Christmas at Saint Matthew

December 24 – “God With Us”
2:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 7:00 pm, 9:00 pm
All fours services will be essentially identical, elements of the first two services will be more kid–oriented. Childcare will be provided at the 7:00 pm service only.

December 26 – Celebration of Christmas Worship
9:30 am only
The service will be a fun-filled morning of carols and last about 90 minutes. Bring your leftover Christmas goodies to share and we’ll have a time of fellowship afterward in the fellowship hall.

Mexico Mission Trip 2011

Mexico Meeting #1 is December 5 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 that is April 24-30, 2010.

A $125 deposit is due at the meeting. After December 5 the deposit and cost goes up $50 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 or become active in the high school ministry.

Snow Blast 2010

We’ll be staying at Whispering Pines Conference Center in Sierra Village. The cost is $150 if received by December 16. After December 16 the cost goes up to $160.

New Impact Series

Before Jesus was born, people could try to claim some sort of ownership of the world. But with His life, death and resurrection, the rules changed—Jesus powerfully showed God’s plan for humanity. As believers, it’s up to us to adjust to His rules to live a Christ-like life.

New Impact Series

If you could be new, if you could start all over, what would you do? When we take a look at our lives spiritually and our relationship with God, for some of us we need an opportunity to start over. For others, who are checking this God thing out, you just need an opportunity to start. It’s not to start over; it’s a start. In this series we’ll explore what the Bible has to say about newness, starting over and being a new person in Christ.

New Impact Series

We are never more like Jesus than when we are reaching out to the hurting and lonely. What's the point of being a Christian if you're not going to let it change you? Join us and be a part of the change...

Fall LOG Weekend

November 12-14
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 3 pm on Tuesday, September 21.

Participant applications are available September 28 and are due A.S.A.P. as this retreat fills fast.

Team Meeting #1 is 9/28 from 7-9 pm in Novato.
Team Meeting #2 is 10/12 from 7-9 pm in Walnut Creek.
Team Mtg. #3 is 10/26 from 7-9 in Novato.
Team Overnight begins at 4 pm 10/30 to 11 am 10/31 in Novato.
Team Mtg. #4 is 11/9 from 7-9 in Walnut Creek.


Pick up a LOG Participant Application here:
Participant Application

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 from the church office and turn it in by Sunday, September 19.

Parents Information Dessert

Sunday, September 19 at 7:00 pm.

For the Middle & High School parents of Saint Matthew’s Teen Ministry.

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

Our Teens 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. Pastor David Dykes and Melinda Armstrong will share their plans for the Middle & High School Ministries in the coming school year.

Hope to see you on Sunday night!

Student Impact

Student Impact resumes Sunday, September 12 from 11:00 am-12:15 pm in the Teen Center. 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 9 from 7-9 p.m. in the Teen Center. 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 Kick Off Weekend

Summer ABS & Senior Farewell - August 5

Friday Night

Hey kids! Erock here. So it’s Friday, last day of camp, kids are weeping, so sad that they have to leave their new friends and end their time with their week long summer camp romance… However, there was still plenty of fun and craziness to be had on the last day. By this time in the week it sure is hard to get these kids out of bed so while we are at our counselor meeting us counselors can only hope that the students will make it to breakfast. After making our way to morning chapel we had a fun set of songs then had some time to meet with our church as Saint Matthew and discuss how God’s might and powerful hand has reached down from on high and touch our lives this week in ways that are so deep and personal that we know that no matter what we do or where we go or what we have done He will always be with us now and forever. Amen. Excessive dramatics aside, we had time to share about our week and take communion. I could see that the students have encountered God this week. Every time I come to Hume Lake I wonder how God will change lives as it seems to be a different experience every year.

After chapel came the great race, a intensive and exhausting race around the entire camp full of random and crazy stations that include eating NASTY things, such as mayonnaise filled smores with pickles and beet juice. We made our way to lunch exhausting ourselves at the race we quickly ate, as there was a large group from Saint Matts playing paintball today. Two, dirty gross and paintball filled hours later we made our way back to Ponderosa camp sharing war stories and showing of war wounds (welts). Recap: Great Race, eat fast, paintball… At this point I’m a little sore and am not exactly sure how I’m going to be able to walk of the hill for our Victory Circle meeting tonight.

Free time ended leaving us with a delicious (questionable) steak dinner and the cute little kids are enjoying their last precious minutes of free time before we head off to chapel. Some of the senior kids are playing in the Seniors vs. Staff whiffle ball game but none of them are any good as they haven’t played whiffle ball since elementary school. They are getting killed. (Emergency Update! Alex Platt just hit a home run! But they are still getting killed). Tonight we’ll be hearing from our speaker, Brad for the final time and finding out what team will take home the awesome (lame) championship t-shirt!

The evening holds for us a time at victory circle where students look at some fire pit and talk about how God has impacted their life. Then it’s off to bed for a peaceful and restful night’s sleep. Surely, nothing crazy will happen tonight so don’t you moms worry! We’ll be home safe and sound tomorrow and can’t wait for our blessed reunion with everyone. We’ll see you soon!
~Eric (Erock - The Rock - Dwayne The Rock Johnson - DTRJ - Kareem) Anderson

Friday Around Camp

Thursday Night

Morning brought a message from a missionary working with youth in Ecuador. He challenged students to develop a worldview that includes serving God and sharing the good news of His Son right where they are now as well as outside of their own culture and comfort zone. Then, students dressed in crazy tabards and ‘staches (girls and guys alike!) for Super Spirit Day. They cheered loudly, ran relays, and did the Cha Cha Slide to earn points for their recreation teams. After an outdoor barbecue lunch, they enjoyed an afternoon of free time around the lake. A few students and counselors attended an optional seminar on how to study the Bible in depth on your own. Then, after dinner, campers discovered that Eric Anderson, Zach Pattison, and Lindsay Pattison have more in common than counseling at Hume Lake and studying at Azusa Pacific University: all three bravely “ran the gauntlet” in a counselor competition for their rec teams. And yes, Eric WON!!! On a more serious note, our chapel speaker Brad really challenged kids who have already put their faith in Christ to live what they believe, to make their actions a grateful response to what Jesus has done for them and a message that will encourage their friends toward Christ rather than turn them off to considering their need for a relationship with Christ. Both girls and guys had significant “cabin time” after chapel. Lives are being changed.
~Shelley Pattison

Thursday Around Camp

Wednesday Night

Today is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. This morning started out with a biathlon with teams competing in a lake swim and a run around the lake. Breakfast buffet was followed by worship and then break out sessions with a variety of speakers. We had some very lively and interesting discussions afterwards about prayer and being ready to listen to God. Free time this afternoon involved quite a bit of swimming, basketball, eating, chatting, playing cards, hiking, or just plain old hanging out with a bowl of ice cream down by the lake. Tonight was another time for worship and praising God for all His Love and mercy. One song we sang says, “I see a generation rising up to take their place with selfless faith.” It is exhilarating to hear the faith of these young people. They are growing in their understanding and their love for God. They not only love Jesus but have a great desire and passion to see their friends come to know Jesus, too. We have seen some give their lives to Jesus this week and that is a reason for celebration. I am thankful to be here this week and I can bet most everyone else feels the same way.
~Pam Thiemann

Wednesday Around Camp

Tuesday Night

Today, as we moved into the second day of camp, the youth became more at home. We have developed a routine of morning worship, being taught new songs that have raised a “joyous nose,” to the Lord. We have met Jesus through worship, then we broke into cabin groups to discuss what being “ransomed” means to us and how we all need God’s grace, and what that means for our lives. We spent the afternoon in our free time with the councilors having great one-on-one discussions with the youth about faith and life. With free time in the afternoon we had several youth participate in an ultimate Frisbee contest, which we won, plus several youth participating in the annual volleyball tournament. A continuing popular afternoon activity is to walk around the 3.2 mile lake; this walk provides a beautiful alpine view of God’s creation and brings into full view his glory. This evening, Brad Bell our speaker, presented the Gospel message; he presented a clear message of our fall, our redemption, and our being made right by Jesus’ death and rising from the grave. Tomorrow looks to be another great day up in the mountains growing in community with each other and with God.
~William McKinley

Tuesday Around Camp

Monday Night

Today marked the first full day of our week at camp. Of course, with the first full day come many other firsts. This morning we got to hear this year’s worship band for the first time, and then hear the first talk from our speaker for the week; a pastor from Fresno named Brad Bell. The kids seemed to love Brad, and whatever band they hire for the summer is always a hit. This afternoon 30 girls experienced Hume’s high ropes course, which is exciting to participate in and hilarious to watch. A few of our boys competed in the annual bike jump competition off the dock into the lake, but they didn’t win. Everyone seems to be having a great time, and we’re all looking forward to the good times and learning opportunities that are yet in store. Everybody misses their mom, except for the ones whose moms are here.
~Zach Pattison

Monday Around Camp

Sunday Night

We had a nice uneventful bus ride to Hume Lake. All three buses arrived safely at three o'clock in the afternoon.
This year's theme is "Excusez-mwa!?." During the evening chapel we'll be delving into God's word and seeing how today we're focusing more on ourselves than on God.
The opener was in the chapel with plenty of "Three Musketeer" sword fights involving the main characters . . . the narcissistic, Remi de Gascony and his sidekick Philipe who didn't realize the havoc they were creating in the local town because they were only focusing on themselves.
All of our students who wanted to, got signed up for Paintball and High Adventure.
PD et al.

Sunday Around Camp

Hume Lake - Ponderosa Camp

Hume Lake begins on Sunday, July 25. Check in starts in the Teen Center at church at 7:30 am. You must be on campus by 8:15 am to check-in. The buses depart from church at 9 am (with or without you). Our return is by 3:30 pm on Saturday, July 31. All your forms and fees need to be turned in before you can go.

Summer ABS - July 22

Broomball Overnight - July 16-17

Summer ABS - July 8

Summer ABS - June 24

Graduate Sunday - June 13

Impact Softball & BBQ Lunch