Love, Joy, Peace...
Calendar, Upcoming Events, and News
*Please note that some activities are not church-sponsored or may be private; contact the church office to confirm.
St. Matthew Upcoming Events
All-Daughters Luncheon & Entertainment
May 3, 2025 (note date change)
Doors open at 11:00 a.m.; pre-purchased ticket required for admission. (No tickets sold at the door.)
Tickets for sale on the church patio April 6 & 27.
~Adults $15
~Children 10 and under $5
For more information or questions, contact Marion Ritchotte (maritchotte@gmail.com) or Maria Wood (abxys11@msn.com).
Save the Date!
On Sunday, June 8, SPRC will be hosting a Farewell Potluck and short program after church for Pastor Joel.
Church Book Club - Upcoming Selections

April - The Book Of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

May - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

As usual, we will meet in the Patio Room at St. Matthew at 10:45 a.m. on the 4th Thursday of the month. Hope to see you there. Remember that guests are always welcome!

Coat & Jacket Drive
While you are packing away your winter clothes, you may find some outerwear that you didn’t wear this year and could part with. The Outreach Team is collecting coats, jackets, sweaters, and sweatshirts that are new or have been gently used. We will store them away until fall when we’ll distribute them to some of our ministry partners, including the Justa Center, UMOM, and others. You may also find new children’s coats and jackets on clearance racks which could go to Helen’s Hope Chest for foster kids. Please bring donated items through the month of March to the church on Sundays or to the church office.
Thank you for your continued blessings to our community!
—St. Matthew Missions and Outreach Team

Events Hosted by Our Partners in Ministry
From the Desert Southwest Conference 4/1/25
Bring the whole family for a day of excitement and bonding at our Mingus Mountain Family Fun Day on May 10, 2025! Join us from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on the mountain for a variety of outdoor games, activities, and camp-inspired fun for all ages. Whether you are looking to sign up your campers for summer or want to revisit some favorite memories, this is the event for you! Celebrate community, create lasting memories, and experience a taste of camp life with your loved ones. Lunch will be served from 12:00-1:30 pm. Don’t miss out—join us for a day full of fun, laughter, and family connection!
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News
4/4/25:
Farewell and God's Blessings to Arizona Korean United Methodist Fellowship!

On Sunday, March 30, it was announced that the AZ Korean Fellowship will be moving to their new church home in Peoria, beginning April 6. During the morning service, Pastor Sang Jae and his family were honored with gifts and heartfelt blessings from the St. Matthew congregation.

We celebrate with them as they begin this new chapter, having received a church property of their own through the generosity of the Desert Southwest Conference. Let us continue to hold Pastor Sang Jae, his family, and the AZ Korean Fellowship in our prayers as they embrace this exciting new beginning.

—Pastor Joel

The First United Methodist Foundation of Phoenix awards theological scholarships to Certified Candidates for the ministry as defined in The Book of Discipline. Scholarships are awarded for education-related expenses only. Scholarship applications must be submitted by Monday, April 21, 2025, by 4 p.m. Arizona time.  Apply Now!
From the Desert Southwest Conference:
The Desert Southwest Conference lists job openings weekly for positions in local churches, Conferences across the country, and United Methodist General organizations.  To see the listings, check out dscumc.org/classifieds/jobs.
Page updated 4/18/25
From St. Matthew 3/2/25:
Thank you!
“Thank you! We wish we could stay here forever. It is so nice and so are all the people!”
Those comments were made by two of the families we were blessed to care for during our week hosting Family Promise. Those words were made possible because of YOU, the friends and family of St. Matthew supporting this wonderful ministry. We would personally like to thank all those who helped us by hosting overnight, cooking delicious meals, cleaning, laundering, and performing all those little tasks it takes to make it a success. We hosted six families, a total of twenty people: eight adults and twelve children, ranging in age from 15 years to one year. For the first time ever, we actually had three fathers who came with their families. We celebrated the birthdays of three of the children and each of the smaller children left our care with a quilt and a teddy bear to remember us. Again, we thank all of you who helped and look forward to offering everyone the opportunity to join us in October, when we will once again host families.
Thank you for being a blessing.
—Carol and Rosemary