Eyes!

There are several "joys" of having had only one cataract surgery: do the old glasses work (not really), can you pop out one lens (didn’t work), do you try a pair of $1.00 glasses (some help), or do you just try to see without any helping lens (depends on what you are doing, especially if it involves a computer screen and other written material).  Hopefully after the second surgery, everything will come back into focus!

Lent is a time for focusing on the many facets of life: what we have to be thankful for, what we may need to repent of, how we can be more careful and thoughtful of others.  Our Wednesday evening Lenten study of Toxic Charity is going to focus on and then refocus our thoughts about charity.

One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 121(especially the King James Version) in which the psalmist uses his eyes to realize that our help comes from the Lord, that God is watching over us, and that he is always there with us.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,

from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord,

which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:

he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper:

the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil:

he shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in

from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Bill Wilds

Vestry Liaison Update - Communications

Statistics You Need to Know:  61% of people say the church website was important in their decision to attend a church.  27% of new attenders are finding the church they attend online first.  63% of traffic to church websites comes from mobile devices. 

Why Those Statistics Should Matter to us at St. Andrew’s:  As a new vestry member and the 2020 Communications Liaison, I am committed to ensuring we provide information about our church to parishioners and visitors through as many media sources as possible. Fortunately for all of us, staff members Rachel Roby and Bill Wilds, along with parishioner Ann Turner, form a dedicated team of communicators, managing and updating numerous powerful communications tools.  These are the tools that do, can, and will help us reach those searching for a church home like ours.

What Are These Powerful Tools?:  Many of us know about these tools, but just in case you’ve missed one or two, the following bullet points contain a brief summary of the source’s location and what type of information it features.

Facebook -- Imagine Facebook as a virtual bulletin board, complete with a calendar of events, photographs, videos, service announcements, parishioner posts, and so much more!  Be sure to “Like” or “Share” the next time you’re scrolling through your newsfeed.

Instagram -- Instagram is built around sharing photos and videos and allows you to follow users that you’re interested in.  Those who “follow” St. Andrew’s find a daily prayer and accompanying, beautiful photographs of our space (among other wonderful offerings.)

Website --  St. Andrew’s website is a one-stop shop for everything you’d ever need to know about our church.  It is accessible from computer, tablet, or mobile device, and you can find links to all the social media resources, church calendar, church history, staff and vestry email addresses, usher, acolyte, reader schedules and so much more!  

Blog --  Since 2016 St. Andrew’s has inhabited a small corner of the blogosphere, featuring a wide variety of articles and content.  Recent posts include “There’s something about Ash Wednesday” or “Greetings from our new Associate Rector, Marc Vance.”  If you’re not reading our blog every once in a while, you’re probably missing out on great information!

Weekly E-Net –  To get on the distribution list, text standrewschurch to 22828 or let Rachel Roby know.

Weekly Printed Net – (mailed weekly with copies available in the Main Street Lobby)  Always a good resource for those who like to turn real pages, scribble notes in the margins, or stick important reminders on their refrigerators!

Sunday Bulletin – (available in hard copy at both entrances on Sunday mornings or on the website here. If you miss a Sunday service but don’t want to miss any important announcements or bulletin content, check out the link above!  You can also listen to a recording of the service on our website.

Lobby TV -- The next time you’re enjoying a cup of coffee at the Sunday Morning Coffee Bar (open from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM September through May), be sure to gaze in awe at the awesome flat screen, flashing announcements, pictures, and all kinds of helpful information.

Lindsey Nicolai

Vestry Liaison Report: Christian Formation

I am very excited about the opportunities we have at St. Andrew’s to learn about our beliefs. One of the things I love most about the Episcopal Church is that it encourages us to use reason to explore and comprehend God’s works. On Sundays at 9:15 the Adult Forum meets in the parish hall where we have open and lively discussions about various topics of our faith. Children’s Chapel meets during 10:30 service where they begin their exploration of God’s works. The Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) has fun exploring God’s works on Sundays from 12:00 to 2:00. On Thursdays at 10:00 there is a Bible study offering an opportunity to explore God’s word. Summer Vacation Bible School traditionally meets at Hilton Presbyterian and St. Andrew’s. VBS is collaborative effort of five neighborhood churches including: St. Andrew’s, Hilton Presbyterian, Hilton Christian, Trinity Lutheran, and First United Methodist.

One area of concern this year was whether VBS would occur. There was no concern about having enough kids but enough volunteers. 

Please consider taking advantage of one of these opportunities so you too can more fully explore God.

Fritz Horne

Vestry Liaison Update – Facilities

I would like to introduce myself as the newest member of the Facilities Team. In this position I will be communicating facility-related information between the vestry and the congregation, sending updates on the state of our buildings and property as needed. I am excited to be working with such a dedicated staff ensuring that our property is safe and protected for all to use.

A few issues we are dealing with right now pertain to water seepage from old windows in the school building. We have addressed most of the water damage and are currently reviewing our next steps on the aging windows.

Our new Junior Warden Steve Howell is meeting weekly with the Warden, Rector and Sexton to identify other areas that need repair for our facility. A full walk around was completed in January and a list of projects was identified.

I always welcome new ideas and suggestions when it comes to maintaining a healthy and safe environment at St. Andrews. As I look around the church, I’ve seen areas of opportunity that need a deep cleaning and/or restoration. One idea proposed was a workday, maybe a Saturday morning, to enhance the appearance of our church. Painting party, anyone?

I am looking forward to a successful year working with our vestry and Junior Warden. 

Thank you,

Joel Duregger

The Great Litany

On the first Sunday of Lent, March 1 this year, we usually will pray The Great Litany during the opening procession at both services.  However, because the One City Marathon is on March 1, we will pray The Great Litany on March 8.

The Great Litany is an ancient form of intercessory prayer, first used in the 5^th century.  Because of its penitential nature, it is especially appropriate in Lent.  The Litany begins by calling upon the Triune God to have mercy on us; continues with petitions for protection from evil and disaster; invokes Christ’s saving work; and includes many general intercessions, including the plea for God to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers.  You can find the Great Litany on pages 148 to 153 of The Book of Common Prayer.  I encourage you to spend some time with it prior to Sunday.

The Great Litany is not a prayer for the faint of heart, but it is a fabulous prayer for those who truly want to turn their hearts again to God.  May that be our aim in this holy season.

Anne