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

Women in the Gospels

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

Join seminarian Karen Klingelhafer via Zoom at 10:00 am Sunday, April 18, as she continues her five-week Adult Education class, “Women in the Gospels.” to discover more about the role women play in the death and resurrection stories across the Gospels.

Church Doors Are Open!

Oh, happy day! Thanks to a team of volunteer Narthex Greeters, St. Andrew opened its Narthex doors this past week following 13 months of highly restricted access to the church building.

People are now welcome to come and go during regular church office hours, 9:00 am-4:00 pm, Tuesday-Friday. Masks continue to be required in the building for everyone, but if you happen to forget yours, we do have disposable masks available.

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

Spirituality Book Group News

The Spirituality Book Group will meet via Zoom on Sunday, April 18, at 3:00 pm to discuss Isabel Allende’s novel, A Long Petal of the Sea, which follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, searching for safety and a place to call home. Mary Smith will lead the discussion.

The Zoom link will be sent to everyone on the Spirituality Book Group e-mail list a few days before the meeting. If you’re not on that list but would like to join the discussion, please contact Mary Smith at dbits1@gmail.com.

Future Reading:

May 16: This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger
Discussion Leader: Susan Reiser

June 13: Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson
Discussion Leader: Barbara Gutzler

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

Checking In with Friends

It has been challenging this past year to keep in touch with those we used to meet in the narthex or over coffee. Who do you miss seeing? St. Andrew’s MACG Core Team and Caring Ministries Team invite you to be a part of an effort to make contact with as many members of our faith community as we can over the course of a week. Please join us this Sunday, April 18,

from 2:00-4:00 pm via the regular Zoom worship link as we kick off a reboot of last year’s “Let’s Talk, Let’s Listen” campaign. You will hear some tips about what to do and receive a list of names of folks to contact. We will then spend an hour or so contacting as many people as we can. You may use the time to make phone calls, write e-mails, or write notes to those on your list. When we come back together, we will celebrate the contacts we made and share any overall trends that we discovered. What does our community want our leaders to know? Finally, everyone will be invited to contact the rest of the people on their list sometime in the week ahead.

Please note: We will NOT

• Ask for money;
• Ask for or share private information unless we are asked to do so;
• Offer to solve the world’s problems.

But we WILL

• Check in with as many people as possible;
• Share general trends with appropriate leaders;
• Enjoy making contact with people we haven’t seen in person for a while.

If you’d like to be a part of this, but can’t join us on the 18^th, please send an e-mail to Pat Christiansen (patchristiansen@comcast.net).

Thanks for sharing in this important ministry. We know we are a stronger community when we stay in touch.

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

Your 2020 Giving Statement

Our new giving platform does not have a print feature for each account. Don’t worry. Simply send your request to the Financial Secretaries at financial-secretary@standrewlutheran.com and you will receive your statement via e-mail. Since Financial Secretaries are volunteers, we’ll reply within 7 days or as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

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

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

Blessings,
Financial Secretaries of SALC‘

Hope for All Update

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

2 Thessalonians 2:15-16

We are seeing many more people being vaccinated, which is very encouraging. As Pastor Mark mentioned in his Grace Notes from April 6, “We will follow CDC public health guidelines as we take initial steps to reopen.“ I can’t wait to be able to go to church in person and enjoy the fellowship of our congregation. We cannot let our guard down, when getting back to normal is in sight.

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

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

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

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

God Bless,
Ken Reiner

Wednesday Evening Prayer

Midweek Prayer Services continue into the Easter season this Wednesday, April 21, with a new service emphasizing creation’s song of praise to God. Drawing on elements from All Creation Sings, our service combines prayer, song, and meditations from the writings of well-known lovers of creation. Look for links to this worship service at mid-day on Wednesdays in Allison’s e-mail.

What Choir Is This?

Many of us have been delighted over the last few weeks to hear a local choir augmenting our online worship services. The Madrigal Singers is an auditioned ensemble of 22 singers from Sunset High School. With the pandemic making musical performances difficult at best, their director, Christopher Rust, contacted local faith communities to offer recordings from the group for use during worship as a community service approved by the school principal. If you’d like to thank the Madrigal Singers for their generous gift, please send e-mails to Allison at allisonk@standrewlutheran.com and she will pass them on to the ensemble.

April Movie Night: My Octopus Teacher

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

Stream the documentary on Netflix and then meet with your St. Andrew friends on Zoom on Friday, April 23, at 7:00 pm. Bring out the popcorn, gather round your computer screen, and let’s talk about what we liked and didn’t like about this movie. You’ll find the Movie Night Zoom link in Carol Harker’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, April 23. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Smith.

Habitat’s Hope Builder Breakfast

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

Join us on Wednesday, April 28, at 8:00 am. Register for free at Bit.ly/HopeBuilder 2021. If you have questions, please contact Dan Fako at dan43theman@comcast.net. or 503-626-3414.

Marry a Pregnant Virgin

Subtitled “Unusual Bible Stories for New and Curious Christians,” Frank G. Honeycutt’s book brings lively and fresh interpretations to stories that are centuries old.

This is the guy who writes the column on the first page of Living Lutheran magazine, so if you’re a fan of his, this is the book to read. I am, so naturally I checked it out of our Adult Library. There were some articles I just didn’t get, but that only means there’s more I have to learn. Others are just as great as I’ve come to expect from Honeycutt. It’s a good book and you might be glad to know it’s in St. Andrew’s Library.

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

Bookkeeper Position Open

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

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

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

Finding Home

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

April’s Living Lutheran is available now for you to pick up in the Narthex. See pages 44-45 of the magazine for “Where God Dwells,” the magazine’s interview with Julie.

Earth Camp 2021: Registration Opens for St. Andrew Community Sunday, April 18

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

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

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

· Have a lot of fun in the process!

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

Registration will open to the public on May 1. At that time the registration link will be available on the Earth Camp 2021 page on the church website.

Improving the Value of Yard Work

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

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

Kiss the Ground & Regenerate Our Earth

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

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

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

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

Table Talk: Declaring St. Andrew a Sanctuary Congregation Revisited

Gathered around the table in his home, Martin Luther talked freely and openly with his colleagues and students about matters of faith, theology, and varied aspects of daily life. In an  effort to cultivate this kind of spirited discussion we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Though we cannot gather in person, Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk, led by St. Andrew’s Sanctuary Team. It will be held via Zoom on Thursday, April 29, 7:00-8:00 pm.

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

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

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

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

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

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 Charlotte Werner (aunt)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Susan Werner Reiser
Clay, Christopher, and Donevan Gustafson	Safety and spiritual renewal	Debi Gustafson
Mary Ellen Johnson	Strength, comfort, and healing	Joanne Zenger
Roby Chavez (teenage son of friends)	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Bob & Judy Sch9olz
Gary Magnuson	Healing and recovery from back surgery	Pastor Mark Brocker
Jan Luttrell	Healing and recovery from a painful fall	Eric Luttrell
Gary Grafwallner	Healing and recovery from Bell’s palsy	Gary Grafwallner
Carol Means and Nan Thompson	Effective cancer treatment	Carol Means and Nan Thompson
Loren (great niece)	Successful treatment, healing, and recovery	Larry & Phyllis Vachal
Corine Shelley Walker (mother-in-law)	Successful transition to memory care	LuAnn Staul
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Availability of vaccines for COVID-19	Thanksgiving for the people and systems making vaccinations more and more available	Staff
Mark & Joselle Gallis Hall	Blessings on the birth of their son	Mary Nell Mahler
Victims of hate crimes or gun violence	Protection and peace	Staff
Federal and state lawmakers	Discernment and courage to face national challenges	Staff
Those confined to their homes	Mareline Barnes, Dave Bumgardner, Jean Fredrickson, Tara Harper, Douglas Hooke, Betty Horst, Dorothy Moore, Phyllis Morris, Ed Pacey, Helen Rogers, Dave & Sharon Roth, Margie Schindele	Staff
All who are imprisoned	Peace and strength	Staff
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon Holy Trinity Catholic Church	Blessings on their work	Staff
Portsmouth Trinity Lutheran Church (Portland, OR) Peace Lutheran Church (Portland, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Congregation Shaarie Torah(Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
The Muslim Community	Blessings for Ramadan	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

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A Prayer for the Week

Loving God,
as you forgive me in Jesus,
help me to forgive
so I can live to love my neighbors.
Amen.

Preparing for Sunday

April 25 2021

Reading: Acts 4:5-12
Gospel: John 10:11-18

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

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Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, April 18

8:30 am	Livestream Worship with Communion	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	via Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	via Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	via Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education with Karen Klingelhafer: Women in the Gospels	via Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship with Communion	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
2:00 pm	MACG Call Coordinating Meeting	via Zoom

Tuesday, April 20

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

Wednesday, April 21 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

1:00 pm	Caring Ministry Meeting	Zoom
6:00 pm	Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal	Zoom
6:30 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:00 pm	High School Youth Hangout	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, April 22

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

Friday, April 23

10:00 am	T’ai Chi	former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd
7:00 pm	April Movie Night: My Octopus Teacher	Zoom

Sunday, April 25

8:30 am	Livestream Worship with Communion	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education: Women in the Gospels	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship with Communion	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

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

Women in the Gospels

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

Join seminarian Karen Klingelhafer via Zoom at 10:00 am Sunday, April 18, when she begins her five-week Adult Education class, Women in the Gospels. During the five-week class, she will explore the story of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28), the story of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:21-43), the story of Elizabeth and Mary (Luke 1:5-2:52), the woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-11), as well as the role women play in the death and resurrection stories across the Gospels.

Church Doors Are Open!

Oh, happy day! St. Andrew is opening its Narthex doors this coming Tuesday, April 13, after 13 months of highly restricted access to the church building.

You will now be able to come and go during regular church office hours, 9:00 am-4:00 pm, Tuesday-Friday. A corps of Narthex Greeters is standing by to welcome and assist you and to remind you that many pandemic protocols remain in place.

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

Checking In with Friends

It has been challenging this past year to keep in touch with those we used to meet in the narthex or over coffee. Who do you miss seeing? St. Andrew’s MACG Core Team and Caring Ministries Team invite you to be a part of an effort to make contact with as many members of our faith community as we can over the course of a week. Please join us on Sunday, April 18,from 2:00-4:00 pm via the regular Zoom worship link as we kick off a reboot of last year’s “Let’s Talk, Let’s Listen” campaign. You will hear some tips about what to do and receive a list of names of folks to contact. We will then spend an hour or so contacting as many people as we can. You may use the time to make phone calls, write e-mails, or write notes to those on your list. When we come back together, we will celebrate the contacts we made and share any overall trends that we discovered. What does our community want our leaders to know? Finally, everyone will be invited to contact the rest of the people on their list sometime in the week ahead.

Please note: We will NOT

• Ask for money;
• Ask for or share private information unless we are asked to do so;
• Offer to solve the world’s problems.

But we WILL

• Check in with as many people as possible;
• Share general trends with appropriate leaders;
• Enjoy making contact with people we haven’t seen in person for a while.

If you’d like to be a part of this, but can’t join us on the 18^th, please send an e-mail to Pat Christiansen (patchristiansen@comcast.net).

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

Men’s Book Club Members Consider a Fish

This isn’t a book about fishing on the Rogue River, but, yes, the men’s book club is reading about fish this month and about one fish in particular. What source of protein did Vikings rely on as they sailed west to Greenland and the New World? What was the staple of the medieval diet? According to the Amazon description of Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World, by Mark Kurlansky, “Cod is the reason the Europeans set sail across the Atlantic, and it is the only reason they could.” In his exploration of centuries of cod history, Kurlansky shares recipes, as well as a tragic story of environmental failure, pondering the question: “Is the fish that changed the world forever changed by the world’s folly?”

The Men’s Book Club will meet via Zoom at 7:00 pm on Monday, April 12. Contact Tim Holte if you’d like to join the conversation.

Future Reading:
May 10:      Educated, by Tara Westover
Host: Eric Luttrell

June 14:      The Ghostway, by Tony Hillerman
Host: Ted Miller

July 12:       A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
Host: Tim Holte

St. Andrew’s NCAA Tourney Winners

We have a couple of perennial challengers and one dark horse in the winners’ circle following the NCAA Tournament this year. Congratulations to first-place winner Ken Reiner, our dark horse, and to Paul Navarre (second place), and Pastor Mark (third place). Well-played, gentlemen!

Spirituality Book Group News

The Spirituality Book Group will meet via Zoom on Sunday, April 18, at 3:00 pm to discuss Isabel Allende’s novel, A Long Petal of the Sea, which follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, searching for safety and a place to call home. Mary Smith will lead the discussion.

The Zoom link will be sent to everyone on the Spirituality Book Group e-mail list a few days before the meeting. If you’re not on that list but would like to join the discussion, please contact Mary Smith at dbits1@gmail.com.

Future Reading:

May 16: This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger
Discussion Leader: Susan Reiser

June 13: Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson
Discussion Leader: Barbara Gutzler

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

Your 2020 Giving Statement

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

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

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

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

Blessings,
Financial Secretaries of SALC‘

Wednesday Evening Prayer

Midweek Prayer Services continue into the Easter season this Wednesday, April 14, with a new service emphasizing creation’s song of praise to God. Drawing on elements from All Creation Sings, our service combines prayer, song, and meditations from the writings of well-known lovers of creation. Look for links to this worship service at mid-day on Wednesdays in Allison’s e-mail.

Habitat’s Hope Builder Breakfast

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

Join us on Wednesday, April 28, at 8:00 am. Register for free at Bit.ly/HopeBuilder 2021. If you have questions, please contact Dan Fako at dan43theman@comcast.net. or 503-626-3414.

April Movie Night: My Octopus Teacher

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

Stream the documentary on Netflix and then meet with your St. Andrew friends on Zoom on Friday, April 23, at 7:00 pm. Bring out the popcorn, gather round your computer screen, and let’s talk about what we liked and didn’t like about this movie. You’ll find the Movie Night Zoom link in Carol Harker’s “Weekly News” e-mail on Friday, April 23. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Smith.

Soil Survey

The St Andrew Community Carbon Yard Science team has been exploring gardening strategies that many of us can do to improve the environment. One focus of our work has been to establish soil gardens as a means to store carbon in the soil, reducing the carbon in the atmosphere.

As we enter the gardening season we would like to learn more about your experience with developing soil gardens. Next week we will be sending a survey link to congregation members. Please take a take a few minutes to complete the survey so the Community Carbon Yard Science team knows where to focus its efforts this year.

Carol Harker, Eric Luttrell, LuAnn Staul
and the St. Andrew Community Carbon Team

What Choir Is This?

Many of us have been delighted over the last few weeks to hear a local choir augmenting our online worship services. The Madrigal Singers is an auditioned ensemble of 22 singers from Sunset High School. With the pandemic making musical performances difficult at best, their director, Christopher Rust, contacted local faith communities to offer recordings from the group for use during worship as a community service approved by the school principal. If you’d like to thank the Madrigal Singers for their generous gift, please send e-mails to Allison at allisonk@standrewlutheran.com and she will pass them on to the ensemble.

Butterfly Thanks!

Hallelujah! Blessed by the children at St. Andrew, our Easter banners were adorned with symbols of spring, hope, and resurrection this past Sunday.

Thank you, all you talented kids, for painting and pasting, drawing and coloring lots of butterflies to emerge on this glorious day! We saw pom poms on wings, googly eyes, and glittering gold foil used creatively to symbolize new life and the miracle of Christ’s resurrection. You made us smile and renewed our hope. Thank you!

A Prayer for the Week

Precious Lord,
thank you for blessing me
so that I may bless others.
Amen.

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 Ken Hasen (sister’s brother-in-law)	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Jennifer Trom
Clay, Christopher, and Donevan Gustafson	Safety and spiritual renewal	Debi Gustafson
Jan Luttrell	Healing and recovery from a painful fall	Eric Luttrell
Gary Grafwallner	Healing and recovery from Bell’s palsy	Gary Grafwallner
Carol Means and Nan Thompson	Effective cancer treatment	Carol Means and Nan Thompson
Loren (great niece)	Successful treatment, healing, and recovery	Larry & Phyllis Vachal
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Madeleine (granddaughter)	Thanksgiving she’s finished her first round of chemo and strength for her journey home	Mary Smith
Carol Hogan	Thanksgiving for good test results	Carol Hogan
Mark & Joselle Gallis Hall	Healthy pregnancy and safe delivery	Mary Nell Mahler
Victims of hate crimes or gun violence	Protection and peace	Staff
Federal and state lawmakers	Discernment and courage to face national challenges	Staff
St. Andrew Council Executive Committee Staff	Wisdom and discernment	Staff
Karen Klingelhafer, Kyler Vogt, and all seminarians	Encouragement and support	Staff
India Jensen Kerr and all theology students	Encouragment and support	Staff
St. Andrew Foundation	Blessings on their ministry	Staff
Central Lutheran Church (Portland, OR) Grace Lutheran Mission (Portland, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Masjid as-Sabr (Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

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Preparing for Sunday

April 18, 2021

First Reading: Acts 3: 12-19
Gospel: Luke 24:36b-48

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

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Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, April 11

8:30 am	Livestream Worship with Communion	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	via Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	via Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	via Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education with Karen Klingelhafer: Women in the Gospels	via Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship with Communion	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
12:30 pm	Earth Camp Planning Meeting	via Zoom

Monday, April 12

7:00 pm

Men’s Book Club

Zoom

Tuesday, April 13

9:00 am	Facility Management Team Meeting	Zoom
10:00 am	T’ai Chi	former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd.
1:30 pm	Service Committee	Zoom
6:00 pm	HR Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Finance Meeting	Zoom

Wednesday, April 14 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

10:00 am	Reopening Committee Meeting	Zoom
6:00 pm	Sanctuary Team Meeting	Zoom
6:00 pm	Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal	Zoom
6:30 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:00 pm	High School Youth Hangout	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, April 15

12:00 pm	Staff Meeting	Zoom
2:30 pm	Communications Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Council Meeting	Zoom

Friday, April 16

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, April 18

8:30 am	Livestream Worship with Communion	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education: Women in the Gospels	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship with Communion	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
2:00 pm	MACG Call Coordinating Meeting	Zoom
3:00 pm	Spirituality Book Group	Zoom

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

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

Easter Blessings to All

This Sunday we celebrate the miracle of Christ’s resurrection and the promise of God’s redemptive love for us all.

8:15 am, Livestream on YouTube
10:45 am, via Zoom

Please join us 15 minutes earlier than usual in order to enjoy a program of special music prior to worship itself.

Concluding Our Lenten Devotional

The 40 days of Lent now give way to 50 days of Eastertide, a season overflowing with the poetry of resurrection: an empty tomb; a risen, wounded savior; a joyful, astounded community; and a promise of the Spirit to come. The light has lengthened into morning. The new life of spring has arrived. As we go forth to love and serve God and neighbor, our Lenten Devotional poet Mary Oliver reminds us to: Pay attention! Be astonished! Tell about it!

Women in the Gospels

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

Beginning Sunday, April 11, seminarian student Karen Klingelhafer will present her Adult Education class, Women in the Gospels. During the five-week class, she will explore the story of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28), the story of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:21-43), the story of Elizabeth and Mary (Luke 1:5-2:52), the woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-11), and the role women play in the death and resurrection stories across the Gospels.

Classes are offered at 10:00 am Sunday mornings via Zoom.

Centering Prayer

Next Wednesday, April 7, we return to our normal schedule for Wednesday Evening Prayer, with informal gathering at 6:30 pm, prayer service at 7:00 pm, and centering prayer at 7:30 pm.

Celebrating a Century!

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

Save the Date

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

Lenten Food Drive

Thank you to all who have contributed to our Lenten Food Drive, where the total given now stands at $7,432, more than surpassing our goal. These dollars equate to more than 22,000 pounds of food for people who rely on the St. Matthew Food Pantry to meet their nutritional needs.

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

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

April Movie Night: My Octopus Teacher

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

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

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

Finding Home

Living Lutheran magazine features Finding Home, Julie Aageson’s most recent book, in its April issue. In her thoughtful way, Julie explores what home is and why we all need the haven it should provide. The book is available for $17. You may request a copy from the author (jaageson@cord.edu), purchase it from Wipf & Stock, the publisher (https://wipfandstock.com), or order it from Amazon.

The current issue of Living Lutheran is now available for you to pick up at the church. See pages 44-45 for “Where God Dwells,” the magazine’s interview with Julie Aageson.

Treasurer Needed

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

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

Online Giving Update

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

A Prayer for Easter

Risen and rising God, help us
dare to pray, dare to rise,
dare to be a blazing lily
this morning and
every morning.
Hallelujah!
Amen.

Habitat’s Hope Builder Breakfast

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

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

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

Still Looking for Your 2020 Giving Statement?

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

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

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

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

Blessings
Financial Secretaries of SALC,

Bread for the World Letters

If you participated in writing to your congressional representative and senators in support of Bread for the World, please remember to inform LuAnn Staul (ljstaul@gmail.com or 503-314-6321) so that the Service Committee can report how many letters were sent from St. Andrew. And thank you for keeping the needs of hungry people all over the world a priority for the U.S. Congress.

Narthex Greeters

In just two weeks, we will have Narthex Greeters in place to welcome people when we unlock our front doors for the first time in more than a year. We are hopeful that this will be the first of several methodical steps we take to continue to keep everyone safe and to return to more normal operations at St. Andrew.

Please Note: The front doors will be open during office hours only, 9:00 am-4:00 pm, Tuesday through Friday. While we recognize that many, if not most, of our older community have been completely vaccinated, we will continue to follow advice from the Center for Disease Control. Therefore, we will enforce a mask mandate for everyone entering the building.

Greeters will help remind all of us to follow the protocols as they answer the phone, greet people, and help them get the information or make the contacts they seek.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to be a Narthex Greeter. Two times remain available: a short shift from 10:45 am-12:30 pm on Thursday and a full shift on Friday afternoon.(12:30-4:00 pm). Call Carol in the church office (503-646-0629) if you would like to volunteer by making a regular weekly commitment or by providing backup for others when their schedules prevent them from being on duty.

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 Ken Hasen (sister’s brother-in-law)	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Jennifer Trom
Family and friends of Bill Branch	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Linda Fransen
Family and friends of Carol Hudspeth	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Dan & Sharon Bako
Jan Luttrell	Healing and recovery from a painful fall	Eric Luttrell
Gary Grafwallner	Healing and recovery from Bell’s palsy	Gary Grafwallner
Ruth Gunther	Healing and recovery from broken ribs	Fran Miller
Carol Hogan	Good test results	Fran Miller
Carol Means and Nan Thompson	Effective cancer treatment	Carol Means and Nan Thompson
Loren (great niece)	Successful treatment, healing, and recovery	Larry & Phyllis Vachal
Bobbie Larson	Effective treatment and healing	Bobbie Larson
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Madeleine (granddaughter)	Thanksgiving she’s finished her first round of chemo and strength for her journey home	Mary Smith
Mark & Joselle Gallis Hall	Healthy pregnancy and safe delivery	Mary Nell Mahler
Victims of hate crimes or gun violence	Protection and peace	Staff
Federal and state lawmakers	Discernment and courage to face national challenges	Staff
Bishop Laurie Larson Caesar Oregon Synod and Staff	Strength and wisdom	Staff
Refugees and immigrants	Acceptance, safety, and just treatment	Staff
The homeless in our country	Comfort, hope, and shelter	Staff
Military personnel, especially Justina Hailey Hope Brocker, Evan Dahlquist, Dawson Dethlefs, Neil Fiegenbaum, and Jerami Reyna	Courage and protection	Staff
Bethel Lutheran Church (Portland, OR) BethlehemLutheran Church (Portland, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Beit Haverim (Lake Oswego, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

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Preparing for Sunday

April 11, 2021

First Reading: Acts 4:32-35
Gospel: John 20:19-31

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

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Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, April 4, Easter Sunday

8:30 am	Livestream Worship with Communion	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
	NO Sunday School, Confirmation, or High School Youth Group
	NO Adult Education
11:00 am	Zoom Worship with Communion	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Tuesday, April 6

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

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

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

Thursday, April 8

12:00 pm	Staff Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Executive (Council) Meeting	Zoom

Friday, April 9

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, April 11, Second Sunday of Easter

8:30 am	Livestream Worship with Communion	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Zoom
10:00 am	Women in the Gospels	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship with Communion	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

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

Preparing for Palm Sunday Worship

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

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

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

Devotional for Palm Sunday

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

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

Centering Prayer

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

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

Bread for the World (via e-mail)

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

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

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

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

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

LuAnn Staul

Worship Schedule

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

Maundy Thursday, April 1
7:00 pm Zoom

Good Friday, April 2
8:00 pm Livestream

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

Easter Butterflies

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

Lenten Food Drive

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

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

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

Treasurer Needed

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

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

A Prayer for the Week

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

Celebrating a Century!

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

Online Giving Update

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

Bach-a-Thon

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

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

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

Portlandago.org.

April Movie Night: My Octopus Teacher

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

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

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

Bread for the World

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

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

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

[Date]

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici
2231 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Senator Merkle
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

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

Dear Senator__________________, 
Dear Representative_____________________,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Yours in Christ,
LuAnn Staul
St Andrew Service Committee

Still Looking for Your 2020 Giving Statement

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

  

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

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

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

Blessings,
Financial Secretaries of SALC

Narthex Greeters

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

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

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

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

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

The Flames of Climate Change

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

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

Back to School, with Thanks

Dear Friends of the Community Transitional School,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Books in Our Adult Library

Fiction

Once Upon a River, by Diane Setterfield

A Long Petal of the Sea, by Isabel Allende

A Better Man, by Louise Penny

The Murmur of Bees, by Sofia Segovia

Non-Fiction

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

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

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

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

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

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

Save the Date

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

Habitat’s Hope Builder Breakfast

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

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

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

In Need of Prayers…

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

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

Finding Home

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

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

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Preparing for Easter Sunday

April 4, 2021

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

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

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Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, March 28, Palm Sunday

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

Tuesday, March 30

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

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

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

Thursday, April 1

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

Friday, April 2

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

8:00 pm

Good Friday Worship

YouTube

Sunday, April 4, Easter Sunday

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

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

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

March Movie Night: Fiddler on the Roof

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

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

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

Sunday, March 21–10:00 am

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

The Fifth Sunday of Lent

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

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

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

A Prayer for the Week

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

Wednesday Evening Prayer for Lent

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

Our Wednesday evening schedule remains as follows:

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

Spirituality Book Group

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

The Zoom link will be sent to all who are on the Spirituality Book Group e-mail list a few days before the meeting. If you are not on the list, but would like to join in this discussion, please contact Mary Smith at dbits1@gmail.com.

Future Reading

Kid Craft: Butterflies

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

Lenten Food Drive

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

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

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

Treasurer Needed

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

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

Online Giving Update

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

Bach-a-Thon

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

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

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

Portlandago.org.

2021 Mental Health Tips from the Caring Ministries Team

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

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

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

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

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

For Reflection:

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

Michelle Sinn

Celebrating a Century!

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

Preparing for Palm Sunday Worship

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

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

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

Save the Date

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

Bread for the World

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

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

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

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

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

[Date]

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici
2231 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Senator Merkle
313 Hart Senate Office Buildin
Washington, DC 20510

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

Dear Senator__________________,
Dear Representative_____________________,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yours in Christ,
LuAnn Staul
St. Andrew Service Committee

Introducing Narthex Greeters

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

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

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

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

Worship Schedule

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

Maundy Thursday, April 1
7:00 pm Zoom

Good Friday, April 2
8:00 pm Livestream

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

In Need of Prayers…

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

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

Table Talk: Finding Your Roots, St. Andrew!

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

Gathered around the table in his home, Martin Luther talked freely and openly with his colleagues and students about matters of faith, theology, and varied aspects of daily life. In an effort to cultivate this kind of spirited discussion, we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Though we cannot gather in person, Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk, led by St. Andrew’s Reckoning with Racism cohort. It will be held via Zoom on Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:30 pm.

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

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

Finding Home

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

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

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Preparing for Palm Sunday

March 14, 2021

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

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

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Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, March 21, Fifth Sunday of Lent

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

Tuesday, March 23

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

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

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

Thursday, March 25

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

Friday, March 26

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, March 28: Palm Sunday

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

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

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

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

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

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

The Fourth Sunday of Lent

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

“The face of the moose is as sad

as the face of Jesus.”

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

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

Wednesday Evening Prayer for Lent

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

Our Wednesday evening schedule remains as follows:

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

Time to Change Our Clocks

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

Kid Craft: Butterflies

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

Lenten Food Drive

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

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

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

Treasurer Needed

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

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

Online Giving Update

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

March Movie Night: Fiddler on the Roof

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

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

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

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

Any questions: Contact Mary Smith.

Bach-a-Thon

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

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

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

Portlandago.org.

2021 Mental Health Tips from the Caring Ministries Team

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

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

Expectations and Reflection:

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

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

For Reflection:

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

Michelle Sinn

Free Online Concert for Hopewell House

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

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

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Bird Boxes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The birds seem to know how to do the rest.

Beverly Briggs
March 9, 2021

March Madness Returns!

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

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

Introducing Narthex Greeters

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

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

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

In Need of Prayers…

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

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

Table Talk: Finding Your Roots, St. Andrew!

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

Gathered around the table in his home, Martin Luther talked freely and openly with his colleagues and students about matters of faith, theology, and varied aspects of daily life. In an effort to cultivate this kind of spirited discussion, we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Though we cannot gather in person, Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk, led by St. Andrew’s Reckoning with Racism cohort. It will be held via Zoom on Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:30 pm.

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

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

Finding Home

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

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

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Preparing for Sunday

March 14, 2021

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

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

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Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, March 14, Fourth Sunday of Lent

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

Tuesday, March 16

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

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

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

Thursday, March 18

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

Friday, March 19

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, March 21: Fifth Sunday of Lent

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

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

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

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

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

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

Paul Navarre

The Third Sunday of Lent

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

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

Wednesday Evening Prayer for Lent

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

Our Wednesday evening schedule remains as follows:

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

February Movie Night

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

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

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

Lenten Food Drive

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

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

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

Treasurer Needed

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

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

Online Giving Update

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

Pastor Susan’s Installation

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

A Prayer for the Week

GOD OF JUSTICE, HELP US TO PROTECT THE VULNERABLE WITH

WISDOM AND AUDACITY. SHOW US YOUR TRUE TEMPLE.

AMEN.

Kid Craft: Butterflies

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

March Movie Night: Fiddler on the Roof

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

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

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

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

Any questions: Contact Mary Smith

Leadership Training

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

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

Come to this training to:

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

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

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

Table Talk: Finding Your Roots, St. Andrew!

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

Gathered around the table in his home, Martin Luther talked freely and openly with his colleagues and students about matters of faith, theology, and varied aspects of daily life. In an effort to cultivate this kind of spirited discussion, we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Though we cannot gather in person, Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk, led by St. Andrew’s Reckoning with Racism cohort. It will be held via Zoom on Thursday, March 25, 7:00-8:30 pm.

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

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

Welcome, Pastor Susan!

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

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

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

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

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In Need of Prayers…

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

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

Time to Bee Busy

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

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

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

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

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

Carol Harker

Coronavirus Caution

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

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Preparing for Next Sunday

March 14, 2021

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

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

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Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, March 7, Third Sunday of Lent

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

Monday, March 8

7:00 pm

Men’s Book Club

Zoom

Tuesday, March 9

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

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

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

Thursday, March 11

12:00 pm

Team Ministry Meeting

Zoom

Friday, March 12

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, March 14: Fourth Sunday of Lent

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

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

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

Wednesday Evening Prayer for Lent

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

Our Wednesday evening schedule remains as follows:

The Second Sunday of Lent

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

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

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

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

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

Paul Navarre

February Movie Night

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

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

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

Treasurer Needed

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

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

Lenten Food Drive

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

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

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

Online Giving Update

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

Stewardship Note

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

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

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

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

In gratitude,
Rachel

Yay, Confirmands!

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

Why I’m “Reckoning with Racism”

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

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

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

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

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

Pat Christiansen

Welcome, Pastor Susan!

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

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

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

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

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In Need of Prayers…

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

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

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Leadership Training

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

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

Come to this training to:

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

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

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

Family Promise Update

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

Preparing for Next Sunday

March 7, 2021

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

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

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Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, February 28, Second Sunday of Lent

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

Tuesday, March 2

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

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

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

Thursday, March 4

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

Friday, March 5

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, March 7: Third Sunday of Lent

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

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

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

Super Bible Bowl: FEUD!

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

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

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

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

Paul Navarre

participate via Zoom

Treasurer Needed

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

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

Wednesday Evening Prayer for Lent

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

Our Wednesday evening schedule remains as follows:

Spirituality Book Group News

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

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

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

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

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

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

The First Sunday of Lent

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

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

Lenten Food Drive

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

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

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

Looking at Israel

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

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

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

Pam Farr
Adult Librarian

Preparing for Next Sunday

February 28, 2021

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

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

Let’s Talk, Let’s Listen Reboot

Last summer, the St. Andrew MACG Core Team organized a listening campaign, encouraging members to make phone calls to people we missed seeing at church. Now that this unusual holiday season has arrived, and the colder weather prevents outdoor gatherings, it’s time to check in once again. Who are you wondering about? Who would you like to check in with?

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

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

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

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

MACG Core Team

Table Talk: Are We a Nation of Child Abusers?

Gathered around the table in his home, Martin Luther talked freely and openly with his colleagues and students about matters of faith, theology, and varied aspects of daily life. In an effort to cultivate this kind of spirited discussion we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Though we cannot gather in person, Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk via Zoom on Thursday, February 25, 7:00-8:00 pm.

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

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

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In Need of Prayers…

Family and friends of Mildred Leppert (sister-in-law)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Judy Heidinger
Junin (friend)	Peace and comfort as death nears	Lloyd Meyer
Bennett and Tucker (6-month-old cousins)	Healing and recovery from a rare metabolic disorder	Laura Geczy-Haskins
Ian McAlpine	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Warren & Donna McAlpine
Garrett (friend’s 11-year-old son)	Complete healing and discharge from hospital	Rebecca Uecker
Frannie Gladhill (daughter-in-law)	Healthy pregnancy and safe delivery	Kristie Gladhill
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Those confined to their homes Mareline Barnes, Dave Bumgardner, Jean Fredrickson, Tara Harper, Douglas Hooke, Betty Horst, Dorothy Moore, Phyllis Morris, Ed Pacey, Helen Rogers, Dave & Sharon Roth, Margie Schindele	Assurance of God’s presence	Staff
All who are imprisoned	Peace and strength	Staff
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon Holy Trinity Catholic Church	Blessing on their work	Staff
Joyful Servant Lutheran Church (Newberg, OR) Christ the King Lutheran Church (Tigard, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Congregation P’nai Or (Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone

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

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Reckoning with Racism at St. Andrew

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

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

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

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

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

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

Janet Vorvick

February Movie Night

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

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

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

Pastor Susan Kintner

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

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Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, February 21, First Sunday of Lent

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

Tuesday, February 23

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

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

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

Thursday, February 25

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

Friday, February 26

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

Sunday, February 28: Second Sunday of Lent

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

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!

Spirituality Book Group News

The Spirituality Book Group will meet on Sunday, January 17, to discuss the book, She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders, by Jennifer Boylan. According to a Bookreads review, this “is the story of…a person bearing and finally revealing a complex secret; above all, it is a love story…. Boylan explores the remarkable territory that lies between men and women, examines changing friendships, and rejoices in the redeeming power of family.” Elaine May will lead the discussion when the group meets at 3:00 pm via Zoom. Book group members will receive a link a few days prior to the meeting, to which all are welcome. If you would like to attend, please contact Mary Smith and she will send you connection information.

Future Reading
February: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
March: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
April: The Moment of Li, by Melinda Gates
May: This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
June: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
July: The Murmur of Bees by Sofia Segrovia

Stewardship Committee Update

Happy New Year! Your St. Andrew Stewardship Committee has some happy news to share. With the payment of the January 2021 mortgage payment, our mortgage balance now drops below the $900,000 milestone. Cheers to all who have helped to achieve this progress!

The year 2020 was an epic one and, with the leadership of our pastoral team, staff, and many volunteers, we plowed new ground for worship platforms in virtual settings. Even during a global pandemic, we are truly blessed at St. Andrew with members who are committed to fulfilling our “A Hope for All” campaign goal of erasing the mortgage balance.

We look forward to sharing the 2021 stewardship agenda with you soon.

Adult Education:
The Gospel of Mark

At 10:00 am this Sunday, January 17, Jim Aageson continues his Adult Education class, “The Gospel of Mark: A Narrative Theology.” As Aageson notes, Mark’s gospel presents its theology in narrative form where the actions and words of Jesus reveal a powerful vision of God’s reign: “in this kingdom, things are turned upside down: the first are last, the sinners and the dishonored are invited to the table of fellowship, and those closest to Jesus are often filled with fear rather than faith.”

Bread for the Day and Daily Texts Available

The 2021 edition of Daily Texts, Bible texts selected annually by the Moravian Church and shared worldwide since 1731, are now available, as are copies of Bread for the Day, a book of Bible readings and prayers published by Augsburg Fortress. A donation of $9.00 is suggested to defray the cost of each book.

If you’d like one or more copies, please contact the church office via email or call 503-646-0629.

Table Talk: Misunderstanding Minorities

Gathered around the table in his home, Martin Luther talked freely and openly with his colleagues and students about matters of faith, theology, and varied aspects of daily life. In an effort to cultivate this kind of spirited discussion we have a tradition at St. Andrew of gathering for Table Talks. Though we cannot gather in person, Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the next Table Talk via Zoom on Thursday, January 28, 7:00-8:00 pm.

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

Wednesday Evening Prayer

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

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

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

Thank You

I want to express my gratitude for all the cards, texts, and phone calls I have received since the death of my beloved daughter, Colleen. She lit up our lives for the 59 years we were blessed to have her. She will be laid to rest with her father at Willamette National Cemetery on February 2, 2021. Due to COVID restrictions, only her family and caregivers will be able to attend. We are grateful to Pastor Robyn for leading the service and the visits she made to Colleen in the days leading up to her death.

Suzanne Warnes & Family

Pastor Robyn’s “Outside Hours”

Pastor Robyn is offering weekly opportunities for anyone wanting to meet with her outdoors under the front door overhang at St. Andrew until her final Sunday with St. Andrew on February 7. Feel free to stop by anytime during these “outside hours” for some conversation or to share a prayer. This week’s opportunities include Sunday, January 17 from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Tuesday, January 19 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm, and Sunday, January 24 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm.

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

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

Preparing for Next Sunday

January 24, 2021

Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Gospel: Mark 1:14-20

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

Let’s Talk, Let’s Listen Reboot

Last summer, the St. Andrew MACG Core Team organized a listening campaign, encouraging members to make phone calls to people we missed seeing at church. Now that this unusual holiday season has arrived, and the colder weather prevents outdoor gatherings, it’s time to check in once again. Who are you wondering about? Who would you like to check in with?

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

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

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

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

MACG Core Team

Japan Women’s Conference

Women around the world are invited to participate in the online Japan Women’s Conference chaired by a former student of Julie Aageson. The conference is an annual gathering started by the women of the Christian missionary community 64 years ago and will focus this year on “A Time to Heal.” The event will be held on three Saturdays in Lent: February 20 and 27, and March 6 at 9:00 am Japan time (4:00 pm the previous day in Portland).

The keynote speakers are Sarah Hinlicky Wilson and Ikuko Handa Williams. Rev. Wilson serves as a missionary of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and is the pastor of the English language worship service for Tokyo Lutheran Church. Sarah is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and is the author of recent books such as Sermon on the Mount and also Pearly Gates. She has a Cooking and Theology blog and led a workshop on this theme at the 2020 conference. Rev. Williams, who comes from a long line of Presbyterian ministers serving in Japan, was the first Japanese woman ordained by the Church of England. Ikuko has been involved in post-war peace and reconciliation talks around the world. She worked as the chaplain at Leeds Hospital in England for many years and now lives in Tokyo.

Please register online. Workshop links are available through the website and include subjects such as relationships, writing, family healing, outdoor living, yoga and Biblical insight. Sign up early to reserve your spot. Zoom
links will be e-mailed out to you.

Looking Back and Ahead

Last year as part of the work of the Community Carbon Committee we shared articles in the Weekly News on earth care tactics for members to consider. While many of the tactics shared were those I already practiced, I also was able to easily incorporate many more over the last year.

My most ambitious project stretched from spring though fall when I replaced my entire front lawn with a soil garden and planted nearly two dozen native plants. I was inspired and encouraged by the Community Carbon group, the Backyard Habitat Certification program, The Soil will Save Us, by Kristin Ohlson and Nature’s Best Hope, by Douglas Tallamy.

In addition, I reduced the use of plastics, increased composting of kitchen scraps, and reduced the use of fossil fuels (helped by the pandemic).

In the coming year, the Yard Science Team will continue to visit member gardens to provide consultation and resources for the development and maintenance of soil and native gardens. Also, as EcoFaith Recovery’s first Community Carbon pilot program, we will be providing support to Camp Lutherwood and other communities of faith interested in starting their own Community Carbon teams.

As me move forward it is important for us to evaluate where we are in our journey. In about a month we will be sending out a survey to members to complete. We hope you’ll fill it out and help us plan next steps. Thank you for taking this journey with us toward a healthier Earth.

LuAnn Staul

January Movie Night

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

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

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

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

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

Community Warehouse

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

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

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

Thanks for your consideration.

Fran Miller
for the Service Committee

Thank You

Thank you for making a gift to Meals on Wheels People. Your donation of $400 for our Beaverton Center will provide nutritious meals for seniors.

Each day, we serve or deliver more than 8,000 meals to older adults in our community. For many we serve, the nutritious meals allow them to remain independent and living in their own homes. For others, who wish to remain socially distant during the pandemic, the meals have been a lifeline. Helen, who is 87 and lives alone, relies on Meals on Wheels People for meals as well as the supplemental food we have been able to provide since the spring. She is especially thankful for the fresh, whole fruit.

Your gift will allow us to continue serving nutritious lunches to Helen and thousands of older adults like her who receive Meals on Wheels throughout the greater Portland-Vancouver area. We are grateful for your partnership and appreciate your role in the important work we do for the community.

Thank you for your generosity! Together, we can change lives, one meal at a time.

Suzanne Washington
Chief Executive Officer

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In Need of Prayers…

Family and friends of Joyce Larson (grandmother)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Cole & Kristin Petersburg
Family and friends of Eunice Harrum (mother)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Francine Cach
Family and friends of Ann Hooson (mother-in-law)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Jennifer Hooson
Family and friends of Colleen Warnes	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Staff
Family and friends of Don Scholz (father-in-law)	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Judy Scholz
Bob and Jack Scholz (husband and son)	Safe travels	Judy Scholz
Barb Carl	Successful surgery and effective treatment	Linda Fransen
Nan Thompson	Good diagnosis, effective treatment, and comfort	Pastor Robyn
Linda Larson (cousin)	Effective treatment and healing	Doris Larson
Tayvin Krieger (daughter Sherry Myers’ student)	Healing and recovery in body and mind	Doris Larson
Katherine (friend)	Healing and recovery	Mary Smith
Dr. Paul Wilson	Healing and recovery	Patty Jones
Dorothy Moore	Comfort and peace while hospitalized with COVID-19	Pastor Robyn
Vaughn “Vonnie” Wilson (Larry’s sister)	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Larry & Phyllis Vachal
Tom (friend’s father)	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Rebecca Fako Uecker
Everyone affected by COVID-19	Strength and support	Staff
Health care workers	Strength, courage, protection, and support	Staff
Francesca Gladhill (daughter-in-law)	Healthy pregnancy	Richard & Kristie Gladhill
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and everyone in attendance	A safe and peaceful inauguration	Staff
Those confined to their homes: Mareline Barnes, Dave Bumgardner, Jean Fredrickson, Tara Harper, Douglas Hooke, Betty Horst, Dorothy Moore, Phyllis Morris, Ed Pacey, Helen Rogers, Dave & Sharon Roth, Margie Schindele	Assurance of God’s presence	Staff
All who are imprisoned	Peace and strength	Staff
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon Holy Trinity Catholic Church	Blessings on their work	Staff
Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer	Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud	Everyone
Trinity Lutheran Church (Gresham, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Masjid Abu-Bakr (Portland, OR)	Blessings on our interfaith partners	Staff

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

Creation Justice Summit

The 8th annual Creation Justice Summit (formerly the Earth Care Summit) will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Columbia River Watershed Pastoral Letter. The virtual event will include a keynote panel, breakout workshops, and a closing address from U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley.

Register now.
$20 general, $10 students, scholarships available
Presented by EMO’s Creation Justice and Oregon Interfaith Power & Light.

Giving Statements for 2020

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

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

The St. Andrew Finance Team

Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, January 17, Second Sunday of Epiphany

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education: The Gospel of Mark	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Tuesday, January 19

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

Wednesday, January 20 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

6:00 pm	Handbell Ensemble Rehearsal	Sanctuary
6:30 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Wednesday Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer & Other Breakout Room Opportunities	Zoom

Thursday, January 21

12:00 pm	Team Ministry Meeting	Zoom
2:30 pm	Website Review Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Council Meeting	Zoom

Friday, January 22

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, January 24: Third Sunday of Epiphany

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education: The Gospel of Mark	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!