Author Archives: Carol Harker

May 22, 2022

Here’s the Weekly News for Sunday, May 22, 2022. You can read it online, download it to your device, or click the printer icon to print out a copy for yourself!

May 15, 2022

Here’s the Weekly News for Sunday, May 15, 2022. You can read it online, download it to your device, or click the printer icon to print out a copy for yourself!

May 8, 2022

Here’s the Weekly News for Sunday, May 8, 2022. You can read it online, download it to your device, or click the printer icon to print out a copy for yourself!

May 1, 2022

Here’s the Weekly News for Sunday, May 1, 2022. You can read it online, download it to your device, or click the printer icon to print out a copy for yourself!

April 24, 2022

Here’s the Weekly News for Sunday, April 24, 2022. You can read it online, download it to your device, or click the printer icon to print out a copy for yourself!

December 26, 2021

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

New Adult Ed Classes Begin January 9

With the New Year, we get new Adult Education classes. St. Andrew’s six-week Epiphany term begins between services on Sunday, January 9.

“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 knows that mental illness affects lots of individuals, some of whom come to church with special needs. What can we do? Janet will explore several types of illness and offer concrete ideas for how to talk to people who suffer from depression, autism, or some other category of illness. She’ll share ideas from other churches, explore what we can learn about mental illness from the Bible and our hymns, and encourage open conversations. Join her in the St. Andrew Room.

All classes begin at 10:00 am and are offered in person. Details about any online offerings are yet to be worked out.

Wednesday Evening Prayer

Please note that Wednesday Evening Prayer will not be offered December 29. Worship planners are going to enjoy a mid-week evening of rest after a hectic Christmas worship schedule.

Plans for any mid-week services in the new year have not yet been made. Watch the newsletter for information to come.

The Roots Launches January 23!

St. Andrew’s brand new Sunday morning children’s program, The Roots, is launching on Sunday, January 23! We will start off at 10:00 am in the Children’s Commons downstairs.

This completely original program is designed with the fun of summer day camps in mind–kids will move through rotations of storytelling, games, art, service, science, and music as they engage with stories from the Bible. The Bible stories we will be teaching have been hand-picked to emphasize our five core values of God care, Earth care, Neighbor care, Community care, and Self care. This program is open to all kids of vaccination age, kindergarten through grade 5. We are so excited and look forward to seeing you all again! 

If you are interested in participating in The Roots as a volunteer, we still need help specifically in leading games/arts and crafts. Contact kvogt@standrewlutheran.com to join the team! 

Commemorating a Project for the Good of All

The Butner Road that runs in front of our church building looks different now than it did a couple of years ago. During the pandemic, the Butner Road project initiated by our neighbor Betty Baldwin was completed. Although Betty has since died, she would celebrate the difference this project has made for people living along Johnson Creek and for all those who walk, ride bicycles, or drive on our street. Continually impacted by high water, Betty and her neighbors were regularly sandbagging their homes or cleaning up after the floodwater receded. Now, a much larger culvert under Butner Road enables creek water to move toward its destination without encroaching so much into yards and homes. Plus, a stepping stone water collection system installed between two of our church driveways slows and contains water rushing toward the creek from higher ground.

Working in conjunction with Vic Claar, former Council president, and others at St. Andrew, Betty endorsed expanding her project to include the installation of bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and a crosswalk at 126th Avenue for safety and community livability. The church joined Betty in advocating for the project and hosted community gatherings to keep people informed and to build support.

As the Clean Water Services sign posted across Butner Road near Johnson Creek says, “Thanks to Betty’s advocacy, the project became the impetus for an Oregon Solutions designation and the eventual creation of the Tualatin Watershed Enhancement Collaborative.” This was St. Andrew’s first Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good sort of project and it worked—for the good of all.

Nifty Notters

This year you’re invited to make a New Year’s resolution to join the Nifty Notters. Come see what we’re doing on Saturday, January 8^th and 29^th between 9:00 am and 2:30 pm in Fellowship Hall. Stay for all or part of the time as we work on quilts for Lutheran World Relief and NW Children’s Outreach. We have projects for all skill levels and no experience is needed. All materials are provided. 

A special thanks goes to Judy Heidinger for her research in finding NW Children’s Outreach after Virginia Garcia Clinic cut back on their need for baby quilts. Also thanks to those who have made some wonderful fabric donations. If you have questions, please contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917. 

Please note: we will NOT meet on January 1^st or 15^th. 

Weather Alert!

Weather forecasts in-dicate that the weather for the Portland area could turn wintry and perhaps even frightful this weekend. Please use your best judgment and consider your safety first in deciding whether or not to come to the church building for any of our worship services.

While The Roots Christmas at 4:00 pm on Christmas Eve is in-person only for children and their families, remember that both Candlelight Services on Friday, December 24, are available online.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 7:00 pm
Livestream: https://youtu.be/FAQw1yJ867w

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 10:00 pm
Available via Zoom

The 11:00 am worship service with Carol Sing and Communion on Christmas Day is in-person only. St. Andrew resumes its regular Sunday worship schedule on December 26. See the calendar on page 4 for details.

First and foremost, check road conditions and stay safe! Wherever you worship, God knows what’s in your heart.

Giving to a Designated Fund

During Advent, several St. Andrew people donated additional funds to support the Giving Tree project for Barnes Elementary families and immigrant families in need. Thank you for your most generous support! Your expression of Christian love has had an enormous impact on families struggling to make ends meet.

How does the church’s Finance Team manage donations to St. Andrew? The team works collectively to make sure contributions are handled properly. The Financial Secretaries receive and record income from contributing members and other sources, ensure all receipts are disbursed to the appropriate funds, and prepare a report of individual giving at the end of the calendar year. The Treasurers keep the books of account of the congregation, receive records of receipts from the Financial Secretaries, disburse funds, and provide a report to the Church Council each month.

It’s common for donors to specify that a portion of their contribution go to the Mortgage Fund, with another portion going to the Ministry & Mission Fund. If money donated to the church is not designated, it goes automatically to the Ministry & Mission fund to support ongoing operations.

In addition, donors can direct their contributions to an array of different initiatives—the COVID Fund, a fund for IT Equipment, the PIPE Fund (for property improvement and repair), Lutheran Disaster Relief, etc. Throughout the year, other funds are identified as part of the Service Committee’s work to support local agencies helping people in our community. Our faith community typically collects socks (Outside In) for homeless teens in September, school supplies (Lutheran World Relief) June-October, warm winter clothing (Western Farm Workers) in September, household items (Community Warehouse) in January, and so forth. You’ll find a complete calendar of Service Committee projects online. All of them accept cash donations as well as in-kind contributions.

Whenever possible, the Financial Secretaries request that parishioners support a particular project at the same time that the Service Committee is focused on that initiative. If you’re over 70, though, and must take a Required Minimum Distribution from your retirement account, that might not work, since this is something that is typically done at the end of the calendar year. If you’d like your contribution to go somewhere other than the Ministry & Mission Fund, simply identify the account you want your donation to support by selecting the appropriate drop-down option of designated funds on our website or writing it in the comment line on your check.

St. Andrew people have a history of generous giving to support our Ministry & Mission and, right now, many are focusing their gifts to pay down the mortgage, too. We anticipate that the current Hope for All campaign to retire the mortgage will succeed and that the mortgage will be paid off in time for the congregation’s 70^th anniversary in 2023.

For Christians who strive to live as God wants, giving is one way we show love for our most marginalized neighbors. We give joyfully to ensure people have food on their tables and all those necessities that allow them to live in dignity. We give when disaster strikes. We give to support agencies working on behalf of refugees or people facing homelessness. Whether modest or magnified, we thank you for your gifts!

Preservice Music on Christmas Eve

The Music Ministry team is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to share Christmas Eve worship with all of you. As usual, we are planning a set of pre-service musical selections to get us all in the mood for worship. This will start 15 minutes before each of the candlelight services on Christmas Eve, so please arrive in plenty of time to find your seat and enjoy the music. For those worshiping online, the livestream and Zoom rooms will be turned on in plenty of time for you to enjoy the music!

An Opportunity

The Service Committee is in need of volunteers to work at Clothes for Kids, previously known as the Beaverton Clothes Closet. The area of need is on Wednesdays from 2:15-4:30 & 4:15-6:30. Jobs include sorting donated clothes, making phone calls for appointment reminders, and working with a small number of families as they select clothing. It would be helpful if we could provide someone who speaks Spanish, but it is not necessary. This is a ministry that St. Andrew has participated in for several years. We had to take a break during COVID, but now we are trying to fulfill a need within our community once again. If interested or you have questions, please contact Bonnie Bliesner @ larrybliesner@comcast.net or call 503-830-7001.

Thank you for your interest and your service.

Thank You for the Comforts of Home

Dear People of St. Andrew,

We at Community Warehouse were touched to receive your generous gift of more than $1,000—thank you! As the weather cools and the rain begins, it only highlights the comfort and warmth a furnished home provides. A place to sleep, a place to eat, a place to gather. Your donations are making that possible for local families and individuals.

“An empty house feels cold even if you have a heater on. When you have furniture, it’s warm and inviting,
and that is what I want my family to feel.”

Community Warehouse Client

Everyone deserves the dignity and comfort of a furnished home. Thank you for creating stable homes for neighbors in need.

With gratitude,
Veronica Booth
Development Coordinator

Disaster Response for Tornado Victims

On the night of December 10 and early morning of December 11, an outbreak of at least 30 powerful tornadoes swept through six states, leaving swaths of destruction and dozens of people dead.

Lutheran Disaster Response is collaborating with the Indiana-Kentucky Synod and other partners in the area to assess the damage and develop an immediate and a long-term response plan, sharing hope with our neighbors in their time of greatest need.

If you give electronically, you may now direct funds to Lutheran Disaster Relief (a designated fund) on the church website. If you prefer to write a check, please indicate “U.S. Tornadoes” on the subject line. Gifts will be used in full to help people impacted by the tornadoes.

Preparing for next Sunday, January 2, 2021

The Second Sunday of Christmas

Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-14
Gospel: John 1:10-18

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 Nan Thompson	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Staff
Family and friends of Lynsie Paul	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Eric Luttrell
Family and friends of Roy Winkel (uncle)	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Susan Werner Reiser
David Kippenbrock (grandfather)	Peace and God’s comfort	Rebecca Fako Uecker
Herb	Peace and God’s comfort	Sharon Fako
Susan Palo Cherwien	Peace and God’s comfort	Michelle Sinn
Aaron Miller	Successful treatment and recovery	Jan Smith & Sue Cahlander
Faith (granddaughter)	Successful treatment and recovery	Judy Heidinger
Ethel Ritchey	Healing and recovery from hip surgery	Staff
Barb Zurstadt	Healing and recovery	Jan Smith & Sue Cahlander
Max Lampros (grandson)	Healing and recovery	Liz Andersen
Amy Fiegenbaum	Healing and recovery	Ed and Linda Fransen
Dr. Cara Steinkeler	Strength as she supports dying COVID patients and their families	Gary & Gail Grafwallner
Midwest tornado victims	Comfort and assistance as they recover	Staff
Those facing ongoing illness or distress	Healing and assurance of God’s presence Tandy Brooks, Dave Bumgardner, Vic Claar, Gary Grafwallner, Ian MacDonald, Gary Magnuson, Hugh Mason, Brian McKiernan, Carol Means, Ed Pacey, Corky Poppert, Jolie Reyna, 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
Zion Lutheran Church (Port Orford, OR) Zion Lutheran Church (The Dalles, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Golden Temple of Oregon, Morrison (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

Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, December 26, First Sunday of Christmas

8:30 am	Worship with Communion (masks required)	Sanctuary and YouTube
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, December 27

6:00 pm

Scout Troop 618 Meeting

Fellowship Hall, St. Andrew Room

Tuesday, December 28

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

Fellowship Hall

Wednesday, December 29– Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

10:00 am

Gentle Yoga Class

via Zoom

Friday, December 31

10:00 am Tai Chi

Fellowship Hall

Saturday, January 1–Happy New Year!

Sunday, January 2, Second Sunday of Christmas

8:30 am	Worship with Communion (masks required)	Sanctuary and YouTube
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
12:00 pm	Scouts Tree Recycling	East Parkin Lot

Connecting to Worship

November 28, 2021

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

Book Sale Sunday

The magical day is here and you’re going to be amazed by the rich diversity of used books on our sale tables! Thank you for all the great books you’ve brought in to make this fundraiser for our St. Andrew libraries happen.

Go to Fellowship Hall between services (9:30-11:00 am) or after the second service (12:00-2:00 pm) this Sunday, November 28, to shop. Cash and checks accepted. Book tables will be arranged by topic.

We have a complete set of yellow spine Nancy Drew mysteries for $1 each, but you must purchase the entire 56-book set. (Note: This set is available on ebay for $175.) Also for sale are two complete sets of the Narnia books by C.S. Lewis, each with some damaged books that are priced accordingly.

And the prices for everything are really good!

$2:    Hardcover adult and young adult books

$1:    Soft cover and mass market (smaller, old-style paperbacks)

$2: Newer, nicer children’s hardcover books

$1: Older children’s hardcovers

$1: Children ‘s paperbacks with spine

3/$1 or 50 cents each:   Children’s paperbacks without a spine

4/$1:   Magazines

Plus, we have a huge box of free books. While damaged, all except two of these are complete, with no pages missing. The free box also includes magazines. Please note that the quilt magazines available may not have all their pages, so be sure to check that the quilt pattern you want is all there.

So, do come! And, if you don’t like the prices, we’ll be glad to negotiate—or you can always pay more!

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

Advent Evening Prayer

Beginning this week, Advent Evening Prayer will be offered on Wednesday evenings with worship in-person in the Sanctuary. Our theme for the season is “Holy Darkness.”

At 7:00 pm on Wednesday, December 1, Randy Sinn will offer a reflection on “Darkness Is Holy,” drawn from the creation story in Genesis 1:1-19.

Giving Tree Donations Needed

As the Christmas season approaches, we look forward to once again sharing our love and care with Barnes Elementary School families in need. This year we will collect donations to put toward gift cards to make the season more festive for these families. Please make your gift no later than Sunday, December 12. For each donation that is received, we’ll add an ornament to the Giving Tree in the Narthex.

One of the families St. Andrew is assisting suffered an apartment fire a few months ago, where they lost everything. That family is currently living in a shelter, but receiving help that they did not expect to receive. The family is overcome with gratitude.

In another situation, grandparents are caring for four young children and trying to make ends meet after their son went to prison. They thought their child-rearing days were done, but are now doing all they can to make life safe and secure for the grandchildren.

In addition, our area is welcoming refugees from Afghanistan who are navigating a new culture after having to leave so much and so many behind.

Along with the Barnes Elementary counselors, project organizer Donna Brocker is working to assist these families and many more. If you have questions, please contact Donna at 503-502-6156.

Welcome Sunday

We will celebrate Welcome Sunday on December 5. If you would like to affirm your baptism and become a member of St. Andrew, please contact Pastor Mark Brocker, 503-646-0629, ext. 201, or email brockerms@standrewlutheran.com.

Flooring Feedback

The Facilities Management Team is seeking input on Sanctuary flooring. Should the carpet be replaced or should we investigate hard-surface options and costs? A pending gift to St. Andrew would cover 90-100 percent of the cost of new carpet and its installation. Moneys in the PIPE (Property Improvement) Fund itself are not sufficient to cover either the carpet option or a hard surface alternative. Please submit your feedback via this Google form or call Pam Meredith at 503-475-3568. Responses will be accepted through Friday, November 26. Thank you!

Hanging of the Greens

Please join us Saturday, December 4, at 9:30 am for the “Hanging of the Greens.” We’ll set up the Christmas tree and decorate the church for all to enjoy as we celebrate Advent and
the birth of Christ. Boy Scout Troop 618 is generously donating the wreaths and greens to deck our church again this Christmas season. If you have questions, please contact Tammy Piscitelli.

Table Talk: Back from the Climate Brink

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. To cultivate this kind of spirited discussion we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk via Zoom on Tuesday, November 30, 7:00-8:00 pm.

Seminarian Karen Klingelhafer is currently working on a course paper focused on how the life and writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, Jr. can help us address the climate crisis and move us toward a safer planet. She has offered to lead our November Table Talk. In preparing us for this Table Talk she writes: “The smoke – layered on top of a housing crisis wrought by last year’s wildfires, a resurgent strain of COVID-19 and a crippling drought – has left many in the region teetering on the brink. Among the most vulnerable to the overlapping crises: people experiencing homelessness and those who work in the agriculture industry.” Are we at a crisis situation with climate change? Is there a consensus throughout the world? With so many concerns, what do we focus on? How
can we (as a church, as individuals) make an impact?” This is an especially timely topic given that the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) is being held in Glasgow, Scotland, October 31 – November 12.

Advent Classes

Following this week’s Used Book Fair, another pairing of Adult Education classes will be offered at St. Andrew during Advent. All classes begin at 10:00 am.

St. Andrew’s Reckoning with Racism cohort will continue its focus on “A Journey towards Anti-Racism,” which will again be offered in-person in Fellowship Hall and via Zoom.

In a second course during the Advent season, Children & Youth Minister Kyler Vogt will share the approach to reading the Bible that he’s been using with high school youth. This class will meet in-person only in the Chapel. See the article below for details:

“The Kairos Hermeneutic” with Kyler and the HS Youth!

It’s hard to read the Bible. Modern biblical readers have massive separations in history, culture, and language to overcome in the process. Yet, reading the Bible gets even tougher when Christian traditions tells us that the Bible–containing fantastic tales of miracles, gory acts of violence, and outdated legal text all set in a culture bearing little resemblance to our own–is supposed to be the pinnacle of truth and the ultimate authority for our modern lives. To many modern people, this has become a deal-breaker in their faith. In this class, I will show you a way I have learned over the last several years that allows me to read the Bible as truthful, authoritative, and deeply meaningful . . . even if it isn’t always right.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! My vision for this class is to give our congregation a glimpse into a typical Sunday morning with our high school youth. You’ll get to see how we check-in about our weeks, what kind of conversations we have, and witness how deeply we can dive into difficult and complex issues together. So you can get the full experience, this class will be held in-person at 10:00 am in the Chapel on December 5, 12, and 19. If you have any questions or if you just want to let me know you’ll be there, contact me at kvogt@standrewlutheran.com. I hope you will join us!

End-of-Year Stock Donations

Greetings from your Financial Secretaries. As the end of the calendar year approaches, we want to remind you of the process for donating stock to the church.

Contributions must actually be paid before the close of the year to be deductible in 2021. Please allow at least 3 weeks for the completion of the stock transfer sale. If you intend to donate stock this tax year, please start the process as soon as possible.

1. Download the Stock Transfer Form from the church website or contact the church office.
2. Contact your brokerage firm to initiate an electronic transfer of securities.
3. Complete the form, including your intentions for the use of the donation, and email a copy to financial-secretary@standrewlutheran.com. Or you may send a copy to the church office marked “Confidential for Financial Secretaries.” This form must be turned in at the beginning of the process. Without it, we cannot complete your request.
4. Upon receipt of the form, one of the financial secretaries will contact you regarding the progress of the electronic stock transfer to Charles Schwab, the church’s securities firm.

Thank you for your generosity to the Mission and Ministry of St. Andrew.

Tammy Piscitelli
on behalf of the Financial Secretaries and Finance Team

Finding Liturgy in Life and Life in Liturgy

An Oregon Synod Lay Education Course

How does liturgy shape us? 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 daily practices that help us cultivate a life of depth and meaning. We’ll create 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 on-line course is offered through the Oregon Synod’s SALM and Lay Education Program. We’ll meet the following eight Tuesday evenings on Zoom from 6:30-8:00 pm (Pacific Time): January 11, January 18, January 25, 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.

Food Pantry Help Wanted, 2022

St. Andrew members have continued to serve at the Food Pantry at St. Matthew during the pandemic. We had to make a few changes. Families came and met us outdoors while we all wore masks. While families have missed the opportunity to come inside and select food, they were fed well with fresh produce and a bounty of packaged food, meat, dairy products, and also some surprises such as pumpkin pie. Our volunteers took orders in English, and sometimes in Spanish, and we packed bags with creativity and a prayer. On some dark rainy nights, our main challenge was to find the correct car for each grocery cart of food. Thank you: Steve Grover (and friends); Jim & Pat Hilliker; Roger & Pat Sandquist; Dan & Sharon Fako; and Eric & Jan Luttrell.

We look forward to getting our families back into the pantry sometime in 2022. In the meantime, here is a plea for more volunteers.

In addition to helping serve families at the center, we need volunteer pairs of two to deliver food to families who are not able to come to the center. Volunteers pick up a pre-packed box for the family and add fresh and frozen or refrigerated items. Deliveries could be scheduled on a Sunday afternoon or a weekday between 2:00-8:00 pm. The time involved is 1-2 hours. You do have to have a car and be ready to locate the address. You will be given information for 2-3 families and you will call to learn more about food preferences and a time that will work for delivery. This does not have to be a long-term commitment. A team can serve one time only or once a month or twice a year, or whatever works with their schedules.

This seems to be a great family opportunity and folks can try this out and see how it works. If you have questions, contact Sharon Fako at sfako24@comcast.net or erica97229@gmail.com.

New Books on the Shelves

Adult Librarian Pam Farr has added several new titles to the bookshelves in recent months:

Preparing for next Sunday, November 21, 2021

Lesson: Malachi 3:1-4
Gospel: Luke 3:1-14

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 Keith Poppert	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Claris & Corky Poppert
Family and friends of Jack Warnes (brother-in-law)	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Suzanne Warnes
Joe Baker and all who mourn the death of his parents Bill & Marna	Peace and God’s comfort	Pastor Mark
Angie Mitlehner	Successful surgery (December 4)	Angie Mitlehner
John Fritz	Comfort and wisdom in a time of transition	Staff
Lynn Santelmann	Healing and recovery	Paul Navarre
Ginny Link	Healing and recovery	Ginny Link
John Trom	Healing and recovery	Pastor Susan Kintner
Dr. Cara Steinkeler	Strength as she supports dying COVID patients and their families	Gary & Gail Grafwallner
Victims of parade violence in Waukesha, WI	Healing in body and soul	Staff
Those facing ongoing illness or distress	Healing and assurance of God’s presence	Staff
	Tandy Brooks, Dave Bumgardner, Vic Claar, Gary Grafwallner, Ian MacDonald, Gary Magnuson, Hugh Mason, Brian McKiernan, Carol Means, Ed Pacey, Corky Poppert, Jolie Reyna, Nan Thompson, 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
Grace Lutheran Church (Vale, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Congregation P’nai Or (Portland)	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

Fast Girls: Another Time, Another Context

This is a book I picked out my own self, and it’s not a bad read. It is written as fiction, but based on many facts. I learned some things I didn’t know–like treadmills for horses. Plus some things I’d rather not have learned, but, well, you be the judge and read it yourself.

Fast Girls, by Elise Hooper, is historical fiction. It’s about the 1936 Olympics and three young women who worked through individual challenges to make the Olympic track team. I learned things about Hitler that made me wonder if they were true and things about racial unfairness that I’m sure were true.

This book is a fast read–no pun intended–and I hope enough of you read it to justify my spending the money.

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

A Thanksgiving Prayer

Most of us express gratitude for the meal before we consume it, but poet Wendell Berry–renowned American novelist, poet, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer–a man known to be an ardent champion of a good, simple life, wrote his prayer for after the feast is finished.

Prayer After Eating
I have taken in the light
that quickened eye and leaf.
May my brain be bright with praise
of what I eat, in the brief blaze
of motion and thought.
May I be worthy of my meat.

Wendell Berry

Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, November 28, First Sunday of Advent

8:30 am	Worship with Communion (masks required)	Sanctuary and Livestreamed
9:30 am	Used Book Sale to Benefit St. Andrew Libraries	Fellowship Hall
10:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
11:00 am	Worship with Communion (masks required)	Sanctuary and via Zoom
12:00 pm	Used Book Sale to Benefit St. Andrew Libraries	Fellowship Hall
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Monday, November 29

10:00 am	Meals on Wheels/Loaves and Fishes	Off Site
6:00 pm	Scout Troop 618 Meeting	Fellowship Hall, St. Andrew Room

Tuesday, November 23 – Weekly News submissions due by 12:00 pm

7:00 am	Sunrise Women	Elmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
7:00 am	Men’s Gathering & Bible Study	Elmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
10:00 am	T’ai Chi	Fellowship Hall
7:00 pm	Table Talk	Zoom

Wednesday, December 1

10:00 am	Yoga	Fellowship Hall
12:30 pm	Bonhoeffer Seminar	via Zoom
6:00 pm	Bells of Grace Rehearsal	Sanctuary
6:45 pm	Informal Gathering Time	via Zoom
7:00 pm	Advent Evening Prayer	Sanctuary
7:00 pm	Wednesday Night Youth Hangout	Youth Room
7:30 pm	Sanctuary Choir	Sanctuary

Thursday, December 2

9:30 am	Seekers of the Heart of God Bible Study	St. Andrew Room
7:00 pm	Executive (Council) CommitteeMeeting	via Zoom

Friday, December 3

10:00 am

Tai Chi

Fellowship Hall

Saturday, December 4

8:00 am	Scouting for Food	Fellowship Hall
9:00 am	Nifty Notters	Fellowship Hall
9:30 am	Hanging of the Greens	Sanctuary

Sunday, December 5, Second Sunday in Advent

8:30 am	Worship with Communion (masks required)	Sanctuary and YouTube
10:00 am	Adult Ed: A Journey Towards Anti-Racism, Part 2	Fellowship Hall or via Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Ed: The Kairos Hermeneutic	Chapel
10:00 am	Children’s Ministry	Children’s Library
10:00 am	Confirmation	Library and via Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group with Adult Ed	Chapel
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

Connecting to Worship

November 21, 2021

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

An Advent Journey Towards Anti-Racism

Please join St. Andrew’s Reckoning With Racism cohort in a six-part exploration of how racism has played a role in the history of Oregon, and how we can all move toward being anti-racist.

Whether or not you are able to attend the class sessions, you are invited to take part in a congregation-wide Racial Equity Challenge. The goal is to do at least one thing each week that brings each of us closer to becoming anti-racist. The website 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge—America & Moore is filled with suggestions for ways to read, listen, watch, notice, connect, engage, act, reflect, and stay inspired in the journey. Watch the Weekly News for a description of each week’s class and suggestions for which challenges are related to that topic. A complete schedule can be found on the St. Andrew website.

We are hoping to document our efforts as a community of faith toward the goal of becoming anti-racist. In the Narthex, you will find a display board and paper candle cut-outs. Please write what you did in the past week on one of the candles, and add it to the board. Together, we can shine some light in the darkness of racism.

November 21: Sharon Fako and Liz Hardy will lead a session about Black Americans in Oregon, providing an historic background for modern-day issues.

Racial Equity Challenge suggestions: 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge—America & Moore.

Read: Redlining Was Codified Racism that Shaped American Cities and This Exhibit Shows It Still Exists

Listen: 1619, a podcast from the New York Times

Watch: We the People — the three most misunderstood words in US history, Mark Charles, TEDxTysons

Notice: Test your awareness: Do the Test

Connect: Movement for Black Lives (https://m4bl.org/)

Engage: Join a Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) chapter in your area.

Act: Prepare yourself to interrupt racial jokes. Click HERE for some advice about how.

Stay Inspired: Create a Soundtrack4Justice playlist that fuels you and/or can serve as a conversation starter with people of all ages.

“Leading in a Liminal Season”

This Sunday, Pastor Susan continues her Adult Education class, “Leading in a Liminal Season,” at 10:00 am via Zoom. The class is based on Susan Beaumont’s 2019 book, How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You Are Going, Leading in a Liminal Season, published by Rowman and Littlefield. We will be on Zoom; please bring your bible.

Pastor Susan

Advent Evening Prayer

Beginning December 1, Advent Evening Prayer will be returning, with worship offered in-person in the Sanctuary as well as via Zoom if that can be arranged. The theme for the season of Advent is “Holy Darkness.”

In lieu of gathering on Wednesday, November 24, worship planners encourage you to use the Thanksgiving Devotional being emailed to the congregation. Hard copies are also available in the Narthex.

Spirituality Book Group

The Spirituality Book Group will meet on Sunday, November 21, at 3:00 pm via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent out to all book group members a few days before the meeting. If you would like to attend, but are not on the Spirituality Book Group email list, please contact Mary Smith at dbits1@gmail.com.

Sharon Fako will lead our discussion of Kristin Hannah’s novel, The Four Winds, which an Associated Press writer described as “an ode to the strength and ferocity of mothers.” The book reveals the battle between the haves and the have-nots escalated by the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl storms that accompanied it, but it also testifies to the resiliency of the human spirit.

Future Reading

Giving Tree Donations Needed

As the Christmas season approaches, we look forward to once again sharing our love and care with Barnes Elementary School families in need. This year we will collect donations to put toward gift cards to make the season more festive for these families. Please make your gift no later than Sunday, December 12. For each donation that is received, we’ll add an ornament to the Giving Tree in the Narthex.

Along with the Barnes Elementary counselors, project organizer Donna Brocker is working to assist immigrant families this year. If you have questions, please contact Donna at 503-502-6156.

Welcome Sunday

We will celebrate Welcome Sunday on December 5. If you would like to affirm your baptism and become a member of St. Andrew, please contact Pastor Mark Brocker, 503-646-0629, ext. 201, or email brockerms@standrewlutheran.com.

Flooring Feedback

The Facilities Management Team is seeking input on Sanctuary flooring. Should the carpet be replaced or should we investigate hard-surface options and costs? A pending gift to St. Andrew would cover 90-100 percent of the cost of new carpet and its installation. Moneys in the PIPE (Property Improvement) Fund itself are not sufficient to cover either the carpet option or a hard surface alternative. Please submit your feedback via this Google form or call Pam Meredith at 503-475-3568. Responses will be accepted through Friday, November 26. Thank you!

Hanging of the Greens

Please join us Saturday, December 4, at 9:30 am for the “Hanging of the Greens.” We’ll set up the Christmas tree and decorate the church for all to enjoy as we celebrate Advent and
the birth of Christ. Boy Scout Troop 618 is generously donating the wreaths and greens to deck our church again this Christmas season. If you have questions, please contact Tammy Piscitelli.

Book Sale Help Needed

I’m going to need help setting up for the big day of St. Andrew’s Used Book Sale. Needed are three people who can stand still holding ten pounds over their heads for five minutes, repeatedly. It won’t be for hours and hours, just long enough for me to hand down books above the top shelf, after which they’ll be put on carts and pushed into Fellowship Hall. So, 3 people, 10 pounds over your head, at 1:00 pm on Saturday, November 27; go home when you get tired. Thank you!

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

Table Talk: Back from the Climate Brink

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. To cultivate this kind of spirited discussion we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk via Zoom on Tuesday, November 30, 7:00-8:00 pm.

Seminarian Karen Klingelhafer is currently working on a course paper focused on how the life and writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, Jr. can help us address the climate crisis and move us toward a safer planet. She has offered to lead our November Table Talk. In preparing us for this Table Talk she writes: “The smoke – layered on top of a housing crisis wrought by last year’s wildfires, a resurgent strain of COVID-19 and a crippling drought – has left many in the region teetering on the brink. Among the most vulnerable to the overlapping crises: people experiencing homelessness and those who work in the agriculture industry.” Are we at a crisis situation with climate change? Is there a consensus throughout the world? With so many concerns, what do we focus on? How
can we (as a church, as individuals) make an impact?” This is an especially timely topic given that the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) is being held in Glasgow, Scotland, October 31 – November 12.

Book Sale Next Sunday, November 28

The magical day is coming soon! Thank you for all the great books you’ve brought in to make it happen. And it’s not too late to bring in more. Just look at how much neater all your houses are simply from going through your books. Think of what more you can do in the coming week—and all the new reads you’ll pick up at the sale next Sunday. You’ll be ready to welcome the cold and wet with some special finds. And the prices are really good!

$2:    Hardcover adult and young adult books

$1:    Soft cover and mass market (smaller, old-style paperbacks)

$2: Newer, nicer children’s hardcover books

$1: Older children’s hardcovers

$1: Children ‘s paperbacks with spine

3/$1 or 50 cents each:   Children’s paperbacks without a spine

4/$1:   Magazines

We have a complete set of yellow spine Nancy Drew mysteries for $1 each, but you must purchase the entire 56-book set. (Note: This set is available on ebay for $175.) Also for sale are two complete sets of the Narnia books by C.S. Lewis, each with some damaged books that are priced accordingly.

Plus, we have a huge box of free books. While damaged, all except two of these are complete, with no pages missing. The free box also includes magazines. Please note that the quilt magazines available may not have all their pages, so be sure to check that the quilt pattern you want is all there.

Go to Fellowship Hall between services (9:30-11:00 am) or after the second service (12:00-2:00 pm) to shop. Book tables will be arranged alphabetically by topic, but some of those topics are a bit creative as I couldn’t think what to call them.

So, do come! And, if you don’t like the prices, we’ll be glad to negotiate—or you can always pay more! Cash and checks accepted. Wows welcome!

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

Baby Roses

What joy! Two St. Andrew families have welcomed newborn daughters, born on the same day and just in time for Thanksgiving. The roses on the altar this Sunday celebrate their births.

Congratulations to Carl & Laura Geczy-Haskins on the birth of Florence Margaret, who joins three-year-old Honoria in the family. Florence Margaret was born November 12.

Congratulations also to John Giddens & Sovathana Ly on the birth of Kakruna Giddens Ly on November 12. This new little one, whose name means compassion in Cambodian, is exactly what big sister Meta (now two) insisted she wanted: a little sister to love!

End-of-Year Stock Donations

Greetings from your Financial Secretaries. As the end of the calendar year approaches, we want to remind you of the process for donating stock to the church.

Contributions must actually be paid before the close of the year to be deductible in 2021. Please allow at least 3 weeks for the completion of the stock transfer sale. If you intend to donate stock this tax year, please start the process as soon as possible.

1. Download the Stock Transfer Form from the church website or contact the church office.
2. Contact your brokerage firm to initiate an electronic transfer of securities.
3. Complete the form, including your intentions for the use of the donation, and email a copy to financial-secretary@standrewlutheran.com. Or you may send a copy to the church office marked “Confidential for Financial Secretaries.” This form must be turned in at the beginning of the process. Without it, we cannot complete your request.
4. Upon receipt of the form, one of the financial secretaries will contact you regarding the progress of the electronic stock transfer to Charles Schwab, the church’s securities firm.

Thank you for your generosity to the Mission and Ministry of St. Andrew.

Tammy Piscitelli
on behalf of the Financial Secretaries and Finance Team

Celebrating a Milestone

Bill and Sandi Beavers are celebrating a milestone. Congratulations to both of you on your 50^th wedding anniversary! Bill & Sandi were married on November 27, 1971 at Bethany Lutheran Church in northeast Portland.

An Ordinary Sunday

November 26 is the birthday of American writer Marilynne Robinson, born in Sandpoint, Idaho, in 1943. Robinson is most famous for her Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel, Gilead, written in the form of letters from an elderly, ailing pastor to his young son. 

Here’s a taste: “Sometimes I have loved the peacefulness of an ordinary Sunday. It is like standing in a newly planted garden after a warm rain. You can feel the silent and invisible life. All it needs from you is that you take care not to trample on it. And that was such a quiet day, rain on the roof, rain against the windows, and everyone grateful, since it seems we never do have quite enough rain. At times like that I might not care particularly whether people are listening to whatever I have to say, because I know where their thoughts are.”

Robinson said: “I have spent my life watching, not to see beyond the world, but merely to see, great mystery, what is plainly before my eyes. I think the concept of transcendence is based on a misreading of creation. With all respect to heaven, the scene of the miracle is here, among us.”

And again: “At this point, right across the traditions, there is nothing more valuable to be done than to make people understand that religion is beautiful and it is large.”

The article above is excerpted from Salt’s
Theologian’s Almanac for Week of November 21, 2021

Council Decision on BSA Charters

Thank you to everyone in the congregation who took the time to provide input on whether or not the Council should authorize signing BSA charter agreements for 2022 with the two Scouts BSA Troops (618 and 5618) and Venturing Crew that St. Andrew currently charters.

To summarize, respondents shared a wide range of views. Generally, the people responding to the request for input were either all-for or all-against signing charters for next year. The majority of feedback received came from individuals with longstanding relationships with the Scouts.

After reviewing the feedback and entering into extended open and honest discussion, the Council voted not to sign charters with the two BSA Troops and Venturing Crew for next year. Instead the Council approved a motion to seek to enter a Facilities Use Agreement with the units for 2022. The Council also concurred that all groups seeking to use St. Andrew facilities be required to sign a Facilities Use Agreement that will be developed.

Finding Liturgy in Life and Life in Liturgy

An Oregon Synod Lay Education Course

How does liturgy shape us? 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 daily practices that help us cultivate a life of depth and meaning. We’ll create 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 on-line course is offered through the Oregon Synod’s SALM and Lay Education Program. We’ll meet the following eight Tuesday evenings on Zoom from 6:30-8:00 pm (Pacific Time): January 11, January 18, January 25, 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.

Food Pantry Help Wanted, 2022

St. Andrew members have continued to serve at the Food Pantry at St. Matthew during the pandemic. We had to make a few changes. Families came and met us outdoors while we all wore masks. While families have missed the opportunity to come inside and select food, they were fed well with fresh produce and a bounty of packaged food, meat, dairy products, and also some surprises such as pumpkin pie. Our volunteers took orders in English, and sometimes in Spanish, and we packed bags with creativity and a prayer. On some dark rainy nights, our main challenge was to find the correct car for each grocery cart of food. Thank you: Steve Grover (and friends); Jim & Pat Hilliker; Roger & Pat Sandquist; Dan & Sharon Fako; and Eric & Jan Luttrell.

We look forward to getting our families back into the pantry sometime in 2022. In the meantime, here is a plea for more volunteers.

In addition to helping serve families at the center, we need volunteer pairs of two to deliver food to families who are not able to come to the center. Volunteers pick up a pre-packed box for the family and add fresh and frozen or refrigerated items. Deliveries could be scheduled on a Sunday afternoon or a weekday between 2:00-8:00 pm. The time involved is 1-2 hours. You do have to have a car and be ready to locate the address. You will be given information for 2-3 families and you will call to learn more about food preferences and a time that will work for delivery. This does not have to be a long-term commitment. A team can serve one time only or once a month or twice a year, or whatever works with their schedules.

This seems to be a great family opportunity and folks can try this out and see how it works. If you have questions, contact Sharon Fako at sfako24@comcast.net or erica97229@gmail.com.

Thanksgiving Devotionals

Check your email inbox for St. Andrew’s devotional to guide a short service of gratitude before your Thanksgiving meal.

Preparing for next Sunday, November 21, 2021

Lesson: Isaiah 40:1-11
Gospel: Luke 1:5-20

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.

Jack Warnes (brother-in-law) and family	Peace and God’s comfort as his death nears	Suzanne Warnes
Nan Thompson	Affirmation of her decision to forego further cancer treatment and acceptance by family and loved ones	Nan Thompson
Dr. Cara Steinkeler	Strength as she supports dying COVID patients and their families	Gary & Gail Grafwallner
Lynn Santelmann	Successful surgery (November 23) and recovery	Paul Navarre
Ginny Link	Healing and recovery	Ginny Link
John Trom	Healing and recovery	Pastor Susan Kintner
Chris Sinn (brother)	Healing	Randy & Michelle Sinn
John Fiegenbaum	Comfort and pain relief	Amy Fiegenbaum
Madeleine (granddaughter)	Strength and healing	Mary Smith
Jason and family	God’s direction and support	A. Grapa
Kakruna Giddens Ly	Thanksgiving for her birth	John Giddens & Sovathana Ly
Florence Margaret Geczy-Haskins	Thanksgiving for her birth	Carl & Laura Geczy-Haskins
Kay (mother)	Blessings as she celebrates her 90th birthday	Linda Olshausen
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
Peace Lutheran Church (Pendleton, OR) Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church (Umatilla, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Bilal Masjid (Beaverton)	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

Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, November 21

8:30 am	Worship with Communion (masks required)	Sanctuary and Livestreamed
10:00 am	Adult Education: A Journey Towards Anti-Racism, Part 1	Fellowship Hall and via Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education: Leading in a Liminal Season	via Zoom
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
10:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
11:00 am	Worship with Communion (masks required)	Sanctuary and via Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Monday, November 22

6:00 pm

Scout Troop 618 Meeting

Fellowship Hall, St. Andrew Room

Tuesday, November 23 – Weekly News submissions due by 12:00 pm

7:00 am	Sunrise Women	Elmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
7:00 am	Men’s Gathering & Bible Study	Elmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
10:00 am	T’ai Chi	Fellowship Hall

Wednesday, November 24

10:00 am

Yoga

Fellowship Hall

Thursday, November 25

Thanksgiving, Church Closed

Friday, November 26

Staff Holiday, Church Closed

Saturday, November 27

9:00 am

Book Sale Preparation

Library, Fellowship Hall

Sunday, November 28

8:30 am	Worship with Communion (masks required)	Sanctuary and YouTube
9:30 am	Book Sale to Benefit St. Andrew Libraries	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
12:00 pm	Used Book Sale to Benefit St. Andrew Libraries	Fellowship Hall

Connecting to Worship

August 8, 2021

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

Masking Up in Love

The statistics don’t lie: COVID-19 infections are on the rise in Oregon again, many of them the extremely contagious Delta variant. Following the recommendations of the Oregon Health Authority and the Centers for Disease Control, St. Andrew now requires EVERYONE—even vaccinated individuals—to wear a mask inside the building. Disposable masks are available at the Narthex entry if you need them.

As Pastor Susan reminds us, “we are building this ship as we sail.” We have made a few changes to worship, beginning this Sunday, that will help our community stay safe. You will find more information on these changes in your worship folder on Sunday, and on the St. Andrew website at https://standrewlutheran.com/the-post-pandemic-worship-experience/.

We understand that some people may feel more apprehensive about worshiping in the Sanctuary. As always, make the decision that is best for you and your household. Thankfully, we have a variety of worship options. 11:00 am worship in the Sanctuary of the Firs makes use of our outdoor space, and we are blessed with a talented team of technology wizards who make remote worship possible.

We can do this to protect each other and especially to protect our children who are not yet able to receive the vaccine. Masking is a profound and visible sign of our commitment to neighbor and community care.

Wednesday Evening Prayer

Midweek Evening Prayer Services will continue to be offered through the summer months via Zoom. Meditations will be drawn from Devotional Classics. All are welcome this Wednesday, August 11 for social time at 6:45 pm and service at 7:00 pm. Centering Prayer follows at 7:30 pm. Participate in all or part of our scheduled time together. Look for links to this worship service at midday on Wednesdays in Allison’s email.

Lydia Circle

Lydia Circle will meet Tuesday, August 9 at 1:00 pm in the St. Andrew Room. This month’s study is from the August Gather magazine and is entitled “Just Hope.” It is based on 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 and Ezekiel 37:1-14. With guided discussion, we will see that through the gift of the body of Christ our hope is bigger than our human situation. Any are welcome to join us and you need not have read the lesson to take part. If you have questions, contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917.

Guest Pastor Shauna McCaulay

This Sunday, August 8, we welcome Rev. Shana McCauley, Canon for Cathedral Life at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland. An only child of Caucasian and Korean descent growing up in Anchorage, Alaska, Shana was going to save the world as a journalist. After getting her degree in journalism from the University of Washington, she meandered her way to a call to the priesthood, earning her Master of Divinity degree from Seabury Western in Chicago before going on to serve in California. She then served 11 years at St. Edward’s in Silverton, Oregon before starting at the Cathedral in January 2021. We look forward to welcoming Rev. McCauley as our second guest preacher during Pastor Mark’s sabbatical.

Flowers on the Chancel

he flowers on the chancel today are given to the glory of God by Suzanne Warnes in honor of her husband
Joe’s and daughter Colleen’s birthdays.

Sock It to Me – Outside In

Once again we, the St. Andrew Community, have an opportunity to demonstrate Community and Neighbor Care by
improving the lives of young people in our city. Since 1968, Outside In has transformed lives by helping break
the cycles of chronic homelessness, poverty, and poor health among Portland’s LGBTQA+ community, people of color,
those experiencing homelessness, and the underserved.

Currently, Outside In is in high need of socks. Please consider contributing to this request by purchasing new men’s and women’s socks and bringing them to church between July 25 and August 29. There will be a barrel in the Narthex and the socks will be delivered to Outside In at the end of August. Both staff and clients of Outside In appreciate this congregation for all of our support over the past years and send their thanks once again for your contributions.

Thank you,
Service Committee

Welcome, Johanna

Please welcome our newest employee, Johanna Land, who is working Tuesday-Thursday as St. Andrew’s office assistant. You can reach Johanna by emailing office@standrewlutheran.com or calling the church phone: 503-646-0629.

We’re delighted that Johanna has joined our team! Please continue to send prayer and calendar requests, as well as material for the church newsletter, to the church office. Johanna will take care of you or forward your information appropriately.

And do stop by during Johanna’s work hours to say “Hi” and to introduce yourself.

Nifty Notters

Come join the Nifty Notters Saturday August 21 from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall. We’ll be working on twin sized quilts for LWR and Safeplace youth shelter and baby quilts for Virginia Garcia Clinic and Birthright of Hillsboro. We just recently started making donations to Birthright, and they were so excited to be able to give new baby quilts to their new moms.

Bring a lunch and join us for all or part of the day. No experience is needed and all supplies are provided. We had several wonderful fabric and supply donations these past months, and now need people to cut that fabric into squares. This can be done either at church or at home. If you’d like to help, or have any other questions, please contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917.

Pastor Mark’s Sabbatical

Lead Pastor Mark Brocker is currently on sabbatical, unwinding from a hectic year and writing the Chi Rho lectures he’ll deliver in Eugene this fall. His topic is likely to resonate following the many adjustments we’ve all had to make because of COVID. He will address the theme of “Doing Ethics in Extraordinary Times: The Witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

During Pastor Mark’s time away, Pastor Susan Kintner, other staff, and numerous lay leaders will be guiding the congregation. Pastor Mark will return to his ministry at St. Andrew on September 7, just in time to launch another education year of September 12.

Sabbatical Blessings

Gracious God, Loving Lord,
Psalm 1 declares that those who delight in the Word of the Lord
shall be like trees, planted near streams of water,
which yield their fruit in due season.
Bless Pastor Mark in this sabbatical time,
that your river of love and delight will bring deep rest and renewal,
bless his writing, and protect his solitude.
May this be a time to receive your spacious grace.
Return him to us in September ready to share hissabbath lessons with us.
In Jesus name, Amen.

Gracious God, Loving Lord,
Bless St. Andrew in this sabbatical time as well,
that as we pray for Pastor Mark,
we also embrace this time to receive your spacious grace.
We also need deep rest and renewal as we recover from the last 18 months.
Walk with us in these weeks, as you walked with the disciples to Emmaus,
listening to their grief, that we will recognize you in the breaking of the bread
and be fed and repaired by your resurrection love.
In Jesus name, Amen.

Yoga Class Returns in August

After more than a year’s hiatus due to COVID-19, yoga class is coming back to St. Andrew! If you participated in earlier classes or are curious whether a yoga discipline might be good for you, mark your calendar for 10:00 am on Wednesday, August 11, and plan to check it out.

The St. Andrew community is so fortunate that certified teachers Geetha, Gloria, and Barbara are willing and able to continue this program. All skilled instructors, they give their time freely to help the rest of us maintain balance, flexibility, and mobility.

The class is free, no experience is required, and the teachers offer guidance for people of various levels and abilities. Instruction is provided for both chair and floor yoga, so if you find it difficult to get up from floor positions, don’t worry. Chair exercises are always an option. If you’d like to try floor yoga, please bring your own mat. Class lasts about an hour and is open to the public, so bring a friend. All are welcome.

Organ Scholarship Applications Due

Please note that applications for the St. Andrew Foundation’s church organ scholarship are due no later than Monday, October 4. To address the critical shortage of church organists, the fund awards $800 towards organ lessons with a recognized organ teacher. Applicants from age 13 through 30 are invited to apply. Go to the Foundation page on our church website and scroll to the Organ Lesson Scholarship Fund section to download the 2021 Scholarship Announcement and Application. Applicants from a variety of faith traditions are encouraged to apply.

Time to Collect School Supplies for Lutheran World Relief

Education is one of the strongest tools a community has for breaking the cycle of poverty. Even better results occur when we can ensure that girls attend school in places where their access to education is not a priority. Lutheran World Relief (LWR) school kits contain essential supplies to help children learn in the face of serious obstacles.

With many retailers currently offering back-to-school sales, now is the time to help us stock up on supplies for LWR School Kits. Our goal is to collect enough supplies to fill 75-100 school kits by early September.

We need the following supplies for each School Kit:

70-sheet spiral bound notebooks (4 per kit)
1 box (16– or 24-count) crayons
1 pencil sharpener
30-centimeter ruler (1 per kit)
1 pair blunt scissors
5 unsharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers
5 black or blue pens
2 ½ inch eraser (1 per kit)

Thank you for your generous donations.

St. Andrew Service Committee

Leadership Training Planned for September

MACG will hold a two-day Leadership Training Institute in September. More details will be coming soon, but for now, please save the dates: Saturday, September 18, and Saturday, September 25, 10:00 am–4:00 pm, at Spirit of Grace in Beaverton.

Don’t miss this terrific opportunity to learn how using organizing principles can strengthen relationships, build community, and work for common good in our community. Look for more information next week, but please contact any member of St. Andrew’s MACG Core Team if you have questions: Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Lynn Santelmann, Scott Taylor, Bob Stadel, Jan Smith, and Victoria Kovalenko.

Spirituality Book Group News

The Spirituality Book Group will meet in Fellowship Hall at 3:00 pm on Sunday, August 15. This month we won’t be discussing a particular book, but will instead be selecting books to read and discuss for the next several months. We have a list of 20 books to choose from, generated by members. Please come and participate in the selection process. It’s always fun to talk about books!

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 Nancy Heidinger	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Judy Heidinger (sister-in-law)
Diane Liefeld	Effective treatment and healing	Kim Moore
Steve Andersen	Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment	Liz Andersen
John Trom	Strength and healing	Jennifer Trom
Carol Hogan	Healing and recovery	Staff
John Fritz	Healing and recovery in rehab	Staff
Steve Yi (nephew)	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Kelly Wise
Lorraine (mother)	Salvation and healing	Phil Chavez
Steve & Jackie	Salvation and health	Phil Chavez (nephew)
Maverick Dixon (unborn nephew)	Complete healing in the womb	AJ & Rebecca Uecker
Raya (newborn great grandniece) and her parents	Strength while awaiting surgery for heart issues	Ginny & Gary Link
Bryan & Becky Lane Family	Blessings on the birth of Taylor Hazel Lane	Tom & Barb Lane (grandparents)
Those fighting or threatened by wildfires	Protection and safety	Staff
St. Andrew Council Executive Committee Staff	Wisdom and discernment	Staff
Karen Klingelhafer, Kyler Vogt, and all seminarians India Jensen Kerr and all theology students	Encouragement and support	Staff
St. Andrew Foundation	Blessings on their ministry	Staff
Central Lutheran Church (Eugene, OR) Emmaus Lutheran Church (Eugene, OR) Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Eugene, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Congregation Ahavath Achim (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

Baby Rose

The rose on the altar this Sunday celebrates the birth of Taylor Hazel Lane on July 30 to parents Bryan & Becky Lane. Taylor is the granddaughter of Tom & Barb Lane, who are thrilled to welcome another little one into the circle of their family. May God bless you all!

Preparing for Sunday, August 15, 2021

Reading: Isaiah 61:7-11
Gospel: Luke 1:46-55

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

Factory Girl

Barbara Greenwood’s book, Factory Girl, is wonderful—full of period piece pictures and a loose enough story line to sneak in all you want to know, while still making it interesting for kids to follow. So, yes, this book is downstairs, but if it
were upstairs it might have more politics and fewer pictures.

It speaks about why children, girls especially, had to work outside the home and what it was like for them, what their brothers might have been doing, and why it was so very hard to get things to change. We learn how the frequent fires started, why they were so hard to put out, and why so many died.

I’ve been interested in early 1900s factory workers, piece work, spinning mills, and hosiery mills for quite a while. My mother worked in a hosiery mill as a sock molly. What was it like for her in the late 1920s? I wish I had asked her.

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, August 8

8:30 am	Worship with Communion Livestream Worship with Communion	Sanctuary YouTube
10:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
11:00 am	Worship with Communion Zoom Worship with Communion	Sanctuary of the Firs Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Monday, August 9

6:00 pm

Troop 618 Meeting

Garden Parking Lot

Tuesday, August 10

7:00 am	Sunrise Women	Elmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
7:00 am	Men’s Gathering & Bible Study	Elmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
9:00 am	Facility Management & Team Meeting	St. Andrew Room
10:00 am	T’ai Chi	Fellowship Hall
1:00 pm	Lydia Circle	St. Andrew Room
7:00 pm	Finance Team Meeting	via Zoom

Wednesday, August 11 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

10:00 am	Yoga (both Chair Yoga & Floor Yoga)	Fellowship Hall
6:00 pm	Sanctuary Team Meeting	Library
6:45 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Wednesday Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, August 12

12:00 pm

Team Ministry Meeting

Chapel, Library

Friday, August 13

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

Fellowship Hall

Saturday, August 14

10:00 am

Taiwan Lutheran Church Retirement Recognition for Pastor Joe

Fellowship Hall

Sunday, August 15

8:30 am	Worship with Communion Livestream Worship with Communion	Sanctuary YouTube
10:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
11:00 am	Worship with Communion Zoom Worship with Communion	Sanctuary of the Firs Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
3:00 pm	Spirituality Book Group	Fellowship Hall

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Andrew!

July 4, 2021

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

The Post-Pandemic Worship Experience

As we return to in-person worship starting on July 4th, some people have been wondering what to expect from an in-person service after more than a year of online worship. With the lifting of statewide COVID-19 restrictions on June 30, there are only a few adjustments to the familiar worship service we all know. On the St. Andrew website and as an insert in your worship folder this Sunday, we will explain the procedures our Worship Planners and Reopening Team have crafted.

Our 8:30 am service will be held indoors in the Sanctuary, and our 11:00 am service will be held outdoors in the Sanctuary of the Firs. Livestream and Zoom options will continue to be offered as they have been throughout the pandemic. We hope that these options allow everyone to continue worshiping in the way that feels safest and most appropriate for them.

Leading Worship Together

Returning to in-p0erson worship serves as a powerful reminder of how many volunteers work together to make worship happen every week. It’s a lot of work, but if we all play our part, everything gets handled without a hiccup.

In particular we are in need of Altar Guild members and Assisting Ministers. No experience is necessary and you will receive all the training you need. We work with your schedule so you can attend your preferred service and still worship with your family or friends.

Please contact Minister of Music & Media Allison Katsufrakis at allisonk@standrewlutheran.com if you have questions or would like to volunteer.

Wednesday Evening Prayer

Midweek Evening Prayer services will continue to be offered through the summer months via Zoom. Meditations will be drawn from Devotional Classics. All are welcome this Wednesday, July 7, for social time at 6:45 pm and service at 7:00 pm. Centering Prayer follows at 7:30 pm. Participate in all or part of our scheduled time together. Look for links to this worship service at mid-day on Wednesdays in Allison’s email.

Earth Camp Needs “Shadows”

The Earth Camp team needs a couple more people to volunteer as “Shadows” for camp week, July 12-16. The camp will consist of five groups of seven kids, with each group accompanied by two youth “Guides.” The Shadow’s role is to be an adult presence with one of the five groups throughout the week. It’s the easiest volunteer role in Earth Camp! If you’d like to volunteer or have questions about this opportunity, please contact the camp’s program director, Kyler Vogt:

kvogt@standrewlutheran.com.

Quilt Sunday Is July 11, 2021

It’s a little bit later in the summer than normal, but better late than never! Next Sunday, July 11th, at the 8:30 am service, we will continue our tradition of wrapping our high school seniors in handmade quilts. These quilts, made by members of our own Nifty Notters group, are our way of reminding these young adults that no matter where life leads them, the love and prayers of their St. Andrew community go withy them.

Nifty Notters

The Nifty Notters will NOT be meeting on July 3, but all are welcome to join us Saturday, July 17, from 9:00 am-12:30 pm in Fellowship Hall to work on baby quilts for Virginia Garcia Clinic and larger quilts for LWR and Safeplace. All supplies are provided and no experience is needed. Bring a lunch and join us for all or part of the time. If you can’t come on Saturday, we have many cutting and sewing/tying projects that can be done at home. If you have questions, please contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917 or Pam Farr at 503-626-6657.

Oregon Historical Society Online Exhibits

The Reckoning with Racism group wants to remind you that the Oregon Historical Society has several exhibits online that pertain to their studies of the last year.

The People of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

and

Racing to Change: Oregon’s Civil Rights Years

Both exhibits can be found on the Oregon Historical Society website at https://www.ohs.org/museum/exhibits/.

Helping the Hungry

Driving around Portland this summer, it’s clear that the hunger and homelessness crisis prompted by COVID-19 continues to trouble many people in our community. The saints of St. Andrew have already shown generosity in offering assistance and that help is still needed. All contributions to the food barrel in our Narthex are delivered to the St. Matthew Food Bank for distribution to people suffering from food insecurity. Thank you for caring for others!

A Rose on the Altar

The rose on the altar this Sunday is in honor of William Anthony LeRoy, the newest grandchild of Becky and Rick LeRoy. William’s parents are Eric and Jessica LeRoy. Congratulations all around to the LeRoy family!

Want to Spend Some Dollars?

We’re talking about Thrivent Choice Dollars.  You do not need to be a Thrivent member to help identify St. Andrew activities that might benefit from extra funds. Interested? We will meet on Sunday, July 18, in Fellowship Hall at (or before) 10:00 am to learn more about Choice Dollars. Many of us don’t know much about this and now we have a chance to learn, ask questions, and help discern what we would like to support in the next 12 months.

We missed having meetings since 2018 but the money has come in each year and has recently been sent to the ministries designated in 2018 to receive them. We will review past decisions as we prepare to choose where we want to go from here. The more input, the better we can consider how to best use money coming in the next 12 months.

Thrivent members who are designating choice dollars will have the opportunity to vote on suggestions at this meeting. Please join us to determine how to spend those dollars on behalf of St. Andrew ministries.

Climate Change on The Other Side of the Hill

Almost all of us who attend St. Andrew live in an urban environment, where we’ve already experienced unprecedented temperatures surpassing 112 degrees Fahrenheit in this summer of 2021. In the fall of 2020, we lived under skies turned orange by wildfires and sheltered inside to escape poor air quality.

But Oregon is a big state and home to many rural communities that have likewise been affected by climate change. The documentary The Other Side of the Hill explores the rural community of Lakeview. About 6 hours south from Portland by car, Lakeview is in the center part of our state, east of Medford and within miles of the California border.

Interfaith Power & Light invites everyone to watch the film between July 10-25 to discover some rural perspectives on a changing climate. Beginning July 1, you are invited to register here to watch the film at your convenience on July 10 and through July 25.

Mental Health Tips from the Caring Ministry Team

Many sources have used the word “transition” to describe where we are as we gradually come out of the pandemic. In Pastor Susan’s sermon on June 26, she described the unresolved grief we are carrying with us into the transition, stating “We’re tender.” She encouraged us to listen, observe, pay attention, ponder, pray, witness, care and reflect. It was a call to slow down and mark this time of transition by taking the time to discover what we’ve learned. Her comments reminded me of the work of David Kessler, an internationally known author on the topic of healing and loss. In 2018 I had the opportunity to attend his workshop which was based on material for his most recent book entitled, Finding Meaning. One phrase that stuck with me is that grief does not require a lot of time but it does require what he calls “dedicated time.”

The “Our Pandemic Year” video that Carol Harker, Allison Katsufrakis, and their contributors put together is a beautiful example of making “dedicated time” for our grief as we move ahead. It honors the losses we have shared as a community while acknowledging the strengths we have discovered. I was aware of a variety of memories and emotions as the images of so many people and events over the past 16 months invited me into “dedicated time.” It reflected some of our pandemic journey as a community and also raised memories unique to my individual journey. Perhaps your experience of watching it was similar. By taking the time to pause and reflect, we create the opportunity to be present to the organic process of loss and healing. When we “dedicate” time (even a few minutes) to acknowledge and reflect on our grief, it is invited to move through us, creating space for varied feelings and new possibilities.

Michelle Sinn

For Reflection

• In what ways do you give “dedicated time” to present or past grief? Who is one person with whom you feel safe sharing grief?
• How might you embrace Pastor Susan’s invitation to listen, observe, pay attention, ponder, pray, witness, care and reflect as we continue to move forward?

“The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus

When Lazarus wrote this poem in 1883, immigrants were entering the United States in great numbers, including Italians, French, Greeks, and Russian-Jewish refugees, among others. And sure enough, “The New Colossus” is itself a multicultural amalgam: an Italian sonnet written by a Jewish-Ameri8can woman, celebrating a statue forged in France, contrasting it with one in ancient Greece. She is unarmed, a light in one hand a a votive table in the other. Such tablets were common in ancient Greece for inscribing prayers, or in any case aspirations–and on this particular table is the date the United States formally broke free from English rule: July 4, 1776. It’s as if she says, We aspire to be free–now come, all you who yearn for freedom.

Lydia Circle

Lydia Circle will meet Tuesday, July 13, from 1:00-3:00 pm in the St. Andrew Room. This month’s Bible study is the second of a three-part series entitled “Just L.I.F.E. (Liberation is for everyone),” taken from the July Gather magazine. It is inspired by Jesus’ proclamations, ‘if the Son make you free, you will be free indeed” [John 8:36] and “I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly” [John 1:10]. This month’s session delves into “just truth.” All are welcome and you need not to have read the study to take part.

Book Report: Dying to Meet You, by Kate Klise

This book is found in the children’s library, but don’t let that stop you. It is one cute book, loaded with puns. If you are an old house/host and laughter fan, this is your book. It’s a nice fast read, even if you’re a kid, so check it out and put a smile on your face.

Pam Farr
Librarian

Beaked Hazelnut

On one of his frequent walks out and about church property, Don Nearhood recently took this photo of a Beaked Hazelnut. This West Coast native is recognized by the long green husks over the hazelnuts that certainly look like beaks!

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 Gary Howard	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Deb Howard
Family and friends of Bobby Larson’s mother	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Bobbie Larson
Family and friends of Carol Grover	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Nan Thompson
Adam McQueen’s father	Compassionate care, peace, and comfort in hospice	Adam McQueen
Ann Landmark (cousin)	Compassionate care as she enters hospice	Bev Briggs
Nan Thompson	Acceptance and strength	Nan Thompson
Gary Grafwallner	Healing of his left eye from Bell’s palsy	Gary Grafwallner
Sue Cahlander	Smooth recovery from a surgical procedure	Jan & Sue Cahlander Smith
Michaela (grandchild)	Successful surgery and comfortable recovery	Jan & Sue Cahlander Smith
Carol Means	Effective treatment	Staff
Dan Fako	Pain relief	Sharon Fako
Marlene Maxwell	Continued healing	Bruce Maxwell
William Anthony LeRoy and parents Eric & Jessica LeRoy	Thanksgiving and praise at William’s birth	Rick & Becky LeRoy
Mary Brown	Healing and quick recovery after surgery	Bob & Mary Brown
Susan Reiser	Successful knee replacement surgery (July 6)	John & Susan Reiser
Lee Anne & Brian Knapp	God’s blessings during a time of transition	Lee Anne Knapp
Those threatened by wildfires	Protection and safety	Staff
Those impacted by racial injustice	Care in times of pain, violence, and crisis	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
West Linn Lutheran Church (West Linn, OR) Community of Hope Lutheran Church (Wilsonville, OR) Faith Lutheran (Albany, OR) Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Albany, OR) Grace Lutheran Church (Corvallis, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Masjid Omar Farooq (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

Preparing for Sunday, July 11, 2021

Reading: Amos 7:7-15

Gospel: Mark 6:14-29

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, July 4

8:30 am	Worship with Communion (also via Livestream on YouTube)	Sanctuary
10:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
11:00 am	Worship with Communion (also on Zoom)	Sanctuary of the Firs
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Monday, July 5

6:00 pm

Troop 618 Meeting

east parking lot

Tuesday, July 6

7:00 am	Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study	Elmer’s Restaurant at 158th
7:00 am	Women’s Sunrise Spirituality Group	Elmer’s Restaurant at 158th
10:00 am	T’ai Chi	Fellowship Hall
10:00 am	Meals on Wheels/Loave and Fishes	Off Site
7:00 pm	MACG Meeting	St. Andrew Room

Wednesday, July 7 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

6:45 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Wednesday Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, July 8

12:30 pm

Team Ministry Meeting

Chapel/Library

Friday, July 9

10:00 am	T’ai Chi	Fellowship Hall
6:15 pm	High School Youth at Superplay Bowl	Beaverton

Sunday, July 11

8:30 am	Worship with Communion Livestream Worship with Communion	Sanctuary YouTube
10:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
11:00 am	Worship with Communion Zoom Worship with Communion	Sanctuary of the Firs Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Thank You to Our New Council Members

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Andrew!