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Author Archives: Carol Harker

December 26, 2021

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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 8th and 29th 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 1st or 15th

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 70th 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 ThompsonPeace and God’s comfort at her deathStaff
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 comfortRebecca Fako Uecker
Herb Peace and God’s comfort Sharon Fako
Susan Palo CherwienPeace and God’s comfortMichelle Sinn
Aaron MillerSuccessful treatment and recoveryJan Smith & Sue Cahlander
Faith (granddaughter) Successful treatment and recovery Judy Heidinger
Ethel RitcheyHealing and recovery from hip surgeryStaff
Barb Zurstadt Healing and recovery Jan Smith & Sue Cahlander
Max Lampros (grandson) Healing and recovery Liz Andersen
Amy FiegenbaumHealing and recoveryEd and Linda Fransen
Dr. Cara SteinkelerStrength as she supports dying COVID patients and their familiesGary & Gail Grafwallner
Midwest tornado victimsComfort and assistance as they recoverStaff
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 EatonWisdom and discernmentStaff
Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaBlessings on our ministryStaff
Taiwan Lutheran ChurchStrength and wisdomStaff
Zion Lutheran Church (Port Orford, OR)
Zion Lutheran Church (The Dalles, OR)
Serving with us in the Oregon SynodStaff
Golden Temple of Oregon, Morrison (Portland, OR)Blessings on our interfaith partnersStaff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayerWhatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloudEveryone

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 amWorship with Communion (masks required) Sanctuary and YouTube
10:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion (masks required)Sanctuary and Zoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Monday, December 27

6:00 pmScout 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 amGentle 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 amWorship with Communion (masks required) Sanctuary and YouTube
10:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion (masks required)Sanctuary and Zoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
12:00 pmScouts Tree RecyclingEast Parkin Lot

Connecting to Worship

8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.

  • The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
  • An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.

11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom

The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.

  • To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
  • To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.

Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.

Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.

November 28, 2021

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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:

Fiction

A Land of Sheltered Promise, by Jane Kirkpatrick
At Home in Mitford, by Jan Karon
The Mitford Snowmen: A Christmas Story, by Jan Karon
Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women’s Olympic Team, by Elise Hooper

Non-Fiction

The Wright Brothers, by David McCullough
The Steward: A Biblical Symbol Come of Age, by Douglas John Hall
Apprenticeship: Embracing Life and Practicing Humanity in the Way of Jesus, by Terry B. Kyllo
She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders, by Jennifer Finney Boylan
Oregon Geographic Names, by Lewis A. McArthur
Madam Secretary, by Madeleine Albright
After the Locusts: Letters from a Landscape of Faith,
by Denise Ackermann and Desmond Tutu

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 PoppertPeace and God’s comfort at his deathClaris & 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 & MarnaPeace and God’s comfortPastor Mark
Angie MitlehnerSuccessful surgery (December 4)Angie Mitlehner
John FritzComfort and wisdom in a time of transitionStaff
Lynn SantelmannHealing and recoveryPaul Navarre
Ginny LinkHealing and recoveryGinny Link
John TromHealing and recoveryPastor Susan Kintner
Dr. Cara SteinkelerStrength as she supports dying COVID patients and their familiesGary & Gail Grafwallner
Victims of parade violence in Waukesha, WIHealing in body and soulStaff
Those facing ongoing illness or distressHealing and assurance of God’s presenceStaff
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 EatonWisdom and discernmentStaff
Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaBlessings on our ministryStaff
Taiwan Lutheran ChurchStrength and wisdomStaff
Grace Lutheran Church (Vale, OR)Serving with us in the Oregon SynodStaff
Congregation P’nai Or (Portland)Blessings on our interfaith partnersStaff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayerWhatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloudEveryone

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 amWorship with Communion (masks required)Sanctuary and Livestreamed
9:30 amUsed Book Sale to Benefit St. Andrew LibrariesFellowship Hall
10:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion (masks required)Sanctuary and via Zoom
12:00 pmUsed Book Sale to Benefit St. Andrew LibrariesFellowship Hall
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Monday, November 29

10:00 amMeals on Wheels/Loaves and FishesOff Site
6:00 pmScout Troop 618 Meeting Fellowship Hall, St. Andrew Room

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

7:00 amSunrise WomenElmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
7:00 amMen’s Gathering & Bible StudyElmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
10:00 amT’ai ChiFellowship Hall
7:00 pmTable TalkZoom

Wednesday, December 1

10:00 amYoga Fellowship Hall
12:30 pmBonhoeffer Seminarvia Zoom
6:00 pmBells of Grace RehearsalSanctuary
6:45 pmInformal Gathering Timevia Zoom
7:00 pmAdvent Evening PrayerSanctuary
7:00 pmWednesday Night Youth HangoutYouth Room
7:30 pmSanctuary ChoirSanctuary

Thursday, December 2

9:30 am Seekers of the Heart of God Bible Study St. Andrew Room
7:00 pmExecutive (Council) CommitteeMeetingvia Zoom

Friday, December 3

10:00 am Tai Chi Fellowship Hall

Saturday, December 4

8:00 amScouting for Food Fellowship Hall
9:00 amNifty NottersFellowship Hall
9:30 amHanging of the GreensSanctuary

Sunday, December 5, Second Sunday in Advent

8:30 amWorship with Communion (masks required) Sanctuary and YouTube
10:00 amAdult Ed: A Journey Towards Anti-Racism, Part 2Fellowship Hall or via Zoom
10:00 amAdult Ed: The Kairos HermeneuticChapel
10:00 amChildren’s MinistryChildren’s Library
10:00 amConfirmationLibrary and via Zoom
10:00 amHigh School Youth Group with Adult EdChapel
10:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion (masks required)Sanctuary and Zoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Connecting to Worship

8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.

  • The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
  • An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.

11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom

The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.

  • To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
  • To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.

Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.

Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.

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.

Weekly News Download

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

December 19
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong
Discussion Leader: Elaine May

January 23
The Vanishing Half, by Britt Bennett
Discussion Leader: Mary Smith

February 20
Nomadland, by Jessica Bruder
Discussion Leader: Carol Horton

March (TBA)
West with Giraffes, by Linda Rutledge
Discussion Leader: Susan Reiser

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 50th 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 familyPeace and God’s comfort as his death nearsSuzanne Warnes
Nan ThompsonAffirmation of her decision to forego further cancer treatment and acceptance by family and loved onesNan Thompson
Dr. Cara SteinkelerStrength as she supports dying COVID patients and their familiesGary & Gail Grafwallner
Lynn SantelmannSuccessful surgery (November 23) and recoveryPaul Navarre
Ginny LinkHealing and recoveryGinny Link
John TromHealing and recoveryPastor Susan Kintner
Chris Sinn (brother)HealingRandy & Michelle Sinn
John FiegenbaumComfort and pain reliefAmy Fiegenbaum
Madeleine (granddaughter)Strength and healingMary Smith
Jason and familyGod’s direction and supportA. Grapa
Kakruna Giddens LyThanksgiving for her birthJohn Giddens & Sovathana Ly
Florence Margaret Geczy-HaskinsThanksgiving for her birthCarl & Laura Geczy-Haskins
Kay (mother)Blessings as she celebrates her 90th birthdayLinda Olshausen
Those confined to their homesAssurance of God’s presenceStaff
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 imprisonedPeace and strengthStaff
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Blessings on their workStaff
Peace Lutheran Church (Pendleton, OR)
Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church (Umatilla, OR)
Serving with us in the Oregon SynodStaff
Bilal Masjid (Beaverton)Blessings on our interfaith partnersStaff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayerWhatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloudEveryone

Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, November 21

8:30 amWorship with Communion (masks required)Sanctuary and Livestreamed
10:00 amAdult Education: A Journey Towards Anti-Racism, Part 1Fellowship Hall and via Zoom
10:00 amAdult Education: Leading in a Liminal Seasonvia Zoom
10:00 amChildren’s Ministry with Donna BrockerChildren’s Library
10:00 amConfirmation (for grades 6-8)Library and via Zoom
10:00 amHigh School Youth GroupYouth Room
10:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion (masks required)Sanctuary and via Zoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Monday, November 22

6:00 pmScout Troop 618 Meeting Fellowship Hall, St. Andrew Room

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

7:00 amSunrise WomenElmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
7:00 amMen’s Gathering & Bible StudyElmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
10:00 amT’ai ChiFellowship Hall

Wednesday, November 24

10:00 amYogaFellowship Hall

Thursday, November 25

Thanksgiving, Church Closed

Friday, November 26

Staff Holiday, Church Closed

Saturday, November 27

9:00 amBook Sale Preparation Library, Fellowship Hall

Sunday, November 28

8:30 amWorship with Communion (masks required)Sanctuary and YouTube
9:30 amBook Sale to Benefit St. Andrew LibrariesFellowship Hall
10:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion (masks required)Sanctuary and Zoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
12:00 pmUsed Book Sale to Benefit St. Andrew LibrariesFellowship Hall

Connecting to Worship

8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.

  • The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
  • An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.

11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom

The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.

  • To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
  • To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.

Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.

Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.

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.

Weekly NewsDownload

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 HeidingerPeace and God’s comfort at her death Judy Heidinger (sister-in-law)
Diane LiefeldEffective treatment and healingKim Moore
Steve AndersenAccurate diagnosis and effective treatmentLiz Andersen
John TromStrength and healingJennifer Trom
Carol HoganHealing and recoveryStaff
John FritzHealing and recovery in rehabStaff
Steve Yi (nephew)Healing and recovery from COVID-19Kelly Wise
Lorraine (mother) Salvation and healingPhil Chavez
Steve & JackieSalvation and healthPhil Chavez (nephew)
Maverick Dixon (unborn nephew)Complete healing in the wombAJ & Rebecca Uecker
Raya (newborn great grandniece) and her parentsStrength while awaiting surgery for heart issuesGinny & Gary Link
Bryan & Becky Lane FamilyBlessings on the birth of Taylor Hazel LaneTom & Barb Lane (grandparents)
Those fighting or threatened by wildfiresProtection and safetyStaff
St. Andrew Council
Executive Committee
Staff
Wisdom and discernmentStaff
Karen Klingelhafer, Kyler Vogt, and all seminarians
India Jensen Kerr and all theology students
Encouragement and supportStaff
St. Andrew FoundationBlessings on their ministryStaff
Central Lutheran Church (Eugene, OR)
Emmaus Lutheran Church (Eugene, OR)
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Eugene, OR)
Serving with us in the Oregon SynodStaff
Congregation Ahavath Achim (Portland, OR)Blessings on our interfaith partnersStaff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayerWhatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloudEveryone

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 amWorship with Communion
Livestream Worship with Communion
Sanctuary
YouTube
10:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion
Zoom Worship with Communion
Sanctuary of the Firs
Zoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Monday, August 9

6:00 pmTroop 618 MeetingGarden Parking Lot

Tuesday, August 10

7:00 amSunrise WomenElmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
7:00 amMen’s Gathering & Bible StudyElmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
9:00 amFacility Management & Team MeetingSt. Andrew Room
10:00 amT’ai ChiFellowship Hall
1:00 pmLydia CircleSt. Andrew Room
7:00 pmFinance Team Meetingvia Zoom

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

10:00 amYoga (both Chair Yoga & Floor Yoga)Fellowship Hall
6:00 pmSanctuary Team MeetingLibrary
6:45 pmInformal Gathering TimeZoom
7:00 pmWednesday Evening PrayerZoom
7:30 pmCentering PrayerZoom

Thursday, August 12

12:00 pmTeam Ministry MeetingChapel, Library

Friday, August 13

10:00 amT’ai ChiFellowship Hall

Saturday, August 14

10:00 amTaiwan Lutheran Church Retirement Recognition for Pastor JoeFellowship Hall

Sunday, August 15

8:30 amWorship with Communion
Livestream Worship with Communion
Sanctuary
YouTube
10:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion
Zoom Worship with Communion
Sanctuary of the Firs
Zoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
3:00 pmSpirituality Book GroupFellowship Hall

Connecting to Worship

8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.

  • The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
  • An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.

11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom

The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.

  • To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
  • To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.

Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.

Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

We thank you for your support of the ministries of St. Andrew. If you are able, please give now using any of the following options:

Postal Mail: Simply mail a check to the church office. Let us know if you’d like giving envelope mailed to your home each month by contacting the church office.
Text Giving: Simply text any amount to 503-386-9646 to donate to the Ministry & Mission Fund. To donate to another fund, text keyword to get a list of funds, then type the dollar amount and fund name to give. For example, to give to the local food bank, text 50 food to give $50 for food.
Give via Church App: Download “Church by MinistryOne” from the App store and watch sermons, submit prayer requests, and give a one-time or recurring gift.
Give Online: On the St. Andrew website, click on “Give” at the top of the page. Here you can view your giving, set recurring gifts.
Direct Deposit / “Simply Giving:” Request a form from the church office to enable automated giving from your checking or savings account through the “Simply Giving” program.
Stock Donation: Download the form to donate stock. Please contact our Financial Secretaries in advance of processing the form or if you have questions.

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.

Weekly NewsDownload


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

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I life my lamp beside the golden door!”


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 HowardPeace and God’s comfort at his deathDeb Howard
Family and friends of Bobby Larson’s motherPeace and God’s comfort at her deathBobbie Larson
Family and friends of Carol GroverPeace and God’s comfort at her deathNan Thompson
Adam McQueen’s fatherCompassionate care, peace, and comfort in hospiceAdam McQueen
Ann Landmark (cousin)Compassionate care as she enters hospiceBev Briggs
Nan ThompsonAcceptance and strengthNan Thompson
Gary GrafwallnerHealing of his left eye from Bell’s palsyGary Grafwallner
Sue CahlanderSmooth recovery from a surgical procedureJan & Sue Cahlander Smith
Michaela (grandchild)Successful surgery and comfortable recoveryJan & Sue Cahlander Smith
Carol MeansEffective treatmentStaff
Dan FakoPain reliefSharon Fako
Marlene MaxwellContinued healingBruce Maxwell
William Anthony LeRoy and parents Eric & Jessica LeRoyThanksgiving and praise at William’s birthRick & Becky LeRoy
Mary BrownHealing and quick recovery after surgeryBob & Mary Brown
Susan ReiserSuccessful knee replacement surgery (July 6)John & Susan Reiser
Lee Anne & Brian KnappGod’s blessings during a time of transitionLee Anne Knapp
Those threatened by wildfiresProtection and safetyStaff
Those impacted by racial injusticeCare in times of pain, violence, and crisisStaff
Bishop Laurie Larson Caesar
Oregon Synod and staff
Strength and wisdomStaff
Refugees and immigrantsAcceptance, safety, and just treatmentStaff
Military personnel, especially Justina Hailey Hope Brocker, Evan Dahlquist, Dawson Dethlefs, Neil Fiegenbaum, and Jerami ReynaCourage and protectionStaff
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 SynodStaff
Masjid Omar Farooq (Portland, OR)Blessings on our interfaith partnersStaff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayerWhatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloudEveryone


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 amWorship with Communion (also via Livestream on YouTube)Sanctuary
10:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion (also on Zoom)Sanctuary of the Firs
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Monday, July 5

6:00 pmTroop 618 Meetingeast parking lot

Tuesday, July 6

7:00 amMen’s Breakfast and Bible StudyElmer’s Restaurant at 158th
7:00 amWomen’s Sunrise Spirituality GroupElmer’s Restaurant at 158th
10:00 amT’ai ChiFellowship Hall
10:00 amMeals on Wheels/Loave and FishesOff Site
7:00 pmMACG MeetingSt. Andrew Room

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

6:45 pmInformal Gathering TimeZoom
7:00 pmWednesday Evening PrayerZoom
7:30 pmCentering PrayerZoom

Thursday, July 8

12:30 pmTeam Ministry MeetingChapel/Library

Friday, July 9

10:00 amT’ai ChiFellowship Hall
6:15 pmHigh School Youth at Superplay BowlBeaverton

Sunday, July 11

8:30 amWorship with Communion
Livestream Worship with Communion
Sanctuary
YouTube
10:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion
Zoom Worship with Communion
Sanctuary of the Firs
Zoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Thank You to Our New Council Members

Executive Council
President Scott Taylor
Vice President John Reiser
Secretary Tim Duggan

Gretchen Bancroft
Tim Duggan
Laura Geczy-Haskins
Dwight Jerde
Becky Lamboley
Maria Navarre
Diane Reiner
John Reiser
Rachel Roberts
Barton Robison
Jeff Smith
Scott Taylor

Financial Secretaries
Brian Cheney
Tammy Piscitelli
Tracie Semenchalam


Treasurers
Gretchen Bancroft
Joel Johnson
Linda Olshausen

Connecting to Worship

8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.

  • The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
  • An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.

11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom

The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.

  • To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
  • To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.

Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.

Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

We thank you for your support of the ministries of St. Andrew. If you are able, please give now using any of the following options:

Postal Mail: Simply mail a check to the church office. Let us know if you’d like giving envelope mailed to your home each month by contacting the church office.
Text Giving: Simply text any amount to 503-386-9646 to donate to the Ministry & Mission Fund. To donate to another fund, text keyword to get a list of funds, then type the dollar amount and fund name to give. For example, to give to the local food bank, text 50 food to give $50 for food.
Give via Church App: Download “Church by MinistryOne” from the App store and watch sermons, submit prayer requests, and give a one-time or recurring gift.
Give Online: On the St. Andrew website, click on “Give” at the top of the page. Here you can view your giving, set recurring gifts.
Direct Deposit / “Simply Giving:” Request a form from the church office to enable automated giving from your checking or savings account through the “Simply Giving” program.
Stock Donation: Download the form to donate stock. Please contact our Financial Secretaries in advance of processing the form or if you have questions.

Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Andrew!

June 27, 2021

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

Weekly NewsDownload



Getting Ready to Worship Together

As we prepare to return to in-person worship on July 4, perhaps you’ve been thinking about the role you might play in the services. Interested in reading  the scriptures? Offering the prayers of the people? Serving communion, or lighting the candles?


These are all roles handled by volunteers from the St. Andrew community, and you are invited to participate! 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, June 30, for social time at 6:45 pm and service at 7:00 pm, when our meditation will come from The Journal of John Woolman on the theme, “Breaking the Yoke of Oppression.” 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.

Wisdom Calls

Hear stories from some of Oregon’s first ordained women, including Pastor Susan Kintner and Pastor Robyn Hartwig, at 7:00 pm on Saturdaym, June 26, during the second session of Wisdom Calls.

Click on the link below to register to receive the Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMofu6vqTMvHdBoZTbDpyTJP_2KE8JyjUCM


Job Opening for Office Assistant

St. Andrew is looking to hire a part-time office assistant to act as a first point of contact with the congregation and the general public. The person will manage building use and church calendars, scheduling both in-person and Zoom meetings; perform routine data entry, report creation, and updating of databases; proofread both online and print materials; order office, cleaning, and worship supplies; assemble mailings; and print bulletins, as well as support ministry coordinators and the staff.


We’re looking for someone proficient with Microsoft Office applications and the ability to learn new software when required; a person with a positive attitude and excellent interpersonal skills; someone who can organize, set priorities, and exercise sound independent judgment; a person who pays attention to detail and is willing to coordinate multiple projects and respond to changing priorities. Demonstrated competencies in database entry, proofreading, and time management are required.


The person will work 21 hours per week, 8:30 am-4:00 pm, Tuesday through Thursday. For more information, go to

portland.craigslist.org/wsc/ofc/d/beaverton-office-assistant/7337270360.html


Applications should be submitted electronically to the church office (office@standrewlutheran.com) or mailed to  St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 12405 SW Butner Rd, Beaverton, OR 97005, Attn: Carol Harker, by July 1.


Grunewald Guild Class Registration

Registration is now open for summer classes at the Grunewald Guild. A faith community fostering art and creativity along the banks of the Wenatchee River in Washington, the Grunewald Guild is offering a variety of intriguing classes in July, August, and September. Whether you’d like to explore journal making, songwriting, word collage with calligraphy, ceramics, writing, jewelry making and repair, extravagant beadwork, weaving, photography, or other arts, the Guild has a curriculum to nourish your soul and renew your spirit. One class title, “Hand Embroidery: Sinking into Slowness,” reveals the character of this community, which invites makers—whether absolute newcomers or experienced craftspeople—to slow their pace and consider how the process of creation itself can be a grounding force. To learn more, go to: https://grunewald.com/summer-program-2021/.


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.


Oceanspray in Bloom

Pacific Northwest native shrub  Oceanspray, currently blooming near the garden shed,  is looking spectacular this June. Don Nearhood snapped a photo earlier in the week of the plant also known as ironwood or creambush.


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 – 2:30 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.


Implementation of New St. Andrew Social Media Policy

The St. Andrew social media policy directs that the church primarily rely on email, the official Facebook page, and the website for official communication. The use of group sites owned or managed by St. Andrew should be minimized and limited to focused groups with a well-defined range of subject matter (e.g., youth or education groups). These groups must be administered and managed by church staff or supervised volunteers and must be accessible to anyone who wishes to participate. The creation and/or management of open forum Facebook groups by St. Andrew Lutheran Church is not authorized under these current guidelines.


Look for an increase in posts on the St Andrew Lutheran Church Facebook page by church staff, the communications team, and official St. Andrew groups, as well as increased synergy with the updated content on the St. Andrew website. Facebook will be used as an “on-demand” quick communication tool, while the website will be used as a portal to a wealth of church, spiritual, and related information. The policy recognizes that the “new post-COVID-19 normal” means that access to, and participation in, electronic worship and other activities at St. Andrew Lutheran Church must be considered one of the “privileges of membership” as noted in Chapter 15, section 5, of the Constitution of St. Andrew Lutheran Church ELCA.


St Andrew Lutheran Church generally has a positive view towards creating or contributing to personal websites, blogs, social networks, message boards, virtual worlds, and other kinds of social media. Participation by members of St. Andrew Lutheran Church and the general public in these open forums is a matter of individual choice and an exercise in free speech. As such, they are independent of St. Andrew Lutheran Church and are not subject to control, monitoring, or mediation by the Church.


The St. Andrew Lutheran Church Beaverton Facebook group has been a place for members and friends to reflect on their faith for almost 12 years. It serves as a place for “member care” and as a “fellowship” group where people can post reflections, event images and videos, and questions for member response. This group has had a positive impact on communication within the church and it is an important adjunct to the official St. Andrew page. As part of this formal policy, look for the private group to be renamed “Fellowship of St Andrew Lutheran Beaverton” to emphasize the fact that this is an independent group that is not officially owned by the church.


We are also working with the moderators to have the site display an appropriate disclaimer of its independence and that all appropriate Facebook tools be utilized to encourage members to comply with recommended rules, guidelines, and policies for postings made on the site (see next page). The policy strongly recommends that St. Andrew staff and volunteer leaders do NOT participate as moderators or mediators for this private group. As an independent site, members have the right to exercise free speech in their postings, in the same way that they can write letters to newspapers, or post to other blogs and sites. Recognizing that misunderstandings may sometimes occur, the moderators and voluntary members of this group are encouraged to follow the same Matthew 18:15-17 process for reconciliation that is contained in the St. Andrew Constitution.

Tom Mehlhorn, Chair
Communications Team


Your Congregational Council for 2021/2022

Members of St. Andrew’s Congregational Council have been duly elected, have selected officers for the coming year, and are ready to serve the congregation. If you have concerns, questions, or ideas, please feel free to reach out to these lay leaders of the congregation:

Officers

President Scott Taylor

Vice President John Reiser

Secretary Tim Duggan

Council Roster for 2021-2022

Gretchen Bancroft

Tim Duggan

Laura Geczy-Haskins

Dwight Jerde

Becky Lamboley

Maria Navarre

Diane Reiner

John Reiser

Rachel Roberts

Barton Robison

Jeff Smith

Scott Taylor

Treasurers

Gretchen Bancroft

Joel Johnson

Linda Sah Olshausen

Financial Secretaries

Brian Cheney

Tammy Piscitelli

Tracie Semenchalam

According to the Constitution adopted by St. Andrew in 2014, the Council:

· shall have general oversight of the life and activities of this congregation, and in particular its worship life, to the end that everything be done in accordance with the Word of God and the faith and practice of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

· shall be responsible for the financial and property matters of this congregation

The Bylaws adopted in 2015 clarify the duties of:

Treasurers

· keep the books of account of the congregation

· receive records of receipts from the financial secretaries

· disburse funds

· communicate monthly to the Council on the monetary status of the church

· serve as members of the Finance Committee

Financial Secretaries

· receive and record income from contributing members and other sources

· ensure all receipts are disbursed to the appropriate funds

· prepare a report of individual giving at the close of the year

· serve as members of the Finance Committee


Camp Lutherwood Is Hiring

June 23-August 17
Starting Salary for Summer: $2,890

Deepen your faith and sense of adventure while growing personally and professionally. Visit Camp Lutherwood online to learn more: www.lutherwoodoregon.org/employment. If you have questions, please contact the camp office for more information. Call 541-998-6444 or email jobs@lutherwoodoregon.org.



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 HowardPeace and God’s comfort at his deathDeb Howard
Family and friends of Bobby Larson’s motherPeace and God’s comfort at her deathBobbie Larson
Family and friends of Carol GroverPeace and God’s comfort at her deathNan Thompson
Family and friends of Al Miles (cousin)Peace and God’s comfort at his deathMary Brown
Family and friends of Howard Black (Dan’s friend)Peace and God’s comfort at his deathDan & Sharon Fako
Family and friends of Chuck Hinton (relative)Peace and God’s comfort at his deathDan & Sharon Fako0
Family and friends of Charles CovingtonPeace and God’s comfort at his deathGordon Teifel
Ann Landmark (cousin)Compassionate care as she enters hospiceBev Briggs
Nan ThompsonAcceptance and strengthNan Thompson
Gary GrafwallnerHealing of his left eye from Bell’s palsyGary Grafwallner
Carol MeansEffective treatmentStaff
Dan FakoPain reliefSharon Fako
Marlene MaxwellContinued healingBruce Maxwell
Mary BrownSuccessful knee replacement surgery (June 30)Bob & Mary Brown
Susan ReiserSuccessful knee replacement surgery (June 30)John & Susan Reiser
Everyone affected by COVID-19Strength and supportStaff
Those impacted by racial injusticeCare in times of pain, violence, and crisisStaff
Those facing ongoing illness or distressHealing and assurance of God’s presence

Tandy Brooks, Dave Bumgardner, Vic Claar, Ian MacDonald, Gary Magnuson, Hugh Mason, Brian McKiernan, Ed Pacey, Corky Poppert, Jolie Reyna, Shane Throckmorton, Gary Tubbs
Staff
Bishop Elizabeth EatonWisdom and discernmentStaff
Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaBlessings on our ministryStaff
Taiwan Lutheran ChurchStrength and wisdomStaff
King of Kings Lutheran Church (Milwaukie, OR)
Milwaukie Lutheran Church (Milwaukie, OR)
Prince of Life Lutheran (Oregon City, OR)
Zion Lutheran Church (Oregon City, OR)
Serving with us in the Oregon SynodStaff
Congregation Ahavath Achim (Portland, OR)Blessings on our interfaith partnersStaff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayerWhatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloudEveryone


Preparing for Sunday, July 4, 2021

Reading: Ezekiel 2:1-5

Gospel: Mark 6:1-13


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, June 27

8:30 amLivestream Worship with CommunionYouTube
9:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amZoom Worship with CommunionZoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
12:30 pmEarth Camp Leadership MeetingZoom

Monday, June 28

6:00 pmTroop 618 Meetingeast parking lot

Tuesday, June 29

7:30 amMen’s Breakfast and Bible StudyElmer’s Restaurant at 158th
7:30 amWomen’s Sunrise Spirituality GroupElmer’s Restaurant at 158th
10:00 amT’ai ChiFellowship Hall
10:00 amWorship Planners Meeting MeetingLibrary
7:00 pmAdult Education Team MeetingLibrary7

Wednesday, June 30 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

6:45 pmInformal Gathering TimeZoom
7:00 pmWednesday Evening PrayerZoom
7:30 pmCentering PrayerZoom

Thursday, July 1

12:00 pmTeam Ministry MeetingChapel/Library
3:00 pmCommunications Team MeetingZoom
7:00 pmExecutive Committee (Council) MeetingZoom

Friday, July 2

10:00 amT’ai ChiFellowship Hall

Sunday, July 4

8:30 amWorship with Communion
Livestream Worship with Communion
Sanctuary
YouTube
9:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amWorship with Communion
Zoom Worship with Communion
Sanctuary of the Firs
Zoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Connecting to Worship

8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.

  • The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
  • An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.

11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom

The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.

  • To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
  • To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.

Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.

Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

We thank you for your support of the ministries of St. Andrew. If you are able, please give now using any of the following options:

Postal Mail: Simply mail a check to the church office. Let us know if you’d like giving envelope mailed to your home each month by contacting the church office.
Text Giving: Simply text any amount to 503-386-9646 to donate to the Ministry & Mission Fund. To donate to another fund, text keyword to get a list of funds, then type the dollar amount and fund name to give. For example, to give to the local food bank, text 50 food to give $50 for food.
Give via Church App: Download “Church by MinistryOne” from the App store and watch sermons, submit prayer requests, and give a one-time or recurring gift.
Give Online: On the St. Andrew website, click on “Give” at the top of the page. Here you can view your giving, set recurring gifts.
Direct Deposit / “Simply Giving:” Request a form from the church office to enable automated giving from your checking or savings account through the “Simply Giving” program.
Stock Donation: Download the form to donate stock. Please contact our Financial Secretaries in advance of processing the form or if you have questions.

Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Andrew!

June 20, 2021

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

Weekly NewsDownload

Preparing for Our Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting of the Congregation
Tuesday, June 22, 2021, 6:30 pm

Once a year the members of the congregation gather to elect new members to the Church Council and to approve the budget for the coming year. We will meet on Tuesday via Zoom.


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, June 23, for social time at 6:30 pm; service at 7:00 pm, when our meditation will come from George Fox, a founder of the Quakers; and Centering Prayer 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.


Celebrating Juneteenth & the End of Slavery

Hallelujah! On Thursday, June 16, President Biden signed legislation declaring June 19th a national holiday. For the first time in our country’s history, federal employees were granted a day off to celebrate the new holiday–and it came a day early, since June 19 falls on a Saturday this year.


June 19th, also known as Juneteenth, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that enslaved people were now free. For black people trying to establish a new status, annual celebrations of Juneteenth were times for reassuring one another, for praying, and for gathering remaining family members. Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas in 1980 and in Oregon last month.


This Juneteenth at 10:00 am, the Oregon Remembrance Project (https://www.oregonremembrance.com/) will be installing a historical marker in Coos Bay remembering the story of the only documented lynching in Oregon, that of Alonzo Tucker in 1902. The St. Andrew Reckoning with Racism cohort invites you to participate in person or via Zoom at 10:00 am on June 19th. We hope to find reconciliation and communal healing through a sober reflection on history.



Getting Ready to Worship Together

As we prepare to return to in-person worship on July 4, perhaps you’ve been thinking about the role you might play in the services. Interested in reading  the scriptures? Offering the prayers of the people? Serving communion, or lighting the candles?


These are all roles handled by volunteers from the St. Andrew community, and you are invited to participate! 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.

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.

Job Opening for Office Assistant

St. Andrew is looking to hire a part-time office assistant to act as a first point of contact with the congregation and the general public. The person will manage building use and church calendars, scheduling both in-person and Zoom meetings; perform routine data entry, report creation, and updating of databases; proofread both online and print materials; order office, cleaning, and worship supplies; assemble mailings; and print bulletins, as well as support ministry coordinators and the staff.


We’re looking for someone proficient with Microsoft Office applications and the ability to learn new software when required; a person with a positive attitude and excellent interpersonal skills; someone who can organize, set priorities, and exercise sound independent judgment; a person who pays attention to detail and is willing to coordinate multiple projects and respond to changing priorities. Demonstrated competencies in database entry, proofreading, and time management are required.


The person will work 21 hours per week, 8:30 am-4:00 pm, Tuesday through Thursday. For more information, go to

portland.craigslist.org/wsc/ofc/d/beaverton-office-assistant/7337270360.html


Applications should be submitted electronically to the church office (office@standrewlutheran.com) or mailed to  St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 12405 SW Butner Rd, Beaverton, OR 97005, Attn: Carol Harker, by July 1.


Grunewald Guild Class Registration

Registration is now open for summer classes at the Grunewald Guild. A faith community fostering art and creativity along the banks of the Wenatchee River in Washington, the Grunewald Guild is offering a variety of intriguing classes in July, August, and September. Whether you’d like to explore journal making, songwriting, word collage with calligraphy, ceramics, writing, jewelry making and repair, extravagant beadwork, weaving, photography, or other arts, the Guild has a curriculum to nourish your soul and renew your spirit. One class title, “Hand Embroidery: Sinking into Slowness,” reveals the character of this community, which invites makers—whether absolute newcomers or experienced craftspeople—to slow their pace and consider how the process of creation itself can be a grounding force. To learn more, go to: https://grunewald.com/summer-program-2021/.


Filling the Food Barrel

Things are beginning to return to something nearer normal. We learned earlier this week that St. Matthew Lutheran Church is once again accepting packaged and canned food for its food bank. Now that St. Andrew’s doors are unlocked during office hours, feel free to donate non-perishable food to the food barrel in the Narthex. We are resuming deliveries to St. Matt’s and know that there are many hungry people who will benefit from our gifts.


Storytelling from Oregon’s First Ordained Women

For most of the history of the church (Roman Catholic and Protestant), only men were permitted to be ordained and to lead a congregation. For Lutherans, that changed in 1970, when the Lutheran Church in America and American Lutheran Church, predecessors of the ELCA, ordained Elizabeth Platz and Barbara Andrews. Since then, women clergy have steadily broken barriers, but changing the climate has been a decades-long process.

Still, 50 years later, look how far women have come! Today, the ELCA is led by Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, 22 women are synodical bishops (of 65 total), and four are seminary presidents. Almost one-third of all ELCA pastors are women.

To hear what it was like for Susan Granata, Joan Beck, Solveig Nilsen-Goodin, and other early women leaders in the Oregon Synod, listen in on their stories:

Saturday, June 26, 7:00 pm

Saturday, July 17, 7:00 pm.

Pastor Robyn Hartwig and Pastor Susan Kintner will share their stories on June 26.

It’s free and online. Click on Register to sign up now and receive the Zoom link.


Implementing a New Social Media Policy

How time flies! On July 27, 2020, as reported in a newsletter article last summer, the ad hoc Social Media Subgroup held its first meeting to develop suggested policy for social media use, processes to implement the policy, and roles and responsibilities for key personnel. The Subgroup held biweekly meetings and delivered a draft policy for Church Council consideration at the October 15, 2020 meeting, where the policy was endorsed and accepted by majority vote. Based on ELCA guidelines, the policy’s Vision for Social Media use says, “St. Andrew Lutheran Church is an ELCA congregation whose “social media presence is one … with congregation members and staff contributing regularly in ways that enhance community and help make connections between members. This helps to make visible the real community that gathers on Sunday morning and during the week, and makes others want to get involved more, or consider joining.”


You can request an electronic or print copy of this nine-page document from the church office. The policy discusses the role of social media within a larger St. Andrew communications strategy and broadly outlines strategy, policy, and implementation guidelines for social media use within a continuously changing environment.


Perhaps the most significant finding by the ad hoc subgroup was the need to clarify the almost universal confusion about the difference between the St. Andrew Facebook page and the St. Andrew Lutheran Church Beaverton Facebook group and how they are to be managed and used. Facebook Pages are designed to be the official profiles for entities (such as St. Andrew), while Facebook Groups are the place for small group communication. For example, the official Grateful Dead Page has 1.9M followers and its posts are internally generated and controlled, while “Deadhead Life” is a private Group of ~82,000 Grateful Dead fans who make an average of 500 posts/day about a variety of topics.


St. Andrew maintains an official Facebook Page that enables our church to create an authentic and public presence on Facebook that is visible to everyone on the internet by default. Only authorized St. Andrew staff can post to the page and these posts contain a limited subset of overall church information and communication.


The St. Andrew Lutheran Church Beaverton Facebook Group was created in December 2008 by a lay member of the congregation to be an “extension of the narthex,” where the congregation could continue their discussions throughout the week. This member continued to be the primary administrator until a few weeks ago. From a St. Andrew perspective, the group was mainly used for outward communication, as well as for fellowship between members. The pandemic led to making the group “private” to allow Zoom and YouTube links to be legally posted by the Parish Manager in accordance with our streaming licenses. Pastor Robyn, who was most familiar with visitors and new members, was the primary person to grant membership to the group and to post some of her own materials.


Implementation of the new social media policy has been slowed by the need to focus on the delivery and expansion of online worship and education, especially during Christmas and Lent, as well as significant changes in clergy and staff. This is about to change!


Formation of Communications Team

In support of the 2021 Key Ministry Support Initiative, I am leading a newly formed Communication Team comprised of Julie Aageson, Carol Harker, and Allison Katsufrakis to implement the social media strategy, update the church website layout and content, and help guide St Andrew into a new “hybrid” era of communication, worship, and education. Look for more use of the St. Andrew Facebook page for official church communication and a renaming of the Facebook group to “Fellowship of St. Andrew Lutheran Church Beaverton” in order to emphasize its independence. Stay tuned for more details in next week’s newsletter.

Tom Mehlhorn, Chair
Communications Team

New Library Books at St. Andrew

Nonfiction
Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home, by Rhoda Janzen
Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian, by Paul Knitter
Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope, by Jon Meacham
All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, edited by Ayana E. Johnson and Katherine K. Wilkinson
Rage, by Bob Woodward

Fiction
The Mountains Sing, by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
The Seagull, by Ann Cleeves
The Winter Soldier, by Daniel Mason


Camp Lutherwood Is Hiring

June 23-August 17
Starting Salary for Summer: $2,890

Deepen your faith and sense of adventure while growing personally and professionally. Visit Camp Lutherwood online to learn more: www.lutherwoodoregon.org/employment. If you have questions, please contact the camp office for more information. Call 541-998-6444 or email jobs@lutherwoodoregon.org.



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 Al Miles (cousin)Peace and God’s comfort at his deathMary Brown
Family and friends of Howard Black (Dan’s friend)Peace and God’s comfort at his deathDan & Sharon Fako
Family and friends of Chuck Hinton (relative)Peace and God’s comfort at his deathDan & Sharon Fako0
Family and friends of Charles CovingtonPeace and God’s comfort at his deathGordon Teifel
Carol Grover (sister)Peaceful passingNan Thompson
Ann Landmark (cousin)Compassionate care as she enters hospiceBev Briggs
Nan ThompsonAcceptance and strengthNan Thompson
Carl (cousin) and familyComfort and strengthCarol Hogan
Carl’s newborn grandsonHealing after lung/heart surgeryCarol Hogan
Bob Carlson (uncle)Healing and recovery from surgeryCarol Hogan
Gary GrafwallnerHealing of his left eye from Bell’s palsyGary Grafwallner
Dan FakoPain reliefSharon Fako
Marlene MaxwellContinued healingBruce Maxwell
Mary BrownSuccessful knee replacement surgery (June 30)Bob & Mary Brown
Susan ReiserSuccessful knee replacement surgery (June 30)John & Susan Reiser
Everyone affected by COVID-19Strength and supportStaff
Those impacted by racial injusticeCare in times of pain, violence, and crisisStaff
All those confined to their homesAssurance of God’s presence

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
Staff
All who are imprisonedPeace and strengthStaff
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Blessings on their workStaff
St. Stephen Lutheran Church (Gladstone, OR)
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (Lake Oswego, OR)
Serving with us in the Oregon SynodStaff
Masjid Abu Bakr (Portland, OR)Blessings on our interfaith partnersStaff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayerWhatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloudEveryone


Preparing for Sunday, June 27, 2021

First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4
Psalm 141
Second Reading: Acts 13:13-26
Gospel: Luke 1:57-80


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, June 20

8:30 amLivestream Worship with CommunionYouTube
9:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amZoom Worship with CommunionZoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Monday, June 21

6:00 pmTroop 618 Meetingeast parking lot

Tuesday, June 22

7:30 amMen’s Breakfast and Bible StudyElmer’s Restaurant at 158th
7:30 amWomen’s Sunrise Spirituality GroupElmer’s Restaurant at 158th
10:00 amT’ai ChiFellowship Hall
12:15 pmCommunity Carbon Leadership MeetingLibrary
6:30 pmAnnual Meeting of the CongregationZoom

Wednesday, June 23 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

6:30 pmInformal Gathering TimeZoom
7:00 pmWednesday Evening PrayerZoom
7:30 pmCentering PrayerZoom

Thursday, June 24

12:00 pmTeam Ministry MeetingChapel/Library
7:00 pmIT MeetingZoom
7:00 pmCouncil MeetingZoom

Friday, June 25

10:00 amT’ai ChiFellowship Hall

Sunday, June 27

8:30 amLivestream Worship with CommunionYouTube
9:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amZoom Worship with CommunionZoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
12:30 pmEarth Camp Leadership MeetingPatio

Connecting to Worship

8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.

  • The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
  • An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.

11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom

The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.

  • To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
  • To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.

Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.

Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

We thank you for your support of the ministries of St. Andrew. If you are able, please give now using any of the following options:

Postal Mail: Simply mail a check to the church office. Let us know if you’d like giving envelope mailed to your home each month by contacting the church office.
Text Giving: Simply text any amount to 503-386-9646 to donate to the Ministry & Mission Fund. To donate to another fund, text keyword to get a list of funds, then type the dollar amount and fund name to give. For example, to give to the local food bank, text 50 food to give $50 for food.
Give via Church App: Download “Church by MinistryOne” from the App store and watch sermons, submit prayer requests, and give a one-time or recurring gift.
Give Online: On the St. Andrew website, click on “Give” at the top of the page. Here you can view your giving, set recurring gifts.
Direct Deposit / “Simply Giving:” Request a form from the church office to enable automated giving from your checking or savings account through the “Simply Giving” program.
Stock Donation: Download the form to donate stock. Please contact our Financial Secretaries in advance of processing the form or if you have questions.

Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Andrew!

June 13, 2021

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

Weekly NewsDownload

Preparing for Our Annual Meeting


Ministry Support Forum: Sunday, June 13, 10:00 am

Annual Meeting of the Congregation
Tuesday, June 22, 2021, 6:30 pm

This Sunday, people are invited to gather via Zoom between services to learn more and share their questions/opinions about the proposed budget for 2021/2022. Voting to approve these items, as well as the nominations for new Council members and next year’s Nominating Committee, is conducted during the Annual Meeting itself, which will also be held remotely this year via Zoom.


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, June 16, for social time at 6:30 pm, service at 7:00 pm, and Centering Prayer 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.


Spirituality Book Group

The Spirituality Book Group will meet on Zoom to discuss Just Mercy, by Brian Stevenson, on Sunday, June 13, at 3:00 p.m. Barbara Gutzler will lead this discussion.


A Google Book Review calls this book “A powerful, bold true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix America’s broken system of justice — from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time.”


The Zoom link for this meeting will be sent to people on the Spirituality Book Group mailing list. If you would like to attend, contact Mary Smith to have a link sent to you.


Also, at this meeting, we will be selecting books for the next six months.


 

Future Reading:
July 18: The Murmur of Bees, by Sofia Segovia
Discussion Leader: Sharon Fako


Celebrating Juneteenth & the End of Slavery

What’s special about June 19th?

June 19th, also known as Juneteenth, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that enslaved people were now free. For black people trying to establish a new status, annual celebrations of Juneteenth were times for reassuring one another, for praying, and for gathering remaining family members. Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas in 1980 and in Oregon last month.


This Juneteenth at 10:00 am, the Oregon Remembrance Project (https://www.oregonremembrance.com/) will be installing a historical marker in Coos Bay remembering the story of the only documented lynching in Oregon, that of Alonzo Tucker in 1902. The St. Andrew Reckoning with Racism cohort invites you to participate in person or via Zoom at 10:00 am on June 19th. [Details to follow.] We hope to find reconciliation and communal healing through a sober reflection on history.



Nifty Notters

The Nifty Notters are now back on our regular schedule (hurray!). We will meet Saturday, June 19, from 9:00 am-2:30 pm in Fellowship Hall. Bring a lunch and join us for all or part of the time as we work on quilts for LWR and Virginia Garcia Clinic. Because of some generous donations we have a lot of fabric to cut, as well as many tying and sewing projects to complete. All supplies are provided.


If you haven’t been back in the church building yet, but are vaccinated and willing to show us your vaccination card, you will not need to wear a mask. Please bring a picture/copy of your vaccine card so we can keep a record for the office. If you have questions, contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917.

A Call for Worship Volunteers

As we prepare to return to in-person worship on July 4, perhaps you’ve been thinking about the role you might play in the services. Interested in reading  the scriptures? Offering the prayers of the people? Serving communion, or lighting the candles?


These are all roles handled by volunteers from the St. Andrew community, and you are invited to participate! 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.

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 volun-teer role in Earth Camp! If you’d like to volunteer or have more questions about this opportunity, please contact the camp’s pro-gram director, Kyler Vogt, at kvogt@standrewlutheran.com.


Filling the Food Barrel

Things are beginning to return to something nearer normal. We learned earlier this week that St. Matthew Lutheran Church is once again accepting packaged and canned food for its food bank. Now that St. Andrew’s doors are unlocked during office hours, feel free to donate non-perishable food to the food barrel in the Narthex. We are resuming deliveries to St. Matt’s and know that there are many hungry people who will benefit from our gifts.


Western Farm Workers Association

Each year our church has supported the Western Farm Workers with donated clothes and food to help low-wage workers. The agency is seeking volunteers to do a variety of jobs, many of which can teach you new job skills. Learn desktop publishing from graphic designers to create leaflets about Farm Workers’ programs and events, for example. Training is also available to learn advocacy skills, enabling volunteers to work on legal issues such as stolen wages, illegal evictions, etc. Others are needed to help with monthly food gathering and distribution. If you can help, call Foster at 503-681-9399. To receive the quarterly newsletter, send a $20 donation to 725 SE 7th Ave, Hillsboro, OR  97123.

St. Andrew’s Service Committee is also looking for a member to lead the September Western Farm Workers donation drive to gather and deliver clothing and food.

Fran Miller
for the Service Committee


Men’s Book Club

Members of the Men’s Book Club will meet Monday, June 14, at 7:00 pm in the St. Andrew Room to discuss Tony Hillerman’s novel The Ghostway, the sixth book in the author’s 24-book series featuring Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. Originally published in 1984, the novel is launched with a gunfight at a laundromat in Shiprock, NM, that dumps Los Angeles problems onto the Navajo Reservation. Touted as one of the best in Hillerman’s series, The New Yorker called The Ghostway “a first-rate story of suspense and mystery.” It was reprinted in 2009.


Future Reading
July12: A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
August: Summer Break/no meeting
September 13: The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah


Grunewald Guild Class Registration

Registration is now open for summer classes at the Grunewald Guild. A faith community fostering art and creativity along the banks of the Wenatchee River in Washington, the Grunewald Guild is offering a variety of intriguing classes in July, August, and September. Whether you’d like to explore journal making, songwriting, word collage with calligraphy, ceramics, writing, jewelry making and repair, extravagant beadwork, weaving, photography, or other arts, the Guild has a curriculum to nourish your soul and renew your spirit. One class title, “Hand Embroidery: Sinking into Slowness,” reveals the character of this community, which invites makers—whether absolute newcomers or experienced craftspeople—to slow their pace and consider how the process of creation itself can be a grounding force. To learn more, go to: https://grunewald.com/summer-program-2021/.

The Sweet Scent of Our Native Mock Orange

A profusion of blooms covers the native Mock Orange shrub just outside the church office windows this year. Stroll up among the plantings and you’ll catch the sweet scent for which the flowers are known.

The scientific name for Mock Orange, Philadelphus lewisii, originates from Pacific Northwest explorer Meriwether Lewis, who collected the plant in 1806. Native Americans have long used Mock Orange for a variety of purposes; the hard wood was ideal for furniture, hunting and fishing tools, snowshoes, pipes, netting shuttles, and cradles, while the leaves and bark were used with water to create a natural soap. 


Mock Orange gets its common name from the native plant’s sweet and citrusy scent, reminiscent of oranges with a hint of pineapple. At the end of their long stems, the Mock Orange produces clusters of flowers each with four white petals and yellow stamens. This round shrub grows to 1.5 to 3 meters tall. Along with the strong, fruity scent and showy flowers, Mock Orange’s tolerance to poor soils and drought make this an ideal choice for those seeking a low-maintenance deciduous shrub for almost any landscape or garden. This plant also attracts wildlife..



New Library Books at St. Andrew

Nonfiction
Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home, by Rhoda Janzen
Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian, by Paul Knitter
Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope, by Jon Meacham
All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, edited by Ayana E. Johnson and Katherine K. Wilkinson
Rage, by Bob Woodward

Fiction
The Mountains Sing, by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
The Seagull, by Ann Cleeves
The Winter Soldier, by Daniel Mason


Camp Lutherwood Is Hiring

June 23-August 17
Starting Salary for Summer: $2,890

Deepen your faith and sense of adventure while growing personally and professionally. Visit Camp Lutherwood online to learn more: www.lutherwoodoregon.org/employment. If you have questions, please contact the camp office for more information. Call 541-998-6444 or email jobs@lutherwoodoregon.org.



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 Charles CovingtonPeace and God’s comfort at hisdeathGordon Teifel
Carol Grover (sister)Peaceful passingNan Thompson
Nan ThompsonAcceptance and strengthNan Thompson
Carl (cousin) and familyComfort and strengthCarol Hogan
Carl’s newborn grandsonHealing after lung surgeryCarol Hogan
Koby (son-in-law)Healing after surgeryJim & Teri Brosh
Bob Carlson (uncle)Healing and recovery from surgeryCarol Hogan
India Jensen KerrHealing and a quick recoveryIndia Jensen Kerr
Gary GrafwallnerHealing of his left eye from Bell’s palsyGary Grafwallner
Carol MeansEffective treatmentStaff
Barton RobisonEffective treatment and pain reliefStaff
Marlene MaxwellEffective treatment and healingBruce Maxwell
Everyone affected by COVID-19Strength and supportStaff
Those impacted by racial injusticeCare in times of pain, violence, and crisisStaff
St. Andrew Council
Executive Committee
Staff
Wisdom and discernmentStaff
Karen Klingelhafer, Kyler Vogt, and all seminarians
India Jensen Kerr and all theology students
Encouragement and supportStaff
St. Andrew FoundationBlessings on their ministryStaff
Colton Lutheran Church (Colton, OR)
St. Paul of Damascus Lutheran Church (Damascus, OR)
Serving with us in the Oregon SynodStaff
Havurah Shalom (Portland, OR)Blessings on our interfaith partnersStaff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayerWhatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloudEveryone



On the Parables of the Mustard Seed

Who ever saw the mustard-plant,
wayside weed or tended crop,
grow tall as a shrub, let alone a tree, a treeful
of shade and nests and songs?
Acres of yellow,
not a bird of the air in sight.


No, He who knew
the west wind brings
the rain, the south wind
thunder, who walked the field-paths
running His hand along wheatstems to glean
those intimate milky kernels, good
to break on the tongue,


was talking of miracle, the seed
within us, so small
we take it for worthless, a mustard-seed, dust,
nothing.
Glib generations mistake
the metaphor, not looking at fields and trees,
not noticing paradox. Mountains
remain unmoved.


Faith is rare, He must have been saying,
prodigious, unique —
one infinitesimal grain divided
like loaves and fishes,


as if from a mustard-seed
a great shade-tree grew. That rare,
that strange: the kingdom


a tree. The soul
a bird. A great concourse of birds
at home there, wings among yellow flowers.
The waiting
kingdom of faith, the seed
waiting to be sown.


by Denise Levertov

A British-born naturalized American poet, Levertov (1923-1997) journeyed from young British intellectual to anti-war activist to surprising Catholic convert in her maturity. But unlike others who have retreated into the church as a way of cementing an ideological or political reaction against their youth, Levertov’s religious awakening marked not a break with her past, but simply the continued evolution of her singular vision — an integral vision where poetry, politics, and spirituality coinhere.  

Preparing for Sunday, June 20, 2021

First Reading: Job 38:1-11
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Gospel: Mark 4:35-41


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, June 13

8:30 amLivestream Worship with CommunionYouTube
9:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
10:00 amMinistry Support Forum (in preparation for Annual Meeting)Zoom
11:00 amZoom Worship with CommunionZoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
3:00 pmSpirituality Book GroupZoom

Monday, June 14

6:00 pmTroop 618 Meetingeast parking lot
7:00 pmMen’s Book ClubSt. Andrew Room

Tuesday, June 15

7:30 amMen’s Breakfast and Bible StudyElmer’s Restaurant at 158th
7:30 amWomen’s Sunrise Spirituality GroupElmer’s Restaurant at 158th
10:00 amT’ai ChiGarden Patio of former Orchards in Petercort Shopping Center
10:00 amWorship Planners MeetingZoom
6:00 pmHR MeetingZoom

Wednesday, June 16 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

1:00 pmCaring Ministry MeetingZoom
6:30 pmInformal Gathering TimeZoom
7:00 pmWednesday Evening PrayerZoom
7:30 pmCentering PrayerZoom

Thursday, June 17

12:00 pmTeam Ministry MeetingChapel/Library
2:30 pmCommunications Team MeetingZoom

Friday, June 18

10:00 amT’ai ChiGarden Patio of former Orchards in Petercort Shopping Center
6:30 pmHigh School Youth End-of-School Picnic in the ParkOff Site

Saturday, June 19

9:00 amNifty NottersFellowship Hall

Sunday, June 20

8:30 amLivestream Worship with CommunionYouTube
9:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
11:00 amZoom Worship with CommunionZoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Connecting to Worship

8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.

  • The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
  • An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.

11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom

The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.

  • To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
  • To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.

Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.

Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

We thank you for your support of the ministries of St. Andrew. If you are able, please give now using any of the following options:

Postal Mail: Simply mail a check to the church office. Let us know if you’d like giving envelope mailed to your home each month by contacting the church office.
Text Giving: Simply text any amount to 503-386-9646 to donate to the Ministry & Mission Fund. To donate to another fund, text keyword to get a list of funds, then type the dollar amount and fund name to give. For example, to give to the local food bank, text 50 food to give $50 for food.
Give via Church App: Download “Church by MinistryOne” from the App store and watch sermons, submit prayer requests, and give a one-time or recurring gift.
Give Online: On the St. Andrew website, click on “Give” at the top of the page. Here you can view your giving, set recurring gifts.
Direct Deposit / “Simply Giving:” Request a form from the church office to enable automated giving from your checking or savings account through the “Simply Giving” program.
Stock Donation: Download the form to donate stock. Please contact our Financial Secretaries in advance of processing the form or if you have questions.

Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Andrew!

June 6, 2021

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

Preparing for Our Annual Meeting

Ministry Forum: Sunday, June 6, 10:00 am
Ministry Support Forum: Sunday, June 13, 10:00 am

Annual Meeting of the Congregation
Tuesday, June 22, 2021, 6:30 pm

On the Sundays prior to the Annual Meeting, people are invited to gather via Zoom between Sunday worship services to learn more and share their questions/opinions about St. Andrew’s ministry focus for the coming year and the proposed budget for 2021/2022. Voting to approve these items, as well as the nominations for new Council members and next year’s Nominating Committee, is conducted during the Annual Meeting itself, which will also be held remotely this year via Zoom.


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. This Wednesday, June 9, we will focus on C.S. Lewis and “Giving All to Christ.” Look for links to this worship service at mid-day on Wednesdays in Allison’s email.


Lydia Circle

You are invited to join Lydia Circle for Bible study and fellowship Tuesday June 8, from 1:00-3:00 pm in the St. Andrew Room, where we will again be able to serve coffee. If you’ve been fully vaccinated you don’t need to wear a mask. Please bring a copy/picture of your vaccine card so that the office can record it.


The Bible study is taken from the June issue of Gather magazine and is the first of a three-part study entitled “Just L.I.F.E. (Liberation Is for Everyone!). The first session is “Just Wisdom” and is taken from Proverbs 8. We will meet Woman Wisdom and explore what wisdom means in ways we haven’t done before. You are welcome to come even if you haven’t read the lesson. For questions, contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917.


A Call for Worship Volunteers

As we prepare to return to in-person worship on July 4, perhaps you’ve been thinking about your role in the services. Interested in reading the scriptures? Offering the prayers of the people? Serving communion, or lighting the candles?


These are all roles handles by volunteers from the St. Andrew community, and you are invited to participate! 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.


Celebrating Juneteenth & the End of Slavery

What’s special about June 19th?

June 19th, also known as Juneteenth, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that enslaved people were now free. For black people trying to establish a new status, annual celebrations of Juneteenth were times for reassuring one another, for praying, and for gathering remaining family members. Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas in 1980 and in Oregon last month.


This Juneteenth at 10:00 am, the Oregon Remembrance Project (https://www.oregonremembrance.com/) will be installing a historical marker in Coos Bay remembering the story of the only documented lynching in Oregon, that of Alonzo Tucker in 1902. The St. Andrew Reckoning with Racism cohort invites you to participate in person or via Zoom at 10:00 am on June 19th. [Details to follow.] We hope to find reconciliation and communal healing through a sober reflection on history.



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 volun-teer role in Earth Camp! If you’d like to volunteer or have more questions about this opportunity, please contact the camp’s pro-gram director, Kyler Vogt, at kvogt@standrewlutheran.com.

Members Vote to Become a Sanctuary Congregation

In a Special Congregational Meeting on Sun-day, May 23, 84 members and two others gath-ered via Zoom to consider the proposal put forth by the Sanctuary Team that St. Andrew follow the lead of the Oregon Synod and ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) to declare itself a Sanctuary Congregation. After members of the team reviewed the proposal and entertained questions, members were asked to vote by show of hands. The result was overwhelming approval, with 74 members voting in favor, one against, and three abstentions.


Filling the Food Barrel

Things are beginning to return to something nearer normal. We learned earlier this week that St. Matthew Lutheran Church is once again accepting packaged and canned food for its food bank. Now that St. Andrew’s doors are unlocked during office hours, feel free to donate non-perishable food to the food barrel in the Narthex. We are resuming deliveries to St. Matt’s and know that there are many hungry people who will benefit from our gifts.


Tribute to Trom

If you missed last Sunday’s party celebrating Jennifer Trom’s ten years and one month as a paid employee of St. Andrew, don’t worry. Our tech team recorded the whole thing and you can view it at your leisure at


https://youtu.be/YI7Xvaspfvs


Enjoy a decade of memories!


Grunewald Guild Classes

The Grunewald Guild, a faith community fostering art and creativity along the banks of the Wenatchee River in Washington, has announced its lineup of summer classes for July, August, and September 2021. Whether you’d like to explore journal making, songwriting, word collage with calligraphy, ceramics, writing, jewelry making, weaving, photography, or other arts, the Guild is likely to offer some-thing to nourish your soul and renew your spirit. One class title, “Hand Embroidery: Sinking into Slowness,” reveals the character of the Guild, which invites makers to slow their pace and consider how process itself can help people remain grounded and attentive. To learn more, go to:


https://grunewaldguild.com

Many, Many Thanks!

Dear People of St. Andrew,

My heart is full! The love and care and grace you’ve shown to me as Parish Manager over the years was exactly what I needed to thrive in the position. And then, in last Sunday’s “Tribute to Trom,” your kind words and gifts–including the amazing gift of time with my family at Holden Village as guests, not volunteers!–was a wonderful way to bring my time on staff to a close.


Many, many thanks.


Peace,
Jennifer Trom



A Native Rose

Nootka roses are blooming in St. Andrew’s woods. These erect wild or species roses are named after an island off Vancouver, Canada. They only grow in areas with a minimum of 270 frost-free days, produce hips that are large and round, and grow in an upright habit, reaching heights of three-six feet.


Both Native Americans and early settlers relied on Nootka rose hips and shoots to meet their nutritional needs during the winter when food was scarce. They created eye washes from the plant and crushed the leaves to treat bee stings, too, as well as drying them to use as an air freshener. Chewing up Nootka rose leaves also serves to freshen the breath.


Spreading the Warmth of Christ’s Love

Thank you to everyone in your congregation for your faithful support of the Port-land Rescue Mission. During COVID, the practical support from local churches has been a real encouragement to the people we serve and to our staff.

In February, I visited St. Andrew and received many beautiful quilts made by the ladies of your congregation. Recently Pam Farr hosted me again for a short visit, including a walk to your lovely Sanctuary of the Firs, and presented us with much-needed towels.


Please reach out if there’s any way the Portland Rescue Mission can support and serve your church. Thanks again!


Janet Fraser, Community Involvement Manager
Portland Rescue Mission



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 Marvel LundPeace and God’s comfort at her deathStaff
Family and friends of Deborah Townsend (mother)Peace and God’s comfort at her deathHolly Bishop-Perdue
Carol Grover (sister)Peaceful passingNan Thompson
Nan ThompsonAcceptance and strengthNan Thompson
Barton RobisonEffective treatment and pain reliefStaff
Marlene MaxwellEffective treatment and healingBruce Maxwell
Koby (son-in-law)Healing after surgeryJim & Teri Brosh
India Jensen KerrHealing and recoveryStaff
Gary GrafwallnerHealing of his left eye from Bell’s palsyGary Grafwallner
Madeleine (granddaughter)Continued strength through increased chemo treatmentMary Smith
Everyone affected by COVID-19Strength and supportStaff
Those impacted by racial injusticeCare in times of pain, violence, and crisisStaff
Bishop Laurie Larson Caesar
Oregon Synod and staff
Strength and wisdomStaff
Refugees and immigrantsAcceptance, safety, and just treatmentStaff
The homelessComfort, hope, and shelterStaff
Military personnel, especially Justina Hailey Hope Brocker, Evan Dahlquist, Dawson Dethlefs, Neil Fiegenbaum, and Jerami ReynaCourage and protectionStaff
Zoar Lutheran Church (Canby, OR)
Creator Lutheran Church (Clackamas, OR)
Serving with us in the Oregon SynodStaff
Al Furqan Islamic Center (Portland, OR)Blessings on our interfaith partnersStaff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayerWhatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloudEveryone


Mason Bee Update

Brian Cheney reports that St. Andrew’s mason bees have completed their pollinating work for the season and have filled at least six dozen straws with egg-filled cocoons. Those eggs will hatch next spring and begin pollinating early bloomers such as fruit trees in 2022.



Meanwhile, Cheney has placed two boxes of leafcutter bees near the garden shed that will hatch over the next month. The slightly smaller leafcutters take the summer shift, pollinating those plants—including many in our gardens—that bloom long after those first flowers of spring.


why some people be mad at me sometimes

they ask me to remember
but they want me to remember
their memories
and i keep on remembering
mine.

Lucille Clifton

The poet who wrote “why some people be mad at me sometimes” was one of the 20th century’s most prominent African-American poets. She once remarked that “writing is a way of continuing to hope,” and that “perhaps for me it is a way of remembering I am not alone.”

Memorial Service for Marvel Lund

Thursday, June 10, 2021
11:30 am
Willamette Cemetery

Pastor Susan Kintner is officiating.
Those attending the service will be
directed to a reception that will follow.

Preparing for Sunday, June 13, 2021

First Reading: Ezekiel 17:22-24
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, 14-17
Gospel: Mark 4:26-34


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, June 6

8:30 amLivestream Worship with CommunionYouTube
9:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
10:00 amMinistry Forum (in preparation for Annual Meeting)Zoom
11:00 amZoom Worship with CommunionZoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
12:30 pmEarth Camp MeetingPatio

Tuesday, June 8

7:30 amMen’s Breakfast and Bible StudyElmer’s Restaurant at 158th
7:30 amWomen’s Sunrise Spirituality GroupElmer’s Restaurant at 158th
9:00 amFacility Team MeetinZoom
10:00 amT’ai ChiGarden Patio of former Orchards in Petercort Shopping Center
1:00 pmLydia CircleSt. Andrew Room
1:30 pmService CommitteeZoom
6:00 pmHR MeetingZoom
7:00 pmFinance Team MeetingZoom

Wednesday, June 9 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

10:00 amReopening Committee MeetingZoom
6:30 pmInformal Gathering TimeZoom
7:00 pmWednesday Evening PrayerZoom
7:30 pmCentering PrayerZoom

Thursday, June 10

11:30 amMemorial Service for Marvel LundWillamette National Cemetery
1:00 pmVirtual Team Ministry MeetingZoom
7:00 pmExecutive Committee MeetingZoom

Friday, June 11

10:00 amT’ai ChiGarden Patio of former Orchards in Petercort Shopping Center

Sunday, June 13

8:30 amLivestream Worship with CommunionYouTube
9:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
10:00 amMinistry Support Forum (in preparation for the Annual Meeting)Zoom
11:00 amZoom Worship with CommunionZoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
3:00 pmSpirituality Book GroupZoom

Connecting to Worship

8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.

  • The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
  • An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.

11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom

The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.

  • To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
  • To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.

Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.

Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

We thank you for your support of the ministries of St. Andrew. If you are able, please give now using any of the following options:

Postal Mail: Simply mail a check to the church office. Let us know if you’d like giving envelope mailed to your home each month by contacting the church office.
Text Giving: Simply text any amount to 503-386-9646 to donate to the Ministry & Mission Fund. To donate to another fund, text keyword to get a list of funds, then type the dollar amount and fund name to give. For example, to give to the local food bank, text 50 food to give $50 for food.
Give via Church App: Download “Church by MinistryOne” from the App store and watch sermons, submit prayer requests, and give a one-time or recurring gift.
Give Online: On the St. Andrew website, click on “Give” at the top of the page. Here you can view your giving, set recurring gifts.
Direct Deposit / “Simply Giving:” Request a form from the church office to enable automated giving from your checking or savings account through the “Simply Giving” program.
Stock Donation: Download the form to donate stock. Please contact our Financial Secretaries in advance of processing the form or if you have questions.

Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Andrew!

May 30, 2021

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

Scholarships for High School Seniors

LAST CALL: The deadline for graduating high school seniors to submit their scholarship applications to the St. Andrew Foundation is Tuesday, June 1. The award is available to any St. Andrew youth going on to a community college, college, university, or trade school. The application is available on the church website. If you have questions, contact Foundation President Sonja Ackman, foundation@standrewlutheran.com.

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. This Wednesday, June 2, we will focus on Martin Luther’s reflections on what it means to “Pray in Faith.” Look for links to this worship service at mid-day on Wednesdays in Allison’s email.


Connecting Community: The Ties that Bind

Our effort to contact everyone in the congregation has concluded successfully. We believe we’ve contacted everyone in our faith community by talking on the phone, leaving a message, sending an e-mail, or sending a short note. If we missed you, perhaps the church office needs an update. If you were not contacted this time around, please call the office at 503-646-0629 to be sure we have your correct number on file. If you were able to speak with someone, we hope it helped you feel more connected during these disconnected times. Thank you to all who made calls and wrote notes. And thank you, everyone, for remaining in our faith community!

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


Reformation Earth Garden

Recently we’ve planted 47 native shrubs representing 15 varieties that complement the five native trees planted last fall in our Reformation Earth Garden. These shrubs seem small now but will grow quickly; some will be several feet tall in a couple of years. Eventually we will label the shrubs and trees.


Our work now is to design and add a temporary irrigation system to keep the trees and shrubs watered for the next two summers. Watering now is manual.


We’ve scraped the location of a future path that enters the garden from the sidewalk and invite you to look at our new plantings. Alongside the path you’ll see a number of small shrubs. The path proceeds around the cedar tree and then around an open area, the site of a planned pollinator meadow filled with native perennials and annual flowers and grasses; we plan installation of those flowering plants this fall and spring.

Eric Luttrell


Preparing for Our Annual Meeting

Ministry Forum: Sunday, June 6, 10:00 am
Ministry Support Forum: Sunday, June 13, 10:00 am

Annual Meeting of the Congregation
Tuesday, June 22, 2021, 6:30 pm

On the Sundays prior to the Annual Meeting, people are invited to gather via Zoom between Sunday worship services to learn more and share their questions/opinions about St. Andrew’s ministry focus for the coming year and the proposed budget for 2021/2022. Voting to approve these items, as well as the nominations for new Council members and next year’s Nominating Committee, is conducted during the Annual Meeting itself, which will also be held remotely this year via Zoom.


Nifty Notters

The Nifty Notters are now back on our regular schedule (hurray!). We will meet Saturday, June 5, and Saturday, June 19, from 9:00 am-2:30 pm in Fellowship Hall. Bring a lunch and join us for all or part of the time as we work on quilts for LWR and Virginia Garcia Clinic. Because of some generous donations we have a lot of fabric to cut, as well as many tying and sewing projects to complete. All supplies are provided.


If you are vaccinated and willing to show us your vaccination card, you will not need to wear a mask. Please bring a picture/copy of your vaccine card so we can keep a record for the office. If you have questions, contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917.



Lydia Circle

You are invited to join Lydia Circle for Bible study and fellowship Tuesday June 8, from 1:00-3:00 pm in the St. Andrew Room, where we will again be able to serve coffee. If you’ve been fully vaccinated you don’t need to wear a mask. Please bring a copy/picture of your vaccine card so that the office can record it.


The Bible study is taken from the June issue of Gather magazine and is the first of a three-part study entitled “Just L.I.F.E. (Liberation Is for Everyone!). The first session is “Just Wisdom” and is taken from Proverbs 8. We will meet Woman Wisdom and explore what wisdom means in ways we haven’t done before. You are welcome to come even if you haven’t read the lesson. For questions, contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917. 

Many Thanks to Brad

Our Evening Facility Manager, Brad Barclay, recently resigned his position so that he can spend more time with his family. St. Andrew was blessed with Brad in this position, where he proved to be completely reliable and instrumental in keeping the building clean and secure in the evenings. It was a pleasure to work with him! In addition, Brad and Carol worked especially well together, including cleaning the carpets last year during the closure so the building is ready to welcome people back in as we slowly reopen. With Brad’s resignation, Scott Taylor has graciously stepped in for a few weeks to cover until the position is opened to hire the next Evening Facility Manager.


Filling the Food Barrel

Things are beginning to return to something nearer normal. We learned earlier this week that St. Matthew Lutheran Church is once again accepting packaged and canned food for its food bank. Now that St. Andrew’s doors are unlocked during office hours, feel free to donate non-perishable food to the food barrel in the Narthex. We are resuming deliveries to St. Matt’s and know that there are many hungry people who will benefit from our gifts.


Western Farm Workers

Each year our church has supported the Western Farm Workers with donated clothes and food to help low-wage workers. The agency is seeking volunteers to do a variety of jobs, many of which can teach you new job skills. Learn desktop publishing from graphic designers to create leaflets about Farm Workers’ programs and events, for example. Training is also available to learn advocacy skills, enabling volunteers to work on legal issues such as stolen wages, illegal evictions, etc. Others are needed to help with monthly food gathering and distribution. If you can help, call Foster at 503-681-9399. To receive the quarterly newsletter, send a $20 donation to 725 SE 7th Ave, Hillsboro, OR  97123.


St. Andrew’s Service Committee is also looking for a member to lead the September Western Farm Workers donation drive to gather and deliver clothing and food.

Fran Miller
for the Service Committee


A Thank You from Beyond the Boundaries

Dear Ms. Reiner, Reverend Brocker, and to the Congregation of St. Andrew Lutheran,

In writing this letter to you, I am proud and grateful to represent families in the McKinley Elementary School community. It is my pleasure to thank your congregation for the generous donations you have contributed to our school’s families, over the course of time.


In truth, I am only now beginning to explore the connections between your church and our school, and this process of exploration has helped me to reflect on the commonalities that we share as people, beyond boundaries and circumstances. From a strictly artificial perspective, your church lies far from McKinley. Your neighborhood is served by Ridgewood Elementary, which is on the opposite, eastern end of our school district. Even two more elementary schools, Barnes and Elmonica, reside in between you and us. And yet, your congregation has reached across these man-made dividing lines and brought real and needed relief from suffering among families in my school community.


Donations from your congregation helped close the gap that arose when our district’s clothing program fell short of our needs. Your funds helped us provide gift cards to families suffering from COVID-19 quarantine that went towards food items and over-the-counter medications. For one family with a large number of Beaverton school district children, your contributions helped support their critical WiFi needs so that each child could remain connected with their individual teachers and classmates as they learned from home. I see that among your church’s five core values are “Community Care” and “Neighbor Care.” I thank you for bringing breath and life to these values in the form of meaningful support for my families.


has the highest “mobility rate” among all the elementary schools in Beaverton. This means that families move in and out of our boundary, and in and out of our classrooms, in significant volumes every year. With all this movement comes opportunities, but also needs, and often suffering. We have used every dollar that you have donated to us to provide relief to such families and children who need it dearly. Thank you again for building bridges with us. If there is ever a suitable opportunity for me to visit any of you in person, please let me know, as I would be honored to do so.


Aki Mori, Principal
McKinley Elementary School


Godspeed!

This Sunday we say “Godspeed!” to Parish Manager Jennifer Trom as she steps down from her role as chief operations executive at St. Andrew after nine years and more than ten years as a paid employee at St. Andrew. All are invited to join the Tribute to Trom via Zoom between services at 10:00 am on Sunday, May 30.


In her role as parish manager, Jennifer has managed staff people and budgets, improved our use of technology, enabled the church to transition quickly and professionally into offering worship online, and much more. She directed Drama Camp for several years, oversaw the Learning Center, and even took a group of young people to the ELCA National Youth Gathering in Detroit a few years back.


Jennifer and her family will continue to keep St. Andrew as their church home, but she is stepping back from volunteering for a while to get the respite she needs.

Celebrating Juneteenth and the Ending of Slavery

What’s special about June 19th?

June 19th, also known as Juneteenth, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that enslaved people were now free. For black people trying to establish a new status, annual celebrations of Juneteenth were times for reassuring one another, for praying, and for gathering remaining family members. Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas in 1980 and in Oregon last month.


This Juneteenth at 10:00 am, the Oregon Remembrance Project (https://www.oregonremembrance.com/) will be installing a historical marker in Coos Bay remembering the story of the only documented lynching in Oregon, that of Alonzo Tucker in 1902. The St. Andrew Reckoning with Racism cohort invites you to participate in person or via Zoom at 10:00 am on June 19th. [Details to follow.] We hope to find reconciliation and communal healing through a sober reflection on history.


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 Marvel LundPeace and God’s comfort at her deathStaff
Family and friends of Deborah Townsend (mother)Peace and God’s comfort at her deathHolly Bishop-Perdue
Carol Grover (sister)Peaceful passingNan Thompson
Mira NiemanAccurate diagnosis and effective treatmentStaff
Barton RobisonEffective treatment and pain reliefStaff
India Jensen KerrHealing and recoveryStaff
Jan MorrellHealing and RecoveryAmy Harker
Bernie Doering (friend)Healing and recovery Jennifer Hooson
Madeleine (granddaughter)Continued strength through increased chemo treatmentMary Smith
Preston Robert McCroryBlessings on the birth of grandchild #21Bob & Mary Brown
Everyone affected by COVID-19Strength and supportStaff
Victims of gun violence in San Jose and elsewhereCare in times of crisisStaff
Jennifer TromThanksgiving for her faithful serviceStaff
Christ Lutheran Church (Aurora, OR)
Macksburg Lutheran Church (Canby, OR)
Serving with us in the Oregon SynodStaff
Congregation Beth Israel (Portland, OR)Blessings on our interfaith partnersStaff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayerWhatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloudEveryone


Camp Lutherwood Is Hiring

June 23-August 17; Starting Salary: $2,890 for the Summer
Deepen your faith and sense of adventure while growing personally and professionally. Visit Camp Lutherwood online to learn more: www.lutherwoodoregon.org/employment. If you have questions, please contact the camp office for more information. E-mail jobs@lutherwoodoregon.org or call 541-998-6444.


Memorial Service for Marvel Lund

Thursday, June 10, 2021
11:30 am
Willamette Cemetery

Pastor Susan Kintner is officiating.

Preparing for Sunday, June 6

Reading: Genesis 3:8-15
Gospel: Mark 3:20-35


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, May 30

8:30 amLivestream Worship with CommunionYouTube
9:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
10:00 amTribute to TromZoom
11:00 amZoom Worship with CommunionZoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Tuesday, June 1

10:00 amWorship Planners MeetingZoom
10:00 amT’ai ChiGarden Patio of former Orchards in Petercort Shopping Center
7:00 pmMACG MeetingSt. Andrew Room

Wednesday, June 2 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

6:30 pmInformal Gathering TimeZoom
7:00 pmEvening PrayerZoom
7:30 pmCentering PrayerZoom

Thursday, June 3

12:00 pmVirtual Team Ministry MeetingZoom
7:00 pmExecutive Committee MeetingZoom

Friday, June 4

10:00 amT’ai ChiGarden Patio of former Orchards in Petercort Shopping Center

Saturday, June 5

9:00 amNifty NottersFellowship Hall

Sunday, June 6

8:30 amLivestream Worship with CommunionYouTube
9:30 amVirtual Coffee TimeZoom
10:00 amMinistry Forum (in preparation for the Annual Meeting)Zoom
11:00 amZoom Worship with CommunionZoom
12:00 pmVirtual Coffee TimeZoom

Connecting to Worship

8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.

  • The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
  • An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.

11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom

The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.

  • To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
  • To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.

Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.

Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

We thank you for your support of the ministries of St. Andrew. If you are able, please give now using any of the following options:

Postal Mail: Simply mail a check to the church office. Let us know if you’d like giving envelope mailed to your home each month by contacting the church office.
Text Giving: Simply text any amount to 503-386-9646 to donate to the Ministry & Mission Fund. To donate to another fund, text keyword to get a list of funds, then type the dollar amount and fund name to give. For example, to give to the local food bank, text 50 food to give $50 for food.
Give via Church App: Download “Church by MinistryOne” from the App store and watch sermons, submit prayer requests, and give a one-time or recurring gift.
Give Online: On the St. Andrew website, click on “Give” at the top of the page. Here you can view your giving, set recurring gifts.
Direct Deposit / “Simply Giving:” Request a form from the church office to enable automated giving from your checking or savings account through the “Simply Giving” program.
Stock Donation: Download the form to donate stock. Please contact our Financial Secretaries in advance of processing the form or if you have questions.

Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Andrew!