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Clickable Table of Contents |
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Join us in person for worship every Sunday at 10:00am, or on Zoom & Facebook.
Visit our website, www.standrewspdx.com, for an online bulletin. Click on 'bulletin' on the right side of the home page. |
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Thoughts from Pastor Sarah |
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Dear Kindred in Christ,
We are nearly half way through the season of Lent and officially now in the season of Spring. I did log on to Zoom last night to begin a mid-week offering of Visio Divina, a practice of praying with images inspired by scripture, but no one joined me. This was ok as it allowed me to attend a concert at Grant High School with several high school choirs hosted by the semi-professional chamber choir, In Medio. Do any of you want this mid-week guided prayer option? If no one lets me know that they do, I will not prepare for it in the coming weeks. If anyone wants it, I will be on Zoom at 6pm on Wednesdays ready to facilitate prayer and reflection. But please do tell me Sunday or drop me an e-mail or text if you plan to participate.
Today's devotional question on the devotion cards from Sanctified Art was "What is in your comfort zone and what are your growing edges:
thinking about faith,
feeling your faith, or
acting on your faith?" For me, I'm in my comfort zone thinking and acting, but realized, upon prayerful reflection, that feeling is more of a growing edge. Fear or anxiety can surge and displace faith, even when my head is well oriented and I'm acting out of my faithful convictions. Perhaps you respond to the prompt differently, but I imagine for a lot of us, the world of feeling has been turbulent of late. We are in the messy middle as our Lenten series keeps reminding us. God is with us in everything. May we access and trust God's presence.
Here is the poem offered for our reflection this week, written by the Rev. Sarah A. Speed:
Slow Growth
There’s a vine in the South that covers everything.
It chokes out the light. Grows up to twelve inches per day.
In a matter of years, it will blanket a forest.
If you saw it from space, you’d marvel at its reach.
If you saw it from the passenger seat, you’d weep at what it covers.
Those looking for fast shade plant this invasive vine.
Who can blame them? We’re all impatient.
But if it’s fruit you want—
the tart cherry,
the sticky sweet kumquat,
the soft side of a peach,
the crisp bite of an apple—
then bless the rain.
Thank the sun.
Put your hands in the dirt,
and wait.
As spring dawns and many of you have dirt under your finger nails and visions of summer's bounty as you plant seedlings and tend fruit trees now blossoming, I think you know something of the immense amount of faith involved in gardening-- the hard work and the restful waiting. Paul used this as a metaphor in 1 Corinthians when he talked about the spread of the Gospel. He said he planted, someone else watered, but God gives the growth. And so it always is, right? With literal and metaphorical growth.
Saturday we will witness to the resurrection and celebrate the life of Carol Studenmund, one beloved by many of you. She herself was a magnificent gardener-- both literally and metaphorically, it seems to me. I hope you can join us Saturday at 1pm to honor her memory.
I'll be on Zoom from 10-12 tomorrow for coffee chat and, of course, will be leading you in worship Sunday at 10. Three chances to connect this weekend, hope you'll access at least one or two! We'll be back in the sanctuary this week.
In Christ, Pastor Sarah |
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SCRIPTURE
March 23
Luke 13:6-9
March 30
Luke 15:1-7
Read these passages online here |
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SUPPER CHURCH
Join us for SUPPER CHURCH this Sunday, March 23, at 5PM in the Lounge by the Chapel. We’ll celebrate one another, share fellowship, prayer and praise. Sunday’s story is about JESUS AND MARY AND MARTHA. We’ll have a story-related craft activity for the children, a chat time for the adults, AND a special family gift for Lent/Easter.
We’ll have food from a neighborhood restaurant, so please click here to RSVP.
Hope to see you Sunday. Guests are welcome... please RSVP!
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PARKING LOT WORK PARTY - THANK YOU!
Thank you to St. Andrew's volunteers and the 14 Scouts and parents from Troop 150, and the 17 Cub Scouts and parents from pack 599, that helped with the parking lot last weekend. Spending more than 70 person hours, a lot of invasive Teasel was removed and curbs were cleaned so that water enters the bioswales as designed. The scout trailer was completely full of yard debris - thanks! |
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SW HOPE UPDATES AND UPCOMING EVENTS
We are almost halfway through the SW Hope food and fund drive! Our community has joined with many others in the Southwest area of town to support the Neighborhood House Free Food Market to help those forced to do without. There are a variety of ways you can get involved.
Click here for a full list of SW Hope events.
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Donate money or food items
You can make monetary donations by check, or online at the St. Andrew's website. Make sure to designate that it is for 'Neighborhood House'. Non-perishable food items can be dropped off in the barrel in the narthex. Money donations are the most efficient way to help, but actual food items are also very useful as they can immediately go on the shelves of the Free Food Market as they are emptied. |
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Dine Out to Donate
Enjoy a meal at local restaurants, and 10% of your meal price will be donated to SW Hope. Spread the word and bring your friends!
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SW HOPE 5K
Saturday, April 12 – Oregon Episcopal School
Kids’ Run – 10am | Adult Run – 10:30am
Registration is open for this annual event for all ages. The 5k and Kids Fun Run will be held again at the beautiful Oregon Episcopal School campus in SW Portland. New this year – a bunny-themed costume contest with prizes in the kid and adult categories! Runners and walkers welcome! Click here to register.
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SACRED ORGANIZING COALITION ADVOCACY DAY
Help us build an Oregon where all belong! Join the Sacred Organizing Coalition for our first ever Advocacy Day, which will take place in Salem, Oregon on Monday, April 7. We will gather across the street from the Capitol at First United Methodist Church at 9:30am (check-in starts at 8:30) for a time of inspiration and storytelling before meeting with our legislators to talk about our priorities in the afternoon. Click here to register. For more info contact Pastor Sarah. |
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PALM SUNDAY POTLUCK WITH VALLEY COMMUNITY AND MULTNOMAH PRESBYTERIAN
Mark your calendars! After the Palm Sunday service on April 13th, we will have a community potluck with Valley Community and Multnomah Presbyterian, who will be joining us at St. Andrew's for worship that day.The main dishes and beverages will be provided and all are invited to bring a side dish or dessert to share. We will also be hearing about each congregation's upcoming ministry events, including a presentation from Neighborhood House about SW Hope. The planning team is working on other fun and exciting details, so stay tuned for more info to come! |
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Learning & Fellowship Opportunities |
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ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP
There is still time to join this robust discussion group! Please read chapter 3 for our next discussion, ideally early in the month, and then spend some time trying to do one or more of the next steps she proposes. We hope to see you there! |
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MEN'S BIBLE STUDY
The men's Bible study group meets every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, at 7:00am on Zoom. Their current focus is on the book of Jeremiah. Contact Larry Kelley for more information. |
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COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
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CHOIR NEWS
Join the St. Andrew’s choir. All are welcome! Rehearsals are immediately after worship. Simply talk to Don Feely or meet us in the choir room downstairs after the service.
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NEXT STEPS IN ENNEAGRAM EXPLORATION
Join us on the 4th Sunday of each month, at 1:00pm on Zoom, for our monthly Enneagram discussions. We are reviewing various aspects of Enneagram theory, focusing especially on the many triads in the system.
**Due to a scheduled funeral on March 22nd, we will be holding our next discussion on March 29th, the fifth Saturday of this month**
Two areas for future discussions are the lines of each type and the countertypes of each type. As we prepare, you're encouraged to focus on the lines of your type, the two types to which you are connected in the symbol. It's ok to just show up and not do any study this month too! Don't know what any of this means? Join us and find out! |
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SERVING OUR NEIGHBORS AT WEST WOMEN'S & CHILDREN'S SHELTER FOR OVER 50 YEARS!
Our connection to WWCS goes back from the 1970’s to the 1990’s when the Windjammer Mariners, many of whom still worship here at St. Andrew’s, would deliver 5 gallons of milk every week for the women and children living at the shelter. More recently during the Covid pandemic, many members and friends of St. Andrew’s made and delivered casseroles, snacks, bread, and salads for the residents and the volunteers who serve them on the weekends when there are no paid kitchen staff. At times, other necessities such as hygiene items, children’s toys, and puzzles have been donated. For the last 13 years or more the residents of West Women and Children’s Shelter have been the recipients of our Giving Tree donations. 35 gifts were provided for Christmas 2024. On behalf of St. Andrew's the Mission Team continues to allocate an annual monetary gift to support the shelter.
Our current, ongoing ministry is continuing to deliver pre-made casseroles and other food and household items to the shelter on a monthly basis. Ask any of us who have made the deliveries and you will hear how grateful and joyful are the volunteers who meet us to accept our donations.
We would love your help. If you’d like to share in serving our neighbors at WWCS, check out the link here. Joy Abounds!
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SOUTHWEST OUTREACH SHOWER PROGRAM
Southwest Outreach is an active civic group connecting with our neighbors living outside in SW Portland through visits, conversation, relationship-building, and a weekly shower program at Riversgate Church in Multnomah Village. This group began with just a few volunteers and a few participants and has blossomed into a fully developed program that makes a difference in the lives of our unhoused neighborhs in SW Portland every week. One of the Riversgate pastors recently made a video documenting how people have been impacted by SW Outreach: |
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The weekly shower program is a welcome day center for people being displaced in our area. Our guests find a few peaceful hours to get a shower and a hot meal, connect with resources and engage in conversation. If you are interested in volunteering with this important and effective group, contact Sandy Steinecker or Marilyn Palumbo. You can also contact them if you’re worried about someone in the neighborhood who might be houseless and needing help. St. Andrew's is the fiscal sponsor of SW Outreach. You can make money donations through our website, choosing 'SW Outreach' in the drop-down menu. |
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MULTNOMAH SAFE REST VILLAGE UPDATES - MORE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN WINTER & SPRING
St. Andrew's supports the Multnomah Safe Rest Village in partnership with the Friends of Multnomah Safe Rest Village. Here are ways to help:
- NEW MSRV COMMUNITY SPACE needs help: With the Multnomah Safe Rest Village at capacity, they now have received permission from the City to use a storage building at the back of the site for a community area. It will be a big improvement over the open-air shack they’ve been using; they’ll have a real place to socialize, relax, and hold meetings, classes, and special meals. It’s going to take a lot of work to get it ready, and they’re asking for help furnishing it—there’s no money from the City or County for that. There is a “Meal Train” for neighbors to make donations of furniture, carpets, TV, board games, and other times—if you have things you no longer need and are planning to give away, please check the list and sign up! Once you volunteer an item, staff from the MSRV will send instructions about how to deliver.
- ANOTHER GARDENING PROJECT:Working with City Shelter Services and Westside Watershed Resource Center, we’ll have another work party, on a Saturday (TBA) in March, to continue planting in the small green space on site. Participants are of course invited and encouraged to be part of this project. We have several volunteers from FMSRV already signed up, and as we get closer we may invite a few more.
- FILM SHOWING THIS SPRING, date TBA - Understand the challenges of homelessness for older people: Plans are in progress to host a showing of an excellent short film produced by Humans for Housing.
No Place to Grow Old depicts the growing epidemic of people who are aging and find themselves without housing. The filmmakers interviewed three people who know the challenges first hand (one has found housing since the film was made, and is now working part time as a Street Books Librarian), as well as some nonprofit managers who know the big picture. We’ll post a date and location soon.
- NEXT FEAST for MSRV Participants and Staff: MSRV Participants are provided with one hot meal a day, and other than that they’re on their own. They manage well enough; some have a small income or savings, and they have access to such food programs as Neighborhood House, Blanchet, and others (plus Monday sandwiches from FMSRV). The “Special Feasts” brought in by FMSRV are popular and welcomed, a nice change from the usual. FMSRV members who contribute get a buzz from knowing they’re helping to cheer up difficult lives. We aim to put on a feast each quarter, so the next one will be in March or April; watch for announcements in this newsletter and on our Facebook page.
- SANDWICHES: We continue Sandwich Mondays, proving a few dozen sandwiches around lunch time. Sign up HERE for instructions. Bring a dozen or so sandwiches, with a focus on healthful, protein-rich items. You’re also welcome to supply chips, drinks, cookies, etc, if you like. Also, keep in mind that many Participants have serious dental issues, so it’s helpful to have some things that are easy to chew.
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ZIPLOC MINISTRY
Saturday, April 5
10:30-12:00-Ziploc bag filling and donation drop-off
Each month St. Andrew's sends large Ziploc bags filled with essential items to our ministry partner Operation Nightwatch, who then distributes them to the houseless people who utilize their services. Thanks to generous donors, along with additional Neighborhood Ministries funds, we receive enough funding each month to cover these costs. We are grateful to be able to continue this important work.
So what can you do to help? It has been brought to our attention the constant need for donations of new socks and new men's boxer-briefs, for many of our ministry partners. These can be dropped off at our first Saturday Ziploc bag filling, at worship on Sundays, or during office hours.
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ST. ANDREW'S QUILTERS
The St. Andrew's quilters meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 9:30. Their beautiful creations are donated to organizations that provide warmth to those in need. All are welcome to join them! Contact Gail Planck for more information. |
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Virtual Gatherings & Events
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10:00am Worship
(also in person)
Friday, March 21 & 28
10-12pm Virtual Coffee Chat, Zoom
Sunday, March, 23 & 30
1:00pm Inquirers Class, Zoom
Wednesday, March 26 & April 2
6:00pm Lenten Visio Divina, Zoom
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FLOWERS FOR SUNDAY WORSHIP
If you would like to recognize a special occasion or person (i.e. birthdays, anniversaries) or memorialize a loved one by placing flowers on the chancel, please contact Bev Ruggles to confirm a date. Contact the office for Bev's phone number if you don't have it. |
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PRINTED COMMUNICATIONS BY MAIL
Did you know that we can send printed copies of the bulletin and eNews through the mail? There is a list of people who receive these each week, and there's room for more. If you would like to have us mail you a printed copy of the weekly worship bulletin and/or a text version of the eNews, contact the office and we'll put you on the list! |
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ST. ANDREW'S NAMETAGS
Would you like to make a new friend? Wearing your nametag each Sunday at worship can help. You can request a new nametag this coming week. They are being made for visitors and/or members of our worship community. Please contact Katy in the office or Connie Blumthal for a new (or renewed) nametag.
"Make new friends,
but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold."
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NATIONAL SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE
People experiencing a mental health crisis have a way to reach out for help in the U.S., by calling or texting the numbers 9-8-8. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. It will function much like 9-1-1, but is solely dedicated to addressing mental health needs. Click here for more information on this potentially lifesaving program, and help spread the word. |
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RIDES TO CHURCH
Do you or someone you know need a ride to church on Sundays? If so our Deacons are on hand to give rides to church to those who need one. If you would be interested in receiving this service, or know someone else who would, please let us know so we can get you on our list. If you would be interested in being a driver, please let us know that too. Contact the office, Merrie Backer, or Larry Kelly to sign up, or if you have any questions.
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Member Database Access is available anytime. Contact the office to get set up. |
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For on-line giving please visit:
standrewspdx.com/give
Thank you for continuing to support the ministries of St. Andrew's through your online donations and checks sent by mail.
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Katy Rustvold, Office Administrator/Neighborhood Ministries Coordinator
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