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
 
 

You are all invited to be part of St. Andrew’s outdoor RECHARGE worship at Camp Hiawatha on both Wednesday, August 5 and Wednesday, August 26 at 6:00 PM. We will be outdoors and practicing good physical distancing as a precaution due to Covid-19. Bring your own chairs or blankets. Feel free to come any time after 5:00 PM, and bring your own picnic supper if you’d like. We did this last month and had 68 people there. What a joy to worship in the presence of and with others. For those who do not worship at camp, you can watch worship as usual on Facebook Live, as we will be live-streaming both evenings. For those coming to camp, invite others to be part of this too!

 

 

Summer Bible Study

The Monday Night Bible Study began a five lesson series Monday, June 29.  The study will be held on Monday nights (see schedule below) at 6:30 pm using ZOOM which can be accessed with computer (audio and screen) or phone (audio).  Contact Angie at saintand@saintand.org if you are interested in participating in the remote Bible study series.  You will then be included in the private email invite.  Enjoy the convenience and comfort of your home while experiencing the fellowship of group Bible study.  Come join us, you are ALL welcome! 

Scriptures and Worship

Gathering                      Leader:  Barry Olson

June 29                Ministry of the Church & Gathering in Jesus Name

Word                           Leader:  Carol Leber

July 13                 Readings, Responses, Prayers, Peace

Meal                             Leader:  Cathy Snowden

            July 27              Fellowship, Offering, Giving Thanks, Meal, Lord’s Prayer

Sending                         Leader:  Barry Olson

            August 10         Sending, Proclaiming the Good News, Making Disciples        

Holy Baptism                Leader:  Pastor Joan Gunderman

            August 31          Baptized into Christ, Spirit of the Lord,

            I am the light of the world, Let your light shine before others

 
 

An online book discussion group with Pastor Dave. Each Zoom meeting will be at 6:00 PM on four consecutive Thursday evenings, beginning July 16. 

July 16 – chapters 1 and 2 (15 pages total) “Where Do We Start?” and “Reading the Old Testament”

July 23 – chapter 3 “Jesus and the Gospels”

July 30 – chapter 4 “Reading the New Testament”

August 6 – chapter 5 “Where Do We Go From Here?”

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 little book. It is available on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle. The author is N.T. Wright.  Let’s think biblically and theologically about our current life situation, and encourage one another in our learning and growing as followers of Jesus!

 

 
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.
 
 

 

 

APPEAL UPDATE

We are now 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
  • New dry-walled ceiling in narthex 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 (to be completed in the next week or so!)
  • 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) will cost $15,461. We already have $8,884 available, leaving a balance of $6,577. It would be great if we could raise these funds so we can do this project during the time we are not gathering in the sanctuary for worship. If this is a project you feel strongly about, and have the means, perhaps you would want to help make this happen financially.

 

 

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!

 

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.