March 28, 2021

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

Preparing for 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.

---

---

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.

---

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!

Thank you for supporting the ministries of St. Andrew!