Dear parishioners and friends of St. Matthew’s ~

I am writing you on this very foggy New Year’s Eve afternoon with my prayers that 2023 will be filled with joy, hope, love, wellness of every kind, and faith-filled community for each one of you and those you love. I am so looking forward to ‘officially’ beginning my time among you as of tomorrow and will first be at St. Matthew’s on Tuesday, January 3, from 11am to around 5:30pm or so (Tuesdays will be an ‘in the office’ day for me.) I’d love to meet you and/or hear from you, so please do stop by or reach out by phone (text or call), or email. My contact information (and the church’s) is listed below, and please know if you have a pastoral emergency I am always available by cell and want to hear from you so that I may be present to you.

I am also eagerly looking forward to seeing many of you on Sunday, January 8, when our service of Holy Eucharist will also include a baptism, which is always a glorious time to share in as together we welcome another member into Christ’s Body the Church and reaffirm our own baptismal vows. The Reverend Canon Chris Streeter, Canon to the Ordinary for Congregational Life for our diocese, will be here with us to preside and preach on this wonderful day and it is a lovely chance for us to thank him for all the care and wisdom he has offered our community over the past year or so. Breakfast is at 9:00 am and our children’s activity at 9:30 and then worship at 10am, so please do come and share in this time with us and savor the blessings of gathering together and being fed in Word and Sacrament. For our out-of-town friends and those serving other faith communities, please do keep us in your prayers as we begin this new season of ministry together.

Wishing you a most blessed New Year’s, and with all prayers and love~

Dina

The Reverend Dina Carter Ishler