St. Matthews Anglican Church - Riverview, Florida
St Matthews Newsletter - June 2004
Persevering with due diligence through out the summer months. "And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:" Hebrews 6:11 (KJV) One of the things that makes St. Matthew's Anglican Church distinctive is that it perseveres with due diligence through out the summer months. Many parishes drop their Bible studies, their choirs stop rehearsing and wearing their robes, and many of the usual activities of the parish are suspended till fall. While this low key approach to the summer season appeals to some and may be appropriate, it is not necessarily the best thing for the parish. The needs of the parish and it's parishioners do not stop or take a holiday just because it is summer. Those who are sick or suffering in some way need the constant and consistent comfort and emotional support that the parish and its services render to those in need. Those who have been particularly blessed by God need an appropriate place to give Him praise and glory for what He has done for them. And, of course, in order to experience God's blessing we need to keep His commandments, one of which is going to church as a part of "keeping the Sabbath day holy". Many people who move to a new location often wait for the summer months to do so. The main reason they do so is that their children are out of school and in many cases job transfers are planned by many companies during that time as well. In their case they are searching for a new parish family to join as well as a new school for their children to attend and/or a new home to move into that meets their needs. First impressions are important and the parish must be ready to make sure that first impression is a favorable one. New visitors need to see the worship services, programs and activities of the parish operating at peak performance in order to make a decision as to whether this is a parish they would like to be a part of. This means that in order for them to make their decision they need to see the parish operating as it normally does during the rest of the year. One should also note that the physical running and maintenance of the parish does not stop during the summer months. Things still need to be cleaned and maintained and, of course, the bills need to be paid. When parishioners feel that the church has closed down for the summer they sometimes relax their attendance, volunteering, and their financial support of the parish. This is probably one of the reasons many churches experience financial hardship during the summer months. I want to wish all of you taking summer vacations safe and enjoyable
trips full of God's blessings and want you to know that St. Matthew's
will be praying for you while you are gone and here to greet you
when you get back. Father Bill
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