@ 6:00 p.m. – Evening Prayer Service

@ 8:00 a.m. – Liturgy of the Word

@ 9:00 a.m. – Bible Study (Mtg# 142 074 0872 | password: CMrCxTkf488)

@ 10:00 a.m. – Liturgy of the Word (also on Facebook)

@ 11:00 a.m. – Coffee Hour (Mtg ID: 847 0278 7729 | password: 437719)

@ 9:00 p.m. – Compline with St. Phoebe's (via Zoom)

@ 9:30 a.m. – Morning Prayer Service

@ 10:30 a.m. – Bible Study (Mtg ID: 884 0844 2173 | password: 313159)

Note: When joining any of our Zoom meetings, please make sure your name is displayed.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Remembrance is a key theme in our lives as Christians. Today, we remember exactly where we were 19 years ago. We remember the vulnerability, the sadness, and the need to gather together in our grief to worship and pray. We pray in remembrance for all those who died on September 11, 2001, those who died because of their response to the tragedy, and those who continue to suffer.

Today, we remember the value and dignity of our lives as we live in the midst of a pandemic. We will remember the first day of online school, the masks, the social and physical distancing. We will remember the constant reminders of the risks, especially when we are told that we are “at-risk.” We will remember the gratitude we experience in small acts.

As we pray for all the wounds in our lives, from the impact of coronavirus on our lives to all those who are in danger and displaced because of the fires in the West, we remember our common life in Christ. Our Eucharistic Prayer has the memorial acclamation:

- BCP p. 368

Each day we remember, in our griefs and in our thanksgivings, on whom we lay our common lives. This remembrance unites us in the one who sustains and walks with us through sorrow and happiness. This is why we gather, online and in person. On this September 11, 2020, we remember Christ’s death, as we proclaim the resurrection, and hope for the glory that will come. As we gather St. Andrew’s, in any way we can, we live in the power of the Resurrection and with hope.

Faithfully yours,

Will

Father Will would like to meet with each and every one of our parishioners in person or by Zoom. He will be hosting a series of small group meetings (up to 10 people) in the mornings (10:00 a.m.) and evenings (7:30 p.m.) to get to know the people of St. Andrew’s. Outdoor meetings will require you to bring your own chair and wear a mask. These meetings will be held between September 15th and November 30th on Mondays and Tuesdays.

A Sign-Up Genius has been created, so pick a time that works best for you/your family and sign up here to schedule a meeting.

We hope you take advantage of this time to meet our new Priest-in-Charge.

Contact: Betsy Cotten and Rebecca Umberger (fellowship@standrews.net)

We are happy to announce our first outdoor worship service for this Sunday, September 13th! We proceed with excitement and with caution. We have received permission from the Diocese of Virginia to carry out our worship plans outdoors and we look to everyone for help in following them. To carry out the service we will need to follow these (abbreviated) guidelines:

We will send an email out at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday letting you know if we will have service, or if it has been cancelled due to weather. Hope to see some familiar faces this weekend!

Contact: Emily Nein (emily@standrews.net)

Join us beginning this Wednesday, September 16th, at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom as we take study and pray through Paul and his letter to the Galatians. A friend of St. Andrew's, Scott Anderson, begins this week with an introduction, and we will work through a chapter each following week. You may join all or some of the sessions. We welcome all to attend. You may register here.

Contact: Will Packard (will@standrews.net)

The need for food assistance in our community is unrelenting during these difficult times, and ECHO continues to help a record number of families impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic.

Together with Boy Scout Troop 1849 and the Burke Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, St. Andrew’s will hold a contactless food collection on Saturday, September 19th from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. in the front parking lot of the church. Your donations are desperately needed to keep ECHO’s food shelves stocked so they can continue to meet the record-breaking level of assistance that is going out to families in Burke and Springfield.

Most needed items (Regular size packages are preferred, rather than super-sized portions):

ECHO (Ecumenical Community Helping Others) is an all-volunteer non-profit organization located in Springfield that depends on its faith community members and individuals to provide support to families in need. So, come on over (we know it’s early for a Saturday!!), pop your trunk, and your donations will be transferred directly to ECHO.

Contact: Mark Foster (outreach@standrews.net)

Messy Church is back! We are meeting Sunday afternoon on September 27th in the front parking lot. We will start off at 4:30 p.m. with some coloring and announcements, then the service will begin at 5:00 p.m. Registration is available here. Make sure to register your children as “child” and include their age.

You are welcome to bring drinks/snacks to have during the service since we are unable to provide those at this time. We will have a short family friendly service with a story, and there will be a craft activity for the kids to do during it. We ask that you bring a canned good as a donation for ECHO. Masks are required for everyone 2 years and older. No need to bring chairs to this service - we will have a table and chairs for each family unit.

Contact: Amy Dutton (amy@standrews.net)

Team Believe has been fundraising for the American Cancer Society through the Relay for Life program for 10 years and has raised over $100,000 in support. Due to COVID-19, we were not able to do our typical in-person event this year, but we are now participating in a virtual fundraiser through Pampered Chef.

The Team Believe shopping link. Feel free to share this link. You may also access the party through Facebook.

The fundraiser runs from this Thursday, September 10th through the following Tuesday, September 15th. A percent of the sales will go to our team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Contact: Elaine Runkel (relay4life@standrews.net)

On Sunday, October 4th, we will hold an outdoor service for youth 7th-12th grades at 4:00 p.m. Families of the youth are invited too. This service will kick-off the youth's formation year and provide a worship experience for them. Please note, all safety procedures for outdoor worship will apply to this service as well. Registration will be available soon.

Contact: Jane Girondo & Stacey Peters (formation@standrews.net)

My fourth grader returned to school virtually this week, and my kindergartner had her first day of elementary school online. They are also busy with sports and the occasional outdoor birthday celebration. Still, life is not completely back to normal—I share an office with my five-year-old, and when the kids are playing tag, they pretend the child who is ‘it’ has COVID-19. We continue to pray for those directly affected by the virus and the many frontline workers and caregivers keeping us safe and healthy and allowing the economy to reopen. During these challenging times, my family and I have really appreciated the people we can count on and the routines and activities that connect us. St. Andrew’s is a big part of that.

We moved to Virginia in July of 2016, after being assigned overseas for about 10 years. I had not been to church in a long while, and we had never attended as a family. At our first service at St. Andrew’s, my daughter had a complete meltdown. I prepared myself for stern looks of frustration and annoyance from the parishioners quietly listening that morning. Instead, those who did turn around smiled, asked our children’s names, and welcomed us. We realized then that this church was special. Both of my children were eventually baptized at St. Andrew’s.

There are many things my kids love about St. Andrew’s. They love the Bible stories, choir, organ music, and Godly Play. They especially loved it when there were giant donuts leftover after Sunday school. They have enjoyed crafts during Messy Church, and Christmas shopping at Parents’ Night Out. They had a great time at Shrine Mont around the campfires and during game night. My daughter loved the mud kitchen at preschool. But, if you ask them what they like best about St. Andrew’s, they will tell you it’s the people. They know that St. Andrew’s is not just a building, it’s a family, and they are full and active members in that family.

No parent has all the answers and none of us can raise kind, compassionate, and responsible human beings without faith, a support network, and positive role models. And, whether volunteering during Hypothermia Prevention with FACETS, teaching Sunday school, or hosting an Iftar with members of the Peace Islamic Center, I have been impressed by the commitment to service, community, and understanding shared by everyone in the congregation. I am heartened that my children can learn from those examples of Stewardship.

We are very glad to be part of this kick-off weekend, and I would like to thank Rev. Packard, Amy Dutton, the Vestry, and all of you who keep us connected during the pandemic. I’m proud to be a part of this church, making a difference in our community and setting a positive example for our young people. The St. Andrew’s family is One Together, whether gathering outside, online, or in spirit.

Elizabeth Hattingh

Stewardship Committee Member

During these unprecedented times, we are called into community in unprecedented ways. Your financial gifts to St. Andrew’s are of vital importance to support our ongoing ministries and our outreach to the most vulnerable among us. Please continue to offer your faithful gifts by:

Contact: Michelle Ramsdell (michelle@standrews.net)

Please keep these members of our community in your prayers: 

Madeline Akins, Michael Arnold, John and Janet Carver, Carol Cobb, Chris Conrad, Larry Dickerson, Dale Dickey, John Dunham, Phil Dunn, George Duvall, Vivian Eggers, David Graves, Lori Hardin, Bill Hartig, Susan Henderson, Linda and Ed Hunter, Jack Keyser, Katie Kurz, Dale Leonard, Ryan Martel, Gunnar and Heike Mayer, Regina McCombs, Nadjla Miller, James Padgett, Leean Palmgren, Pam, Philippa Pearce, Marie Reba, Col. Terry Rice, John Strong, Maureen Sullivan, Douglas Taggart, and Bette Williams

Contact: Deborah England (prayer@standrews.net)