FINAL WEEK FOR PARISH SURVEY:
Please complete by Monday (12/16).
If you haven't already done so, please click on the link below and complete the survey for the Parish Mission/Vision/Values Task Force. The survey will close Monday (12/16) at midnight:
Thanks for participating!
We look forward to sharing the results after Christmas!
From the Rector:
Thank You!
As we wrap up our Annual Pledge Campaign this week, I am pleased to be able to report that, this year, we had the highest response ever in the history of Saint Andrew's! As of this afternoon, we have already received 93 pledges -- so we are only 7 pledges shy of our goal of 100. (For reference, at this point last year, we had received 75 pledges and ended up the year at 89.) Moreover, the total dollar amount pledged is $264,130, thereby already surpassing our goal of $260,000.

Thank you to everyone who has, by turning in their pledges, committed their financial resources to our continued common work of serving Christ together in this place. I hope that you will take a moment to be thankful for the many gifts that we are able to share as a community at this particular time in our history.

I also want to recognize and express thanks for the hard work of the members of this year's Annual Pledge Campaign Committee:  Doug Barrett (Chair), J.J. Andrighetti , Roger Davis , Kay Friddle , Dan Hunt , Bambi Martin , and Riley Owens . They did an extraordinary job in leading this effort.

With all of that said, please know that, even if you haven't made a pledge yet (and I know of several folks who haven't pledged yet but have let us know that they will), you can still make a pledge either by filling out a pledge card (which you can download via this link) -- or by completing the online form linked below:
(If you are wondering, it would be most helpful to have your pledge in by this Sunday -- since, at our vestry meeting after the 10:30 Mass, we will review a draft budget prepared, in part, based on pledges received to date.)

Thank you again for all of your faithful and sacrificial giving to our common work on behalf of God's church here at Saint Andrew's!  I look forward to working with the Vestry to discern how we can most faithfully put those gifts to work over the next year. 

Grace and Peace,
Fr. Gary+
Worship Schedule
Wednesday,
December 11,
Feast of John of the Cross, Mystic
6:30 PM Low Mass with Unction and Healing Prayers
Sunday, December 15, The Third Sunday of Advent
Gaudete Sunday
8:30 AM Low Mass
(Rite II)
9:30 AM Sunday School
10:30 AM Sung High Mass
(Rite I)
Wednesday, December 18, Feast of Saint Thomas, the Apostle
5:30 PM Rosary
6:30 PM Low Mass with Unction and Healing Prayers followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
Prayer Requests
The following people have been commended
to the prayers of the parish:
Audrey, Bambi, Barbara, Bill, Cherie, Chris, Chuck, Claire, Corinne, Dan, Dick, Eddie, Edward, Ena, Ginger, Hamilton, Hannah, Ian, Jodi, Krista, Leigh Ann, Margaret Lee, Mary, Nancy, Nell, Ryan, Sharon, Weesie, Willie, Winnie
To add someone to the Daughters of the King prayer list, please e-mail
daughters1913@gmail.com . There is also wooden box in the Narthex where you can fill out prayer cards. The Daughters will add your names to their prayers. 
Announcements
Gaudete Sunday, The Third Sunday of Advent | This Sunday

This Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, which is one of two Sundays in the church year when we use rose-colored vestments in the Mass. The name Gaudete is derived from the Latin opening words of an introit antiphon, "Rejoice [Gaudete] in the Lord always," which was traditionally used on this Sunday. The theme, the vestments, and the flowers on the altar help express our joy as we anticipate the approaching Christmas celebration as well as reflecting a brief lifting of the penitential tone of our Advent observance.
Sunday School for Children and Adults
This Sunday at 9:30 AM

For our Children's Class , we will continue with the Hearts Alive lectionary-based curriculum. In addition, for infants and toddlers, we have the Nursery open during the Sunday School hour (also available during the 10:30 AM Mass).

For our Adult Class, Father Gary will continue with our lectionary-based Old Testament study . This week, we will look at the Book of Isaiah and, in particular, this week's Old Testament lesson, Isaiah 35:1-10 .
Vestry Meeting | This Sunday | 12:30 PM

Our monthly vestry meeting will take place in the upstairs of the Parish House following Sunday’s 10:30 AM Sung High Mass. 
ECW (Episcopal Church Women) Meeting
Tuesday, December 17 | 12:30 PM

All women of the parish are invited to attend! We will be learning how to make bows – so bring a pair of scissors. Also, please bring an item for our potluck salad and a beverage of your choice.
Sign Up for Dining at Home Supper Club

It's time to join the Saint Andrew's Dining at Home Supper Club. Each group consists of 8 people dining together at the participant's home each month. The group meets for 4 months. (If you are a single, you can ask a friend to join in hosting.) The hosts provide the location and entree. Guests bring side items, salad, bread or dessert. Often each couple brings a bottle of wine to share. This is a great way to get to know each other better.

A sign up sheet will be in the Parish Hall beginning this Sunday or you can email Riley Owens at wrileyowens@gmail.com . If there are people you'd like to include in your group, please let him know.
ECW Christmas Project: Greenville's Gift
For its Christmas outreach project, our ECW (Episcopal Church Women) has voted to sponsor Greenville’s Gift , which collects and distributes items for needy newborns in Greenville. Requested items are blankets, bibs, burp cloths, infant hats, socks, onesies 0-12 months, pajamas 0-12 months, outfits 0-12 months, coats, jackets or sweaters. Items may be placed in the collection box located in the narthex. 
Backpack and Blanket Drive 
Saint Andrew’s Mission and Outreach is sponsoring a backpack and blanket drive to assist United Housing Connections with their annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Count in January. The PIT Count helps to identify those who are experiencing homelessness in Greenville and the Upstate. Each person identified is given a backpack which includes items to aid them against the harsh winter weather. 800 backpacks and blankets are needed to fill this need. Information about homelessness and boxes for donations are provided in the parish hall. If you would prefer to write a check for your donation, it can be placed in the offering plate. Make your check out to "United Housing Connections" and in the memo line, add “2020 PIT Donation”.

For more information contact Cindy Henry , Sara Conrad, or Rusty Infinger .
Clothe Thy Neighbor Seeking Winter Clothing

Please bring warm clothing for men and women to the Parish Hall for those in need.
Poinsettia Orders for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

If you would like to dedicate poinsettias for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services, the dedication forms can be found in your Sunday bulletins. You can also e-mail the Parish Office with your order and dedication. The deadline for orders will be this Sunday, December 15. Suggested donation for each plant is $15.00.
Relief for Earthquake Victims in Albania

As you may know, one of our parishioners, Monika Herr, is an Albanian native, and she recently alerted us to the suffering that many in that country are experiencing as a result of a 6.5 magnitude earthquake there two weeks ago. That suffering is exacerbated by the fact that many in Albania were still recovering from an earlier earthquake in September.  You can read more about this situation by clicking on this link to a recent NPR article.  Please hold those affected in your prayers and consider making a donation to support ongoing relief efforts. Donations can be made via the button below linking to UNICEF’s Albania Earthquake Relief Page.
Ordo Kalendars Available

The 2020 Ordo Kalendars are available in the Parish Office for $5 each. Reserve yours today by emailing office@standrewsgreenville.org , or stop by the office.
Safe Church Training at Saint Andrew's
Sunday, January 12 | 1:00 to 4:00 PM
Safe Church training is important for anyone volunteering in children's ministries, or doing any lay ministry, such as lay eucharistic visitors, involving potentially one-on-one ministry within the parish. We encourage all parishioners, especially those in positions of leadership - such as vestry members and other ministry area leaders, to get Safe Church certified.

We are offering a Safe Church training session here in January:


Please make sure to let our parish office know if you sign up a class at a location other than Saint Andrew's. More info on Safe Church Training here.
Sunday Altar Flower and Presence Candle Dedications
On Sundays, we have the opportunity to offer a special dedication of the altar flowers or presence candle in honor, memory, or celebration of loved ones. The cost to the church for altar flowers is now $100 per Sunday, so we are suggesting that donations for dedicating altar flowers be in the range of $50 to $100 to help us cover those costs. The suggested donation for a presence candle dedication is $10.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR ADVENT: Given the penitential nature of the Season, we only have flowers on the altar on the Third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday.

If you would like to sign up for a Sunday, please see the sign up sheet on the bulletin in the Parish Hall or click on the button below. You may place a check in the offering plate with "Altar Flowers" or "Presence Candle" noted in the memo.
Parking at Saint Andrew's
With the repaving and repainting of the Pendleton Street Baptist Church (PSBC) parking lot (the lot that is adjacent to the church), all of the parking spaces in that lot are now marked with white numbers -- so Saint Andrew's parishioners no longer need to worry about yellow vs. white vs. red spots in that lot . For your information, based on our agreement with PSBC, we are able to use that parking lot as follows:

  • Sundays - All available spots are open to folks who are coming to Saint Andrew's for worship.
  • Weeknights & Saturdays - All available spots are open to folks who are coming to Saint Andrew's for worship or other church-related activities. (Availability may be limited due to baseball or other events.)
  • Weekday Business Hours - Up to five open spots (preferably the spots closest to the stairs from the parking lot) are available for Saint Andrew's parishioners and staff here for church-related events. (If we foresee the need for more than five on a particular weekday, we will notify PSBC to obtain their permission for additional spots.)

Please note that, in addition to available on-street parking, we continue to have access to all of the "permit only" spots on the ground floor of the Homewood Suites Hotel on all weeknights and weekends (including Sunday mornings).

For all of this parking, we encourage folks to have a Saint Andrew's parking sticker visible in their rear window. If you do not have a sticker, please contact the parish office to get one . Finally, if you ever get a parking envelope/ticket while using the PSBC lot for a church-related event, please do not pay it. Instead, bring it to the parish office so that we can notify PSBC and have the ticket canceled.
Service Opportunities
Nursery During 9:30 AM Sunday School and 10:30 AM Mass Every Sunday
Staff member Amanda Abreu oversees our Sunday morning nursery during the 9:30 AM Sunday School hour and the 10:30 AM Mass. Each week, we need at least one parish volunteer to serve with Amanda as our second nursery caregiver. If you have gifts for working with infants and young children--and have “Safe Church” training, we could use your help!
Join the choir! Wednesday evening rehearsals at 7:30 PM
This is a reminder to any interested Saint Andrew's Church friends or members that our regular Wednesday evening choir rehearsals are held in the Parish Hall after the 6:30 PM Mass. If you know of any prospective new choir members, bring them along with you! If you need transportation to rehearsal and or church, or if you have questions, please e-mail our organist/choirmaster John Gilbert.
Sunday Coffee Hour Refreshments
We are blessed to be a growing parish, and one of the ways that we offer hospitality to our many visitors is through our coffee hour after the 10:30 AM mass every Sunday. Please consider signing up for a Sunday on one of the sign up sheets hanging on the parish bulletin board. 
Feed Thy Neighbor on Saturday Mornings
Feed Thy Neighbor is a cooperative effort of the Episcopal community in Greenville. Parish volunteers from Saint Andrew’s, Saint Peter’s, Saint James and Christ Church feed the homeless each Saturday from 7:30 to 8:30 AM in the Saint Andrew's Parish House. The Third Saturday of the month is Saint Andrew's particular responsibility. Come and join us! Set-up and cook team start at 6:30 am. Clean up team start at 8:00 am. Individuals interested in this ministry opportunity, please contact the office at 235-5884.