April 25, 2021

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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. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Smith.

Women in the Gospels

How do the interactions that Jesus has with women in the New Testament help us understand Jesus better? Do these stories reveal more about what the Bible has to say regarding discipleship, friendship, oppression, and even the church’s role in the world today?

Join seminarian Karen Klingelhafer via Zoom at 10:00 am Sunday, April 25, when she will consider the story of Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-2:56) to discover more about the role women play in death and resurrection stories in the Gospels.

Opening the Door to Small Groups

Thanks to volunteer Narthex Greeters, St. Andrew’s Narthex doors are now unlocked during regular church office hours, 9:00 am-4:00 pm, Tuesday-Friday. Masks continue to be required in the building for everyone, but if you happen to forget yours, we do have disposable masks available.

Step by step, we progress toward the goal of offering in-person worship again. We hope to do so beginning in July—depending greatly on the status of coronavirus activity and the public’s willingness to continue to follow safety protocols. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, we are inviting small-group ministries (10 people or fewer) to resume meeting in the building if they would like. Each group will reclaim its regular meeting time and location. Lydia Circle, for instance, meets on the second Tuesday of the month from 1:00-3:00 pm in the St. Andrew Room.

If you would like to get your recurring meetings back on the church calendar and if your attendance is 10 people or fewer, please call the church office at 503-646-0629.

Table Talk: Declaring St. Andrew a Sanctuary Congregation Revisited

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 Sanctuary Team. It will be held via Zoom on Thursday, April 29, 7:00-8:00 pm.

In February of 2020 the Sanctuary Team introduced the congregation to a proposal, “Calling for St. Andrew Lutheran Church to be a Sanctuary Congregation.” Members of the team shared how they had broadened their understanding of what it means to show hospitality to resident non-citizens. A key Bible verse grounding this proposal is Leviticus 19:34:

“The non-citizen who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the non-citizen as yourself, for you were non-citizens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

The plan was to have the congregation vote on declaring St. Andrew a sanctuary congregation at a special meeting on Pentecost Sunday. When the pandemic hit, a decision was made to wait until we could meet in person to consider the proposal.

The Sanctuary Team does not want to delay this decision past another Pentecost. When the Council met on April 15, they decided to recommend this sanctuary proposal to the congregation. During this April Table Talk the Sanctuary Team will reintroduce the proposal to participants and invite dialogue on it. You are encouraged to read the Sanctuary Declaration on the church website before we gather to discuss it on April 29.

A special congregational meeting to make a decision on declaring St. Andrew a sanctuary congregation is planned between services on Pentecost Sunday, May 23. In all likelihood we will be meeting by Zoom.

Wednesday Evening Prayer

Midweek Prayer Services continue into the Easter season this Wednesday, April 28, with a new service emphasizing creation’s song of praise to God. Drawing on elements from All Creation Sings, our service combines prayer, song, and meditations from the writings of well-known lovers of creation. Look for links to this worship service at mid-day on Wednesdays in Allison’s e-mail.

Bookkeeper Position Open

St. Andrew is currently looking for a part-time bookkeeper to work 10-20 hours a week. Essential functions of the position will include preparing weekly deposit reports, entering disbursements, transferring funds to various accounts, processing payroll, reconciling bank accounts, filing evidence of deposits and disbursements, and preparing financial reports. Five years of bookkeeping experience is required, as well as experience with QuickBooks, working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, and a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.

To learn more about the position and to apply, please go to:

https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/acc/d/portland-bookkeeper/7296865006.html.

Audio Technician Needed

Are you a master of audio technology? Do you have experience with sound/mixing boards and microphone placement? Do you understand broadcasting, audio encoding equipment, and live audio delivery systems?

St. Andrew is seeking to employ a part-time Livestream Audio Technician to work four-five hours on Sunday mornings, one-three times per month, and possibly at other times.

This Livestream Audio Tech will work closely with a Video Tech to distribute online worship currently using YouTube livestream and Zoom, as well as amplify sound in the Sanctuary when we are able to worship in person there.

To learn more about the position and to apply, please go to Craigslist.

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 your statement via e-mail. 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

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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 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 dan43theman@comcast.net. or 503-626-3414.

Hope for All Update

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and in his grace gave us unfailing courage and a firm hope, encourage you and strengthen you to always do and say what is good.

2 Thessalonians 2:15-16

I want to offer some very good news concerning the Hope For All Campaign.  

Eight months ago, I announced that as of early August 2020 we had finally reduced the mortgage balance below $1,000,000. At that time for every $1.00 donated about $.70 was going to the Principal and $.30 was going to Interest. I am very pleased to tell you that, as of early April, we now owe about $787,000 and that for every $1.00 we pay on our mortgage, about $.80 is going toward reducing the Principal.

The Treasurers have been very diligent each month to pay down the Principal as much as possible, while maintaining a responsible reserve. I want to thank all of you for the generosity of your giving toward the Hope For All Campaign. Just imagine what we can do without having the burden of a mortgage.

 

Again, thank you to all who continue to support St. Andrew’s Ministries and A Hope For All, our mortgage fund.

God Bless,
Ken Reiner

Lydia Circle

After more than a year apart, Lydia Circle will begin meeting in person again at church beginning Tuesday May 11, from 1:00-3:00 pm in the St. Andrew Room. It will be so good to see each other again and share in the Bible study from May’s Gather magazine. We will follow COVID protocols by wearing masks, social distancing and not sharing food. You may bring a beverage for yourself to drink.

This month’s study is entitled “the journey of generations-waiting to be unwrapped.” We’ll be looking at the shared blessings that intergenerational relationships might bring. We’ll be guided by scripture passages from Luke 1: 46-49, 1 Corinthians 12: 4-6, Ephesians 2:19, and Acts: 2: 4-6. You need not have read the study to take part. If you have questions, please contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917.

Calling All Hands to Get in Touch

St. Andrew’s MACG Core Team and Caring Ministries Team invite you to be a part of our continuing effort to make contact with as many members of our faith community as we can over the course of a few weeks.

Several volunteers met last Sunday and either made contact or promised to make contact with almost 130 households. That’s terrific! There are more contacts to be made, though. Can you help? You are invited to make a phone call, write a note, or send an e-mail to as many people as you can. Help us reach our goal of spreading a message of connection to the majority of people on our roster.

Jan Smith is coordinating the assignment of names.  You can contact her via e-mail at jansmith59@earthlink.net. Once you have completed your calls, please get in touch with one of the pastors if there is something they should know. Also please send an e-mail to Pat Christiansen patchristiansen@comcast.net if anything emerges that seems to be a common question, experience, or concern. 

Thanks for being a part of this important ministry. We are a stronger community when we stay in touch.

St. Andrew’s MACG Core Team and Caring Ministries Team

St. Andrew’s COVID Fund

Thanks to donations from the church community, St. Andrew has been able to continue helping families in dire straits as the COVID pandemic persists in challenging people. Many thanks to Donna Brocker and Diane Reiner for overseeing those resources and sharing them with people in need.

Although all of us are tired and ready to move on, needs continue to mount for many in our area who have lost jobs or housing or loved ones. If you would like to offer your help, St. Andrew welcomes your ongoing support of the COVID Fund. Click on the “Choose a Fund” box online and select COVID-19 DONATION in the drop-down menu if you’d like to give electronically or note COVID FUND on your check. Your gifts are being put to good use.

One Long River of Song

Portland lost beloved author Brian Doyle to brain cancer a few years ago, but his voice continues to resonate in One Long River of Song, a collection of essays published posthumously in 2019. Pastor Susan says that it’s the best book she’s read this year and she’s ordered many copies from local bookstore Annie Bloom’s to send to friends. Both funny and fierce, Brian Doyle was by Pastor Susan’s description “a mature Christian.” In One Long River of Song, he exhorts us to pay attention and to recognize the wonder that surrounds us in everyday life.

St. Andrew to Host Guest Preacher May 9

We at St. Andrew are looking forward to welcoming Pastor Brian Johnson to the pulpit on Sunday, May 9, when he will also offer an Adult Education session between worship services.

Pastor Johnson brings 25 years’ experience in Lutheran higher education and fine arts to the Grunewald Guild, where he serves as executive director. The Grunewald Guild is a 40-year-old retreat center nestled beside the Wenatchee River near Leavenworth, Washington, that is dedicated to the relationship between Art, Faith, and Community. Founded by Rich and Liz Caemmerer in 1980, the center offers summer week-long classes in fabric art, pottery, stained glass, collage, water color, photography, calligraphy, song writing, poetry, sculpture, and many other media.

“Something as earthbound as fabric and clay and paint
can speak our most wordless longings,
express our delight and grief.
Beauty can connect our hearts to the divine heart.”
Guild Founder Richard Caemmerer

Pastor Susan is a member of the Grunewald Guild’s board, beginning a three-year term this past September. She is the first Oregon board member. Visit www.GrunewaldGuild.com for more information.

Getting Vaccinated

All Oregonians 16 and older are now eligible to receive COVID vaccinations, although only the Pfizer vaccine has emergency use approval from the FDA for people 16 or 17 years old. The Moderna vaccine is approved for people 18 and older, while administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine remains suspended to allow further study.

If you would like to check on vaccine availability near you and don’t know where to start, go to vaccinefinder.org, enter your zip code, and the program will list locations offering the shots within 25 miles of your home. Select a location, click on the green arrow to the right, and you will learn which vaccines are in stock at the location of your choice. You can check appointment availability from the same page and quickly move one step closer to a life with greater freedom and fewer risks.

Meanwhile, fears of a fourth wave are becoming a reality in many parts of the country. More than half of Oregon’s counties, including Washington Country, are now considered at high risk. This means that restaurants, gyms, and retail stores will once again need to limit the number of people allowed indoors. In addition, people are also asked to limit private social gatherings to eight people or less.

A little more than a month ago, risk levels and virus transmission were dropping in Oregon, but now the state is seeing some 700-plus confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases a day.

“As we face more contagious variants and increased spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” Governor Kate Brown said in a news release, “the best way to protect yourself and others is to get vaccinated. Until you, your family, your friends, and your neighbors are fully vaccinated, it’s also critical that we all continue to wear masks, maintain physical distance, and stay home when sick.”

A Reminder for Ministry Leaders

May 9 is fast approaching. Why is that date important? May 9 is the deadline for St. Andrew’s various ministries to submit their annual reports to Parish Manager Jennifer Trom. Here’s your opportunity to share the story of your ministry with the congregation. Despite the pandemic, we know that much important work is being done. Tell your story and share the good news!

A Prayer for the Week

Righteous God,
give me courage to speak up in the face of injustice and
to advocate for those whose cries are ignored.
Help me to see the divine in all of humankind
and in everything you have created.
Amen.

Earth Camp 2021: Registration Is Open for St. Andrew Community

We are offering Earth Camp this summer! Camp will be held outdoors with COVID guidelines in place as required by the CDC and Oregon Heath Authority. Earth Camp is for children entering 1^st through 6^th grade this fall (September 2021) and the purpose is to cultivate a deep love of our Earth home and all its inhabitants. Campers will:

· Discover how interconnected we are with all our fellow creatures;

· Learn practical ways we can care for our Earth home; and,

· Have a lot of fun in the process!

Read all about it on the church website under Education > Earth Camp 2021.

Since enrollment will be limited to ensure the best experience for all campers, it may be important for people in the St. Andrew Community to take advantage of Early Registration beginning Sunday, April 18. Watch your inbox Sunday morning for a link to the registration form.

Nifty Notters

The Nifty Notters will begin meeting in the Fellowship hall again on Saturday, May 1, from 9:00 am-Noon. We’ll be following Covid protocols, which means masks, social distancing, and no food, but we’ll be together again to work on quilts and share conversation. Hooray! You are encouraged to bring a drink for yourself. 

Despite not meeting in person for a year, the Notters accomplished a great deal at home. Pam Farr was at church every Tuesday working on quilts herself or putting projects together for volunteers to pick up and do at home. Because of this, we were able to give 32 LWR quilts to Portland Rescue Mission’s Shepard’s Door for women and The Harbor for men. They also received four baby quilts. Four LWR quilts were given to St. Andrew members affected by last summer’s fires and several baby quilts to local families in need. We’ll be sending around 50 quilts to this May’s LWR ingathering. Forty-four baby quilts were given to Virginia Garcia Clinic and six to Saving Grace shelter for pregnant homeless unwed teens. In late summer Virginia Garcia Clinic and Saving Grace quit accepting donations because of COVID, so we now have more than 100 baby quilts in our closet waiting for homes.

Those working from home to make all this possible included Pam Farr, Doris Larson, Mary Brown, Ethel Ritchey, Phyllis Vachal, Debbie Gustafson, Anne Williams, and Pam and Tom Jelineo, with Nan Thompson sewing more baby and LWR quilts than everyone else combined. I’m sure there are others whose names have been left out, but as you can see, for not meeting once, its been a very productive year. If you have any questions about meeting or home projects, please contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917.

Kiss the Ground & Regenerate Our Earth

Celebrate the 51^st anniversary of Earth Day (coming up on April 22) by watching the new film Kiss the Ground and learning ways you can incorporate regenerative agriculture into your yard management practices. People of faith all over the country are watching this film during April, generously available for free through Interfaith Power & Light. As the film shows, regenerating the world’s soils has the potential to rapidly stabilize Earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems, and create abundant food supplies. The transition can bolster our hope while rehabilitating the planet.

Havurah Shalom, EcoFaith Recovery, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO), and Oregon Interfaith Power & Light are partnering to host a discussion about Kiss the Ground.

In addition to the opportunity to talk about the film, the group is presenting a panel discussion featuring some leaders in the movement toward restoring the Earth. Kristin Ohlson, author of The Soil Will Save Us, Teague Cullen, an Oregon farmer from Sherrett Food Forest, and Jennilee Porch from EcoFaith Recovery will share their insights. Of special interest to many of us, Jennilee will talk about the Community Carbon initiative and is likely to use the pilot project we’ve been shepherding here at St. Andrew as an example of what we can accomplish.

Stream the film between now and April 25, then attend a Zoom discussion on Sunday, April 25, from 4:00-6:00 pm. Register here (it’s free!) to receive links to watch Kiss the Ground and to attend the April 25^th discussion.

Improving the Value of Yard Work

With the return of the sun and the promise of warmer days ahead, members of the Community Carbon Yard Science team are eager to get back in the field. Please complete the electronic survey you received on Wednesday to help us direct our efforts this year. And, if you would like the team to visit your property in 2021, please let us know as we will begin building our schedule soon.

Although we have shifted our focus away from complete yard surveys where we measure every tree and inch of soil on your property, we remain eager to learn from your experiences caring for your yard and to help you achieve your goals. We are working to regenerate soil so that it sequesters and stores more carbon, but there are many other benefits, too: reduced runoff, weed control, a healthy environment for native wildlife. Please call Eric Luttrell at 503-848-3223 to learn more or to schedule a visit.

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 Mary Bucher	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Sue Cahlander
Family and friends of Ben, especially his mother Christy	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Rebecca Fako Uecker
Family and friends of Charlotte Werner (aunt)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Susan Werner Reiser
Family and friends of Deborah Townsend	Peace and comfort as death nears	Holly Bishop-Perdue
Mary Ellen Johnson	Strength, comfort, and healing	Joanne Zenger
Nancy Kayani (friend)	Emotional support and financial assistance	Sue Jacobi
Marvel Lund	Effective treatment, healing, and recovery	Christine Murray (daughter)
Ginny Link	Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for skin issues	Ginny Link
Roby Chavez (teenage son of friends)	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Bob & Judy Sch9olz
Gary Magnuson	Healing and recovery from back surgery	Pastor Mark Brocker
Corine Shelley Walker (mother-in-law)	Successful transition to memory care	LuAnn Staul
Madeleine (granddaughter)	Thanksgiving for her release from the hospital	Mary Smith
Carol Werner	Success in finding an affordable home	Carol Werner
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Availability of vaccines for COVID-19	Thanksgiving for the people and systems making vaccinations more and more available	Staff
Our nation’s police	Courage, judgment, compassion for those they serve	Staff
Families affected by racial violence	Commitment to justice and hope for the future	Staff
Those facing ongoing illness or distress	Dave Bumgardner, Tandy Brooks, Vic Claar, Gary Grafwallner, Marvel Lund, Ian MacDonald, Gary Magnuson, Hugh Mason, Carol Means, Brian McKiernan, Ed Pacey, Corky Poppert, Jolie Reyna, Nan Thompson, Shane Throckmorton, Gary Tubbs	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
Salt & Light Lutheran Church (Portland, OR) Bethany Lutheran Church (Portland, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Al Furqan Islamic Center (Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
The Muslim Community	Blessings for Ramadan	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

Preparing for Sunday, May 2

Reading: Acts 8:26-40
Gospel: John 15:1-8

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

Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, April 25

8:30 am	Livestream Worship with Communion	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	via Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	via Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	via Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education with Karen Klingelhafer: Women in the Gospels	via Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship with Communion	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
4:00 pm	Kiss the Ground Gathering and Panel Discussion (see article to register)	via Zoom

Tuesday, April 27

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

Wednesday, April 28 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

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

Thursday, April 29

12:00 pm	Staff Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Table Talk: Declaring St. Andrew a Sanctuary Congregation	Zoom

Friday, April 30

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd.

Saturday, May 1

9:00 am

Nifty Notters

Fellowship Hall

Sunday, May 2

8:30 am	Livestream Worship with Communion	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: Women in the Gospels	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship with Communion	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!