January 30, 2022
Want a printed copy of the Weekly News? Click on the printer icon to the right or download and print the PDF.
Horizon Team Established
What do members of our faith community envision for the future of St. Andrew? How might we evolve to support our core values? Should we be thinking about possible changes to our traditional worship patterns, norms that have already been altered by the pandemic? What possibilities might we consider to ensure our community remains vibrant and engaged in our neighborhood and the world beyond? How can we live into God’s plan for all of creation?
The Congregational Council has established a Horizon Team to be guided by Terry Moe, longtime pastor, community organizer, and author of The Bush Still Burns: How Spirituality and Organizing Transformed a Pastor and Congregation. From the congregation, Scott Anderson, Larry Bliesner, Pat Christiansen, Bobbie Larson, Barton Robison, and LuAnn Staul will form the initial corps of the Horizon Team. Next month, they will begin outlining a plan to gather information from a wide variety of individuals and groups that are invested in St. Andrew’s future.
What do you hope to see down the road, maybe in three to five years? Start envisioning what could be. Over the next several months, the Horizon Team will be listening to many, many people as they gather ideas for a report and recommendations to the Congregational Council. Stay tuned for emerging details.
St. Andrew Job Posting: Bookkeeper
St. Andrew Lutheran Church is looking for a part-time or contract bookkeeper. Flexible hours, 10-20 hours per week, Wednesday-Friday. Primary responsibilities include recording deposits, disbursements, payroll, and transfers and running reports in QuickBooks Online; reconciling month-end statements; filing; and entering payroll data in ADP. Assist with budget planning and annual report process.
Minimum Qualifications:
- 5 years’ bookkeeping experience with nonprofit, multi-fund organizations; church fund accounting experience preferred.
- 3 years of experience using QuickBooks Online accounting software, including budgeting, reporting, and account reconciliation features.
- Demonstrated proficiency using Microsoft Office software.
- High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Proven ability to calculate, post, and manage accounting figures and financial records.
To apply, please submit cover letter and resume to Parish Manager Carol Harker at charker@standrewlutheran.com.
2021 Giving Statement Update
We’ve recently discovered that the giving history in Fellowship One is not working properly for everyone at this time. Please disregard last week’s instruction for your giving review.
Comprehensive 2021 statements that include both online and cash/check contributions will be emailed to those with active email addresses beginning the weekend of January 29.
Once again this year, those needing printed statements mailed to them are asked to call the church office to make that request.
Please contact me (tammychef15@gmail.com) only if you see errors in the statement you receive.
Thank you for your patience while we navigate giving statement distribution in the first year since the update to our database software last spring.
Tammy Piscitelli
on behalf of the Financial Secretaries
Adult Education Classes During Epiphany
Both classes begin at 10:00 am on Sunday mornings.
“My Journey: What I’ve Learned Along the Way”
Join Jim Aageson in Fellowship Hall for a class about our life stories as he shares some reflective vignettes from his own life that are intended to prompt others to think about their own experiences. As Jim points out in his description of the class, our life stories “may…enrich the lives of the generations who come after us. They can give life, color, and texture to the family tree. They will be part of our legacies.”
Mental Illness in Our Midst: How Does It Look & How Can We Respond?
Janet Vorvick will present information about autism, borderline personality disorder, and schizophrenia in the Adult Education class on Sunday at 10:00 am in the St. Andrew Room. These mental illnesses are serious and not uncommon. Janet Vorvick will investigate these topics in the Adult Education class on Sunday at 10:00 am in the St. Andrew room. Janet will discuss concrete ideas for responding to the mental health needs of people already in our congregation and people who may come as visitors. This class should be of interest to those challenged by mental illness as well as those who have friends or family members who suffer. Also, anyone who has an interest in mental illness and what we, in the church, can do will be interested, too. Questions about how our worship and programs can help those with mental health challenges will also be considered.
All Creation Sings
Last summer, we introduced a new hymnal supplement from Augsburg, All Creation Sings. The hymnal focuses on our relationship with the rest of God’s creation, both our fellow human beings and the plants and animals with whom we share the planet. With two new liturgy settings and more than 200 new hymns, All Creation Sings has been a wonderful resource and the congregation has really enjoyed exploring its offerings.
Until now, St. Andrew only had a handful of copies of the hymnal that were used by worship planners and the choir, but we are hoping to soon secure enough copies to have one in every pew in the Sanctuary!
If you’d like to have your own copy for home use, it’s a bargain at only $14.50. You can also purchase versions with keyboard accompaniment or guitar chords, or even an e-book version for use with your tablet or laptop. Go to https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/category/286070/Hymnals-and-Songbooks to order a copy if you’re interested.
Allison Katsufrakis
Minister of Music & Media
Finding Liturgy in Life and Life in Liturgy
An Oregon Synod Lay Education Course
How does liturgy shape us? And how might we shape it? Gather with people from across the Oregon Synod this January and February to explore liturgy in daily life, communal worship, and public witness. We’ll pay particular attention to the seasons of the church year, the flow of worship, the invitation of sacraments, and space for the integration of blessing, celebration, lamentation, prayer, song, symbols, and ritual crafting. You’re encouraged to bring your whole self as we seek to live in holy rhythm. Pr. Matta Ghaly will be the primary instructor. The course is designed with a Lutheran lens and inclusive heart; all are welcome.
This online course is offered through the Oregon Synod’s SALM and Lay Education Program. We’ll meet the following Tuesday evenings on Zoom from 6:30-8:00 pm (Pacific Time): February 1, February 8, February 15, February 22, and March 1. Authentic participation and relationship-building are the priority. Course participants and/or their congregations are encouraged to donate, as they are able, on a sliding scale between $20-$160, but donations are not required to register. If you’d like to sign up for the course, please do so through the registration form.
Anyone for Bridge?
A social bridge group from St. Pius Catholic Church has begun meeting weekly in Fellowship Hall and is looking for some substitutes from St. Andrew who can fill in when needed. This is a senior group that plays on Tuesdays from 12:30-4:00 pm. No partner is needed. If you’d like to play, please call Hilary at 503-526-0650 in advance and she’ll let you know when the opportunity to sub arises.
Service Committee Hosts DVRC Director
Rowie Taylor, executive director of Beaverton’s Domestic Violence Resource Center (DVRC), and Program Director Geeta Paul recently attended St. Andrew’s Service Committee meeting via Zoom to update the committee about the work their organization does in the community. As they spoke, it became clear that our St. Andrew financial support is indeed going to a worthy cause that reflects our core values, particularly Community Care.
The DVRC provides three main types of assistance to families of women (and some men) who are victims of domestic violence:
Housing: DVRC provides emergency shelter, then traditional housing up to one year, and rental subsidies up to two years. Monika’s House Shelter is Washington County’s only confidential domestic violence shelter and is one of only five shelters in Oregon with accommodations to shelter pets as well as people.
Counseling: DVRC provides licensed counselors and social workers for victims. COVID has necessitated that most of this is currently in the form of telehealth support.
Advocates: DVRC provides legal assistance and helps victims of domestic violence manage trauma, secure protective orders, and participate in video court.
All support that DVRC offers is confidential and without cost to their clients.
DVRC receives support from many varied sources, which enabled the organization to serve 2,028 survivors in 2021. Nearly 12,000 people received crisis services, including 3,335 safe nights in shelter.
St. Andrew is proud to provide regular support to the Domestic Violence Resource Center. If you need the organization’s assistance or know summon who does, call DVRC’s 24-hour hotline at 503-469-8620. If you’d like to support the agency yourself, find out how you can help at https://www.dvrc-or.org/donate/.
Jeannine Douglas
Service Committee
The Lord Watches Over the Foreigner (Psalm 146:9)
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your generous gift of $500 to Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS). Because of your support, we can continue to provide much needed help to refugee and immigrant families both as they arrive and during the time it takes to build a new life. Thanks to you, children who were separated from their parents have been reunited with their loved ones and given the resources and connections needed to recover from trauma. You’re also helping us advocate with a firm resolve for ending shameful policies that tear families apart and prevent newcomers from finding refuge here.
You have shared a vitally needed voice of hope in a world too often filled with violence, a nation too often filled with hate.
Since LIRS began, congregations like yours have helped more than 500,000 migrant and refugee men, women, and children rebuild their lives in welcoming communities across the country.
By helping LIRS welcome the stranger, you are sending a powerful message of hope conquering fear and making a life-changing difference for people restarting their lives. I am eternally grateful for your congregation’s compassion and I know the families you help extend their gratitude, too.
Together in faith,
Krish O’Mara Vignarajah
President and CEO
Community Warehouse Annual Donation Drive Cancelled
The Service Committee is disappointed to report that the Community Warehouse will not be able to support our annual donation drive. The Community Warehouse collected quality, gently used and new household goods and furniture for neighbors in need. Although the organization doesn’t currently have sufficient staff to pick up donations, it is still accepting donations at its Tualatin site at 8380 SW Nyberg Rd, Tualatin, OR 97062, from 10:00 am-4:00 pm Monday through Friday.
The Community Warehouse needs kitchen wares, pots and pans, small appliances, linens, and small furniture items. To learn more about the good work being done by the Community Warehouse, check out their website: https://www.communitywarehouse.org/.
Bible Study Resumes
Seekers of the Heart of God Bible Study resumes next Thursday, February 3, at 9:30 am in the St. Andrew Room. The lesson will come from Crossway’s Knowing the Bible Series, Week 5. If you have questions or would like to know more, please contact Ed Fransen. All are welcome!
New Nonfiction
Recent nonfiction titles added to the Adult Library bookshelves include:
Opening the Gospel of John, Philip Comfort / Wendell Hawley
Greed, James Childs
Jesus’ Plan for a New World, Richard Rohr
Revelation Unveiled, Tim LaHaye
Giving to God, Mark Allan Powell
Love in a Time of Fear, Cassie J.E.H. Trentaz
Simply Sane, Gerald May, MD
After the Locusts: Letters from a Landscape of Faith, Denise Ackermann /Desmond Tutu
Preparing for next Sunday, February 6, 2022
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8
Gospel: Luke 5:1-11
Go to the “Preparing for Worship” webpage for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.
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 Rob Shenk (cousin) | Peace and God’s comfort at his death | Francine Cach |
| Family and friends of DC Williams | Peace and God’s comfort at his death | Allison Katsufrakis |
| Raya (six-month-old great-grandniece) | Successful heart surgery (Feb. 3) and recovery | Ginny Link |
| Pam Renick (Phyllis Morris’s daughter) | Comfort and support | India Jensen Kerr |
| Shari Entrikin | Comfort and healing | Jerry Entrikin |
| Suzanne Warnes | Comfort and healing | Suzanne Warnes |
| Armando Sanchez | Comfort and healing | Eric Luttrell |
| Madeleine (granddaughter) | Strength and healing | Mary Smith |
| Julie Hoffmaster | Healing and recovery | Julie Hoffmaster |
| David, Sam, and Amy Harker | Healing and recovery from COVID | Carol Harker |
| The Horizon team | Blessings on their work | Staff |
| Students, teachers, and school staffs | Strength and support | 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 Kesser Israel (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 anyone who needs a Eucharistic minister or who would benefit from a monthly visit or phone call, please contact India Jensen Kerr at india@standrewlutheran.com or 503-860-5377.
Highlights for the Week
Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Sunday, January 30
| 8:30 am | Worship with Communion (masks required) | Sanctuary and YouTube |
| 10:00 am | Children’s Ministry with Donna Brocker | Children’s Library |
| 10:00 am | Confirmation (for grades 6-8) | Library and via Zoom |
| 10:00 am | High School Youth Group | Youth Room |
| 10:00 am | Adult Ed: Mental Illness in Our Midst: How Does It Look and How Can We Respond? |
St. Andrew Room |
| 10:00 am | Adult Ed: My Journey: What I’ve Learned Along the Way, and What Difference Does It Make |
Fellowship Hall |
| 10:30 am | Virtual Coffee Time | Zoom |
| 11:00 am | Worship with Communion (masks required) | Sanctuary and Zoom |
| 12:00 pm | Virtual Coffee Time | Zoom |
Monday, January 31
| 10:00 am | Meals on Wheels/Loaves and Fishes | Offsite |
| 6:00 pm | Scout Troop 618 Meeting | Fellowship Hall, St. Andrew Room |
Tuesday, February 1
| 7:00 am | Men’s Gathering and Bible Study | Elmer’s Restaurant (1250 NW Waterhouse Ave) |
| 7:00 am | Sunrise Women | Elmer’s Restaurant (1250 NW Waterhouse Ave) |
| 10:00 am | Tai Chi | Fellowship Hall |
| 7:00 pm | MACG Meeting | St. Andrew Room |
Wednesday, February 2 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm
| 12:30 pm | Bonhoeffer Seminar | via Zoom |
| 2:30 pm | Communications Team Meeting | via Zoom |
| 6:00 pm | Bells of Grace Rehearsal | Sanctuary |
| 7:30 pm | Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal | Sanctuary |
Thursday, February 3
| 9:30 am | Seekers of the Heart of God | St. Andrew Room |
| 12:00 pm | Team Ministry Meeting | Chapel/Library |
| 7:00 pm | Executive Council Committee Meeting | St. Andrew Room and via Zoom |
Friday, February 4
| 10:00 am | Tai Chi Fellowship Hall |
Saturday, February 5
| 9:00 am | Nifty Notters | Fellowship Hall |
Sunday, February 6
| 8:30 am | Worship with Communion (masks required) | Sanctuary and YouTube |
| 10:00 am | Children’s Ministry with Donna Brocker | Children’s Library |
| 10:00 am | Confirmation (for grades 6-8) | Library and via Zoom |
| 10:00 am | High School Youth Group | Youth Room |
| 10:00 am | Adult Ed: Mental Illness in Our Midst: How Does It Look and How Can We Respond? | St. Andrew Room |
| 10:00 am | Adult Ed: My Journey: What I’ve Learned Along the Way, and What Difference Does It Make | Fellowship Hall |
| 10:30 am | Virtual Coffee Time | Zoom |
| 11:00 am | Worship with Communion (masks required) | Sanctuary and Zoom |
| 12:00 pm | Virtual Coffee Time | Zoom |