750). This piece is an organ setting of the Lutheran Chorale by German theologian and hymn writer Sebald Heyden (1499-1561). O Mensch, bewein’ dein’ Sünde groß” is a Passiontide Hymn based on the Four Gospels and was originally 23 stanzas. Bach choose to set the first stanza as an ornamented chorale. Bach vividly depicts the chorale text with appoggiaturas, sighs, and striking chromaticism. The text and listening link are below.

O Mensch, bewein’ dein’ Sünde groß,
darum Christus sein’s Vaters Schoß
äußert und kam auf Erden.
Von einer Jungfrau zart und rein
für uns er hier geboren ward,
er wollt’ der Mittler werden.

O man, thy grievous sin bemoan,
For which Christ left His Father’s throne,
From highest heaven descending.
Of Virgin pure and undefiled
He here was born, our Saviour mild,
For sin to make atonement.

https://soundcloud.com/user80906043/bach-o-mensch-bewein

“Crucifixion” from Symphonie Passion by Marcel Dupre (1886–1971) is a programmatic organ work that was originally improvised during a recital on the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia. In this work you can hear Jesus walking to Calvary, falling along the way, the hammering, the anguish, and torment of being nailed to the cross, crying out to God before he breathes his last, his body being lowered and laid in his mother’s lap. Dupre ends quietly, in peaceful sorrow with the Stabat Mater chant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s_N9e32bcw&t=43s

Last year we recorded Stations of the Cross with organ interludes French organist and composer Cesar Franck (1822–1890). The results were very moving, and I would like to share them with you again this year. Here is the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIq9KiYmTlc&t=16s

I hope these works will enhance your Holy Week meditations.

Kyle Osborne
Director of Music



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“Lord, I love the house in which you dwell
and the place where your glory abides. *
Psalm 26:8