Christmas at Saint Matthew

December 24
4:00 pm - “Family Christmas Eve Worship” featuring FX
7:00 pm - “Saint Matthew Christmas Eve Worship and Celebration”
9:00 pm - “Heritage Christmas Eve Worship”

HS Teen Center Inaugural Overnight

HS Snow Blast 2009

We’ll be staying at Whispering Pines Conference Center (formerly Christian Beret Camp) in Sierra Village. The cost is $140 if received by December 11th. After December 11th the cost goes up to $150.

HS Mexico Mission Trip 2009

Mexico Meeting #1 is December 7 from 1-2:30 pm in the Worship Center at church. This meeting is for all high school youth (along with their parents) that are interested in going on the Mexico Mission Trip.

A $125 deposit is due at the meeting. After December 7 the deposit goes up to $175. If you want to participate in the Amigo Program (that can take up to $125 off the cost of the trip) you need to be/become active in the high school ministry.

ABS on November 13

New Impact Series

In this series we'll take a faith journey and talk about some habits that, if you and I take the time to develop, they can and will change us. There are very few times when I guarantee anything, but this is one I really believe I could guarantee—not only based on God’s promises, but based on what I’ve lived experientially.

Acolyte Training & Pizza

ABS on October 9

New Impact Series

At some point in your life you've probably asked yourself the question, "What on earth am I here for? In this series we'll discover God's biblical purposes for our existence-worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism. God wants these purposed planted in your heart. Each week you'll go deeper with your understanding (if you aren't yet a Christian) and deeper with your application of the purposes (if you are a follower of Jesus Christ).

Student Leadership

“. . . I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Ephesians 4:1

Jesus expected leaders to serve.

Jesus gave his disciples an image of leadership that we use as our standard for Student Leadership within our High School Ministry.

“Jesus called them [the disciples] together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28

Jesus shattered what most people think leadership style is all about: being in charge. He goes even further to define true leadership as serving others. “Serving others” is how we define ministry. This type of servant-leadership is not attractive to most people. It goes in direct opposition to the attitude of running to the car to ride in the front seat or being first in line to eat or telling everyone what to do.

We’re not looking to fill our leadership team with the cute, fun and popular. We’re looking for people who love Jesus and are willing to make ‘servant-leadership’ the standard their lives reflect.

If you’re in 10th-12th grades and would like to be this kind of leader, pick up a student leadership application and turn it in by Thursday, September 18.

Parent's Get Acquainted Dessert

Sunday, September 14 at 7:00 pm.

For the parents of Saint Matthew’s Teen Ministry (Middle and High School).

Smit’s & Trae’s House
2024 Quiet Place Dr. in Walnut Creek.

Our Children shouldn’t be the only ones having fun!

Please bring a dessert to share and get the opportunity to get to know each other better. Youth Pastor, David Dykes will also share his plans for the Middle & High School Ministries for the coming school year.

Hope to see you on Sunday night!

Fall LOG Weekend

November 14-16
LOG is a Christian retreat that offers a way for students to help themselves and each other live their lives as a part of a Christian community. It introduces and reinforces the fullness that a Christian life can be, in a way that is geared towards high school students.

Team applications are due by noon on Sunday, September 14.

Participant applications are available September 30 and are due A.S.A.P. as this retreat fills fast.

Team Meeting #1 is 9/30 from 7-9 pm in Walnut Creek.
Team Meeting #2 is 10/14 from 5-10 pm in Novato.
Team Mtg. #3 is 10/28 from 7-9 in Walnut Creek.
Team Overnight begins at 4 pm 11/1 to 11 am 11/2 in Walnut Creek.
Team Prep. Mtg. is 11/4 from 7-9 in Walnut Creek.
Team Mtg. #4 is 11/11 from 5-10 in Novato.

Impact

Student Impact resumes Sunday, September 14 from 11:00 am-12:15 pm in the Fellowship Hall at church. Registration forms are available in the church offices and at the Welcome Center at church.
Impact is our large group meeting for Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers that’s designed to be inviting, have a friendly, fun, challenging, and exciting atmosphere. This morning program shatters the “church is boring” stereotype and will help you celebrate life. It is filled with laughter, antics, videos, singing, dramas, a message and small groups that challenge teenagers towards spiritual maturity.

ABS - Area Bible Studies

The ABS (Area Bible Study) resumes Thursday, September 11 from 7-9 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall at church. Registration forms are available in the church offices and at the Welcome Center at church.
Because of High Schoolers need for fellowship and relationships with other Christians; we meet midweek for in-depth Bible study and small group time. Each week we study the Bible and then break into smaller groups for discussion, prayer and accountability.

Fall Houseboat Trip

September 5-7
Join us for our 9th annual Houseboat Trip on the Sacramento River Delta. We leave Friday afternoon at 3:30 pm. On Saturday we'll spend the day swimming, skiing and banana boating on the water. We'll return to church by 4 pm on Sunday.

The cost is $90 for incoming 9th graders, $100 for 10th-12th graders. Registration and forms (2008-09 Teen Authorization form and Sonshine’s Houseboat form) are due now.

Friday Night

The sun is setting on Hume Lake. We all piled into the dining hall for a final meal and shared stories from the day. I can tell immediately that it was a great week by all the sunburned and tired faces. The staff here really stepped it up on the last day in order to make our exit a memorable one. This morning’s chapel service kicked our day off with some really inspiring worship. It was amazing to see the students who were hardest and most reserved singing and dancing. God has delivered transformation to many of our kids. Even I have opened up and joined the kids in dancing. For rec(reation) time today we participated in one of the craziest games I have ever been apart of. This year’s great race included blowing up balloons with a snorkel, singing love songs, and eating a curry-mayonnaise brownie. No matter how bizarre the tasks were, we all were quick to scream, roll, jump, run, or eat. All the students took their last chance to challenge themselves on the ropes course, shoot a few friends with paintballs, or enjoy time on the lake. Kyle Sigler and I whooped a couple of staff members on the beach volleyball court.
It will be difficult for everyone to leave tomorrow. So many of us have experienced God’s love more intimately then we ever have. We’ve made friends that will last a lifetime. We’ve stepped out of our comfort zones day after day. Our speaker Darrin McWatters has challenged us to base our lives on the relationship with God that we’ve committed to as we leave this place. His message has helped us to say “I know what a Christian is” and then to decide if we are one or not.
Even though the temperature is dropping and the sun is setting, our hearts are on fire.
Lookin’ up,
Pastor Ralph

Friday Around Camp

Thursday Night

Hume Lake is always an amazing experience in that it is constantly changing. I have gone to Hume since my entrance into the 6th grade (I am a junior now). That makes 5 completed years of Hume for those who don’t want to do the math. This is the 6th year. Anyways, I came expecting a certain Hume experience and I was completely blindsided. This week has been completely amazing. I have experienced God in a whole new way. I now am starting to feel genuinely special, and personal with God. I hope that I can soon find out what God has in store for me so I can serve Him to the best of my abilities. Today was awesome. We had a missionary speaker named PK who spoke to us this morning about being servants to the end of the Earth. He motivated me to try and find out where and how I can personally serve God. After his talk this morning, we went to Spirit Day recreation, which was wild. We had a series of relays and many people lost their voices from screaming for their teams. Their singing voices are spectacular now. After recreation, we went to lunch and had the most amazing camp food ever. After our amazing lunch, was free time. During free time thirty of us went to high adventure and another thirty played paintball. At the end of the paintball session two of our counselors volunteered to be live targets while the students emptied the rest of their paint hoppers. For the evening chapel Darren spoke about discipleship. He challenged us that as disciples, we are to abandon our own life and plans and adopt the lifestyle and teachings of Jesus. At the end of chapel there were a number of students who re-dedicated their lives be more fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ and a handful of others accepted Christ for the first time. It was an awesome evening.
-Daniel Fitterer

Thursday Around Camp

Wednesday Night

So, it’s Wednesday and a lot of us are TIRED! This morning after breakfast was the annual Hume biathlon (swimming and lake run). A number of our students competed and ended up in the top 10— our very own Ricky Niese took first place in the swimming challenge (it was the equivalent of eight laps) and Alex Platt took fifth. In the run around the lake (3.2 miles) Matt Day took second place and Paul Stephens took fourth. This morning there were two seminar sessions and we had seven options to pick from. The seminars included: ‘Busting the Boyfriendless Blues’, ‘Life After High School’, ‘World Religions’ and ‘In Whose Image?’ This afternoon, two groups found out the secret of the Little Brown Church and thirty-five students played paint ball. Although our energy is pretty much zapped, we still have enough to appreciate the beauty of the camp, and how blessed we are to be here. Just this morning I went walking around the lake, and it was completely calm and still. It gave me a great chance to talk with God and clarify my relationship with him. The band, Exodus, is giving a concert tonight which will give us the chance to worship and hear some of the band’s own songs.
-Christina Niccolai

Wednesday Around Camp

Tuesday Night

Tuesday is always an interesting day, because it’s the first day of camp where the excitement of being at Hume begins to wear off and you slowly start to realize the draining effect of being away from home and your own bed. You pour all your energy into worship, recreation and free time and seem to get very little sleep. But don’t get me wrong, I can guarantee that each and every camper is really enjoying the experience that is Hume. Just like the previous day, we woke up at seven in the morning to shower and get ready for another good day. We slowly headed off to breakfast, and I begin to mentally prepare for the incoming camp food (which is always . . . fantastic :). After breakfast we made our way to chapel to worship with this year’s worship band, Exodus. Tuesday morning’s chapel speaker was a Christian apologist. To be completely honest, I didn’t agree with all of the things he said, but regardless, there is always some new things to learn, and I took away a few new ideas. Break out time, or small groups followed where we had the opportunity to process the morning’s talk. Today’s recreation was a camp game with, trashcans, green face paint and neon pink spandex. In turn creating quite the wild experience. During free time forty of us headed off to high adventure, which is basically a ropes course made of wire hanging in the trees. Oh, and its over forty feet in the air. Forty. I watched as some of us, who aren’t afraid of heights, made their way through the obstacle course. Afterward we had dinner and headed off to evening chapel. Exodus led another awesome worship session, Exodus exited and Darren McWaters came out and delivered an excellent message. Darren spoke about accepting Jesus into our lives, and seven of our students accepted Jesus Christ for the first time, which was awesome to see. In our cabin we had a great small group session following evening chapel and each person had a lot to share with some excellent questions. Following our small group time, we drifted off to sleep to regain some energy for a new day.
- Zach Garman

Tuesday Around Camp

Monday Night

Today we were divided up into our rec. (recreation) teams. This year’s teams are “Bots” (pink shirts) and “Robos” (lime green shirts). This week there are 1000+ students and adults attending Ponderosa Camp. Because of the number of campers from Saint Matthew, (128), we are split among a number of different sub team (28 total). With names such as Twistybots, Robogobos, Crunchbots, Robosapiens (to name a few). The competition games included: Hard Drive, Infinity & Beyond, System Overload & Anthromorphic (crazy names and even crazier rec. games).

Monday Around Camp

Sunday Night

We had a nice uneventful time getting to Hume. All three buses arrived safely.
This week's speaker is Darren McWaters. Darren is the former lead singer of the band Everybody Duck (the High School worship band the first three years that we went to Hume). Darren is now on Hume staff as the Program Director.
This year's theme is "Rise of the Kinematics." Kinematics is the study of motion without regard to its cause. During the week we're looking at the topics of God, Humans, Christ, Justification, Discipleship, and Scripture. Darren brought us into God's word by looking at who God is, what is God like and why should we care. He challenged us that, "Jesus didn't want us to make followers but to make disciples."
The opener was back in the chapel this year and included Jenn Allan & Robert Niese (from Saint Matthew who are on staff this summer along with Megan Lindquist.) It was pretty amazing with lasers and lights and lots of smoke.
All of our students who wanted, got signed up for Paintball and High Adventure.
PD et al.

Hume Lake - Ponderosa Camp

Hume Lake begins on Sunday, July 27. Check in starts on the plaza at church at 8 am and is over by 8:45 am. The buses depart from church at 9 am (with or without you). Our return is by 3:30 pm on Saturday, August 2. All your forms and fees need to be turned in before you can go.

Broomball Overnight

Family Camp

Impact Softball & BBQ

New Impact Series

There’s a dark side to everyone that is usually uncomfortable to talk about. But denying the real issues like anger, envy and laziness don’t lead to a healthy life. In this series we’ll provides practical and easy-to-implement lessons that address the stuff we wish we didn’t feel. But when handled biblically, each of us will be stronger spiritually and more prepared to do the right thing.

New Impact Series

Sharing your faith with your friends. Just the thought alone conjures up a multitude of images—and most of them make you uncomfortable. But sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ doesn’t have to be scary or cheesy. In this three-week series, we are going to look at what it means to share Christ with others, why it is a command from God, why it is a matter of life and death and how to share Christ with your friends.

Mexico Mission Trip 2008

March 22
2-3 pm Luggage drop-off and packing
March 23
7 am Check-in begins in the Stenman Classrooms
8 am Easter Commissioning Service in the Worship Center
9:30 am Departure for Mexico - Walnut Acres Staff Lot
March 29
~7 pm Return from Mexico - Saint Matthew South Lot
March 30
Noon Pizza Lunch and clean-up
April 13
6:15 pm Amigo Dessert Set-up
7 pm Amigo Dessert and Program

Easter at Saint Matthew

March 16
8:30 & 11:00 am – “Palm Sunday Worship"

March 20
7:00 pm – “Maundy Thursday Worship Service”
Valley Wide Worship Service at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church - 1801 Lacassie Ave.

March 21
7:30 pm – “God’s Friday Worship Service”
Special Program for children will be available in the Fellowship Hall.

March 22
6:30 pm – “Easter Eve Baptismal Worship Service”

March 23
8:00, 9:30, 11:00 am – “Easter Worship Services”
Mexico Commissioning is at the 8:00 am Worship Service.

Easter Eve Baptismal Service

LOG Weekend

May 2-4
LOG is a Christian retreat that offers a way for students to help themselves and each other live their lives as a part of a Christian community. It introduces and reinforces the fullness that a Christian life can be, in a way that is geared towards high school students.

Team applications are due by noon on Sunday, March 9.

Participant applications are available March 18 and are due A.S.A.P. as this retreat fills fast.

Team Meeting #1 is 3/18 from 7-9 pm in Walnut Creek.
Team Meeting #2 is 4/1 from 5-10 pm in Novato.
Team Mtg. #3 is 4/15 from 7-9 in Walnut Creek.
Team Overnight begins at 4 pm 4/19 to 11 am 4/20 in Walnut Creek.
Team Mtg. #4 is 4/29 from 5-10 in Novato.

New Impact Series

Join us in Impact beginning Sunday, February 24th from 9:45-10:50 am for the New Impact Series – Managing Stress.
This series is designed to help you cope with the stresses you experience; like weekly pressures to succeed (in academics, athletics, band, drama, etc.), the pressures of time management (with school, jobs, friends, homework, church, sports, etc.), the pressures you experience at home and in your relationships with your peers. This series will give you practical, biblical principles from which you can draw, in order to handle stress in a God honoring way.

Hume Lake - Ponderosa Camp

Mudbowl & Superbowl Games