"St. Matthew's is a fellowship of equals," said the Rev. William Exner, rector of the Goffstown, N.H., church. The Sunday school children, led upstairs by an acolyte at the fraction anthem, "have communion with us every Sunday ... from the minute they hold little hands out." The 1865 building recently had a ramp added, designed by an architect-member and built "by our own people. Some people said, 'We don't need that. We have nobody in wheelchairs.' I told them, 'That's because they can't get in!'"

Children are evident everywhere. Sunday school coordinator Elaine Simons said the curriculum is lectionary-based, so the whole church is reading the same lesson. A recent family service had the sermon presented by puppets made and operated by students on a stage made by Ms. Simons' father. "Everyone had a part," she said. "The church was packed. It was not a performance, but a giving."

Sometimes the kids bake communion bread, or cookies for coffee hour. Sometimes they entertain the adults and the adults buy pizza.

Judi Shank, whose position has grown from secretary to administrative assistant to the rector, said St. Matthew's, in the late '80s, was one of 30 test sites for an inclusive liturgy. "We used it for eight weeks and evaluated it for the national church," she said. The congregation enjoyed being part of the test, she said. "Some of us would return to the 1928 prayer book at the drop of a hat, while others are way ahead. We have a nice blend" of traditional Anglo-Catholics and non-traditional liberals.

Longtime member Harold Chase - "I came back about 1970" - said he used to be lucky if he wasn't the only person at the 8:00 service. Now, he said, "I go to the 10:00. I like the music. It's full, with chairs in the aisles," he said. Mr. Chase is hopeful the church's carillon will be fixed soon. "One unit is in memory of my parents."

It's a parish of doers. "We like to be involved," Ms. Shank said. "We have empowered Fr. Exner to empower us, for pastoral care, and on the diocesan and national levels." The stewardship inventory asks for a "time and talent pledge" and lists dozens of opportunities, from "Be an occasional nursery volunteer," "Visit nursing homes," "Phone bake sale bakers," to "Help with our Clean Roadside Project" and "Work on the investment review committee."

Each vestry member has an area of responsibility and "knows who to call for what work," Ms. Shank said. The talent bank extends to community and world needs.

Senior warden Pat Schubert found her calling in fellowship projects. One mission is to keep communion between old and new members. "Old members shouldn't feel they're put on the shelf, holding up the walls." The former Newcomers' Brunch is now for new and old, for those who've been at St. Matthew's less than one year and more than 15. The last was attended by about 60 people.

Nancy Clark, an OB-GYN nurse practitioner, became the parish nurse a year ago at the request of the rector. "It should really be called the Community Nurse program," she said. During her Tuesday morning office hours, she checks blood pressures and ears, answers questions and makes referrals, and guides an arthritis self-care regimen. She will host a community health fair in October and participate in the November ecumenical youth fair. She has access to the Optima healthcare network, which funded the first parish nurse position in Goffstown and provided equipment and resources for St. Matthew's. The program is growing. "Nursing students did their community health rotation here last year. We hope to have more this year," Ms. Clark said.

St. Matthew's is part of the diocesan-wide community loan fund, for those "left out, forgotten." Loans are made to the "working poor" to promote ownership of homes and businesses. "We charge 4 percent interest; we have a 96 percent pay back rate. It's a combination of good business and social justice," Fr. Exner said. "The last two General Conventions talked about it. The Diocese of New Hampshire does it."

St. Matthew's has adopted a two-mile stretch of highway and is represented on provincial and national environmental networks by retired microbiologist and researcher Jane Doherty. She co-chairs the diocese's Environmental Responsibility Committee, which on Oct. 10 joined the interfaith Canoeing for Creation trip on the Merrimack River.

She is convener of the Province 1 network, which will be part of a New England energy restructuring conference working to "get all New England churches to buy electricity together - an Energy Diet," she said. Fr. Exner is also a member of the national peace and justice network.

A skateboard park may seem an unlikely project for a New England Anglican church, but St. Matthew's is part of the youth forum network with social workers, counselors, the police, to serve a growing teen population. Using a diocesan grant and help from businesses, the network will construct the park "across the stream from the church, in the middle of town."

The other half of the site will be a "grassy, passive park, with walks, benches and tables. It is close to a retirement complex. "The older residents say they can't wait to be where the young people are," Fr. Exner said.

St. Matthew's growth is, in part, due to the town's increased population, but also to the atmosphere at St. Matthew's, the parish of doers, empowering and empowered. "We feel a deep, loving ownership, because we can give our time," Ms. Shank said. "And we maintain the small parish philosophy of knowing everyone." o