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Sunday evening, June 28th 2009. . .
Dear Person in my address book, for obvious or obscure reasons. This is simply to announce that the latest issue of "O Ye Frost & Cold" - the St. Matthew's Church Newsletter- is now online at the St. Matthew's Website. Go to Newsletters on the menu bar at the top; click on June 09; and there you are.
28 pages including poetry, prayers, dreams, an account of services since Easter, a few overheard Voices, reports, letters, photographs from THIS year's Eagle Summit Eucharist, good-byes from Beth Corven & Fr. Layne Smith, etc.
Regular copies will be mailed out this week. enjoy.
Prayerfully, Scott Fisher
 by the Rev. Scott Fisher
The Altar waiting for Palm Sunday
This is a photo link to the Image & Sprit Blogspot website where our Rector's photos are and this one is featured at this page.
http://imageandspirit.blogspot.com/2009/04/remember-again.html
 | IMAGE & SPIRIT
Here is an interesting link where our Rector ~ Scott Fisher is recognized for his photographs. You may find more on this website that may inspire your Spirit too. Check it out. |
Helllllllllllllllllllllllllo..........With Christmas one month from today, it seems as if it might be a good idea to try to get out a St. Matthew's Newsletter. It has been a long time, since early this Fall, since the last one. This is a personalized general mailing to innocent names in the address book to see if you might have something to contribute. We are aiming for a Monday, December 1st Deadline (send to sfisher@mosquitonet.com) with a mid December/Pre-Christmas mailing. Any news to report of upcoming events in late December or January? Any news to report of things that have happened since Last Fall? Soooooooooo, how has YOUR Winter been so far? How was your Fall? Did it come slowly, or much too fast? What sounds does your Winter have? This Christmas Eve is the 60th Anniversary of the First Service in the newly rebuilt St. Matthew's. Jesse Keith (Senior Warden at St. Matthew's in the early 1990s, who died last month) said, as he & his family retired & left Alaska, that the hardest thing would be missing St. Matthew's on Christmas Eve. What are your earliest or most special memories of St. Matthew's on Christmas Eve? And, if not St. Matthew's, what are your memories of any church on Christmas Eve? We are entering the DARKEST part of the Winter, with one lit Advent candle to begin - where have you found Hope in dark times, where or who has been your lit candle to allow you to keep going? Christmas is about music and wonder and joy and surprise - when has Our Lord spoken or acted that has left you with joy & wonder? Christmas has That Star moving across the sky and calling us - where is The Spirit calling you & us all?
Any thoughts to share? We'd love to hear from you. Please respond by next Monday (or so). On Thanksgiving Eve Eve, yours, Scott
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Wednesday, July 23rd
Hello Person in my Address Book,
This is the occasionally sent announcement that it's Time Again to begin working on the St.Matthew's Church Newsletter. The last one went out about midMay, and now we're nearing the end of July. Hoping for a mid to end of August mailing, we're trusting for a Monday July 28th Deadline. Any news to share from What's Happened This Summer; or Announcements for Things Happening from midAugust on?
How has YOUR Summer been?
How's Fishing? How GOOD does the first fish of the Summer taste?
Had Adventures?
St. Matthew's has been filled with tourists. Have you had any interesting trips? What have YOU seen? What's ONE THING you'll remember from the Summer so far? If you were to take a photograph (as all these tourists are doing) of ONE THING God is doing in your life, what would it look like?
St. Matthew's is filled with weddings - silly and beautiful and wonderful and hopeful. Where have you seen Hope this Summer; where have you bumped into Wonder and Beauty? What was one gloriously silly moment this Summer that you'll laugh about this Winter?
St. Matthew's is surrounded by quiet flowers. Where do you find Quiet in the stress of Life? How important is that?
I discovered yesterday there are over 800 people blogging in Fairbanks. Are you? Why (or, why not? )? what about MySpace or FaceBook? Are you in any or all of that? Wanna tell us about it?
The Chena runs by us rising and falling; and so Spirit runs through our lives, rising and falling. How is the Spirit of Christ running through your Life these days, and what sounds does it make and what music does it sing and what does it bring you?
Any news or thoughts to share, anonymously or otherwise? Any photographs?
- scott |
Friday afternoon, January 25th
Hellllllllllllo..............
Five people have asked me this week when the next St. Matthew's Newsletter was coming out, so it must be time to begin thinking about it. This email is coming to you because you happen to be in my address book. With a deadline of next Friday (February 1st), and looking at a mid February mailing.............do you have any news, stories, reports or announcements you would like to share, anonymously or otherwise?
How was Christmas and where did you find Bethlehem this year? Where is the Star leading you this Epiphanytide? Epiphany is the Season of Light, where do you find Hope, where do you see the Light of Christ around you?
Are you in a village farther North? How are things? What's new? What sound is the River making? Who came in on the plane? Is anybody still beaver trapping? Did you ever?
Dog races start in February..........any dog team stories?
Lent begins in very early February this year. What are Lenten practices that you have found particularly helpful? Lent is the Season of Prayer and Fasting and Slowing Dowwwwwwwwwwn. How does Prayer help you? What's the Hardest thing you ever did for Lent? What was the easiest? How does prayer affect your day to day life?
Lent is an "into the desert Time". What have been desert times in your soul that you heard God? Where's the dessert in desert?
Even underneath this snow, the seeds of Spring are there lying. What's your Prayer for Easter, for this Spring - for yourself, for your family, for your Community, for this Church, for the World?
That's just to help you get started. If you have anything to share, anonymous or otherwise, please send by next Friday.
Thank you.
- Scott Fisher
P.S. EDITOR'S NOTE: Scott has been very sick for the last several weeks. Prayers and more prayers are appreciated. The Next News letter will be out when it is finished. We will let that be a surprize. Thank you. Bev (Assist. Webgardener) |
Friday evening, December 7th
This is to quietly advise you that the November/December- AllSaints/Christmas issue of "O Ye Frost & Cold" - the St. Matthew's Church Newsletter is now online  at the St. Matthew's Website. Simply click on one of the "Newsletter" tabs at the top or bottom of the page, then click on the November issue; and you will find a twenty-eight page Newsletter. This issue contains a December/January/Christmas schedule of events; reports from the October Diocesan Convention; news and requests and Thank Yous from the Sunday School; an Advent Vision from a village farther North (just up past Paul & Lois's, 99724 people); voices of anonymous homeless youth in Fairbanks; overheard Voices recounting everything from moose hunting stories to fiddle dances and pondering the ways of God; an account of the 200+ services since Labor Day; and much more.
Regular copies will be mailed early next week.
Good cheer & Holiness to you & yours,
Scott Fisher - Rector
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10-23-07 Tuesday Noon on First Avenue
About two weeks late, this is again a general mailing to announce that we're starting work again on the St. Matthew's Newsletter. With a little bit of grace and luck, and a lot of coffee, it hopefully could be in the mail by midNovember. This means the Deadline should be (in the best of all possible worlds) this coming Monday - October 29th. Any news to share about upcoming events in November (from mid November on) or December? Any reports on what's happened since mid September? Any stories or encounters from the Diocesan Convention back in early October? Who did you meet? What did you see?
What are your thoughts and prayers as the ice begins flowing and the snow begins falling and the Winter begins?
What do Winter mornings say to you?
What song does the snow sing?
How quiet are Those birch trees out there?
If you're not here in Fairbanks, how are things where YOU are?
What are your thoughts and prayers as Thanksgiving comes?
As November begins, The Church Year enters its last month. Where has the Spirit led/dragged/played with you over the last year? November is the Season of All Saints, of remembering the departed. Who are the "saints" that have helped you ? Who are the folks that you'll be remembering? If you have lived or are living in the Country of Grief, what helps you through that landscape, especially as the holiday season begins? How far away or close are those we miss?
Any and all thoughts or reports or news on almost anything welcome. Send to sfisher@mosquitonet.com by Monday the 29th. Thank you.
Monday morning, the 17th......
With September rains and falling leaves, this comes as a General Announcement that the latest issue of the St. Matthew's Newsletter - the first since Mid-May- is now online. If you go to the St.Matthew's website (http://www.stmatthewschurch.org/) and click on "Newsletters" on the banner near the top; it will take you to a page that lets you click on "August"..........and that will bring up the 26 page Newsletter. This Newsletter covers events from Break-Up in midMay through the end of August.
This issue has stories about eagles and bears; summaries of the Summer Vestry meetings; letters from the Senior Warden, Virginia MacDonald and others; announcements about Sunday School & the coming Diocesan Convention; a summary of the 300+ services this Summer; and ................comments and "Voices" overheard, from the running of the ice this Spring through leaves changing this Fall.
Along the way, while at the St. Matthew's website, you can see what else is on the website. Lots of photographs and other good things.
All there...........for you.
-scott, on a monday morning drinking coffee
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Tuesday morning July 31st
The sun has broken through the morning clouds, the coffee is breaking through the morning fog and, after three pieces of chocolate, we're getting moving here on First Avenue. This is a general announcement/appeal. Its time to begin working on the next St. Matthew's Newsletter. If we begin now, it hopefully might be in the mail near the end of August. Any news or adventures to report? Any plans for this September and Fall?
How has your Summer gone? WHAT was one adventure you've had this Summer? Take any trips? What did you find? WHO was one person you met that you'll remember? How did your garden grow? What has the Spirit grown in your heart this Summer? Go fishing? What'd ya catch? What has God used to catch you? In the HURRY of Summer, where have been the moments of peace?
As leaves (ohhh sigh) begin to change, what will you remember from this Summer? What color was it?
The Annual Diocesan Convention is coming to St. Matthew's in early October........what's one thing you would tell visitors coming to St.Matthew's & the Interior for the first time? Fall Time begins moose hunting Season. The Diocese is beginning this Fall hunting the next Bishop. What might God be calling the Church in Alaska towards? What are the signs and tracks to look for? Any thoughts on all of this?
Sunday School will be beginning again in September. Did YOU go to Sunday School growing up? What do you remember from it? How has it affected you? WHO do you remember from Sunday School?
Any and all thoughts on anything, anonymous or otherwise, with or without photographs, are welcome. If you have anything to share, please bring the Church Office or email to this address (sfisher@mosquitonet.com) by Friday.
- resisting another piece of chocolate,
scott fisher
Tuesday Morning, January 30th (and TWENTY-FIVE ABOVE!)........
Hello, Through no fault of your own, your email address is in my address book and now that it's the End of January, it's been 6 weeks since the last St. Matthew's Newsletter went out, and it's time to begin another. This is the anonymous mass mailing looking for material for the Newsletter. Figuring a Deadline of this Friday February 2nd, if you have anything to share (anonymously or otherwise) photos or writings or drawings, please send to this address. With prayer and hope, we're figuring a distribution near the end of February, the Beginning of Lent. Any News or Reports or Dreams or Hopes to share? Plans for this March or Spring?
Here are some questions to spur your thoughts:
- The Last Newsletter went out on the edge of Christmas and now its Epiphany. So how was your Christmas and where did you find Bethlehem and where is the Star leading you?
- We lost some friends since the last Newsletter. There have been over 15+ funerals. How has that affected your Christmas and this New Year? If you knew them, where did you see God in their lives? What will you remember?Any Shirley Demientieff stories to pass on? What's ONE THING you'll remember about her?
- It's the Feast of Candlemass this Friday, remembering and honoring the Elders. What Elder affected you? What did you learn from them?
- The Newsletter will go out at the beginning of Spring. What are your hopes for Spring? Any beaver trapping stories? Any muskrat stories? It's Time for DOG RACES! Any Dog race stories you remember as Spring comes?
- Bishop MacDonald is leaving this Spring. What's ONE THING, ONE TIME, ONE STORY you'll remember about his time with us?
- The Newsletter goes out at the Beginning of Lent. What's ONE LENT that meant a lot to you? One Lenten Discipline that affected you? What's ONE PRAYER that means a lot to you?
- Lent is a journey into the Desert, like Israel and the Exodus. In the Desert, Israel is stripped and encounters God. Was there a Desert Time in Your Life when YOU were Stripped, and Found God?
-What tells you that its Spring? And What does that do to your Heart?
If you have any thoughts or news or stories or prayers to share, anonymously or otherwise, please pass on by this Friday. Thank you.
- scott fisher
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A guide for non-Episcopalians as to many of the terms and phrases in use - see Episcopal Things
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Fr. Scott
What is the APOCRYPHA?
Why do we read lessons from it;
and HOWCOME it's not in MY Bible?
So, what is that word 'PAIHSMT' - written on the altar?
"UHHH, HOW DO THE ALTAR FLOWERS WORK?"
GREAT QUESTIONS OF THE CHURCH
Click on link for the answers to the questions
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