“God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.” – Genesis 1:31 

Dear Friends in Christ, 

On April 22nd, we celebrated Earth Day and we remember through our faith the wonder and sacredness of all of God’s creation. The Creation Care Committee at the Diocese of Virginia leads and guides the larger Diocese on caring for creation. In addition, as a parish, we always include a component of Creation Care in our prayers and we take steps, even small steps, in our parish life and individual lives to observe and care for God’s creation. 

While we observe a day in our secular lives, we are drawn daily into the wonder of all of God’s creation, including our own humanity. The gift of creation is awe-inspiring. I encourage you to engage the awe of creation in some way this week, whether it be pausing to observe a Spring flower or closing your eyes and feel the sun on your face. We remember that we too are part of God’s creation and are “very good.” 

I look forward to seeing you at church this weekend and out in God’s creation. 

Faithfully yours,

Saturday, April 27th

@ 6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Sunday, April 28th

@ 8:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist: Rite I

@ 9:00 a.m. - Bible Study

@ 10:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist: Rite II

@ 11:30 a.m. - Sunday School / Coffee Hour

@ 1:00 p.m. - Confirmation Class

@ 4:00 p.m. - Choral Evensong at St. Paul's, K Street

Wednesday, May 1st

@ 9:30 a.m. - Morning Prayer

Links to our online services and Bible Studies are available on our website.

Opening - We know that Christ is raised and dies no more (Hymn 296)

Sequence - Lord, whose love through humble service (insert)

Offertory Anthem - O sons and daughters, let us sing (arr. Sir Charles Villiers Stanford,1852-1924)

Communion - Now the green blade riseth (Hymn 204)

Communion - Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life (Hymn 487)

Closing - Christ is alive! (Hymn 182)

This Sunday, April 28th will be our last day of Sunday School for the 2023-2024 school year. Thank you to all of our teachers who made this year possible. We will have an appreciation day for you in early June. Stay tuned!

On Sunday, April 28th, at 4:00 p.m., the Adult Choir of St. Andrew’s will travel to St. Paul’s, K Street in Foggy Bottom to appear as the guest choir at Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. St. Paul’s is home to a storied music program of international reputation and has offered Evensong and Benediction regularly since 1936, one of the rare parishes in the country to do so. This will be a fantastic opportunity for both our choir and parishioners to experience a different flavor of liturgy at a nearby parish, and all are invited to support the choir! Music will include works by Gabe Simerson and William Bradley Roberts as well as Charles Villiers Stanford’s mammoth anthem “For lo, I raise up,” the most ambitious work the choir has presented in recent memory.

* Parking is limited, so carpooling or taking the Metro is recommended. *

Save the date: our annual Spring Clean-Up will take place on Saturday, May 4th (rain date May 11th). We will be working both inside and out, so dress appropriately. More details to come.

Volunteers are needed for Amy's Farewell Celebration next week on Sunday, May 5th. Let's make sure Amy's send-off is as special as she is! Please consider lending a hand by signing up here: http://tiny.cc/FarewellAmy.

As we prepare to bid adieu to our dear Amy Tibbetts, who has been an integral part of our St. Andrew's family for the past 22 years, with 7 of those years spent as our Director of Family Ministry, we want to show our gratitude and joy for her incredible service. Join us for a heartwarming Farewell Celebration in the Parish Hall after the 10:00 a.m. service. Your presence would mean the world to us. Hope to see you all there!

The Assistant Rector position for Children, Youth, and Families is advertised and we are accepting applications.

Thank you to Doug Wood, Betsy Cotten, Martha Turner, Jewell Gould, Jeff Reba, and Katie Campbell, for serving on the discernment team and providing prayerful guidance. In searching for the person God has called to serve in this ministry, we acknowledge there are four open positions for every priest in search of a position. We do have several applications thus far and we ask you to keep the process in prayer.

Thank you everyone who helps in the kitchen by taking home tablecloths to wash. Just remember to return them to the kitchen closet in a timely manner! We are missing quite a few of them.

This Mother’s Day, help us sweeten the day for Mothers who need a little extra treat. St. Andrew’s will collect chocolates (i.e., Godiva/Lindt or your special Chocolate treat, individually wrapped) for ECHO to deliver throughout May to mothers supported by ECHO services.

A donation basket is in the hallway at St. Andrew’s. The last day to drop off chocolates will be Mother’s Day, May 12th.

At Shrine Mont, where time seems to stand still and connections deepen, our annual parish retreat is a cherished tradition—a time to rejuvenate our spirits and forge bonds with fellow parishioners.

As we strive to maintain the essence of this beloved experience, we invite you to join us in supporting the Shrine Mont Designated Fund. Your donation, whether large or small, ensures that we can continue to provide the enriching programming and memorable experiences that define our retreat. Please consider donating today to help us preserve the magic of Shrine Mont for generations to come. 

Donate to the Fund here.

Register for the Retreat.

Our Youth Car Wash will happen during the 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. services on Sunday, May 19th. All youth (grades 7th – 12th) and their parents are encouraged to participate. Funds raised will support year-long youth programming and the Group Mission trip.

Click here to volunteer: http://tiny.cc/carwash2024

Please join us for some multi-generational fellowship and refreshments immediately following the 10:00 a.m. service each Sunday! Fellowship will provide coffee, tea, and cold beverages; However, we need volunteers to provide the snacks (for children and adults). Use this link to sign up: http://tiny.cc/h4apwz. Thanks!

Our Pre-K and Nursery class, which watch our youngest members from 10:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Sundays, needs helpers. We have a paid staff member, but for the safety of everyone, we need one helper with them throughout the morning. Teen volunteers (14+) can earn service hours for their work.

Starting next week (May 5th), class will end after the service is over. Click here to volunteer: http://tiny.cc/babywatch-spr24.

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:

• Mailing your check to our church office (6509 Sydenstricker Rd, Burke, VA 22015)
• Hand delivering cash or checks to the church mailbox (cash or check should be sealed in an envelope marked with your name)
• Using your bank’s online bill-pay feature
• Using St. Andrew’s online giving feature. You will be asked to provide your email address, an amount, date of gift, whether it is one-time or recurring, and a fund. In the fund box, you can click the arrow at the right-hand side to see the drop-down menu (the current options are Pledge and Plate Offering). The next page will give you the option of paying via your bank or debit/credit card. Please note that St. Andrew’s will pay fees on these transactions and you will be asked if you would like to increase your donation to offset these fees.

emily@standrews.net | www.standrews.net

(703) 455-2500