St. Andrew’s Adult Education offering in January will focus on “The Gospel of Mark: A Narrative Theology,” taught by Jim Aageson. Mark’s gospel presents its theology in narrative form where the actions and words of Jesus reveal a powerful vision of God’s reign. As Aageson notes, “in this kingdom, things are turned upside down: the first are last, the sinners and the dishonored are invited to the table of fellowship, and those closest to Jesus are often filled with fear rather than faith.” The class will begin at 10:00 am on Sunday, January 10.
Resolutions 2021
What will you do for the Earth in 2021? Even though we’ve already cheered the arrival of a new year, it’s not too late to make a plan to increase our commitment to Earth Care. For the good of the planet and generations to come, why not challenge ourselves to live more sustainably this year?
Even small efforts, repeated again and again, can make an impact. Write down your goal. Keep track of the actions you take. I did this a year ago, pledging to rack up at least one no-drive-day a week. Even before the pandemic hit, it was clear I could easily make my goal. Imagine how many no-drive-days we’ve accumulated together this year!
One of the benefits of living our values comes from the example we set. Our enthusiasm for a healthy planet can infect others and encourage them to do their part. And that’s a good thing.
Carol Harker
Fantasy Football: Won & Done!
Congratulations to Julia Emerson and her dad, Jeff Smith, owners of The Wingmen, who bested Ben Moore’s COVID Crushers to win the championship for this year’s St. Andrew Fantasy Football League.
The Wingmen victory proves anything can happen in Fantasy Football! With an overall record of 6-7, the Emerson/Smith team actually finished 8th in league standings. At season’s end, the top three teams with the best records overall were Mark and Kofi Brocker’s FC Aortic Power, Ben Moore’s COVID Crushers, and Carol and Sam Harker’s Gridiron Greats!
Family Promise Update 2020
Thanks to the strong participation and support of our congregation, St. Andrew’s commitment to being a host site for Family Promise has remained steady this year.
We hosted on-site in January and February and then the world turned upside down! When host sites closed, families were then moved to the new day center on Erickson Ave. in Beaverton and also to an extended stay hotel. Hosting then became “remote.” This involved providing meals, groceries, or restaurant gift cards to be delivered to families wherever they were staying. We hosted remotely in October and November using both gift cards and a team of “on-call” cooks. Flexibility is a Family Promise mantra that we have embraced!
Thanks to generous donations to the Family Promise designated fund, we have also been able to give much-needed money to a Family Promise COVID-19 fund. This has assisted “graduated” families who have struggled with the financial impact of the pandemic. In addition, we sponsored a graduated family for Christmas.
Remote hosting will continue in 2021. The hosting schedule will be made on a quarterly basis at this point. St. Andrew is scheduled for the weeks of January 24 and February 21. Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities!
Many thanks for your donations of time, meals, money, and prayers. We are making a difference.
The Family Promise Leadership Team
Raise Your Voice and Sing!
Opportunities to sing special music for upcoming worship services are now available. I will be organizing duets, solos, and other small ensembles for the offertory during the Epiphany season. Rehearsal time will be scheduled with the person(s) singing and myself and each offering will be pre recorded at a time that works for one of St. Andrew’s tech teams. If you’re interested, please contact me.
There is a winter in all of our lives, a chill and darkness that makes us yearn for days that have gone by or put our hope in days yet to be.
Father God, you created seasons for a purpose. Spring is full of expectation –buds breaking, frosts abating, and an awakening of creation before the first days of summer. Then the sun gives warmth and comfort to our lives, reviving aching joints, bringing color, new life, and crops to produce their harvests. Autumn gives nature space to lean back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of its labor. Then in winter, cold and bare, nature takes stock, rests, unwinds, and sleeps until the time is right. An endless cycle and yet a perfect model.
We need a winter in our lives, a time of rest, a time to stand still, a time to reacquaint ourselves with the faith in which we live. It is only then that we can draw strength from the one in whom we are rooted, take time to grow and rise through the darkness into the warm glow of your springtime to blossom and flourish, to bring color and vitality into this world, your garden.
Thank you, Father, for the seasons of our lives. Amen.
Bread for the Day and Daily Texts Available
The 2021 edition of Daily Texts, Bible texts selected annually by the Moravian Church and shared worldwide since 1731, are now available, as are copies of Bread for the Day, a book of Bible readings and prayers published by Augsburg Fortress. A donation of $9.00 is suggested to defray the cost of each book.
If you’d like one or more copies, please contact the church office at office@standrewlutheran.com or call 503-646-0629.
Last summer, the St. Andrew MACG Core Team organized a listening campaign, encouraging members to make phone calls to people we missed seeing at church. Now that we’re in the midst of another alarming surge in coronavirus cases and our colder weather prevents outdoor gatherings, it’s time to check in once again. Look for details coming soon about how to be a part of our calling initiative reboot.
In the meantime, please let the Core Team know if you have ideas on ways to improve the program. Contact any of us—Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, Victoria Kovalenko, Lynn Santelmann, or Pastor Robyn—if you have any feedback.
A Milestone Birthday
This Sunday is Jean Fredrickson’s 95th birthday! Make her day special by remembering her with a card or phone call. Please note, though, that Jean’s contact information changed after the printing of St. Andrew’s photo directory. You can direct mail to her at 280 SW 150th Ave, Beaverton, OR 97006, or call her at 971-294-8740.
Spread even more cheer and remember others on our January birthday list, too. And if you’re curious how it could be that 11 people in our community share New Year’s Day birthdays, be aware that they probably don’t. If we’re missing an actual birth date for anyone, we designate the first day of their birth month as an unofficial birthday. If you’d like to be remembered on your real birthday, let the church office know when that is.
January Birthdays
Amy Bailey Audrey Flood Bode Anderson Brian Zupunski Colton McRae Connor Ellis Elijah Bishop-Perdue Eric Zupunski Matteo Johnson Megan Dunlap Satya Semenchalam Jean Fredrickson Thomas Barnes Gerrida Dorner Julie Aageson Tomo Yokoyama Tracie Semenchalam Hilde Halvorson Kevin Nordseth Travis Nordseth Andy Roberts Holly Bishop-Perdue Marlan Bell Kristie Gladhill Judy Scholz Ruth Nickodemus Teri Brosh Eunice Harrum Judy Heidinger Lucy Roberts Darrel Lundby Debra Jerde Nicole Ford Phyllis Podolske Susan Urbanski Tobiah Meinzen Vera Hutchinson Janet Vorvick Alyssa Duggan Haylie Isaacson Jessica Fetzer Richard Cach Sharon Roth Kurt Heichelheim Jerry Jang Judy Bettencourt Miriam Zeiger Ryan Dunk Ken Reiner Mary Nell Mahler
January 1 January 1 January 1 January 1 January 1 January 1 January 1 January 1 January 1 January 1 January 1 January 3 January 3 January 4 January 5 January 5 January 5 January 6 January 6 January 6 January 7 January 8 January 8 January 9 January 10 January 10 January 12 January 13 January 14 January 14 January 15 January 15 January 16 January 16 January 16 January 17 January 17 January 18 January 19 January 20 January 22 January 23 January 23 January 26 January 27 January 27 January 27 January 28 January 29 January 31
In Need of Prayers…
Family and friends of Colleen Warnes
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Staff
Tom (friend’s father)
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Rebecca Fako Uecker
Jude Augustine Blandy & Charlotte Lovelace Blandy
Thanksgiving for their birth
Bob & Terry Buchholz (grandparents)
Everyone affected by COVID-19
Strength and support
Staff
Health care workers
Strength, courage, protection, and support
Staff
Bishop Laurie Larson Caesar Oregon Synod and Staff
Strength and Wisdom
Staff
Refugees and immigrants
Acceptance, safety, and just treatment
Staff
Military personnel, especially Justina Hailey Hope Brocker, Evan Dahlquist, Dawson Dethlefs, Neil Fiegenbaum, and Jerami Reyna
Courage and Protection
Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer
Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud
Everyone
First Lutheran Church (Clatskanie, OR) Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (Seaside, OR)
Saturday, January 30, 2021 1:00-4:15 pm Our Kinship with Oregon’s Sacred Waters
The 8th annual Creation Justice Summit (formerly the Earth Care Summit) will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Columbia River Watershed Pastoral Letter. The virtual event will include a keynote panel, breakout workshops, and a closing address from U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley.
Register now $20 general, $10 students, scholarships available Presented by EMO’s Creation Justice and Oregon Interfaith Power & Light.
Baby Roses
Congratulations to Megan Buchholz Blandy and Harry Blandy, who welcomed twins Jude Augustine (6 lb, 10 oz) and Charlotte Lovelace (5 lb, 3 oz) on Christmas Eve. What a gift! Grandparents celebrating the babies’ births are Bob & Terry Buchholz and Simon & Sarah Blandy. We’re delighted to report that everyone is healthy and happy!
Thank You
Dear People of St. Andrew, “I don’t know where I’d be without you,” 29-year-old mother and recent college graduate Adrianna says. She joins thousands who have found stability and hope through Outside In’s comprehensive line of medical and mental health programs and supporting social services—made possible by you.
Thank you, St. Andrew Lutheran, for your $300 gift supporting our Day Program! Your donation helps to build brighter tomorrows for the more than 11,000 people we serve every year.
Your contribution heals, feeds, houses, educates, inspires, and renews lives. This year, donations like yours made it possible for us to:
Improve Health: More than 5,350 patients of all ages, 77 percent experiencing poverty, received medical and mental health care.
Educate: 219 youth accessed our education services, developed job skills, and worked on goals to become self-sufficient.
Prevent Chronic Homelessness: 96 percent of graduates from our housing program found safe, stable new homes off the streets.
Provide Nutritious Meals: Nearly 1,000 youth experiencing homelessness welcomed more than 32,000 healthy meals. More than ever, in these exceptionally challenging times, your compassion and investment in our work helps us reach those who need our services the most. Thank you.
With warm gratitude, Lori Slaughter Director of Development
Highlights for the Week
Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Sunday, January 3, Second Sunday of Christmas
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
11:00 am
Zoom Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
2:00 pm
Mason Bee House Installation with the Yard Science Team
outside near Reformation Earth Garden
Tuesday, January 5
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
10:00 am
Worship Planners Meeting
Zoom
7:00 pm
MACG Meeting
Zoom
Wednesday, January 6 –Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm
12:30 pm
Bonhoeffer Seminar
Zoom
6:00 pm
Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal
Sanctuary
6:30 pm
Informal Gathering Time
Zoom
7:00 pm
Wednesday Evening Prayer
Zoom
7:30 pm
Centering Prayer & Other Breakout Room Opportunities
Zoom
Thursday, January 7
12:00 pm
Team Ministry Meeting
Zoom
2:00 pm
Website Review Subcommittee Meeting
Zoom
7:00 pm
Executive committee (Council) Meeting
Zoom
Thursday, January 8
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
Sunday, January 10: Baptism of Our Lord
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
Sunday School Online: Baptism Lesson with Pastor Mark
Zoom
10:00 am
Confirmation
Zoom
10:00 am
High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
Adult Education: The Gospel of Mark
Zoom
11:00 am
Zoom Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
Connecting to Worship
Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!
Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 4:00 pm Birthday Party for Jesus! Zoom – link in email
For a family-focused celebration, please join us at 4:00 pm on Thursday, December 24, via Zoom for a special Birthday Party for Jesus. We’ll be featuring carols, games, and a visit from our favorite furry friends! Families are encouraged to dress for the occasion, whether in ugly Christmas sweaters or with party hats and balloons! Plus, we’ll be giving a special birthday gift to Jesus by purchasing Shoes That Grow for children in need around the world. If you’d like to contribute to this gift, you can do so online via the church website or by mailing a check to the church; just make sure to mark it for the Birthday Party for Jesus. Follow the Zoom link for this event in the “Worship Links” e-mail the week of Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 6:45 pm Musical Prelude begins 7:00 pmChristmas Eve Candlelight Service Livestream will be on the homepage; no link required
Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 1:00-4:00 pm Stay Home, but Not Alone! Zoom – link in email
1:00 pm: Christmas Social Time—share your favorite Christmas stories. 2:00 pm: Games—join Scott Taylor, Pastor Robyn, and Janet Parker for hilarious fun. 3:00 pm: Show & Tell—share your favorite gift or play us a Christmas song. Anytime: Notify Rebecca Fako Uecker to be assigned a Zoom breakout room whereyou can meet with family or friends to support one another in Staying Home to Save Lives.
A-Caroling We Go
Sing along or just listen. The Werner sisters invite you to enjoy a short recording of favorite carols (all in the public domain) on our website.
Scroll to the bottom of St. Andrew’s worship page to find the video.
Family Promise Update 2020
Thanks to the strong participation and support of our congregation, St. Andrew’s commitment to being a host site for Family Promise has remained steady this year.
We hosted on-site in January and February and then the world turned upside down! When host sites closed, families were then moved to the new day center on Erickson Ave. in Beaverton and also to an extended stay hotel. Hosting then became “remote.” This involved providing meals, groceries, or restaurant gift cards to be delivered to families wherever they were staying. We hosted remotely in October and November using both gift cards and a team of “on-call” cooks. Flexibility is a Family Promise mantra that we have embraced!
Thanks to generous donations to the Family Promise designated fund, we have also been able to give much-needed money to a Family Promise COVID-19 fund. This has assisted “graduated” families who have struggled with the financial impact of the pandemic. In addition, we sponsored a graduated family for Christmas.
Remote hosting will continue in 2021. The hosting schedule will be made on a quarterly basis at this point. St. Andrew is scheduled for the weeks of January 24 and February 21. Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities!
Many thanks for your donations of time, meals, money, and prayers. We are making a difference.
The Family Promise Leadership Team
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” Luke 2:13-14
Coming in January – The Gospel of Mark
St. Andrew’s Adult Education offering in January will focus on “The Gospel of Mark: A Narrative Theology,” taught by Jim Aageson. Mark’s gospel presents its theology in narrative form where the actions and words of Jesus reveal a powerful vision of God’s reign. As Aageson notes, “in this kingdom, things are turned upside down: the first are last, the sinners and the dishonored are invited to the table of fellowship, and those closest to Jesus are often filled with fear rather than faith.” The class will begin at 10:00 am on Sunday, January 10.
Meet the EcoFaith Match
EcoFaith Recovery has been offered a $2,000 year-end matching grant that will match every first-time donation, the amount of increase of any annual donation, and/or the one-year value of any monthly sustaining donation that you set up before December 31. Your generous gifts help EcoFaith Recovery fund this year’s “Just Vote Harnessing Our Values for Climate and Racial Justice Initiative” and our “Community Carbon” pilot community initiative. Thank you so much for helping EcoFaith meet the match with your generous donations to
www.EcoFaithRecovery.org/Give or EcoFaith Recovery, P.O. Box 12612, Portland, OR 97212. With gratitude, Pastor Robyn Hartwig
Resolutions 2021
What will you do for the Earth in 2021? At this time of year, resolutions can help us focus our energies and live our values. For the good of the planet and generations to come, why not pledge to make your lifestyle more sustainable in 2021 Write down your goal. Keep track of the actions you take. A year from now you could be amazed by your accomplishments!
May PEACE & HEALTH be your gifts this Christmas season – and your blessings all the year through!
Raise Your Voice and Sing!
Opportunities to sing special music for upcoming worship services are now available. I will be organizing duets, solos, and other small ensembles for the offertory during the Epiphany season. Rehearsal time will be scheduled with the person(s) singing and myself and each offering will be pre recorded at a time that works for one of St. Andrew’s tech teams. If you’re interested, please contact me.
Throughout a National Football League season like none before, members of St. Andrew’s Schmalkaldic Fantasy Football League have followed their players on the field and off to escape some of the pressures of the pandemic. And it’s been entertaining. A couple of weeks ago, the twelve teams were pared down to eight for the playoffs. And now there are two! This week, Ben Moore’s COVID Crushers take on The Wingmen, owned by Jeff Smith and his daughter Julia Emerson, for the championship. Good luck!
Bee-Attitudes
Not all bees make honey. Not all bees sting. And not all bees swarm around a communal hive.
Meet the MASON BEE, a bee that chooses solitude even when no pandemic requires it. These busy insects are pollinating powerhouses!
Thanks to an idea from Brian Cheney, St. Andrew’s Yard Science Team (part of our Community Carbon initiative with EcoFaith Recovery) has begun exploring the super powers that MASON BEES bring to the garden. Stay tuned to learn more in 2021.
Pastoral Care
Pastor Mark Brocker (on call Fridays & Saturdays) office: 503-646-0629 (extension 201) cell: 503-502-8762 brockerms@standrewlutheran.com
Both pastors are on call Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
In Need of Prayers…
Family and friends of Ali Alajrab
Peace and God’s comfort at his death from COVID-19
Staff
Family and friends of Bobbie Jo Lynn (friend)
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Bev Briggs
Mary Lynn
Support and assistance in securing care
Bev Briggs
Colleen Warnes
Peace and comfort in hospice care
Suzanne Warnes
Alvina Heidinger (mother-in-law)
Peace and comfort in hospice care
Judy Heidinger
Carol Hogan
Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment
Carol Hogan
Pam
Successful radiation treatment
Patty Jones
Tammy Piscitelli
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Ed & Linda Fransen
Elaine May
Healing and recovery from knee replacement surgery
Elaine May
Gary Grafwallner
Healing and recovery from skin cancer surgery
Gary Grafwallner
Melanie Waller, Aniyah and Tanner Alcorn
Support and well-being
Melanie Waller
Dr. Don Scholz (Bob’s father)
Thanksgiving for coronavirus vaccination (12/30)
Bob & Judy Scholz
Hank Scholz (son)
Thanksgiving for coronavirus vaccination (12/17)
Bob & Judy Scholz
Everyone
Availability of effective vaccine and few side effects
Judy Scholz
Everyone affected by COVID-19
Strength and support
Staff
Health care workers
Strength, courage, protection, and support
Staff
Those facing ongoing illness or distress: Tandy Brooks, David Bumgardner, Vic Claar, Marvel Lund, Ian MacDonald, Gary Magnuson, Hugh Mason, Brian McKiernan, Ed Pacey, Corky Poppert, Jolie Reyna, Shane Throckmorton, Gary Tubbs
Healing and assurance of God’s presence
Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer
Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud
Everyone
Bishop Elizabeth Eaton
Wisdom and discernment
Staff
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Blessings on our ministry
Staff
Taiwan Lutheran Church
Strength and wisdom
Staff
First Lutheran Church (Astoria, OR) Peace Lutheran Church (Astoria, OR)
Ali Alajrab, patriarch of the Syrian family St. Andrew assisted when they first came to the US from a refugee camp in Jordan in 2016, died on November 21, 2020, due to COVID-19. He was the sole support of his wife Fouza and two younger children, Omar and Ahed. The already-struggling family, which left Portland for Southern California in 2017 and later moved to Ohio, now faces even more challenges. For more information or to help them meet their needs, go to their GoFundMe site.
Creation Justice Summit
The 8th annual Creation Justice Summit (formerly the Earth Care Summit) will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Columbia River Watershed Pastoral Letter. The virtual event will include a keynote panel, breakout workshops, and a closing address from U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley.
Register now $20 general, $10 students, scholarships available Presented by EMO’s Creation Justice and Oregon Interfaith Power & Light.
Highlights for the Week
Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Thursday, December 24: Christmas Eve; Church Office Closed
4:00 pm
Birthday Party for Jesus
Zoom
7:00 pm
Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Service
YouTube
Friday, December 25: Christmas Day, Church Office Closed
1:00 pm
Stay Home, but Not Alone! Gathering
Zoom
Sunday, December 27, First Sunday of Christmas
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
11:00 am
Zoom Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
Tuesday, December 29 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
Wednesday, December 30
6:30 pm
Informal Gathering Time
Zoom
7:00 pm
Holden Evening Prayer
Zoom
7:30 pm
Centering Prayer & other breakout room opportunities
Zoom
Friday, January 1: New Year’s Day; Church Office Closed
Sunday, January 3: Second Sunday of Christmas
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
NO Sunday School (age 3 – 5th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
NO Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
NO High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
NO Adult Education
Zoom
11:00 am
Zoom Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
2:00 pm
Mason Bee House Installation with the Yard Science Team
outside near Reformation Earth Garden
Connecting to Worship
Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!
St. Andrew’s tech team is offering a new service on Sundays for anyone having difficulty connecting to worship. Between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm, you can simply call the church office at 503-646-0629 to get help from the pros.
Remember that Rebecca Fako Uecker also continues to offer technical help for church-related purposes. You can contact her via email.
Adult Education: The Miseries of Job
Steve Christiansen concludes his exploration of the Book of Job at 10:00 am on Sunday, December 20, with Session 8. You’ll find a course outline on St. Andrew’s website and can access the class using the same Zoom link needed for Sunday worship.
Holden Evening Prayer on Wednesdays
This coming Wednesday, Julie Aageson will offer a meditation from her new book, Finding Home, as part of Holden Evening Prayer. Please join us on Wednesday, December 23:
6:30 pm: Informal Gathering Time
7:00 pm Holden Evening Prayer
7:30 pm: Centering Prayer & Other Opportunities
Advent offers the perfect opportunity to engage in Centering Prayer as we sit in silence to await the celebration of Christ’s coming.
The Zoom connection link is sent out Wednesday afternoons, so watch your inbox for it.
Coming in January – The Gospel of Mark
St. Andrew’s Adult Education offering in January will focus on “The Gospel of Mark: A Narrative Theology,” taught by Jim Aageson. Mark’s gospel presents its theology in narrative form where the actions and words of Jesus reveal a powerful vision of God’s reign. As Aageson notes, “in this kingdom, things are turned upside down: the first are last, the sinners and the dishonored are invited to the table of fellowship, and those closest to Jesus are often filled with fear rather than faith.” The class will begin at 10:00 am on Sunday, January 10.
A-Caroling We Go
Sing along or just listen. The Werner sisters invite you to enjoy a short recording of favorite carols (all in the public domain) on our website.
Scroll to the bottom of St. Andrew’s worship page to find the video.
Christmas Week Worship
Sunday, December 20, 4:30 pm Blue Christmas Service Zoom – link in email
While Advent is a season of hope and Christmas is a season of joy, not everyone feels hopeful or ready to celebrate. Grief, illness, aging, depression, loneliness, unemployment and loss are magnified, especially during a pandemic. As we enter into the longest night of the year 2020, join us at sunset for a Blue Christmas worship service in the St. Andrew worship/community Zoom room. Then, if you’d like to share in some conversation with our caring ministers and Pastor Robyn, just bring your own tea or hot apple cider and stick around to talk.
Sunday, December 20, 7:00 pm Advent/Christmas Vespers Livestream – link in email
Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 4:00 pm Birthday Party for Jesus! Zoom – link in email
For a family-focused celebration, please join us at 4:00 pm on Thursday, December 24, via Zoom for a special Birthday Party for Jesus. We’ll be featuring carols, games, and a visit from our favorite furry friends! Families are encouraged to dress for the occasion, whether in ugly Christmas sweaters or with party hats and balloons! Plus, we’ll be giving a special birthday gift to Jesus by doing something nice for others. If you’d like to contribute to this gift, you can do so online via the church website or by mailing a check to the church; just make sure to mark it for the Birthday Party for Jesus. Keep an eye out for the Zoom link for this event in the “Worship Links” e-mail the week of Christmas Eve.
Keep an eye out for the Zoom link for this event in the “Worship Links” e-mail the week of Christmas Eve. We hope to see you there!
Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 6:45 pm Musical Prelude begins 7:00 pmChristmas Eve Candlelight Service Livestream will be on the homepage; no link required
Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 1:00-4:00 pm Stay Home, but Not Alone! Zoom – link in email
1:00 pm: Christmas Social Time—share your favorite Christmas stories. 2:00 pm: Games—join Scott Taylor, Pastor Robyn, and Janet Parker for hilarious fun. 3:00 pm: Show & Tell—share your favorite gift or play us a Christmas song. Anytime: Notify Rebecca Fako Uecker to be assigned a Zoom breakout room whereyou can meet with family or friends to support one another in Staying Home to Save Lives.
Foundation Core Values, Part 2
Your St. Andrew Foundation adopted six core values at our recent strategic planning retreat. These are fundamental principles that guide the Foundation’s activities and decision-making. This week, we highlight three of these core values:
COMPASSIONATE/CARING: We are compassionate and caring in all that we do, aligning with the core values: God care, Earth care, community care, neighbor care, and self care.
ACCOUNTABILITY: We are transparent, we acknowledge gifts and we communicate our efforts with the congregation. We will regularly monitor that we are being inclusive and acting within our Christian values.
PARTNERSHIPS: We are partnering with the congregation and other organizations in the community to provide for the well-being of individuals and the community as a whole.
Did you know that last year the Foundation awarded $5,550 in grants (to four organizations) and $2,300 in scholarships (to four individuals)? We are actively seeking new members for our Board of Directors as we carry out our core values and vision.
EcoFaith Recovery has been offered a $2,000 year-end matching grant that will match every first-time donation, the amount of increase of any annual donation, and/or the one-year value of any monthly sustaining donation that you set up before December 31. Your generous gifts help EcoFaith Recovery fund this year’s “Just Vote Harnessing Our Values for Climate and Racial Justice Initiative” and our “Community Carbon” pilot community initiative. Thank you so much for helping EcoFaith meet the match with your generous donations to www.EcoFaithRecovery.org/Give or EcoFaith Recovery, P.O. Box 12612, Portland, OR 97212.
As equipment has reached the end of its useful life, the sound system in St. Andrew’s Sanctuary has gone through various upgrades in recent years in an attempt to make the spoken word more understandable throughout the room.
2010: We switched from lapel microphones to earloops to reduce feedback problems.
2013: We replaced the amplifier and crossover to further reduce potential feedback and to equalize amplified voice sound in the room.
2016: We replaced the speakers to distribute sound better into pews beyond the center of the room. This also finally opened up the top of the tapestry to full view. (project cost—$7,800)
2017-2019: We replaced all wireless microphones due to changes made to the wireless spectrum by the FCC. (cost—$2,000+)
And, in just the past few weeks, Chris Weiss spent about 15 hours installing new wiring and setting up a new (currently borrowed) soundboard, aka mixer, in the Sound Room. As Weiss points out, our needs and expectations for the audio mixer shifted once the pandemic forced St. Andrew to stream its services. At this time, when we are all worshiping remotely, we need to mic things that don’t need amplification when we worship in-person, namely the organ, piano, bells, and vocalist. And, when we move back to in-person worship, we’ll also need to mic the congregation and the choir to provide a full experience for those who continue to worship from their homes.
As Weiss explains, “On any given Sunday before the pandemic, we were only mixing 4-5 microphones, whereas I am now using 16 channels on the new mixer.” He anticipates using 20-24 channels when in-person worship resumes.
Managing Your Mental Health During this Holiday Season
Many of us have found it particularly challenging to manage our own mental health as the pandemic continues, holiday plans are changed, and life as we knew it seems farther and farther away. The Caring Ministries Team recommends a series of articles found on the website for Mental Health USA. This week, take a look at their “Latest News & Updates” and read one or more of the four short articles on their page. Devote some time this week to work on one of St. Andrew’s Core Values: Self Care.
St. Andrew Caring Ministries Team
Pastoral Care
Pastor Mark Brocker (on call Fridays & Saturdays) office: 503-646-0629 (extension 201) cell: 503-502-8762 brockerms@standrewlutheran.com
Both pastors are on call Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
In Need of Prayers…
Family and friends of Ali Alajrab
Peace and God’s comfort at his death from COVID-19
Staff
Family and friends of Bobbie Jo Lynn (friend)
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Bev Briggs
Mary Lynn
Support and assistance in securing care
Bev Briggs
Colleen Warnes
Peace and comfort in hospice care
Suzanne Warnes
Alvina Heidinger (mother-in-law)
Peace and comfort in hospice care
Judy Heidinger
Carol Hogan
Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment
Carol Hogan
Pam
Successful radiation treatment
Patty Jones
Tammy Piscitelli
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Ed & Linda Fransen
Elaine May
Healing and recovery from knee replacement surgery
Elaine May
Gary Grafwallner
Healing and recovery from skin cancer surgery
Gary Grafwallner
Dr. Cara Steinkeler
Strength and protection
Gary & Gail Grafwallner
Melanie Waller, Aniyah and Tanner Alcorn
Support and well-being
Melanie Waller
Dr. Don Scholz (Bob’s father)
Thanksgiving for coronavirus vaccination (12/30)
Bob & Judy Scholz
Hank Scholz (son)
Thanksgiving for coronavirus vaccination (12/17)
Bob & Judy Scholz
Everyone
Availability of effective vaccine and few side effects
Judy Scholz
Everyone affected by COVID-19
Strength and support
Staff
Health care workers
Strength, courage, protection, and support
Staff
Those confined to their homes: Mareline Barnes, Dave Bumgardner, Jean Fredrickson, Tara Harper, Douglas Hooke, Betty Horst, Dorothy Moore, Phyllis Morris, Ed Pacey, Helen Rogers, Dave & Sharon Roth, Margie Schindele
Assurance of God’s presence
Staff
All who are imprisoned
Peace and strength
Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer
Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud
Everyone
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Blessings on their work
Staff
Zion Lutheran Church (Port Orford, OR) Zion Lutheran Church (The Dalles, OR)
Ali Alajrab, patriarch of the Syrian family St. Andrew assisted when they first came to the US from a refugee camp in Jordan in 2016, died on November 21, 2020, due to COVID-19. He was the sole support of his wife Fouza and two younger children, Omar and Ahed. The already-struggling family, which left Portland for Southern California in 2017 and later moved to Ohio, now faces even more challenges. For more information or to help them meet their needs, go to their GoFundMe site.
Creation Justice Summit
The 8th annual Creation Justice Summit (formerly the Earth Care Summit) will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Columbia River Watershed Pastoral Letter. The virtual event will include a keynote panel, breakout workshops, and a closing address from U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley.
Register now $20 general, $10 students, scholarships available Presented by EMO’s Creation Justice and Oregon Interfaith Power & Light.
Highlights for the Week
Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Sunday, December 20, Fourth Sunday of Advent
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
Sunday School (age 3 – 5th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
Adult Education: Job’s Response to Misery
Zoom
11:00 am
Zoom Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
4:30 pm
Blue Christmas Service
Zoom
7:00 pm
Advent/Christmas Vespers
YouTube
Tuesday, December 22 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
Wednesday, December 23
6:30 pm
Informal Gathering Time
Zoom
7:00 pm
Holden Evening Prayer
Zoom
7:30 pm
Centering Prayer & other breakout room opportunities
Zoom
Thursday, December 24 – Christmas Eve; Church Office Closed
4:00 pm
Birthday Party for Jesus
Zoom
7:00 pm
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Livestream on Website
Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day; Church Office Closed
1:00 pm
Stay Home, but Not Alone! Gathering
Zoom
Sunday, December 27, First Sunday of Christmas
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
NO Sunday School (age 3 – 5th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
NO Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
NO High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
NO Adult Education
Zoom
11:00 am
Zoom Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
Connecting to Worship
Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!
Have you watched the classic film, A Christmas Carol, yet this season? If not, do so yet today and then join other St. Andrew people for our first Movie Night tonight, Friday, December 11, at 7:00 pm. We’ll talk about the classic, which you can find in no less than 20 versions. Some are old black and white classics from as far back as 1938, some are animated, some are modern interpretations, as recent as 2020. You can stream many different versions on Amazon, some for free, some for a small rental fee. Or you may have your own favorite DVD of this classic at home. It will be fun to compare highlights with each other, as well as reflect on this beautiful story of redemption. This will also be a time to make suggestions for films for future movie nights.
You’ll find the Zoom link for our first Movie Night in today’s “Weekly News” e-mail.
Mary Smith
Holden Evening Prayer on Wednesdays
During Advent, St. Andrew’s Wednesday evening services will center around the beloved Holden Evening Prayer, with Julie Aageson offering meditations from her new book, Finding Home. Please join us for any or all of these events on Wednesday, December 16, and December 23:
6:30 pm: Informal Gathering Time
7:00 pm Holden Evening Prayer
7:30 pm: Centering Prayer
Advent offers the perfect opportunity to engage in Centering Prayer as we sit in silence to await the celebration of Christ’s coming.
The Zoom connection link is sent out Wednesday afternoons, so watch your inbox for it.
Adult Education: The Miseries of Job
Steve Christiansen will continue his exploration of the Book of Job at 10:00 am on Sunday, December 13, with Session 7. You’ll find a course outline on St. Andrew’s website and can access the class using the same Zoom link needed for Sunday worship.
An incorrect translation has led us to believe that Job was a patient man. Not so, Christiansen explains, but he was persistent and he kept going in spite of the odds. Job’s story is relevant for our time in that it raises many questions about the suffering of the innocent.
Christmas Giving Tree
St. Andrew will be doing a Giving Tree for needy families with children enrolled at Barnes Elementary again this year. Like all of us, these parents yearn to make the holidays sparkle for their children, and we can help.
Just as we did with Thanksgiving Boxes, we’ll be providing gift cards in 2020, giving parents the opportunity to shop for what their families need most. You can donate to the cause by sending a check made out to St. Andrew with Giving Tree in the memo line. If you prefer to give electronically, select “Give” on the menu bar of St. Andrew’s website, then “Click here to give now.” Once you’ve signed in to your account, select the green “Give” button and then choose the fund “Christmas Giving Tree.”
Questions? Please call Donna Brocker at 503-502-6156. And read about the challenges one family is facing below:
One Family’s Story
Diana and her daughters just moved into their new apartment. It is a great relief for them after months of living in a shelter for abused women. Diana’s challenges in raising her daughters—ages 17 and 8—are complicated by her diabetes. Just about a month ago, she had to have one of her legs amputated as a result of her illness. Fortunately, her older daughter can drive and has been a big help as she adjusts. Diana continues to be troubled by pain and the challenges of shopping. As for so many families in need this year, Diana’s Christmas wish is that she’ll have enough food for herself and her girls. As she re-starts her life, food is her family’s most basic need. Full stomachs are a great comfort in uncertain times.
Thank You!
Donna Brocker, who organizes the Giving Tree, meets with the families, and scrambles to meet their needs, joins all the Barnes families she’s reached out to this year in thanking you for your heartfelt help in continuing and expanding this ministry. By sharing your resources, you’re demonstrating God’s love in this world. Thank you, all!
Worship Connection Problems?
St. Andrew’s tech team is offering a new service on Sundays for anyone having difficulty connecting to worship. Between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm, you can simply call the church office at 503-646-0629 to get help from the pros.
Remember that Rebecca Fako Uecker also continues to offer technical help for church-related purposes. You can contact her via email.
Foundation Core Values, Part 2
Your St. Andrew Foundation adopted six core values at our recent strategic planning retreat. These are fundamental principles that guide the Foundation’s activities and decision-making. This week, we highlight three of these core values:
COMPASSIONATE/CARING: We are compassionate and caring in all that we do, aligning with the core values: God care, Earth care, community care, neighbor care, and self care.
ACCOUNTABILITY: We are transparent, we acknowledge gifts and we communicate our efforts with the congregation. We will regularly monitor that we are being inclusive and acting within our Christian values.
PARTNERSHIPS: We are partnering with the congregation and other organizations in the community to provide for the well-being of individuals and the community as a whole.
Did you know that last year the Foundation awarded $5,550 in grants (to four organizations) and $2,300 in scholarships (to four individuals)? We are actively seeking new members for our Board of Directors as we carry out our core values and vision.
Allison Katsufrakis, Libby Calhoun, and Deacon Susan Reiser have created a family friendly devotional for every day in Advent. There is an Advent wreath to color as the weeks progress. For each day of the season, there is a picture to color, a scripture passage, and a suggestion for an action to take in your home. The scripture passages come from a variety of sources, so even if you think you know the story you might discover new insights. Take some time during this busy season to pause and reflect on the gift of the Word made flesh. Visit the St. Andrew website Worship page to find the Advent Devotional.
Pastoral Care
Pastor Mark Brocker (on call Fridays & Saturdays) office: 503-646-0629 (extension 201) cell: 503-502-8762 brockerms@standrewlutheran.com
Both pastors are on call Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Caroling in 2020
December is the opportunity to sing Christmas Carols to those in our congregation unable to join us for worship and other activities. But, this year, of course, the pandemic means we’re unable to visit people in person.
In order to fill that gap, the three sisters—Carol Werner, Susan Werner Reiser, and Kristie Werner Gladhill—have created a short recording of our favorite carols. We hope they are your favorites, too.
After this weekend, you can find the recording on the St. Andrew website Worship page. Simply click on “Worship” on the menu/navigation bar at the top of this website.
Please sing along!
Christmas Week Worship
Sunday, December 20, 4:30 pm Blue Christmas Service Zoom – link in email
While Advent is a season of hope and Christmas is a season of joy, not everyone feels hopeful or ready to celebrate. Grief, illness, aging, depression, loneliness, unemployment and loss are magnified, especially during a pandemic. As we enter into the longest night of the year 2020, join us at sunset for a Blue Christmas worship service in the St. Andrew worship/community Zoom room. Then, if you’d like to share in some conversation with our caring ministers and Pastor Robyn, just bring your own tea or hot apple cider and stick around to talk.
Sunday, December 20, 7:00 pm Advent/Christmas Vespers Livestream – link in email
A service of Word and Song as we prepare for the birth of the Christ Child.
Thursday, December 24, 4:00 pm Christmas Eve Birthday Party for Jesus! Zoom – link in email
For a family-focused celebration, please join us at 4:00 pm on Thursday, December 24, via Zoom for a special Birthday Party for Jesus. We’ll be featuring carols, games, and a visit from our favorite furry friends! Families are encouraged to dress for the occasion, whether in ugly Christmas sweaters or with party hats and balloons! Plus, we’ll be giving a special birthday gift to Jesus by doing something nice for others. If you’d like to contribute to this gift, you can do so online via the church website or by mailing a check to the church; just make sure to mark it for the Birthday Party for Jesus. Keep an eye out for the Zoom link for this event in the “Worship Links” e-mail the week of Christmas Eve.
Keep an eye out for the Zoom link for this event in the “Worship Links” e-mail the week of Christmas Eve. We hope to see you there!
Thursday, December 24 Christmas Eve 6:45 pm, Musical Prelude 7:00 pm, Candlelight Service Livestream will be on the homepage; no link required
Friday, December 25, 1:00-4:00 pm Stay Home, but Not Alone! Zoom – link in email
1:00 pm: Christmas Social Time—share your favorite Christmas stories. 2:00 pm: Games—join Scott Taylor, Pastor Robyn, and Janet Parker for hilarious fun. 3:00 pm: Show & Tell—share your favorite gi7 or play us a Christmas song. Anytime: Notify Rebecca Fako Uecker to be assigned a Zoom breakout room whereyou can meet with family or friends to support one another in Staying Home to Save Lives.
Managing Your Mental Health During an Unusual Holiday Season
Many of us have found it particularly challenging to manage our own mental health as the pandemic continues, holiday plans are changed, and life as we knew it seems farther and farther away. The Caring Ministries Team recommends a series of articles found on the website for Mental Health USA. This week, take a look at their suggestions for maintaining your own mental health during this unusual holiday season
Take some time this week to work on one of St. Andrew’s Core Values: Self Care.
St. Andrew Caring Ministries Team
Writing to Reclaim Our Vote
Thank you to Carol Horton, who coordinated St. Andrew volunteers in another round of postcard writing with “Relcaim Our Vote,” a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to help disenfranchised voters know how they can exercise their right to vote. Thank you also to all of those who worked with Carol to put faith into action, including Sharon Fako, Joel & Beth Johnson, Donna McAlpine, Fran Miller, Jan Smith, Sue Cahlander, Larry & Bonnie Bliesner, Liz Hardy, Bob & Cindy Stadel, and Karen Zocchi. Their collective efforts generated 500 postcards that were sent to Georgia this week! Let me know if you would like to be added to the list of people willing to write postcards in the future.
Pastor Robyn
Spirituality Book Group News
Fran Miller will lead the discussion when the Spirituality Book Group meets on Sunday, December 13, at 3:00 pm to discuss The Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead. The book won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2020.
“Based on the real story of a reform school in Florida that operated for 111 years and warped the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative that showcases a great American novelist writing at the height of his powers,” says one review on Amazon.
A Zoom link will be sent out to all who are on the Spirituality Book Group e-mail list a few days before the meeting. If you are not on the list, but would like to attend, please contact Mary Smith.
Future Reading
January (Date TBA) Book: She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders, by Jennifer Boylan Discussion Leader: TBA
February (Date TBA) Book: Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer Discussion Leader: TBA
Meet the Match for EcoFaith Recovery
EcoFaith Recovery has been offered a $2,000 year-end matching grant that will match every first-time donation, the amount of increase of any annual donation, and/or the one-year value of any monthly sustaining donation that you set up before December 31. Your generous gifts help EcoFaith Recovery fund this year’s “Just Vote Harnessing Our Values for Climate and Racial Justice Initiative” and our “Community Carbon” pilot community initiative. Thank you so much for helping EcoFaith meet the match with your generous donations to www.EcoFaithRecovery.org/Give or EcoFaith Recovery, P.O. Box 12612, Portland, OR 97212.
With gratitude, Pastor Robyn Hartwig
Scouting for Food
Due to to good organization, planning, and commitment, members of St. Andrew’s Scout Troop 618 and 5618 collected 1,723 pounds of food for the Food Bank at St. Matthew Lutheran Church on December 5. Almost 50 Scouts and leaders participated, accompanied by several siblings and even a couple of dogs. Thank you!
Sound Investments
As equipment has reached the end of its useful life, the sound system in St. Andrew’s Sanctuary has gone through various upgrades in recent years in an attempt to make the spoken word more understandable throughout the room.
2010: We switched from lapel microphones to earloops to reduce feedback problems.
2013: We replaced the amplifier and crossover to further reduce potential feedback and to equalize amplified voice sound in the room.
2016: We replaced the speakers to distribute sound better into pews beyond the center of the room. This also finally opened up the top of the tapestry to full view. (project cost—$7,800)
2017-2019: We replaced all wireless microphones due to changes made to the wireless spectrum by the FCC. (cost—$2,000+)
And, in just the past few weeks, Chris Weiss spent about 15 hours installing new wiring and setting up a new (currently borrowed) soundboard, aka mixer, in the Sound Room. As Weiss explains, “Probably the biggest factor that has stopped us from replacing the mixer until recently was that it would require someone to sit at the board for the entirety of both services every Sunday morning.” And that’s a big commitment!
But our needs and expectations for the audio mixer shifted once the pandemic forced St. Andrew to stream its services. Now, we need to mic things that don’t need amplification when we worship in-person, namely the organ, piano, bells, and vocalist. And, when we move back to in-person worship, we’ll also need to mic the congregation and the choir to provide as full an experience as possible for those who continue to worship from their homes.
As Weiss explains, “On any given Sunday before the pandemic, we were only mixing 4-5 microphones, whereas I am now using 16 channels on the new mixer.” He anticipates using 20-24 channels when in-person worship resumes.
In Need of Prayers…
Family and friends of Larry Mostaert (cousin)
Peace and God’s comfort at his death
Pastor Robyn Hartwig
Alvina Heidinger (mother-in-law)
Peace and comfort in hospice care
Judy Heidinger
Carol Hogan
Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment
Carol Hogan
Dr. Cara Steinkeler
Strength and protection
Gary & Gail Grafwallner
Gary Grafwallner
Successful surgery (Dec. 16) for facial skin cancer
Gary Grafwallner
All those struggling with mental health challenges
Healing and calm
Staff
Everyone affected by COVID-19
Strength and support
Staff
Health care workers
Strength, courage, protection, and support
Staff
US election officials, volunteers, and support staff to ensure free and fair elections
Safety and protection
Staff
St. Andrew Council Executive Committee Staff
Wisdom and discernment
Staff
Karen Klingelhafer, Kyler Vogt, and all seminarians India Jensen Kerr and all theology students
Encouragement and support
Staff
St. Andrew Foundation
Blessings on their ministry
Staff
Atonement Lutheran Church (Newport, OR) Faith Lutheran Church (North Bend, OR)
Last summer, the St. Andrew MACG Core Team organized a listening campaign, encouraging members to make phone calls to people we missed seeing at church. Now that this unusual holiday season has arrived, and the colder weather prevents outdoor gatherings, it’s time to check in once again. Look for details in early January about how to be a part of this reboot.
In the meantime, please let the Core Team know how we can improve the program. Contact any of us—Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, Victoria Kovalenko, Lynn Santelmann, or Pastor Robyn—if you have any feedback.
A Thanksgiving Thank You
Thanks to the generous donations of St. Andrew members, we were able to raise $3,921 to purchase grocery gift certificates for needy families identified by Washington County Community Action. Your gifts are truly appreciated! Thank you.
The Service Committee
Greeting Cards Redux
Many thanks for both the used and the unused greeting cards put into the collection box in Fellowship Hall. I have turned many used cards into gift tags and gift bags. The unused cards are matched with envelopes and sent on to bless both senders and receivers. Thank you for recycling!
Pam Meredith
Editor’s Note: If you’d like to contribute to Pam’s Card Ministry while the pandemic continues to keep the church doors locked, simply drop them off at the Narthex entrance. You’ll find a bin behind the food collection barrel. We’ll make sure Pam continues to be well-stocked with cards.
Do you like going to the movies? And talking about them afterward? We are planning monthly St. Andrew movie nights, COVID-style. We will select some movies to stream at home and then each month, we’ll invite you to bring out the popcorn and gather around your computer screens as we talk about what we liked (and didn’t like) about that month’s movie.
Our first Movie Night will be Friday, December 11, at 7:00 pm. Since it’s December, lets watch a classic—A Christmas Carol. I counted no less than 20 versions of this movie that can be streamed. Some are old black and white classics from as far back as 1938, some are animated, some are modern interpretations, as recent as 2020. You can stream many different versions on Amazon, some for free, some for a small rental fee. Or you may have your own favorite DVD of this classic at home. It will be fun to compare highlights with each other, as well as reflect on this beautiful story of redemption. This will also be a time to make suggestions for films for future movie nights.
You’ll find the Zoom link for our first Movie Night in Carol’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, December 11.
Mary Smith
Worship Connection Problems?
St. Andrew’s tech team is offering a new service on Sundays for anyone having difficulty connecting to worship. Between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm, you can simply call the church office at 503-646-0629 to get help from the pros.
Remember that Rebecca Fako Uecker also continues to offer technical help for church-related purposes. You can contact her via email.
Holden Evening Prayer on Wednesdays
During Advent, St. Andrew’s Wednesday evening services will center around the beloved Holden Evening Prayer, with Julie Aageson offering meditations from her new book, Finding Home. Please join us for any or all of these events on Wednesday, December 9, December 16, and December 23:
6:30 pm: Informal Gathering Time
7:00 pm Holden Evening Prayer
7:30 pm: Centering Prayer
Advent offers the perfect opportunity to engage in Centering Prayer as we sit in silence to await the celebration of Christ’s coming.
The Zoom connection link is sent out Wednesday afternoons, so watch your inbox for it.
Adult Education: The Miseries of Job
Steve Christiansen will continue his exploration of the Book of Job at 10:00 am on Sunday, December 6, with Session 6. You’ll find a course outline on St. Andrew’s website and can access the class using the same Zoom link needed for Sunday worship.
An incorrect translation has led us to believe that Job was a patient man. Not so, Christiansen explains, but he was persistent and he kept going in spite of the odds. Job’s story is relevant for our time in that it raises many questions about the suffering of the innocent.
Christmas Giving Tree
St. Andrew will be doing a Giving Tree for needy families with children enrolled at Barnes Elementary again this year. Like all of us, these parents yearn to make the holidays sparkle for their children, and we can help.
Just as we did with Thanksgiving Boxes, we’ll be providing gift cards in 2020, giving parents the opportunity to shop for what their families need most. You can donate to the cause by sending a check made out to St. Andrew with Giving Tree in the memo line. If you prefer to give electronically, select “Give” on the menu bar of St. Andrew’s website, then “Click here to give now.” Once you’ve signed in to your account, select the green “Give” button and then choose the fund “Christmas Giving Tree.”
Questions? Please call Donna Brocker at 503-502-6156. And read about the challenges one family is facing below:
One Family’s Story
Matt & Carolyn, both of whom lost their jobs due to the coronavirus, have eight children—two biological children, Carolyn’s sister’s four kids, and two younger foster children, one of whom has special needs. They’ve been fortunate to be able to keep their apartment, but food is their number one priority this Christmas season. Carolyn is also determined to emphasize reading in her home, so books suitable for children ages 2-10 are another wish she has for Christmas. In addition, at least a couple of the children need coats. Little bodies grow quickly.
Matt & Carolyn worry about when they’ll be able to return to work, about keeping their children fed and healthy, about keeping them warm and well-occupied when so much of normal life has been disrupted. If you have the wherewithal to help relieve their worries, please donate to St. Andrew’s Giving Tree ministry.
Advent Devotional
Allison Katsufrakis, Libby Calhoun, and Deacon Susan Reiser have created a family friendly devotional for every day in Advent. There is an Advent wreath to color as the weeks progress.
For each day of the season, there is a picture to color, a scripture passage, and a suggestion for an action to take in your home. The scripture passages come from a variety of sources, so even if you think you know the story you might discover new insights. Take some time during this busy season to pause and reflect on the gift of the Word made flesh. Visit the St. Andrew website Worship page to find the Advent Devotional.
Let’s Talk, Let’s Listen Reboot
Last summer, the St. Andrew MACG Core Team organized a listening campaign, encouraging members to make phone calls to people we missed seeing at church. Now that this unusual holiday season has arrived, and the colder weather prevents outdoor gatherings, it’s time to check in once again. Look for details in early January about how to be a part of this reboot.
In the meantime, please let the Core Team know how we can improve the program. Contact any of us—Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, Victoria Kovalenko, Lynn Santelmann, or Pastor Robyn—if you have any feedback.
Rebuilding and Recovery
It has been a couple of months now since John and Christine Core lost their home and almost everything they owned in one of the wildfires that ravaged Oregon. If you’d like to help them get reestablished, please consider donating to their Go Fund Me account, which was set up to make this season more joyful for them. If you have questions, please contact Michael & Barbara Keys at 971-219-2820.
Pastoral Care
Pastor Mark Brocker (on call Fridays & Saturdays) office: 503-646-0629 (extension 201) cell: 503-502-8762 brockerms@standrewlutheran.com
Both pastors are on call Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Leadership Training Opportunity
Plan now to attend a FREE leadership training institute through the magic of the Internet in December.
Come to learn fundamental organizing skills: Individual relational meetings, listening sessions, research and action to help obtain a concrete, winnable outcome.
Come to strengthen our institutions: Engage people systematically in a culture that is relational, action-oriented, and reflective.
Come to learn to distinguish problems from issues: From general problems to concrete, winnable issues by using relational power in the public arena to negotiate for the common good.
The eight-hour training will be held from 6:00-8:00 pm PST on: Tuesday, December 8 Thursday, December 10 Tuesday, December 15 Thursday, December 17
Many St. Andrew members have taken this training (often more than once), and all have reported taking away important skills that strengthen our St. Andrew community, as well as skills that are useful in their lives outside of St. Andrew.
Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the meeting.
Questions? Please contact any member of the St. Andrew MACG Core Team: Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Lynn Santelmann, Scott Taylor, Victoria Kovalenko, Bob Stadel, LuAnn Staul, or Pastor Robyn. If you have any problems with registration, e-mail Mary Nemmers.
Opportunities for Reckoning with Racism
Our St. Andrew Reckoning with Racism cohort is just completing our first quarter and preparing to start up again with 200 other people of faith on Zoom in January. If you’d like to join the 16 people in our cohort, please watch the videos of the sessions of our first quarter. The password is RwR*202021.
Beginning in January, we’ll gather on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month (January 12 & 26, February 9 & 23, March 9 & 23, April 13 & 27, May 11 and 25, June 8 & 22). Please be in touch with Pastor Robyn if you would like more information or would like to join our cohort.
Greeting Cards Redux
Many thanks for both the used and the unused greeting cards put into the collection box in Fellowship Hall. I have turned many used cards into gift tags and gift bags. The unused cards are matched with envelopes and sent on to bless both senders and receivers. Thank you for recycling!
Pam Meredith
Editor’s Note: If you’d like to contribute to Pam’s Card Ministry while the pandemic continues to keep the church doors locked, simply drop them off at the Narthex entrance. You’ll find a bin behind the food collection barrel. We’ll make sure Pam continues to be well-stocked with cards.
Caroling in 2020
December is the opportunity to sing Christmas Carols to those in our congregation unable to join us for worship and other activities. But, this year, of course, the pandemic means we’re unable to visit people in person.
In order to fill that gap, the three sisters—Carol Werner, Susan Werner Reiser, and Kristie Werner Gladhill—have created a short recording of our favorite carols. We hope they are your favorites, too.
After this weekend, you can find the recording on the St. Andrew website Worship page. Simply click on “Worship” on the menu/navigation bar at the top of this website.
Please sing along!
Managing Your Mental Health During an Unusual Holiday Season
Many of us have found it particularly challenging to manage our own mental health as the pandemic continues, holiday plans are changed, and life as we knew it seems farther and farther away. The Caring Ministries Team recommends a series of articles found on the website for Mental Health USA. This week, take a look at their suggestions for maintaining your own mental health during this unusual holiday season
Take some time this week to work on one of St. Andrew’s Core Values: Self Care.
St. Andrew Caring Ministries Team
Pandemic Prayer
While we might be feeling worn down and depleted by ongoing pandemic restrictions, Rev. Richard Bott, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Canada, has composed a prayer that reminds us of the link between “a simple piece of cloth” and sacrament:
A Prayer for Putting on a Face Mask Creator God, as I prepare to go into the world, help me to see the sacramental nature of this cloth. Let it be a tangible and visible way of living love for my neighbors, as I love myself.
Christ Jesus, since my lips will be covered, uncover my heart, that people would see my smile in the crinkles around my eyes. Since my voice may be muffled, help me to speak clearly, not only with my words, but with my actions.
Holy Spirit, as the elastic touches my ears, remind me to listen carefully and caringly to all those I meet. May this simple piece of cloth be shield and banner, and may each breath that it holds be filled with your love. In your name and in that love I pray. Amen.
Stock Donation Transfer Process for 2020
Greetings from the Financial Secretaries of St. Andrew. As the end of the calendar year approaches, we want to streamline the process of donating stock to the church since we are volunteering our time remotely from our homes.
Contributions must actually be paid before the close of year to be deductible in 2020. Please allow at least 3 weeks for the completion of the transfer. Please start the process as soon as possible.
We ask you to take the necessary steps if you intend to donate stock to St. Andrew this tax year:
Download the Stock Transfer Form found on our church website or contact the church office.
Contact your brokerage firm to initiate an electronic transfer of securities (see form for instructions/details).
Complete the form including your intentions for the use of the donation and email a copy to our confidential e-mail address. You may instead send a copy to the church office marked confidential for Financial Secretaries.This form must be turned in at the beginning of the process. Without this form, we cannot complete your request.
Upon receipt of the form, one of the financial secretaries will be in contact with you regarding the progress of the electronic stock transfer to the church’s securities firm, Charles Schwab.
Thank you for your generosity to the Mission and Ministry of St. Andrew.
Tammy Piscitelli, 503-307-8837 on behalf of the Financial Secretaries and Finance Team
Spirituality Book Group News
Fran Miller will lead the discussion when the Spirituality Book Group meets on Sunday, December 13, at 3:00 pm to discuss The Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead. The book won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2020.
“Based on the real story of a reform school in Florida that operated for 111 years and warped the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative that showcases a great American novelist writing at the height of his powers,” says one review on Amazon.
A Zoom link will be sent out to all who are on the Spirituality Book Group e-mail list a few days before the meeting. If you are not on the list, but would like to attend, please contact Mary Smith.
Future Reading
January (Date TBA) Book: She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders, by Jennifer Boylan Discussion Leader: TBA
February (Date TBA) Book: Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer Discussion Leader: TBA
In Need of Prayers…
Family and friends of Larry Mostaert (cousin)
Peace and God’s comfort at his death
Pastor Robyn Hartwig
Family and friends of Jim Smith (Gerald’s twin)
Peace and God’s comfort at his death
Mary Smith
Eunice Harrum
Peace and comfort in hospice care
Francine Cach
Dan (brother-in-law)
Proper diagnosis and effective treatment
Judy Scholz
Joyce (sister) and husband Dan
Safety while Dan is in a hospital plagued by COVID
Judy Scholz
Bob Brown
Successful treatment for diabetic retinopathy
Mary Brown
Carol Hogan
Effective treatment and improved test results
Carol Hogan
Joyce Larsen (grandmother)
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Cole Petersburg
All those struggling with mental health challenges
Healing and calm
Staff
Suzanne Warnes
Thanksgiving for the end of her radiation treatment
Staff
Health care workers
Strength, courage, protection, and support
Staff
Bishop Laurie Larson Caesar Oregon Synod and Staff
Strength and wisdom
Staff
Refugees and immigrants
Acceptance, safety, and just treatment
Staff
Military personnel, especially Justina Hailey Hope Brocker, Evan Dahlquist, Dawson Dethlefs, Neil Fiegenbaum, and Jerami Reyna
Courage and protection
Staff
New Life Lutheran Church (Florence, OR) Bethany Lutheran church (Gold Beach, OR)
This Advent, our annual family-focused Christmas Eve service will look a little different than usual. At 4:00 pm on Thursday, December 24, join us via Zoom for a special Birthday Party for Jesus, featuring carols, games, and a visit from our favorite furry friends! We would love it if you would join us to celebrate the holiday. Families are encouraged to dress for the occasion, whether that be with ugly Christmas sweaters or with party hats and balloons!
Plus, we’ll be giving a special birthday gift to Jesus during the event by doing something nice for others. If you’d like to contribute to this gift, you can do so online at the church website or by mailing a check to the church; just make sure to mark it for the Birthday Party for Jesus. Keep an eye out for the Zoom link for this event in the “Worship Links” e-mail the week of Christmas Eve. We hope to see you there!
Thank You
Again, I say thank you to my caring and loving friends at St. Andrew for the prayers, cards, calls, and encouraging words that you shared as I underwent an additional procedure on my right knee. I am progressing well in my rehab and anticipate returning to long walks and golf all in good time. I am truly blessed. Your ongoing kindness, caring, and support are much appreciated.
Gratefully, Bob Cornie
Preparing for Next Sunday
December 13, 2020
Reading: Isaiah 61: 1-4 Gospel: John 1: 6-8, 19-28
Please remember that there will be no education classes this coming Sunday. Adult Education, High School Youth Group, Confirmation, and Sunday School will all resume at 10:00 am on Sunday, December 6, the Second Sunday of Advent.
Worship Connection Problems?
St. Andrew’s tech team is offering a new service on Sundays for anyone having difficulty connecting to worship. Between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm, you can simply call the church office at 503-646-0629 to get help from the pros.
Remember that Rebecca Fako Uecker also continues to offer technical help for church-related purposes. You can contact her via email.
Help with Rent, Utilities, and Childcare
The director of Family Promise has informed its host coordinators that it has funds available for people needing help paying for childcare, rent, or utilities during this time of extraordinary need. People needing assistance are welcome to call Family Promise at 971-217-8949. Please be aware that these funds need to be used by the end of this calendar year.
Table Talk: What the Voters Are Trying to Tell Us
Gathered around the table in his home, Martin Luther talked freely and openly with his colleagues and students about matters of faith, theology, and varied aspects of daily life. In an effort to cultivate this kind of spirited discussion, we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Though we cannot gather in person, Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk via Zoom on Tuesday, December 1, 7:00-8:00 pm.
In this Table Talk we will focus on sharing reflections on the presidential election and the transition process that has followed. The voter turnout was record-setting. President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris received more votes than any ticket in U.S. history. President Trump and Vice President Pence received the second most votes ever.
In a New York Times editorial, published on November 5, two days after Election Day, when the final outcome was very much in doubt, David Brooks reflected on “What the Voters Are Trying to Tell Us”. To prepare for this Table Talk I encourage all participants to read this opinion piece. In light of the election and its aftermath, we will reflect on the political responsibility of the people of St. Andrew and the church as a whole going forward.
Giving Tree
St. Andrew will be doing a Giving Tree for needy families with children enrolled at Barnes Elementary again this year. Like all of us, these parents yearn to make the holidays joyful for their children, and we can help.
Just as we did with Thanksgiving Boxes, we’ll be providing gift cards in 2020, giving parents the opportunity to shop for their families. You can donate to the cause by sending a check made out to St. Andrew with Giving Tree in the memo line. If you prefer to give electronically, select “Give” on the menu bar of St. Andrew’s website, then “Click here to give now”. Once you’ve signed in to your account, select the green “Give” button and then choose the fund “Christmas Giving Tree.”
Questions? Please call Donna Brocker at 503-502-6156.
Family Stories from Barnes Elementary
Matt & Carolyn, both of whom lost their jobs due to the coronavirus, have eight children—two biological children, Carolyn’s sister’s four kids, and two younger foster children, one of whom has special needs. They’ve been fortunate to be able to keep their apartment, but food is their number one priority this Christmas season. Carolyn is also determined to emphasize reading in her home, so books suitable for children ages 2-10 are another wish she has for Christmas. In addition, at least a couple of the children need coats. Little bodies grow quickly.
Then there’s Chelsea, a single mom of three children, who are in 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade at Barnes. When she was asked what she needed most this holiday season, she replied that she would take less for her family if we could direct some help to her neighbor, Alicia, and her children as well. Alicia recently moved to Oregon from Georgia with her husband and three children, but she’s now parenting alone as he recently died from a heart attack at the age of 42. Alicia, who had a job in food service, is now unemployed and wanting to provide a lovely Christmas meal for her kids, who are in 1st, 2nd, and 4th grade. To conserve their very limited resources, Chelsea and Alicia and their children are planning to share an apartment. For these families, too, the most urgent need is food.
Matt & Carolyn, Chelsea, and Alicia worry about keeping their children fed and healthy, about keeping them warm and well-occupied when so much of normal life has been disrupted. If you have the wherewithal to help them bring a little joy into their Christmas this year, please donate to St. Andrew’s Giving Tree ministry.
Foundation Core Values, Part 1
Your St. Andrew Foundation adopted six core values at our recent strategic planning retreat. These are fundamental principles that guide the Foundation’s activities and decision-making. This week, we’ll highlight three of the new values.
VISIONARY: We are an active part of doing God’s will on earth. We are taking generational wealth and using it to seed bold, visionary efforts.
INTEGRITY: We are stewards of donations and a partner to grant recipients. We operate at the highest ethical standard and take responsibility for our actions.
SUSTAINABILITY & FINANCIAL STABILITY: We are proactive in growing and maintaining our finances so that they are sustainable into the future. We are investing money in ways that advance the St. Andrew Core Values.
Are you interested in learning more? Contact Sonja Ackman.
Stock Donation Transfer Process for 2020
Greetings from the Financial Secretaries of St. Andrew. As the end of the calendar year approaches, we want to streamline the process of donating stock to the church since we are volunteering our time remotely from our homes.
Contributions must actually be paid before the close of year to be deductible in 2020. Please allow at least 3 weeks for the completion of the transfer. Please start the process as soon as possible.
We ask you to take the necessary steps if you intend to donate stock to St. Andrew this tax year:
Download the Stock Transfer Form found on our church website or contact the church office.
Contact your brokerage firm to initiate an electronic transfer of securities (see form for instructions/details).
Complete the form including your intentions for the use of the donation and email a copy to our confidential e-mail address. You may instead send a copy to the church office marked confidential for Financial Secretaries. This form must be turned in at the beginning of the process. Without this form, we cannot complete your request.
Upon receipt of the form, one of the financial secretaries will be in contact with you regarding the progress of the electronic stock transfer to the church’s securities firm, Charles Schwab.
Thank you for your generosity to the Mission and Ministry of St. Andrew.
Tammy Piscitelli, 503-307-8837 on behalf of the Financial Secretaries and Finance Team
Leadership Training Opportunity
Plan now to attend a FREE leadership training institute through the magic of the Internet in December.
Come to learn fundamental organizing skills: Individual relational meetings, listening sessions, research and action to help obtain a concrete, winnable outcome.
Come to strengthen our institutions: Engage people systematically in a culture that is relational, action-oriented, and reflective.
Come to learn to distinguish problems from issues: From general problems to concrete, winnable issues by using relational power in the public arena to negotiate for the common good.
The eight-hour training will be held from 6:00-8:00 pm PST on: Tuesday, December 8 Thursday, December 10 Tuesday, December 15 Thursday, December 17
Many St. Andrew members have taken this training (often more than once), and all have reported taking away important skills that strengthen our St. Andrew community, as well as skills that are useful in their lives outside of St. Andrew.
Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the meeting.
Questions? Please contact any member of the St. Andrew MACG Core Team: Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Lynn Santelmann, Scott Taylor, Victoria Kovalenko, Bob Stadel, LuAnn Staul, or Pastor Robyn. If you have any problems with registration, e-mail Mary Nemmers.
Opportunities for Reckoning with Racism
Our St. Andrew Reckoning with Racism cohort is just completing our first quarter and preparing to start up again with 200 other people of faith on Zoom in January. If you’d like to join the 16 people in our cohort, please watch the videos of the sessions of our first quarter. The password is RwR*202021.
Beginning in January, we’ll gather on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month (January 12 & 26, February 9 & 23, March 9 & 23, April 13 & 27, May 11 and 25, June 8 & 22). Please be in touch with Pastor Robyn if you would like more information or would like to join our cohort.
To learn more about the origins of racism in Oregon:
1. Watch the OPB Documentary: “Oregon Black Pioneers.”
2. Explore more of the history of Black Americans throughout Oregon’s history at the Oregon Black Pioneers website.
3. Read Breaking Chains: Slavery on Trial in the Oregon Territory, by R. Gregory Nokes, a nonfiction account of the largely forgotten story of Oregon slavery.
4. Read A Light in the Wilderness, Oregonian writer Jane Kirkpatrick’s historical novel about the lives of three women of color in early Oregon history.
Rebuilding and Recovery
It has been a couple of months now since John and Christine Core lost their home and almost everything they owned in one of the wildfires that ravaged Oregon. If you’d like to help them get reestablished, please consider donating to their Go Fund Me account, which was set up to make this season more joyful for them. If you have questions, please contact Michael & Barbara Keys at 971-219-2820.
In Need of Prayers…
Family and friends of Jim Smith (Gerald’s twin)
Peace and God’s comfort at his death
Mary Smith
Eunice Harrum
Peace and comfort in hospice care
Francine Cach
Colleen Warnes
Peace and comfort in hospice care
Suzanne Warnes
Suzanne Warnes
Comfort and strength
Staff
Bill Branch
Comfort following esophageal cancer diagnosis
Linda Fransen
Marcia Branch
Comfort and strength
Linda Fransen
Dan (brother-in-law)
Proper diagnosis and effective treatment
Judy Scholz
Joyce (sister) and husband Dan
Safety while Dan is in a hospital plagued by COVID
Judy Scholz
Bob Brown
Successful treatment for diabetic retinopathy
Mary Brown
Bob Cornie
Healing and recovery
Staff
Joe Baker
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Joe Baker
Alvina Heidinger (mother-in-law)
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Judy Heidinger
Joyce Larsen (grandmother)
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Cole Petersburg
Cole Petersburg’s grandparents, Floyd & Marian
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Cole Petersburg
Health care workers
Strength, courage, protection, and support
Staff
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (Coos Bay, OR) Faith Lutheran Church (Coquille, OR)
Do you like going to the movies? And talking about them afterward? We are planning monthly St. Andrew movie nights, COVID-style. We will select some movies to stream at home and then each month, we’ll invite you to bring out the popcorn and gather around your computer screens as we talk about what we liked (and didn’t like) about that month’s movie.
Our first Movie Night will be Friday, December 11, at 7:00 pm. Since it’s December, lets watch a classic—A Christmas Carol. I counted no less than 20 versions of this movie that can be streamed. Some are old black and white classics from as far back as 1938, some are animated, some are modern interpretations, as recent as 2020. You can stream many different versions on Amazon, some for free, some for a small rental fee. Or you may have your own favorite DVD of this classic at home. It will be fun to compare highlights with each other, as well as reflect on this beautiful story of redemption. This will also be a time to make suggestions for films for future movie nights.
You’ll find the Zoom link for our first Movie Night in Carol’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, December 11.
Mary Smith
Worship Plan
Looking ahead to the coming seasons of the church, the Worship Planning Committee is announcing that current worship practices will continue through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany.
To review, St. Andrew offers livestream worship via YouTube at 8:30 am on Sundays, with worship broadcast via Zoom at 11:00 am. Both services include the opportunity to share in remote Communion. Adult Education classes and gatherings for children, Confirmation students, and high school youth are all offered via Zoom, as is Wednesday Evening Prayer.
People without internet connection are able to listen to a recording of Sunday worship by calling 503-643-9416. Please see “Connecting to Worship at St. Andrew” for details.
Given Governor Brown’s pause in Oregon’s reopening progression for Washington County, we ask that you please limit your visits to our church building. Coronavirus numbers are surging everywhere. If it is imperative that you visit the building, please remember to make arrangements with the office first. Thank you!
Pastoral Care
Pastor Mark Brocker is on call Fridays & Saturdays. office: 503-646-0629 ext. 201 cell: 503-502-8762 brockerms@standrewlutheran.com
Please note that St. Andrew will not be offering Wednesday Evening Prayer on November 25, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. Instead, the worship team will be sharing a short recording that is meant to augment your celebration at home. Watch for a link to that in an e-mail from Allison Katsufrakis on Wednesday.
Adult Ed: Job’s Response to Misery
Join Steve Christiansen this Sunday, November 22, at 10:00 am for Session 5 of his adult education course on the book of Job. You can access the class using the same Zoom link needed for Sunday worship.
An incorrect translation has led us to believe that Job was a patient man. Not so, Christiansen explains, but he was persistent and he somehow kept going in spite of the odds. Job’s story is relevant for our time in that it raises many questions about the suffering of the innocent. Click for Steve’s session outline as well as videos of earlier classes.
Not yet receiving emails from St. Andrew? Click on the blue button to join the email list and receive the Zoom link for the class.
Worship Connection Problems?
St. Andrew’s tech team is offering a new service on Sundays for anyone having difficulty connecting to worship. Between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm, you can simply call the church office at 503-646-0629 to get help from the pros.
Remember that Rebecca Fako Uecker also continues to offer technical help for church-related purposes. You can contact her via email.
Help with Rent, Utilities, and Childcare
The director of Family Promise has informed its host coordinators that it has funds available for people needing help paying for childcare, rent, or utilities during this time of extraordinary need. People needing assistance are welcome to call Family Promise at 971-217-8949. Please be aware that these funds need to be used by the end of this calendar year.
Given Governor Brown’s pause in Oregon’s reopening progression for Washington County, we ask that you please limit your visits to our church building. Coronavirus numbers are surging everywhere. If it is imperative that you visit the building, please remember to make arrangements with the office first. Thank you!
Table Talk: What the Voters Are Trying to Tell Us
Gathered around the table in his home, Martin Luther talked freely and openly with his colleagues and students about matters of faith, theology, and varied aspects of daily life. In an effort to cultivate this kind of spirited discussion, we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Though we cannot gather in person, Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk via Zoom on Tuesday, December 1, 7:00-8:00 pm.
In this Table Talk we will focus on sharing reflections on the presidential election and the transition process that has followed. The voter turnout was record-setting. President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris received more votes than any ticket in U.S. history. President Trump and Vice President Pence received the second most votes ever.
In a New York Times editorial, published on November 5, two days after Election Day, when the final outcome was very much in doubt, David Brooks reflected on “What the Voters Are Trying to Tell Us”. To prepare for this Table Talk I encourage all participants to read this opinion piece. In light of the election and its aftermath, we will reflect on the political responsibility of the people of St. Andrew and the church as a whole going forward.
Giving Tree
St. Andrew will be doing a Giving Tree for needy families with children enrolled at Barnes Elementary again this year. Like all of us, these parents yearn to make the holidays joyful for their children, and we can help.
Just as we did with Thanksgiving Boxes, we’ll be providing gift cards in 2020, giving parents the opportunity to shop for their families. You can donate to the cause by sending a check made out to St. Andrew with Giving Tree in the memo line. If you prefer to give electronically, select “Give” on the menu bar of St. Andrew’s website, then “Click here to give now”. Once you’ve signed in to your account, select the green “Give” button and then choose the fund “Christmas Giving Tree.”
Questions? Please call Donna Brocker at 503-502-6156.
Pastoral Care
Pastor Mark Brocker is on call Fridays & Saturdays. office: 503-646-0629 ext. 201 cell: 503-502-8762 brockerms@standrewlutheran.com
Both pastors are on call Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
New Foundation Vision Statement
Debut of the St. Andrew Foundation’s new vision statement, a product of our successful strategic planning retreat.
Your St. Andrew Foundation envisions a future where it…
Provides funding for creative worship, education, and outreach that are in alignment with Christian values
Is a preferred choice for foundation-type giving, with trusted investment and initiatives that resonate with and excite potential donors
Is well understood and embraced as an extension of the congregation’s ministries and priorities
Has a sustainable fund of at least $1 million
We are excited to put this vision into practice! Are you interested in learning more? Contact Sonja Ackman.
Stock Dona!on Transfer Process for 2020
Greetings from the Financial Secretaries of St. Andrew. As the end of the calendar year approaches, we want to streamline the process of donating stock to the church since we are volunteering our time remotely from our homes.
Contributions must actually be paid before the close of year to be deductible in 2020. Please allow at least 3 weeks for the completion of the transfer. Please start the process as soon as possible.
We ask you to take the necessary steps if you intend to donate stock to St. Andrew this tax year:
Download the Stock Transfer Form found on our church website or contact the church office.
Contact your brokerage firm to initiate an electronic transfer of securities (see form for instructions/details).
Complete the form including your intentions for the use of the donation and email a copy to our confidential e-mail address. You may instead send a copy to the church office marked confidential for Financial Secretaries. This form must be turned in at the beginning of the process. Without this form, we cannot complete your request.
Upon receipt of the form, one of the financial secretaries will be in contact with you regarding the progress of the electronic stock transfer to the church’s securities firm, Charles Schwab.
Thank you for your generosity to the Mission and Ministry of St. Andrew.
Tammy Piscitelli, 503-307-8837 on behalf of the Financial Secretaries and Finance Team
Leadership Training Opportunity
Plan now to attend a FREE leadership training institute through the magic of the Internet in December.
Come to learn fundamental organizing skills: Individual relational meetings, listening sessions, research and action to help obtain a concrete, winnable outcome.
Come to strengthen our institutions: Engage people systematically in a culture that is relational, action-oriented, and reflective.
Come to learn to distinguish problems from issues: From general problems to concrete, winnable issues by using relational power in the public arena to negotiate for the common good.
The eight-hour training will be held from 6:00-8:00 pm PST on: Tuesday, December 8 Thursday, December 10 Tuesday, December 15 Thursday, December 17
Many St. Andrew members have taken this training (often more than once), and all have reported taking away important skills that strengthen our St. Andrew community, as well as skills that are useful in their lives outside of St. Andrew.
Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the meeting.
Questions? Please contact any member of the St. Andrew MACG Core Team: Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Lynn Santelmann, Scott Taylor, Victoria Kovalenko, Bob Stadel, LuAnn Staul, or Pastor Robyn. If you have any problems with registration, e-mail Mary Nemmers.
Reckoning with Racism
The Oregon Black Pioneers Organization, through extensive and continuing research into the origins of racism in Oregon, has brought together many valuable resources. The St. Andrew Team attending the Reckoning With Racism series would like to share these resources with the rest of the congregation. They provide an excellent background to understand systemic racism, especially in our own state of Oregon.
1. Watch the OPB Documentary: “Oregon Black Pioneers.”
2. Explore more of the history of Black Americans throughout Oregon’s history at the Oregon Black Pioneers website.
3. Read Breaking Chains: Slavery on Trial in the Oregon Territory, by R. Gregory Nokes, a nonfiction account of the largely forgotten story of Oregon slavery.
4. Read A Light in the Wilderness, Oregonian writer Jane Kirkpatrick’s historical novel about the lives of three women of color in early Oregon history.
Future Opportunities
Our St. Andrew Reckoning with Racism cohort is just completing our first quarter and preparing to start up again with 200 other people of faith on Zoom in January. If you’d like to join the 16 people in our cohort, please watch the videos of the sessions of our first quarter. The password is RwR*202021.
Beginning in January, we’ll gather on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month (January 12 & 26, February 9 & 23, March 9 & 23, April 13 & 27, May 11 and 25, June 8 & 22). Please be in touch with Pastor Robyn if you would like more information or would like to join our cohort.
Pandemic Prayer
While we might be feeling worn down and depleted by ongoing pandemic restrictions, Rev. Richard Bott, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Canada, has composed a prayer that reminds us of the link between “a simple piece of cloth” and sacrament:
A Prayer for Putting on a Face Mask
Creator God, as I prepare to go into the world, help me to see the sacramental nature of this cloth. Let it be a tangible and visible way of living love for my neighbors, as I love myself.
Christ Jesus, since my lips will be covered, uncover my heart, that people would see my smile in the crinkles around my eyes. Since my voice may be muffled, help me to speak clearly, not only with my words, but with my actions.
Holy Spirit, as the elastic touches my ears, remind me to listen carefully and caringly to all those I meet. May this simple piece of cloth be shield and banner, and may each breath that it holds be filled with your love.
In your name and in that love I pray. Amen.
Practicing Patience
In her message to the Oregon Synod on Wednesday this week, Bishop Laurie Larson Caesar noted that Governor Kate Brown was joined by Dr. Esther Choo, an emergency medicine physician at Oregon Health & Science University at a press briefing the day before. The doctor delivered an emotional plea for all of us to adhere to the new restrictions, saying “Right now, we’re asking you to be our heroes.” By the actions we take, we can help save her life, the lives of her family members, neighbors and friends, and essential workers across the state.
Last week, nearly 6,000 new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed across Oregon. Gatherings, even those that include small numbers of families from different households, are the source of many of these new infections.
“So, I ask you to practice love, to practice safety, and to practice patience,” Bishop Laurie writes. “Patience is an important part of the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22)
“Patience does note mean to sit and do nothing as we wait,” the bishop continues. “Patience is daring to stay in the place we are, as hard as it can be sometimes, and seeking God’s glimpses of life in the situation while trusting that something hidden will become manifest to us.
“This kind of Holy Spirit presence, waiting yet active in the already/not yet, can’t be done alone. We need the support, encouragement, love and forgiveness of God and of one another. So here are three ideas for practicing patience together. First, by simply breathing with one another in silent meditation. Second, by praying to God with each other for the patience we need. And third, by practicing gratitude, intentionally looking for, naming out loud with someone, and thanking God for what God is already doing in our lives. Remember that patience in Christ requires practice: the more we do it, the better we get at it.”
Struggling in Christ’s patience alongside of you, Bishop Laurie
A Different Kind of Thanksgiving
Strict new Oregon guidelines highly recommend that no more than six people from two different households gather together during this two-week freeze period that continues through December 2. That will make Thanksgiving look different for many of us.
While health officials prefer that we not mix households at all, steps can be taken to make the celebration safer if you do decide to gather.
In addition to wearing masks, maintaining a six-foot distance, and washing or disinfecting your hands frequently, recommendations from the CDC are to:
Bring your own food, drinks, plates, cups, and utensils.
Wear a mask, and safely store your mask while eating and drinking.
Avoid going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled, such as the kitchen.
Choose single-use options, such as salad dressing and condiment packets, and disposable items such as food containers, plates, and utensils.
Open windows to make celebrating indoors a bit safer.
Have guests bring their own food and drink.
If sharing food, designate one person to serve, relying on single-use options such as plastic utensils. Do not pass the green bean casserole.
Other options to consider are to gather electronically by Zoom, Skype, or Facetime Portal. You might decide to safely prepare traditional dishes and deliver them to family or neighbors in a way that does not involve contact with others (for example, leave them on the porch).
However you celebrate Thanksgiving in 2020, whether you’re part of a small group or alone, participate in a gratitude activity. Get creative. Make a gratitude jar filled with things you’re thankful for, or create a Blessings Garland that enumerates all the ways you’re blessed. Drape it on the mantel or over a doorway to remind you that, despite every uncertainty, life is good. Design a gratitude journal to remember this year of the pandemic and the good things that happened to see you through uncertain times.
Finally, call or write some of the people you love and tell them why you’re thankful that they are a part of your life. Dare to express your feelings—even to that stiff uncle who is really uncomfortable being hugged.
Children’s Sermon: The Oregon Grape
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in our series of five Children’s Sermons introducing young people to Oregon’s native plants.
Hello, I am LuAnn Staul. You may know me as Henry and Penelope’s grandma.
I want to introduce you to another native plant, the Indian Plum The Indian Plum’s scientific name is Oemleria cerasiformis and it has many common names, including the osoberry, Oregon plum, Indian peach, and bird cherry. This plant grows along the Pacific Coast of North America in British Columbia, Canada, Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.
The fruits of the Indian Plum can be eaten and look like clusters of small plums which are dark blue when ripe.
This plant is especially important to pollinators. Pollinators get food in the form of energy-rich nectar and protein-rich pollen from the flowers they visit. Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, and beetles are all pollinators. Once the pollinator has visited a flower it carries the pollen to other flowers; this makes it possible for the pollinated flowers to develop and produce seed.
Pollination is required to produce many of your favorite foods—apples, pears, cherries, and blueberries. Pollinators also support our ecosystem and natural resources by helping plants reproduce.
The Indian Plum is especially important because it is one of the first plants to leaf out and develop flowers. It develops leaves and flowers in early March before many other plants begin to flower. This provides an early source of pollen for bees and other pollinators.
The indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest included Indian Plum fruit in their diets, and they used the plant’s bark and twigs to make tea and medicine. The fruit is also eaten by small mammals like mice and voles, plus foxes, coyotes, deer, bear, and many bird species.
Indian Plum is a tall shrub growing up to 15 feet high. It has multiple trunks that grow upright. The flowers are white and whitish green. The fruit occurs in clusters and is orange and yellow when young but blue-black as it ripens. The plant grows in part to full shade in soil that is dry to moist.
Planting native plants like the Indian Plum provides food for pollinators as well as other native animals. If we all begin adding these plants to our years, we will be on our way to develop a Homegrown National Park in our community.
4 Senses: Hearing, Smelling, Seeing, Feeling
Fall has never been my favorite season. I miss the warm days of summer with sunlight from early morning till mid-evening, so many flowers, bare feet, and my birthday month.
But this fall is teaching me something new. Maybe it‘s the isolation and lack of stimulation brought on by our COVID prevention measures—staying home, avoiding people outside of my household, cancelling travel, missing piano lessons. But I’ve rediscovered a childlike pleasure.
I take walks in my neighborhood most mornings. It’s early. The sun (when it shows through the clouds) is low in the eastern sky. The air is crisp. My neighborhood has lots of walk route possibilities. We have a wonderful trail that can take us across bridges over the wetlands, up hills, into the trees. But these days, I’m avoiding the trail. It doesn’t allow a six-foot distance unless someone steps off the path into the grass. And still, amazingly to me, people aren’t wearing masks, nor do they even have one resting on their chins to pull up when they do meet someone.
Instead, I’m sticking to the sidewalks. The good thing about sidewalks is that they usually are on both sides of the street. So, when you see someone approaching, you or they can switch to the other side. Sometimes, amusingly, both of you start to switch at the same time, which brings smiles and waves, and an unspoken agreement as to WHO will go.
The fall leaves are glorious right now. They are rapidly falling from the trees and piling up on the sidewalks. And I can’t help it. When I get to a pile, I start dragging my feet and swishing my way through,, leaving two trails behind me.
I find as I’m swishing, that my mind goes free from my worries about COVID, the transition of power in our nation’s leadership, my tasks for the day, what’s for dinner. I am totally in the moment, enjoying the rustling sounds, the leafy smells, the rich colors, and the crunchy leaves lightly brushing against my feet. (I haven’t tasted them yet. I’ll save that sense for the hot cider, beef stew, crisp apples, and fresh pumpkin pie.)
It happens every time I come to a pile. And no one can see it, but under my mask a big, involuntary grin crosses my face. And I begin to look ahead for the next pile of leaves. I’ll even cross the street for it. I kinda like fall this year.
Managing Your Mental Health During a Tense Political Climate
The election may be over, but as we know, the tense climate continues. Many of us have found it particularly challenging to manage our own mental health as the pandemic continues, holiday plans are changes, and life as we knew it seems farther and farther away.
The Caring Ministries Team recommends a series of articles found on the website for Mental Health USA. This week, take a look at their suggestions for managing your mental health during a tense political climate.
Your health matters. Focus this week on one of St. Andrew’s Core Values: Self Care.
St. Andrew Caring Ministries Team
Join Our Delegate Assembly
Please join other members of MACG institutions in the tri-county area on Thursday, December 3, from 6:30-8:00 pm via Zoom. Commissioners from all three counties, including our own Pam Treece, have been invited to come and talk with us about their plans to address the housing crisis and pandemic management in the near and far term.
As a member of St. Andrew, you are a member of MACG. A link to register will be included in next week’s “Weekly News,” but for now, please put this meeting on your calendar and plan to join us if you can.
Questions? Contact Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, or any member of the St. Andrew MACG Core Team: Lynn Santelmann, Scott Taylor, Victoria Kovalenko, Bob Stadel, LuAnn Staul, or Pastor Robyn.
Thank You, Scouts!
As we approach Advent and the joyful season of Christmas, St. Andrew extends an enormous thank you to our Scout Troop 618, 5618, and Crew 618 for providing “Be Merry” centerpieces for many of our homebound parishioners.
Thanks, too, to the St. Andrew volunteers who will deliver the centerpieces next week.
If nothing else, 2020 has reminded us that such acts of kindness are precious, indeed. As Jesus tells us in this week’s Gospel lesson (Matthew 25:31-46), when all the nations are gathered before God, the king will say to his blessed people, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
Advent is Coming
The new church year begins next Sunday, November 29, with the First Sunday of Advent. During Advent, a feature of our worship services is the lighting of the advent wreath.
Since we are joining together via the Internet this year, the Worship Planning Team encourages you to bring your own advent wreath when you connect to worship each Sunday. If you need some ideas about how to make your own wreath, check out this website for Sunday School teachers.
These are fun! You’ll find a mobile advent wreath that kids can carry with them if they like (think pipe cleaners), traditional advent wreaths, a battery candle wreath dressed up with washi tape, paper wreaths, even a wreath you can eat! Be sure to check out the Bonus Take-Home Craft for the edible version. That last one is too tasty to last throughout Advent, but you can replicate it each Sunday.
The Season of Advent
Did you know that Advent begins on the Sunday closest to November 30 and lasts between 22 and 28 days, ending on Christmas Eve? Advent includes the first four Sundays of the church year and it embodies a special time of anticipation.
Advent means “coming.” Historically, it was a time of preparation through repentance, but it has also become a season to look forward with hope as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s first coming as the babe in Bethlehem. Advent is a time to also ponder Christ’s coming at the end of time as our judge and redeemer.
Traditionally, the color associated with Advent was purple, a royal color for Christ the Ruler and the color of penitence. Many churches now choose blue for Advent, though, because it is believed to symbolize hope and the truth of Christ. Blue is also the color associated with Mary.
The most recognized symbol of Advent is the advent wreath, with its four candles often associated with Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. The candle at the center of the wreath represents Christ.
Other symbols of Advent include:
the Alpha and Omega, meaning the beginning and the end
an angel, a reminder of the angel who visited Mary
trumpets, heralding Christ coming to earth and symbolizing the hope of Christ’s return
the crown, recognizing Christ as Ruler
the Lamb of God, echoing John the Baptist’s reference to Jesus as the Lamb of God carrying the banner of victory over sin and death.
Many of these symbols of Advent are incorporated in the white and gold Chrismons that have decorated the Christmas tree in our sanctuary for decades.
Information provided in part by Lutheran Brotherhood
In Need of Prayers…
Family and friends of Norm Smith’s wife
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Del & Mary Nell Mahler
Jim Smith (brother-in-law) and his family
Peace, comfort, and support as Jim is in hospice care
Mary Smith
Paula Yazzolino
Peace and comfort in hospice care
Steve Buske
Pete Yazzolino
Comfort and strength
Steve Buske
Colleen Warnes and her family
Effective treatment and plan for her future care
Suzanne Warnes
Bill Branch
Comfort following esophageal cancer diagnosis
Linda Fransen
Marcia Branch
Comfort and strength
Linda Fransen
Bob Cornie
Healing and recovery
Staff
Joe Baker
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Joe Baker
Alvina Heidinger (mother-in-law)
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Judy Heidinger
Cole Petersburg’s grandparents
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Cole Petersburg
Hugh Newell (son) & Nicole Wilson
Blessings on their marriage (November 17)
Anne Newell
Those facing ongoing illness or distress: Tandy Brooks, Dave Bumgardner, Vic Claar, Barry Larson, Marvel Lund, Ian MacDonald, Gary Magnuson, Hugh Mason, Brian McKiernan, Ed Pacey, Corky Poppert, Jolie Reyna, Shane Throckmorton, Gary Tubbs
Healing and assurance of God’s presence
Staff
Bishop Elizabeth Eaton
Wisdom and discernment
Staff
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Blessings on our ministry
Staff
Taiwan Lutheran Church
Strength and wisdom
Staff
Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church (Umatilla, OR) Grace Lutheran Church (Vale, OR)
Dear God, We thank you for food and we remember the hungry. We thank you for health and we remember the sick. We thank you for freedom and we remember the enslaved. May these remembrances stir us to service in your name. Amen.
Worship Plan
Looking ahead to the coming seasons of the church, the Worship Planning Committee is announcing that current worship practices will continue through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany.
To review, St. Andrew offers livestream worship via YouTube at 8:30 am on Sundays, with worship broadcast via Zoom at 11:00 am. Both services include the opportunity to share in remote Communion. Adult Education classes and gatherings for children, Confirmation students, and high school youth are all offered via Zoom, as is Wednesday Evening Prayer.
People without internet connection are able to listen to a recording of Sunday worship by calling 503-643-9416. Please see “Connecting to Worship at St. Andrew” for details.
Highlights for the Week
Go to the church calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Sunday, November 22, Christ the King Sunday
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
Sunday School (age 3 – 5th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
Adult Education: Job’s Response to Misery
Zoom
11:00 am
Zoom Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
Tuesday, November 24
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
6:30 pm
Reckoning with Racism Gathering with Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Zoom
Wednesday, November 25 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm
10:00 am
Reopening Committee Meeting
Zoom
7:00 pm
Thanksgiving Devotional Service
YouTube
Thursday, November 26 – Happy Thanksgiving! Church office closed
Friday, November 27 – Church office closed for holiday
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
Sunday, November 29, First Sunday of Advent
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
11:00 am
Zoom Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
Connecting to Worship
Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!
Join Steve Christiansen this Sunday, November 15, at 10:00 am for Session 4 of his adult education course on the book of Job. You can access the class using the same Zoom link needed for Sunday worship.
An incorrect translation has led us to believe that Job was a patient man. Not so, Christiansen explains, but he was persistent and he somehow kept going in spite of the odds. Job’s story is relevant for our time in that it raises many questions about the suffering of the innocent. Click for Steve’s session outline as well as videos of earlier classes.
Not yet receiving emails from St. Andrew? Click on the blue button to join the email list and receive the Zoom link for the class.
Thanksgiving is Coming!
The Service Committee is once again sponsoring Thanksgiving meals for Community Action families and we need your help. Community Action works with families on parenting, financial stability, housing, and education. These are families that really need help.
We will not be able to see those food boxes filling the Narthex this year due to COVID-19. Instead, we will be using money donated to Thanksgiving Food Box fund to purchase Winco gift cards for these families.
Last year we were able to donate 75 food boxes, which had a value of $50 each, to families in need. We would like to achieve this goal again this year; that will require $3,750 in donations. If you wish to give electronically, select Thanksgiving Boxes—or you can send a check made out to St. Andrew with Thanksgiving Food Drive in the memo line.
This is a wonderful way to live out our faith, as well as giving a needy family the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving with a delicious meal. Please consider helping with a donation of any amount this year. Our deadline for donation is November 15 to give us time to purchase gift cards and get them to these families.
Please email or call LuAnn Staul at 503-314-6321, or email or call Linda McDowall at 503-649-5091 with questions.
Given Governor Brown’s pause in Oregon’s reopening progression for Washington County, we ask that you please limit your visits to our church building. Coronavirus numbers are surging everywhere. If it is impera?ve that you visit the building, please remember to make arrangements with the office first.
Recognizing Our Veterans
In 2020, some 75 years after the end of World War II, we take time to recognize all the men and women who either have served or are currently serving our country in the armed services. Both in times of peace and war, these individuals and their families deserve our gratitude. Thank you for upholding our American values.
Spirituality Book Group
The Spirituality Book Group will meet via Zoom on Sunday, November 15, at 3:00 pm to discuss Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, Unsheltered. According to a review in USA Today, “Unsheltered’s title suggests a roof gone missing. But it’s also a resonant call to be more alert to our social predicaments, to ‘stand in the clear light of day.’”
The Zoom link will be sent to those on the Spirituality Book Group e-mail list before the meeting. Anyone is welcome to join the discussion. Please contact Mary Smith for the Zoom link.
Since we will also be discussing future reading at this meeting, please bring your ideas and recommendations. We will try to schedule books through June 2021.
Sunday, November 15, 3:00 pm Book: Unsheltered, by Barbara Kingsolver Discussion Leader: Mary Ann Snider
Sunday, December 13, 3:00 pm Book: The Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead Discussion Leader: Fran Miller
January (date TBA) Book: She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders, by Jennifer Boylan Discussion Leader: TBA
New Foundation President, Mission Statement
Your St. Andrew Foundation board of directors has welcomed a new president, Sonja Ackman. On two Saturdays in September and October, the board conducted a virtual strategic planning retreat facilitated by Terry Buchholz. We had a great time and got a lot accomplished, even over Zoom!
This week, we want to highlight our new mission statement: “The mission of St. Andrew’s Foundation is to provide funding for efforts that grow the spiritual health, well-being, and ability of those serving God, both today and in the future, in ways that augment or extend the reach of the Church.”
Look for additional highlights over the next few weeks! Interested in learning more? Please email Sonja Ackman.
Help with Rent, Utilities, and Childcare
The director of Family Promise has informed its host coordinators that it has funds available for people needing help paying for childcare, rent, or utilities during this time of extraordinary need. People needing assistance are welcome to call Family Promise at 971-217-8949. Please be aware that these funds need to be used by the end of this calendar year.
Collins Summit: Shalom in Divided Times
What does shalom and unity look like in 2020, when racial unrest, political tensions, and COVID-19 have impacted nearly every aspect of our lives? This year at its Collins Summit, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon is asking how we bring our whole selves to the table and stay engaged in light of our differences, not in spite of them.
The Summit will include a lecture from Lisa Sharon Harper, founder and president of FreedomRoad.us and one of today’s leading voices on the topics of poverty, racial and gender justice, and transformational civic engagement.
Register now for the virtual event to be held Wednesday, November 18.
Worship Connection Problems?
St. Andrew’s tech team is offering a new service on Sundays for anyone having difficulty connecting to worship. Between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm, you can simply call the church office at 503-646-0629 to get help from the pros.
Remember that Rebecca Fako Uecker also continues to offer technical help for church-related purposes. You can contact her via email.
Thanksgiving Eve
Please note that St. Andrew will not be offering Wednesday Evening Prayer on November 25, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. Instead, the worship team will be sharing a recording of our pastors that is meant to augment your celebration at home.
Preparing for Next Sunday
November 22, 2020
Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46
Notes from the Adult Library
So, there are new voices in St. Andrew’s library these days. Last week you heard from one of them, Barb Gutzler, the amazing new children’s librarian, and this week there is me, Pam Farr, explorer of the incredible adult library that started in like 1960 and has been guided by Mary Nell Mahler ever since. What a job she’s done! There are some super books in our collection. I’ve been reading titles as I go along checking their numerical order. Here are a few treasures I have found so far:
If you’re in charge of children in some form or another on a daily basis, you know the stresses of remote learning, school/no school can really get to them — and you. If you look in the 249s, you’ll find some activity books that may help you out.
I picked Families Sharing God, by Barbara Owen Webb. She’s got lots of craft projects that take stuff you probably have around the house, a few baking ideas, things for special seasons, ride-in-the-care games, and activities to do outside—all with a devotion attached. If the kids are too wiggly, do the craft first and work the devotion in as you can. These activities are aimed at youngsters 6 to 12 years old.
COVID being COVID (not a nice thing), maybe you’ve been thinking more about God, searching for reassurance or trying to learn more and have gotten hung up, like I do, on the big words. This is the book for you: Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms, edited by Rolf A. Jacobson. He has taken the big words and defined them in a simple, rather tongue-in-cheek way that makes you both understand and smile.
Lastly, we have a really nice copy of The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, the guy who wrote the Narnia books. It’s about a devil in training and how he gets on. It just might give you some ideas about what you’re up against and perhaps how to derail him.
Best of reading!
Pam Farr, Adult Librarian
Pastoral Care
Pastor Mark Brocker is on call Fridays & Saturdays. office: 503-646-0629 ext. 201 cell: 503-502-8762 brockerms@standrewlutheran.com
Both pastors are on call Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Children’s Sermon: The Oregon Grape
Editor’s Note: This is the third in our series of five Children’s Sermons introducing young people to Oregon’s native plants.
Good morning. My name is Larry Bliesner and I’m here to talk about a native plant. A native plant is one that is natural to our area. My plant is the Oregon Grape, which is Oregon’s State Flower.
Thanks for Making a Happy Reunion Possible
The Oregon Grape is actually an evergreen shrub. The tall variety grows 5-8 feet high. The low variety grows to about 2 feet. The Oregon Grape has yellow flowers in the spring, which hummingbirds like. During the summer the plant forms bluish-black berries which other birds like.
The Oregon Grape is not a true grape like the ones we eat. However, Kalapuyan indigenous peoples ate the berries, which are sour. The bark could be used as a yellow color to dye native baskets, while the berries produce the color purple.
The Oregon Grape tolerates shade or sun. It is a good plant for your soil garden and for St. Andrew’s “homegrown” National Park.
Larry Bliesner
Thanks for Making a Happy Reunion Possible
Thanks so much to all of my St. Andrew family who pitched in to help me find my rescue dog Risa. After I had her for only four days she ran off and was missing for five days. It seems like a miracle that she was found, and I so appreciate the support from so many at St. Andrew, including walking through neighborhoods searching for her, passing out flyers, even setting up a Facebook page for her. And thanks for all the kind words of support during this trying time. Risa and I are happily reunited now, and we’re getting to know each other.
Mary Smith
Table Talk: What the Voters Are Trying to Tell Us
Gathered around the table in his home, Martin Luther talked freely and openly with his colleagues and students about matters of faith, theology, and varied aspects of daily life. In an effort to cultivate this kind of spirited discussion, we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Though we cannot gather in person, Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk via Zoom on Tuesday, December 1, 7:00-8:00 pm.
In this Table Talk we will focus on sharing reflections on the presidential election and the transition process that has followed. The voter turnout was record-setting. President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris received more votes than any ticket in U.S. history. President Trump and VicePresident Pence received the second most votes ever.
In a New York Times editorial, published on November 5, two days after Election Day, when the final outcome was very much in doubt, David Brooks reflected on “What the Voters Are Trying to Tell Us”. To prepare for this Table Talk I encourage all participants to read this opinion piece. In light of the election and its aftermath, we will reflect on the political responsibility of the people of St. Andrew and the church as a whole going forward.
Leadership Training Opportunity
Plan now to attend a FREE leadership training institute through the magic of the Internet in December.
Come to learn fundamental organizing skills: Individual relational meetings, listening sessions, research and action to help obtain a concrete, winnable outcome.
Come to strengthen our institutions: Engage people systematically in a culture that is relational, action-oriented, and reflective.
Come to learn to distinguish problems from issues: From general problems to concrete, winnable issues by using relational power in the public arena to negotiate for the common good.
The eight-hour training will be held from 6:00-8:00 pm PST on: Tuesday, December 8 Thursday, December 10 Tuesday, December 15 Thursday, December 17
Many St. Andrew members have taken this training (often more than once), and all have reported taking away important skills that strengthen our St. Andrew community, as well as skills that are useful in their lives outside of St. Andrew.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the meeting.
Questions? Please contact any member of the St. Andrew MACG Core Team: Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Lynn Santelmann, Scott Taylor, Victoria Kovalenko, Bob Stadel, LuAnn Staul, or Pastor Robyn. If you have any problems with registration, e-mail Mary Nemmers.
Reckoning with Racism
The Oregon Black Pioneers Organization, through extensive and continuing research into the origins of racism in Oregon, has brought together many valuable resources. The St. Andrew Team attending the Reckoning With Racism series would like to share these resources with the rest of the congregation. They provide an excellent background to understand systemic racism, especially in our own state of Oregon.
1. Watch the following OPB Documentary: “Oregon Black Pioneers.” Long before Oregon became a state, black people were in the Far West. Some were brought to the region as slaves, but many others arrived as freemen looking for a new life. They opened boarding houses and stores, worked farms and mined for gold. But as more white settlers arrived over the Oregon Trail, the newcomers passed discriminatory laws to keep African Americans out. “Oregon Experience” examines the largely unknown history of Oregon’s black pioneers.
2. Explore more of the history of Black Americans throughout Oregon’s history at the Oregon Black Pioneers website.
3. Nonfiction read: Breaking Chains: Slavery on Trial in the Oregon Territory, by R. Gregory Nokes. This is a nonfiction account of the largely forgotten story of Oregon slavery. The book was a finalist for the 2014 Oregon Book Award for nonfiction. R. Gregory Nokes is a retired journalist (Associated Press and The Oregonian), writer, and lecturer, who now lives in West Linn.
4. Historical fiction read: A Light in the Wilderness, by Jane Kirkpatrick. Members of the St. Andrew Spirituality Book group will be familiar with the works of Oregonian writer Jane Kirkpatrick. In this novel she brings together the lives of three women of color in early Oregon history.
Stock Dona!on Transfer Process for 2020
Greetings from the Financial Secretaries of St. Andrew. As the end of the calendar year approaches, we want to streamline the process of donating stock to the church since we are volunteering our time remotely from our homes.
Contributions must actually be paid before the close of year to be deductible in 2020. Please allow at least 3 weeks for the completion of the transfer. Please start the process as soon as possible.
We ask you to take the necessary steps if you intend to donate stock to St. Andrew this tax year:
Download the Stock Transfer Form found on our church website or contact the church office.
Contact your brokerage firm to initiate an electronic transfer of securities (see form for instructions/details).
Complete the form including your intentions for the use of the donation and email a copy to our confidential e-mail address. You may instead send a copy to the church office marked confidential for Financial Secretaries. This form must be turned in at the beginning of the process. Without this form, we cannot complete your request.
Upon receipt of the form, one of the financial secretaries will be in contact with you regarding the progress of the electronic stock transfer to the church’s securities firm, Charles Schwab.
Thank you for your generosity to the Mission and Ministry of St. Andrew.
Tammy Piscitelli, 503-307-8837 on behalf of the Financial Secretaries and Finance Team
Finance Team: Johanna Au; Gretchen Bancroft; Bill Beavers; Brian Cheney; Joel Johnson; Anne Newell; Ted Miller; Tammy Piscitelli; Tracie Brooks-Semenchalam
In Need of Prayers…
Family and friends of Marilyn Hanson (mother)
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Mark Hanson
Family and friends of Jean Pacey (wife)
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Ed Pacey
Family and friends of Norm Smith’s wife
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Del & Mary Nell Mahler
Family and friends of Robert Zahn (brother)
Peace and God’s comfort at his death
Anne Newell
Family and friends of Ellie Prink (aunt)
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Carol Hogan
Family and friends of Carole Harmon
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Pastor Robyn Hartwig
Jim Smith (brother-in-law) and his family
Peace, comfort, and support as Jim is in hospice care
Mary Smith
Paula Yazzolino
Peace and comfort in hospice care
Steve Buske
Pete Yazzolino
Comfort and strength
Steve Buske
Bill Branch
Comfort Following esophageal cancer diagnosis
Linda Fransen
Marcia Branch
Comfort and strength
Linda Fransen
Bob Cornie
Successful knee procedure (November 18)
Staff
Mary Brocker & Ethan Pearson
Blessings on their engagement
Mark & Donna Brocker
Louella Marie Mitchell (great niece)
Blessings on her birth
Susan Werner Reiser
Those confined to their homes: Mareline Barnes, Dave Bumgardner, Jean Fredrickson, Tara Harper, Douglas Hooke, Betty Horst, Dorothy Moore, Phyllis Morris, Ed Pacey, Helen Rogers, Dave & Sharon Roth, Margie Schindele
Assurance of God’s presence
Staff
All who are imprisoned
Peace and strength
Staff
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Blessings on their work
Staff
Christ the King Lutheran Church (Milton-Freewater, OR) Peace Lutheran Church (Pendleton, OR)
Our midweek Prayer Services continue into the fall on Wednesday nights via Zoom. The service will focus on our role in creation, with music, prayer, meditations, and scripture. Please join us for any or all of these events on Wednesday, November 18:
Join us for any or all of these events. The connection link is sent out Wednesday afternoons, so please watch for it.
St. Andrew will not have Wednesday Evening Prayer the week of Thanksgiving.
Worship Plan
Looking ahead to the coming seasons of the church, the Worship Planning Committee is announcing that current worship practices will continue through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany.
To review, St. Andrew offers livestream worship via YouTube at 8:30 am on Sundays, with worship broadcast via Zoom at 11:00 am. Both services include the opportunity to share in remote Communion. Adult Education classes and gatherings for children, Confirmation students, and high school youth are all offered via Zoom, as is Wednesday Evening Prayer.
People without internet connection are able to listen to a recording of Sunday worship by calling 503-643-9416. Please see “Connecting to Worship at St. Andrew” for details.
Highlights for the Week
Check the church calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Sunday, November 15, Twenty-fourth Sunday of Pentecost
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
Sunday School (age 3 – 5th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
Adult Education: Job’s Response to Misery
Zoom
11:00 am
Zoom Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
Monday, November 16
1:00 pm
Memorial Service for Jean Pacey
Livestream on YouTube
Tuesday, November 17
10:00 am
Worship Planning Meeting
Zoom
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
12:15 pm
Community Carbon Leadership Meeting
Zoom
Wednesday, November 18 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm
10:00 am
Reopening Committee Meeting
Zoom
6:00 pm
Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal
Sanctuary
6:30 pm
Informal Gathering Time
Zoom
7:00 pm
High School Youth Game Night
Zoom
7:00 pm
Wednesday Evening Prayer
Zoom
7:30 pm
Centering Prayer
Zoom
Thursday, November 19
10:00 am
Team Ministry Meeting
Zoom
7:00 pm
Council Meeting
Zoom
Friday, November 20
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
Sunday, November 22, Christ the King Sunday
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
Sunday School Kickoff (age 3 – 5th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
Adult Education: The Book of Job
Zoom
11:00 am
Zoom Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
Connecting to Worship
Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!
Join Steve Christiansen this Sunday, November 8, at 10:00 am for Session 3 of his adult education course on the book of Job. You can access the class using the same Zoom link needed for Sunday worship.
An incorrect translation has led us to believe that Job was a patient man. Not so, Christiansen explains, but he was persistent and he somehow kept going in spite of the odds. Job’s story is relevant for our time in that it raises many questions about the suffering of the innocent. Click for Steve’s session outline as well as videos of earlier classes.
Not yet receiving emails from St. Andrew? Click on the blue button to join the email list and receive the Zoom link for the class.
Thanksgiving is Coming!
The Service Committee is once again sponsoring Thanksgiving meals for Community Action families and we need your help. Community Action works with families on parenting, financial stability, housing, and education. These are families that really need help.
We will not be able to see those food boxes filling the Narthex this year due to COVID-19. Instead, we will be using money donated to Thanksgiving Food Box fund to purchase Winco gift cards for these families.
Last year we were able to donate 75 food boxes, which had a value of $50 each, to families in need. We would like to achieve this goal again this year; that will require $3,750 in donations. If you wish to give electronically, select Thanksgiving Boxes—or you can send a check made out to St. Andrew with Thanksgiving Food Drive in the memo line.
This is a wonderful way to live out our faith, as well as giving a needy family the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving with a delicious meal. Please consider helping with a donation of any amount this year. Our deadline for donation is November 15 to give us time to purchase gift cards and get them to these families.
Please email or call LuAnn Staul at 503-314-6321, or email or call Linda McDowall at 503-649-5091 with questions.
Dismantling Racism in Institutions
Many of the stories and struggles of African Americans in Oregon are published at “A Hidden History Project.”
Other homework assigned to the 41 faith-based organizations like ours that are participating in the “Reckoning with Racism” process with Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon’s Common Table includes
Join us in any or all of our homework as you are so moved!
Pastor Robyn and the St. Andrew Team
St. Andrew’s Pandemic Protocols
Call or email ahead to arrange building access (even if you have a key).
Sign in at the table in the Narthex.
Wash your hands or use the provided hand sanitzer after signing in.
Wear a mask the entire time you are in the building.
With a third wave of infections sweeping the country, with the advent of flu season and cold temperatures that keep people inside, and with loving care for all members of our community so wearied by this pandemic, it’s more important now than ever to do all we can to protect ourselves and keep each other safe. Stay the course. Maintain the discipline that’s been effective so far.
Please note that the church building remains locked. Even if you have a key, we ask that you call or e-mail the church office to arrange access in advance of coming to St. Andrew. This allows us to monitor occupancy and prevent people from inadvertently interfering with others who need to come to the building to do their work. Please don’t assume you will be the only person inside. Staff continue to adjust their hours to prevent the spread of infection, while providing for online worship means that people are working in the building much of Saturday and Sunday.
When you do visit the building, we ask you to follow the protocols. Put on a mask before you even open the door, sign in at the round table in the Narthex, indicating what rooms you plan to visit, wash your hands, keep your mask on (covering both your mouth and nose) the entire time you’re inside, and remember to sign out at the time you leave. Use your own pen at the sign-in register or take a clean one from the left receptacle and deposit it in the used cup on the right.
We want you to have access to our libraries, to your mailboxes, and to the sacristy to prepare for worship. Individual Nifty Notters have worked in Fellowship Hall to finish projects. But our ministry groups are meeting online because it is so much safer. Be vigilant. Stay well! When we’re able to reopen, we want to welcome each and every one of you back inside the St. Andrew building!
Help with Rent, Utilities, and Childcare
The director of Family Promise has informed its host coordinators that it has funds available for people needing help paying for childcare, rent, or utilities during this time of extraordinary need. People needing assistance are welcome to call Family Promise at 971-217-8949. Please be aware that these funds need to be used by the end of this calendar year.
PLU Confirmation Scholarship
Last year Pacific Lutheran University expanded its PLU Confirmation Scholarship nationwide so that any student who has been confirmed in an ELCA congregation can receive the $1,500 per year Confirmation Scholarship. This award stacks on top of other PLU scholarships, including those for academic or artistic achievements.
PLU is a private liberal arts Lutheran university in Parkland, WA, that was founded by Norwegian Lutheran immigrants in 1890.
Collins Summit: Shalom in Divided Times
What does shalom and unity look like in 2020, when racial unrest, political tensions, and COVID-19 have impacted nearly every aspect of our lives? This year at its Collins Summit, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon is asking how we bring our whole selves to the table and stay engaged in light of our differences, not in spite of them.
The Summit will include a lecture from Lisa Sharon Harper, founder and president of FreedomRoad.us and one of today’s leading voices on the topics of poverty, racial and gender justice, and transformational civic engagement.
Register now for the virtual event to be held Wednesday, November 18.
Preparing for Next Sunday
November 15, 2020
Reading: Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30
Notes from the Children’s Library
This fall I’ve enjoyed weekly visits to St. Andrew’s Children’s Library as I work to organize, catalog, and cover books. Each time, I grow even more appreciative of the time and care Mary Nell put into developing a truly impressive collection nearing 10,000 items, more than two-thirds of which are found in the Children’s Library on the lower level.
With so many wonderful books and a beautiful facility, all we need is to find ways for our members and community to access them. Now that public and school libraries are offering very limited—if any—access, our church library has resources for students, parents, and teachers. We welcome families to contact Carol Harker in the church office and prearrange a time to visit. Everyone needs to wear a mask and follow the directions posted on the front entry doors.
Another option is to send me an e-mail and I will gather an assortment of books based on your interests, which you can then arrange to pick up in the Narthex. Let me know your child’s interests and age. If you’d like books that match your child’s reading level, send me their AR, DRA, or Lexile score.
P.S. A future goal is to put our collection online so you can browse all our titles. In the meantime, here are a few new additions to the Children’s Library.
Wild Symphony, by Dan Brown Yes, this is the author who also wrote The DaVinci Code and many other fast-paced, bestselling novels for adults. His early career led him to Hollywood as a singer, song writer, and pianist. In Wild Symphony, he puts the music and songs he composed more than 30 years ago into a story that invites children to travel with Maestro Mouse and his musical friends who visit with a sequence of friends. You’ll meet a big blue whale and a speedy cheetah, tiny beetles and graceful swans. There’s a coded message in the book, too. The poems combined with the music tell a story and reveal a funny or interesting side of each animal’s personality. Also included are directions to download a free phone app which plays Brown’s compositions for each page as recorded by the Zagreb Symphony Orchestra. Go to YouTube for a taste of this amazing, fun book. This book is on my Christmas list for my grandchildren.
Picture and Board Books to Introduce Social Justice and Activism to Little Progressives
Woke Baby, by Mahogany Browne “This lyrical and empowering book is both a celebration of what it means to be a baby and what it means to be woke. With bright playful art, Woke Baby is an anthem of hope in a world where the only limit to a skyscraper is more blue.” -Publisher’s Description. Board Book.
Antiracist Baby, by Ibram X. Kendi Illustrations and rhyming text present nine steps Antiracist Baby can take to improve equity. Board Book.
Sometimes People March, by Tessa Allen “Marching is something people do together when they want to resist injustice.” Spare prose teaches the necessity of rallying together. Allen describes multiple modes of engagement, reminding readers that they can make a difference not only through in-person gatherings, but also through making art and “by/ standing up/ or sitting down/ or taking a knee.” Ages 4-8.
For Older Readers
One Time, by Sharon Creech Imaginative 11-year old Gina, her mysterious new neighbor, Antonio, and their classmates are inspired by an unusual young teacher to see who they are and envision who they are meant to become. Recommended grades 3-7.
Thank You Notes
You have made a difference in the life of a child. Thank you! Your recent gift ensures the children and youth we serve are connected with a permanent, loving family.
Like you, we believe every child deserves a family to call their own. Your support makes lifelong connections between children and families a reality. Since 1885, investors like you have made the work we do possible. We are grateful for your support, especially through a continued pandemic when we had to cancel six fundraising events.
With gratitude, Suzan Huntington President & CEO
Dear Friends, Thank you so much for your generous donation of $400! The Domestic Violence Resource Center (DVRC) truly appreciates your commitment to supporting survivors of domestic violence in Washington County.
Since 1975, DVRC has been providing lifesaving services to survivors of domestic violence, but our work would not be possible without the help of people like you! We thank you for continuing to support our mission of educating, supporting, and empowering those affected by domestic violence after so many years.
Your gift is very important to us and we are grateful for your kindness!
With gratitude, Rosemary (Rowie) Taylor Executive Director
Pandemic Story: The View Through the Lens
Did you know Rick & Becky LeRoy flew to Hollywood a couple of years ago to celebrate Rick’s birthday on the Ellen show? They had connections that enabled them to secure tickets to the filming and were given VIP treatment as they were led right down front to enjoy the show.
So it’s no secret that Rick enjoys the whole video environment and, during this pandemic, he’s found himself on the other side of the camera. He’s part of a tech team recording livestream worship at St. Andrew on Sunday mornings. In many ways, the challenge of delivering a pleasing worship service to the congregation has been energizing for Rick.
“After getting some initial training on our switching software and hardware from Jennifer [Trom], I started watching YouTube videos to learn how other churches handle the technical side. In the ensuing weeks, I learned how to use the free and widely used software, OBS Studio, to add a countdown timer to our livestream and hopefully provide a smoother way to integrate prerecorded videos to our services. I hope to continue to add to our production knowledge-base and keep learning new things. It turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks!”
Rick covers video responsibilities, while his production partner, Paul Navarre, fills the audio role. They’ve been producing our worship services every other week.
Online Book Fair Pick-ups
Books purchased through St. Andrew’s Online Book Fair earlier this week can pick up their orders on Sunday, November 8, 2:00-4:00 pm at the church. Please come to the front entrance and wear a mask. Our new adult librarian Pam Farr will meet you inside the Narthex and give you your purchases.
If this time is inconvenient for you, please make alternative arrangements by contacting the church office via phone (503-646-0629) or e-mail.
Worship Connection Problems?
St. Andrew’s tech team is offering a new service on Sundays for anyone having difficulty connecting to worship. Between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm, you can simply call the church office at 503-646-0629 to get help from the pros.
Remember that Rebecca Fako Uecker also continues to offer technical help for church-related purposes. You can contact her via email.
Renewing Thanksgiving in a Pandemic
Have you talked with your loved ones yet about how you’re going to celebrate Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas? This year’s gatherings will no doubt be different than the ones we remember from years past.
Matia Brocker, for instance, is determined to visit her grandparents in Sunriver, but they are in that older, especially vulnerable group. So Matia and her family have decided to live in quarantine for 17 days prior to their trip. They’re making a disciplined commitment by living in isolation for an extended period in order to safely see beloved grandparents and enjoy a long-delayed visit.
In 2020, public health experts are recommending very limited travel, smaller gatherings, simpler meals, strict adherence to masks and physical distancing, and shorter gatherings overall. Frankly, they’d prefer that people forego traditional celebrations and gather virtually, perhaps sharing recipes beforehand and eating together remotely by Zoom on Thanksgiving Day.
Regardless how we approach this first holiday of the season, it will be good to pause and take time to remember the awesome gifts we can continue to number—especially since we’ve been lamenting several things we’ve had to give up during this pandemic. Despite all the challenges before us, we are blessed.
Pastoral Care
Pastor Mark Brocker is on call Fridays & Saturdays. office: 503-646-0629 ext. 201 cell: 503-502-8762 brockerms@standrewlutheran.com
Both pastors are on call Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Children’s Sermon: The Snowberry
Editor’s Note: This is the second in our series of five Children’s Sermons introducing young people to Oregon’s native plants.
Good morning. My name is Carol, which means song of joy, and I’ll be talking to you today about the Snowberry plant. The Latin name for Snowberry is Symphoricarpos albus.
“Symphori” means bear together, and you can see how the snowberries hang together in a clump. “Carpos” means fruits, referring to the clustered fruits, and “albus” means white, without luster. The berries are a dull white, not shiny. The common name of this plant, Snowberry, also refers to the white fruits.
The plants bloom in the spring from mid-May to July with small white and pinkish flowers that attract hummingbirds, but these natives are mostly pollinated by bees.
When I did research for the Snowberry, I learned that the fruits of this plant are called drupes. I didn’t know that word, but it means that they have a fleshy fruit surrounding a large seed, like in a peach or a plum. Of course, Snowberry seeds aren’t that large because the berries are so small.
Symphoricarpos has about 15 different species, 12 of which are found in the United States, from southeast Alaska to southern California and all across the northern U.S. and Canadian provinces. Snowberries usually grow 3-9 feet tall and are sometimes known as Waxberry, White Coralberry, or White, Thin-leaved, or Few-flowered Snowberry.
You might wonder why there is so much fruit on the plant still, so late in the fall. Well, I grew this plant at my house in Northern Illinois for about 15 years. I planted them because they are native and they would produce berries for the birds. And I can tell you that the berries last through most of the winter into spring. The reason for this is that they have a kind of bitter taste, so it’s not the favorite berry for some of the animals that feed on it.
But the good thing is that the berries stay on the plant into spring so there is food all through the winter for the animals.
Common Snowberry has long been grown as an ornamental shrub. Winter is its most conspicuous season, when its white berries stand out against leafless branches. Its dainty pinkish flowers are also attractive in the spring.
Where can you find this plant? Snowberries are found along stream banks, in swampy thickets, and in moist clearings and open forests. St. Andrew has all of those environments in the Sanctuary of the Firs and the grounds around the church.
Snowberries tolerate poor soil and neglect.I can do that! One of the great things about growing this plant is that it does best in heavy clay soils.I have a lot of that where I live!
Who/what eats this plant? Answer: birds (robins and thrushes, grouse, sort of a brown chicken), deer, antelope, Bighorn sheep, and bears. My research tells me that “use by elk and moose varies.” I’m not sure what that means and don’t know how to ask Bullwinkle Moose the question! Snowberries are also important for providing shelter and food for small mammals.
Various indigenous peoples used the Snowberry for medicine. They created an infusion by soaking the plant in water to make an eyewash for sore eyes. They rubbed the berries on the skin to treat burns, rashes, and sores. They created a decoction of the roots and stems to treat urinary problems, like having trouble peeing. The same decoction treated people for tuberculosis and fevers associated with teething.
Some indigenous groups made brooms out of Snowberry branches, another group hollowed out the twigs to make pipe-stems, and people of one tribe ate one or two of the berries to settle the stomach after eating too much fatty food.
There is another kind of Symphoricarpos that is native in Nevada and California. Because of climate change and global warming, that means it is moving north into Oregon as a native plant. This kind is Symphoricarpos mollis, meaning creeping. It grows low to the ground.
I planted this variety about 2 years ago and the two plants looked really good last year, but one of them kind of disappeared this year. I thought at first it was because of the drought, but after a few weeks I found out the real answer.
I have a black and white cow-print kitty. She is very cute and lovable. She was adopted out of a storm sewer in southwestern Illinois, where she liked to sit with the kids waiting at the bus stop. They named her Maisy.
She likes to help me garden and follows me around doing yard work. She also likes to take dirt baths. You can see in the picture how dusty her black fur gets. Usually, she just takes her dust baths in a dusty area or if she needs a good scratch she does it on the concrete. But I caught her in the front yard giving herself a rubdown on the twigs of that dying Creeping Snowberry! Some of the twigs are still in the yard, but I had to put a white towel under them to take a picture!
How do you propagate Snowberries or get more of them? You can take cuttings of half-ripe wood in July or August or of mature wood in winter. Suckers may be divided in the dormant season. Plants re-sprout from rhizomes after a fire. Common Snowberry spreads by root suckers and is best given plenty of space to create a wild thicket.
Snowberry tolerates poor soil and neglect. I can do that, but I’ll need to put in a barrier for dirt-bath kitty! These native plants are great for controlling erosion on slopes, for restoration after forest fires, and for mine reclamation projects. They are also popular in rain gardens.
Carol Werner
In Need of Prayers…
Family and friends of Marilyn Hanson (mother)
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Mark Hanson
Family and friends of Jean Pacey (wife)
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Ed Pacey
Family and friends of Robert Zahn (brother)
Peace and God’s comfort at his death
Anne Newell
Family and friends of Ellie Prink (aunt)
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Carol Hogan
Family and friends of Carole Harmon
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Pastor Robyn Hartwig
Jim Smith (brother-in-law) and his family
Peace, comfort, and support as he is in hospice care
Mary Smith
Margie Lee (wife)
Strength, comfort, and healing
Robert May
Bob Cornie
Correct diagnosis and effective treatment
Staff
Peter Kindem (uncle)
Healing and recovery from lung transplant
Megan Webber
Debbie (daughter’s friend)
Healing and recovery from open heart surgery
Joanne Zenger
Elaine May
Healing and recovery from knee replacement surgery
Staff
Our Nation
Healing of deep divisions
Staff
The American people
Patience and calm in the aftermath of the election
Staff
St. Andrew Council Executive Committee Staff
Wisdom and discernment
Staff
Karen Klingelhafer, Kyler Vogt, and all seminarians; India Jensen Kerr and all theology students
Encouragement and support
Staff
St. Andrew Foundation
Blessings on their ministry
Staff
Valby Lutheran Church (Ione, OR) Zion Lutheran Church (La Grande, OR)
Our midweek Prayer Services continue into the fall on Wednesday nights via Zoom. The service will focus on our role in creation, with music, prayer, meditations, and scripture.
Join us for any or all of these events. The connection link is sent out Wednesday afternoons, so please watch for it.
Worship Plan
Looking ahead to the coming seasons of the church, the Worship Planning Committee is announcing that current worship practices will continue through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany.
To review, St. Andrew offers livestream worship via YouTube at 8:30 am on Sundays, with worship broadcast via Zoom at 11:00 am. Both services include the opportunity to share in remote Communion. Adult Education classes and gatherings for children, Confirmation students, and high school youth are all offered via Zoom, as is Wednesday Evening Prayer.
People without internet connection are able to listen to a recording of Sunday worship by calling 503-643-9416. Please see “Connecting to Worship at St. Andrew” for details.
Highlights for the Week
Check the church calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Sunday, November 8, Twenty-third Sunday of Pentecost
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
Sunday School (age 3 – 5th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
Adult Education: The Book of Job
Zoom
11:00 am
Online Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
Monday, November 9
7:00 pm
Men’s Book Club (Host, Ted Miller
Zoom
Tuesday, November 10
9:00 am
Facility Management Team Meeting
Zoom
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
1:30 pm
Service Committee
Zoom
6:00 pm
HR Meeting
Zoom
7:00 pm
Finance Meeting
Zoom
Wednesday, November 11 – Veterans Day, Office Closed; Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm
6:00 pm
Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal
Sanctuary
6:30 pm
Informal Gathering Time
Zoom
7:00 pm
High School Youth Game Night
Zoom
7:00 pm
Wednesday Evening Prayer
Zoom
7:30 pm
Centering Prayer
Zoom
Thursday, November 12
10:00 am
Virtual Staff Meeting
Zoom
Friday, November 13
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
Saturday, November 14
1:00 pm
Memorial Service for Marilyn Hanson followed by virtual reception
Zoom
Sunday, November 15, Twenty-fourth Sunday of Pentecost
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
Sunday School Kickoff (age 3 – 5th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
Adult Education: The Book of Job
Zoom
11:00 am
Online Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
Connecting to Worship
Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!
It’s that time again—the weekend many of us dread, when we turn our clocks back and darkness clamps down on our day even earlier. The good news is that most of us are able to sleep in until the sun rises. Remember to turn your clocks back one hour before you go to bed Saturday, October 31, and enjoy one more hour of rest this weekend.
Adult Ed: Job’s Response to Misery
Join Steve Christiansen this Sunday, November 1, at 10:00 am when he resumes his adult education course on the book of Job via Zoom. An incorrect translation has led us to believe that Job was a patient man. Not so, Christiansen explains, but he was persistent and he somehow kept going in spite of the odds. Job’s story is relevant for our time in that it raises many questions about the suffering of the innocent. Please note that the Zoom link to connect to this class is included in your Friday e-mail from St. Andrew.
Not yet receiving emails from St. Andrew? Click on the blue button to join the email list!
EMO Voter’s Guide
If you’ve not yet turned in your ballot yet, it’s time to get busy! Remember that all ballots cast in Oregon are due in drop boxes or at the County Clerk’s office no later than 8:00 pm on Tuesday, November 3. If you need some background information on ballot issues Oregon voters are being asked to approve or reject, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) has produced a guide for people of faith to consider when casting their ballots: https://emoregon.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/EMO_Voters_Guide_Fall2020.pdf
Troop 618 Greenery Sales
Despite pandemic separation, St. Andrew’s BSA Scout Troop 618, 5618, and Crew 618 are again selling Christmas greenery for your holiday decorations. Wreaths, garlands, and centerpieces are available, with proceeds going to benefit the Scouts. If you’re interested and would like to see a digital brochure with images and prices, act now by contacting Scout volunteer Amy Harker. All orders are due to her by Monday, November 2. Greenery orders will be delivered to your home the weekend of November 21 and 22.
Thanksgiving is Coming!
The Service Committee is once again sponsoring Thanksgiving meals for Community Action families and we need your help. Community Action works with families on parenting, financial stability, housing, and education. These are families that really need help.
We will not be able to see those food boxes filling the Narthex this year due to COVID-19. Instead, we will be using money donated to Thanksgiving Food Box fund to purchase Winco gift cards for these families.
Last year we were able to donate 75 food boxes, which had a value of $50 each, to families in need. We would like to achieve this goal again this year; that will require $3,750 in donations. If you wish to give online, select designated giving, Thanksgiving Boxes—or you can send a check made out to St. Andrew with Thanksgiving Food Drive in the memo line.
This is a wonderful way to live out our faith, as well as giving a needy family the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving with a delicious meal. Please consider helping with a donation of any amount this year. Our deadline for donation is November 15 to give us time to purchase gift cards and get them to these families. Please email or call LuAnn Staul at 503-314-6321, or email or call Linda McDowall at 503-649-5091 with questions.
Dismantling Racism in Our Institutions
Join some members of our “Reckoning with Racism” team this Sunday at 12:30 pm in the worship Zoom room as we watch the Oregon Experience film titled “Oregon’s Black Pioneers” or watch it on your own at https://tinyurl.com/OregonBlackPioneers. Then learn more at Oregon Black Pioneers.
Long before Oregon became a state, black people were in the Far West, some brought as slaves but many others arriving as freemen looking for a new life. They opened boarding houses and stores, worked farms and mined for gold. But white settlers passed discriminatory laws to keep African Americans out or force them to leave.
Pastor Robyn
Help with Rent, Utilities, and Childcare
The director of Family Promise has informed its host coordinators that it has funds available for people needing help paying for childcare, rent, or utilities during this time of extraordinary need. People needing assistance are welcome to call Family Promise at 971-217-8949. Please be aware that these funds need to be used by the end of this calendar year.
PLU Confirmation Scholarship
Last year Pacific Lutheran University expanded its PLU Confirmation Scholarship nationwide so that any student who has been confirmed in an ELCA congregation can receive the $1,500 per year Confirmation Scholarship. This award stacks on top of other PLU scholarships, including those for academic or artistic achievements.
The Confirmation Scholarship form must be completed and submitted by a church official (pastor, youth leader, etc.) before the student’s high school graduation. PLU is a private liberal arts Lutheran university in Parkland, WA, that was founded by Norwegian Lutheran immigrants in 1890.
Preparing for Next Sunday
November 8, 2020
Reading: Amos 5:18-24 Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13
Men’s Book Club Reading List Update
Please note this update for the Men’s Book Club: Gary Grafwallner requests that members of the group please read The Moth Presents All These Wonders: True Stories About Facing the Unknown, edited by Catherine Burns instead of his original selection for January 2021 (The Tattoist of Auschwitz). A reviewer for the Daily Mail says, “All These Wonders is a compelling read, by turns uplifting, heartbreaking, and ultimately redemptive. If there is a real hero of the book, it is surely the human spirit, which, time and again, transcends whatever life throws at it.”
Date
Book
Host
November 9
Strip Tease, by Carl Hiassen
Ted Miller
December 14
Too Much and Never Enough, by Mary Trump
Tim Holte
January 11
The Moth Presents All These Wonders: True Stories About Facing the Unknown, edited by Catherin Burns
Gary Grafwallner
February 8
News of the World, by Paule0e Jiles
Dan Fako
March 8
Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi
Larry Bliesner
The Men’s Book Club meets on the second Monday of the month via Zoom. If you’d like more information about the group, please contact Gary Grafwallner. To receive the Zoom link for each meeting, please contact the respective host.
Collins Summit: Shalom in Divided Times
What does shalom and unity look like in 2020, when racial unrest, political tensions, and COVID-19 have impacted nearly every aspect of our lives? This year at its Collins Summit, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon is asking how we bring our whole selves to the table and stay engaged in light of our differences, not in spite of them.
The Summit will include a lecture from Lisa Sharon Harper, founder and president of FreedomRoad.us and one of today’s leading voices on the topics of poverty, racial and gender justice, and transformational civic engagement.
Register now for the virtual event to be held Wednesday, November 18.
St. Andrew’s Pandemic Protocols
Call or email ahead to arrange building access (even if you have a key).
Sign in at the table in the Narthex.
Wash your hands or use the provided hand sanitzer after signing in.
Wear a mask the entire time you are in the building.
With a third wave of infections sweeping the country, with the advent of flu season and cold temperatures that keep people inside, and with loving care for all members of our community so wearied by this pandemic, it’s more important now than ever to do all we can to protect ourselves and keep each other safe. Stay the course. Maintain the discipline that’s been effective so far.
Please note that the church building remains locked. Even if you have a key, we ask that you call or e-mail the church office to arrange access in advance of coming to St. Andrew. This allows us to monitor occupancy and prevent people from inadvertently interfering with others who need to come to the building to do their work. Please don’t assume you will be the only person inside. Staff continue to adjust their hours to prevent the spread of infection, while providing for online worship means that people are working in the building much of Saturday and Sunday.
When you do visit the building, we ask you to follow the protocols. Put on a mask before you even open the door, sign in at the round table in the Narthex, indicating what rooms you plan to visit, wash your hands, keep your mask on (covering both your mouth and nose) the entire time you’re inside, and remember to sign out at the time you leave. Use your own pen at the sign-in register or take a clean one from the left receptacle and deposit it in the used cup on the right.
We want you to have access to our libraries, to your mailboxes, and to the sacristy to prepare for worship. Individual Nifty Notters have worked in Fellowship Hall to finish projects. But our ministry groups are meeting online because it is so much safer. Be vigilant. Stay well! When we’re able to reopen, we want to welcome each and every one of you back inside the St. Andrew building!
Children’s Sermon: The Oregon White Oak
Editor’s Note: Each week for the next five weeks, you’ll see the previous Sunday’s Children’s Sermon reprinted in Weekly News.
Good morning, boys and girls. My name is Eric Luttrell. Today I will be offering the first of five children’s sermons presented by our Community Carbon yard science team about some special native plants. Native plants are special. They developed in our regional environment, with plants and animals evolving together to develop mutually beneficial relationships. Insects, birds, and mammals evolved interacting with a very large variety of plants, eating those plants and helping those plants with pollination and see dispersal.
This silhouette of the Oregon White Oak is recognizable when we look around the Willamette Valley. You might even recognize some of these trees from your own neighborhood.
It’s easy to see why these majestic, big trees are called canopy trees when they grow up and become adults.
My sermon today is about our native Oregon Oak trees. I am standing here beside Faith, one of two Oregon Oak trees that we recently planted. We are calling the second oak tree Hope. These trees will be the large canopy trees of our Reformation Earth Garden. As they mature, these canopy trees will shade large areas of understory trees and shrubs. We are lucky that we have this large area around our church to plant oaks, as they would become too big for planting in the yards around your house.
To give you an idea about how big Oregon Oak trees can get, this is a photo of an Oregon Oak tree in LuAnn Staul’s yard, so large that not all of it fits in the photo. That’s me standing next to it. This tree is five feet in diameter, about 50 feet tall, and about 300 years old. 300 years ago, when this tree was a sapling like Faith, our United States was just a small colony of the United Kingdom, consisting of 13 sub-colonies located right along the eastern shore of North America. At that time, there would have been no white Europeans in Oregon for at least 50 more years, which was also the time that we declared independence from that United Kingdom.
Oaks of this size and age will be the direct ancestors of many generations of oak trees in an oak grove of many acres. I call them Grandparent Trees. The trees descending from the grandparent trees depended upon someone planting their seeds — what we call acorns. Who does the planting of those acorns? Squirrels. Squirrels like to dig holes and bury acorns for food for next winter. And, amazingly, they remember where they buried those acorns. They remember most of them. If they forget, those acorns will sprout and grow into new oak trees. This means that the oaks and squirrels have a symbiotic relationship—a relationship of mutual benefit. The oaks feed the squirrels and the squirrels plant the oak seeds.
A scrub jay and his acorns.
Now why, specifically are we planting Oregon Oaks? Scientists have discovered that oaks in general are the most important trees upon which caterpillars feed. Caterpillars are the larval stages of butterflies and other insects that feed on tree leaves. And millions and millions and millions of caterpillars are collected every spring by adult songbirds to feed their baby chicks. And the best oak trees for hosting caterpillars are native oak trees, and Oregon Oak is our native oak tree.
While our newly planted Faith and Hope look like tall sticks now, when the young children in our church are in high school, they will be 25 to 35 feet tall, as tall as the back side of the sanctuary. Now it will take some time for our two small oak trees to grow large enough to supply lots and lots of caterpillars for baby birds. While we are waiting, the next best trees for caterpillars are native willow trees. And, lucky for us, we have several hundred native willows in the wetland on our property.
Besides caterpillars to feed baby birds, what else do oaks provide for wildlife? Acorns. All kinds of animals eat acorns—squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and deer.
Oregon White Oak leaves and acorns.
In Oregon and California, the indigenous people (Indians) ate lots of acorns as a nutritious source of fats and carbohydrates. They would leach out the bitter tannins in the acorns, grind them into flour, and make a kind of bread. Since Oregon Oaks were the most common tree in the Willamette Valley (with millions of trees), and since the long-lived oaks had lots of acorns (millions and millions of acorns), acorns were an important native food source along with fish, meat, berries, and mushrooms.
Faith and Hope are the first of many trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses that we will plant in this area around me just outside our back patio. We intend to call this area our Reformation Earth Garden. With time, this garden will be the home of more than 40 different varieties of native plants. And because most of these 40 new varieties are different from the many, many varieties of native plants currently found in our wetland and forest, we are greatly expanding the diversity of our local ecosystem.
We will be planting these native plants as part of our responsibility to improve our environment for all living creatures. With time, we hope that this garden will become part of what Douglas Tallamy in his book Nature’s Best Hope calls America’s Homegrown National Park, with a variety of native plants in every yard.
Eric Luttrell
Pastoral Care
Pastor Mark Brocker is on call Fridays & Saturdays. office: 503-646-0629 ext. 201 cell: 503-502-8762 brockerms@standrewlutheran.com
Both pastors are on call Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
St. Andrew’s Online Book Fair
Seize these days, November 3-7, and support one of St. Andrew’s treasures—our libraries. For five days this coming week, you can shop online at Annie Bloom’s Books, indicate your purchases should benefit St. Andrew, and the bookstore will return 20 percent of the proceeds to our new library leadership team of Pam Farr and Barbara Gutzler so they can purchase new titles for our children’s and adult collections.
You can participate even without an internet connection. Simply call Annie Bloom’s at 503-246-0053 and tell the clerk to credit your purchase to St. Andrew.
If you’re hungry for some satisfying reading over the upcoming months, but don’t know where to start, check out Mary Nell Mahler’s list of some suggested titles below. You’ll see a copy of the book cover on Annie Bloom’s website and you can click on that to read more about the book.
Please remember that you need not limit your shopping to this list, however; the bookstore will use the total amount of your purchase to figure the 20 percent credit it returns to St. Andrew.
YA All of Us with Wings, by Michelle Ruiz Keil F All This Could be Yours, by Jami Attenberg F American Dirt, by Jeanine Cummins NF America’s Religious Wars, by Kathleen M. Sands SS,F And I Do Not Forgive You, by Amber Sparks H And Then You Die of Dysentery, by Lauren Reeves NF The Art of Ramona Quimby, by Anna Katz P,MG The Beadworkers, by Beth Piatote F The Beekeeper of Aleppo, by Christy Lefteri CPB A Big Bed for Little Snow, by Grace Lin F,H The Big Finish, by Brooke Fossey F Big Summer, by Jennifer Weiner CPB Birdsong, by Julie Flett CPB The Birth of Jesus: A Christmas Pop-Up, by Agostino Traini CPB Bitty Brown Babe, by Deborah LeFalle & Keisha Morris F The Boy from the Woods, by Harlan Coben F Chosen Ones, by Veronica Roth F The City We Became, by N.K. Jemisin C Countdown to Christmas, by Mary Manz Simon C Crossing on Time, by David Macaulay NF The Dance of the Dissident Daughter, by Sue Monk Kidd F Disappearing Earth, by Julia Phillips C Double Bass Blues, by Andrea Loney F Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead, by Olga Tokarczuk F The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett F Erasing Memory: A MacNeice Mystery, by Scott Thornley F Faithful Place, by Tana French F The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin C,F Here in the Real World, by Sara Pennypacker Bio His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope, by Jon Meacham NF Keys to Bonhoeffer’s Haus, by Laura Fabrycky CPB Little Mole Finds Hope, by Glenys Nellist F Long Bright River, by Liz Moore CPB Love Is…, by Diane Adams F The Mirror and the Light, by Hilary Mantel C The Night of His Birth, by Katherine Paterson F The Night Watchman, by Louise Erdrich F On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong NF Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West, by David McCullough F Red at the Bone, by Jacqueline Woodson F Redhead by the Side of the Road, by Anne Tyler F Royal Holiday, by Jasmine Guillory NF Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir, by Ruth Reichl CPB The Star in the Christmas Play, by Lynne Marie CPB Summer Song, by Kevin Henkes CPB This Is the Church, by Sarah Raymond Cunningham F A Time for Mercy, by John Grisham NF Trees in Trouble: Wildfires, Infestations, and Climate Change, by Daniel Mathews NF When the Heart Waits, by Sue Monk Kidd CPB Where the Best Stories Hide, by Roman Yasiejko F With the Fire on High, by Elizabeth Acevedo C,NF The World of the Old Testament: A Curious Kid’s Guide to the Bible’s Most Ancient Stories, by Marc Olson
Key: Bio: Biography C: Children’s Book CPB: Children’s Picture Book F: Fic8on H: Humor NF: Nonfic8on P,MG: Poetry, Mixed Genre SS: Short Stories YA: Young Adult
In Need of Prayers…
Family and friends of Patty Werner (sister-in-law)
Peace and God’s comfort at her death
Susan Werner Reiser
Carole Harmon and her family
Peace, comfort, and support as she is in hospice care
Pastor Robyn Hartwig
Jim Smith (brother-in-law) and his family
Peace, comfort, and support as Jim is in hospice care
Mary Smith
Margie Lee (wife)
Strength, comfort, and healing
Robert May
Liz Andersen
Correct diaggnosis, effective treatment, and healing
Liz Andersen
James & Tammy Vogt, Audrey Vogt and Brenna Vogt (parents & sisters)
Healing and recovery from COVID-19
Kyler Vogt
Peter Kindem (uncle)
Healing and recovery from lung transplant
Megan Webber
Debbie (daughter’s friend)
Healing and recovery from open heart surgery
Joanne Zenger
Jane Quigg (sister)
Healing and recovery from hip replacement
Eric & Jan Luttrell
Ellie Prink (aunt)
Healing and recovery for multiple health issues
Carol Hogan
Elaine May
Healing and recovery from knee replacement surgery
Staff
Our nation
Integrity of the election
Staff
The American people
Patience, calm, and safety as we await election results
Staff
Bishop Laurie Larson Caesar Oregon Synod and Staff
Strength and wisdom
Staff
Refugees and Immigrants
Acceptance, safety, and just treatment
Staff
Military Personnel, especially Justina Hailey Hope Brocker, Evan Dahlquist, Dawson Dethlefs, Neil Fiegenbaum, and Jerami Reyna
Courage and protection
Staff
Grace Lutheran Church (Enterprise, OR) Nativity Lutheran Church (Bend, OR)
Our midweek Prayer Services continue into the fall on Wednesday nights via Zoom. The service will focus on our role in creation, with music, prayer, meditations, and scripture.
Join us for any or all of these events. The connection link is sent out Wednesday afternoons, so please watch for it.
Worship Plan
Looking ahead to the coming seasons of the church, the Worship Planning Committee is announcing that current worship practices will continue through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany.
To review, St. Andrew offers livestream worship via YouTube at 8:30 am on Sundays, with worship broadcast via Zoom at 11:00 am. Both services include the opportunity to share in remote Communion. Adult Education classes and gatherings for children, Confirmation students, and high school youth are all offered via Zoom, as is Wednesday Evening Prayer.
People without internet connection are able to listen to a recording of Sunday worship by calling 503-643-9416. Please see “Connecting to Worship at St. Andrew” for details.
Highlights for the Week
Check the church calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Sunday, November 1, All Saints Sunday
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
Sunday School (age 3 – 5th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
Adult Education: The Misery of Job
Zoom
11:00 am
Online Worship
Zoom
12:00 pm
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
12:30 pm
Viewing of “Oregon’s Black Pioneers” (with Reckoning with Racism chort)
Zoom
Tuesday, November 3
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
10::00 am
Worship Planners Meeting
Zoom
Wednesday, November 4 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm
12:30 pm
Bonhoeffer Seminar
Zoom
6:00 pm
Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal
Sanctuary
6:30 pm
Informal Gathering Time
Zoom
7:00 pm
High School Youth Game Night
Zoom
7:00 pm
Wednesday Evening Prayer
Zoom
7:30 pm
Centering Prayer
Zoom
Thursday, November 5
12:00 pm
Team Ministry Meeting
Zoom
7:00 pm
Executive Committee Meeting
Zoom
Friday, November 6
10:00 am
T’ai Chi
former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
Sunday, November 8, Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost
8:30 am
Livestream Worship
YouTube
9:30 am
Virtual Coffee Time
Zoom
10:00 am
Sunday School (age 3 – 5th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)
Zoom
10:00 am
High School Youth Group
Zoom
10:00 am
Adult Education: The Political Responsibility of the Church
