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Fix Your Eyes Upon Jesus!

"And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20

Many years ago, we were blessed with an amazing opportunity to celebrate our anniversary with dear friends in Hawaii. In attempts to be wise with the limited amount of time that we had on Maui, we attended the complimentary breakfast, which was hosted by the travel company.  During their presentation, they highlighted the "Bike Down Maui" tour, which allowed you to ride a mountain bike down an inactive volcano.  Hearing about this adventure from other brave relatives and friends, I thought this would be a wonderful experience for my husband, who at that time was an avid cyclist. To this day, I can't figure out exactly how I was talked into this, but the next thing I knew, the tour guide was handing us FOUR non-refundable tickets for this adventure. As the guide was congratulating us for our bravery, I was thinking that never before had someone so blatantly misread me!...

COVID-19 Update

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1-2

We live in a sin-broken world where occasionally, serious issues such as Coronavirus occur.

While we pray and trust God to take care of us, we also need to use our God-given wisdom to plan and prepare for severe situations.
 
At St. Matthew, we are remaining diligent as we emphasize the strategies shared by the Center for Disease Control, as well as The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and The Oakland County Health Department:

  • Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
  • Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
  • Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing
  • Do not share drinks or eating utensils
  • Disinfect frequently touched surfaces and keyboards
  • Avoiding contact with people who are sick
  • Children who are sick need to stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours and/or symptoms resolve

In addition, all other St. Matthew ministries are following the exact same protocol. Our janitorial staff remains diligent in their disinfecting and cleaning procedures, as well as increasing their sanitizing efforts in high traffic areas of our building.
 
In the event that circumstances would warrant, the staff of St. Matthew is prepared to proceed with online academic learning. Instruction will occur at every grade level, utilizing age-appropriate forms of technology so that your child's education will have the least amount of disruption as possible. If online learning would need to be implemented, parents would receive directions and procedures from the school office and teachers, so that they are comfortable with this new learning format

Our Athletic Directors are currently in discussions with our athletic league regarding after school sports and tournament participation. Decisions about these activities will be shared as soon as possible.

Since the Spring Musical is not performing until May, and rehearsals do not constitute a large gathering, musical practices and preparations will continue as scheduled.

God's Word is filled with abundant promises that remind us that He is always with us and He is in control.

I pray you feel His peace during this unique season.
 
In Jesus' Love,
Mrs. Palka

Oakland Schools Spelling Bee Results Tyler Bredernitz Earned 2nd Place!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the Heavenly Lights."  James 1:17

As the SMLS Spelling Bee Champion, eighth grader Tyler Bredernitz represented our school on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at the Oakland Schools Scripps Spelling Bee. Competing against eighty-four others, Tyler was one of just nine students still spelling in the fifth round when the moderators switched to random words in the dictionary!

When just two were left, Tyler misspelled malignancy. The other competitor correctly spelled that word and a second word to win the Bee in the eighth round, which placed Tyler in second place! We are delighted to celebrate with Tyler and thank him for his Godly representation of our school.

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

 "For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16

Have you ever experienced "panic power cleaning" as you prepare for the arrival of company? Once, I had offered to host a Bible Study at our house that included a combination of dear friends and brand new acquaintances.  Feeling like I needed to have everything "perfect", and despite my better judgment that none of these people would really care, I spent hours dusting spindles, washing molding, wiping down light fixtures, etc. However, I did stop myself at scrubbing the bathtubs figuring I would be safe there!
 
When the big night finally arrived, the table was set, the food was prepared, everyone was in attendance, and the evening was going well, until midway through the leader's discussion, as I was intently listening to his lesson, something strange caught my eye!...

We Love Because He First Loved Us -1 John 4:19

Many years ago, when I was a teacher in the primary grades, Valentine's Day was always such an exciting day for me! It was so enjoyable watching the faces of my students as they opened and examined the cards that each of their classmates selected just for them. As a parent, you have probably witnessed this same joy as your child has dumped the entire contents from his/her Valentine container all over your living room carpet!
 
However, one of the saddest Valentine stories that I've ever heard occurred many years ago when my nephew was in a very large Kindergarten class. His last name begins with the letter "Z", and as a result, typically he always was the last person on the class list. Unfortunately, when his Kindergarten teacher copied the class list for the students to write their Valentine cards, his name was cut off...

Don't Miss...Protect Young Eyes Parenting Workshop Next Wednesday!

"Equipping Children to Thrive in an Increasingly Hostile Online World"

As parents, we strive to do everything that we can to keep our children safe. However, there are times that in order to do this well, we need seek education from experts.

The internet is a wonderful tool that can provide a wealth of information. However, there are also significant dangers that children may face when online.  In order to help parents understand the risks as well as how to develop healthy habits in regards to  keeping children digitally safe, St. Matthew is hosting a "Protect Young Eyes" parent workshop.  Please join us on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. in Room 304 where participants will learn about the features in popular apps such as YouTube, YouTube Kids, Snapchat, Instagram, and many others that can present risks to children who are not properly equipped to utilize them.
 
Participants will also obtain a better understanding for how...

Make Me a Servant! - 8th Grade Serves at NOAH Project

"Whatever you do for the least of these, you've done unto Me." Matthew 25:40

This week, it gives us great joy as we thank and praise God for our school during "National Lutheran Schools Week". However, we intentionally designed the beginning of this celebration by putting the initial focus on Kingdom work.  As a result, 140 children and parents gathered last Sunday to assemble 300 lunches for the NOAH Project, a homeless shelter located in downtown Detroit. The evening was filled with much excitement as passionate disciples gathered together to help those in need.
 
Early Monday morning, the eighth graders had the amazing opportunity to take the lunches to NOAH and assist with their meal preparation and distribution. As their principal, I was so incredibly proud of this group of students as I watched them distribute lunches, serve coffee, and engage in kind conversations.
 
When we returned and debriefed, it was even more powerful to hear their reflections and reactions....

Lunch Bags of Love For The Homeless!

Sign Up for Family Outreach Project Ends this Friday!!

"Whatever you do for the least of these, you have done unto Me."  Matthew 25:40

Supervising the lunchroom for many years, I have learned a lot!  I have been extremely impressed with how willing children are to eat the healthy foods packed in their lunches.  I have learned about family favorite meals, such as "pizza casserole", "taco pie", and "slimy chicken".  I have watched our current third graders demonstrate their promising culinary skills by making daily food "creations", such as pickles and cheese on top of applesauce or potato salad smeared on pizza.  However, there is nothing more exciting than a loving note found inside a lunchbox.  Often, I am greeted by an excited child waving a piece of paper and proclaiming, "Look what I got!"...

Welcome Back Braedon!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever!"  Psalm 136:1

After being gone for the past sixteen weeks due to a liver transplant, January 14th was such an awesome day as God allowed for Braedon Breeding to return to school!
 
To help express our joy for this day...

Dancing Into a New Year!

"But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added onto you as well."   Luke 18:30

As a mom of three children, I have received a great number of treasured gifts that my children have made and given to me over the years. I still have a 22 year-old ceramic tile jewelry box made by my son in first grade that sits on my dresser and continues to lose a few pieces of tile each year. I have an angel ornament on our tree that was made many years ago in Preschool by my daughter that still has a ton of glitter on its halo.  I have a glazed piece of pottery on my night stand that has "I love you" carved in the bottom, and I also have a hand-drawn and framed picture that my daughter painted of the two of us where we both have our arms and legs coming out of our heads!
 
As my children grew older, the gifts became a little more unique...

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