Cathedral ChimesS T . M A T T H E W ' S E P I S C O P A L C A T H E D R A L

From the Dean

Services

HAPPY NEW YEAR! With January comes a new year and newpossibilities. The days will be growing longer, bringing more light into ourlives. A sense of optimism may be captured in our New Year’s resolutions.Here at St. Matthew’s, we will elect new vestry members and newdelegates to convention at our Annual Parish Meeting on January 25th.We will also approve a new budget for 2015. The cathedral is poised tolook at our recently completed visioning process and begin to formspecific goals and determine priorities. The future is indeed exciting andbright.

But we should not forget that whatever our future may hold, it is builton what has gone before. We should not forget those who have giventheir time, energy, and resources to move us to where we are today. Weshould not forget that it has been the Holy Spirit who guides and directsus. It has been Christ Jesus who redeems us when we stumble and fall. Ithas been God who creates us in his image and breathes life into ourbeing.

Before we move too quickly into the excitement and possibilities ofthe New Year, I want to thank all those who have served St. Matthew’sCathedral this past year in so many ways, all who have served thecommunity we live in, and all those who have reached out to the worldbeyond. Thank you!

In this New Year of 2015, maywe be guided by that star that ledthe wise men of the East to gazeupon the Christ Child. May we seethis gift of God with newappreciation and lay before him theonly true gift we have to offer ‐ourselves. And then, may wededicate our lives anew to the gloryof God.

Stephen+stmattsdean@gmail.com307‐399‐4412

JANUARY2015

The junior warden and I did a one‐yearanniversary check‐in with the Dean to get hisperspective on how things are going. Below is abrief summary of his responses to the questions weasked him to consider. Overall, he is happy to behere and feeling good about what's happening atSt. Matthew's Cathedral.

1. What do you want to see happening?• Build upon the visioning process started in the

church• Improve the understanding and practice of

stewardship in the church• Meet the needs of the parents of young

children• Provide more opportunities for spiritual growth• Enhance relationship with diocese as the

cathedral• Connect with the community of Laramie

2. What frustrates, disappoints or confuses you?• How to motivate more involvement in

outreach efforts• Wanting more time to do home visits• Lack of financial reports due to change in

accounting program ﴾this issue has beenresolved as of mid‐December﴿

• Balancing of personal and professional time

3. Where do you find satisfaction/joy?• People of St. Matthew's Cathedral• Openness in the parish to new ideas• Glad to be back in the role of leading a parish

﴾and cathedral﴿• Getting to know Wyoming diocese

4. Are you getting the support you need as Dean?• Yes, both internally and externally• Getting support internally, e.g., new Eucharistic

ministers and visitors.• Getting support externally, e.g., from

ministerial colleagues in Laramie

Mary Burman

Youth Group will meet on Sunday, Jan. 4th,after the 10:30 service, to plan for the New Year.

Each year St. Matthew's Cathedral holds itsAnnual Parish Meeting for the purpose of hearingreports from the Dean, Wardens, and the variouscommittees in the parish. We will also approve abudget for the coming year and elect new vestrymembers, wardens, and delegates to diocesanconvention. The nominations committee has beenworking to put forth a slate of nominees for vestry.The following have agreed to be nominees:

• Vestry ﴾1 yr. unexpired term﴿ ‐ Marge Roach• Vestry ﴾3 yr. term﴿ ‐ Rosemary Bratton• Vestry ﴾3 yr. term﴿ ‐ TBA• Jr. Warden ﴾1 yr. term﴿ ‐ Punch Williamson• Sr. Warden ﴾1 yr. term, to be selected by Dean

and approved by parish﴿If you are interested in serving as a delegate to

Diocesan Convention ﴾Oct. 2‐4 in Evanston﴿, pleasegive your name ﴾with very short biography andpicture﴿ to Dean Askew by January 9th.

On the third Sunday of January at 7:30pmthere will be an organ concert at the A&SAuditorium. This is the continuation of the St.Matthew's Friends of Music Concert series. Theaudience will be seated in the balcony as that iswhere the organ is heard at its best. Come and joinus for a unique experience.

The Congregational Life Committee is hosting aspecial Epiphany Sunday coffee on January 4thafter both services in the side chapel. There will bea special Epiphany cake to enjoy with coffee andgreat fellowship!

“Where is Deacon Dick these days?” is a validquestion.

I have just returned from the Iona Schoolpilgrimage to Greece to follow the historicfootsteps of Paul. It was a wonderful trip full oflearning, fellowship, worship and insights withtwenty‐two fellow clergy and clergy‐in‐processfrom around the Diocese.

There were three special moments whichtouched me. They all involve standing in the samespot ﴾or very close to the spot﴿ where Paul oncestood and proclaimed the gospel.

First you must understand the ancient functionof a bema. Wikipedia tells us, “The bema … is anelevated platform. In ancient Athens [and mostGreek cities of the first century], it was used as anorator's podium. In synagogues, it is also known asa bimah and is for Torah reading during services.”So the bema is much like our pulpit in placementand function. Throughout his missionary journeysPaul spoke from bemas of this sort whether in asynagogue or a public meeting place.

My first encounter with a bema was in thetown of Veroia ﴾Berea﴿. There is a monument toPaul featuring the marble steps which led to thebema from which he preached the new faith.Touching those three steps with my bare hand on acool, rainy day connected me with Paul as a fellowhuman who walked the earth.

In Athens on the way down from the AcropolisI clamored up a huge rock known as Mars Hill, or inGreek the Areopagus. It was a beautiful day and allof modern Athens lay before me in panorama. Therock was slippery, very uneven and required fullattention to keep from falling. This is where Paulmet the Athenian judges and preached to them.The distant skyline of rugged hills I saw in thedistance is the same shape today as it was whenPaul gazed upon it centuries ago.

Finally, at the site of ancient Corinth wecelebrated Holy Eucharist just below the bema fromwhich Paul preached to what became a thrivingChristian outpost of the first century. The capital ofan ancient column served as our crowded altar. Inthe picture above I am functioning not as a deacon.I served as a credence table, holding the wine. It

was a gift to simply stand thereholding the wine as othersconducted the service. Thepersona of a very real, human Paulalong with the words and imagesof the service stirred within me.

From this time forward Paul’s epistles will bemore alive for me from having traveled in hisfootsteps.

Deacon Dick Naumann

"When the song of the angels is stilled,when the star in the sky is gone,

when the kings and princes are home,when the shepherds are back with their flock,

the work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost, to heal the broken,to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner,

to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among brothers,to make music in the heart."

The caroling at the Laramie Care Center,Spring Winds Assisted Living Facility, andIvinson Home followed by a potluck atCanterbury held on December 14th was greatfun and we had a good group participating.Thank you everyone who was able to join us.

Recently the City of Laramie acknowledged Dave Hammond in the Decemberedition of the Gem City Spark. The article praises Dave for his 36 years ofvolunteer service to the City. Over the years he has served on the CommunityRecreation Center Advisory Committee, charged with the design and planning ofthe Laramie Community Recreation Center and has been active on the Parks,Trees, and Recreation board for over 20 years. Congratulations, Dave, on yourrecognition and thank you for sharing your skills and passion with Laramie.

4 ‐ Kirsten and Joseph Holles

4 ‐ Trisha and Zack Jacobsen

29 ‐ Megan Friesen and Justin Bass

01 ‐ Tucker Johnson; 02 ‐ Alison Arnold, Madison Gallegos; 04 ‐ Chuck Denison;05 ‐ Emma King; 06 ‐ Lynne Beal; 07 ‐ Madeline Moreno; 08 ‐ Sarah Beth Holles;09 ‐ Philip Holt; 12 ‐ Robert Gerard; 15 ‐ Sydney Holles;

19 ‐ Eileen Routson; Deb French‐Ewing, Kathy Ragan, Marguerite Nelson, Gerrit Rap;23 ‐ Patty Kessler; 24 ‐ Richard Waggener; 25 ‐ Katherine Ewing, Ella DeWolf; 26 ‐ Robin Drummond;

27 ‐ Katie Bardsley, Amy Williamson

The "Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus" ﴾1966edition﴿ provides a wellspring of insight framed inits definition regarding "Steward﴾ship﴿". Embeddedin this omni‐definition is the recognition that ourindividual and collective action﴾s﴿, our "thoughts,words and deeds," reflect the scope and breadth ofour commitment. As individuals we have thechallenge and opportunity to decide what action﴾s﴿we will take.

Certainly, it is self‐apparent that tithing isparamount to the well‐being of St. Matthew's andits Mission. The needs are many; within our Parish

by Helen Butler

and throughout our community. The New Year isrich with opportunities, to serve as stewards﴾volunteers﴿ in numerous civic and nonprofitsettings. Giving of ourselves is a worthyundertaking … be it within our church‐home, withinour community‐home; inclusive, too, our nationand the world‐at‐large in which we all exist.

May the Year 2015 find and sustain us all ourdays – our comings and goings. May those knownand unknown – family, friend and stranger – beblessed. Thus, we may serve as true stewards of allwe know, all we many learn, all we give and receive.

The lessons for January for the kids will be:1/4 The Season of Epiphany1/11 Jesus Baptism1/18 Jesus' Teachings1/25 Jesus heals the sick

The children will be visiting the ClothingCottage and finding out how they can participate inthat ministry.

Our Christmas pageant was fun to work on. Wehope you enjoy the photos of our family service.

Through the financial support of its parishioners, St. Matthew’s can minister to the spiritual and physicalneeds of this parish and community. Whether you are a new or existing parishioner, if you have not had anopportunity to pledge a financial gift to St. Matthew’s, please complete and return this form.

Your Name﴾s﴿:__________________________________________________________________________________________

Your Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Your Phone #: _______________________ Your Email: ______________________________________________________

Throughout the 2015 calendar year, I/We pledge, to the general budget, the amount of$______________________ given... Weekly Monthly Quarterly As a single lump sum

You may detach and send your completed form to the church office at: 104 South 4th St., 82070.

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To remove; your name from this mailing listcall ﴾307﴿ 742‐6608 or email stmattslaramie@gmail.com

stmattslaramie@gmail.comhttp://stmatthews.diowy.org

The Rt. Rev. John S. Smyle

Bishop of Wyoming

TheVeryRev. StephenAskew

Dean

TheVen. Richard Naumann

Archdeacon

Mary Burman

Senior Warden

MaryNaumann

Junior Warden

Janet Killian

Choral Director

Wade Holzapfel

Organist

Robbie Darnall

Treasurer

AlisonArnold

Christian Education Director

EricaAnderson

Secretary

Seth Tastad

Sexton

Chanda Ziegler

Clothing Cottage Manager

Susie HollandJim Honour

Amanda LandisMatthew Nichols

Bob SeamonSheila Speight

Non‐Proft Org.US Postage Paid

Permit #46Laramie, WY

82070

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth ofGalilee and was baptized by John in theJordan. And just as he was coming up out ofthe water, he saw the heavens torn apart andthe Spirit descending like a dove on him. Anda voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son,the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

Mark 1:9-11