September 19, 2021

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Council Acts to Protect Our Youth

In preparing to resume fall programming at St. Andrew, the Reopening Team has recommended to the Executive

At their monthly meeting on September 16, members of the Congregational Council considered a recommendation from the Reopening Team and Executive Committee to require all volunteers and staff working with youth on the St. Andrew campus (and all sponsored activities) to be vaccinated. Following a thoughtful discussion about the COVID-19 pandemic, our core care values, individual and group rights and responsibilities, and the ramifications of such a policy for the church community, particularly Scouts and Bee Bops staff and families, council members voted (10 in favor, 2 opposed, and 1 abstaining) to adopt the following:

All employees and volunteers supporting the church or using church facilities who specifically work with youth, including organizations such as Scouts and Bee Bops Learning Center who use St. Andrew facilities, are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18, 2021. The only exceptions are for reasons documented by a licensed personal physician.

September Drive for Western Farm Workers

During the month of September, the Service Committee is collecting food and clothing items for the Western Farm Workers. Please donate new or gently used clean coats, sweaters, rain pants, and work boots in all sizes for adults and children.

The WFW also has an urgent need for food items this year: pinto beans, white rice, peanut butter and jelly, cooking oil, and canned tuna. Please place items in or near the collection barrel in the Narthex. Thank you,

The Service Committee

Thomas Keesecker in Concert Live & Livestream

St. Andrew Lutheran Church
Saturday, September 25, 2021
7:00 PM | Sanctuary | Freewill offering

Thomas Keesecker will perform music from his best-selling “Quiet Series” piano collections in an hour-long program of piano music, congregational song, and poetry. Tom is a well-known Lutheran church musician and composer whose informal folksy programs have been compared to a show featuring Garrison Keillor and George Winston. A Lutheran pastor described Tom’s piano style as a blend of Paul Manz and Thelonious Monk! People have been touched by his arrangements of Beautiful Savior, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, There is a Balm in Gilead, and his Celtic and Jazz influenced stylings of other well-known hymns.

CDs of his music will be available for purchase at the performance.

Christian Education Begins September 19

A new education year begins at St. Andrew this Sunday, September 19, with a few twists. Check the details carefully to discover what is being offered in-person, online, or a hybrid of the two. Staff and volunteers have collaborated to create several opportunities for people of various ages, while being mindful of the ongoing risks from COVID-19.

High School Youth Group: The Dichotomy of God and Science
We’re looking forward to kicking off another year of High School Youth Group at 10:00 am in the Youth Room on September 19. This year, we’ll begin by discussing the centuries-old (but ever-present) false dichotomy of God and science, leading us to redefine what we’re talking about when we talk about God and opening us up to see the divine at work in real, meaningful ways in our everyday lives.

Confirmation
Confirmation for youth in grades 6-8 will begin in the Adult Library at 10:00 am the same Sunday, with a Zoom option for those preferring to participate remotely.

Concierge Treatment for Kids; ”The Roots” Postponed
After listening to our families with children too young to be vaccinated against COVID-19, we have decided to postpone the launch of our new Sunday morning children’s program, “The Roots.” We’re still excited about this program and believe it can be the future of our Sunday morning children’s programming, but we’ll start “The Roots” once we can do so safely and our families with children are comfortable to attend. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered for this program already.
In the meantime, to begin the year Donna Brocker will be hosting individualized time with children whose families are comfortable attending. Youngsters ages 3-grade 5 will gather at 10:00 am in the Children’s Library on September 19 for some special time.

Adult Education
Two classes will be offered during the five-week Adult Education term that begins Sunday, September 19, at 10:00 am. Steve Christian will teach his class, “Road Trip: The Missionary Journeys of Paul,” via Zoom, while Andy Roberts and Dwight Jerde invite people to join them in Fellowship Hall for “Faith in Finance: Making Giving More Meaningful.”

Pick up an Adult Education brochure at church or see the website for more details on St. Andrew’s classes and other opportunities for faith formation throughout the year.

Wednesday Evening Prayer

Midweek evening prayer services continue via Zoom. All are welcome this Wednesday, September 22, at 7:00 pm, when seminarian Karen Klingelhafer will focus her devotion on Teresa of Avila, a Spanish noblewoman who felt called to convent life in the 16th century. A theologian of the contemplative life and mental prayer, she was declared a Doctor of the Church more than four centuries after her death. Centering Prayer follows at 7:30 pm for those who would like to participate.

Bells of Grace Ring Out

The Bells of Grace rehearse on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary. We are masked during rehearsals to keep everyone safe. Please contact Deacon Susan Reiser if you are a returning ringer or want to join the choir. She is available between services to answer your questions.

What’s Up with Choir?

Minister of Music & Media Allison Katsufrakis recently announced to choir members that choir practice will not resume in September as it usually does. Instead, she hopes to begin rehearsals in October, with an eye toward the choir singing for Reformation Sunday (October 31) and the Advent/Christmas season. Meanwhile, special singing masks have been ordered.

Table Talk: Rights & Responsibilities

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. Pastor Brocker invites you to participate in the first Table Talk of this new program year via Zoom on Thursday, September 30, 7:00-8:00 pm.

The current surge in COVID cases has been referred to as primarily a pandemic of the unvaccinated. Many of the unvaccinated have claimed that they have a right to decide whether or not to be vaccinated. But that right is not unlimited. We also have to talk about responsibilities. So many hospitals are currently filled with unvaccinated COVID patients that some vaccinated patients are having their surgeries delayed. Our rights do not give us a license to engage in acts of commission or omission that have destructive consequences for others.

In this Table Talk we will discuss how we balance rights and responsibilities. To prepare for this Table Talk, you are encouraged to read the California Catholic Conference’s article on “Rights and Responsibilities” (https://cacatholic.org/article/rights-and-responsibilities). You may also want to read the New York Times editorial entitled “Biden Is Right: Vaccine Refusal ‘Has Cost All of Us’” (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/10/opinion/biden-covid-vaccine.html?referringSource=articleShare).

Spirituality Book Group News

The Spirituality Book Group will meet on Sunday, September 26, at 3:00 pm via Zoom. A link will be sent out to all book group members a few days before the meeting. If you would like to attend, but are not on the Spirituality Book Group email list, please contact Mary Smith at dbits1@gmail.com.

This month, we’ll discuss The Paragon Hotel, by Lindsay Faye, a book with serious implications disguised as a great read. It takes place in Portland in the 1920s and includes some interesting Portland history. The Paragon Hotel is the fictional name for the landmark Golden West Hotel, which was the only all-Black hotel in the city during the 1920s. The story includes a gang moll from NYC, the KKK, some colorful characters, and a mysterious kidnapping. Mary Ann Snider
will lead the discussion.

Future Reading

Pastor Mark Gets Down and Dirty with Pearly Everlasting

Pastor Mark ventured out to the Reformation Garden this Wednesday to help plant some of the native perennials that
will make this area bloom. Here he’s planting Pearly Everlasting and showing he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty. Members of the Earth Care team have planted more than a dozen species of native flowering perennials and seeded
six native flower annuals in this part of the garden. If you’re interested in our plant choices, email Eric Luttrell (luttreem722@gmail.com) and he will send you two plant lists that may be helpful in planning your own wildflower garden.

Feeding the Hungry Under Ground

At Earth Camp this past summer, teacher Pat Christiansen engaged the youngsters in burying about one quarter of a cotton dish towel and a (supposedly) compostable cup on the edges of St. Andrew’s Reformation Earth Garden. They buried the same items in two places, one in relatively good soil near the Oregon white oak named Hope and the other in much poorer soil near Faith. The plan was to unearth these materials on September 12, when kids were expected
to register for Children’s Ministry.

When that event was canceled due to COVID, a few members of the Earth Care team joined Pat earlier this week in digging up the items to discover what happened. Surprise! The only thing remaining of the dish towel near Faith was a polyester thread that hemmed it. The cup hadn’t disintegrated at all. Meanwhile, a sorry remnant of the towel was found near Hope, as well as a small piece of a paper plate that had also been buried. In the 8.5 weeks since Earth Camp, lots of hungry soil organisms feasted on cotton and cardboard. Pat’s experiment shows how quickly microorganisms incorporate organics into the soil.

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Synod Day of Learning

The Oregon Synod staff invite all of us to participate in the second annual Synod Day of Learning on Saturday, September 25, from 9:15 am-3:45 pm. The rise of the Delta variant will not stop us—workshops and the keynote address will all be offered via Zoom.

Conversations and workshops will follow the theme of the year at the Oregon Synod: Faithful in the Fray. This fall we will be looking at faithfulness as it applies to faith and racism, and we are delighted to share that local leader and author Pastor Lenny Duncan has agreed to be our keynoter. Workshops will be both morning and afternoon, with these afternoon options recently announced:

Afternoon Option 1: Collective Crafting of Liturgy and Ritual as Sacred Action
Explore ways to create liturgies that help us pray and breathe together as God’s people. Join Rev. Melissa Reed and Rev. Nikkeya Berryhill for a creative and engaging workshop.

Afternoon Option 2: Tough Conversations in Congregations
How do we make space in our hearts, minds, souls, and congregations for rich and authentic conversations on things that really matter? Margaret Marcuson will share tools and ideas to have loving, courageous, and honest conversations.

Afternoon Option 3: Acknowledging & Embracing Grief in the History of Racism
Deacon Matt Smith and Rev. Solveig Nilsen-Goodin will introduce practices to activate loving energy as we explore truth and experience grief stemming from our own participation in racist histories.

The entire day’s event is only $50 per screen for adults over 21. Under 21 is free. Scholarships are available by contacting the Bishop’s Office at office@oregonsynod.org. Registration closes on September 20 at 9:00 pm.

Preparing for Sunday, September 26, 2021

Reading: Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
Gospel: Mark 9:38-50

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

Deadlines to Note

Monday, October 4
Organ lesson scholarship applications due. For more information and to apply, please go to https://standrewlutheran.com/give/st-andrew-foundation/.

Now – Mid-November
This fall, make room on your bookshelves and help the St. Andrew Libraries at the same time by pruning your collection. Drop off your donations in the Adult Library. A Used Book Sale to fund purchases of new books is scheduled for Sunday, November 28.

A Note about Yoga

Our yoga teachers are traveling in September. Wednesday morning classes for both floor and chair yoga will resume October 13 at 10:00 am in Fellowship Hall.

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 Agnes Sandquist (mother)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Roger & Pat Sandquist
Family and friends of Lois Brass (longtime member)	Peace and God’s comfort at her death	Camille Jackson
Diane, Eunice & Rio (newly widowed)	Comfort and strength	Peggy Thompson
Dorothy Moore and Phyllis Morris	Compassionate care and comfort	Staff
Carolyn Cornie	Effective treatment and healing	Staff
Bob Cornie	Healing and recovery from surgery	Staff
Carol Means	Healing and recovery following surgery	Staff
Donna Faught	Healing and recovery following cancer surgery	Gretchen Bancroft
Honoria Geczy-Haskins	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Laura Geczy-Haskins
Brooklyn (granddaughter of Bill & Sandi Beavers)	Healing and recovery from COVID-19	Bill & Sandi Beavers
Lee Anne Knapp	Comfort and protection as she works with COVID patients	Lee Anne Knapp
Ryan (nephew)	Healing and recovery	Peggy Thompson
Maverick Dixon (unborn nephew)	Complete healing in the womb	AJ & Rebecca Uecker
Sandi Beavers	Comfort and peace awaiting surgery (Sept. 20)	Sandi Beavers
All those suffering from natural disasters	Protection and safety	Staff
People in Afghanistan	Safety and security	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
Ascension Lutheran Church (Medford, OR) Zion Lutheran Church (Medford, OR)	Serving with us in the Oregon Synod	Staff
Congregation Kesser Israel (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

Highlights for the Week

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

Sunday, September 19

8:30 am	Worship with Communion (masks required) Livestream Worship with Communion	Sanctuary YouTube
10:00 am	Children’s Ministry with Donna Brocker	Children’s Library
10:00 am	Confirmation	Library and via Zoom
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Youth Room
10:00 am	Adult Ed: Road Trip: Paul’s Missionary Journeys	via Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Ed: Faith and Finance: Making Giving More Meaningful	Fellowship Hall
10:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
11:00 am	Worship with Communion (masks required) Zoom Worship with Communion	Sanctuary of the Firs Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom

Tuesday, September 21

7:00 am	Sunrise Women	Elmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
7:00 am	Men’s Gathering & Bible Study	Elmer’s Restaurant on 158th (1250 Waterhouse Ave)
10:00 am	T’ai Chi	Fellowship Hall
10:00 am	Worship Planners Meeting	Library
6:00 pm	Human Resources Meeting	via Zoom

Wednesday, September 22 – Weekly News submissions due by 4:00 pm

6:00 pm	Bells of Grace Rehearsal	Sanctuary
6:45 pm	Informal Gathering Time	Zoom
7:00 pm	Wednesday Evening Prayer	Zoom
7:30 pm	Centering Prayer	Zoom

Thursday, September 23

9:30 am	Seekers of the Heart of God Bible Study	St. Andrew Room
2:30 pm	Communications Team Meeting	via Zoom
7:00 pm	IT Meeting	offsite

Friday, September 24

10:00 am	T’ai Chi	Fellowship Hall
6:30 pm	High School youth: “Everything is Spiritual” (Rob Bell event)	depart from Parking Lot

Saturday, September 25

9:00 am	BSA Court of Honor	Sanctuary of the Firs
7:00 pm	Thomas Keesecker concert	Sanctuary & Livestreamed

Sunday, September 26

8:30 am	Worship with Communion (masks required) Livestream Worship with Communion	Sanctuary YouTube
10:00 am	Children’s Ministry with Donna Brocker	Children’s Library
10:00 am	Confirmation (for grades 6-8)	Adult Library
10:00 am	High School Youth Group	Youth Room
10:00 am	Adult Ed: Road Trip: The Missionary Journeys of Paul	Zoom
10:00 am	Adult Ed: Faith in Finance: Making Giving More Meaningful	Fellowship Hall
10:30 am	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
11:00 am	Worship with Communion (masks required) Zoom Worship with Communion	Sanctuary of the Firs Zoom
12:00 pm	Virtual Coffee Time	Zoom
4:00 pm	Portland AGO Installation service	Sanctuary

Connecting to Worship

Ways to Give: Thank you for supporting our ministries!