New Diocesan Ministry Center to be Established

On Monday, June 14, 2010, three canonical bodies of the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, the Trustees, the Diocesan Council and the Standing Committee, met and agreed in principle to move the Diocesan Office from the current location at 1114 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo to a site located at 1064 Brighton Road in Tonawanda, NY.

Read the whole story here.

The Annual Meeting of Saint Matthias Church was held on Sunday, January 31. Elected to serve as a Warden for a two-year term was Karen Johnson-Soj. Elected to serve as Vestry Members  for three-year terms were Sandy Bauerschmidt, Joy Mazzola and Tom Treadwell. Alice Brown was elected to serve as a Lay Member of Diocesan Convention for a three-year term.

RECTOR ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

The Revd Canon Daniel Weir, who has served as Rector since 2003 - and as Acting Rector in 2002 - has announced that he will retire at the end of June. Fr. Dan and his wife Jan, who will be retiring after 20 years as a school social worker at Erie 1 BOCES, plan to move to Massachusetts to live near their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter.

A LEARNING COMMUNITY

Christian Education for all ages begins again at 9 A.M. on Sunday, Sptember 13. Children will get to visit their classrooms and meet the adults who will sharing the learning and growing experience with them during this school year. Adults will get to see an overview of the learning opportunites for them, not only those offered Sunday mornings, but also weeknight opportunities like Education for Ministry.

As a Learning Community we affirm The Charter for Lifelong Christian Formation.

RECTOR'S COMMENTARIES
ON LOCAL NPR STATION

WBFO, the local NPR station, has included during Morning Edition commentaries by Fr. Daniel Weir. In one broadcast in 2005, he addressed the protest against Abercrombie & Fitch's sale of t-shirts that are demeaning to women. Follow this link to read and listen to the commentary.

In a 2002 commentary, he addressed the controversy about the inclusion of "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Follow this link to read the commentary.

In another 2002 commentary, he addressed to sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church. Follow this link to read the commentary.

In the most recent commentary, aired on January 13, 2009, he addressed the problem of unexamined privilege. Follow this link to read and listen to the commentary.

THOMAS BROAD'S ORDINATION

Tom Broad, a member of the parish, was ordained at Saint Matthias Church to the Transitional Diaconate on Sunday, September 2, 2007. In May he graduated from the General Theological Seminary in New York City. He has been called to serve Grace Church in Randolph, New York and will be ordained the the Priesthood at Grace Church at 11 A.M. on Saturday, September 13, 2008.  You can read Tom's reflections at his blog, Casting Shadow.

The Spirit Searches Everything

During Lent and Easter in 2007 the Sunday morning adult class had lively discussions of The Spirit Searches Everything by Frederick Borsch, retired Bishop of Los Angeles. Bishop Borsch joined the discussion one Sunday by phone. Discussion questions are still posted for this excellent book; follow this link to find them. 

A SOLEMN PROFESSION

At the 10 A.M. celebration of the Holy Eucharist on Sunday, November 19, 2006, Linda Makson made her Solemn Profession as an Oblate of the Order of Julian of Norwich.

The Order of Julian of Norwich is a religious order of nuns and monks living a contemplative, monastic life in the Episcopal Church.

Living together in two monastic houses, the members profess the traditional monastic vows of poverty, celibate chastity, and obedience, with the added vow of prayer "in the spirit of our Blessed Mother Saint Julian."     

The purpose of the Order's life is to nurture a deep life of prayer for the sake of the Church and world. This life of prayer - the desire to live intimately with God - is expressed in the Order's liturgical worship in chapel as well as in the members' commitment to individual silence and solitude. The members meet in chapel five times daily, Gregorian Chant being used for most of the four-fold Divine Office of the Book of Common Prayer. The Eucharist is the center of the Order's life and the community has a strong devotion to the communion of saints.

 The foundation of the Order is classical monastic spirituality drawn from Benedictine and Carmelite sources, and is infused with the simple and direct, humble and light-filled spirit of our patron, Blessed Julian of Norwich.  The members' daily labor consists mostly of work around the house: cooking and cleaning, gardening, and taking care of the buildings. Such 'homely' work has a priority in the community's life. The Order's life is thus balanced between community and solitude, prayer and work, the chapel and the cell, speaking and silence, with the love of God as the animating heart of all.

Founded in 1985 by The Rev. John Swanson, the Order was canonically recognized by the Episcopal Church in 1997, and currently has two houses, both located in southern Wisconsin.

The life of the Order is “one of discipline, conversion of life, and to spiritual development within Christian community.” This life is lived by members of the Order who live in community in the Julian House in Wisconsin and by Oblates out in the world. The Order of Julian of Norwich is a member of the Conference of Anglican Religious Orders in the Americas (CAROA). To learn more about the 23 Religious Orders that are members of CAROA and about Religious Life in the Anglican Communion, visit the CAROA website at http://www.orders.anglican.org/caroa/

MISSION TRIPS

Every summer young people and adults from Saint Matthias Church and area Methodist and Presbyterian Churches go on mission.

In 2006, they went to New Orleans. You can read journal entries from members of the group by following this link.

In 2007, a group of young people and adults went to Honduras. You can read journal entries from members of the group by following this link.

THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY

In Lent and Eastertide 2006, we had  lively discussions of Marcus Borg's, The Heart of Christianity. Although the group discussion is over, we encourage people to read the book and discuss it with friends. Discussion questions for the book are posted on this site. Follow this link to get to the questions.