March 27, 2025

The Children's Place Column

The school year is flying by at The Children’s Place Preschool! The children seem to grow in size and knowledge daily. It has been a joy to watch this growth in the children as well as the staff coming together as a team. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight a few exciting events in the life of the preschool.

Summer at TCP For the first time, TCP is offering 6 weeks of preschool during June and July. Each week will focus on a storybook character and students will read a different book with that character each day of the week. They will explore the stories through math, science, fine arts, literature, and movement. Enrollment is open now and spots are almost full!

2025-2026 Enrollment Opens April 1st TCP is enrolling for next year beginning next week! Please help us spread the word! We offer classes for age 1 through kindergarten. Registration applications are available on our website: thechildrensplacedenton.com.

Spring Social – April 4th Please consider supporting our wonderful school by attending our Spring Social on Friday, April 4th from 5:30-7:30pm. There will be a grilled meal, a raffle/auction, games, face painting, Ms. Sue’s desserts for sale, and more! Come and spend an evening with children and their families and support this vital mission of St. Andrew. (See the bulletin and Shield for more details.)

Spring Social Meal Tickets:

https://checkout.square.site/merchant/TGJSQNEX1WTSN/checkout/RLFKPP6S4L3YAWT3FDS4CH6D

Donations:

https://checkout.square.site/merchant/TGJSQNEX1WTSN/checkout/VYESFM2KS65QLT3YM2K2HELO

Raffle Tickets

https://checkout.square.site/merchant/TGJSQNEX1WTSN/checkout/QCQQZPSXGS7ZLCC32ZL54NYO

Silent Auction

https://www.32auctions.com/TCPspring2025

I hope you will visit our website and also “follow” TCP on Facebook. We have a lot going on and your support makes it all possible!

Peace,

Kirsten

Preaching Schedule

March 30, 2025

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Luke 15: 11-32

"Lenten questions: 

Why do you treat me like this?"

A dramatic interpretation sermon

April 6, 2025

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Isaiah 43: 16-21 and John 12: 1-8

"Lenten questions: 

“Do you not perceive it?"

April 13, 2025

Palm Sunday

Luke 19: 28-38 and Luke 23:32-43

"Lenten questions: 

“Why are you untying the colt?"

and

"Why do you betray me?"

April 17, 2025

Maundy Thursday

5:30 Dinner and service

in the Fellowship Hall

The rituals of footwashing or handwashing will be available

John 13: 1-17

"Lenten questions: 

Are you going to wash my feet?"

April 18, 2025

Good Friday

Tenebrae Service

"Lenten questions: 

“Why do you forsake me?"

7:00pm, Prelude

7:30pm, Service of Tenebrae

April 19, 2025

Easter Vigil

Stories, campfire, and s'mores

April 20, 2025

Easter

8:30am and 10:45am

services in the Sanctuary

Brass accompaniment

John 20: 1-18

"Easter question: "Why do you weep?"

9:30am Brunch in Fellowship Hall

During Lent, the "Lenten Questions" preaching series will explore questions from the lectionary texts that ask us how we are preparing to meet the Risen Christ.

Sunday Schedule

Sunday, March 30

Fifth Sunday Mission Project

Sunday, March 30 at 9:30am

The Mission Committee is hosting a Fifth Sunday Mission Project on Sunday March 30, 9:30 a.m., in the Fellowship Hall. During the Sunday School hour, we will be packing hygiene kits to be donated to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA). We hope you will join us on March 30! Breakfast items will be served!

Worship Service

Sanctuary, 10:45am

Super Wednesday

Wednesday, April 2

Dinner at 5:30pm

Menu: Chicken drumsticks, rice, broccoli, salad, rolls, pie

Activities for Children

Nursery for infants & preschoolers,

Room 102, 5:30pm-7:30pm

Noel Choir, grades K-1st, Children’s Choir Room, 

Kirsten Trachsel, 6:00pm

Recreation Grades K-1st, Malicia Curran,

6:20pm

Activities for Youth

Middle School and High School

Rec Center and The Den @ 6:00pm-6:30pm

Fredrick Sanders presents "Convergence"

with guest artists Roland Guerin, bass, Philip Dizack, trumpet, and Brad Leali, saxophone

Join Fredrick Sanders, composer, and guest musicians who will discuss the fusion of Gospel and Jazz, exploring its rich historical and musical context. He showcases his journey by bridging formal and non-formal learning. This conversation highlights music's cultural diversity and its gradual development, emphasizing its transformative power to transcend boundaries and foster meaningful connections.  The Cara Mía Theatre Co. of Dallas, has commissioned his latest collaborative work for their 2024 Latinidades Symposium. Sanders's work is entitled "Convergence." This work studies the crossroads between humanity's Sacred, Soul, and Secular Art behavior.

Bridge for Beginners

led by Joyce White and Alison McStravick

Room 207

Women’s Book Study

The Book of Joy

by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams

Amy Cole and Amy Fair

Library

Chancel Choir Practice

Adult Choir Room

7:30pm

Prime Time

Friday, April 4

Prime Time is a group for our older adults that gathers over an informal lunch for fellowship and as an opportunity to meet other people in the congregation. We will gather on Friday, April 4, at noon at Cartwright's Ranch House on Denton Square (111 N. Elm St, Denton, www.cartwrightsranchhouse.com).  Since this is a very popular lunch spot, the restaurant asked for a firm number of attendees to assure that we are able to sit together. We hope you can join us! Please RSVP to Brad Dunn at (acapulcosunset@gmail.com) by April 2 if you plan to attend.

Lattner Memorial Fund Organ Concert

Sam Gaskin

Wednesday, April 9, and Thursday, April 10

We are thrilled to welcome Sam Gaskin back to St. Andrew as part of our Organ Series concert.

A graduate of UNT and former organist at St. Andrew, Sam was awarded a prestigious Fulbright grant to study in France. He is currently pursuing Artist Diplomas in both organ and jazz studies at the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Versailles.

Join us on Wednesday, April 9, when Sam will present as part of our Super Wednesday series, and again on Thursday, April 10, at 7:00pm for a stunning concert.

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience Sam’s extraordinary artistry and celebrate his return to St. Andrew!

Meal Sign Up for Maundy Thursday

Thursday, April 17

5:30 pm, Fellowship Hall

Please use the link below to register for the Maundy Thursday dinner in Fellowship Hall. The menu includes a ham or turkey sub, chips, and a cookie (vegetarian and gluten-free options are available). Deadline to register is Sunday, April 13.

Easter Potluck Breakfast

Easter Sunday is fast approaching.  It is time to celebrate our 2^nd Annual Easter Potluck Brunch between services.  It was a rousing success last year thanks to all of you that contributed food.  Let’s do it again!  You can drop off your breakfast treats before the first service and someone will be there to greet you.  Tables will be set up in Fellowship Hall and we can once again greet each other with Easter Joy! Questions? Ask Lisa Dorr, dorll@yahoo.com.

Vacation Bible School 2025

This year’s curriculum is titled “Waves of Wonder VBS: Living in God's Light." At Waves of Wonder VBS, we will explore scriptures in which God provides water for plants, animals and people. Through worship and drama, story, art, science, games, music and mission, our campers will deepen their understanding of the importance of water and be invited to join God in caring for this precious natural resource. 

Join us for VBS, June 23 - 27, 9:00am-Noon. Registration kicks off the week at 8:45am on Monday, June 23 in the Narthex. We'll also have a VBS wrap-up Event on the evening of Friday, June 27. Questions? Contact Alison McStravick, alison.mcstravick@gmail.com, or Sarah Anne Adams, sarahanneadams@me.com. Sign up your student today using the link below!

Bell Ringers Needed

The Worship & Music Committee hopes you have noticed the intentional bell ringing at the start of worship. If you are interested in serving in worship in this manner, and are middle school aged or older, we invite you to attend a training Sunday, April 6, immediately following the worship service. Questions? Contact David McCullar at macs50@verizon.net.

Pickup Your Items from the Lost and Found

The work room off the Narthex will be cleaned out on Monday, April 7. Please pick up your items from the lost and found. All items left will be donated!

Easter Music and Flowers

The Worship and Music Committee invites you to give to the St. Andrew Easter Music and Flower fund. Let’s fill the sanctuary with beautiful lillies and festive Easter music. You are invited to honor or remember family and friends through your donations to this campaign. To do so, fill out a form and put it in the folder in the church office. The deadline for donations is Sunday, April 13.

Chancel Flower Giving Opportunities Are Available!

Celebrating an anniversary or a birthday? Celebrating a person's or ministry's contribution to the church? Wanting to remember a loved one? Consider giving chancel flowers! Chancel flowers provide an ideal opportunity to commemorate that event, loved one, or ministry during a worship service at St. Andrew. A sign up sheet is available outside the church office. Questions? Please contact the coordinator, Lynn Carrico, lwcarrio@gmail.com.

Acrylic Yarn and Crochet Hooks

Needed for Nursing Research Project

Shawn Flader, a physical therapist with Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Denton, is assisting with a nursing research project that is investigating whether knitting/crocheting groups can help facilitate a nurse's sense of belonging and self-compassion. The project will be recruiting nurses to participate in weekly crochet groups over a 12-week period. The nurses will be taught to crochet squares. These squares will later be sewn into blankets and each group will then decide where to donate the blankets, perhaps to NICU babies or to a homeless shelter. They are currently looking for donations of acrylic yarn and crochet hooks for use in the project. If you have an extra skein of acrylic yarn lying around (or a partially used skein), the Mission Committee will be collecting the yarn and hooks in a basket in the Narthex. The collected yarn and hooks will be collected by Shawn in the next few weeks. Questions – please contact Kirsten Brown at brownke@lisd.net.

Footsteps of Paul in Greece

October 8-21, 2025

Registration closes: June 21, 2025

Join the group from St. Andrew on a guided tour designed to experience the earliest home of Christianity outside of Israel. This 14-day pilgrimage traces the footsteps of Paul across Greece, including the ruins of Ephesus, Philippi, Thessaloniki, Berea, and more. On the way to Athens, we will spend time in the Meteora region, with its Byzantine monasteries, and we will explore the Acropolis, Roman Forum, Mars Hill, ancient Corinth. The pilgrimage concludes with a 3-night cruise including Mykonos, Ephesus, Patmos, Crete, and Santorini. Questions? Pickup a brochure in the narthex or contact Lisa Patterson or Richard Culp.

Denton Christian Preschool Supply Drive

We are gathering supplies needed for the students at the Denton Christian Preschool. These items will be collected in through March and include the following: glue bottles, Play Doh, 9X7 composition books, washable markers, dry erase markers, red or green pocket folders, watercolors, crayons, toilet paper, white construction paper, AA batteries, 9 Volt batteries.

You may either donate supplies or give financial donations for supplies. Your financial donations can be made via Realm by visiting the give page and choosing "Denton Christian Preschool" from the fund drop down menu.

These items may be placed in the Christian Preschool bin outside of Fellowship Hall. If you have questions, please contact Jim White at: acewalton1965@gmail.com.Thank you for your generosity.

Mother’s Day Gift Bags

St. Andrew provides Mother’s Day Gift Bags each year for “Friends of the Family” to give encouragement and bring a bright spot into the lives of homeless and less fortunate moms in our community. We are requesting help from the congregation in the form of new personal care and beauty products, or a monetary donation would be appreciated as well! Personal care items can be placed in the Narthex (Mother’s Day Gift Bag Box) or you may give online at standrewdenton.com/give by selecting "Mother's Day Gift Bags" from the fund drop down menu. The deadline for all donations is Sunday, April 13. For more information, contact Caia McCullar at macs50@verizon.net or the church office. Thank you for giving!

CPR & AED Training for St. Andrew Members & Staff

Training on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) will be held at the church on March 27 from 5:30pm to 9:00pm. The training will be conducted by David Becker, Denton Fire Department Assistant Chief. The cost of the training will be $50 per person to be paid on the training date. American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED Accreditation is available with the training.

If you are interested in receiving the training or need more information, please sign up by contacting Jonny Ramsey at 940-206-4468, jramsey18@verizon.net, or by signing up on the sheet available on the office hallway bulletin board by March 5.

Ed Moorehead Scholarship

We are pleased to announce that a scholarship fund for graduating high school seniors has been established in memory of Ed Moorehead by his wife, Mary. Those of you who knew Ed will undoubtedly remember him as a mentor who inspired countless young people through his genuine interest and involvement in their lives. We are grateful for Mary’s generosity in establishing this meaningful endowment as a lasting legacy and fitting tribute to Ed’s life of service to others.

St. Andrew’s seniors are encouraged to apply for this renewable scholarship, which will be available for the first time this spring. Students who wish to be considered will need to complete an application, write an essay, and provide two adult references - one from St. Andrew and one from their high school. More than one student may be eligible to receive this scholarship in any given year.

To apply, fill out the application using the link below. Return applications to Darhyl Ramsey, d.ramsey2@verizon.net.

Items Needed for Our Daily Bread

The diaconate is collecting items for Our Daily Bread. Items may be donated in the box in the Narthex. Current needs are: travel size shampoo, travel size body wash, ethnic hair care products, women's new underwear (sizes S, M, L), men's new underwear (all sizes), sports bras (all sizes), food safe rubber gloves, napkins.

Give-a-Meal - $2.29

There has been an update to February's total! St. Andrew donated $1,587.69 to the Give-a-Meal program in February! Thank you for supporting the needs of those who are experiencing food insecurity during this time. A monetary donation of $2.29 feeds a person in need for a week. Donations can be made by mail or online. Please write Give-a-Meal-a-Month on your envelope or check when giving by mail. To give online, visit standrewdenton.com/give and be sure to choose Give-a-Meal from the fund options to the right of your monetary donation.

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