St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

Orlando, Florida

Excerpts from the 2010 Parish Profile 

"Celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ by offering to all a haven of love,
fellowship and worship."

Dr. James A. Taylor
Senior Warden

May 7, 2010

St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
5873 North Dean Road
Orlando, FL 32817
407-657-9199
FAX 407-657-0655
http://www.stmatthewsorlando.org/

History

When the Diocese of Central Florida decided a mission church was needed in the East Orlando and Oviedo area, the then Bishop William Folwell asked Father Dan Smith, the Assistant Rector at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, to become the first Vicar.

Five beautiful acres of the highest elevated spot in East Orange County were selected and purchased. The home on the land at the time was to be used as the church. During the interim time the occupied house was to be vacated, St. Matthew's met at the University Congregational Church on University Boulevard. The very first service was held on  December 1, 1985.

In June 1988, Father Smith resigned to accept a calling in Kuiua, Hawaii. After much prayer and consideration, St. Matthew's was blessed to have Father Charles Fritch become its second Vicar. With continued growth and a cramped building, St. Matthew's initiated a building fund drive resulting in a successful ground breaking on June 30, 1991. Father Dan Smith was visiting Orlando at the time and assisted Father Fritch turn the first shovel of dirt  for a grand all-purpose meeting hall with sanctuary, sacristy, kitchen, nursery, classrooms  and offices.

St. Matthew's officially became a parish on January 24, 1992, at the 23^rd Annual Diocesan Convention,. Several members of the new parish were in attendance with Father Fritch to give thanks to the Diocese for granting St. Matthew's the opportunity and to God for making   it a reality. The Certificate of Occupancy was granted on January 31, 1992 and on February 2, 1992,  our current Bishop of the Diocese of Central Florida, the Right Reverend John W. Howe, came to dedicate and consecrate the building, altar, Eucharistic vessels, baptismal vessels, and all the furnishings of the church.

During the summer of 1995, a second building committee was formed, this time to build a  permanent church on our beautiful hilltop. On August 9, 1998, two hundred members were present for a glorious groundbreaking ceremony, thus putting into action the parish's plans and work for a beautiful future church. Plans for a spectacular glass window depicting the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ were drawn and the window was installed over the Altar.

The first service in the newly completed sanctuary was held on December 19, 1999, and its dedication service was held on January 9, 2000. In May 2005, the mortgage was paid off to the Diocese and plans continue to expand church buildings and services provided to our members and community as parish needs and local circumstances dictate.

In early 2010, after 21 years as Rector of St. Matthew's Parish, Father Charles Fritch announced that he would be retiring from his position as Rector in May of 2010. He appointed Dr. James A. Taylor as Senior Warden of the Vestry and charged him with organizing a search for his successor. Dr. Taylor initiated a parish wide process to choose a search committee with the assistance of the Vestry and that committee held its initial organizational meeting on March 27.  Ann Groenendaal and Debbie Wunderly were elected as co-chairs of the newly formed St. Matthew's Search Committee. Those three individuals (Taylor, Groenendaal and Wunderly) serve as an ad hoc executive committee to align the overall search with the established policies and procedures of the Diocese of Central Florida and administer the overall search process. The Search Committee's goal, after prayer, reflection and seeking God's will, is to locate, identify, screen and select an outstanding candidate who meets the Parish's overall needs  and to recommend a candidate to the Vestry as St. Matthew's next Rector.

Truly God has provided St. Matthew's the facilities and the desire "To celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ by offering to all a haven of love, fellowship and worship". It now seeks a new Rector to champion and lead the parish all in that endeavor.

About St. Matthew's and Its Surrounding Community

St. Matthew's Episcopal Church is located approximately 2 miles from the entrance to the University of Central Florida in northeast Orlando and is situated close to the boundary where Orange and Seminole Counties meet. It is located in a residential community that is readily and closely connected to downtown Orlando and to what has become America's playgrounds   of Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World as well as numerous downtown activities such as the Orlando Magic NBA basketball team, and two BCS sponsored college football bowl games.

About an hour's drive from the Atlantic Coast beaches and an hour and a half from Florida's beautiful Gulf Coast, all easily reachable on Interstate highways, Orlando is the center of Florida's cultural, recreational and educational attractions. Great people, high performing elementary and secondary schools, high quality colleges and universities and the new University of Central Florida's medical school linked with outstanding health science centers, good local infrastructure and an active zest for living makes Orlando a natural and rewarding place to visit and live for families and guests from all over the nation and the world.

St. Matthew's Parish seeks a new Rector who can provide loving, positive and steady participatory leadership to a moderate, middle sized, diverse and stable broad spectrum Christian community. We are comprised of individuals, families with and without children, and seniors seeking to deepen and make more meaningful their ongoing commitments to Christ's call to love one another and our neighbors as we love ourselves.

St. Matthew's currently conducts two services on Sunday mornings, one at 08:00 (Rite I) and the other at 10:15 (Rite II). Sunday School is provided for children during the 10:15 service prior to the Eucharist  and during our current monthly family service where all members, young and adult, worship together. Adult Christian education is conducted on selected topics at different times and on different topics during the liturgical calendar year and at various times during the week.

2009 Parochial Report Statistics

 Active baptized members:                     528         Average Sunday Attendance         237

 Communicants in good Standing:         528         Number of Pledging Units               76

 Average Sunday Attendance :               237         Operating Revenues            $286,467 

 Number of Pledging Units:                      76         Operating Expenses            $270,597

Position Requirements

The new Rector will have direct supervisory responsibility over the Parish Administrator, the Youth Minister and the Director of the Ministry of Music for the Parish. The Parish does not have an ordained Deacon at this time although one candidate is currently undergoing preparation for ordination as a Deacon. In addition to the Vestry, there are several committees which meet with the Rector on a regular basis to carry out lay ministry in the Parish. The Rector will assume overall spiritual and pastoral leadership and will chair all Vestry meetings. Out year priorities for the Parish are prioritized and discussed later in this document.

It is expected that the new Rector will provide a collegial atmosphere for paid and volunteer staff and set and enhance a positive organizational climate that is affirming and rewarding to all who participate and provide caring pastoral support to those who seek God's peace and sensitive spiritual support to all in their Christian journey. The new Rector is expected to be a good human and material resource manager and one who exercises sound fiscal responsibility and stewardship of the Parish's assets, uses technology to enhance teaching and preaching  and one who advocates that living an active Christian life is what blesses us and not simply just observation and contemplation. The new Rector will be
expected to energize others to action, teach the rich tradition of our heritage, preach meaningful and liturgy-based sermons without the use of the lectern and exercise good humor while fully realizing the what he or she has to say is truly the "Good News". In the Rector's actions, the Parish expects to see a positive role model for someone called to teach us to ask ourselves,  "What would Jesus want us to do in this situation?".

In March and April of 2010, the St. Matthew's members were asked by the Senior Warden    to respond to certain specific questions about who we were as a Parish and what we wanted  our new Rector to display in terms of behaviors. It also asked members to prioritize their choices concerning what we thought was important for the Parish to address in the next 5 years. Answers to those questions have been summarized below and will give any potential candidate who reads them fairly good insight into who St. Matthew's is as a parish  and what it is expecting from its new Rector.

How do we at St. Matthew's "celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ"?

How does St. Matthew's Parish offer "to all a haven of love, fellowship and worship"?

• Provides a warm and happy atmosphere
• Displays an open community
• Provides a number of small group activities within the parish such as "Saints and Sinners" dinners, rummage sale, special adult education topics, Christmas Eve service      focusing on children, pancake suppers before Lent and other like family activities
• Provides breakfast on Sunday mornings between the services
• Conducts annual church picnic to kick off the summer schedule
• Demonstrates that we are "kid friendly" by our actions as well as by our words
• Lives out a commitment to meeting real life needs of the congregation and outreach to address some of the surrounding community's needs
• Exercises Christian hospitality to families of the recently deceased, parents of newborns and to families of ill members of the Parish
• Operates as an active family-like community
• Has special seasonal services such as a Seder and foot washing during Lent
• Operates a significant youth program focusing on loving and giving of self
•  Accepting of all, very friendly, and concerned about helping others with generosity
• Welcomes a diverse cross section of our community without question
• Provides a range of worship opportunities for all age ranges
• Is a friendly church offering and asks people to participate in the programs and functions of the church and provides support for those in need
• As a friendly and caring people, the church projects warmth and love in each service  and activity
• By being aware of our people's needs, St. Matthew's provides at hospital and home  visits to those who are home bound, need our help in such ways as meals provided to the parents of new babies, or those in or returning from the hospital or grieving for a loved one

What Christian community functions does St. Matthew's Parish perform and with whom?

• Narcotics Anonymous
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Mending Hearts ministry
• Ministries to the homeless and poor through Without Words (WOW)
• Numerous outreach ministries to battered and abused centers for women and children
• Food Pantry support
• Eucharistic visitations to shut ins and those in the hospital
• Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
• Rector's discretionary fund
• Referrals to social action agencies
• Giving to the needy through outreach
• Giving to each other through meeting real life needs of our own congregation
• Giving to God through praise and thanksgiving
• Our outreach is a phenomenal Christian community in supporting a wide range of community services for the homeless, low income, elderly, student and foreign needs
• Outreach to the needs of schools, individuals and many organizations helping women, children, needy families, the poor and the homeless, involving our church youth in these projects
• Vital outreach to schools, shelters and the elderly
• Food pantries, schools and UCF students as well as the Orlando Rescue Mission and other charities
• Kairos Prison Ministry
• The Episcopal Cursillo Movement

Describe the St. Matthew's Parish approach to worship and its current demographics.

• We accept everyone; we're very informal church that keeps to the traditional culture; we try to be all things to all people and try not to lecture or judge people; we try to love and serve God and our neighbors
• Provides an informal and comfortable atmosphere and surroundings where neckties are rarely seen
• Follows the spirit and not just the letter of God's laws
• Uses the Bible and the Gospel as a magnet to draw people in, not a club to drive them away
• Avoids church and sectarian politics to the greatest extent possible
• Tries to be user friendly in our communication interactions within and without the church
• We like sermons that are based on scripture, have a historical context and a scholarly approach, but are connected to the here and now
• We're a diverse group with many ethnic groups, interests and ages
• Covers east Orlando, with moderately traditional services that are open to all of God's children
• We follow the Episcopal Order of Service, but not rigidly. We don't make ceremony the goal. We are flexible and embrace variety.
• Our demographics are pretty astonishing for a small to middle sized church. We have African-American, Hispanic, Caucasian, young, old, middle aged, families, singles and lots of children as well as college educated, blue collar, unemployed, executives and professionals as well as retirees
• We have less formal services, but carry out the sacraments and liturgy in  a traditional manner. We have members attending who live nearby, but many who could attend a closer Episcopal church, but who prefer to come longer distances to worship at St. Matthew's
• Our approach to worship has been mostly traditional, with occasional participation to the youth group or the absence of an organist. We love old familiar prayers and responses that we remember from our childhood and it just doesn't seem like Sunday unless you've "been there and done that".

What should St. Matthew's Parish aspire to be?

• An example of how Christ intended his church to operate, open, friendly, accepting, concerned for others, joyful, enthusiastic and loving
• A congregation that continues to spiritually grow in Christ
• A congregation that encourages new ministries and in expanded parish participation   in various lay ministries
• A place of safety where you can be you and that's OK
• A haven to find peace and reflection from the chaos of the world
• A congregation that strategically discerns and plans for its future and not a place where the future happens and people wonder why it happened or what happened?
• A place of peace that offers more service options; maybe add a 3^rd service in the future
• An inspiration to all who join us to follow in the path that Jesus taught us
• A place where children receive a spiritual and giving foundation that will effect them the rest of their lives
• A place where adults can grow spiritually and build friendships socially and find help and caring support when needed
• It should aspire to continue to be St. Matthew's
• A place where everyone and anyone will feel "at home" and accepted regardless of denomination, race, etc. as we support the saying, "God loves you!!"
• The family of God who always loves one another and who are servants to those in need as we share in God's grace and love

What does St. Matthew's Parish do well?

• Provides substantial and successful service to our own congregation and extensive outreach programs
• Maintains a stable church membership
• Holds a high priority for children and youth
• Tithes to outreach in our church's annual budget
• Welcomes everyone to our Christian family
• Accepts all people no matter who they are
• Feeling of family among the worshipers
• Displays diversity across the board
• Practices inclusiveness
• Administers a strong Sunday School program for children
• Conducts a Vacation Bible School
• Provides good preaching that links the liturgical readings with today as we live our lives
• Enjoys an ever-ready variety of volunteers to usher, greet, cook, clean up, serve on committees or serve at the altar as needed.
• When there is a need, someone always steps up to the job; even our children who try to do their share
• Previous Rector has been our strength in so many ways with his love and humor

What do you expect the new Rector of St. Matthew's Parish to do well?

• Conduct a sensitive funeral that is geared to the family needs of those left behind;     don't just go through the motions
• Project God's love to all persons
• Give good timely, scriptural and historically based sermons
• Give sermons away from the lectern and with minimal notes
• Personal and relevant to meeting today's spiritual needs preaching
• Bring new energy and spark to the parish
• Display a good "servant attitude" as well all serve each other
• Be a good role model for our Christian community in action
• Be a good teacher of adults and cherish and support Christian education for children
• Relate well to children, adults and the elderly
• Participate actively in church activities and not just on Sunday mornings
• Equip the saints for the work of the Lord (Rector should think of self primarily as "coach", not just as a "player")
• Use deacons wisely to equalize workload and broaden the availability of pastoral care
• Connect with youth and technology that will support the church communication and services
• Maintain (and hopefully grow) the current size and financial status of the parish
• Respond to the needs of the people as they try to live a life that pleases God
• Continue to reach our youth as a parish cannot survive and grow without focusing on the young
• Preach spiritually stimulating sermons, interact well with the congregation and lead     in  a positive way
• Love people (especially kids)
• Preach and share their life guiding us closer to our God
• Be a good steward of our assets
• Be flexible with all age groups
• Teach us more scripture and how to apply it in our lives
• Be a good supervisor, delegate responsibility and follow up for accountability
• Institute good training programs for participants in lay ministries
• Embrace sound discernment and strategic planning practices

What don't you want to experience in a new St. Matthew's Parish Rector?

• Self-centered and ego-driven behaviors
• Controlling personality
• Inflexible approach and bad listening skills
• No preconceived "agenda" or "causes to be supported"
• Exclusivity ... "I've got it, you don't" attitudes
• Aloofness from the flock
• Critical and spiritually judgmental attitude
• Passive aggressive behaviors and unwillingness to exercise leadership
• Extreme opinions toward sacred and non-sacred matters when it comes to leading   the Parish
• Anyone who has bishop aspirations or who looks at church politics as a game to be played where one side wins and the other loses...everyone loses here
• Someone who is very "high church" as we're looking for substance, not just show
• Someone who feels somehow "better" than we are
• Dogmatic attitude toward leadership, "my way or the highway" attitude
• An "us vs. them" attitude
• Someone that doesn't love children
• Someone who is humorless and can't laugh at him or herself
• Someone who just reads us a prepared narrative sermon on Sunday mornings
• A "stuffed shirt" who is boring and/or full of himself (or herself)
• Anyone that would cause a split in this well-knit congregation

What should St. Matthew's Parish's top priorities be for the next five years?

• Provide good preaching/teaching by new Rector (37)*
• Enhance financial stability (36)
• Continue our loving atmosphere  (35)
• Expand youth programs   (33)
• Install deacons; we need expanded pastoral support capability (33)
• Expand our physical plant and building maintenance (32)
• Manage transition to new clergy leadership successfully  (32)
• Continue our significant outreach to the community  (31)
• Support new priest's ideas  (31)
• Develop a sound and interesting adult education program(s)  (29)
• Increase parish involvement in various ministries  (27)
• Enhance current music ministry to make it more timely, joyous and lively  (27)
• Publish a Church Directory so we can get to know who is who more easily  (25)
• Grow the Parish membership and make it more financially robust  (22)Increase interactions between 08:00 and 10:15 Sunday morning parishioners  (21)

* = Scores based on a 1- 5 importance scale    N = 8

Additional parish comments include:

• Continue to grow in God's love and our love for each other
• Continue our ministry to those in need
• Stay on the path we've taken to start with the youngest and follow our young people through their formative years and lead them in the right path
• Pray that we receive our new Rector with love and understanding and that he (or she) also receives us in the same way
• Enhance program growth, with our children and youth as a priority
• Provide good and interesting programs for children and adults
• Continue to conduct meaningful and participatory worship services
• Enhance meaningful traditional and contemporary music (build a full choir)
• Continue outreach emphasis
• Build up the congregation in terms of numbers
• Develop a strong University of Central Florida ministry
• Continue to love others as we love ourselves
• Share our assets with others in need
• Bring people closer to Jesus' teaching on giving
• Be better stewards in maintaining our physical plant
• Be more aware of and sensitive to the needs of our fellow members within the parish
• Show concern about people who leave the parish
• Welcome newcomers more effectively as strangers who will soon be friends

What personal qualities do you expect the new Rector to display?

• Strong faith in God and people
• Sound foundation in the Bible
• Transparent and honest
• A good sense of humor
• Good administrator and one who delegates well; then follows up
• Good steward of resources, both human and monetary
• Humble in recognizing one's own vulnerability and assertive at the same time to get things done
• Good communication skills; actively listens well
• Exercises robust leadership qualities
• Non-judgmental and loving
• Gracious in saying "no" when necessary
• Good "coach" for Christian involvement in lay ministries
• Enthusiastic for lay involvement
• Has fresh ideas, is flexible and who is at least minimally technology-competent        and not technology-averse
• Good transition skills; looks for reasons to do things, not reasons not to do things
• Ongoing learner and traveler on the spiritual road of life
• An openness and acceptance of others and their perceptions
• A friend who has time for us
• Someone who cares about us all
• Not afraid to have people laugh in church
• A Biblical scholar who puts things in a good and interesting historical perspective
• The ability to respect Biblical criticism and diverse viewpoints
• Someone who can speak and give homilies without extensive notes

Our Prayer for God's Involvement and Blessing

"Heavenly Father, without whom we would have little reason to exist, bless our efforts to locate, identify, screen, select and recommend to the Vestry our new Rector for St. Matthew's Parish. Guide our thoughts, deliberations and actions as we search for your chief servant for your people at this place and at this time. May your Holy Spirit energize and make wise all who participate in this process. Bless all who are involved, the candidates, the Diocese of Central Florida, the Search Committee members, the members of the Vestry and the people of God here at St. Matthew's as we seek to discern and follow your will . We ask all this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior and Lord who reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God eternal.  Amen."