Called to Worship. Sent to Witness. Led to Welcome. | | |
Preparing for Pilgrimage
Greetings from Edinburgh on the Feast of Nativity of Saint John the Baptist! I am about a month and a half into my sabbatical (Day 48, to be exact), and, in just a few hours, I will be heading south from Edinburgh to Melrose (via train to Tweedbank). From there, tomorrow, I will embark on one of the most anticipated opportunities of my sabbatical – my pilgrimage along Saint Cuthbert’s Way, which runs about 65 miles from Melrose to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne—passing along many of the places where Saint Cuthbert traveled and ministered over the course of his life in seventh century Northumbria.
From Thursday of this week through Tuesday of next week, I will spend a good portion of each day hiking across the beautiful landscape of the Scottish and English borderlands—with my shortest day’s journey being about 7 miles and my longest day being closer to 16 miles. Then, after crossing the Pilgrim’s Way spanning the wet (and sometimes muddy) sands that are passable only during low tide, I will arrive at the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, where I will spend two nights before making my way back to Edinburgh (with a possible side trip to Durham Cathedral, where Saint Cuthbert’s body is entombed) and then home again.
I have done much reading, reflection, and prayer as I have prepared for this journey in faith, and, as I embark, I wanted to invite your prayers in the days ahead—for health and safety, of course—but mostly that I would experience and know God’s presence along the way. (Some images of the books that I have been reading are included with this reflection. One of them, A Pilgrimage into Letting Go: Helping Parents and Pastors Embrace the Uncontrollable by Andrew and Kara Root, was inspired by their pilgrimage on Saint Cuthbert’s Way a few years ago and has been especially appropriate for this time in my life. Appropriately, as I was typing these words about embracing the uncontrollable, the fire alarm at the hotel just briefly interrupted me.)
In my preparations for this trip, I was grateful to find that there was, within walking distance of my Edinburgh hotel, a Scottish Episcopal Church (Saint Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral—see additional images) with regular weekday morning eucharists—so I was able to stroll over there earlier this morning. Since I had not consulted the feast day calendar in advance, it was a pleasant surprise to find that, as I prepare for this dedicated time in the wilderness, we were celebrating that great saint of the wilderness, John the Baptist. (Though I don’t plan to eat any locusts on my pilgrimage, I do expect that some of the Inns and B&Bs where I will be staying along the way may offer some local honey with breakfast!)
As we continue to answer God’s call to prepare the way of the Lord both in our hearts and in the world around us, the Song of Zechariah (Morning Prayer Canticle 16, BCP 92), which was part of this morning’s service, offers apt guidance. According to the account found in the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel, John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, after an extended time of silence over the course of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, was inspired by the Holy Spirit to offer the prayer that we now regularly recite as the Song of Zechariah, concluding in the hope that “the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
As I continue to seek God’s guidance in the way of peace in the days ahead, I hope that the words that John the Baptist spoke of his Savior would also be my guide, “He must increase … I must decrease.”
Thank you again for the gift of this time.
Grace & Peace,
Fr. Gary+
P.S. If you want to see more images from the pilgrimage in the upcoming days (as well as others from my sabbatical), you can follow my Instagram account @fathergary
| | Worship & Formation Schedule with Links | | |
Sunday, June 28 - The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
8:30 AM Low Mass, Rite II
10:30 AM Sung High Mass, Rite I (livestream available)
Wednesday, July 1 - The Feast of Pauli Murray
5:30 PM Healing Mass, Rite II
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| Prayer Requests & Resources | |
The following people have been commended
to the prayers of the parish:
| Bambi, Bob, Brian, Charlie, Chuck, Cleve, Don, Doug, Holly, Jim, Jodi, Joe, John, Joyce, Lyra, Margaret Lee, Margaret, Marvin, Mary, Nancy, Patt, Sarah, Shawn, Terry, Theresa, and Wade | | |
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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6/25 Michael Delello
6/27 Laura Carlson
6/30 Star Broyles
6/30 Linda Fitzsimmons
6/30 Davis Roeske
7/1 Lisa Brandon
7/2 Hampton Randall
7/5 Amelia Trammell
7/6 Cheryl Banks
7/9 Robert Whitmire
7/11 Mia Buck
7/12 Charlie Shields
7/14 Lila Armstrong
7/14 Olivia Lomady
7/15 John Blackburn
7/15 Sarah Montjoy
7/16 Phil Buck
7/16 James Muhleman
7/19 Sara Conrad
7/20 Caroline Gosnell
7/22 Anne Marie Currier
7/24 EJ Sherer
7/25 Carolyn Prosio
7/27 Cindy Henry
7/27 Emily Shields
7/27 John Siegel
7/27 Anna Whitmire
7/28 Johnny Buck
7/28 Mary Jo Totman
7/29 Quincy Buck
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Congratulations, Father Tommy Watson!
Congratulations to former Saint Andrew's parishioner and seminarian, The Rev. Dr. Tommy Watson! Father Tommy+ joined Saint Andrew's in the fall of 2017; after entering the discernment process in 2019, Father Tommy was ordained to the priesthood in December of 2024.
Father Tommy+ has recently accepted a call to serve as Associate Rector of Christ's Church in Rye, New York. You may read the formal announcement linked here. Please pray for Father Tommy as he begins a new ministry at Christ's Church. Thanks be to God!
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Book Club | Sunday, June 28 | 1 PM | Home of Riley Owens
Due to conflicts on the first two Sundays in July, book club will be meeting Sunday, June 28 folllowing the 10:30 AM Mass. We are reading One Foot In Eden by Ron Rash and will meet at the home of Jens Zander and Riley Owens (256 Glenbrooke Way). Please reach out to Kay Friddle with any questions.
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Back to School Supply Drive:
Now until August 2
St. Andrew’s is once again partnering with Christ Church
Episcopal to fill 150 backpacks for students in need of school supplies.
Our Goal is to collect 150 boxes of 24 Count Crayola Crayons by Sunday August 2.
If you wish to contribute Crayons, please bring boxes to the Parish Hall. Questions? Reach out to Jenny Peer.
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Parish Office Schedule: Fourth of July
The Parish Office will be closed Friday, July 3, in observance of the Fourth of July. We will resume normal office hours on Monday, July 6.
| | Save the Date! | Parish Summer Potluck | Sunday, July 12 | Following 10:30 AM Mass | Parish Hall | | Join us Sunday, July 12 following the 10:30 AM Mass to celebrate the anniversary of Saint Andrew's first worship service! This potluck lunch will be a fun time of celebration. We will provide fried chicken and drinks for everyone. Please plan to bring a dish – casserole, vegetable, other side item, or dessert – to share! Contact Riley Owens with any questions. | | |
Save the Date!
- Backpack Blessing Sunday | Sunday, August 9 | During 10:30 Mass
- Youth Back to School Bowling Gathering | Sunday, August 23
- Annual Pledge Campaign Kick-off | October 4
- Bishop's Visitation | November 1
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A Note on Parish Name Tags
If do not have a name tag, have misplaced yours, or need something changed, or if you requested a name tag previously but have not seen it on the board, please let email Frances Twomey, our Director of Communications.
Thank you for helping us build a more connected and hospitable parish!
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New Saint Andrew’s Parish Directory Available
The 125th Anniversary Edition of Saint Andrew’s Parish Directory now available. Please let us know if you have not gotten your copy yet! You can pick up one per household from the Parish Office.
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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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Thank you, Davis Roeske,
for nearly 20 years of service to
Saint Andrew's!
If you have ever attended the 8:30 service, you likely have met our eldest usher and reader, Davis Roeske. Davis and his wife Jackie have been vital members of Saint Andrew's for nearly 20 years.
In addition to his steadfast service, Davis brings great joy to all those he meets (especially when inviting each pew forward for the Holy Eucharist).
Happy Birthday Davis!
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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
| | Notes Along the Way | Ora et Labora | Five years ago, the candidates for the ninth bishop of Upper South Carolina gathered with the Search Team at Gravatt Camp and Conference Center. When Amy and I met up in Columbia afterward, I told her that every candidate was clearly there in response to some part of the diocesan profile. | | | Living the Reign | Your Diocesan Newsletter | University Hospital in Mirebalais (HUM) shut down. Patients relocated. Doctors relocated. Families relocated. Many went north to Cange in the Central Plateau. In a matter of weeks, a system designed for stability absorbed a surge that would cripple most communities. Patient volumes spiked. Water demand surged. Logistics tightened. Supply chains strained. | | | Get Strategies and Workshop Ideas at The Learning Lab | Second Session, August 29! | You and your ministry team are welcome to join the Diocesan House at The Learning Lab - The Episcopal Operating System! Over the course of the next year, we'll provide experts in each field to discuss topics relevant to the operation of every congregation. | | | |
As we begin another summer season, we are grateful for the volunteers, donors, staff, and supporters who make this work possible. Thank you for being part of the Project Host family. We look forward to sharing stories, milestones, and plenty of smiles with you throughout the summer months. | | | |
Altar Guild Volunteers Needed
The Altar Guild is currently looking for people who may be interested in serving with them. If you are interested, or have questions, please reach out to Lesley Moore or Linda Fitzsimmons.
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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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