In the Spirit

Address: 1723 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach

Phone: (949) 646-1152

Fax: (949) 650-9541

E-mail: stmatthewacc@earthlink.net

Web site: https://stmatthewsacc.com

Denomination: The Anglican Catholic Church

Year established: 1982

Service times: Sunday: Holy Communion at 8 and 10:30 a.m., Liturgy of the

word for young people, morning prayer with adult instruction and Sunday

school for youth of all ages at 9:15 a.m.; Tuesday: adult Bible study at

7:30 p.m.; Wednesday: noon Bible study and sung evening prayer at 6 p.m.;

Thursday: Holy Communion at 9:30 a.m. followed by Bible study at 10:15

a.m.; Friday: sung morning prayer at 6 a.m.

Senior minister: The Rev. Stephen C. Scarlett

Pastoral staff: The Rev. Richard Stapp, deacon; The Rev. Joseph P.

Miller, assisting; Bob Blythin, David Brounstein and Bart Dellinger, lay

readers.

Size of congregation: 100 families

Makeup of congregation: A mix of all ages

Child care: Provided for all services and most other activities.

Type of worship: The worship services are traditional Episcopal from the

1928 Book of Common Prayer. The 8 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday services have

music and congregational singing. The choir sings at the 10:30 a.m.

service. The Sunday 9:15 a.m. service is sung morning prayer with an

extended period of adult instruction. The daily office of morning prayer

is sung on Friday at 8 a.m. The daily office of evening prayer is sung on

Wednesday at 6 p.m. The sung offices include seasonal hymns, psalms set

to Gregorian chant and sung canticles.

Type of sermon: Sermon topics generally follow the seasons of the church

year, which include Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost,

Ascension and Trinity. Typically the focus is on a scriptural text or

theme and how it applies practically to a Christian’s spiritual life,

understanding and growth.

Past sermons: Past sermons are available at the church’s Web site at

https://stmatthewsacc.com.

Welcome wagon: There is a guest book for visitors who wish to identify

themselves and for anyone who wishes more information about the church,

prayer or assistance from the church. The instruction at the 9:15 a.m.

prayer service is an ongoing adult/inquirers class. Newcomers are

encouraged to come and ask questions. Sunday school and Bible studies

during the week are open to anyone who wants to know more about Christian

faith and the church. St. Matthew’s has periodic parish suppers. New

members are especially encouraged to attend to get to know others in the

congregation.

Outreach programs: Members work with FISH (Friends in Service to

Humanity), a local organization that fights homelessness and hunger in

Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Irvine, and with LivingWell Medical

Clinics, a group of clinics throughout Orange County that provides

medical care and other sustaining services to women facing crisis

pregnancies. St. Matthew’s gives regularly to support an orphanage and

school for approximately 400 children in India. The St. Matthew’s Women’s

Guild organizes various functions throughout the year to support programs

for the needy and a local orphanage for boys. The church also provides

one-on-one assistance, on a case-by-case basis, to people who have

fallen on hard times.

Dress: Casual to business dress

Church designn: The church is in a leased retail space. It has a

Westcliff Drive address but faces Sherington Place. From the outside it

is not readily identifiable as a church building, except for a broad

burgundy awning with the church’s name in large white letters above the

entry. The work of local artist Linda Quinn and a number of hard-working

members has transformed the inside into a traditional place of worship.

Statement of faith: St. Matthew’s believes and practices “the faith once

delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). We believe it is important that the

faith and practice of the church be firmly rooted in the teachings of the

Bible. Our interpretation of the Bible is guided by the tradition of the

church -- that which all Christians have believed and practiced from the

beginning of the church (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Our life of prayer and

worship is rooted in the Anglican tradition and the Book of Common

Prayer.

Mission statement: “To follow Christ, to worship God every Sunday in his

church and to work and pray and give for the spread of his kingdom.” In

addition to their mission statement, the congregation has adopted the

following statement to describe its life in Christ: “St. Matthew’s is a

family of Christians committed to knowing Jesus Christ through the Bible,

sacraments, traditional worship, prayer and fellowship.”

Interesting note: St. Matthew’s has purchased a parcel of land at the

intersection of Bonita Canyon Road and Prairie Road in Newport Beach.

Plans are underway to build a campus of buildings including a new church,

a preschool, an administration building and a parish hall. Pastor

Scarlett says that construction will begin sometime during this year,

“God willing.” The church’s Web site is currently under construction and

now provides service times, a map and directions to the church and the

content of past sermons by Scarlett.

-- Compiled by Michele M. Marr