Growing As God’s Family

All Sundays in October

You've been incredible supporters of Matthew's Crossing and their Thanksgiving Meal program, and we're asking for your help once more. Our goal this year is to collect items to provide 300 meals to families in need.

Thanksgiving Sides Needed:

• Brownie Mix

• Cranberry Sauce

• Green Beans (14.5oz cans)

• Mashed Potatoes (13.7oz box)

• Stuffing

• Turkey or Chicken Gravy Packets (no glass, please)

• Yams (29oz cans)

Monetary donations are always welcome to support these efforts, and physical items may be placed in the blue bin in our narthex. Donate Online.

October, November & December Giving Opportunities

This giving season, Saint Matthew’s invites you to share the joy of the holidays with those in our community. Our Outreach Committee has three special opportunities to give: in October, we’ll collect Thanksgiving meal items for Matthew’s Crossing to provide holiday dinners for families in need; in November, we’ll gather gift cards for Helen’s Hope Chest so teens in foster care feel remembered and celebrated at Christmas; and on the first two Sundays of Advent, we’ll collect used children’s books to provide books to the Chandler community at the upcoming Walk4Unity. Monetary donations are always welcome to support these efforts, and physical items can be brought to our Narthex while each drive is active. Let’s come together to brighten the season for those who need it most.

Sunday, October 18 – All Services

On Sunday, October 18, we will observe Honoring God in Creation Sunday, joining Christians around the world in prayer and action as we celebrate our Gospel calling to protect the Earth that God has entrusted to our care. This morning, we will be joined by the Rev. Canon Patience Nyaoga, who is part of a group of pilgrims visiting from our Companion Diocese, the Diocese of Upper Southern Nyanza-Kisii. Rev. Canon Patience will preach, preside, and share a presentation about the ministry and work taking place in Upper Southern Nyanza-Kisii. We will also take up a special offering to benefit our companion diocese. To designate your gift, please write “Kisii” on the memo line of checks. Envelopes will be available for those making a cash donation. We look forward to celebrating God’s creation and our connection with our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

Sunday, October 25, 4:00 - 7:00 PM

Join us for our annual Fall Festival! Our Juggler, James Reid, will be returning. We’ll have music, games, a cake walk, chili cookoff, and more. Don’t forget to wear your costumes for the Trunk or Treat. Dinner will be provided.

Sign up to: Provide cake for the cake walk; Enter the chili cookoff; Include your vehicle in the trunk or treat; Volunteer or donate. Look for our table in the courtyard every Sunday!

Sunday, November 1 – All Services

As we prepare to observe All Saints’ Day on Sunday, November 1, we will come together to remember and honor the parishioners and loved ones who have passed away over the last year. Toward the end of October, colorful papel picado and tissue paper cempasúchil made at our Día de los Muertos Intergenerational Craft Event will be displayed around campus. Our photos of loved ones who have died will be displayed on our ofrenda (altar of remembrance) and incorporated into our worship services on All Saints’ Day. You are welcome to bring a photo of your own for the ofrenda. If you would like to have someone’s name included in our prayers, please submit them online by Wednesday, October 28, so they can be included in this meaningful tribute.

All Sundays in November

This Christmas, let’s make sure no teen in foster care feels forgotten. Of the nearly 14,000 children in Arizona’s foster system, many are teenagers who often don’t receive as much attention during the holidays. Together, we can help make this a Christmas to remember!

Helen’s Hope Chest has shared a wish list of the gift cards teens love most. Shopping couldn’t be easier—simply purchase one or more cards (suggested amounts of $10 or $25), write the value on it, and hang it on the Christmas tree in the narthex or make a monetary donation online. Sharpies will be available near the tree for your convenience.

The tree will be up all of November. Gift distribution is held the first full week of December.

Gift Card Suggestions:

• Variety Stores: Target, Walmart

• Clothing Stores: Kohl’s, Tilly’s, Torrid

• Restaurants (Fast Food): Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, Subway, Taco Bell

• Cosmetic Stores: Bath & Body Works, Ulta

• Sports Stores: Big 5, Dick’s

Let’s fill the tree with generosity and joy—and brighten Christmas for teens in foster care this year!

Sunday, November 1 , 7:00 PM

Life Community Church: 717 W Ray Rd., Gilbert AZ 85233

Join us for this cherished holiday tradition as we celebrate this year’s theme, Grateful for 250 Years of Faith and Freedom. Hosted by For Our Town Gilbert and the Chandler Interfaith Coalition, the gathering brings our community together to express gratitude, celebrate the freedoms that allow diverse faith traditions to thrive, and honor the values that unite us. Through service, dialogue, and music, we’ll give thanks together as one community while celebrating the rich diversity of faith and culture that makes us stronger. Rev. Monica will offer a special blessing during the gathering.

Bring a friend and share in the warmth of community. This free event requires no tickets or RSVP—we look forward to seeing you there!

Matts Men will gather on Wednesday, November 4 at 6:30 PM in the Parish Hall for an evening of good conversation, fellowship, and connection. All men of St. Matthew’s are welcome, so bring a friend and come enjoy the evening with us!

Join Matts Men Sunday, November 15 at 10:15 AM in the Office Couch Room for a casual Coffee Hour Social. Enjoy some coffee, meet other men of the parish, and connect with the Matts Men community.

For more information or to receive meeting reminders, contact Ted Telepak at (480) 682-8854.

Share the Gift of Reading this Advent

Saint Matthew’s is collecting used children’s books to support the ninth annual, Walk4Unity: UN Human Rights Day, presented by Chandler4Change!

On the first two Sundays of Advent, November 29 and December 6, please bring your gently used children’s books and place them in the blue donation bin in our narthex. Your donations will help provide books to community members at this special event, which promotes the idea that everyday essentials are a human right.

Save the date for the ninth annual, Walk4Unity on Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the Chandler Community Center, 125 E. Commonwealth Ave., Chandler, AZ 85225. The celebration will include entertainment, informational booths, snacks, and a community walk along Arizona Avenue to raise awareness of human rights both locally and around the world. Nonperishable food, household products, and children’s books will be distributed to support community needs.

Please note: we are not collecting monetary donations for this drive