Peggy's Journey: Finding Faith and Community

My faith journey blossomed the day I walked into St Matthew’s.

I had been looking for a church since my move to Alabama. I had made a promise to God on my drive over and even prior to my move to Alabama that I would now slow down and seek out a church where I could give myself the peace and satisfaction that a home church could give. In prayer, I had asked God to please help me with that task. By asking for God’s help, I knew it would happen in his time. Plus, you don’t make a promise to God without following through, right?

Shortly after moving into our new home, I had to go to the post office on Hughes Road to file our new address information. The blue St. Matthew’s sign on Hughes Road caught my attention as I was driving by. "Hmmm, there’s a thought," I said out loud to myself. I was familiar with the Episcopal religion but never attended a service. My faith background included Catholic and Southern Baptist, though I was never baptized into either. I guess you could say I was more Catholic than anything, just never baptized though I did attend Catholic church. Overall, I considered myself a Christian, just never slowed down enough to do the things that would solidify that choice, until now. My brother-in-law had landed at an Episcopal church even though his background was Catholic, and he had studied to be a Jesuit Catholic priest. He met my sister-in-law. Things changed. I had a lot of respect for my brother-in-law. He later became an Episcopalian priest in DC. Perhaps the Episcopal religion was the place for me? I needed to know more. Regrettably, my brother-in-law passed away before I could seek his counsel on the topic.

That little voice in the back of my mind was telling me to call the church with the blue sign. I called St. Matthew’s and made an appointment to visit. The day of my visit was a lovely sunny day. After meeting with the priest, I asked to see the inside of the church. Something special happened when I walked through the doors into the Sanctuary. As if on cue, the light was shining through the beautiful stained-glass windows. The church had a warm, peaceful quiet that touched my heart. I honestly felt the peace that the congregation had left inside. Without going further, I knew that I was finally home. I turned to the priest and asked for service times and for reference material to help introduce me to the Episcopal religion. I was handed the Episcopal Handbook (great resource that you can find on Amazon) and my journey began. I took the book home and read it cover to cover. There it was in black and white; this was what I had been missing in my life, and what I needed and wanted in my life. I attended church the following Sunday. I was so glad I did. There I saw and felt the warmth and love that the congregation easily shared. Yes, this was it. I was home. I enrolled in training on the Episcopal religion which was followed by baptism and later confirmation.

God does answer our prayers. I honor him by singing in the choir, serving on the Altar Guild, serving on the Vestry, and participating in Christian practices where our church gives back to others. What a fulfilling life it is. As a friend often says when speaking about St. Matthew’s, “I love my church”. I do, too. St. Matthew’s and our parishioners are my extended like-minded family. Individual in their own ways, and all sharing in the love of Christ.

Gratitude Committee Mission & Vision

Our Mission:

The Gratitude Committee’s mission is to cultivate a spirit of genuine thankfulness by identifying and celebrating the many blessings within our St. Matthew’s family and our daily lives. We strive to recognize God’s goodness, encourage appreciation, and inspire joy through expressions of gratitude in all we do.

Our Vision:

Gratitude is the first and most natural emotional response to grace and is an indispensable part of our connection to God.

Gratitude is not a momentary feeling but a way of life that leads to deeper relationship with God and each other.   

Gratitude must be shared to flourish.  

Gratitude benefits each of us individually, the church collectively, and welcomes newcomers with open arms.  

Gratitude is a living expression of God’s love in action, as we learn to see each other as God sees us.

We enact this by encouraging people to reflect, write, speak, draw, paint, and sing about experiences that are meaningful to them wherein they felt comforted, edified, loved, heard, helped, or saved from misfortune.