St. Matthew Catholic Church

Goals & Purpose: We pray for and reach out to our GA imprisoned sisters and brothers through an established liaison with Jayna Hoffacker, Director of Restorative Justice ([email protected]), and Imelda Richard, Coordinator of Prison Ministry at the Atlanta Archdiocese Office.

Responsibilities: All members are encouraged to participate at their own comfort levels. We meet 3-4 times a year to plan parish-wide projects to support Georgia state prisoners and their families and help facilitate projects. We invite you to become a part of this ministry and contribute to shaping its future.

Time Commitment: Attendance at one-hour project planning meetings (3-4 times per year); facilitating parish-wide projects in the church narthex 20 minutes before and after Masses; delivering donations.

Training Requirement: Contact the leader for more information.

Leader: Nancy Wood ([email protected])

The St. Matthew Society of St. Vincent de Paul offers tangible assistance to those in need on a person-to-person basis through the support and help of the Saint Matthew Parish family. This aid may take the form of intervention, consultation, or often through direct dollar or in-kind service. An essential precept of the Society's work is to provide help while conscientiously maintaining the confidentiality and dignity of those whom we serve while recognizing it must also assume a role of advocacy for those who are defenseless or voiceless.

For more information about the St. Vincent de Paul Society, click here!

Purpose: Provides lunches and school supplies to school-aged children & teens who live in the Suburban Woods neighborhood in Union City. In partnership with Holy Trinity (PTC) and St. Gabriel Catholic Church (Fayetteville), our program serves these children and families Monday through Friday, for 10 weeks during the summer. Volunteers at St. Matthew make sandwiches, bake cookies, assemble lunches and deliver them door-to-door one day a week (typically on Wednesdays). In addition, we collect donations of food items for the lunches and monetary donations for our purchases of bread, meat, cheese, fruit and paper goods. Sign-ups are done using a SignUp Genius website and volunteers are welcome to sign up for as many Wednesdays as they like.

Ages: All ages welcome. Drivers must be 18 or over.

Training Required: Safe Environment (VIRTUS) and Background Checks for all Drivers/Deliverers

Contact: Lisa Lowther, [email protected]

JustFaith® is a small group process that invites participants to explore the Gospel call to compassion and justice.  JustFaith is an intensive and successful model of justice education and spiritual formation that consists of weekly meetings and employs books, videos, speakers, discussion, prayer, retreats, and hands-on experiences. The intent is to provide a tapestry of learning opportunities that emphasize and enliven the remarkable justice tradition of the Catholic Church. Participants have the privilege of becoming a community with others and sharing a journey of faith and compassion that is both life-giving and challenging.  The most recent small group offering was on the topic of Civil Dialogue.  Programs are typically 8 weeks long.  No previous JustFaith experience required, just a willing heart, open-mind and a passion for peace, justice, equity and sustainability.
 
Atlanta Transit Angels is an off-shoot of our JustFaith ministry.  We occasionally support ATA by providing hospitality, personal hygiene and childrens kits which are used to minister to asylum-seeking travelers who pass through the bus stations in metro Atlanta.  Donation collections and assembly parties are held as needed.  This ministry grew from a JustFaith program we held during Lent 2019 called "Exploring Migration: A Faith Journey."  Since then, we've provided thousands of kits to ATA to support their mission of extending hospitality and hope to those seeking a new home.
 
Contact:  Lisa Lowther, [email protected]