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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:
6:30 pm
7:00 pm
7:30 pm
Informal Gathering Time
Prayer Service
Centering Prayer
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.
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.
Pastoral Care
Pastor Mark Brocker, Lead Pastor
office: 503-646-0629 ext. 201
cell: 503-502-8762
brockerms@standrewlutheran.com
Pastor Mark is on call Fridays & Saturdays.
Pastor Susan Kintner, Pastor of Caring Ministries
office: 503-646-0629 ext. 211
cell: 503-724-2556
pastorsusan@standrewlutheran.com
Pastor Susan is on call Sundays & Mondays.
Both pastors are on call Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
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.
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
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!