From the weekly email 9/5/25:

This week’s spotlight is on the Leadership Council.

The Leadership Council looks at the big picture, making decisions about the vision and mission of the church. How do we live out our mission faithfully as United Methodists? How do we reach new people? And, most recently, how do we best organize the administrative work of St. Matthew UMC so the church can focus on mission?

Leadership Council, chaired by Sue Edman, has the overall responsibility for the administrative workings of St. Matthew UMC. This is the committee that hears from the three other administrative committees, Finance, Trustees, and SPRC. Leadership votes to set the budget that Finance is then charged with funding and overseeing.

Leadership meets on the fourth Thursday of most months at 5:30 p.m., and minutes of the meetings are available in the narthex for anyone who wants to learn more. The meetings are open—everyone is welcome to hear and be part of the discussion before the committee votes. If you're interested, or even just curious, come to a Leadership meeting to get a sense of what we do and how everything functions.

As we prepare for our annual Church Conference, the church is looking for people to serve on Leadership as well as the other committees of the church. If you feel called to be part of our important work, reach out to Pastor Ann, Sue Edman, or a member of the Nominations Committee (Maureen D, Susan T, Sherry T, June H, Judie F, Jan M, Natalie W, or Al M). Your unique voice may be just what our Leadership Council needs to hear!

From the weekly email 8/15/25:

This week’s spotlight is on our Board of Trustees.

The Trustees have the important responsibility of caring for all church property—both real and personal. In practical terms, that means keeping our buildings in good repair, making sure maintenance happens in a timely way, and ensuring our church’s assets are well-protected. Chaired by Eric Stout, the Trustees usually meet on the first Saturday of each month.

Why the Board of Trustees Matters
The Trustees care for our church’s physical home so that all who come here—members, guests, and neighbors—find a safe, welcoming, and inspiring space to encounter God and each other.

Campus Improvements
• The new church sign has been purchased and will be installed once temperatures drop.
• Plans to improve sanctuary lighting are moving forward, despite delays caused by the bankruptcy of our original contractor.

Playground Vision
Our Trustees believe our facilities should reflect our values. Right now, the playground doesn’t show the love we have for children. Plans are being explored to update and improve the playground so church families and neighbors alike can see how much we value and welcome children.

Accessibility Matters
Each year, the Trustees conduct an accessibility audit to ensure nothing on our campus creates a barrier to community or to knowing God. They welcome suggestions for making our spaces more accessible and welcoming to all. Let us know if you have ideas!

Protecting Our Campus
Unfortunately, vandalism has been an issue in recent months, with incidents ranging from damaged equipment to air conditioners being shut off. Trustees are exploring ways to better protect our property, including lighting, security cameras, and improved locks and gates. If you notice vandalism, please let the church office know right away so repairs can be made promptly.

Want to Get Involved?
The Trustees’ work is essential to our ministry. If you’d like to help care for and improve our church home, please speak with Eric Stout or Pastor Ann. The Nominations season is beginning, and we are seeking new members to begin serving on January 1, 2026!

From the weekly email 8/22/25:

This week’s spotlight is on the Worship Committee.

It takes a lot of people to bring worship to St. Matthew UMC. While the pastor and the music are perhaps the most visible, without the Worship Committee it wouldn’t happen (or would be a very different experience!). Members of the Worship Committee take care of the sound booth, make sure the pews are properly supplied and neat for service, prepare communion elements, and make sure our altar and our worship space reflects our joy in worshipping God. More than a dozen people, with Robin W as chair, do this work as well as coordinate the additional volunteers--without whom we could not have online worship, the greeters, ushers, and communion servers.

“I am so blessed by the Worship Committee and knowing that they have it covered and that I can count on them to make worship happen. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to focus on what I do,” says Pastor Ann.

We need additional assistance in the Tech Booth. If you have computer skills and think you would like to assist, stop by the booth and talk with Bill and Elaine S. In addition to Sunday worship, we need people to serve in the Tech Booth for funerals and memorial services, as well as during weddings or other special events that might be held in the Sanctuary, and this extra work is compensated.

Worship Committee is always looking for more people who want to serve as ushers, greeters, Communion servers, or liturgists. If you are willing to be an usher, see Tom or Karen A. To be a greeter, talk with Nellie A or Suvasini M. Nellie also coordinates our Communion servers. To be a liturgist, contact Pastor Ann directly.

If you have an artistic, floral, or crafty flair and would like to join the Flower Power team or help Pastor Ann plan worship decorating or altarscaping (creating decorative and artistic altars to match a worship series), you can talk to Ann or the Flower Power team: Pam B, Lindy S, and Wendy H.

Finally, the Nominations season is beginning, and we are seeking new faces to help with this important work. You do not need to be a member of the church to serve on the Worship Committee. If you might be interested, just let us know!