November 15, 2020

Adult Ed: Job’s Response to Misery

Join Steve Christiansen this Sunday, November 15, at 10:00 am for Session 4 of his adult education course on the book of Job. You can access the class using the same Zoom link needed for Sunday worship.

An incorrect translation has led us to believe that Job was a patient man. Not so, Christiansen explains, but he was persistent and he somehow kept going in spite of the odds. Job’s story is relevant for our time in that it raises many questions about the suffering of the innocent. Click for Steve’s session outline as well as videos of earlier classes.

Not yet receiving emails from St. Andrew? Click on the blue button to join the email list and receive the Zoom link for the class.

Thanksgiving is Coming!

The Service Committee is once again sponsoring Thanksgiving meals for Community Action families and we need your help. Community Action works with families on parenting, financial stability, housing, and education. These are families that really need help.

We will not be able to see those food boxes filling the Narthex this year due to COVID-19. Instead, we will be using money donated to Thanksgiving Food Box fund to purchase Winco gift cards for these families.

Last year we were able to donate 75 food boxes, which had a value of $50 each, to families in need. We would like to achieve this goal again this year; that will require $3,750 in donations. If you wish to give electronically, select Thanksgiving Boxes—or you can send a check made out to St. Andrew with Thanksgiving Food Drive in the memo line.

This is a wonderful way to live out our faith, as well as giving a needy family the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving with a delicious meal. Please consider helping with a donation of any amount this year. Our deadline for donation is November 15 to give us time to purchase gift cards and get them to these families.

Please email or call LuAnn Staul at 503-314-6321, or email or call Linda McDowall at 503-649-5091 with questions.

Given Governor Brown’s pause in Oregon’s reopening progression for Washington County, we ask that you please limit your visits to our church building. Coronavirus numbers are surging everywhere. If it is impera?ve that you visit the building, please remember to make arrangements with the office first.

Recognizing Our Veterans

In 2020, some 75 years after the end of World War II, we take time
to recognize all the men and women who either have served or are
currently serving our country in the armed services. Both in times
of peace and war, these individuals and their families deserve our
gratitude. Thank you for upholding our American values.

Spirituality Book Group

The Spirituality Book Group will meet via Zoom on Sunday, November 15, at 3:00 pm to discuss Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, Unsheltered. According to a review in USA Today, “Unsheltered’s title suggests a roof gone missing. But it’s also a resonant call to be more alert to our social predicaments, to ‘stand in the clear light of day.’”

The Zoom link will be sent to those on the Spirituality Book Group e-mail list before the meeting. Anyone is welcome to join the discussion. Please contact Mary Smith for the Zoom link.

Since we will also be discussing future reading at this meeting, please bring your ideas and recommendations. We will try to schedule books through June 2021.

Sunday, November 15, 3:00 pm
Book: Unsheltered, by Barbara Kingsolver
Discussion Leader: Mary Ann Snider

Sunday, December 13, 3:00 pm
Book: The Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead
Discussion Leader: Fran Miller

January (date TBA)
Book: She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders, by
Jennifer Boylan
Discussion Leader: TBA

New Foundation President, Mission Statement

Your St. Andrew Foundation board of directors has welcomed a new president, Sonja Ackman. On two Saturdays in September and October, the board conducted a virtual strategic planning retreat facilitated by Terry Buchholz. We had a great time and got a lot accomplished, even over Zoom!

This week, we want to highlight our new mission statement: “The mission of St. Andrew’s Foundation is to provide funding for efforts that grow the spiritual health, well-being, and ability of those serving God, both today and in the future, in ways that augment or extend the reach of the Church.”

Look for additional highlights over the next few weeks! Interested in learning more? Please email Sonja Ackman.

Help with Rent, Utilities, and Childcare

The director of Family Promise has informed its host coordinators that it has funds available for people needing help paying for childcare, rent, or utilities during this time of extraordinary need. People needing assistance are welcome to call Family Promise at 971-217-8949. Please be aware that these funds need to be used by the end of this calendar year.

Collins Summit: Shalom in Divided Times

What does shalom and unity look like in 2020, when racial unrest, political tensions, and COVID-19 have impacted nearly every aspect of our lives? This year at its Collins Summit, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon is asking
how we bring our whole selves to the table and stay engaged in light of our differences, not in spite of them.

The Summit will include a lecture from Lisa Sharon Harper, founder and president of FreedomRoad.us and one of today’s leading voices on the topics of poverty, racial and gender justice, and transformational civic engagement.

Register now for the virtual event to be held Wednesday, November 18.

Worship Connection Problems?

St. Andrew’s tech team is offering a new service on Sundays for anyone having difficulty connecting to worship. Between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm, you can simply call the church office at 503-646-0629 to get help from the pros.

Remember that Rebecca Fako Uecker also continues to offer technical help for church-related purposes. You can contact her via email.

Thanksgiving Eve

Please note that St. Andrew will not be offering Wednesday Evening Prayer on November 25, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. Instead, the worship team will be sharing a recording of our pastors that is meant to augment your celebration at home.

Preparing for Next Sunday

Notes from the Adult Library

So, there are new voices in St. Andrew’s library these days. Last week you heard from one of them, Barb Gutzler, the amazing new children’s librarian, and this week there is me, Pam Farr, explorer of the incredible adult library that started in like 1960 and has been guided by Mary Nell Mahler ever since. What a job she’s done! There are some super books in our collection. I’ve been reading titles as I go along checking their numerical order. Here are a few treasures I have found so far:

If you’re in charge of children in some form or another on a daily basis, you know the stresses of remote learning, school/no school can really get to them — and you. If you look in the 249s, you’ll find some activity books that may help you out.

I picked Families Sharing God, by Barbara Owen Webb. She’s got lots of craft projects that take stuff you probably have around the house, a few baking ideas, things for special seasons, ride-in-the-care games, and activities to do outside—all with a devotion attached. If the kids are too wiggly, do the craft first and work the devotion in as you can. These activities are aimed at youngsters 6 to 12 years old.

COVID being COVID (not a nice thing), maybe you’ve been thinking more about God, searching for reassurance or trying to learn more and have gotten hung up, like I do, on the big words. This is the book for you: Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms, edited by Rolf A. Jacobson. He has taken the big words and defined them in a simple, rather tongue-in-cheek way that makes you both understand and smile.

Lastly, we have a really nice copy of The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, the guy who wrote the Narnia books. It’s about a devil in training and how he gets on. It just might give you some ideas about what you’re up against and perhaps how to derail him.

Best of reading!

Pam Farr, Adult Librarian

Children’s Sermon: The Oregon Grape

Editor’s Note: This is the third in our series of five Children’s Sermons introducing young people to Oregon’s native plants.

Good morning. My name is Larry Bliesner and I’m here to talk about a native plant. A native plant is one that is natural to our area. My plant is the Oregon Grape, which is Oregon’s State Flower.

Thanks for Making a Happy Reunion Possible

The Oregon Grape is actually an evergreen shrub. The tall variety grows 5-8 feet high. The low variety grows to about 2 feet. The Oregon Grape has yellow flowers in the spring, which hummingbirds like. During the summer the plant forms bluish-black berries which other birds like.

The Oregon Grape is not a true grape like the ones we eat. However, Kalapuyan indigenous peoples ate the berries, which are sour. The bark
could be used as a yellow color to dye native baskets, while the berries produce the color purple.

The Oregon Grape tolerates shade or sun. It is a good plant for your soil garden and for St. Andrew’s “homegrown” National Park.

Larry Bliesner

Thanks for Making a Happy Reunion Possible

Thanks so much to all of my St. Andrew family who pitched in to help me find my rescue dog Risa. After I had her for only four days she ran off and was missing for five days. It seems like a miracle that she was found, and I so appreciate the support from so many at St. Andrew, including walking through neighborhoods searching for her, passing out flyers, even setting up a Facebook page for her. And thanks for all the kind words of support during this trying time. Risa and I are happily reunited now, and we’re getting to know each other.

Mary Smith

Table Talk: What the Voters Are Trying to Tell Us

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 Tuesday, December 1, 7:00-8:00 pm.

In this Table Talk we will focus on sharing reflections on the presidential election and the transition process that has followed. The voter turnout was record-setting. President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris received more votes than any ticket in U.S. history. President Trump and VicePresident Pence received the second most votes ever.

In a New York Times editorial, published on November 5, two days after Election Day, when the final outcome was very much in doubt, David Brooks reflected on “What the Voters Are Trying to Tell Us”. To prepare for this Table Talk I encourage all participants to read this opinion piece. In light of the election and its aftermath, we will reflect on the political responsibility of the people of St. Andrew and the church as a whole going forward.

Leadership Training Opportunity

Plan now to attend a FREE leadership training institute through the magic of the Internet in December.

Come to learn fundamental organizing skills: Individual relational meetings, listening sessions, research and action to help obtain a concrete, winnable outcome.

Come to strengthen our institutions: Engage people systematically in a culture that is relational, action-oriented, and reflective.

Come to learn to distinguish problems from issues: From general problems to concrete, winnable issues by using relational power in the public arena to negotiate for the common good.

The eight-hour training will be held from 6:00-8:00 pm PST on:
Tuesday, December 8
Thursday, December 10
Tuesday, December 15
Thursday, December 17

Many St. Andrew members have taken this training (often more than once), and all have reported taking away important skills that strengthen our St. Andrew community, as well as skills that are useful in their lives outside of St. Andrew.

Click the link below to register:
https://tinyurl.com/MACG-Leadership-Registration

After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the meeting.

Questions? Please contact any member of the St. Andrew MACG
Core Team: Pat Christiansen, Larry Bliesner, Lynn Santelmann,
Scott Taylor, Victoria Kovalenko, Bob Stadel, LuAnn Staul, or
Pastor Robyn. If you have any problems with registration, e-mail
Mary Nemmers.

Reckoning with Racism

The Oregon Black Pioneers Organization, through extensive and continuing research into the origins of racism in Oregon, has brought together many valuable resources. The St. Andrew Team attending the Reckoning With Racism series would like to share these resources with the rest of the congregation. They provide an excellent background to understand systemic racism, especially in our own state of Oregon.

1. Watch the following OPB Documentary: “Oregon Black Pioneers.” Long before Oregon became a state, black people were in the Far West. Some were brought to the region as slaves, but many others arrived as freemen looking for a new life. They opened boarding houses and stores, worked farms and mined for gold. But as more white settlers arrived over the Oregon Trail, the newcomers passed discriminatory laws to keep African Americans out. “Oregon Experience” examines the largely unknown history of Oregon’s black pioneers.

2. Explore more of the history of Black Americans throughout Oregon’s history at the Oregon Black Pioneers website.

3. Nonfiction read: Breaking Chains: Slavery on Trial in the Oregon Territory, by R. Gregory Nokes. This is a nonfiction account of the largely forgotten story of Oregon slavery. The book was a finalist for the 2014 Oregon Book Award for nonfiction. R. Gregory Nokes is a retired journalist (Associated Press and The Oregonian), writer, and lecturer, who now lives in West Linn.

4. Historical fiction read: A Light in the Wilderness, by Jane Kirkpatrick. Members of the St. Andrew Spirituality Book group will be familiar with the works of Oregonian writer Jane Kirkpatrick. In this novel she brings together the lives of three women of color in early Oregon history.

Stock Dona!on Transfer Process for 2020

Greetings from the Financial Secretaries of St. Andrew. As the end of the calendar year approaches, we want to streamline the process of donating stock to the church since we are volunteering our time remotely from our homes.

Contributions must actually be paid before the close of year to be deductible in 2020. Please allow at least 3 weeks for the completion of the transfer. Please start the process as soon as possible.

We ask you to take the necessary steps if you intend to donate
stock to St. Andrew this tax year:

1. Download the Stock Transfer Form found on our church website or contact the church office.
2. Contact your brokerage firm to initiate an electronic transfer of securities (see form for instructions/details).
3. Complete the form including your intentions for the use of the donation and email a copy to our confidential e-mail address. You may instead send a copy to the church office marked confidential for Financial Secretaries. This form must be turned in at the beginning of the process. Without this form, we cannot complete your request.
4. Upon receipt of the form, one of the financial secretaries will be in contact with you regarding the progress of the electronic stock transfer to the church’s securities firm, Charles Schwab.

Thank you for your generosity to the Mission and Ministry of St.
Andrew.

Tammy Piscitelli, 503-307-8837
on behalf of the Financial Secretaries and Finance Team

Finance Team: Johanna Au; Gretchen Bancroft; Bill Beavers; Brian Cheney; Joel Johnson; Anne Newell; Ted Miller; Tammy Piscitelli;
Tracie Brooks-Semenchalam

In Need of Prayers…

Family and friends of Marilyn Hanson (mother)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Mark Hanson
Family and friends of Jean Pacey (wife)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Ed Pacey
Family and friends of Norm Smith’s wife	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Del & Mary Nell Mahler
Family and friends of Robert Zahn (brother)	Peace and God’s comfort at his death	Anne Newell
Family and friends of Ellie Prink (aunt)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Carol Hogan
Family and friends of Carole Harmon	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Pastor Robyn Hartwig
Jim Smith (brother-in-law) and his family	Peace, comfort, and support as Jim is in hospice care	Mary Smith
Paula Yazzolino	Peace and comfort in hospice care	Steve Buske
Pete Yazzolino	Comfort and strength	Steve Buske
Bill Branch	Comfort Following esophageal cancer diagnosis	Linda Fransen
Marcia Branch	Comfort and strength	Linda Fransen
Bob Cornie	Successful knee procedure (November 18)	Staff
Mary Brocker & Ethan Pearson	Blessings on their engagement	Mark & Donna Brocker
Louella Marie Mitchell (great niece)	Blessings on her birth	Susan Werner Reiser
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
Christ the King Lutheran Church (Milton-Freewater, OR) Peace Lutheran Church (Pendleton, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Congregation Shaarie Torah (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.

Wednesday Evening Meditation

Our midweek Prayer Services continue into the fall on Wednesday nights via Zoom. The service will focus on our role in creation, with music, prayer, meditations, and scripture. Please join us for any or all of these events on Wednesday, November 18:

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

Join us for any or all of these events. The connection link is sent out Wednesday afternoons, so please watch for it.

St. Andrew will not have Wednesday Evening Prayer the week of Thanksgiving.

Worship Plan

Looking ahead to the coming seasons of the church, the Worship Planning Committee is announcing that current worship practices will continue through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany.

To review, St. Andrew offers livestream worship via YouTube at 8:30 am on Sundays, with worship broadcast via Zoom at 11:00 am. Both services include the opportunity to share in remote Communion. Adult Education classes and gatherings for children, Confirmation students, and high school youth are all offered via Zoom, as is Wednesday Evening Prayer.

People without internet connection are able to listen to a recording of Sunday worship by calling 503-643-9416. Please see “Connecting to Worship at St. Andrew” for details.

Highlights for the Week

Check the church calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Sunday, November 15, Twenty-fourth Sunday of Pentecost

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School (age 3 – 5th Grade)	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education:  Job’s Response to Misery	Zoom
11:00 am	Zoom Worship	Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Monday, November 16

1:00 pm

Memorial Service for Jean Pacey

Livestream on YouTube

Tuesday, November 17

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

Wednesday, November 18 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

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

Thursday, November 19

10:00 am	Team Ministry Meeting	Zoom
7:00 pm	Council Meeting	Zoom

Friday, November 20

10:00 am

T’ai Chi

former Bales Thriftway on Cornell Rd

Sunday, November 22, Christ the King Sunday

8:30 am	Livestream Worship	YouTube
9:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
10:00 am	Sunday School Kickoff (age 3 – 5th Grade)	Zoom
10:00 am	Confirmation (6th – 8th Grade)	Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Education:  The Book of Job	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!