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Preparing for Palm Sunday Worship

March 28 is Palm Sunday—and if you’re missing the chance to wave some greenery during worship, you’ll have a couple of options. Beginning on Thursday, March 25, you will find palm branches outside the front entrance of the church for you to take home. They are first-come, first-served, and we will only have a limited number, so please take only as many as you need.

Several other options are possible, too. Those who are creatively inclined can fashion their own palm branches from paper or other material you may have around the house. Be creative and reuse something that might otherwise go in the trash—then it’s green in more than one way.

But the easiest (and greenest) way to have something to wave for worship is simply to look in your own yard. The Israelites waved palm branches because that was what was most easily available and abundant. Maybe you’ve got an enthusiastic Oregon grape that you can snip a branch from, a bush that needs pruning, or an evergreen happy to donate a small branch or two. Even a humble weed works and is a great reminder that “the Lord has need of it”!

Devotional for Palm Sunday

On March 28, the church begins Holy Week with Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus sat upon the back of a lowly donkey as he made his way into Jerusalem. What a contrast to the Roman ruler who arrived with pomp and circumstance and a great show of power! Jesus is a humble king. This week, poet Mary Oliver turns her attention to that little donkey, reminding us how even the most lowly can play indispensable roles in the grand drama of salvation.

Our Lenten journey continues this week, with devotional readings, meditations, and practices for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday itself. You’ll find it all on the church website, with Oliver’s poems all available online or in her collection of verse titled Devotions.

Centering Prayer

On Wednesday of Holy Week, March 31, we diverge from our normal schedule, moving the gathering for Centering Prayer to 7:00 pm. You’ll receive the Zoom connection link mid-day from Allison Katsufrakis, as usual.

After Easter Sunday, we will return to our earlier schedule, with informal gathering at 6:30 pm, prayer service at 7:00 pm, and centering prayer at 7:30 pm.

Bread for the World (via e-mail)

Ending hunger can start with a letter or e-mail. Each spring St. Andrew members bear witness to our concern for those who suffer from hunger by participating in the Bread for the World annual letter writing campaign.  These letters inspire our leaders in Washington, D.C. to enact policies and pass legislation that will reduce hunger and poverty in the U.S. and the world.

The current legislative priority of Bread for the World is to urge Congress to invest in anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs in response to COVID-19. Because of our persistent advocacy, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The legislation contains numerous provisions that will help people struggling with hunger and poverty. But there is more to do as we continue to address the ripple effects of COVID-19.

 “Speak out for the rights of all who are destitute
Defend the rights of the poor and needy.” 
(Proverbs 31:8-9)

Please join me on Palm Sunday, March 28, 2021 at 10:00 am on Zoom as I provide a tutorial on how to use the Bread for the World website to submit e-mails to our representatives to advocate for specific programs to impact hunger.

If you prefer to send a paper letter instead, you might find the template on page 3 of this newsletter to be a helpful guide for your own message. You will also find names and addresses of our senators and representative on page 3.

LuAnn Staul

Worship Schedule

Palm Sunday, March 28
8:30 am Livestream
11:00 am Zoom

Maundy Thursday, April 1
7:00 pm Zoom

Good Friday, April 2
8:00 pm Livestream

Easter Sunday, April 4
8:30 am Livestream
11:00 am Zoom

Easter Butterflies

Time is almost up! If you’d like to see the butterflies your children created decorating St. Andrew banners on Easter morning, you need to drop them off at church. Please put them in the clear bin to the left of the Narthex doors. With the conclusion of Lent and the butterfly reveal, we also welcome “Hallelujahs” once again!

Lenten Food Drive

With a week left to complete our Lenten Food Drive, you have already contributed $6,407, more than surpassing our goal. These dollars equate to more than 19,000 pounds of food for people who rely on the St. Matthew Food Pantry to meet their nutritional needs. Thank you!

We know that hunger haunts people even in this richest of countries and it will not end when Lent does. So, please continue to consider donating to alleviate hunger right here in our community. Your gifts mean parents’ worries are eased and more people, especially children, are spared the trauma of going to bed hungry.

Donate electronically by logging into your InFellowship account and selecting “Lenten Food Drive” in the drop-down menu. Go to the church website and click on Give to begin.

Treasurer Needed

St. Andrew’s Financial Committee is searching for a Treasurer. At the end of June 2021, Anne Newell will be stepping down from that role to pursue new activities. We’re looking for someone to step into her shoes and we’re hoping someone in the congregation will be “willing and able.”

Whether one person or a team step forward, we’ll train and assist you in taking over this important function for our church. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to serve. Call Anne Newell at 503-781-9076 for more information.

A Prayer for the Week

God of glory, God of love,
help me praise you today
in all I do and say.
Amen.

Celebrating a Century!

Betty Horst turns 100 on April 6. Please help her celebrate by sending her a note or card in remembrance of this special day. Imagine all that Betty has seen and done in her lifetime! Address your mail to: Betty Horst, 5720 SW 203rd Ave, Aloha, OR 97078.

Online Giving Update

The online giving page has been updated so it will look a little different, but your login information remains the same. Find the link to the new online giving page, watch helpful videos, and more on the church website under Give.

Bach-a-Thon

The Portland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is presenting its annual Bachathon virtually on Sunday, March 28, at 2:00 pm.

This three-hour program of the organ works of J. S. Bach is free and open to the public; access is via Portland’s American Guild of Organists website  and is a fundraiser for its scholarship program. The Portland AGO awards scholarships to students for the study of the organ with an emphasis on service playing.

During the Bachathon, chapter members, friends, and relatives will perform on nine organs, three pianos, two flutes, cello, violin, and voice. For more information, go to

Portlandago.org.

April Movie Night: My Octopus Teacher

Since April 22 is Earth Day, our Movie Night on Friday, April 23, will feature a film that shows a beautiful confluence of people and nature: My Octopus Teacher. This documentary was shot in a kelp forest in South Africa and introduces the viewer to the flora and fauna to be found there. In particular, we meet a very special octopus and watch her interactions with the diver. As Craig, the diver expressed, “What she taught me to feel is that you’re a part of this place, not just a visitor.”

Stream the documentary on Netflix and then meet with your St. Andrew friends on Zoom on Friday, April 23, at 7:00 pm. Bring out the popcorn, gather round your computer screen, and let’s talk about what we liked and didn’t like about this movie.

You’ll find the Movie Night Zoom link in Carol Harker’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, April 23. Any questions: contact Mary Smith.

Bread for the World

 “Speak out for the rights of all who are destitute.
Defend the rights of the poor and needy.” 
(Proverbs 31:8-9)

This is the time of year we dedicate ourselves to writing our representatives in the U.S. Congress regarding our support of compassionate food policy for people in our country and abroad.

If you prefer to handwrite or type a letter to each Representative and both Senators, the following template offers a good place to start. Feel free to modify it as you wish:

[Date]

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici
2231 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Senator Merkle
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Senator Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator__________________, 
Dear Representative_____________________,

Hunger is reaching historic levels. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate communities across the United States with a disproportionate impact on Black, Latino, and Native American families and immigrants, and worsening the effects of hunger and poverty around the globe.

The pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in our safety net and food systems. And child hunger in both the U.S. and abroad has skyrocketed. Specifically, Congress should:

Make the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in the American Rescue Plan permanent and available to all children regardless of immigration status. The CTC expansion would move millions of children out of poverty, as well as help reduce hunger and narrow the racial wealth gap exacerbated by unemployment as a result of COVID-19.

Increase U.S. leadership and funding for global nutrition programs without which an entire generation may be denied of their God-given right to flourish.

Now more than ever, my faith calls me to stand alongside those in my community and around the world who have been impacted the most by the global pandemic. Let us work together to ensure U.S. policies help people move out of poverty and feed their families in the U.S. and around the world.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Once you have submitted letters please let me know who you sent letters to  (e-mail ljstaul@gmail.com ) so I may track this advocacy on the part of St Andrew. 

 

Yours in Christ,
LuAnn Staul
St Andrew Service Committee

Still Looking for Your 2020 Giving Statement

Our new giving platform does not have a print feature for each account. Don’t worry. Simply send your request to the Financial Secretaries at financial-secretary@standrewlutheran.com and you will receive a statement copy via e-mail.

  

We understand how important your request is during tax season.  Since Financial Secretaries are volunteers, we’ll reply within 7 days or as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

Within your own account, you can continue to look online at both your giving history and your Year-to-Date donations. Beginning next January, we will complete a mass e-mail distribution for each individual contribution statement by February 1.

Thank you for your continued support of the Ministry and Mission of St. Andrew Lutheran Church.

Blessings,
Financial Secretaries of SALC

Narthex Greeters

As many of you know, we are taking baby steps in a logical progression toward reopening the church. Beginning April 13, Narthex Greeters will be on hand during office hours (9:00 am-4:00 pm, Tuesday-Friday) to help the transition.

Many thanks to those who jumped at the chance to return to our church building as Narthex Greeters. The Thursday morning and Friday afternoon slots remain open if you have an interest. Simply call the church office to sign up. We will also need a list of back-up greeters to accommodate normal disruptions that will arise.

To review, we are looking for fully vaccinated volunteers to spend half a day in the Narthex each week, answering the phone, greeting people, ensuring they follow the protocols, and helping them get the information or make the contacts they seek.

We encourage both men and women, individuals, friends, and couples to consider whether this volunteer opportunity would interest them. If you receive your final vaccination on or before March 31, you would qualify to participate. Thank you for considering becoming a part of this welcoming ministry.

We are looking for people to make a regular commitment—for instance, coming in regularly on Tuesday afternoons, Friday mornings, etc. And don’t worry about not knowing everything about St. Andrew—we’ll provide support and guidance. Bring a book along to read, visit with friends, get some knitting done, see old friends and meet new ones.

The Flames of Climate Change

Personally, I’m afraid of fire. I don’t like it, rather not think about it. But this guy Daniel Mathews makes an awfully food case for it in his book, Trees in Trouble: Wildfires, Infestations, and Climate Change (call number 634.90978). It’s a well written book. I read the whole thing with no trouble and no slackening of interest. Check it out and see if he confirms your feelings or changes your mind about fire and clear-cuts and forest management.

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

Back to School, with Thanks

Dear Friends of the Community Transitional School,

For nearly a year, we’ve been waiting and planning for today, March 1, the first day students returned to CTS since all Oregon schools were closed on March 13 a year ago. It was a beautiful sunny morning and, as I have every first day of school since we moved to our permanent home in 2008, I stood at the front entrance watching, eager and a bit anxious, as the first of three buses arrived and the first group of students spilled out. Many, who attended CTS last year before we closed, were smiling and eager. Some who have been enrolled in our remote program but hadn’t been to the school before, were shy and tentative. And one 4-year-old attending Pre-K for the first time, burst into tears when she got off the bus and had to be consoled by her older sister.

In keeping with the governor’s guidelines, we’d spent weeks preparing for this day while maintaining our remote-learning program (twice-daily delivery and collection of school work along with the delivery of breakfast and lunch to our students wherever they lived). Now, at last, it had arrived, and we were ready.

With the exception of Tran, our new secretary, everyone on the staff, including bus drivers and support staff, has received two doses of a COVID vaccine. All desks in all classrooms have been positioned 6 feet apart. And at all times, staff, visitors, and students 5 years and older are required to wear masks in the building, on the buses, and on the playground. It’s not the way it used to be, or the way we hope it will be when the next school year begins, but at least our students are back in school and that’s what counts. During this first week, they will only attend half-day, from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm, allowing us and them to get comfortable within the constraints imposed by the guidelines. We will begin full-day sessions (8:30 am to 3:00 pm) next Monday. That’s when the real challenge will begin.

During a normal academic year, a majority of our students don’t attend summer school, and when they return in the fall it typically takes them some time to get back into the habit of learning and back to the level they were at when school ended in the spring. Despite our best efforts to teach them remotely, it’s clear that many of the students—in my class, at least—who were already below grade level last year have fallen even farther behind. We had anticipated that would be the case, and plan to address it by extending the school year through July 28, with full-time sessions four days a week during the last six weeks. With a concerted effort on their part and ours, we believe most of them can regain some lost ground and return in the fall better equipped and motivated to take on the challenge of a new school year.

Adding another six weeks to the current academic year will place an extra burden on this year’s budget. Happily, your belief in our mission, your faith in our program, and your generosity this year and in the past have provided the resources necessary to fund this added investment in our students’ futures.

On behalf of the CTS Board, the staff, and especially our students, I want to thank you again for your ongoing support.

Sincerely,
Cheryl M. Bickle
Principal & 5th-3rd Grade Teacher

New Books in Our Adult Library

Fiction

Once Upon a River, by Diane Setterfield

A Long Petal of the Sea, by Isabel Allende

A Better Man, by Louise Penny

The Murmur of Bees, by Sofia Segovia

Non-Fiction

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations,
by Mira Jacob (YA)

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America,
by Ibram X. Kendi

Christ in Crisis: Why We Need to Reclaim Jesus,
by Jim Wallis

The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World,
by Melinda Gates

Trees in Trouble: Wildfires, Infestations, and Climate Change,
by Daniel Mathews

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America,
by Richard Rothstein

Save the Date

Do you enjoy talking with people on the phone? Or are you more of a note-writer?  St. Andrew’s MACG Core Team invites you to a Zoom gathering on the afternoon of Sunday, April 18. Please plan to join us in an effort to contact as many members of our St. Andrew community as possible. Details will be coming soon, but for now please mark your calendar and think about who you miss seeing in the Narthex on Sunday mornings.

Habitat’s Hope Builder Breakfast

You are invited to join us for this year’s Habitat for Humanity event, which is being held virtually because of  the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the upheaval the past year has wrought, the building of homes for hard-working families, who are in many cases living in unsafe, unhealthy, and unaffordable housing, goes on. The keynote speaker for our 2021 event is TV journalist, former news anchor, and international correspondent Ann Curry.

Join us virtually on Wednesday, April 28, at 8:00 am. Register for free at Bit.ly/HopeBuilder 2021.

If you have questions, please contact Dan Fako at 503-626-3414 or at dan43theman@comcast.net.

In Need of Prayers…

If you know someone in need of prayers, please contact the church office by phone at 503-646-0629 or email office@standrewlutheran.com Tuesday-Friday, prayerchain@standrewlutheran.com Saturday-Monday.

Family and friends of Bill Branch	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Linda Fransen
Family and friends of Carol Hudspeth	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Dan & Sharon Bako
Judy Deal	Healing and recovery from shoulder surgery	Judy Deal
Carol Means	Strength and effective treatment for cancer	Carol Means
Gary Grafwallner	Healing and recovery from Bell’s palsy	Gary Grafwallner
Ruth Gunther	Healing and recovery from broken ribs	Fran Miller
Nan Thompson	Good results from chemotherapy	Nan Thompson
Carol Hogan	Good test results	Carol Hogan
Madeleine (granddaughter)	Effective treatment, healing, and recovery	Mary Smith
Bobbie Larson	Effective treatment and healing	Bobbie Larson
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Jan Smith & Sue Cahlander	Safe travels to California and back	Jan Smith & Sue Cahlander
Mark & Joselle Gallis Hall	Healthy pregnancy and safe delivery	Mary Nell Mahler
Roland Andrew Gladhill (grandson)	Thanksgiving for a joyful birth	Richard & Kristie Gladhill
Phyllis Smith (sister-in-law)	Thanksgiving for successful aneurysm surgery	Mary Smith
Victims of hate crimes and gun violence	Protection and peace	Staff
Federal and state lawmakers	Discernment and courage to face national challenges	Staff
Those confined to their homes	Assurance of God’s presence	Staff
Tandy Brooks David Bumgardner Vic Claar Ian MacDonald Marvel Lund Gary Magnuson Hugh Mason Brian McKiernan Ed Pacey Corky Poppert Jolie Reyna Shane Throckmorton Gary Tubbs
Bishop Elizabeth Eaton	Wisdom and discernment	Staff
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America	Blessings on our ministry	Staff
Taiwan Lutheran Church	Strength and wisdom	Staff
Gethsemane Lutheran Church (Portland, OR) Augustana Lutheran Church (Portland, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Muslim Educational Trust (Tigard, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

Finding Home

Living Lutheran magazine will be featuring Julie Aageson’s recent book, Finding Home, in its April issue. In this thoughtful volume, Julie explores what home is and why we all need the haven it should provide. If you’d like to read her lovely essays, the book is now available for $17. You can request a copy from the author (jaageson@cord.edu), or purchase it from the publisher (https://wipfandstock.com). The book can also be ordered from Amazon.

Julie’s earlier books are also available from the same sources: Holy Ground: An Alphabet of Prayer for $18 and Benedictions: 26 Reflections for $15. Once you’ve discovered the peace that comes from reading Julie’s work, you’re likely to return often for the confident comfort and inspiration that she shares.

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Preparing for Easter Sunday

April 4, 2021

First Reading: Acts 10:34-43
Gospel: Mark 16:1-8

Go to the “Preparing for Worship” webpage for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.

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Highlights for the Week

Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, March 28, Palm Sunday

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Bread for the World Tutorial with LuAnn Staul	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation: Bread for the World	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group: Bread for the World	—
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
12:30 pm	Earth Camp Meeting	Zoom

Tuesday, March 30

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Wednesday, March 31 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

6:30 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom
7:00 pm	High School Youth Hangout	Zoom

Thursday, April 1

12:00 pm	Staff Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Maundy Thursday Worship	Zoom

Friday, April 2

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

8:00 pm

Good Friday Worship

YouTube

Sunday, April 4, Easter Sunday

8:15 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:45 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

Want a printed copy of the Weekly News? Click on the printer icon to the right or download and print the PDF.

March Movie Night: Fiddler on the Roof

Tonight, Friday, March 19, we gather to discuss the timeless classic, Fiddler on the Roof, via Zoom. This film brings together so many themes: family, tradition, repression, prejudice and diaspora. Moments of joy are mixed with moments of pathos, with a background of the beautiful music so many of us have loved for years. 

Connect via the link in the attached e-mail. If you have questions, please contact Mary Smith.

Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches

Sunday, March 21–10:00 am

Paul Navarre concludes his exploration of some of the most interesting worship places he knows this Sunday. We’ve been to Paris, Trier, and Chartres, as well as several other churches, chapels, and cathedrals. Remember that if you’ve missed earlier classes, you can watch recordings of those on the church website.

The Fifth Sunday of Lent

On March 21, the church will mark the Fifth Sunday of Lent. This week, we focus on mindfulness as we contemplate what our lives would be like if God’s law were “written on our hearts.” The prophet Jeremiah foresees that such days “are surely coming,” bu while we wait we can learn from the Spirit through a thousand teachers among us.

Think of children, whose natural spontaneity expresses genuine wonder at the marvels around them. And Mary Oliver’s verse this week focuses on the delight she experiences when she notices miracles in her neighborhood. “The witchery of living is my whole conversation with you,” she writes in “To Begin With, the Sweet Grass.”

When we set aside things that distract or distress us, we can recognize marvels we would otherwise miss.

A Prayer for the Week

God of wonder and delight,
help us notice the miraculous,
today and every day.
Write your law
on our hearts.
Amen.

Wednesday Evening Prayer for Lent

Focusing on a psalm of praise, Psalm 150, Gary Grafwallner will provide the meditation for Wednesday Evening Prayer on Wednesday, March 24, at 7:00 pm. See the full Lent and Holy Week schedule on the Worship page of the website.

Our Wednesday evening schedule remains as follows:

Watch for the Zoom link in you inbox mid-day Wednesday.

Spirituality Book Group

On Sunday, March 21, the Spirituality Book Group will meet on Zoom at 3:00 pm to discuss The Moment of Lift, by Melinda Gates. “In this candid and inspiring book,” a Goodreads review says, “Gates traces her awakening to the link between women’s empowerment and the health of societies. She shows some of the tremendous opportunities that exist right now to ‘turbo-charge’ change. And she provides simple and effective ways each one of us can make a difference.”

The Zoom link will be sent 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 join in this discussion, please contact Mary Smith at dbits1@gmail.com.

Future Reading

Kid Craft: Butterflies

St. Andrew wants to decorate its Easter banners with butterflies and we need help from all the kids in the congregation. It’s time to get creative with paper and markers or some other materials and make a bunch of butterflies. Simply drop them off in the bin to the left of the Narthex doors and you’ll see them again on Easter. Thank you!

Lenten Food Drive

With two weeks to go before the conclusion of our Lenten Food Drive, you have already surpassed this year’s goal! Yes, as of Wednesday this week, $5,898 has been donated to help feed people who rely on the St. Matthew Food Pantry to meet their nutritional needs. Thank you!

We know that hunger haunts people even in this richest of countries and it will not end when Lent does. So, please continue to consider donating to alleviate hunger right here in our community. Your gifts mean parents’ worries are eased and more people, especially children, are spared the trauma of going to bed hungry.

Donate electronically by logging into your InFellowship account and selecting “Lenten Food Drive” in the drop-down menu. Go to the church website and click on Give to begin.

Treasurer Needed

St. Andrew’s Financial Committee is searching for a Treasurer. At the end of June 2021, Anne Newell will be stepping down from that role to pursue new activities. We’re looking for someone to step into her shoes and we’re hoping someone in the congregation will be “willing and able.”

Whether one person or a team step forward, we’ll train and assist you in taking over this important function for our church. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to serve. Call Anne Newell at 503-781-9076 for more information.

Online Giving Update

The online giving page has been updated so it will look a little different, but your login information remains the same. Find the link to the new online giving page, watch helpful videos, and more on the church website under Give.

Bach-a-Thon

The Portland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is presenting its annual Bachathon virtually on Sunday, March 28, at 2:00 pm.

This three-hour program of the organ works of J. S. Bach is free and open to the public; access is via Portland’s American Guild of Organists website  and is a fundraiser for its scholarship program. The Portland AGO awards scholarships to students for the study of the organ with an emphasis on service playing.

During the Bachathon, chapter members, friends, and relatives will perform on nine organs, three pianos, two flutes, cello, violin, and voice. For more information, go to

Portlandago.org.

2021 Mental Health Tips from the Caring Ministries Team

Last week I wrote about Expectations and Acceptance. Piggybacking on those themes is the concept of resilience which can be described as emotional strength. Resilience is the ability to respond, adapt to, and eventually recover from adverse events or experiences. While many factors contribute to emotional resilience, one of its prominent characteristics is the ability to tolerate the emotional distress associated with life’s difficulties. Tolerating emotional distress is like strengthening our emotional “muscles.” This helps us find meaning in the midst of struggle and provides hope to keep going. One way we’ve been encouraged by our St Andrew community to tolerate distress during the pandemic has been to share “unexpected gifts” we’ve received in addition to the many challenges we have each faced.. One of the unexpected gifts for me has been the opportunity to “attend” virtual kindergarten with my 6-year-old grandson, Owen, two days a week. His parents, like many others, are balancing full-time jobs while supervising distance learning. I have been excited to learn that resilience is now a prominent theme being taught at this early age! Many of the messages we hear from significant attachment figures like family members, teachers, and caregivers are internalized as we grow up and may or may not build resilience. Being aware of those messages provides us with the opportunity to reaffirm or replace them as we navigate challenges along the way. Here are a few of the Resilience Building phrases that Owen and I have been learning.

I/We can do hard things. Making mistakes helps our brains to grow. Never give up.

As part of the baby boom generation, resilience was not as explicitly a part of the official school curriculum that I can remember. However, I do remember several people who powerfully modeled resilience through their words and actions. Let’s continue to encourage each other to grow in our ability to be resilient.

I invite you to also reflect on these specific behaviors for intentionally building resilience:

1) Try new things that move you out of your comfort zone.
2) Make connections with someone regularly.
3) Name your feelings.
4) Say YES to the offer of support or help.
5) Practice one positive affirmation like “I can do hard things.”
6) Take care of yourself with healthy food, plenty of sleep, and physical movement.
7) Set a goal, however small, and give yourself credit for accomplishing it.
8) Focus on Gratitude.

For Reflection:

What is one resilience building message that encourages you when tolerating distress? Is there a resilience building behavior that you feel nudged to practice? Name a person who has been a model of resilience for you. Share your thoughts with that person or a friend.

Michelle Sinn

Celebrating a Century!

Betty Horst turns 100 on April 6. Please help her celebrate by sending her a note or card in remembrance of this special day. Imagine all that Betty has seen and done in her lifetime! Address your mail to: Betty Horst, 5720 SW 203rd Ave, Aloha, OR 97078.

Preparing for Palm Sunday Worship

March 28 is Palm Sunday—and if you’re missing the chance to wave some greenery during worship, you’ll have a couple of options. Beginning on Thursday, March 25, you will find palm branches outside the front entrance of the church for you to take home. They are first-come, first-served, and we will only have a limited number, so please take only as many as you need.

Several other options are possible, too. Those who are creatively inclined can fashion their own palm branches from paper or other material you may have around the house. Be creative and reuse something that might otherwise go in the trash—then it’s green in more than one way.

But the easiest (and greenest) way to have something to wave for worship is simply to look in your own yard. The Israelites waved palm branches because that was what was most easily available and abundant. Maybe you’ve got an enthusiastic Oregon grape that you can snip a branch from, a bush that needs pruning, or an evergreen happy to donate a small branch or two. Even a humble weed works and is a great reminder that “the Lord has need of it”!

Save the Date

Do you enjoy talking with people on the phone? Or are you more of a note-writer?  St. Andrew’s MACG Core Team invites you to a Zoom gathering on the afternoon of Sunday, April 18. Please plan to join us in an effort to contact as many members of our St. Andrew community as possible. Details will be coming soon, but for now please mark your calendar and think about who you miss seeing in the Narthex on Sunday mornings.

Bread for the World

Ending hunger can start with a letter or e-mail. Each spring St. Andrew members bear witness to our concern for those who suffer from hunger by participating in the Bread for the World annual letter writing campaign.  These letters inspire our leaders in Washington D.C. to enact policies and pass legislation that will reduce hunger and poverty in the U.S. and the world. 

The current legislative priority of Bread for the World is to urge Congress to invest in anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs in response to COVID-19.  Because of our persistent advocacy, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The legislation contains numerous provisions that will help people struggling with hunger and poverty. But there is more to do as we continue to address the ripple effects of COVID-19.

“Speak out for the rights of all who are destitute.
Defend the rights of the poor and needy.” 
(Proverbs 31:8-9)

Please join me on Palm Sunday, March 28, 2021 at 10:00 am on Zoom as I provide a tutorial on how to use the Bread for the World website to submit e-mails to our representatives to advocate for specific programs to impact hunger. 

If you prefer you may handwrite or type a letter to each Representative and both Senators. Following is a template for you to use or modify as you wish:

[Date]

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici
2231 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Senator Merkle
313 Hart Senate Office Buildin
Washington, DC 20510

Senator Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator__________________,
Dear Representative_____________________,

Hunger is reaching historic levels. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate communities across the United States with a disproportionate impact on Black, Latino, and Native American families and immigrants, and worsening the effects of hunger and poverty around the globe.

The pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in our safety net and food systems. And child hunger in both the U.S. and abroad has skyrocketed. Specifically, Congress should:

*Make the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in the American Rescue Plan permanent and available to all children regardless of immigration status. The CTC expansion would move millions of children out of poverty, as well as help reduce hunger and narrow the racial wealth gap exacerbated by unemployment as a result of COVID-19.

*Increase U.S. leadership and funding for global nutrition programs without which an entire generation may be denied of their God-given right to flourish.

Now more than ever, my faith calls me to stand alongside those in my community and around the world who have been impacted the most by the global pandemic. Let us work together to ensure U.S. policies help people move out of poverty and feed their families in the U.S. and around the world.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Once you have submitted letters please let me know who you sent letters to  (e-mail ljstaul@gmail.com ) so I may track this advocacy on the part of St Andrew.

Yours in Christ,
LuAnn Staul
St. Andrew Service Committee

Introducing Narthex Greeters

Many thanks to those who jumped at the chance to return to our church building as Narthex Greeters beginning April 13. Already both Tuesday and Wednesday are completely covered.

To review, we are looking for fully vaccinated volunteers to spend half a day in the Narthex each week, answering the phone, greeting people, ensuring they follow the protocols, and helping them get the information or make the contacts they seek.

Narthex Greeters will be on duty either 9:00 am-12:30 pm or 12:30 pm-4:00 pm, Tuesday-Friday. Right now, only Thursday and Friday slots are open, but backup volunteers are welcome, too, to step in when others cannot. If you’re at all interested, please contact the church office for more information and to sign up. We are looking for people to make a regular commitment—for instance, coming in regularly on Tuesday afternoons, Friday mornings, etc. Bring a book along to read, visit with friends, get some knitting done.

We encourage both men and women, individuals, friends, and couples to consider whether this volunteer opportunity would interest them. If you receive your final vaccination on or before March 31, you would qualify to participate. Thank you for considering becoming a part of this welcoming ministry.

Worship Schedule

Palm Sunday, March 28
8:30 am Livestream
11:00 am Zoom

Maundy Thursday, April 1
7:00 pm Zoom

Good Friday, April 2
8:00 pm Livestream

Easter Sunday, April 4
8:30 am Livestream
11:00 am Zoom

In Need of Prayers…

Judy Deal	Healing and recovery from shoulder surgery	Judy Deal
Carol Means	Strength and effective treatment for cancer	Carol Means
Nan Thompson	Good results from chemotherapy	Nan Thompson
Bobbie Larson	Effective treatment and healing	Bobbie Larson
Frannie Gladhill	Healthy pregnancy and safe delivery	Kristie Gladhill
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Jan Smith & Sue Cahlander	Safe travels to California and back	Jan Smith & Sue Cahlander
Phyllis Smith (sister-in-law)	Thanksgiving for successful aneurysm surgery	Mary Smith
Victims of hate crimes	Protection and peace	Staff
Those confined to their homes	Assurance of God’s presence	Staff
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
All who are imprisoned	Peace and strength	Staff
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon Holy Trinity Catholic Church	Blessings on their work	Staff
First Lutheran Lutheran Church (St. Helens, OR) Bethany Lutheran Church (Warren, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Golden Temple of OR (Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

If you know someone in need of prayers, please contact the church office by phone at 503-646-0629 or email office@standrewlutheran.com Tuesday-Friday, prayerchain@standrewlutheran.com Saturday-Monday.

Table Talk: Finding Your Roots, St. Andrew!

Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:30 pm via Zoom

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, led by St. Andrew’s Reckoning with Racism cohort. It will be held via Zoom on Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:30 pm.

Reckoning with Racism is a nine-month journey focused on systemic racism. It is sponsored by The Common Table of Oregon. People of faith have been invited from across the state into a deliberate process of addressing racism inside our faith community or institution and out in the public square.

As part of this journey, our St. Andrew Reckoning with Racism cohort has been looking deeply into the history of our congregation. Have you ever wondered about the land that St. Andrew sits on? What was here and who was here 250 years ago on this land? What chain of historical events led to our acquisition of this land in 1957? We’ve been looking at the land and the history of St. Andrew—how the Native Americans lived, who were the first settlers, and how we acquired and stewarded the land. You are invited to come and learn and to share your stories!

Finding Home

Living Lutheran magazine will be featuring Julie Aageson’s recent book, Finding Home, in its April issue. In this thoughtful volume, Julie explores what home is and why we all need the haven it should provide. If you’d like to read her lovely essays, the book is now available for $17. You can request a copy from the author (jaageson@cord.edu), or purchase it from the publisher (https://wipfandstock.com). The book can also be ordered from Amazon.

Julie’s earlier books are also available from the same sources: Holy Ground: An Alphabet of Prayer for $18 and Benedictions: 26 Reflections for $15. Once you’ve discovered the peace that comes from reading Julie’s work, you’re likely to return often for the confident comfort and inspiration that she shares.

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Preparing for Palm Sunday

March 14, 2021

Processional Gospel: Mark 11:1-11
First Reading: Philippians 2:5-11
Second Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a

Go to the “Preparing for Worship” webpage for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.

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Highlights for the Week

Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, March 21, Fifth Sunday of Lent

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	—
10:00 am	Adult Ed: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Tuesday, March 23

10:00 am	T’ai Chi	former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
12:15 pm	Community Carbon Leadership Meeting	Zoom

Wednesday, March 24 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

6:30 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Lenten Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, March 25

12:00 pm	Staff Meeting	Zoom
2:30 pm	Communications Committee Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	IT Meeting	Off Site
7:00 pm	Table Talk: Finding Your Roots, St. Andrew!	Zoom

Friday, March 26

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, March 28: Palm Sunday

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Bread for the World Tutorial with LuAnn Staul	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation: Bread for the World	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group: Bread for the World	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!

Want a printed copy of the Weekly News? Click on the printer icon to the right or download and print the PDF.

Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches

Paul Navarre continues taking us along on his exploration of some of the most interesting worship places he knows. We’ve been to Paris, Trier, and Chartres, as well as a few other places, and we have two weeks left to discover the history, art, and architecture of churches, chapels, and cathedrals.

If you’ve missed earlier classes, you can watch recordings of those on the church website.

The Fourth Sunday of Lent

On March 14, the church will mark the Fourth Sunday of Lent. The poems referred to in our Lenten Devotional this coming week help us to see the world as God does and to consider the shape of our souls. In “Some Questions You Might Ask,” Mary Oliver says,

“The face of the moose is as sad

as the face of Jesus.”

Does the moose have a soul? Are humans the only living things so blessed?

When Mary Oliver watches a swan in flight, she sees a white cross. She doesn’t just watch; she sees the world through a God-given lens. Although the poet is no longer living among us, perhaps she is seeing still and commenting on the beauty she finds.

Wednesday Evening Prayer for Lent

Focusing on a psalm of trust, Psalm 148, Karen Klingelhafer will provide the meditation for Wednesday Evening Prayer on Wednesday, March 17, at 7:00 pm. See the full Lent and Holy Week schedule on the Worship page of the website.

Our Wednesday evening schedule remains as follows:

Watch for the Zoom link in you inbox mid-day Wednesday.

Time to Change Our Clocks

It’s time to advance time an hour this weekend, so be sure to move your clocks ahead before going to bed on Saturday night. For Oregonians, this may be the last time we need to participate in the ritual!

Kid Craft: Butterflies

St. Andrew wants to decorate its Easter banners with butterflies and we need help from all the kids in the congregation. It’s time to get creative with paper and markers or some other materials and make a bunch of butterflies. Simply drop them off in the bin to the left of the Narthex doors and you’ll see them again on Easter. Thank you!

Lenten Food Drive

We know how to do this! Despite a pandemic that kept us away from the church building, last year’s Lenten Food Drive was more successful than ever as members of the congregation generously contributed cash to help feed those people around us living without reliable sources of food.

Our goal in 2021 is to raise the equivalent of six tons, or 12,000 pounds, of food. You’ll remember that each dollar given equals three pounds of food. In other words, if we can accrue donations totaling $4,000, we will meet our goal and take a significant step toward providing the comfort of food security for our neighbors.

It’s easy to donate electronically by logging into your online account (note: it will look different, but your login credentials are the same) and selecting “Lenten Food Drive” in the drop-down menu. Go to the church website and click on Give to begin.

Treasurer Needed

St. Andrew’s Financial Committee is searching for a Treasurer. At the end of June 2021, Anne Newell will be stepping down from that role to pursue new activities. We’re looking for someone to step into her shoes and we’re hoping someone in the congregation will be “willing and able.”

Whether one person or a team step forward, we’ll train and assist you in taking over this important function for our church. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to serve. Call Anne Newell at 503-781-9076 for more information.

Online Giving Update

The online giving page has been updated so it will look a little different, but your login information remains the same. Find the link to the new online giving page, watch helpful videos, and more on the church website under Give.

March Movie Night: Fiddler on the Roof

This month, we invite you to enjoy the timeless classic, Fiddler on the Roof.

This film brings together so many themes: family, tradition, repression, prejudice and diaspora. Moments of joy are mixed with moments of pathos, with a background of the beautiful music so many of us have loved for years. 

You can stream this film on Netflix, then meet with us via Zoom on Friday, March 19, at 7:00 p.m. Bring out the pop-corn and gather around your computer screens as we talk about what we liked (and didn’t like) about the movie.

You’ll find the Zoom link for this Movie Night in Carol’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, March 19.

Any questions: Contact Mary Smith.

Bach-a-Thon

The Portland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is presenting its annual Bachathon virtually on Sunday, March 28, at 2:00 pm.

This three-hour program of the organ works of J. S. Bach is free and open to the public; access is via Portland’s American Guild of Organists website  and is a fundraiser for its scholarship program. The Portland AGO awards scholarships to students for the study of the organ with an emphasis on service playing.

During the Bachathon, chapter members, friends, and relatives will perform on nine organs, three pianos, two flutes, cello, violin, and voice. For more information, go to

Portlandago.org.

2021 Mental Health Tips from the Caring Ministries Team

It’s hard to believe we have been practicing public safety measures for over a year! As we continue to do everything we can to physically protect ourselves and others, the Caring Ministry Team would again like to offer some thoughts for your mental health reflection.

Before I introduce the theme below, let me offer a review: Last May, I began by introducing the benefit of practicing small, frequent doses of Calming Behaviors like deep breathing, listening to music, or walking in nature as ways to foster Emotional Regulation. Week two encouraged the practice of putting boundaries on the information we receive and remembering the timeless messages of hope called Scripts of Reassurance that can help encourage us in difficult times. Identifying and acknowledging our feelings by Naming Emotions, described in week three, gives feelings motion to move through us. All of these small practices combined help us to more frequently function within our individual Windows of Tolerance. Finally, Cultivating Compassion for ourselves and others helps us acknowledge our shared humanity and motivates us to put our feelings of empathy for those who are suffering into action.

Expectations and Reflection:

Our Expectations can also greatly affect our mental and emotional health. We often expect that something will happen or someone will behave in the way we desire and when expectations are not met, we struggle. Expectations can sometimes be identified by noticing the words “should” or “shouldn’t.” Here is an example. This pandemic shouldn’t be continuing! We should be back to normal by now! I can’t stand this! Many expectations can motivate us to work for justice or positive change. However, the expectation used in this example conveys a refusal to acknowledge reality and can fuel feelings of frustration and powerlessness.

Acceptance is a mindfulness concept and an attitude that acknowledges what is happening even though we may not like it, approve of, or condone it in any way. We let go of the expectation that things are not the way we expect they should be. We acknowledge the reality of the situation and our feelings about it. Here is an example. This pandemic is hard and I don’t like that it is continuing! I know I’m not alone in feeling this way. How might I make it a little more tolerable for me and those around me today? As implied in the example, acceptance has another benefit. Acceptance can be empowering, allowing us to claim whatever choices may be in our control.

For Reflection:

How have your expectations changed over the past year? When have you been aware of a shift from struggle toward acceptance?

Michelle Sinn

Free Online Concert for Hopewell House

Since Hopewell House, the only residential hospice in Portland, closed in the fall of 2019, Friends of Hopewell House have been working to save it.

On Saturday, March 20, at 7:00 pm, everyone is invited to enjoy Stream of Hope, a free benefit concert produced and hosted by Alberta Rose Theatre and featuring many of Oregon’s top artists. Donations are not required, but if you feel moved to donate, funds raised will go toward the purchase and reopening of Hopewell House.

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Bird Boxes

I bought a bird box two years ago and installed it on a branch of a tree in my backyard. Not knowing much about bird houses, I first went to Portland Audubon and Backyard Bird shop to ask some questions—like, how do you know what kind to buy? What size is best? What will attract the birds to actually move in, build a nest, lay eggs, and raise their young?

I learned that size is an important factor. The first question asked of me was, “What birds typically live in your yard?” When I responded that I have a lot of chickadees, I was escorted to the boxes for chickadees and wrens. The holes are just the right dimensions for those little birds to pop in and out. And predator birds that are bigger just can’t fit through the opening. Hence the little bird family can be safe and sound inside their little nest. So, I bought a chickadee and wren house.

A small branch in a tree worked well for hanging. Since I also wanted some entertainment for myself and my (indoor only) cats, I selected a branch that is just outside a window, within easy view. And the bird box was hung early last February.

I kept my eye on it, not knowing what to expect. A few months later, I saw a pair of chickadees standing on the roof and hopping around on the branches nearby. Within a few days, I noticed them going in and out of the house with little bits of vegetation. Ah ha! A nest! The cats and I became interested.

As the days went on, the activity picked up with lots of swooping in and out. And then it became frantic, with adult birds arriving moments apart with worms hanging out of their mouths. The babies were there!

Since then, I’ve learned that the worms come from nearby native oak trees, ready to be served up to those hungry offspring. So, this can’t happen until those trees have leafed out and attracted these delicious morsels for the baby birds to gobble down.

I waited to see them fledge, but I never saw it happen. Someone told me that they fledge fast, so I missed it. But, activity ceased almost overnight.

And, then another month or so went by, and I saw the whole process begin again. My little bird house was the habitat for two families of baby chickadees last spring.

I was informed that I should clean out the birdhouse every fall. So, another requirement is to have a door in the back that can be opened for this yearly cleaning task.

The birds seem to know how to do the rest.

Beverly Briggs
March 9, 2021

March Madness Returns!

One year ago, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament was one of the first major sporting events cancelled by the coronavirus pandemic. This year, the tournament is back, meaning the St. Andrew March Madness Bracket Challenge is back for the second time! When we are physically distant, intergenerational events are tough to find, but anyone can play in this one. This year there will be prizes for the three brackets with the highest scores, in the form of Nike Gift Cards: $100 for 1^st, $50 for 2^nd, and $25 for 3^rd! The bracket will be set this Sunday evening, which means you have from Monday morning (3/15) to Wednesday night (3/17) to make your selections. Check out the instructions below to get started!

First, go to the espn.com/tournamentchallenge or download the ESPN Tournament Challenge app on a mobile device, then sign in or create an account (hint: you can also use your login for Disney+ or Hulu). Click the button that says “create an entry” and fill out your bracket by clicking on the teams you predict to win. When you have finalized your bracket, go back to the Home/MyBrackets tab and hit the button that says “join group.” Search for StAndrewLutheran2021 in groups, click on the group that shows up, and click “join group.” Finally, make sure your bracket is titled with your name, so we know it’s yours! Then, all that’s left to do is watch basketball and watch your points rack up! E-mail kvogt@standrewlutheran.com if you have any questions. Good Luck!

Introducing Narthex Greeters

Will you be fully vaccinated by April 1? If so, you might enjoy spending a half day in the church Narthex each week, answering the phone, opening the doors for people, ensuring they follow the protocols, and helping them get the information or make the contacts they seek. There will be time for visiting, too, something we have all missed over the past year!

Narthex Greeters will be on duty either 9:00 am-12:30 pm or 12:30 pm-4:00 pm, Tuesday-Friday. If you are interested in volunteering for a shift, please contact the church office for more information and to sign up. We are looking for people to make a regular commitment—for instance, coming in regularly on Tuesday afternoons, Friday mornings, etc.

We encourage both men and women, individuals and couples, to consider whether this volunteer opportunity would interest them. The program will begin on Tuesday, April 13, so if you receive your final vaccination before March 31, you would qualify to participate.

In Need of Prayers…

Phyllis Smith (sister-in-law)	Successful surgery (March 16) and comfort	Mary Smith
Judy Deal	Successful shoulder replacement surgery	Judy Deal
Carol Means	Strength and effective treatment for cancer	Carol Means
Bobbie Larson	Effective treatment and healing	Bobbie Larson
John Fritz	Healing and recovery from a fall	John Fritz
Mike McDowall	Healing and recovery	Mike McDowall
Liz Roscoe (daughter)	Healing and recovery from surgery	Susan Werner Reiser
Gary Grafwallner	Healing and recovery from Bell’s palsy	Gary Grafwallner
Frannie Gladhill	Healthy pregnancy and safe delivery	Kristie Gladhill
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Pastor Robyn Hartwig	Blessings on her ministry at Spirit of Grace	Staff
St. Andrew Council and Executive Committee Staff	Wisdom and discernment	Staff
Karen Klingelhafer, Kyler Vogt, and all seminarians	Encouragement and support	Staff
St. Andrew Foundation	Blessings on their ministry	Staff
St. Luke Lutheran Church (Portland, OR) The Flame Lutheran Church (Portland, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Bilal Masjid (Beavereton, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

If you know someone in need of prayers, please contact the church office by phone at 503-646-0629 or email office@standrewlutheran.com Tuesday-Friday, prayerchain@standrewlutheran.com Saturday-Monday.

Table Talk: Finding Your Roots, St. Andrew!

Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:30 pm via Zoom

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, led by St. Andrew’s Reckoning with Racism cohort. It will be held via Zoom on Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:30 pm.

Reckoning with Racism is a nine-month journey focused on systemic racism. It is sponsored by The Common Table of Oregon. People of faith have been invited from across the state into a deliberate process of addressing racism inside our faith community or institution and out in the public square.

As part of this journey, our St. Andrew Reckoning with Racism cohort has been looking deeply into the history of our congregation. Have you ever wondered about the land that St. Andrew sits on? What was here and who was here 250 years ago on this land? What chain of historical events led to our acquisition of this land in 1957? We’ve been looking at the land and the history of St. Andrew—how the Native Americans lived, who were the first settlers, and how we acquired and stewarded the land. You are invited to come and learn and to share your stories!

Finding Home

Living Lutheran magazine will be featuring Julie Aageson’s recent book, Finding Home, in its April issue. In this thoughtful volume, Julie explores what home is and why we all need the haven it should provide. If you’d like to read her lovely essays, the book is now available for $17. You can request a copy from the author (jaageson@cord.edu), or purchase it from the publisher (https://wipfandstock.com). The book can also be ordered from Amazon.

Julie’s earlier books are also available from the same sources: Holy Ground: An Alphabet of Prayer for $18 and Benedictions: 26 Reflections for $15. Once you’ve discovered the peace that comes from reading Julie’s work, you’re likely to return often for the confident comfort and inspiration that she shares.

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Preparing for Sunday

March 14, 2021

Reading: Numbers 29:4-9
Gospel: John 3:14-21

Go to the “Preparing for Worship” webpage for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.

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Highlights for the Week

Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, March 14, Fourth Sunday of Lent

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	—
10:00 am	Adult Ed: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Tuesday, March 16

10:00 am	T’ai Chi	former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
10:00 am	Worship Planners Meeting	Zoom

Wednesday, March 17 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

5:45 pm	Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal	Sanctuary
6:30 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Lenten Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:00 pm	High School Youth Game Night	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, March 18

12:00 pm	Staff Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Council Meeting	Zoom

Friday, March 19

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, March 21: Fifth Sunday of Lent

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches	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!

Want a printed copy of the Weekly News? Click on the printer icon to the right or download and print the PDF.

Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches

Sunday, March 7, 14, and 21, 10:00 am via Zoom
From the most humble chapel to the great cathedrals of Europe, churches are places to hear the Word of God and worship together, at least when there isn’t a pandemic raging. Beyond the utilitarian function, every church has stories and a history, and most contain art and are places for the performance of the arts. Many church buildings are masterpieces of art and craftsmanship themselves.

In this class we’ll look at some of my favorite places of Christian worship and appreciate their history, architecture, and the artwork they contain. I’m a bit of a Europhile, so we’ll be paying special attention to churches, chapels, and cathedrals in Europe. In these days of restricted travel, it is the perfect time to pack our virtual bags and set out together to visit some of the most interesting and beautiful places of worship.

Paul Navarre

The Third Sunday of Lent

On March 7, the church will mark the Third Sunday of Lent by remembering Jesus’ anger when he drove the money changers from the temple. Check the church website for poetry, prayers, and practices to enhance your devotions for that day and the week to follow. You can access all the Mary Oliver poetry referenced in our Lenten Devotional on the Internet (search for “poem title, by Mary Oliver”) or in Devotions, a compilation of the poet’s work spanning 50 years.

What are the boundaries of the temple Jesus protects? Does sacred space end at the doors, or does it extend into the woods and sky? Does the temple include Christ’s own body and therefore all of our human bodies as well? Does it include the beasts and the birds, and all that God has made?

Wednesday Evening Prayer for Lent

Focusing on a psalm of trust, Psalm 121, Randy Sinnwill provide the meditation for Wednesday Evening Prayer on Wednesday, March 10, at 7:00 pm. See the full Lent and Holy Week schedule on the Worship page of the website.

Our Wednesday evening schedule remains as follows:

Watch for the Zoom link in you inbox mid-day Wednesday.

February Movie Night

Since February is Black History Month, we will discuss Loving, a dramatization of the U.S. Supreme Court decision: Loving v Virginia. This was a 1967 landmark civil rights case in which the Supreme Court struck down state laws which prohibited interracial marriages. It is also a love story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple whose only “crime” was that they wanted to get married.

You can stream Loving on Netflix, then meet with us via Zoom on Friday, February 26, at 7:00 pm. Plan to bring out the popcorn and gather around your computer screens as we talk about what we liked (and didn’t like) about this month’s movie.

You’ll find the Zoom link for this Movie Night in Carol’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, February 26. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Smith.

Lenten Food Drive

We know how to do this! Despite a pandemic that kept us away from the church building, last year’s Lenten Food Drive was more successful than ever as members of the congregation generously contributed cash to help feed those people around us living without reliable sources of food.

Our goal in 2021 is to raise the equivalent of six tons, or 12,000 pounds, of food. You’ll remember that each dollar given equals three pounds of food. In other words, if we can accrue donations totaling $4,000, we will meet our goal and take a significant step toward providing the comfort of food security for our neighbors.

It’s easy to donate electronically by logging into your online account (note: it will look different, but your login credentials are the same) and selecting “Lenten Food Drive” in the drop-down menu. Go to the church website and click on Give to begin.

Treasurer Needed

St. Andrew’s Financial Committee is searching for a Treasurer. At the end of June 2021, Anne Newell will be stepping down from that role to pursue new activities. We’re looking for someone to step into her shoes and we’re hoping someone in the congregation will be “willing and able.”

Whether one person or a team step forward, we’ll train and assist you in taking over this important function for our church. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to serve. Call Anne Newell at 503-781-9076 for more information.

Online Giving Update

The online giving page has been updated so it will look a little different, but your login information remains the same. Find the link to the new online giving page, watch helpful videos, and more on the church website under Give.

Pastor Susan’s Installation

Pastor of Caring Ministries Susan Kintner will be installed into her half-time position at St. Andrew during both worship services this Sunday, March 7. Although the congregation cannot welcome her in person, we will do so via livestream and Zoom!

A Prayer for the Week

GOD OF JUSTICE, HELP US TO PROTECT THE VULNERABLE WITH

WISDOM AND AUDACITY. SHOW US YOUR TRUE TEMPLE.

AMEN.

Kid Craft: Butterflies

St. Andrew wants to decorate its Easter banners with butterflies and we need help from all the kids in the congregation. It’s time to get creative with paper and markers or some other materials and make a bunch of butterflies. Simply drop them off in the bin to the left of the Narthex doors and you’ll see them again on Easter.

March Movie Night: Fiddler on the Roof

This month, we invite you to enjoy the timeless classic, Fiddler on the Roof.

This film brings together so many themes: family, tradition, repression, prejudice and diaspora. Moments of joy are mixed with moments of pathos, with a background of the beautiful music so many of us have loved for years. 

You can stream this film on Netflix, then meet with us via Zoom on Friday, March 19, at 7:00 p.m. Bring out the pop-corn and gather around your computer screens as we talk about what we liked (and didn’t like) about the movie.

You’ll find the Zoom link for this Movie Night in Carol’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, March 19.

Any questions: Contact Mary Smith

Leadership Training

MACG and Sound Alliance are hosting a three-part Leadership Training Institute on the following dates:
Friday, March 5, 5:30—7:30 p
Saturday March 6, 10:00 am—2:00 pm
Saturday, March 13, 10:00 am—2:00 pm

This event is free to members of the St. Andrew community.

Come to this training to:

• Learn fundamental organizing skills: Individual relational meetings, listening sessions, research and action to help obtain a concrete, winnable outcome.
• Learn how to strengthen your institution: Engage people in a culture that is relational, action oriented, and reflective.
• Learn to distinguish problems from issues: From general prob-lems to concrete, winnable issues by using relational power in the public arena to negotiate for the common good.

Many members of St. Andrew have attended similar events over the years, and have found them to be valuable in their lives in-side and outside the church. Please contact any member of our MACG Core Team (Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Lynn San-telman, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, or Victoria Kovalenko) if you have any questions.

Please register for this event to receive the Zoom link or visit the MACG website.

Table Talk: Finding Your Roots, St. Andrew!

Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:30 pm via Zoom

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, led by St. Andrew’s Reckoning with Racism cohort. It will be held via Zoom on Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:30 pm.

Reckoning with Racism is a nine-month journey focused on systemic racism. It is sponsored by The Common Table of Oregon. People of faith have been invited from across the state into a deliberate process of addressing racism inside our faith community or institution and out in the public square.

As part of this journey, our St. Andrew Reckoning with Racism cohort has been looking deeply into the history of our congregation. Have you ever wondered about the land that St. Andrew sits on? What was here and who was here 250 years ago on this land? What chain of historical events led to our acquisition of this land in 1957? We’ve been looking at the land and the history of St. Andrew—how the Native Americans lived, who were the first settlers, and how we acquired and stewarded the land. You are invited to come and learn and to share your stories!

Welcome, Pastor Susan!

Fourteen years after leaving her role as associate pastor at St. Andrew to become Assistant to the Bishop of the Oregon Synod, Pastor Susan Kintner returns to serve us as Pastor of Caring Ministries on Monday, March 1. Welcome back, Susan!

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Pastor Susan was raised with three brothers in Port Angeles, WA, on the Olympic Peninsula. She grew up seeing the ocean every day, eating fresh salmon and crab often, and enjoying sailing, skiing, hiking, rowing, watching birds, learning about the fascinating creatures that live in tide pools, stargazing, and riding the ferry to Victoria, BC.

A graduate of both Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA, and Pacific Lutheran Theo-logical Seminary in Berkeley, CA, she was ordained in 1980, making her the 63rd woman ever ordained in the American Lutheran Church, a predecessor of the ELCA.

The mother of two sons, Bif and Kris, Susan loves good books (especially murder mysteries), bird watching, and collage. She serves on the board for the Grunewald Guild, which is a retreat center dedicated to the intersection of art, faith, and community near Leavenworth, WA.

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In Need of Prayers…

Jody Podolske (Mike’s mother)	Comfort, strength, and good decisions for her future	Mike & Phyllis Podolske
Kevin (daughter-in-law’s cousin)	Care, good treatment, and thoughtful decisions following a major stroke	Nan Thompson
John Fritz	Healing and recovery from a fall	John Fritz
Mike McDowall	Healing and recovery	Mike McDowall
Liz Roscoe	Healing and recovery from surgery	Susan Werner Reiser
Gary Grafwallner	Healing and recovery from Bell’s palsy	Gary Grafwallner
Rebecca Fako Uecker	Healing and recovery of injured nerves	Rebecca Fako Uecker
Frannie Gladhill (daughter-in-law)	Healthy pregnancy and safe delivery	Kristie Gladhill
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Pastor Susan Kintner	Blessings on her installation at St. Andrew	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
Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church (Portland, OR) St. James Lutheran Church (Portland, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Hoshanah Rabbah (Tigard, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

If you know someone in need of prayers, please contact the church office by phone at 503-646-0629 or email office@standrewlutheran.com Tuesday-Friday, prayerchain@standrewlutheran.com Saturday-Monday.

Time to Bee Busy

Welcome to March! If you haven’t already installed a mason been house in your yard, now’s the time. It’s also time to move your mason bee cocoons outside where warming temperatures will wake up the bees and encourage them to get moving.

Be sure your mason bee house faces south or east so the morning sun reaches it. Don’t place it behind a tree or near a bird house or bird feeding station. In order to enjoy the bees, mount their house at eye level so you can watch them at work.

Last year, my neighbor’s boy bees emerged from their cocoons on March 28; the females appeared on April 4. Girl bees emerge from the larger cocoons and are laid first, at the back of the tube. Boy bees are at the front of the house, so they have to get out first, making way for the females to follow.

The mason bee native to our area is the Blue Orchard Mason Bee, Osmia lignaria, which emerges in early spring about the time dandelions start blooming. In addition to a bee house filled with tubes about 8 mm in diameter, they need moist clayey mud to seal individual eggs into their own room where they’ll eat the pollen mom has left behind to give them energy to spin their cocoons. Mason bees have a flying range that’s limited to about 300 feet, or the length of one football field, and they collect pollen from almost any flower type.

Mason bees are wonderful pollinators because they’re hairy little creatures that collect pollen all over their bodies, unlike honey bees that only carry pollen on their legs. These gentle bees very rarely sting and are critical in food production so the Community Carbon team suggests making a home for them in your yard.

Carol Harker

Coronavirus Caution

As more people get vaccinated, it’s tempting to think we’re done with the coronavirus, that we can discard our masks and start hugging people again. Unfortunately, we’re not ready to take those steps yet. Pastor Mark shared a New York Times article with staff earlier this week that emphasizes how important our own individual behavior continues to be. Let’s not discard precautions prematurely and risk a fourth wave of infections, hospitalizations, and death. Go to coronavirus caution to learn more.

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Preparing for Next Sunday

March 14, 2021

Reading: Numbers 29:4-9
Gospel: John 3:14-21

Go to the “Preparing for Worship” webpage for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.

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Highlights for the Week

Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, March 7, Third Sunday of Lent

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	—
10:00 am	Adult Ed: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Monday, March 8

7:00 pm

Men’s Book Club

Zoom

Tuesday, March 9

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 Team Meeting	Zoom

Wednesday, March 10 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

10:00 am	Reopening Committee Meeting	Zoom
5:45 pm	Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal	Sanctuary
6:30 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Lenten Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:00 pm	High School Youth Game Night	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, March 11

12:00 pm

Team Ministry Meeting

Zoom

Friday, March 12

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, March 14: Fourth Sunday of Lent

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches	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!

Want a printed copy of the Weekly News? Click on the printer icon to the right or download and print the PDF.

Wednesday Evening Prayer for Lent

Focusing on a psalm of thanksgiving, Psalm 30, India Jensen Kerr will provide the meditation for Wednesday Evening Prayer on Wednesday, March 3, at 7:00 pm. See the full Lent and Holy Week schedule on the Worship page of the website.

Our Wednesday evening schedule remains as follows:

The Second Sunday of Lent

On February 28, the church will mark the Second Sunday of Lent. Go here for poetry, prayers, and practices to enhance your devotions for that day and the week to follow. You can access all the Mary Oliver poetry referenced in our Lenten Devotional on the Internet (search for “poem title, by Mary Oliver”) or in Devotions, a compilation of the poet’s work spanning 50 years.

This week we ponder the mystery of salvation and how it entails both losing one’s life and saving it. How can we love what is mortal and then let it go? What should we set aside in order to live more fully? Can we unplug from all media and create little sanctuaries of Sabbath time this week? Will that bring us closer to God?

Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches

Sunday, February 28, 10:00 am via Zoom
From the most humble chapel to the great cathedrals of Europe, churches are places to hear the Word of God and worship together, at least when there isn’t a pandemic raging. Beyond the utilitarian function, every church has stories and a history, and most contain art and are places for the performance of the arts. Many church buildings are masterpieces of art and craftsmanship themselves.

In this class we’ll look at some of my favorite places of Christian worship and appreciate their history, architecture, and the artwork they contain. I’m a bit of a Europhile, so we’ll be paying special attention to churches, chapels, and cathedrals in Europe. In these days of restricted travel, it is the perfect time to pack our virtual bags and set out together to visit some of the most interesting and beautiful places of worship.

Paul Navarre

February Movie Night

Since February is Black History Month, we will discuss Loving, a dramatization of the U.S. Supreme Court decision: Loving v Virginia. This was a 1967 landmark civil rights case in which the Supreme Court struck down state laws which prohibited interracial marriages. It is also a love story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple whose only “crime” was that they wanted to get married.

You can stream Loving on Netflix, then meet with us via Zoom on Friday, February 26, at 7:00 pm. Plan to bring out the popcorn and gather around your computer screens as we talk about what we liked (and didn’t like) about this month’s movie.

You’ll find the Zoom link for this Movie Night in Carol’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, February 26. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Smith.

Treasurer Needed

St. Andrew’s Financial Committee is searching for a Treasurer. At the end of June 2021, Anne Newell will be stepping down from that role to pursue new activities. We’re looking for someone to step into her shoes and we’re hoping someone in the congregation will be “willing and able.”

Whether one person or a team step forward, we’ll train and assist you in taking over this important function for our church. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to serve. Call Anne Newell at 503-781-9076 for more information.

Lenten Food Drive

We know how to do this! Despite a pandemic that kept us away from the church building, last year’s Lenten Food Drive was more successful than ever as members of the congregation generously contributed cash to help feed those people around us living without reliable sources of food.

Our goal in 2021 is to raise the equivalent of six tons, or 12,000 pounds, of food. You’ll remember that each dollar given equals three pounds of food. In other words, if we can accrue donations totaling $4,000, we will meet our goal and take a significant step toward providing the comfort of food security for our neighbors.

It’s easy to donate electronically by logging into your online account (note: it will look different, but your login credentials are the same) and selecting “Lenten Food Drive” in the drop-down menu. Go to the church website and click on Give to begin.

Online Giving Update

The online giving page has been updated so it will look a little different, but your login information remains the same. Find the link to the new online giving page, watch helpful videos, and more on the church website under Give.

Stewardship Note

Greetings, St. Andrew, from Rachel Roberts and the Stewardship Commit-tee. We certainly hope that everyone has pulled through the snow and ice of the last few weeks and is much more comfortable now in the thaw.

I wanted to share a little bit about comfort in giving, in a way that has impacted my life. Have you heard about the snowball method of paying off debt? In its simplest terms it is where you begin by paying the mini-mum, or some other comfortable amount, to all your items. Once the highest-interest-rate debt is paid, you continue to pay the same total, but onto your fewer number of accounts. The additional money will pay down the other items faster, and it will “snowball” toward a zero balance. I am working toward the goal of no student debt, and this method has shown me how the momentum of seeing the balances drop can be all at one motivating and comforting.

Scripture states, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”—John 15:5. I think this can also apply to ongoing goals of reaching freedom from debt, because while we have to rest in those difficult first months or years of only paying what we can, the fruit of that work will soon blossom and the results are easily seen with the passing of time. I know that I must bring my uneasiness to God in order to see any fruition.

Our congregation recently reached a new milestone in mortgage payoff, as Jeff Smith shared about a month back. Let this achievement be all the more motivation to snowball onward to our next milestone, and on to the finish line in good time.

In gratitude,
Rachel

Yay, Confirmands!

Congratulations to our confirmands, whose imposing performance vanquished members of the Council last Sunday in Super Bible Bowl 2021.

Why I’m “Reckoning with Racism”

I was a teenager in the late 1960s. It was a time of protest, violence, and demands for social justice. I do not remember much, if any, conversation about why it was all happening. I certainly did not get the impression that anyone thought it was a white-people’s problem. After all, weren’t we all created equal? And doesn’t hard work lead to equal opportunities?

When Pastor Robyn pointed me toward an opportunity to spend some real time hearing and wrestling with stories from people who have experienced systemic racism, I remembered those conversations from the ‘60s and beyond. Why are we still struggling with this?

I came to understand that there was more to the story, and feared that my family had been unwitting partners in allowing systemic racism to prosper. My ancestors came to this country in the late 1800s, and like so many others truly believed in their God-given right to build a new life here, supported by the promise of free land and laws that were written to help settlers develop this country in ways that they thought were best for everyone. Where could that have possibly gone wrong?

Reckoning With Racism is a 9-month effort to help answer some of these questions. President Biden recently said that to heal, we need to remember. We are looking at the history of our country and our church through a different lens, with the hope of healing some of the long-standing rifts between those with privilege and those without.

We meet twice a month with the larger state-wide group, and once a month with our St. Andrew cohort of 10-15 people. It’s all virtual, and it’s not too late to jump in. Elaine May and Mary Smith are keeping us on track. We would love to have you on our team.

Pat Christiansen

Welcome, Pastor Susan!

Fourteen years after leaving her role as associate pastor at St. Andrew to become Assistant to the Bishop of the Oregon Synod, Pastor Susan Kintner returns to serve us as Pastor of Caring Ministries on Monday, March 1. Welcome back, Susan!

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Pastor Susan was raised with three brothers in Port Angeles, WA, on the Olympic Peninsula. She grew up seeing the ocean every day, eating fresh salmon and crab often, and enjoying sailing, skiing, hiking, rowing, watching birds, learning about the fascinating creatures that live in tide pools, stargazing, and riding the ferry to Victoria, BC.

A graduate of both Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA, and Pacific Lutheran Theo-logical Seminary in Berkeley, CA, she was ordained in 1980, making her the 63rd woman ever ordained in the American Lutheran Church, a predecessor of the ELCA.

The mother of two sons, Bif and Kris, Susan loves good books (especially murder mysteries), bird watching, and collage. She serves on the board for the Grunewald Guild, which is a retreat center dedicated to the intersection of art, faith, and community near Leavenworth, WA.

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In Need of Prayers…

Junin (friend)	Peace and comfort as death nears	Lloyd Meyer
Jody Podolske (Mike’s mother)	Comfort, strength, and good decisions for her future	Mike & Phyllis Podolske
Kevin (daughter-in-law’s cousin)	Care, good treatment, and thoughtful decisions following a major stroke	Nan Thompson
Rebecca Fako Uecker	Healing and recovery of injured nerves	Rebecca Fako Uecker
Bennett and Tucker (6-month-old cousins)	Healing and recovery from a rare metabolic disorder	Laura Geczy-Haskins
Ian McAlpine (son)	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Warren & Donna McAlpine
Garrett (friend’s 11-year-old son)	Complete healing and discharge from hospital	Rebecca Uecker
Frannie Gladhill (daughter-in-law)	Healthy pregnancy and safe delivery	Kristie Gladhill
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Pastor Susan Kintner	Blessing as she joins St. Andrew in ministry	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	Assurance of God’s presence	Staff
Bishop Elizabeth Eaton	Wisdom and discernment	Staff
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America	Blessing on our ministry	Staff
Taiwan Lutheran Church	Strength and wisdom	Staff
First Immanuel Lutheran Church (Portland, OR) Messiah Lutheran Church (Portland, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Masjid Omar Farooq (Beaverton, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

If you know someone in need of prayers, please contact the church office by phone at 503-646-0629 or email office@standrewlutheran.com Tuesday-Friday, prayerchain@standrewlutheran.com Saturday-Monday.

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Leadership Training

MACG and Sound Alliance are hosting a three-part Leadership Training Institute on the following dates:
Friday, March 5, 5:30—7:30 p
Saturday March 6, 10:00 am—2:00 pm
Saturday, March 13, 10:00 am—2:00 pm

This event is free to members of the St. Andrew community.

Come to this training to:

• Learn fundamental organizing skills: Individual relational meetings, listening sessions, research and action to help obtain a concrete, winnable outcome.
• Learn how to strengthen your institution: Engage people in a culture that is relational, action oriented, and reflective.
• Learn to distinguish problems from issues: From general prob-lems to concrete, winnable issues by using relational power in the public arena to negotiate for the common good.

Many members of St. Andrew have attended similar events over the years, and have found them to be valuable in their lives in-side and outside the church. Please contact any member of our MACG Core Team (Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Lynn San-telman, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, or Victoria Kovalenko) if you have any questions.

Please register for this event to receive the Zoom link or visit the MACG website.

Family Promise Update

St. Andrew continues to be an active contributor to Family Promise of Beaverton by remotely hosting one week per month. This involves delivering meals to the family residing in the day cen-ter. Many thanks to our volunteers. St. Andrew has developed quite a reputation for having very good cooks!

Preparing for Next Sunday

March 7, 2021

Reading: Exodus 20:1-17
Gospel: John 2:13-22

Go to the “Preparing for Worship” webpage for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.

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Highlights for the Week

Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, February 28, Second Sunday of Lent

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
—	No High School Youth Group today (go to Zoom worship to hear Kyler preach!)	—
10:00 am	Adult Ed: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Tuesday, March 2

10:00 am	T’ai Chi	former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
10:00 am	Worship Planners	Zoom
7:00 pm	MACG Meeting	Zoom

Wednesday, March 3 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

12:30 pm	Bonhoeffer Seminar	Zoom
5:45 pm	Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal	Sanctuary
6:30 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Lenten Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:00 pm	High School Youth Game Night	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, March 4

12:00 pm	Team Ministry Meeting	Zoom
2:30 pm	Communications Committee Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Executive Committee Meeting	Zoom

Friday, March 5

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, March 7: Third Sunday of Lent

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches	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!

Want a printed copy of the Weekly News? Click the date you want, then click the printer icon to the right to print just one week of Weekly News, or download the PDF.

Super Bible Bowl: FEUD!

Snow postponed our scheduled contest last
week, but the Super Bible Bowl will return to
St. Andrew on Sunday, February 21, at 10:00
am! This year, the Bowl will be fully digital, hosted via Zoom during the normal Christian Education hour. But, the virtual nature of the event isn’t all that is new this year: instead of the usual “Jeopardy” format, this year the battle between council and confirmands will take the shape of the popular game show “Family Feud.” We hope you will join us to cheer on the contestants!

Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches

Sunday, February 28, 10:00 am (delayed one week due to snow)
From the most humble chapel to the great cathedrals of Europe, churches are places to hear the Word of God and worship together, at least when there isn’t a pandemic raging. Beyond the utilitarian function, every church has stories and a history, and most contain art and are places for the performance of the arts. Many church buildings are masterpieces of art and craftsmanship themselves.

In this class we’ll look at some of my favorite places of Christian worship and appreciate their history, architecture, and the artwork they contain. I’m a bit of a Europhile, so we’ll be paying special attention to churches, chapels, and cathedrals in Europe. In these days of restricted travel, it is the perfect time to pack our virtual bags and set out together to visit some of the most interesting and beautiful places of worship.

Paul Navarre

participate via Zoom

Treasurer Needed

St. Andrew’s Financial Committee is searching for a Treasurer. At the end of June 2021, Anne Newell will be stepping down from that role to pursue new activities. We’re looking for someone to step into her shoes and we’re hoping someone in the congregation will be “willing and able.”

Whether one person or a team step forward, we’ll train and assist you in taking over this important function for our church. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to serve. Call Anne Newell at 503-781-9076 for more information.

Wednesday Evening Prayer for Lent

Focusing on a psalm of lament, Psalm 13, Randy Schutt will
provide the meditation for Wednesday Evening Prayer on
Wednesday, February 24, at 7:00 pm.

Our Wednesday evening schedule remains as follows:

Spirituality Book Group News

The Spirituality Book Group will meet on Zoom to discuss Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, on February 21. The book is a series of vignettes that combine Nature, Poetic Imagery, and Indigenous Lore.

An Amazon reviewer wrote that “Reading this book has reminded me to cultivate my love for the Earth in ways that my daughters can participate in, and to recognize the relationship between people and nature as a two- way street. We do not simply destroy or protect nature—we evolved in direct relationship with plants, and plants evolved in direct relationship with us.”

Details:
Time/Place: Sunday, February 21, at 3:00 pm via Zoom
Discussion Leader: Kristin Sacks

The Zoom link will be sent out to all those on the Spirituality
Book Group e-mail list a few days before the meeting. All are
welcome. If you would like the Zoom link, contact Mary Smith.

Future Reading:
March 21, A Long Petal of the Sea, by Isabel Allende
April 18, The Moment of Lift, by Melinda Gates
May 17, This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger
June 13, Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson
July 18, The Murmur of Bees, by Sofia Segovia

Happy reading! May 2021 be a better and brighter year, filled
with hope and also, of course, filled with good reading!

The First Sunday of Lent

Check the church website for poetry, prayers, and practices that we can employ in the week following the First Sunday of Lent, which is February 21. If you haven’t yet discovered “The Poetry of Lent,” you’ll find it under the Education tab.

From wild love to the ancient Celtic image for the Holy Spirit to lighting a candle and powering down, the challenge this week is to listen for how God may be calling us to change.

Lenten Food Drive

We know how to do this! Despite a pandemic that kept us away from the church building, last year’s Lenten Food Drive was more successful than ever as members of the congregation generously contributed cash to help feed those people around us living without reliable sources of food.

Our goal in 2021 is to raise the equivalent of six tons, or 12,000 pounds, of food. You’ll remember that each dollar given equals three pounds of food. In other words, if we can accrue donations totaling $4,000, we will meet our goal and take a significant step toward providing the comfort of food security for our neighbors.

It’s easy to donate electronically by logging into your InFellowship account and selecting “Lenten Food Drive” in the drop-down menu. Go to the church website and click on Give to begin.

Looking at Israel

Where do you keep the family Uzi? Do you bring it with you to the grocery store? Shopping? Who teaches the Israeli Defense Forces to shoot?

Have you been to the Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles? And what a lovely spot that must be….

Well, you’ll find answers to these questions and many others you never thought of, in A Day in the Life of Israel, library call number 956.94. It’s a great book. Lovely pictures. Check it out and find out what brand of hamburgers are sold in Israel for yourself.

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

Preparing for Next Sunday

February 28, 2021

Reading: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
Gospel: Mark 8:31-38

Go to “Preparing for Worship” for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.

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. Who are you wondering about? Who would you like to check in with?

We encourage you to make contacts by phone, email, or by writing a note or sending a card. And then, please let us know what you found out.

To sign up to contact someone, please click on this link.

To give feedback about your contact, please click on this link.

Questions? Please contact Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, Victoria Kovalenko, Lynn Santelmann, or Pastor Robyn. And thank you for keeping our community together and strong.

MACG Core Team

Table Talk: Are We a Nation of Child Abusers?

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 Thursday, February 25, 7:00-8:00 pm.

In a February 3, 2021, opinion piece in the New York Times, Nicholas Kristoff asserts that “We Are a Nation of Child Abusers.” He notes that for a long time the United States has had “one of the highest rates of child poverty in the advanced world.” The coronavirus pandemic has aggravated the suffering of children in our nation. He points out that when Jesus says in Matthew 19:14 “suffer the little children” he is absolutely not implying that “the little children shall suffer.” In Kristoff’s view the elements in the $1.9 trillion dollar American Rescue Plan addressing child poverty are historic. Child poverty could be cut in half. By the time we gather for this Table Talk, the American Rescue Plan will likely have been enacted in some form. We will have a chance to reflect on Kristoff’s provocative editorial and the American Rescue Plan. We will also reflect on how the pandemic has impacted children and youth in our nation.

In preparation for this Table Talk I encourage you to read Kristoff’s editorial.

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In Need of Prayers…

Family and friends of Mildred Leppert (sister-in-law)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Judy Heidinger
Junin (friend)	Peace and comfort as death nears	Lloyd Meyer
Bennett and Tucker (6-month-old cousins)	Healing and recovery from a rare metabolic disorder	Laura Geczy-Haskins
Ian McAlpine	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Warren & Donna McAlpine
Garrett (friend’s 11-year-old son)	Complete healing and discharge from hospital	Rebecca Uecker
Frannie Gladhill (daughter-in-law)	Healthy pregnancy and safe delivery	Kristie Gladhill
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
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon Holy Trinity Catholic Church	Blessing on their work	Staff
Joyful Servant Lutheran Church (Newberg, OR) Christ the King Lutheran Church (Tigard, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Congregation P’nai Or (Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

If you know someone in need of prayers, please contact the church office by phone at 503-646-0629 or email office@standrewlutheran.com Tuesday-Friday, prayerchain@standrewlutheran.com Saturday-Monday.

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Reckoning with Racism at St. Andrew

A group of us from St. Andrew have been participating in a program called Reckoning With Racism, sponsored by Common Table. Common Table is a gathering of interfaith leaders and practitioners who have committed to learning more about one another, trusting one another, and standing together to highlight the public work of faith communities in Oregon, deepen relationships between faith leaders and elected officials in Salem, step into the public sphere as peacemakers, and being active in public advocacy and witness.

(https://www.commontableoregon.org/overview)

We have been meeting since September along with teams from faith communities throughout Oregon. We are discussing our involvement, both voluntary and involuntary, in systemic racism in Oregon, and how this leads to the oppression of certain groups. It can be disconcerting to take a close look at real racism – there is an impulse in me to deny that racism is a reality. But this group, referred to as the “Reckoning With Racism Learning Cohort,” is blessed with leaders and planners who want love to be the guiding force.

We have been encouraged to love ourselves and each other as we ask questions such as, “Has our faith community displaced any oppressed persons in order to have a building, in order to own land?” “Does my personal history, my family, owe its economic status to the oppression of others, directly or indirectly?” “Who has lived on the land I now occupy (or even own), and who has benefited from what the land produces?”

The plan for the Learning Cohort is to spend 9 months together learning, reflecting and thinking about appropriate action. Resisting the impulse to move to action too quickly, we hope to really internalize nonracist thinking. It is not easy and sometimes not fun, but it is a worthwhile endeavor.

If you are interested in joining, there’s still time. Contact Mary Smith with your questions.

Janet Vorvick

February Movie Night

Since February is Black History Month, we will discuss Loving, a dramatization of the U.S. Supreme Court decision: Loving v Virginia. This was a 1967 landmark civil rights case in which the Supreme Court struck down state laws which prohibited interracial marriages. It is also a love story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple whose only “crime” was that they wanted to get married.

You can stream Loving on Netflix, then meet with us via Zoom on Friday, February 26, at 7:00 pm. Plan to bring out the popcorn and gather around your computer screens as we talk about what we liked (and didn’t like) about this month’s movie.

You’ll find the Zoom link for this Movie Night in Carol’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, February 26. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Smith.

Pastor Susan Kintner

This Sunday, February 21, Pastor Susan will be providing pulpit supply for St. Andrew. We’re happy to share that she will begin her work as Pastor of Caring Ministries with us on March 1.

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Highlights for the Week

Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, February 21, First Sunday of Lent

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Super Bible Bowl “Family Fued” (rescheduled from last week due to weather)	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Tuesday, February 23

10:00 am	T’ai Chi	former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
12:15 pm	Community Carbon Leadership Meeting	Zoom

Wednesday, February 24 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

6:30 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Wednesday Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:00 pm	High School Youth Game Night	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, February 25

12:00 pm	Team Ministry Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Table Talk	Zoom
7:00 pm	IT Meeting	Zoom

Friday, February 26

10:00 am	T’ai Chi	former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
7:00 pm	St. Andrew Movie Night: Loving	Zoom

Sunday, February 28: Second Sunday of Lent

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches	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!

Super Bible Bowl: FEUD!

The Super Bible Bowl returns to St. Andrew on Sunday, February 14, at 10:00 am! This year, the Bowl will be fully digital, hosted via Zoom during the normal Christian Education hour. But, the virtual nature of the event isn’t all that is new this year: instead of the usual “Jeopardy” format, this year the battle between council and confirmands will take the shape of the popular game show “Family Feud.” We hope you will join us to cheer on the contestants!

Ash Wednesday

Since worship continues to be online and therefore none of us need to worry about driving at night, this year St. Andrew is going to have just one Ash Wednesday service: at 7:00 pm on February 17. You’ll receive the Zoom link to access worship earlier that day.

If you would like to have ashes available for the imposition of ashes—self-administered, of course—you may pick up a small bag from the box to the left of the front entrance doors at St. Andrew. Please e-mail Allison Katsufrakis if you’re unable to come to the church and she will deliver ashes to you.

Centering Prayer will follow the Ash Wednesday worship service
for all who are interested.

Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches

Sunday, February 21, 10:00 am
From the most humble chapel to the great cathedrals of Europe, churches are places to hear the Word of God and worship together, at least when there isn’t a pandemic raging. Beyond the utilitarian function, every church has stories and a history, and most contain art and are places for the performance of the arts. Many church buildings are masterpieces of art and craftsmanship themselves.

In this class we’ll look at some of my favorite places of Christian worship and appreciate their history, architecture, and the artwork they contain. I’m a bit of a Europhile, so we’ll be paying special attention to churches, chapels, and cathedrals in Europe. In these days of restricted travel, it is the perfect time to pack our virtual bags and set out together to visit some of the most interesting and beautiful places of worship.

Paul Navarre

participate via Zoom

Looking at Lent Through Poetry

Those familiar with Mary Oliver’s poetry will recognize her instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.

The word “Lent” comes from an old English word for “lengthen,” and refers
to the lengthening of those long-anticipated days of spring. With both the cross and the empty tomb approaching, the church prepares itself with 40 days of fasting and reflection, all for the sake of more fully celebrating Easter’s song of spring when it comes.

And so if Lent is about lengthening light, it’s also about broadening our hearts and preparing the way, making room for careful attention to what matters most. As the poet Mary Oliver puts it, living well involves attention, astonishment, and testimony—and poetry itself can be a great help along the way. The best poems can help us notice the world, attuning our eyes and ears to wonders we might otherwise overlook, and inspiring us to share what we find.

The words of scripture and the poetry of Mary Oliver will be our guide in a Lenten devotional this year. Each week, biblical texts and Mary Oliver’s poems illumine each other, pointing toward simple, powerful practices you can try yourself and with your family or friends.

Week by week, we’ll travel a Lenten journey together toward Easter morning—and thereby do our part, in a world so full of shadows, to help lengthen the light and welcome the joy of God’s spring.

Taking America Back for God

Our own ELCA presiding bishop, Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, participated with Episcopal Bishop Michael Curry and others in an online forum, Democracy and Faith Under Siege: Responding to Christian Nationalism, on January 27. Dr. Andrew Whitehead offered a clear summary of Christian Nationalism from his new book, Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States. The recording of the presentation and other compelling resources for confronting Christian Nationalism are at
the following links:

https://bjconline.org and
https://www.christiansagainstchristiannationalism.org/ and
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmgWHBoGBi8

2020 Giving Statements

2020 giving statements are ready. Go to the Give page of the church website to download and print your statement from your InFellowship account. We advise you to check it carefully against your own records; if you see any discrepancies, please contact the church office or Financial Secretaries.

Please note that statements will be mailed out only upon special request.
If you need a statement mailed to you, please contact the Financial Secretaries or the church office (503-646-0629).

Treasurer Needed

St. Andrew’s Financial Committee is searching for a Treasurer. At the end of June 2021, Anne Newell will be stepping down from that role to pursue new activities. We’re looking for someone to step into her shoes and we’re hoping someone in the congregation will be “willing and able.”

Whether one person or a team step forward, we’ll train and assist you in taking over this important function for our church. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to serve. Call Anne Newell at 503-781-9076 for more information.

Praying

It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

© Mary Oliver
From Thirst: Poems

Preparing for Next Sunday
February 21, 2021

Reading: Genesis 9:8-17
Gospel: Mark 1:9-15

Go to “Preparing for Worship” for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.

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. Who are you wondering about? Who would you like to check in with?

We encourage you to make contacts by phone, email, or by writing a note or sending a card. And then, please let us know what you found out.

To sign up to contact someone, please click on this link.

To give feedback about your contact, please click on this link.

Questions? Please contact Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, Victoria Kovalenko, Lynn Santelmann, or Pastor Robyn. And thank you for keeping our community together and strong.

MACG Core Team

Table Talk: Are We a Nation of Child Abusers?

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 Thursday, February 25, 7:00-8:00 pm.

In a February 3, 2021, opinion piece in the New York Times, Nicholas Kristoff asserts that “We Are a Nation of Child Abusers.” He notes that for a long time the United States has had “one of the highest rates of child poverty in the advanced world.” The coronavirus pandemic has aggravated the suffering of children in our nation. He points out that when Jesus says in Matthew 19:14 “suffer the little children” he is absolutely not implying that “the little children shall suffer.” In Kristoff’s view the elements in the $1.9 trillion dollar American Rescue Plan addressing child poverty are historic. Child poverty could be cut in half. By the time we gather for this Table Talk, the American Rescue Plan will likely have been enacted in some form. We will have a chance to reflect on Kristoff’s provocative editorial and the American Rescue Plan. We will also reflect on how the pandemic has impacted children and youth in our nation.

In preparation for this Table Talk I encourage you to read Kristoff’s editorial.

In Need of Prayers…

Family and friends of Mildred Leppert (sister-in-law)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Judy Heidinger
Nan Thompson	Continued good spirit on her journey through cancer	Nan Thompson
Mary Brown	Accurate diagnosis and successful treatment	Bob & Mary Brown
Amy	Effective treatment; comfort for her husband Chris	Bob & Judy Scholz
Carol Adkison (Mary’s sister)	Correct diagnosis and treatment	Bob & Mary Brown
Fran Miller	Healing and recovery from knee replacement	Fran Miller
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
St. Andrew Council & Executive Committee Staff	Wisdom and discernment	Staff
St. Andrew Foundation	Blessings on their ministry	Staff
Karen Klingelhafer, Kyler Vogt, and all seminarians India Jensen Kerr and all theology students	Encouragement and support	Staff
Military personnel, especially Justina Hailey Hope Brocker, Evan Dahlquist, Dawson Dethlefs, Neil Fiegenbaum, and Jerami Reyna	Courage and protection	Staff
Community of Christ (Hillsboro, OR) Trinity Lutheran Church (McMinnville, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Masjid Abu Bakr (Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

If you know someone in need of prayers, please contact the church office by phone at 503-646-0629 or email office@standrewlutheran.com Tuesday-Friday, prayerchain@standrewlutheran.com Saturday-Monday.

Spirituality Book Group News

The Spirituality Book Group will meet on Zoom to discuss Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, on February 21. The book is a series of vignettes that combine Nature, Poetic Imagery, and Indigenous Lore.

An Amazon reviewer wrote that “Reading this book has reminded me to cultivate my love for the Earth in ways that my daughters can participate in, and to recognize the relationship between people and nature as a two- way street. We do not simply destroy or protect nature—we evolved in direct relationship with plants, and plants evolved in direct relationship with us.”

Details:
Time/Place: Sunday, February 21, at 3:00 pm via Zoom
Discussion Leader: Kristin Sacks

The Zoom link will be sent out to all those on the Spirituality
Book Group e-mail list a few days before the meeting. All are
welcome. If you would like the Zoom link, contact Mary Smith.

Future Reading:
March 21, A Long Petal of the Sea, by Isabel Allende
April 18, The Moment of Lift, by Melinda Gates
May 17, This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger
June 13, Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson
July 18, The Murmur of Bees, by Sofia Segovia

Happy reading! May 2021 be a better and brighter year, filled
with hope and also, of course, filled with good reading!

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February Movie Night

Since February is Black History Month, we will discuss Loving, a dramatization of the U.S. Supreme Court decision: Loving v Virginia. This was a 1967 landmark civil rights case in which the Supreme Court struck down state laws which prohibited interracial marriages. It is also a love story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple whose only “crime” was that they wanted to get married.

You can stream Loving on Netflix, then meet with us via Zoom on Friday, February 26, at 7:00 pm. Plan to bring out the popcorn and gather around your computer screens as we talk about what we liked (and didn’t like) about this month’s movie.

You’ll find the Zoom link for this Movie Night in Carol’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, February 26. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Smith.

Woodland Plantings

The people at Clean Water Services in Washington County took advantage of some pleasant days recently to plant more than 1,000 bare-root plants in St. Andrew’s wetland and woods. If everything grows well and flourishes, we will have 50 additional Oregon white oaks, as well as 50 Ponderosa pines, 50 grand firs, 50 Oregon ash, and 100 red alders. That’s a lot of trees.

In addition, 50 vine maples, 50 Indian plums, 50 mock orange, 50 red-osier dogwood, and 50 each of thimbleberry, blue elderberry, red elderberry, Douglas spirea, snowberry, oceanspray, and tall Oregon grape were added.

We were supposed to get just 50 skunk cabbage, too, but “lucked out” when the team discovered they had extra to share, so they actually planted 600 on our property. We’ll soon discover if the plant is as stinky as it sounds.

Highlights for the Week

Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, February 14, Transfiguration of Our Lord

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Super Bible Bowl “Family Fued”	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Tuesday, February 16

10:00 am	Worship Planners Meeting	Zoom
10:00 am	T’ai Chi	former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Wednesday, February 17 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

5:45 pm	Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal	Sanctuary
6:30 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Ash Wednesday Worship Service	Zoom
7:00 pm	High School Youth Game Night	Zoom
8:00 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, February 18

12:00 pm	Team Ministry Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Council Meeting	Zoom

Friday, February 12

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, February 21: First Sunday of Lent

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches	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!

Godspeed, Pastor Robyn

This Sunday, February 7, we gratefully acknowledge the many ways that Pastor Robyn Hartwig has served our community in her 12 years of ministry as our associate pastor. It will be a bittersweet day when she steps behind the pulpit to deliver her last sermon at St. Andrew and, because of ongoing pandemic protocols, we will have to experience that from our homes.

Ironically, a snowstorm prevented Pastor Robyn from preaching to a full sanctuary when she joined St. Andrew. Rick LeRoy jerry-rigged the electronics so that her first sermon was shared with the congregation electronically, too.

St. Andrew has come a long way since 2009, and much of that is due to Robyn’s ministry. Her leadership with caring ministries, the spiritual care she has extended to so many suffering souls, and her advocacy for Earth Care and Racial Justice are noteworthy. And her efforts to present accessible opportunities for special groups, such as young adults and families with young children, led to ministries such as Spirituality on Tap and Oh, Baby!

Although Pastor Robyn is moving on to a new stage in her ministry, her impact will be felt here at St. Andrew for a long time.

Dear People of St. Andrew,

I look forward to the opportunity to preach this Sunday, February 7, as a I join you in worship for my final Sunday at St. Andrew. Following the 11:00 am Zoom worship service, I will hang out in a Zoom breakout room where Rebecca Uecker can usher people in and out who may want to say a personal five-minute goodbye.

I will then have two days dedicated to finishing up administrative tasks for St. Andrew and meeting with key leaders like Pastor Mark, Pastor Susan, and the personnel committee. My very last act of ministry will be to lead Wednesday Evening Prayer by Zoom on February 10 at 7:00 pm and join the Centering Prayer group led by Ginny Link and Mary Smith that follows immediately afterwards from 7:30 to 8:00 pm.

In this Sunday’s Gospel lesson from Mark 1:29-39, Jesus heads out to a deserted place to pray before he moves from one village to another. In doing so, he gives all of us a wonderful model of the importance of making time to pray on our own. How appropriate that my final act of ministry will be to sit with many of you in 20 minutes of silent prayer. Feel free to join us for these Wednesday evening face-to-face opportunities on Zoom and you might find you enjoy them so much that you want to come back the following week too!

With a heart full of gratitude,
Pastor Robyn

Super Bible Bowl: FEUD!

The Super Bible Bowl returns to St. Andrew on Sunday, February 14, at 10:00 am! This year, the Bowl will be fully digital, hosted via Zoom during the normal Christian Education hour. But, the virtual nature of the event isn’t all that is new this year: instead of the usual “Jeopardy” format, this year the battle between council and confirmands will take the shape of the popular game show “Family Feud.” We hope you will join us to cheer on the contestants!

Adult Education: The History, Art, and Architecture of Churches

Sunday, February 21, 10:00 am
From the most humble chapel to the great cathedrals of Europe, churches are places to hear the Word of God and worship together, at least when there isn’t a pandemic raging. Beyond the utilitarian function, every church has stories and a history, and most contain art and are places for the performance of the arts. Many church buildings are masterpieces of art and craftsmanship themselves.

In this class we’ll look at some of my favorite places of Christian worship and appreciate their history, architecture, and the artwork they contain. I’m a bit of a Europhile, so we’ll be paying special attention to churches, chapels, and cathedrals in Europe. In these days of restricted travel, it is the perfect time to pack our virtual bags and set out together to visit some of the most interesting and beautiful places of worship.

Paul Navarre

participate via Zoom

Taking America Back for God

Our own ELCA presiding bishop, Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, participated with Episcopal Bishop Michael Curry and others in an online forum, Democracy and Faith Under Siege: Responding to Christian Nationalism, on January 27. Dr. Andrew Whitehead offered a clear summary of Christian Nationalism from his new book, Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States. The recording of the presentation and other compelling resources for confronting Christian Nationalism are at
the following links:

https://bjconline.org and
https://www.christiansagainstchristiannationalism.org/ and
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmgWHBoGBi8

Job Openings in Online Worship Production

St. Andrew is looking to hire a part-time audio tech and part-time video tech to distribute online worship using YouTube livestream and Zoom. These two individuals will ensure everything is ready to go prior to each service, manage mics and audio or manage cameras and graphics, and ensure the congregation is receiving the feed. Experience in sound boards or videography is required. Worship production involves more than hitting play and walking away. These two people will stay onsite throughout services and troubleshoot when needed. To learn more about specific qualifications needed and compensation offered, please go to:

https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/npo/d/portlandlivestream-audio-video-tech/7263783074.html

Positions will be open until filled. Application review begins in
early February.

2020 Giving Statements

Your 2020 giving statements are available. Go to the Give page of the church website to download and print your statement from your InFellowship account.

Please note that statements will be mailed out only upon special request.
If you need a statement mailed to you, please contact the Financial Secretaries or the church office (503-646-0629).

Wednesday Evening Prayer

Zoom gatherings continue every Wednesday evening for fellowship, worship, and prayer. You are welcome to participate in any or all of the following:

6:30 pm Informal Gathering Time
7:00 pm Prayer Service
7:30 pm Centering Prayer

Watch for the Zoom link to arrive in your inbox mid-day on Wednesdays.

Preparing for Next Sunday

February 14, 2021

Reading: 2 Kings 2:1-12
Gospel: Mark 9:2-9

Go to “Preparing for Worship” for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.

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. Who are you wondering about? Who would you like to check in with?

We encourage you to make contacts by phone, email, or by writing a note or sending a card. And then, please let us know what you found out.

To sign up to contact someone, please click on this link.

To give feedback about your contact, please click on this link.

Questions? Please contact Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, Victoria Kovalenko, Lynn Santelmann, or Pastor Robyn. And thank you for keeping our community together and strong.

MACG Core Team

Preparing for Lent

The church season of Lent leads us from a cross of ashes that reminds us of our bodily mortality to a cross of crucifixion that carries God’s promise of resurrection.

In the intervening 40 days, we wait, pondering our own imperfect lives and yearning to create a new vision for living. What is the Holy One calling us to do? Just as Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, weare tested to relinquish something and regain self-control. Many people ask, “What are you giving up for Lent?”

At St. Andrew, we traditionally display a wooden cross, where we each can insert a nail to acknowledge our own sin. Because Lent is a time for providing for the needs of others and for self-denial, we launch an ambitious food drive.

But Lent is just as much a time for renewal. As we anticipate the crucifixion and Christ’s resurrection, we are invited to renew our relationship with God. We pray, longing for guidance. We seek to know better what God wants us to do in the world.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which falls this year on February 17.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
Psalm 130:5-6

In Need of Prayers…

Nan Thompson	Continued good spirit on her journey through cancer	Nan Thompson
Mary Brown	Successful treatment and recovery	Bob & Mary Brown
Amy	Effective treatment; comfort for her husband Chris	Bob & Judy Scholz
Carol Adkison (Mary’s sister)	Correct diagnosis and treatment	Bob & Mary Brown
Kim Oyen (sister-in-law)	Comfort and healing	Chris Bekemeier
Linda Wick (sister)	Pain relief and healing	Donna McAlpine
Fran Miller	Healing and recovery from knee replacement	Fran Miller
Mildred Leppert (sister-in-law)	Healing and recovery from a severe heart attack	Judy Heidinger
Gary Grafwallner	Healing and recovery	Gary Grafwallner
Scott Staul	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Lisa Staul
LuAnn Staul	Complete recovery from COVID-19	LuAnn Staul
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Pastor Robyn Hartwig	Thanksgiving for her ministry and blessings for her and the people of Spirit of Grace	Everyone!
Bishop Laurie Larson Caesar Oregon Synod and Staff	Strength and wisdom	Staff
Refugees and immigrants	Acceptance, safety, and just treatment	Staff
The homeless in our communities and country	Comfort, hope, and shelter	Staff
Military personnel, especially Justina Hailey Hope Brocker, Evan Dahlquist, Dawson Dethlefs, Neil Fiegenbaum, and Jerami Reyna	Courage and protection	Staff
Emanuel Lutheran Church (Cornelius, OR) Calvary Lutheran Church (Hillsboro, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Congregation Chabad (Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

If you know someone in need of prayers, please contact the church office by phone at 503-646-0629 or email office@standrewlutheran.com Tuesday-Friday, prayerchain@standrewlutheran.com Saturday-Monday.

Treasurer Needed

St. Andrew’s Financial Committee is searching for a Treasurer. At the end of June 2021, Anne Newell will be stepping down from that role to pursue new activities. We’re looking for someone to step into her shoes and we’re hoping someone in the congregation will be “willing and able.”

Whether one person or a team step forward, we’ll train and assist you in taking over this important function for our church. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to serve. Call Anne Newell at 503-781-9076 for more information.

Thank You!

Dear Friends,
Thank you for the prayers of concern and for healing and wellness for the Staul family. Scott, Lisa, and Henry are recovered
and I am doing much better.

LuAnn Staul

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Highlights for the Week

Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, February 7, Fifth Sunday of Epiphany

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
9:45 am	Pastor Robyn’s Final Sunday	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Monday, February 8

7:00 pm

Men’s Book Club

Zoom

Tuesday, February 9

10:00 am	T’ai Chi	former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
1:30 pm	Service Committee Meeting	Zoom
6:00 pm	HR Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Finance Team Meeting	Zoom

Wednesday, February 10 – 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	Wednesday Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:00 pm	High School Youth Game Night	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, February 11

12:00 pm	Team Ministry Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Website Review Meeting	Zoom

Friday, February 12

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, February 14: Fifth Sunday of Epiphany

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Super Bible Bowl “Family Feud”	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!

Offertory Hymn from 1/24/2021

Due to technical difficulties the offertory hymn sung by Lee Anne Knapp was not streamed on Sunday the 24th of January. Please enjoy now!

Giving Statements for 2020

Your 2020 giving statements are available. Go to the Give page of the church website to download and print your statement from your InFellowship account.

Please note that statements will be mailed out only upon special request after January 20. If you need a statement mailed to you, please contact the Financial Secretaries or the church office (503-646-0629).

The St. Andrew Finance Team

Wednesday Evening Prayer

Zoom gatherings continue every Wednesday evening for fellowship, worship, and prayer. You are welcome to participate in any or all of the following:

6:30 pm Informal Gathering Time
7:00 pm Prayer Service
7:30 pm Centering Prayer

Watch for the Zoom link to arrive in your inbox mid-day on Wednesdays.

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 via email or call 503-646-0629.

Pastor Robyn’s “Outside Hours”

Pastor Robyn is offering weekly opportunities for anyone wanting to meet with her outdoors under the front door overhang at St. Andrew until her final Sunday with St. Andrew on February 7. Feel free to stop by anytime during these “outside hours” for some conversation or to share a prayer. This week’s opportunities include Sunday, January 24 from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Thursday, January 28 from 4:30 – 5:30 pm, and Sunday, January 31 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm.

A brief communion service will be offered at ten minutes before the end of each hour for anybody who desires to participate. Pastor Robyn will provide pre-filled personalized sealed communion cups and wafers.

You can also set up a different time to meet with Pastor Robyn outside at the church or outside at your own home. To schedule a different time, please contact her by January 21st via email or 503-646-0629, ext. 211.

Treasurer Needed

St. Andrew’s Financial Committee is searching for a Treasurer. At the end of June 2021, Anne Newell will be stepping down from that role to pursue new activities. We’re looking for someone to step into her shoes and we’re hoping someone in the congregation will be “willing and able.”

Whether one person or a team step forward, we’ll train and assist you in taking over this important function for our church. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to serve. Call Anne Newell at 503-781-9076 for more information.

Adult Education:
The Gospel of Mark

Sunday, January 31, 10:00 am

Jim Aageson concludes his study of Mark, where the first are last and those closest to Jesus are filled with fear rather than faith. In God’s kingdom, things are upside down

participate via Zoom

Super Bible Bowl: FEUD!

The Super Bible Bowl returns to St. Andrew on Sunday, February 14, at 10:00 am! This year, the Bowl will be fully digital, hosted via Zoom during the normal Christian Education hour. But, the virtual nature of the event isn’t all that is new this year: instead of the usual “Jeopardy” format, this year the battle between council and confirmands will take the shape of the popular game show “Family Feud.” We hope you will join us to cheer on the contestants!

Job Openings in Online Worship Production

St. Andrew is looking to hire a part-time audio tech and part-time video tech to distribute online worship using YouTube livestream and Zoom. These two individuals will ensure everything is ready to go prior to each service, manage mics and audio or manage cameras and graphics, and ensure the congregation is receiving the feed. Experience in sound boards or videography is required. Worship production involves more than hitting play and walking away. These two people will stay onsite throughout services and troubleshoot when needed. To learn more about specific qualifications needed and compensation offered, please go to:

https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/npo/d/portlandlivestream-audio-video-tech/7263783074.html

Positions will be open until filled. Application review begins in
early February.

Community Warehouse

Each January, St. Andrew has donated barrel loads of household goods to the nonprofit agency Community Warehouse, which furnishes needed furniture and appliances, etc. to families just moving into stable housing. The organization provides almost everything needed to start housekeeping to families graduating from Family Promise, whose families St. Andrew has hosted.

Due to the pandemic, we cannot accept items in our building and the agency is not picking up donations as it did earlier.

If you would like to donate money to this worthwhile agency, you can write a check to St. Andrew Lutheran and indicate “Service Committee —Warehouse” on the memo line. $40 provides a desk and chair to a child, while $400 provides the comforts of home for one family.

Thanks for your consideration.

Fran Miller
for the Service Committee

P.S. If you wish to personally deliver donated items, the Community Warehouse located at 8380 NW Nyberg St in Tualatin continues to accept donations on Monday-Saturday, from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. If you have questions, call them at 503-447-2147. The Community Warehouse at 3969 NE MLK, Jr. Blvd in Portland is also accepting drop-off donations, Monday-Friday. You may call their office at 503 235-8786.

Donations should be gently used or new, safe, clean, functional, and in ready-to-use condition with all parts assembled. Mattresses must be free of stains, tears, and pet hair/odors. Items must be from non-smoking households.

Generally these offerings are accepted: small appliances, kitchenware, furniture that is not too heavy, and linens. Staff may decline to accept some furnishings.

Preparing for Next Sunday

February 7, 2021

Reading: Isaiah 40:21-31
Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

Go to “Preparing for Worship” for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.

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. Who are you wondering about? Who would you like to check in with?

We encourage you to make contacts by phone, email, or by writing a note or sending a card. And then, please let us know what you found out.

To sign up to contact someone, please click on this link.

To give feedback about your contact, please click on this link.

Questions? Please contact Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, Victoria Kovalenko, Lynn Santelmann, or Pastor Robyn. And thank you for keeping our community together and strong.

MACG Core Team

Pandemic Story: Counting on Compound Interest

As a banker and one of St. Andrew’s treasurers, Brian Cheney knows well the power of compound interest. And as a recent MBA graduate from George Fox University, he’s counting on that phenomenon to improve our world in big and little ways. A year ago, he decided to invite his friends and contacts to get out in the community and create something positive. Most people he talked to didn’t come up with any ideas they could put their passion behind, but an old friend from high school—Hayley Carroll jumped on the idea.

For Brian, the challenge of climate degradation hit home with the massive wildfires that have plagued the Pacific Northwest. Hayley, a project manager with an engineering firm, was learning woodworking skills from her dad and building hexagonal structures perfect for mason bees. As they talked to discover what things they had in common, serendipity struck and they decided to create a program to share mason bees with the community.

Mason bees are important pollinators that we depend on for food production. Brian and Hayley have an ambitious goal: to create an agricultural safety net with mason bees by 2025, when farmers may no longer to be able to count on bees from the wild to visit their orchards and fields. If that happens, food production will decline dramatically. Hayley handles the manufacturing end, while Brian looks after the business side of their partnership.

Working with St. Andrew’s Community Carbon Yard Science Team, the pair have already installed five mason bee houses on the south and east sides of the garden shed. More will be placed around the property yet this spring. If you’d like to apply for a mason bee house at your home, contact Brian. After your bees hatch, they will go back to Brian and Hayley to be distributed to others in the area. For more information, go to www.morebees.or.

In Need of Prayers…

Family and friends of Colleen Warnes (daughter)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Suzanne Warnes
Suzanne Davison (son’s fiancé)	Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment	Bob & Carolyn Cornie
Carol Hogan	Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for low platelets	Carol Hogan
Nan Thompson	Good diagnosis, effective treatment, and comfort	Pastor Robyn
Kim Oyen (sister-in-law)	Comfort and healing	Chris Bekemeier
Linda Wick (sister)	Pain relief and healing	Donna McAlpine
Gary Grafwallner	Healing and recovery	Gary Grafwallner
Lisa, Scott, and Henry Staul	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Lisa Staul
LuAnn Staul	Release from hospital and recovery from COVID-19	LuAnn Staul
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
St. Matthew Lutheran Church (Beaverton, OR) Taiwan Lutheran Church (Beaverton, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Al Furqan Islamic Center (Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

If you know someone in need of prayers, please contact the church office by phone at 503-646-0629 or email office@standrewlutheran.com Tuesday-Friday, prayerchain@standrewlutheran.com Saturday-Monday.

Epiphany Carols on Our Website

Many of us miss the voices of the congregation raised in song, but—thanks to individuals from the Sanctuary Choir—you can hear some Epiphany Carols on our website. Click on the “Worship” link and then scroll down to “Special Events.” Thank you, Deacon Susan Reiser, for making this happen!

Thank You from EcoFaith Recovery

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the St. Andrew community for your generous and ongoing support of climate justice and racial justice through EcoFaith Recovery. With your financial support, EcoFaith Recovery met its year-end matching grant before the December 31st deadline and ended the year with only a $597 deficit! This is much less than we feared given the financial impact of the pandemic which reduced the giving capacity of many of EcoFaith’s regular donors.

If you would like to receive monthly e-mail updates on the work St. Andrew is supporting for climate justice and racial justice (including St. Andrew’s role as EcoFaith’s flagship Community Carbon pilot community) and opportunities through which you can participate in EcoFaith’s volunteer leadership development work online, simply send me an e-mail at PastorRobyn@EcoFaithRecovery.org and I will make sure you are added to the list. Thanks again!

Pastor Robyn

Taking America Back for God

Our own ELCA presiding bishop, Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, participated with Episcopal Bishop Michael Curry and others in an online forum, Democracy and Faith Under Siege: Responding to Christian Nationalism, on January 27. Dr. Andrew Whitehead offered a clear summary of Christian Nationalism from his new book, Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States. The recording of the presentation and other compelling resources for confronting Christian Nationalism are at
the following links:

https://bjconline.org and
https://www.christiansagainstchristiannationalism.org/ and
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmgWHBoGBi8

A Golden Legacy

This book is for all of us old folks out there, those born in the 1940s and 1950s. Perhaps those older as well, but you yourself might have been too old for them and not old enough to read them to your own kids.

Anyway, having stuck my foot far enough into my mouth that my eyes cross looking at my ankle, I will get on with telling you about this book. The Golden Legacy, by Leonard Marcus (call number 813.54) is a great book about books, The Little Golden Books, that is. Remember them? Even if you don’t read all the history Marcus outlines, which is pretty interesting by itself, it’s great fun to look at the pictures and see all the covers and remember which books you had growing up. Can you still tell the story? Remember what happened?

The pictures are wonderful, but did you know how many different illustrators the publisher had, and how many authors? I sure didn’t. I never noticed as a kid, but they didn’t, for the longest time, put the name of the author on the cover. All the changes do get rather tiresome, but if you stick with it, you’ll be amazed at what the passage of time brought to those books and the publisher’s thinking: marketers could still learn from them.

Anyway, try taking a trip down the Golden Book road!

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

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Highlights for the Week

Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, January 31, Fourth Sunday of Epiphany

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	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
1:00 pm	Outside Hour with Pastor Robyn	under the front door overhang

Tuesday, February 2

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, February 3 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

12:30 pm	Bonhoeffer Seminar	Zoom
4:00 pm	Outside Hour with Pastor Robyn	under the front door overhang
6:00 pm	Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal	Sanctuary
6:30 pm	High School Youth Hangout	Zoom
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, February 4

12:00 pm	Team Ministry Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Executive Council Meeting	Zoom

Friday, February 5

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, February 7: Fifth Sunday of Epiphany

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
9:45 am	Pastor Robyn’s Final Sunday	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!

Giving Statements for 2020

St. Andrew’s financial secretaries will continue to update 2020 giving records through January 19. Your 2020 giving statements should be available after January 20, 2020. At that time you’ll be able to download and print your statement from your InFellowship account on the Give page of the church website.

Please note that statements will be mailed out only upon special request after January 20. If you need a statement mailed to you, please contact the Financial Secretaries or the church office (503-646-0629).

The St. Andrew Finance Team

Wednesday Evening Prayer

Zoom gatherings continue every Wednesday evening for fellowship, worship, and prayer. You are welcome to participate in any or all of the following:

6:30 pm Informal Gathering Time
7:00 pm Prayer Service
7:30 pm Centering Prayer

Watch for the Zoom link to arrive in your inbox mid-day on Wednesdays.

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 via email or call 503-646-0629.

Pastor Robyn’s “Outside Hours”

Pastor Robyn is offering weekly opportunities for anyone wanting to meet with her outdoors under the front door overhang at St. Andrew until her final Sunday with St. Andrew on February 7. Feel free to stop by anytime during these “outside hours” for some conversation or to share a prayer. This week’s opportunities include Sunday, January 24 from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Thursday, January 28 from 4:30 – 5:30 pm, and Sunday, January 31 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm.

A brief communion service will be offered at ten minutes before the end of each hour for anybody who desires to participate. Pastor Robyn will provide pre-filled personalized sealed communion cups and wafers.

You can also set up a different time to meet with Pastor Robyn outside at the church or outside at your own home. To schedule a different time, please contact her by January 21st via email or 503-646-0629, ext. 211.

Table Talk: Misunderstanding Minorities

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 Thursday, January 28, 7:00-8:00 pm.

In the early hours of Thursday, January 7, having weathered an assault on the Capitol, Congress in a joint session finally certified the election of Joe Biden as President and Kamala Harris as Vice President of the United States. They will be inaugurated on Wednesday, January 20. In this Table Talk we will ponder Fareed Zakaria’s striking post-election claim that even though Democrats won the presidential election they “misunderstand minorities.” He observes that amazingly President Trump “appears to have won the second-largest share of the minority vote than any Republican since 1976, according to exit polls. He won the largest percentage of the Black vote since 1996 (though he still got only about 12 percent of the Black vote). One poll indicates he won 35 percent of the Muslim vote.” Democrats may be wondering what happened. He asserts that the Democratic Party’s view of multiculturalism “lumps a wide variety of ethnic, racial, and religious groups into one `minority’ monolith and approaches them from a perspective that does not fit us all”. Zakaria himself was born on January 20, 1964, in Mumbai, India. In this Table Talk we will also consider how well Evangelical Lutherans understand minorities. Evangelical Lutherans are known for being the whitest denomination in the country

Treasurer Needed

St. Andrew’s Financial Committee is searching for a Treasurer. At the end of June 2021, Anne Newell will be stepping down from that role to pursue new activities. We’re looking for someone to step into her shoes and we’re hoping someone in the congregation will be “willing and able.”

Whether one person or a team step forward, we’ll train and assist you in taking over this important function for our church. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to serve. Call Anne Newell at 503-781-9076 for more information.

Adult Education:
The Gospel of Mark

Sunday, January 24, 10:00 am

Mark shares a vision of God’s kingdom, where the first are last and those closest to Jesus are filled with fear rather than faith. Things are upside down.

participate via Zoom

Community Warehouse

Each January, St. Andrew has donated barrel loads of household goods to the nonprofit agency Community Warehouse, which furnishes needed furniture and appliances, etc. to families just moving into stable housing. The organization provides almost everything needed to start housekeeping to families graduating from Family Promise, whose families St. Andrew has hosted.

Due to the pandemic, we cannot accept items in our building and the agency is not picking up donations as it did earlier.

If you would like to donate money to this worthwhile agency, you can write a check to St. Andrew Lutheran and indicate “Service Committee —Warehouse” on the memo line. $40 provides a desk and chair to a child, while $400 provides the comforts of home for one family.

Thanks for your consideration.

Fran Miller
for the Service Committee

P.S. If you wish to personally deliver donated items, the Community Warehouse located at 8380 NW Nyberg St in Tualatin continues to accept donations on Monday-Saturday, from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. If you have questions, call them at 503-447-2147. The Community Warehouse at 3969 NE MLK, Jr. Blvd in Portland is also accepting drop-off donations, Monday-Friday. You may call their office at 503 235-8786.

Donations should be gently used or new, safe, clean, functional, and in ready-to-use condition with all parts assembled. Mattresses must be free of stains, tears, and pet hair/odors. Items must be from non-smoking households.

Generally these offerings are accepted: small appliances, kitchenware, furniture that is not too heavy, and linens. Staff may decline to accept some furnishings.

Preparing for Next Sunday

January 31, 2021

Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

Go to “Preparing for Worship” for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.

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. Who are you wondering about? Who would you like to check in with?

We encourage you to make contacts by phone, email, or by writing a note or sending a card. And then, please let us know what you found out.

To sign up to contact someone, please click on this link.

To give feedback about your contact, please click on this link.

Questions? Please contact Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, Victoria Kovalenko, Lynn Santelmann, or Pastor Robyn. And thank you for keeping our community together and strong.

MACG Core Team

January Movie Night

Our Netflix movie for January is Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution.

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution is a 2020 American documentary film directed, written, and co-produced by Nicole Newnham and James LeBrecht. Barack and Michelle Obama serve as executive producers under their Higher Ground Productions banner.

“This feel-good documentary recounts the ties of a Catskills summer camp to American disability rights activism in the 1970s,” says a NY Times review, while Common Sense Media called the film “a moving tribute to the triumph of the human spirit.”

You can stream the documentary on Netflix and then meet with us on Zoom on Friday, January 29,at 7:00 p.m. Bring out the popcorn and gather around your computer screens as we talk about what we liked (and didn’t like) about this month’s movie.

You’ll find the Zoom link for this Movie Night in Carol’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, January 29. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Smith.

Super Bible Bowl: FEUD!

The Super Bible Bowl returns to St. Andrew on Sunday, February 14, at 10:00 am! This year, the Bowl will be fully digital, hosted via Zoom during the normal Christian Education hour. But, the virtual nature of the event isn’t all that is new this year: instead of the usual “Jeopardy” format, this year the battle between council and confirmands will take the shape of the popular game show “Family Feud.” We hope you will join us to cheer them on.

In Need of Prayers…

Family and friends of Joyce Larson (grandmother)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Cole & Kristin Petersburg
Family and friends of Dr. Don Scholz (father-in-law)	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Judy Scholz
Suzanne Davison (son’s fiancé)	Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment	Bob & Carolyn Cornie
Carol Hogan	Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for low platelets	Carol Hogan
Nan Thompson	Good diagnosis, effective treatment, and comfort	Pastor Robyn
Tayvin Krieger (daughter Sherry Myers’ student)	Healing and recovery in body and mind	Doris Larson
Gary Grafwallner	Healing and recovery	Gary Grafwallner
Katherine (friend)	Healing and recovery	Mary Smith
Dr. Paul Wilson	Healing and recovery	Patty Jones
LuAnn, Lisa, and Henry Staul	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	LuAnn Staul
Dorothy Moore	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Pastor Robyn
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Francesca Gladhill (daughter-in-law)	Healthy pregnancy	Richard & Kristie Gladhill
Those facing ongoing illness or distress: Mareline Barnes, Dave Bumgardner, Jean Fredrickson, Tara Harper, Douglas Hooke, Betty Horst, Dorothy Moore, Phyllis Morris, 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
Bishop Elizabeth Eaton	Wisdom and discernment	Staff
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America	Blessings on our ministry	Staff
Taiwan Lutheran Church	Strength and wisdom	Staff
Spirit of Grace Lutheran Church (Beaverton, OR) Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church (Beaverton, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Congregation Ahavath Achim (Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff

If you know someone in need of prayers, please contact the church office by phone at 503-646-0629 or email office@standrewlutheran.com Tuesday-Friday, prayerchain@standrewlutheran.com Saturday-Monday.

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.

Epiphany Carols on Our Website

Many of us miss the voices of the congregation raised in song, but—thanks to individuals from the Sanctuary Choir—you can hear some Epiphany Carols on our website. Click on the “Worship” link and then scroll down to “Special Events.” Thank you, Deacon Susan Reiser, for making this happen!

Job Openings in Online Worship Production

St. Andrew is looking to hire a part-time audio tech and part-time video tech to distribute online worship using YouTube livestream and Zoom. These two individuals will ensure everything is ready to go prior to each service, manage mics and audio or manage cameras and graphics, and ensure the congregation is receiving the feed. Experience in sound boards or videography is required. Worship production involves more than hitting play and walking away. These two people will stay on-site throughout services and troubleshoot when needed. To learn more about specific qualifications needed and compensation offered, please go to:

https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/npo/d/portlandlivestream-audio-video-tech/7263783074.html

Positions will be open until filled. Application review begins in
early February.

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Highlights for the Week

Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, January 24, Third Sunday of Epiphany

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	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

Tuesday, January 26

10:00 am	T’ai Chi	former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
10:00 am	Community Carbon Leadership Meeting	Zoom

Wednesday, January 27 – 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	Wednesday Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:00 pm	High School Youth Hangout	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer & Other Breakout Room Opportunities	Zoom

Thursday, January 21

12:00 pm	Team Ministry Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	IT Meeting	Zoom

Friday, January 22

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, January 24: Third Sunday of Epiphany

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	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!