Gathering in the Way of Love

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

Annual Giving Campaign 2020

Stewardship of our Community

The truest gift we can offer one another is a spirit of generosity. We model this through our relationships, our ability to stretch to hear another's perspective, our desire to move conversations forward in truth and love, and our trust of one another that their intention is always turned toward bringing the love of Christ into our midst.

Generosity of Spirit is a stance of a heart that enables us to be pro-active to do what is helpful, to show kindness and mercy to all, and to imagine our most generous response in all situations. In some ways, this is something we can learn from others and through experiencing it from others-- and in some ways, it is only through the transforming love of Christ that we can grow into this place of grace. My prayer for each of us and for our parish as a whole is that we can continue together this journey toward generosity of spirit, for when we can embody the generosity of God offered to us by God into our lives, we are truly living our faith.

Gathering In the Way of Love, Mother Barbara

Spreading Jesus' love

by Gathering God's people

Turning to the sacred text for insight

"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

(Hebrews 13:16)

This scripture is so interesting. I agree that when we offer ourselves to others, which some may view as a sacrifice for us, whether it is devoting our Monday night to serving and befriending our Community Meal guests, or whether it is giving a substantial gift to the Episcopal Home to support the ministry offered there, or whether it is taking the linens home from the Sunday service and washing and ironing the corporal and purificators, or sharing our friendship, compassion and love with each other-- I am certain all those acts of self-giving are acts which are pleasing to God.

However, don't you think, that when we truly give of ourselves, when we stretch beyond our comfort zone, when we know what it is like to give until it feels good, we are the ones who find joy?

May we be a community rooted in the joy of loving and giving to each other and to our community, so that we are pleasing in God's sight.

Blessings, Mother Barbara

How does this connect to your spiritual life?

We are blessed so that we may bless others.

Our spiritual lives always involve both contemplation and action. We need to know what God is calling us into (contemplation) and then we need to act. A spiritual life missing one of these elements is lacking depth and breath. This week, we are invited to stretch and learn about the Way of Love Practice of Bless.

Here's what our Episcopal church says about our acts of blessing:

Jesus called his disciples to give, forgive, teach, and heal in his name, and we are empowered by the Spirit to bless everyone we meet, practicing generosity and compassion and proclaiming the Good News of God in Christ with hopeful words and selfless actions.

To read about the Spiritual Practice of Bless and watch a video offered by The Episcopal Church, please click here.

Here are ways we have directly blessed our neighbors thus far this year, through direct donation to mission and ministry in our neighborhood and beyond:

Bishop's Trip to Sri Lanka $ 42.00

Community Meals $ 450.00 (most of this came to us through a Feed My Sheep Grant to support our Community Meals -- thank you, Wanda!)

Episcopal Home $ 290.00

King's Kettle $ 100.00

Pine Ridge Reservation $ 455.00

Quilters' donation to the EH $ 448.25

SCAAP $ 40.00

SPO $ 856.69

Total of $2,706.59

There are two more opportunities for supporting the mission and ministry of The Episcopal Home before the end of this year--

1) purchase a raffle ticket for $1 for the beautiful quilt hand-made by our St. Andrew's Quilters (since the tickets are only $1, it means you can buy a lot of them!)

2) Soon we will be collecting money for the Episcopal Home through their Thanksgiving Offering. We are each asked, by Diocesan Resolution, to offer $25.00 per household to the support of this ministry. Let's make our goal for 2019 $2,000.00!

Gathering people into Christ's mission of healing

I so often imagine our parish as a center of healing, for that is what I believe the deep work of God through Jesus was all about -- healing our relationships with each other, our lives with God, our care of God's creation, and even healing the parts within us that so often feel vulnerable and unworthy of God's tender loving mercy.

When I move within and from this perspective of our parish inviting people to be healed within our community of love and trust, rooted in the gift of Christ's redeeming love offered to us through the sacraments, I imagine all the ways we invite people in to this place of grace --

by our care of our buildings and grounds which provide hospitality to those who walk by our property
by our inviting our neighborhood friends into the warmth and grace of our parish community through our Community Meal Program and Christmas Day Dinner
by our offering of Sunday worship services that knit us into the Body of Christ through the Eucharist
by our special Saturday evening services, such as our Contemplative Eucharists and our Taize Services
by our weekly e-newsletter which draws all sorts of people into a particular part of the Body of Christ
by our updated website that shares with the world the invitation to come and explore with us, change us, and help us become all which God desires for us
by our Wednesday evening Spiritual Formation Group which continually expands and is shaped by the people who join in companionship and a yearning to know God more deeply
by our invitation to support our mission and ministry through our pledges and offerings
by our invitation to join our Special Feast Day choirs (Christmas Eve Choir will start rehearsing soon)
by our engaging in our many ministries that proclaim our love of Christ
by our opening our space for the healing work of AA
by our quilting group who gathers us together in our care and love for the ministry center right next door -- The Episcopal Home
by our children & youth program that seeks to form our young people in their faith
and many more ways!

We can be this beacon of healing and connection to many because you support us with your love, compassion, mercy and with your financial pledges.

One are to highlight this week is the amount of Gifts in Kind received by parishioners. When someone purchases something for the church or one of our missions (like our Community Meals), they can submit a form to be reimbursed for their expenses (as long as the purchase was within the budget and scope of the ministry) -- or they can submit a form to have their purchase recorded as a Gift-in-Kind. This contribution will then show up on their Year End Contribution Statement as part of their offerings to the church.

Worship = $69.05

Community Meal = $177.93

Parish Life Events = $588.02

Office Supplies = $150.48

Musician Search Committee = $69.82

Communication = $407.04

Music = $150.00

These Gifts in Kind total $1612.80. This is money which would have been used from our budget (tithes and offerings) and yet was generously donated by members. Thank you for your generous gifts!

Preparing for Sunday

Our Celebration of Veteran's Day

As is our tradition, as part of our Veteran’s Day commemoration , I have asked a veteran to offer the homily. This year I am delighted that Mr. Pat Bonanni will be sharing his wisdom and reflections around being a veteran. We also have the delight of lap robes adorning our pews, lovingly quilted by our St. Andrew’s Quilters, who have donated hundreds (approximately 400) of these small quilts to the VA Hospital. We are grateful for their ongoing ministry of providing warmth and comfort to those in need.

Also, we are thrilled that parishioner, Frank Mazzacua, will receive a Quilt of Valor for his service in WWII. This is such an honor for us to witness this recognition of his service to our country.

Almighty God, you are our strength and our shield. We give you thanks for the men and women of our armed forces, past and present. And we remember all who have died that we may live, all who endured pain that we might know joy, all who made sacrifices that we might have plenty, all who suffered imprisonment that we might know freedom. May their sacrifices serve the cause of peace, and may our nation be ever grateful for their service. With your wisdom and strength guide the leaders of our nation, and give to all nations a desire for justice and peace. Turn our deep feeling now into determination, and our determination into deed, that as men and women died for peace, we may live for peace for the sake of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

To read the lessons in advance, please click here.

To read the sermon from last week, please click here.

To prepare your heart through daily prayer, check out this resource: d365

WORSHIP MINISTERS

8 a.m.

Crucifer: Samantha Davis

Greeter: Aly Howard

Lector: Ivy Kraker

Celebrant: Mother Barbara

Homilist: Pat Bonanni

Eucharistic Minister: Sue Davis

Verger : Bill Gawors

10 a.m.

Altar Guild : Kathy Smith, Jennifer Romine, Edna Guido

Gospel Bearer : Andi Swab

Greeters : Dan Swab, Julianne Swab

Acolytes : Jonathan Luo, Alexander Smeltz, Zachary Rhodes

Lectors : Roseann Sysko, Andrew Smeltz

Celebrant: Mother Barbara

Homilist: Pat Bonanni

Eucharistic Ministers : Ken Dotson, Melisa Dotson

Counters: Melisa Dotson, Jennifer Romine

Coffee Hour: The Luo Family

Verger: Mike Rhodes

There will be "Coffee Hour for Kids" beginning at 11:15 a.m. this Sunday.

There will be a Worship Committee meeting beginning at 11:30 a.m. this Sunday in the Library.

What stewardship really means

We are called to model our giving after God's unconditional generosity to us. Our gifts become sacrificial when we give from what we feel we need: when we give something that we thought we needed for ourselves. Then we realize our security lies not in material goods, but in God.

Christmas Eve Choir

Rehearsals begin in December

Remember how much fun it was to be a part of our St. Andrew's Christmas Eve Pop-up Choir? And remember how glorious you all sounded at these services celebrating the birth of God within our world in the person of Jesus?

I sure do -- and I would love for you to join us again this year -- or for the first time, if you weren't able to participate last year.

Rehearsals will be on Sunday mornings, beginning 12/1 at 11:30 a.m. and will be led by Lisa Turchi and accompanied by Brian Helman.

To hear the glorious music, please click here.

Taize Contemplative Eucharist

Tomorrow Evening 11/9

5 p.m. with reception to follow

Come, rest awhile, settle into the beauty and goodness, celebrate the Eucharist in an intimate setting, and allow the grace of God to settle within and among those gathered. Our music leaders are Brian Helman, Lisa Turchi, and Mother Carenda. It will be glorious and holy.

Stay then for a reception and companionship. All are welcome.

The Gift of Regular Spiritual Reflection

The Examen Prayer

Setting aside time each day to see where God has moved in your life draws us into the awareness that God is actually quite active and present to us, and is calling us into spiritual growth and transformation. We can often see trends and habits forming that can help us know where to focus our attention so we can live in cooperation with God's will for us.

This past Wednesday, we gathered to learn about this ancient spiritual practice and learn many different ways to do this, with the encouragement to find the one that best fits your spirituality type and season in your life. To read the information offered that evening, please click here.

To try it out, please click here.

If you would like to discuss this practice with Mother Barbara, please just let her know. She is very happy to help you grow in your spiritual practices and faithful life.

Visit our website

True Christian hospitality requires a giving of ourselves, an opening up of who we are, a willingness to stretch our sometimes-narrow lives, to step outside of our comfort zones. If we truly try to follow Jesus, our outlook on the world – especially its strangers, its poor, its homeless, its helpless, its needy, even its enemies – will be forever changed.

-Br. David Vryhof, SSJE