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Hybrid Worship Offerings
What an incredible experience it was to return to in-person worship on July 4! It was a jumble of emotions—mostly joy but with a little anxiety and trepidation. Thank you for continuing to show grace to one another as we figure out how to be together in person for worship once more. Of course, we continue to offer online worship access for those that cannot be with us for any reason.
Our 8:30 am service is held indoors in the Sanctuary, with livestream access on YouTube. Our 11:00 am service is held outdoors in the Sanctuary of the Firs, with Zoom access for those worshiping remotely. Links for these online
services are shared in the Weekly News email sent on Fridays. We hope that these options allow everyone to continue worshiping in the way that feels safest and most appropriate for them.
Leading Worship Together
Returning to in-person worship is a powerful reminder of how many volunteers work together to make worship happen every week. It’s a lot of work, but if we all play our part, everything gets handled without a hiccup.
In particular we are in need of Altar Guild members, Assisting Ministers, and Ushers for the 11:00 am service. No experience is necessary and you will receive all the training you need. We work with your schedule so you can attend your preferred service and still worship with your family or friends.
Please contact Minister of Music & Media Allison Katsufrakis at allisonk@standrewlutheran.com if you have questions or would like to volunteer.
Wednesday Evening Prayer
Midweek Evening Prayer services will continue to be offered through the summer months via Zoom. Meditations will be drawn from Devotional Classics. All are welcome this Wednesday, July 7, for social time at 6:45 pm and service at 7:00 pm. Centering Prayer follows at 7:30 pm. Participate in all or part of our scheduled time together. Look for links to this worship service at mid-day on Wednesdays in Allison’s email.
Spirituality Book Group: The Murmur of Bees
The Spirituality Book group is thrilled to return to meeting in person! They resume on Sunday, July 18, at 3:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall to discuss The Murmur of Bees, by Sofia Segovia.
“Set against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution and the devastating influenza of 1918, The Murmur of Bees captures both the fate of a country in flux and the destiny of one family that has put their love, faith, and future in the unbelievable.” (Goodreads review).
Quilt Sunday Is July 11, 2021
It’s a little bit later in the summer than normal, but better late than never! Next Sunday, July 11th, at the 8:30 am service, we will continue our tradition of wrapping our high school seniors in handmade quilts. This year we celebrate Logan Isaacson, class of 2021! These quilts, made by members of our own Nifty Notters group, are our way of reminding these young adults that no matter where life leads them, the love and prayers of their St. Andrew community go with them.
Nifty Notters
The Nifty Notters welcome everyone to join them Saturday, July 17, from 9:00 am-12:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall to work on baby quilts for Virginia Garcia Clinic and larger quilts for LWR and Safeplace. All supplies are provided and no experience is needed. Bring a lunch and join us for all or part of the time. If you can’t come on Saturday, we have many cutting and sewing/tying projects that can be done at home. If you have questions, please contact Mary Brown at 503-439-3917 or Pam Farr at 503-626-6657.
Wisdom Calls – Part Three
The Oregon Synod is glad to host the third part of their online storytelling series “Wisdom Speaks,” sharing stories and experiences from some of our synod’s first ordained women. This online event takes place on Saturday, July 17, at 7:00 pm. You can register for the event on the Oregon Synod Website or Facebook page. Our own Pastor Susan Kintner and Pastor Robyn Hartwig have taken part in these events in the past.
Helping Children Bloom through Earth Camp
St. Andrew kicks off our first Earth Camp this Monday, July 12. We delight in God’s children! We delight in God’s world. At Earth Camp, St. Andrew teachers share their love and care for our planet with another generation, the generation that will inherit both the successes and failures of our stewardship. At Earth Camp, we sing together and play and learn. We dedicate ourselves to making Eden bloom once more.
Lydia Circle
Lydia Circle will meet Tuesday, July 13, from 1:00-3:00 pm in the St. Andrew Room. This month’s Bible study is the second of a three-part series entitled “Just L.I.F.E. (Liberation is for everyone),” taken from the July Gather magazine. It is inspired by Jesus’ proclamations, ‘if the Son make you free, you will be free indeed” [John 8:36] and “I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly” [John 1:10]. This month’s session delves into “just truth.” All are welcome and you need not to have read the study to take part.
Helping the Hungry
Driving around Portland this summer, it’s clear that the hunger and homelessness crisis prompted by COVID-19 continues to trouble many people in our community. The saints of St. Andrew have already shown generosity in offering assistance and that help is still needed. All contributions to the food barrel in our Narthex are delivered to the St. Matthew Food Bank for distribution to people suffering from food insecurity. Thank you for caring for others!
Want to Spend Some Dollars?
We’re talking about Thrivent Choice Dollars. You do not need to be a Thrivent member to help identify St. Andrew activities that might benefit from extra funds. Interested? We will meet on Sunday, July 18, in the Fellowship Hall at (or before) 10:00 am to learn more about Choice Dollars. Many of us don’t know much about this and now we have a chance to learn, ask questions, and help discern what we would like to support in the next 12 months. We missed having meetings since 2018 but the money has come in each year and has recently been sent to the ministries designated in 2018 to receive them. We will review past decisions as we prepare to choose where we want to go
from here. The more input, the better we can consider how to best use money coming in the next 12 months.
Thrivent members who are designating choice dollars will have the opportunity to vote on suggestions at this meeting. Please join us to determine how to spend those dollars on behalf of St. Andrew ministries.
Wanted: Chocolate!
Donna Brocker, our Welcome Ministry’s mug maven, is in search of candy to fill those delightful welcome mugs our guests receive on their first visit to St. Andrew. Donna says chocolates are a particular favorite, and the candies
must be individually wrapped. Please leave your donations in the office with Donna’s name on the bag.
Climate Change on The Other Side of the Hill
Almost all of us who attend St. Andrew live in an urban environment, where we’ve already experienced unprecedented temperatures surpassing 115 degrees Fahrenheit in this summer of 2021. In the fall of 2020, we lived under skies turned orange by wildfires and sheltered inside to escape poor air quality.
But Oregon is a big state and home to many rural communities that have likewise been affected by climate change. The documentary The Other Side of the Hill explores the rural community of Lakeview. About 6 hours south from Portland by car, Lakeview is in the center part of our state, east of Medford and within miles of the California border.
Interfaith Power & Light invites everyone to watch the film between July 10-25 to discover some rural perspectives on a changing climate. You are invited to register at https://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org/movie-series/ to watch the film at your convenience from July 10 through July 25.
Reclaiming Our Heart, Repairing Our World
The Oregon Synod invites all to join a half-day online retreat with Mushim Ikeda and Pastor Matta Ghaly (of Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church in Portland) via Zoom on Saturday July 17, from 10:00am to 2:00 pm. Reclaim the heart by attuning to the Sacred through meditation and prayer practices in the Buddhist, Christian, and Sufi traditions. Come explore the particularities and common threads of how these spirited and embodied practices can resource our lives, nurturing and cultivating our resilience as we seek to repair the world. This retreat is open to ALL, with a special invitation to BIPoC and LGBTQ2IA+ folks. Closed Captioning & ASL interpretation are provided. Tuition is on a sliding scale, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. To register, visit https://eastbaymeditation.org/calendar/online-reclaiming-our-heart-repairing-our-world/.
Gratitude for the Oregon Synod Wildfire Relief Fund
Dear Lutheran Disaster Benefactors,
The $10,000 from Bishop Laurie was received by our fire department during one of the darkest times in our community. We lost half of our fire district to the historic and devastating Holiday Farm Fire on September 8, 2020. More than half of our volunteer firefighters and board members lost everything they owned while battling the blaze and evacuating others to safety. The $10,000 was spent on generators for several of the volunteers who were living in RVs and 2 were donated to the community Tool Lending Library, to help people who had lost tools start to rebuild. The
recovery effort is a long-term project and any way we can support it, we are. We look forward to homes being re-built and people coming back to the valley and to Blue River, the town that was completely destroyed. The generators are more than just a tool—they are a symbol of life returning to the valley. Even before properties have electricity, people are able to work on projects and run their RVs with the generators. They are something necessary that the volunteers and community members could not afford to replace or purchase for use, no matter how necessary. Most of the volunteer firefighters were not insured and so are struggling to replace items and living necessities. This gift was much appreciated and has long-lasting impact on our recovery. Thank you all.
Chief Rainbow Plews and the volunteer firefighters
of Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District
(Allison Katsufrakis here: I attended a wedding in this area last weekend—much still needs
to be done to recover, but our gifts have helped a great deal!)
Oregon Historical Society Online Exhibits
The Reckoning with Racism group wants to remind you that the Oregon Historical Society has several exhibits online that pertain to their studies of the last year.
The People of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
and
Racing to Change: Oregon’s Civil Rights Years
Both exhibits can be found on the Oregon Historical Society website at https://www.ohs.org/museum/exhibits/.
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.
| Adam McQueen’s father | Compassionate care, peace, and comfort in hospice | Adam McQueen |
| Sue Cahlander | Smooth recovery from a surgical procedure | Jan & Sue Cahlander Smith |
| Michaela (grandchild) | Successful surgery and comfortable recovery | Jan & Sue Cahlander Smith |
| Mary Brown | Healing and quick recovery after surgery | Bob & Mary Brown |
| Susan Reiser | Healing and quick recovery after surgery | John & Susan Reiser |
| Lee Anne & Brian Knapp | God’s blessings during a time of transition | Lee Anne Knapp |
| Rod Ottenbreit (Bobbie Larson’s brother) | Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment | Bobbie Larson |
| Ken Reiner | Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment | Diane Reiner |
| Dave Gutzler | Healing and recovery | Barbara Gutzler |
| Earth Camp and all other summer camps, retreat centers, and programs | Blessings on their ministries | Staff |
| Those threatened by wildfires | Protection and safety | Staff |
| St. Andrew Council, Executive Committee and Staff | Wisdom and discernment | Staff |
| Karen Klingelhafer, Kyler Vogt, and all seminarians India Jensen Kerr and all theology students | Encouragement and support | Staff |
| St. Andrew Foundation | Blessings on their ministry | Staff |
| Luther House (Corvallis, OR) Trinity Lutheran Church (Dallas, OR) Faith Lutheran Church (Keizer, OR) Our Savior Lutheran Church (Lebanon, OR) | Serving with us in the Oregon Synod | Staff |
| Congregation Chabad (Portland, OR) | Blessings on our interfaith partners | Staff |
| Individual friends and loved ones in need of prayer | Whatever they most need; say their names in your heart or aloud | Everyone |
Preparing for Sunday, July 18, 2021
Reading: Jeremiah 23:1-6
Gospel: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
Go to the “Preparing for Worship” webpage for the bulletins, the complete Lectionary, and more.
Highlights for the Week
Go to the complete online church calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Sunday, July 11 – Quilt Sunday for High School Seniors
| 8:30 am | Worship with Communion (also via Livestream on YouTube) | Sanctuary |
| 10:30 am | Virtual Coffee Time | Zoom |
| 11:00 am | Worship with Communion (also on Zoom) | Sanctuary of the Firs |
| 12:00 pm | Virtual Coffee Time | Zoom |
Monday, July 12
| 9:00 am | Earth Camp | Outdoor spaces, Kitchen |
| 6:00 pm | Troop 618 Meeting | East parking lot |
| 7:00 pm | Men’s Book Club | Off-site |
Tuesday, July 13
| 9:00 am | Earth Camp | Outdoor spaces, Kitchen |
| 10:00 am | T’ai Chi | Fellowship Hall |
| 10:00 am | Meals on Wheels/Loaves and Fishes | Off Site |
| 1:00 pm | Lydia Circle | St. Andrew Room |
| 1:30 pm | Service Committee Meeting | Zoom |
| 6:00 pm | Human Resources Meeting | Library |
| 7:00 pm | Finance Team Meeting | Zoom |
Wednesday, July 14 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm
| 9:00 am | Earth Camp | Outdoor spaces, Kitchen |
| 6:00 pm | Sanctuary Team Meeting | Zoom |
| 6:45 pm | Informal Gathering Time | Zoom |
| 7:00 pm | Wednesday Evening Prayer | Zoom |
| 7:30 pm | Centering Prayer | Zoom |
Thursday, July 15
| 9:00 am | Earth Camp | Outdoor spaces, Kitchen |
| 7:00 pm | Council Meeting | Zoom |
Friday, July 16
| 9:00 am | Earth Camp | Outdoor spaces, Kitchen |
| 10:00 am | T’ai Chi | Fellowship Hall |
Saturday, July 17
| 9:00 am | Nifty Notters | Fellowship Hall |
Sunday, July 11
| 8:30 am | Worship with Communion Livestream Worship with Communion | Sanctuary YouTube |
| 10:00 am | Thrivent Distribution Meeting | Fellowship Hall |
| 10:30 am | Virtual Coffee Time | Zoom |
| 11:00 am | Worship with Communion Zoom Worship with Communion | Sanctuary of the Firs Zoom |
| 12:00 pm | Virtual Coffee Time | Zoom |
| 3:00 pm | Spirituality Book Club | Fellowship Hall |
Connecting to Worship
8:30 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or watch the livestream of worship on YouTube.
- The same link will bring you to the recording of the service to watch anytime after the livestream ends.
- An audio recording of the 8:30 am service will be available Sunday afternoon by simply dialing 503-643-9416.
11:00 am: Worship in the Sanctuary or participate in worship via Zoom
The link will be sent via email and by notification from the church app.
- To participate via Zoom, you can use a smart phone, computer, tablet, or a telephone.
- To participate in “Virtual Coffee Time” simply log in early or stay logged in after the Zoom worship service ends.
Not getting church emails? Click on the green button below to contact the church office to recieve the livestream worship link and zoom invitations.
Need Help? If you discover that you need help connecting to St. Andrew’s online worship services and meetings, please email Rebecca Fako Uecker. She will be available by 9:30 am on most Sunday mornings and 5:30 pm on most Wednesday evenings to provide same-day help for church-related purposes.
Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!
We thank you for your support of the ministries of St. Andrew. If you are able, please give now using any of the following options:
Postal Mail: Simply mail a check to the church office. Let us know if you’d like giving envelope mailed to your home each month by contacting the church office.
Text Giving: Simply text any amount to 503-386-9646 to donate to the Ministry & Mission Fund. To donate to another fund, text keyword to get a list of funds, then type the dollar amount and fund name to give. For example, to give to the local food bank, text 50 food to give $50 for food.
Give via Church App: Download “Church by MinistryOne” from the App store and watch sermons, submit prayer requests, and give a one-time or recurring gift.
Give Online: On the St. Andrew website, click on “Give” at the top of the page. Here you can view your giving, set recurring gifts.
Direct Deposit / “Simply Giving:” Request a form from the church office to enable automated giving from your checking or savings account through the “Simply Giving” program.
Stock Donation: Download the form to donate stock. Please contact our Financial Secretaries in advance of processing the form or if you have questions.
Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Andrew!