The Messenger
In Christ, We Worship, Love, Grow, Serve and Send.
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JANUARY 2021 | Vol. XXXXII No. 1 |
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Wanda Jasper saying goodbye at the reverse parade |
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We will miss you, Pastor Katherine! |
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From the Interim Senior Pastor
by H. Julian Gordy
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Maybe you have heard this story. It happened over 202 years ago, at the Church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, Austria. The organ in that church had been damaged in a recent flood and was in need of tuning and repair. The young priest decided, at the last minute, to take a poem he had written to the church’s organist and ask him to set it to simple music he could play on his guitar since the organ was out of commission. Together, they worked out a melody, and then at the midnight mass on Christmas Eve, for the first time, a congregation, accompanied by its priest on his guitar, sang “Silent Night.”
It is hard to imagine a Christmas Eve service anywhere without this familiar and beloved carol. Pastor James Henricks of Summer Memorial Lutheran Church in Newberry, SC, pointed out in a recent devotional he wrote for Newberry College, “Just about everyone, Christian or not, can at least sing you the first verse. It’s a beautiful hymn, and has become a staple of the church.”
But Pr. Henricks sees an important lesson in the carol’s origins for those of us who celebrate the Incarnation in this year of quarantine and separation. He writes, “As I think of this story today, I can’t help but wonder what is going to come out of this pandemic. After all, we wouldn’t have the hymn ‘Silent Night’ if that Christmas Eve St. Nicholas Parish had a working organ....Read more.
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From the Council President
by Jen Fisher
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)
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Happy New Year!
First, I want to express my gratitude to God for faithful guidance during this past year and to our St. Andrew family for continued support as we forged a path toward a new way to do church and ministry during a global pandemic. I need to look no further than these past few weeks to see so many examples of how our congregation has continued to fulfil our mission - In Christ, We Worship, Love, Grow, Serve, and Send. On December 19, our congregation came together to serve our community through Christmas baskets, fuel bags and Angel Tree gifts. And many contributed, albeit from afar, to worship God and celebrate our Lord’s birth with a beautiful and moving Christmas Eve service. There are many more examples from 2020 that exemplify the heart and soul of this congregation.
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Courage, Hope, Compassion, Love!
by Cornelia Pearson, RN, MN
It is December 14, 2020, 7:00 AM and I am excited to learn that a healthcare worker has stepped up to receive the first COVID-19 vaccination given in the United States. Given the current unrest regarding early vaccination for COVID-19, one might think that this was a very courageous move on the part of the healthcare worker. We have seen much courage from healthcare workers around the world as they put their lives in jeopardy to care for thousands of COVID-19 patients.
I view this immunization much like I view the flu shot; you either get the shot unless you have a valid medical reason not to or you run the risk of becoming ill with the disease....Read more.
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Laura McElroy and Lori McGee receive some of the first vaccinations against COVID-19! |
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Welcome, Little One!
Births
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Drew and Hannah Aaroen announce the birth of the first child, Jonah Rudolph, born Sunday, November 15, 2020.
Jonah was baptized on Wednesday, December 23, with Pastor Museus Dabay, officiating. Sponsors are Jacob Aaroen and Nathan Warren.
We welcome Jonah into the St. Andrew community and as the newest child of God.
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The Sacrament of
Holy Baptism
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William Luther Cole, son of Luke and Julianna Cole, was baptized on Saturday, December 5 with Pastor Katherine Museus Dabay officiating. Sponsors for William are Jimmy and Rhonda Franks, Novice Cole, and Julia Gray Cole.
We welcome Jonah, child of God, into the St. Andrew community.
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MacVean (Mac) Kennedy Sweazey, member of St. Andrew, joined the Church Triumphant on Friday, December 4, 2020. Mac was 94 years old. Mac had an impressive career serving in the U.S. Navy, Detroit Police Department, and ultimately serving in the U.S. Secret Service with every President between Truman and Carter. He and his wife retired to Franklin to be closer to his daughter. They owned and operated the Baskin Robbins store for 10 years. After his wife died, Mac moved next door from the church at Brookdale Living. He attended church regularly and helped with the St. Andrew newsletter mailing each month until failing health prevented him to attend. Mac will be missed greatly by his St. Andrew family.
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Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. |
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Farewell and Godspeed to Pastor Katherine and Thomas Museus Dabay as they leave for Indiana for Pastor Katherine’s new call to Valparasio University. We give thanks for the good works and ministry of Pastor Katherine in her time at St. Andrew Lutheran Church. She will be greatly missed!
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College Care Package Thanks! |
Dear St. Andrew,
I hope you are well!! I wanted to thank everyone at St. Andrew for my sweet surprise!! All the treats are coming in handy! I miss everything about church!! Hope to see you soon!
Love,
Chloe Stiles
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I was recently given a prayer shawl to help me through the first holiday season without my husband, Mike, who passed away in March. Although I make and distribute prayer shawls to individuals, I had never been given a prayer shawl. Once I found out that a prayer shawl was made for me, I could not get it fast enough! As prayer shawls are made, prayers for comfort and strength are said and I definitely need comforting! When I put the shawl around my shoulders, I was overwhelmed with the comfort and love I felt. Thank you, Peggy Bowker, for the special gift of a beautiful prayer shawl.
These are difficult times for many. If you know someone that could use the comfort that a prayer shawl brings, contact me. My phone number is 314-313-7852 and e-mail is smithdrjk@gmail.com.
Peace and blessings,
Jody Smith
Leader, Prayer Shawl Ministry
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WELCA CHRISTMAS PARTY IN DECEMBER ON ZOOM!
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JANUARY WELCA MEETING - VIRTUALLY!
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
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Everyone is invited to join us on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom for an inspiring night of fellowship. Our guest speaker will be Judy Felts, musician, speaker, and broker, who moved to Nashville in 1980. Judy graduated from Ouachita Baptist University with a degree in Music Education and pursued graduate studies at Auburn University and MTSU. She taught high school music for 6 years and has been a speaker and worship leader for numerous churches and organizations. Judy serves on the board for ACT (Artist in Christian Testimony, International) and the Community Resource Board for the TN Prison for Women. In Franklin, she started a non-profit transition home for women coming out of prison. Judy has been involved in the Herb Society of Nashville and is a member of Christ Presbyterian Church and the Franklin Noon Rotary Club. She is the managing broker for RE/MAX Choice Properties in Brentwood and is married to Mike Fels. They have 2 children and 4 grandchildren
Meeting ID: 861 3384 9904
Passcode: WELCA
Dial by your location - 1.301.715.8592
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At right: WELCA ladies take turn collecting items for the Angel Tree benefitting Inspiritus and Mercy Community Healthcare on Saturday, December 19. |
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The women of WELCA would like to thank everyone who supported this year’s online Angel Tree, which benefitted Inspiritus and Mercy Community Healthcare. St Andrew’s generosity supplied Inspiritus with 364 diapers, 44 bars of soap, 10 deodorants, 7 dish soaps, 6 cleaning supplies, 1 toy, 1 children’s Tylenol, 120 rolls of toilet paper, 6 packs of copy paper, 5 large bottles of laundry detergent, 4 bottles of shampoo, and 4 bottles of body wash! To Mercy Community Healthcare, members donated $1,150.00 gift cards donated in Walmart and other gift cards! Our deepest thanks to all who contributed!!
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We will miss you,
Pastor Katherine!
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As a going away gift, the ladies of WELCA gave Pastor Katherine a charcuterie board. It was designed and made by St. Andrew’s Sandy Vollmer.
Pastor Katherine will be missed, but we wish her and Thomas blessings in their new home and work.
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WALK THROUGH ADVENT
By Liza Hawkins, Director for Youth & Children's Ministries
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In a year when we have not been able to worship in-person and in our church home, we dreamed up a new sort of experience for St. Andrew. We put together a Walk Through Advent with interactive stations representing the traditional themes of Advent, a turn toward Christmas, and continuing on through Epiphany. Folks have missed getting to see one another and spending time at the church, and we hope this event was a meaningful and fun chance to do just that.
The first station was about hope. Hope is about expectation for the future and preparing for what is to come. Together we painted a lovely star banner with a background of purples and blues as a way of preparing something together. ...Read more.
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The Higbe family attend Walk Through Advent and go through the various stations. |
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The walk through ended in the nave, in quiet meditation and prayer. |
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ST. PAUL'S BREAKFAST MINISTRY - JANUARY 2 & 3, 2020 |
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Tentatively, our next breakfast to volunteer to bring casseroles, fruit, and sausage is on Saturday, January 2 from 10-11:00 a.m. Contact Laura McElroy if you can bring these items. Thanks.
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ST. PAUL'S DECEMBER UPDATE AND THANK YOU!
I wanted to share how God works through our church congregants from our December breakfast efforts. In November, the mission wasn't taking food donations due to COVID. I was not optimistic that they would be taking donations in December. NOT ONLY did they take our December donations of breakfast food but I learned that 2 kitchen workers were out, awaiting COVID test results. They were extremely short staffed and worried how they were going to manage to make enough food to feed everyone over the weekend we donate food. They were elated when I told them we were bringing food, and even more elated when I told them how much! As usual, the members of St. Andrew were SO GENEROUS and we had an unbelievable amount of donations! We took to Nashville 20 casseroles, 250 servings of sausage, and at least 200 servings of fruit.
From the woman running the kitchen at the mission, "Thank you so much and may God bless each and every one of you."
God is so good.
Laura McElroy
St. Paul Breakfast Coordinator
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Members bringing food for St. Paul Breakfast Ministry in December |
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Foundations
Written by Lars Helland
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Lars Helland is a member of Eternal Shepherd Church in Seneca, S.C. The church sponsors two schools, Rocky Road and Pas Bonbon, in the Central Plateau district of Haiti. Eternal Shepherd has worked directly with the pastor and schools before adding the Trinity HOPE Feeding Program. Lars gives a unique perspective of the program and its impact, since they saw the schools before the feeding program was put in place.
The schools in Pas Bonbon and Rocky Road have very secure foundations. First, Jesus Christ and the study of God's Word. The extreme success of these two schools can be traced to Trinity HOPE providing a meal to each student, every day. Proper nutrition is so very important in students being able to focus. I get pictures and updates routinely, with teachers, staff, and students shown in ever-increasing numbers! The foundation of their studies is with the Bibles and Luther’s Small Catechism we provided in both French and Creole. This expands beyond the school, as the parents are involved at home discussing “What does this mean?”
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A DAY OF SERVICE, DECEMBER 19
CHRISTMAS BASKETS AND FUEL BAGS
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At 7:00 AM on December 19, Zach Harris, Jim Adams, and two Publix employees pulled up to our church, loaded with pre-packed Christmas food boxes and bags of groceries to feed 47 families in our community. What a sight as the men unloaded and prepared for our congregation to come and deliver boxes of Christmas food, gift cards, and Christmas joy! A HUGE thank you to all who helped get the food to our neighbors and especially a HUGE thanks to Zach and Claire Harris for organizing this event.
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Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all who assembled fuel bags for GraceWorks at home and delivered them to church on Saturday, December 19. We were overwhelmed by your response and your willingness to help. It was a very successful day of giving. To get all of the fuel bags delivered to GraceWorks, we filled the bed of one pickup truck, a van, two SUVs and two cars! The folks at GraceWorks couldn’t believe that we kept coming with more and more fuel bags! The timing of this collection is of particular importance. With remote learning looking highly possible after the holidays, fuel bags can fill a need when children aren’t in school. Thank you, again, for your generous support. The people of St. Andrew continue to answer the call of those in need. A HUGE thank you to Jeana Butler and the Faith Formation committee for organizing this outreach!
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January 2 Jim & Marybeth Cottingham
January 2 Tom & Laura McElroy
January 6 Mike & Tiffany Alday
January 6 Michael Lippard & Susan Springer
January 7 Tom & Sara Netolicky
January 31 Lance & Mallory Dorman
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The Epiphany of Our Lord,
January 6, 2021
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FROM THE FINANCE TEAM - FINANCIALS THRU NOVEMBER 2020 |
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YEAR-END CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS will be coming to congregants in January. Please review and let Heather Adams know if there are any questions.
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OFFERING ENVELOPES FOR 2021 are available for pick-up at the church on or after January 4, Monday thru Thursday. Please pull up to the circular drive at the Administration entry, call 615.794.1624 and we will bring them to you. Thanks!
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NEXT NEWSLETTER DEADLINE IS MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021.
Jolene Richardson, The Messenger Editor
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ST. ANDREW LUTHERAN CHURCH | www.saintandrewchurch.com
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