Called to Worship. Sent to Witness. Led to Welcome. | | |
An Update On What Comes Next (or Doesn’t) for Me
This week I wrote to the Society of St. John the Evangelist to inform them of my decision not to accept their invitation to enter the monastery at this time. I realize this is a rather surprising announcement, as I myself was surprised to arrive at this conclusion, but it was reached with prayer, discernment, and counsel, and I have peace that it is the right decision to make.
Simply put, I have come to the conclusion that this has all happened too quickly, that now is neither the time to enter monastic life, nor to definitively reject it. The entire timeline we have been operating on has always been determined by the end date of my curacy. This was a totally external factor that, at the end of the day, did not align with the internal process of discernment. I have been in ordained parish ministry for two years, I have served one parish, I traveled to SSJE (and New England) for the first time in my life and met the brothers scarcely six months ago. I am 32 years old, 12.5 years younger than the general cut-off age for entry into the Society. These past two years have been a time of trial and error, of learning and experiencing, of getting my bearings.
I do not regret starting the discernment process for the monastery when I did, but the fact remains that I am at present barely acquainted with the life I would be leaving behind. I think it’s worth noting that my spiritual director, a 79 year old Poor Clare nun, has been supportive of me throughout this process while also raising the concern several times that it was moving too fast and that perhaps I needed more experience and formation as a priest before entering religious life. I always talked my way out of this, but I began our most recent session by telling her that she did, in fact, have a point. If, while thinking about entering later this year, I felt, as I eventually came to, that I was being rushed (by time, not by the community), then the natural and sensible move is to step back and revisit the question of monastic life at a later time. This door does not close forever if I choose not to walk through it in September of 2025.
Choosing to explore my options for another job in ministry during the last month and a half of my current one has opened the door to a tremendous amount of uncertainty, yet it gives me peace to realize that I have options, that whatever bumpy road is ahead, I have not painted myself into a corner. I believe that God drew me towards SSJE, and I believe that whatever role the community will end up playing in my life, it is God who is now drawing me towards something else planned for me at this time.
I am immensely thankful for my experience with SSJE, and I will continue to pray about whether or not God’s call for me includes a monastic vocation, but one of the wisest things I have learned from this process is to take only the step that is in front of me. I think it proper to put this box on the shelf, trusting that God will let me know when the time comes to take it down again and explore its contents. In the meantime, it feels quite clear to me that God still has both work for me to do and work to do on me outside of monastic life, and I trust that whatever unfolds will be for His glory, my salvation, and the life of the world.
That being said, a lot is up in the air right now. I am discerning, praying, and engaging in conversations about what comes next, but this is the only information I am able to share publicly at this time. I will update everyone as things progress. You are all in my prayers, and I am so grateful I have been able to stay here as your curate for the summer. Please keep me in your prayers as well.
-Fr. Tyler
| | Worship & Formation Schedule with Links | | |
Sunday, July 13 - The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Saint Andrew's 125th Anniversary Sunday)
The Rev. Fr. James Lyon, guest preacher
8:30 AM Low Mass, Rite II
10:30 AM Sung High Mass, Rite I (livestream available)
12:00 Noon Parish Anniversary BBQ Lunch
Tuesday, July 15
8:30 AM Morning Prayer, Rite II (livestream available)
Wednesday, July 16 - Feast of Macrina of Caesarea (observed)
5:00 PM Rosary
5:30 PM Healing Mass, Rite II
Thursday, July 17
8:30 AM Morning Prayer, Rite II (livestream available)
| | Prayer Requests & Resources | |
The following people have been commended
to the prayers of the parish:
| Andrew, Bobbie, Bob, Brian, Charlie, Chuck, Deirdre, Dick, Don, Felix, Holly, Jim, Jodi, Joyce, Leigh Ann, Lyra, Margaret Lee, Margaret, Marvin, Mary, Nancy, Patt, Robin, Shawn, Sylvia, Wade, Winona | | |
To add someone to the Parish Prayer List, please contact the office.
To add someone to the Daughters of the King prayer list, please e-mail dok@standrewsgreenville.org
There is also wooden box in the Narthex where you can fill out prayer cards.
The Daughters will add your names to their prayers.
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07/01 Lisa Brandon
07/05 Amelia Trammell
07/06 Cheryl Banks
07/09 Robert Whitmire
07/11 Mia Buck
07/12 Charlie Shields
07/14 Lila Armstrong
07/14 Olivia Hazlewood
07/15 John Blackburn
07/15 Sarah Montjoy
07/16 Phil Buck
07/16 James Muhleman
07/19 Sara Conrad
07/20 Caroline Gosnell
07/22 Anne Marie Currier
07/24 EJ Sherer
07/25 Carolyn Prosio
07/27 Cindy Henry
07/27 Emily Shields
06/27 Anna Whitmire
06/27 John Siegel
07/28 Johnny Buck
07/28 Mary Jo Totman
07/29 Quincy Buck
07/30 Tommy Watson
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Upcoming Anniversary Special Events:
- Sunday, July 13 | At Both Masses | Guest Preacher, Fr. James Lyon, Rector of Good Shepherd (Columbia) | & Following the 10:30 Mass | Parish Lunch to Celebrate the 125th Anniversary of Saint Andrew’s First Worship Service
- Sunday, August 10 (Backpack Blessing Sunday) | At Both Masses | Guest Preacher, Mtr. Molly McGee Short, Chaplain at Saint Andrew’s Sewanee Episcopal Boarding School
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Sunday, September 7 | At Both Masses | Guest Preacher, The Rev'd Dr. Ben King, Professor of Church History at Seminary of the Southwest (Dr. King is a scholar of Anglo-Catholic history and previously preached at Saint Andrew's for Fr. Gary's installation as Rector in 2016.)
- Sunday, October 19 | At Both Masses | Guest Preacher & Celebrant, The Rev'd Trey Garland, Former Rector
- All Saints Sunday, November 2 | At Both Masses | Guest Preacher, The Right Rev'd Dorsey Henderson, Former Bishop of Upper South Carolina
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125th Anniversary Sunday with Guest Preacher and Parish Lunch
This Sunday, July 13
On the evening of July 7, 1900, the newly-formed Saint Andrew’s Mission held its first worship service in Ferguson Hall above a storefront on Pendleton Street. Then, five years later, in July 1905, the worship service took place in the newly-constructed Saint Andrew’s church building. In special recognition of the 125th anniversary of our first worship service—and in continued celebration of our 125 anniversary year, we will welcome Fr. James Lyon of Church of the Good Shepherd (Columbia) as our guest preacher. In addition to being the other Anglo-Catholic parish in our diocese, Good Shepherd is also where our founding rector, The Reverend Alexander Mitchell, served before coming to Greenville. Following the 10:30 AM Mass, we will gather in the Parish Hall for a catered BBQ lunch! (No need to bring food this year!) Please contact Riley Owens with any questions about the lunch.
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Current Clergy Schedule
Fr. Gary is away on a clergy retreat through Saturday, July 12, but will return for services on Sunday, July 13.
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Second Sunday Harvest | July 13 | Sterling School Supplies Stockpile
As the children of the Sterling Neighborhood return to school, we are partnering with Christ Church for a School Supplies drive to send them off all ready to learn! For our Second Sunday Harvest in July we will be collecting 24-count boxes of Crayola crayons. Help us reach our goal of 150 boxes. A donation table is located in the parish hall.
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Part-Time Job Openings at Saint Andrew’s
As Fr. Gary previously announced The Call, Saint Andrew’s is seeking to fill several part-time positions on our staff. For more information about the job opportunities, please click on the link below.
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Coffee Hour
Volunteers Needed!
Please consider volunteering to assist with refreshments and set up for our coffee hour fellowship following the 10:30 AM Mass. A sign up sheet can be found on the “Welcome” bulletin board in the Parish Hall or online at the link below.
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UPDATED: Parking at Saint Andrew's
For detailed parking instructions, click here.
***PLEASE NOTE - West End Baptist Church, which owns the parking lot around Saint Andrew's, has reduced the parking lot area available on Sundays to the area closer to South Main Street--with the back part of the parking lot (against Rhett Street) no longer available. As a result, please enter the parking lot via South Main Street. The map linked below has been updated to reflect that change.***
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Note: You need a parking decal to park in the designated lots. They can be found on the shelf to the left of the doors as you exit the church.
| Sunday Altar Flower and Presence Candle Dedications | |
On Sundays, we have the opportunity to offer a special dedication of the altar flowers or presence candle in honor, memory, or celebration of loved ones. The cost to the church for altar flowers is now $100 per Sunday, so we are suggesting that donations for dedicating altar flowers be in the range of $50 to $100 to help us cover those costs. The suggested donation for a presence candle dedication is $10.
If you would like to sign up for a Sunday, please see the sign up sheet on the bulletin in the Parish Hall or click on the button below. You may place a check in the offering plate with "Altar Flowers" or "Presence Candle" noted in the memo.
We will continue to only have Altar Flowers if someone has signed up and paid for the arrangements. As a result, we will need to know by the Tuesday prior to the upcoming Sunday if you would like to sign up.
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Invitation to Submit Future Parishioner Postings ...
If you have news of important milestones or work that you would like to share with the parish, please let us know!
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News from the Wider Church
and from Our Ministry Partners
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Living the Reign | Your Diocesan Newsletter | | | |
Notes Along the Way | Rule and Kindness of God | Every human being is made to rule in their life. Jesus tells the disciples that they will sit on thrones judging the tribes of Israel. Paul chastises the Corinthians for taking their disputes to court against each other, allowing non-believers to settle their cases they are meant to judge. | | | |
Notes Along the Way | What America Means | The radical idea of the American republic was that there would no longer be patrician and plebeian, nobility or commoner. "All men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights" is the political axiom of the Republic - hence the constitutional provisions barring titles and enumerating those rights. | | | |
LETTER FROM THE CEO Dear Project Host Friends and Supporters, This month, we're inviting you behind the kitchen doors for a closer look at the heart of Project Host - our Soup Kitchen, where we serve 100-140 hot, homemade meals Sunday-Friday. | | | |
Allen Temple AME Church 150th Anniversary | Eventbrite - Allen Temple AME Church presents Allen Temple AME Church 150th Anniversary - Saturday, July 19, 2025 at Avenue, Greenville, SC. Find event and ticket information. | | | |
Choir | Rehearsal on Sundays at 9:30 AM
We are always seeking additional volunteers for the Saint Andrew’s choir, which currently gathers on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM (and not on Wednesday evenings) to prepare the music for the 10:30 mass. This more limited time commitment provides an excellent opportunity for prospective new members to “try us out.” If you have questions, contact the Parish Office—or just show up on Sunday morning!
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Volunteers Needed
Feed Thy Neighbor
Founded in 2010, Feed Thy Neighbor is a cooperative effort of the Episcopal community in Greenville. Parish volunteers from Saint Andrew’s, St. Peter’s, St. James, and Christ Church feed the hungry each Saturday from 7:30 to 8:30 AM. We are seeking volunteers to help serve and clean up. Please contact the office if you would like to volunteer: office@standrewsgreenville.org.
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