St. Matthew's United Methodist Church

05/14/2026

🎓 Do you have a 2026 GRADUATE in the family? 🎓

If you have a child graduating from High School, College or University please let the office know.

St Matthew's will recognize all graduates (that we know of!) on June 14th during worship.

Send: First & Last name, Name of School, Major. to: [email protected]

📜 Thank you! 📜

05/14/2026

Sunday School is not just for kids! ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES
The Adult Sunday School class has been meeting for years with various people and approaches and topics. Typically, we focus on a chapter a week of a book we read, study a book of the Bible, or consider in depth topics such as the Methodist Hymnal or the Beatitudes. It’s led by those who attend, and it’s informal, supportive, and full of thoughtful conversation. Might you like to join us? We meet Sunday mornings, 9:00-10:15am in the downstairs library (or via zoom). [NOTE that we are NOT meeting next Sunday, May 17. Too many of us will be busy with graduations and other events. We WILL be meeting the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, May 24.]

We have just finished a study of the Gospel of Matthew and are ready to choose a new topic. What kinds of topics/approaches have you liked best? What’s on your heart that you’d like to explore further? Email Betsy Comstock ([email protected]) if you’d like more information or have topic suggestions. If you’d like to consider joining the class, just come. There’s no long-term commitment required and we’d love to have you.

05/14/2026

💐MAY💐
17th Kris & Dave teaching
24th Memorial Day Weekend: NO CLASS
31st Connie & Dave teaching
🥯JUNE🥯
7th Connie & Dave teaching
14th LAST SUNDAY SCHOOL before SUMMER BREAK:
POTLUCK BREAKFAST & JEOPARDY GAME
High School & College Graduate Recognition during worship

Kids!!! June 14th, please bring your parents and join us for POTLUCK BREAKFAST in Campbell Hall 9am!!!

We'll play Jeopardy one last time this year to test your knowledge on what you learned in Sunday School + other fun subjects.
THERE MIGHT BE A PRIZE FOR THE WINNING TEAM or PLAYER!!! (Although, YOU are all winners in our 👀s)

😋Don't forget to bring food to share😋
_____________________________________________________________

Learning to be the Hands & Feet of Jesus with our Holy Spirit bracelets representing God's power in our lives.

05/07/2026

Sunday's prayer was written by David Adam. The poem is used as the lyrics for a choral piece by Eleanor Daly called “Come, Renew Us.” Let us be in prayer.
Come Lord. Come to us. Enter our darkness with your light.
Fill our emptiness with your presence.
Come, refresh, restore, renew us.
In our sadness, come as joy.
In our troubles, come as peace.
In our fearfulness, come as hope.
In our darkness, come as light.
In our frailty, come as strength.
In our loneliness, come as love.
Come, refresh, restore, renew us.
Come, refresh, restore, renew us.
Amen.

05/06/2026

Our annual quickbread sale will once again benefit George Ochieng Odalo and his Slum Child Foundation in Nairobi, Kenya. We will channel funds through the Tree of Lives, a US-based nonprofit organization that provides a regular grant to the Slum Child Foundation.

We are ready to start baking and delivering. If you (or friends you wish to treat) live within 8 to 10 miles of Saint Matthew’s, we can deliver your order directly to the address you provide. Please place your order here: https://forms.gle/BTiJZLkNcp5dKPfGA, and specify an address, or indicate that you would like to pick up your order at church on May 31. (The order form looks different this year as the funds will be sent directly to our US organization, Slum Child USA.

If you are unable to or uncomfortable using the form, please email me a at [email protected].)

We are offering cinnamon swirl, banana, pumpkin, and chocolate lover’s quick breads. Breads are available in mini loaves ($7 each) or full loaves ($12 each). These breads freeze very well; order extras to have on hand! If you would like to donate to Slum Child Foundation, you will have an opportunity at the bottom of the order form.

Orders will be taken until May 20. Delivery/distribution will take place between May 31 and June 2. Questions? Contact Melissa Rollins at [email protected]. Thank you!

04/27/2026

A is for ADVOCACY
Hunger is on the rise in Massachusetts and throughout the U.S. and the world. Just when we think we’ve made progress, factors such as rising costs, cuts in nutrition programs, and wars lead to more and more people struggling to feed their families.

According to the Greater Boston Food Bank, 40% of Massachusetts families experienced food insecurity in 2025. That is outrageous! In 2019, that rate was 19% and we thought THAT was bad. Without adequate nutrition, no one can thrive.

MOA (Mission, Outreach, and ADVOCACY) is helping us all to write to our legislators and urge them to stop the rise in hunger. This year we are using the Bread for the World website, which automatically sends your message to your senators and representative (based on your address). Either now, or with our help at church on Sunday, make your voice heard by going to this link: https://go.bread.org/page/90711/action/1?ea.tracking.id=webOL&_gl=1*j31pcc*_gcl_au*NDE5MjQwMTAyLjE3NzY2OTE2MjM

There are just two steps:
Enter your name and address. At the bottom, click the box to indicate that this is part of an Offering of Letters. Enter St. Matthew’s UMC, Acton MA. Then click “WRITE YOUR MESSAGE.”

Personalize and Send Email to Congress. The form automatically finds your congresspeople and suggests a letter. Edit the letter to reflect your views. Consider using these ideas:

Thank them for voting to end hunger in the past. Our delegation has been consistently supportive of nutrition programs.

The rate of food insecurity in Massachusetts (40%) is unacceptable.

The 2026 Farm Bill should protect U.S. and worldwide nutrition programs.

Include a personal anecdote, if you have one, about the value of nutrition assistance.

When you’re done, click “SEND MESSAGE.”

That’s it! It’s a small thing, but it just might make a big difference. Thank you.

Betsy Comstock and Nicole Fernald
Mission, Outreach, and Advocacy

Ask your senators and representatives to make ending hunger a priority by strengthening SNAP and WIC, fully funding global food, health and development programs, and passing a strong, bipartisan Farm Bill that supports families, farmers, and communities.

04/22/2026

EARTH DAY SERVICE SUNDAY APRIL 24

* Good News: How Caring for Creation is "Loving Your Neighbor."
* Prayers, Scriptures, Children's Message, and Music all centered on the same theme.
* Special Guest: Acton Home Energy Coach, in the reception area, to help you reduce your home's energy costs and carbon footprint.
* Healthy refreshments.

04/22/2026

Seventeen new UMC missionaries were commissioned by General Board of Global Ministries during a joyful service in Nairobi, Kenya.

Representing 10 countries and serving in 15, these missionaries step into roles in education, evangelism, leadership and community development across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central America and beyond.

“This is the very heart of the work carried forward by The United Methodist Church—to send, to support, and to stand alongside those who bring healing, justice and hope in communities around the world.” shared Rev. Dr. John Maromba, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church in Kenya.

Join us in celebrating and praying for these missionaries as they begin this next chapter of service and partnership.

🔗 Learn more and meet the missionaries: https://bit.ly/48rPBpP

04/10/2026

03/31/2026

MyTERN PROGRAM: RE-ENTRY FROM PRISON INTO COMMUNITY
POTLUCK SUNDAY, APRIL 19, AFTER SERVICE

Come learn about the challenges faced by people returning from prison and how MyTERN supports reentry through education and advising, and how this program complements partakers.

MyTERN, Tufts Education and Reentry Network, builds on the Partakers Program. Partakers support occurs within prison walls, whereas MyTERN continues that support as once incarcerated students re-enter into the community and rebuild their
lives.

Returning from prison into the community faces steep challenges including limited access to employment and education, psychological trauma, poverty, social isolation and stigma. MyTERN is a year long, trauma informed reentry program that combines Tufts coursework with support for housing, employment, technology, financial literacy and social-emotional well-being.

Join us to learn about this important work that encompasses restorative justice. You can sign up by clicking on the following link: https://saint-matthews.org/sheet/mytern-moa-potluck-lunch/

Also available on this link is a sign up for bringing a dish and/or helping with set up or clean up. A sign up sheet will also be available in the foyer.

Hope to see you there!

With MyTERN speaker on Sunday, April 19, after church. Please SIGN UP to: 1. attend and scroll down the signup list if you can 2. help with food, setup (8:30am), or cleanup. Thank you! Sign up below... Select Task(s)WhatName Select Task(s)WhatName I will attendI will attend #1: Sign up »I will atten...