Per CDC guidelines and Minnesota’s Governor Walz ‘Stay at Home’ order, St. Andrew’s is currently closed to ALL in-person activities and gatherings.  Pastor David Anderson, Nikki and Angie are all working remotely from their homes at this time but we can all be reached via email and/or phone.
Pastor David Anderson   david@saintand.org  (218) 838-8202
Nikki Rud, Children Youth & Family Ministries  nikki@saintand.org  (218) 259-9129
Angela Olson, Parish Secretary   saintand@saintand.org  (218) 999-5352

 

WE WELCOME YOU to WORSHIP at St. Andrew’s!  A special welcome to visitors and guests. If you don’t have a church home in Grand Rapids, we invite you to consider St. Andrew’s. If our pastor can be of assistance to you in any way, please don’t hesitate to call the church at (218) 326-8508.

 

WORSHIP with us via FACEBOOK LIVE

9:00 am Sunday
6:00 pm Wednesday
 
 
Women’s Coffee and Conversation Group meets the first and third Tuesdays at 9:30 am via ZOOM. 
All women welcome.  The group is led by Eileen Grosland.  Contact Eileen if you would like an invite to the group at grosland@paulbunyan.net or call her at (218) 326-4797. The group will meet Tuesday, September 1 and September 15.
 
 

 

BOOK GROUP with Pastor Dave

    • This is your invitation to be part of an online book discussion group with Pastor Dave. Dear Church is a timely book in the history of our country, in the wake of #BLM, George Floyd, Jacob Blake, et.al. Dear Church is a timely book in the history of our denomination – the ELCA – as we are the “whitest denomination in the U.S. Dear Church is an easy book to read – it’s only 150 pages of fairly large print. But Dear Church is a difficult book to read – because it is convicting as it exposes our own biases and prejudices. Will you dare to read it and discuss it?
    • Here’s an overview of the book from online:  Lenny Duncan is the unlikeliest of pastors. Formerly incarcerated, formerly homeless, and formerly unchurched, he is now a black preacher in the whitest denomination in the United States: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Shifting demographics and shrinking congregations make all the headlines, but Duncan sees something else at work–drawing a direct line between the church’s lack of diversity and the church’s lack of vitality. The problems the ELCA faces are theological, not sociological. But so are the answers. 
    • Part manifesto, part confession, and all love letter, Dear Church offers a bold new vision for the future of Duncan’s denomination and the broader mainline Christian community of faith.  Dear Church rejects the narrative of church decline and calls everyone–leaders and laity alike–to the front lines of the church’s renewal through racial equality and justice.
    • It is time for the church to rise up, dust itself off, and take on forces of this world that act against God: whiteness, misogyny, nationalism, homophobia, and economic injustice. Duncan gives a blueprint for the way forward and urges us to follow in the revolutionary path of Jesus.
    • Each Zoom meeting will be 6 PM – 7 PM on six consecutive Thursday evenings September 17 – October 22.
    • To participate, please email Pastor Dave (david@saintand.org) so he can email you the login information to join these Zoom meetings. You will also need to acquire a copy of this book. It is available on Amazon in paperback ($12.89) and for Kindle ($9.99).
 
 

FINK 2020-2021 It’s gonna be different!

Our confirmation ministry for 7th, 8th and 9th grade students normally starts up at this time of the year.. Due to COVID-19, it will be a bit different this year in two specific ways:

Online   Actually it will be much like it was last Spring. FINK Nites will begin with RECHARGE worship on Facebook Live Wednesdays at 6:00 PM, and then continue with the FINK presentation and small group breakout rooms on Zoom.

Starting later in the Fall and ending earlier in the Spring. FINK will start Wednesday, October 21 and go through Lenten Faith Mentoring. We will be done at Easter. We will have the same number of FINK Nites as we have in the past. It’s just that we will be more flexible with scheduling Service Projects and Fellowship Events. They may happen in September and October, April and May, and on days other than Wednesdays.

There is a FINK orientation scheduled for Sunday, September 6 at 2:00 PM for ALL 7th, 8th and 9th graders and their parents. This will be an outdoor meeting, if our building is still closed to events.

 

New Carpet in the Sanctuary – Can You Help?

We have collected enough funds through the Capital Project to replace the carpet in the sanctuary. AMEN!! That blessing creates this “ask” for help!  The carpet installation is scheduled to begin September 15th. On Thursday, September 10th at 9:00 a.m., we are planning to remove the pews and (ideally) carpet from the sanctuary.  We would appreciate 12 or so people that day to help. We would also appreciate 12 or so people to help reinstall the pews on Saturday, September 19th at 9:00 a.m.  If you can help with either or both days, please contact Kim Jamtgaard at 218-244-3355 or email her at kim@wildwoodresort.net.

Later, new carpeting will be installed on the altar area in the sanctuary so we will be looking for help again. Please be watching for announcements on that closer to the October 12th installation date.

 

APPEAL UPDATE

We are now more than halfway 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

The next project will be new carpet in the sanctuary. If we do the work of removing the pews and old carpet, the main sanctuary (minus the chancel/altar area), it will cost $15,461. We have the funds needed and will be looking for assistance on September 10th at 9:00 am to remove the pews and old carpet (see information elsewhere in this newsletter). We also have the funds to cover cost and installation of new carpet on the chancel/altar area. Help will be needed prior to October 12th installation. Please be watching for more information on that. It will be great to complete this project during the time we are not gathering in the sanctuary for worship.

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

 

 

 

Sign up for Sunday School!

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be starting our Sunday School year off with a bi-monthly meeting and posted intro and music videos from Nikki through Facebook and our website. For your child to receive the free mailings with the lessons, craft and necessary supplies, follow this link. https://forms.gle/6QMkSCM2CLaz4GJG6. Please make sure to list each child along with their grade level and birthday.

All kids (both members and non-members) from 3 years old through 5th grade are welcome to be registered.

 

 

Storage Shed/Container:

Even during this time of pandemic, St. Andrew’s continues to provide for our youth and congregation through different means of outreach. However, with all the positive things happening, we continue to have a storage issue at St. Andrew’s. One thing that would really help us out is an additional place to store some of the things we use intermittently but need to keep nearby. Things such as the Spud Shack and all its accessories, extra signs, banners, odds and ends… all these things are important to our ministries, but we have limited space to store them. Many of our things are currently stored in member’s homes, garages and attics. While this is a wonderful and gracious

thing for them to do, we wonder if we could ease the burden by being gifted or obtaining a decent shed or storage container that someone no longer uses. Please keep your eyes and ears open for a way we may be able to find a gently used shed or storage container for a fair price. With growth comes extra stuff and with extra stuff comes the need to store it! Thanks!

 
 

Prayer Shawl Ministry

I’ve been reluctant to encourage giving prayer shawls because I’m wondering if it’s safe…to give a shawl made by my hands to someone who needs the love and comfort of a prayer shawl into their hands.  Would I be spreading the virus to someone with an already lower immune system?!?! 

I know there are members of the church and friends we could be sharing this ministry with in a way safe for them.  It won’t be how we like to give prayer shawls (hand to hand, wrap the shawl around the person and say a prayer), but we can drop it at their door, porch, garage, wrapped in a bag, and it can sit there for a period of time until they feel safe to bring it into their home.  God’s love, comfort and caring are woven into each stitch. 

So if you would like a prayer shawl for someone in need, you can contact me, Gail Olijnek, at 218-326-2431 or by e-mail at golijnek@cpinternet.com, and we can work something out.
 
 

Members of the PRAYER CHAIN are ready to offer confidential help and support through prayer. Please call Jean Gardner at (218) 301-6130 or Gail Olijnek at (218) 326-2431 with prayer requests.

 

 

St. Andrew’s received a $250 Thrivent Action Grant. We were able to order almost 200 school supply items which will be donated to the Stuff the Bus drive. Contact Angie for more information.

 

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.