3rd Quarter Budget Forum on Sunday, November 21st  in the Fellowship Hall following the 9:00 am worship service.  Everyone is invited to this important presentation and hear how St. Andrew’s is doing financially at this time.  The hybrid presentation will be offered in-person and also on ZOOM.  Please call the church office at  218-326-8508 or email saintand@saintand.org to receive the ZOOM link if you prefer to attend in that way. 

 

 

    Poinsettias

Each year for the season of Advent, we place poinsettias in the Sanctuary altar area.  Fill out the form below to donate a poinsettia In Memory of or In Honor of a loved one.  Poinsettias are $18.00 each.  Please drop off or mail your order and check payable to St. Andrew’s Lutheran to the church office or call the church office at 218-326-8508 for more information.  Deadline to order is Sunday, November 28.

 

Covid-19 Information:
Consistent with the most recent guidance from the CDC:

Facemasks are recommended to be worn by everyone in indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status.  This includes St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church.

It was the decision of the Congregation Council at its August 2021 meeting that St. Andrew’s Preschool would follow the masking policy of Invest Early/Headstart.  If Invest Early/Headstart requires masks for their students and/or staff, so will St. Andrew’s.  If Invest Early/Headstart does not require masks, St. Andrew’s will not.

It was also decided that our masking policy for our children’s and youth ministries would be consistent with the policy of Grand Rapids school district (ISD 318).  If ISD 318 requires masks for their students and/or staff, so will St. Andrew’s.  If ISD 318 does not require masks, St. Andrew’s will not.  At this time, following District 318 guidelines, all elementary age students are required to wear a facemask when indoors at St. Andrew’s.  This includes Sunday school.

 

   Check out the tree outside the church office for ELCA Good Gifts ornaments.  As members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), we believe that God’s love in Jesus is a gift.  ELCA Good Gifts is just one way you can share that love with others.  Shop ELCA Good Gifts this Christmas for 50 gifts that grow the church, fight hunger and transform lives. 

Choose your gift, take an ornament from the tree (you are welcome to take the ornament home as a reminder of your gift), make checks payable to St. Andrew’s and indicate “Good Gifts” in the memo.  Please indicate what your gift is to support and leave check in the church office.

Also available are cardboard piggy banks to fill with coins and return to St. Andrew’s Lutheran by Christmas.

Your gifts support work in 88 countries.  For frequently asked questions or more information on the church wide ministries the ELCA supports, please visit ELCA.org/goodgifts 

 

   Advent decorating

We have opportunities for fellowship and friends in December starting with decorating the church for Advent on Saturday, December 4th at 9:00 am.  It really is a great time, and it’s a proud feeling when you enter the beautifully decorated sanctuary knowing you had a hand in it.  It’s a way to meet people at St. Andrew’s.  “Many hands make light work” so put December 4th on your calendar.  It’s fun fellowship for all ages.

 

The Scholarship committee is hosting a fundraiser just in time for Advent and Christmas!  How does blueberry lemon bread sound?  Good old-fashioned banana bread along with the ever-so-appropriate seasonal pumpkin bread?  Or cranberry bread?  Who can resist chocolate zucchini bread?  You can buy any of these advent breads for $5.00 each on December 5th before and after the church worship service.  This delicious fundraiser will support church scholarships awarded each year to students in our congregation.  If you will not be in church that morning, feel free to call Polly Sheppard at 218-244-5717, and a special delivery can be set up.  In addition, any donations to this scholarship fund are greatly appreciated as the hope is always to support all students applying for a scholarship.  Make checks payable to St. Andrew’s Lutheran and indicate “scholarship” in the memo line.  Thank you for supporting the scholarship program.

 

MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY – SERVING IN THE CONTROL BOOTH

Are you interested in helping with our audio, video and projection for worship on Sundays and Wednesdays?  This is such an important role!  Members of this team operate the cameras, sound and computer making possible our Live streaming as well as the video replayed a week later on ICTV.  Now that we are gathering again in-person, control booth operators are responsible for what the congregations hears as well as what is projected in the sanctuary. 

Pastor Dave offers training.  Might this be you?  Enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you are part of making worship possible, not only for in-person attendees but also for our Facebook Live streaming.  Please contact Pastor Dave (david@saintand.org) to express interest or to get more information.

 

Women’s Coffee and Conversation Group meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month during the school year.  Join us for our meetings on Tuesday, November 2 and November 16 at 9:30 am in the Fireside Room.  All ages of women are welcome.  Our discussions are based on the gospel lesson for the following Sunday and we use the Daily Discipleship Bible study series.  These discussions enlighten us and strengthen our faith as we apply them to our daily lives.  Questions? please call Eileen Grosland 218-244-4787.  Plan to join us; all women are welcome! 

 

Quilting Ministry:  St. Andrew’s quilters meet Wednesday mornings 9:30-11:30 am in the Fireside Room.  Our mission is to provide quilts to those in need overseas, in other parts of the U.S. and also locally.  We need your help.  No experience necessary; all women welcome.  There is a job for everyone.  If you can’t make it weekly, come when you can.  If you can’t join us at church, we also have quilt top kits you can take home and sew.  They are located in the credenza under the office windows.  Questions? Please call Gail Shoemaker at 218-245-1202.

 

APPEAL UPDATE
 

We are now more than 3/4 through the Appeal we have called “For Such a Time As This.” Through your contributions to this appeal, we have been able to do so many things to grow in our ability to be welcoming and hospitable. This includes:

      • A new roof to the west of the Fellowship Hall (over youth and storage rooms)
      • A repaired roof over the Narthex and a new dry-walled ceiling with new lights
      • The completion of our Sight and Sound System
      • Carpet in the Education Wing, Fellowship Hall and Narthex as well as in the offices
      • New “LP Smart Siding” on the bell tower and wall surrounding the balcony stained glass window
      • Staining of the exterior of the church building
      • Supporting Habitat for Humanity ($10,000), Voyageurs Lutheran Ministry ($6,000) and Itasca County Special Olympics ($4,000) as part of our commitment to giving a full tithe (=10%) of funds raised through this appeal
  • Carpeting has now been completed in the entire building.

Thank you for your continued financial support of the Capital Appeal Fund.

 

Prayer Shawl Ministry

If you are thinking of learning how to knit or crochet with a great group of women who make prayer shawls for people in need, this is your group!

Prayer Shawl Ministry will next meet on Tuesday, December 7 at 9:30 am in the north end of the Fellowship Hall to work on prayer shawls, pray for others, and have some fellowship time.  Yarn is available if you need some.   For more information on the Prayer Shawl Ministry, please contact Marie Flicker or Jean Gardner.

 

 
 
The members of the PRAYER CHAIN are ready to offer their confidential help and support through prayer.  If you believe in the power of prayer, you should join the prayer chain.  
What is the prayer chain?  How does it work?  As a member of the prayer chain, you’ll receive an email with a prayer request.  Then you pray in the privacy of your home.  That’s all that is required.  If you have a prayer request in November, please call the church office at 218-326-8508 and talk to Angie.  She’ll send an email request to the group. 
If you believe in the power of prayer, join the prayer chain.  It’s an easy and meaningful way to do God’s work by caring for others. 
If you’d like to join the Prayer Chain or want more information, please call Jean Gardner at 218-301-6130 or email her at jhg3@paulbunyan.net. 

 

 

EQUAL EXCHANGE COFFEE

         Again this year, WELCA continues supporting the sale of  Equal Exchange (fair trade) coffee along with about  3,100 other Lutheran congregations.  70% of the world’s coffee is grown by farmers with fewer than 25 acres.  These farmers and their families, some 25 million people in South America, Africa and Asia, struggle to make a simple living.  The Equal Exchange program enables farmers to receive a fair price that covers the cost of production and guarantees them a living wage for their labors. This project is a mission outreach, not a fundraiser.  All the monies go to the Equal Exchange program.

Equal Exchange Coffee will be for sale at the Bazaar on Saturday November 6th.  We have regular, decaffeinated, organic, flavored or whole bean coffees.  We also have a few chocolate bars left.  If you are unable to be at the Bazaar and would like to buy Equal Exchange coffee, please call Vicky Lorenz at 651-492-4805 to arrange a pick-up time. 

 

Attention Thrivent Members:   Thrivent Choice Dollars program.  By directing Choice dollars, you can recommend where Thrivent distributes a portion of its charitable grant funds.  St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church is a registered participant in Thrivent Choice.  You have two options: 1) go online to Thrivent.com/thrivent choice or 2) call 800-847-4836 and say “Thrivent Choice.”  Thank you for donating your Choice Dollars to St. Andrew’s.
Also, if you are a Thrivent Member, you may be able to apply for a Thrivent Action Team Grant. Action Team Grants provide ‘seed money’ for events hosted at/by St. Andrew’s. Please contact the church office and let us know you are a Thrivent member so we can help you can take advantage of this program.
 
 
Please help keep St. Andrew’s Faith Chest Ministry vital.  We’re looking for hands interested in building/assembling faith chests that are given to children being baptized at St. Andrew’s.  Building plans are available or create your own style.  Please check with Angie in the church office for desired sizes.  Also, looking for someone to sew pads to put inside the Faith Chests.  If you’re able to help build faith chests or sew the pads, please contact the church office at (218) 326-8508.  THANK YOU!!
 
 
Would you find it helpful to have your offerings debited directly from your bank account as you probably do with other obligations?  St. Andrew’s offers electronic giving for those of you who wish to have contributions transferred electronically to the church’s account.  If you have plans to travel or will be gone during the winter months, electronic giving gives you a convenient way to keep us with your intended offerings.  ”Simply Giving’ is easy and convenient.  If you would like to set up a convenient process for consistent giving to St. Andrew’s, please contact the church office at 218-326-8508.