St. Matthew's Anglican Church
Weaverville, NC
Special Report on our Parish Missions
We have five local Anglican missions for which we are responsible: St. Timothy's, Swannanoa; St. Peter's, Kingsport, TN; St. Patrick's, Brevard; St. Andrew's, Edneyville; and St. Peter's, Waynesville.
St. Timothy's, Swannanoa has a lovely Church property right off I-40 exit 59. The congregation was founded in 2004. Jon Hopkins is both the Warden and Lay Reader there. Fr. Frank O'Donnell is Priest-in-Charge and celebrates Holy Communion there on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. On the 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays, St. Timothy's has Morning Prayer. There are about twenty active members in the congregation.
St. Peter's, Kingsport, TN, has leased a former Baptist Church for six months with an option to buy, and beginning this September will be going to Sunday morning services. Fr. Frank O'Donnell is Priest-in-Charge of this congregation as well, and will celebrate Holy Communion there on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. The other Sundays, St. Peter's will have Morning Prayer conducted by Lay Reader Earl Dunn. There are a dozen active members at St. Peter's which was founded in early 2010.
St. Patrick's, Brevard, founded on the First Sunday in Lent 2010, meets in an "upper room" at the Hollingsworth building on Main Street, Brevard. Fr. Nick Henderson is the Vicar and Holy Communion is celebrated most every Sunday morning. Bob Shoup, the Lay Reader, is studying for Holy Orders. There are about twenty active members in this Church.
St. Andrew's, Edneyville, founded in 2010, purchased their Church property earlier this year. The Church is located on Highway US 64 between Edneyville and Bat Cave. Gerald Lyda is both the Warden and Lay Reader; he is also studying for Holy Orders. During September, Fr. Deacon Louis Linn will be there on the 3rd and 4th Sundays to celebrate a Deacon's Mass and bring the Sacrament to this congregation. Beginning in October, Fr. Don Edleman from St. Michael's, Charlotte, will be coming to St. Andrew's on the 1st and 3rd Sundays to celebrate Holy Communion. On the other Sundays, there will be a service of Morning Prayer. There are about eighteen active members in this congregation including six children.
St. Peter's, Waynesville, is an Anglican Church in America (ACA) congregation that is transferring to our Anglican Province of America (APA). That transfer will be completed this September. Currently they are served by Fr. Paul Blankinship; Fr. Paul is resigning from the APA effective the end of this September. Beginning in October, St. Peter's will move their Sunday service to 2:00 p.m. Fr. Bill Martin, Rector of All Saints, will be going there most Sundays to celebrate Holy Communion. On other Sundays, either Fr. Deacon Louis Linn will be there or a Lay Reader from St. Matthew's will conduct Evening Prayer. There are about eighteen active members in this congregation.
Fr. Nick Henderson prepares a weekly sermon that is distributed to all the Lay Readers involved. Most every congregation has Bible Study before their Church services. I believe that all these congregations have a website.
Fr. Nick preaches at St. Matthew's at the Thursday 11:00 a.m. Eucharist. Fr. Frank will preach at St. Matthew's on the fifth Sundays of the month.
The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) is not an option at St. Matthew's. We take it seriously. Please continue to pray for and support our five mission congregations.
Faithfully,
Fr. John Lathrop, Rector and Dean
