Greetings!

This Sunday:

This Sunday, we will honor our veterans with an act of remembrance at the beginning of our services. As in previous years, we will distribute poppies as symbols of our gratitude and respect for their service. Our time of remembrance will also include a moment of silence, as we give thanks for all who have served with courage and selflessness, and as we remember the gift of peace and freedom their service has helped to protect.

Thought for this coming weekend:

Despite my ambivalent attitude to the fall, there is much to love about it. The shortened daylight lends itself to a justified lumpishness. In the summer I can feel a little guilty about time spent on the sofa when I could be running, swimming, hiking, reading on the dock or deck, golfing, doing yard work, etc., etc. I feel none of that between the beginning of standard time until daylight savings time returns; queue up the Hallmark movies, endless hours of watching college football, etc., etc.

And yet, perhaps this shift in pace is not laziness at all, but grace. The natural world is teaching us something the church has always known: we are not created for constant motion. Creation slows; trees release their leaves; animals rest and hibernate; this hemisphere darkens and waits for its time to spring into life again. We, too, are invited into a gentler, quieter, rhythm. In a season when we might judge ourselves for not doing enough, God speaks, almost imperceptibly, "Be still and know that I am God."

As we settle into earlier evenings, and perhaps, for some, quieter weekends, may we see them as gifts. Without an ounce of guilt, sit with the book, or Christmas special edition of your favorite magazine, linger over that cup of tea, watch that game, light a candle, or take that nap. Sometimes holiness looks like showing up; sometimes it looks like slowing down enough to notice the presence of God in the quiet.

May this season draw us not only inward for rest, but also deeper into peace, gratitude, and the simple joy of being held in God’s care—even in the lumpishness.

Yours, Sarah

Regular meetings and gatherings, unless otherwise announced

Sundays • 9am adult Christian learning • 9:45am Kids’ Place • 9:45am church school • 11am coffee hour • 4:30pm Confirmation • 4:30pm Rite-13 • 5:45pm youth group

Thursdays • 12pm beginner’s Bible study • 5pm children’s choir • 7:30pm senior choir

First and third Saturdays at 8am • men’s Bible study

Second Tuesdays at 11am and second Wednesdays at 7pm • Open Bible Study 

Links for the 10am Sunday service AND Morning Prayer

To Contact Staff

Visit our website here, or sign into your Realm account here.

• The Holy Eucharist is celebrated on Sundays at 8am and 10am (also online). Morning Prayer and the 5pm service are on their regular schedules. (Use the QR code for a link to our YouTube channel.)

• Parish office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9am to 4pm (the doors are locked at 1 pm) and Friday, 9am to noon (church access by appointment) unless otherwise announced. Tuesday at noon is the deadline for all materials for the bulletin, the e-Pistle, or any email for the following Sunday. 

• 12-Step Programs  Men’s AA, Wednesdays at 8pm; Women’s AA, Thursdays at 7pm; Emotions Anonymous, Saturdays at 9:30am; Sober Sisters AA, Saturdays at 10:30am.

Dorothy Day

November 8, 1897–November 29, 1980 

Dorothy Day was a journalist, a Roman Catholic reformer, and a cofounder of the Catholic Worker and its associated autonomous communities. She believed deeply in social justice and strived to cre-ate communities that reflected those beliefs. She was born on Nov-ember 8, 1897, in Brooklyn, NY. On her own initiative at the age of ten, she started attending an Episcopal church where she was baptized and confirmed at age 13. In college, Dorothy rejected organized religion because she didn’t see “religious people” helping the poor. Her conversion to Catholicism is documented in her autobiography, The Long Loneliness. She dropped out of college after her second year and worked as a journalist on staff at several Socialist publications. In 1917, she was arrested for picketing at the White House on behalf of women’s suffrage and sentenced to 30 days in jail. She was released after 15 days, 10 of which she was on a hunger strike. The FBI monitored the Catholic Worker Movement from 1940 to 1970 and Day was jailed four times in those 30 years. She was jailed 11 more times for her activism; the last time, at 76, standing on a picket line with Cesar Chavez.

She was an important figure in the history of feminism and non-violent protests and she provided a platform for activists and pacifists. She devoted her life to serving the homeless and the poor, and was a tireless advocate for peace and justice. It was a deep belief of Day’s that non-violence, pacifism, and anarchism, aligned with Christianity, would result in a radical shift to a new order.

Her feast day is November 29.

When asked, Didn’t Jesus say that the poor would be with us always? Dorothy Day replied, Yes, but we are not content that there should be so many of them. The class structure is our making and by our consent, not God’s, and we must do what we can to change it. 

Christmas Remembrance Flowers

We hope you will consider a contribution in memory of a (deceased) person, or in thanksgiving for a (living) loved one to be published in the Christmas Eve bulletin. Please fill in the PDF form here, or the paper form in the narthex, and submit names electronically to Elizabeth Guydan at altarflowers@standrewswellesley.org by Monday November 17. To submit a donation (the amount of your contribution is at your discretion) please follow these instructions.

• Snail mail the form with your check (“Christmas flowers” in the memo)
• Pay online, in Realm (log into your Realm account, click on “giving” then “+give” and select “Christmas Flowers/Remembrances”) 

Hungry Neighbors

Here are two excellent nonprofits which are helping to feed our hungry neighbors: The Greater Boston Food Bank and The Wellesley Food Pantry. Please go to their websites to learn more. —Adrian Robbins-Cole

Thanksgiving Meals for St. Stephen’s

This year we continue our long holiday tradition of donating Thanksgiving meal kits to families at our sister parish, St. Stephen’s in Boston, and families connected to their youth programs. We will provide 100 kits with either a turkey or equivalent gift card, plus a bag of fixings (rice, beans, peas, cranberry sauce, corn muffin mix, and fresh potatoes, carrots and onions).

Help this effort through donations (use the Holiday Dinners envelopes in the pews, or send checks with “Holiday Dinners” in the memo), and by coming downstairs after the November 23 St. Andrew’s Day service to help pack the bags for delivery! Donated funds also support the Christmas gift bags we give to St. Stephen’s seniors. We also need a few drivers. Please send an email to Herb Manning. Thanks!

9am Adult Christian Learning

Today, November 9, join us for Inside Prison Walls: Healing & Hope. Mary Scanlon and Karen Palmer will share their ministry work with us. On Sunday, November 16, Adrian Robbins-Cole will lead a discussion on our fall book, Inner Excellence. Join us for every class or just for the classes that interest you. Meet in person or on Zoom. —Margaret Schwarzer

Faith & Practice: How to Forgive

Forgiveness is a key spiritual practice for Christians, but it is hard to do. We meet today, November 9, at 11:30am in Room 2 for an interactive conversation. Come practice with us and learn some tips and some stories about the grace and spiritual freedom found in forgiving. Bring your own insights and questions. —Margaret Schwarzer

The Door at 79 Denton Road

We have installed a new doorbell intercom and access pass system on the door at the administrative entrance to the church. The door will always be locked with scheduled openings for services, meetings, and other gatherings. If you need to come in Monday through Friday between 9am and 4pm, ring the bell. We will be issuing mobile access passes to those who frequent the church for volunteer work in the building. Please email Kate if you think you need a pass. 

Feeding Ministry

Feeding others is often the heart of our Christian ministry. Are you interested in occasional Outreach cooking efforts? Like to chat with fellow parishioners in the St. Andrew's kitchen while doing actions to benefit others? Our Feeding Ministry is for you! We would like to gather a list of people who would like to come together at our church occasionally to make a hot meal for one of our Outreach partners. No expertise required, just willing hands! We would do this when it is convenient for us - could be evenings, weekends or weekdays. If you think you could do this ad-hoc activity, please email Cam McCormick to be added to the list. Thanks!

Thanksgiving Service

Last year we moved our Thanksgiving service to the eve of Thanksgiving at 5pm. We hope you will join us Wednesday, November 26, and we encourage you to invite friends, neighbors, and family to the service.

College/Gap Year Care Packages

Sending college (and post-secondary school) packages is a tradition at St. Andrew's. Each year we send packages to 12 Wily Scholars and to parishioners who have graduated from high school. Wily Scholars are college students who have largely grown up in the foster care system and are now in college. The Wily Network helps support these students so they have all that they need to get through four years of college. The Sign-Up Genius link is here.  Please contribute using that link and purchasing by Thursday, November 21. Contact Joy Denomme or Sarah Robbins-Cole for more information.

Soul Sisters

Our next meeting of Soul Sisters will be on Tuesday, November 11, at 6pm. This will be a social evening, with a brief program on the importance of gathering. For those who’d like to explore the theme further, the optional reading is The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker, and the optional viewing is her TED Talk, 3 Steps to Turn Everyday Get-Togethers into Transformative Gatherings. Souls Sisters will not be meeting in December.

Open Bible Study

Open Bible Study meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 11am and on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 pm. On Tuesday, November 11, and on Wednesday, November 12, we consider Exodus 2:23-25 and Chapter 3. No preparation is needed; we read and reflect together. Come to the Harvey Room or join us online; the Zoom link is in the e-Pistle.—Margaret Schwarzer

St. Andrew’s Day

Please join us at the 10 am service, Sunday, November 23, to celebrate our patron saint. There will be special music, including a bagpiper. We encourage you to wear red, tartan, or plaid. After the 10 am service, there will be a festive coffee hour, and we encourage you to bring traditional shortbread to share.

Wellesley Turkey Trot 2025

Join our team! We trot on Thanksgiving morning at 8am! Register to run here. After you fill out the basic info, you will be asked “Would you like to join or create a team?” Choose “Yes!” and look down the list for “St. Andrew’s” and continue from there.

The money we pay as a 5K registration fee will go to local charities, and we will have the chance to meet before the race, snap a picture, and wish each other a Happy Thanksgiving. —Margaret Schwarzer

Gathering of the Greens

Join us in gathering greens for Advent wreaths on Saturday, November 29, 9:30am, rain or shine, at the Hunnewells’ home, 845 Washington St. Bags will be provided; bring your own gloves and clippers. Dress appropriately, for it can be chilly. Please contact Sarah Harris with questions.

Advent Wreath Making

On Sunday, November 30, following the 10am service, all are invited to make their own Advent wreaths in the parish hall. Please bring your own wire wreath rings and candles. These can also be purchased ($12 for the ring and $5 for the candles, cash or check preferred). Please contact Sarah Harris with any questions.

Advent Taizé-style Service

Sunday, November 30, at 5pm, join us for 100 flickering candles, chanted prayer, and holy silence. This service is shaped by the worship of the monastic Christian community in Taizé, France (taize.fr/en). This service will be broadcast. —Margaret Schwarzer

Advent Lessons & Carols

At 5pm on Sunday, December 7, the senior choir will sing the age-old service of Advent Lessons & Carols. This service will include seven readings from the Bible followed by Advent hymns and anthems. Thomas Handel will be our guest organist. There will be a candlelight reception following the service.

This is an opportunity to invite people who have not been inside our church to experience the beauty of this service and the warmth of our congregation. Please reach out to those you may think would enjoy it. 

From the Financial Administrator’s Office

As we head into year end, please take note of the following items:

• Memo lines  If paying by check, please write your intention on the memo line. If prepaying your pledge, 2026 Pledge should appear on the memo line. Funds received in 2025 will be credited on your 2025 annual donation statement regardless of the intended year.
• Online Giving  Using the Realm system, you can make a payment directly to your pledge for this year or next, Christmas or weekly flowers, or any of our outreach projects. You can also check your pledge balances and use your account to both register and pay for church events. It’s super easy to set up and even easier to make changes.
• Stock Donations  If you are donating stock, please send me an email to let me know the name, number of shares and where the proceeds should be applied.

Please reach out with questions and thank you for your continued support of St. Andrew’s! — Joanne Butler

Name Tag Reminder!

As we return to church this fall and welcome new faces, please wear your name tag and introduce yourself to others. If you need a new name tag, contact the membership vestry person. 

Parish Photo Release

We recognize that safety and privacy are of primary concern to members of our congregation. After researching best practices and reaching out to our national church, the communications committee developed a policy not to identify anyone by name in website photos in the fall of 2013. We also agreed to publish the following release language in registration forms, The Call, service leaflets, annual reports, and any future publications. This language is as follows:

Occasionally, we may take photographs or videos of St. Andrew’s-related activities. By appearing at and/or participating in any such activities, you are aware that you may appear in such pictures and agree to let us use such images in related communications (including print and web usage), and you agree to release St. Andrew’s from any liability, damages, or claims whatsoever that might arise from such use. This notice also applies to any members of your family appearing and/or participating in such church activities. Our policy is that we will not identify anyone by name on website photos.

For any more information please contact the vestry person for communication. 

Christmas Pageant Time

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! All families interested in participating are invited to an adults’ informational meeting on Sunday, November 9, after the service to kick off our Christmas pageant rehearsal season. During the meeting, children are welcome to join in learning and singing some favorite carols as we begin preparing for this festive event.

Pageant rehearsals will be on Sundays from 11:30am to 12pm until the Christmas pageant. The Christmas pageant will take place during the 10am service on Sunday, December 14. All participants are expected to be at a dress rehearsal on the day prior to the pageant, Saturday, December 13, from 9:45am to 11:30am. Childcare will be available on Sundays for young children, pick-up by 12pm prompt. 

Kids’ Place Childcare on Sundays

Kids’ Place is for children three and under, or any older child who would prefer to be in nursery care rather than church school, and is open from 9:45am to 11:45am.

Church School

·       Godly Play I  pre-k to first grade meet in the children’s chapel

·       Godly Play II  grades two and three meet in Room 201

·       Upper School/Way of Love  grades four and five meet in Room 204

Confirmation Cass

·       Today, November 9  4:30pm to 5:45pm we will be focusing on the Liturgy of the Table. Please read chapter 5 in Walk in Love.

·       November 16  NO class but read instead chapters 1-3 in Walk in Love.

·       November 23  4:30pm to 5:45pm Holy Week and Easter. Please read chapters 11 in Walk in Love.

·       November 30  NO confirmation class.

·       December 7  5pm Attend the Advent Lessons & Carols.

·       December 14  3:30pm confirmation class is invited to join the youth group for their trip to the La Salette Festival of Lights (Attleboro).

Rite-13

Rite-13, for sixth and seventh graders, is today, November 9, at 4:30pm in Room 202. The remaining dates in November for Rite-13 are November 16 and 23; we will not hold a Rite-13 class on November 30.

Youth Group

·       November 9  5:45pm to 7:15pm Dinner, Bible study, and enneagram discussion.

·       November 16  5:45pm to 7:15pm guest speaker from Wily Scholars.

·       November 21–22 (Fri–Sat)   CityReach Overnight (NO Sunday youth group)

·       November 30  NO youth group

·       December 7  5pm attend Advent Lessons & Carols. Youth group continues at 6:30pm with Christmas card writing and other holiday fun.

•  December 14  3:30pm depart for La Salette Festival of Lights (Attleboro).

CityReach Overnight Service Trip

We are looking for donations of groceries which participants will prepare and distribute. Please register to bring those items to St. Andrew’s before noon on Friday, November 21. Donation boxes for other items listed on the insert are in the narthex and the parish hall. 

Gratitude

Allhallowtide Service and Dinner

Thank you to the church school committee and all those who organized and contributed to make our Allhallowtide celebration such a success!

Prayers

Parish Prayer List

Asher Griffin, Carol Haynes Nelson, Alison Gregory Larson, Caroline Gregory, Lianne Young, Gertrude Hughes, Cam Czubek, Barbra Henderson, John Fisher, Leslie Holmes, C.J., Landis Greathouse, Stephen, Shelby Pierce, Tomoko, Pat MacKinnon, Ralph Mercer, Peter Jennings, Cole Henderson, Pat Cook, Jane, Rachel, Patricia, Bunny O'Sullivan, John Cigan Jr. Marina Eusse de Uribe, and Pat Thombley.

The altar flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of

David Giele by his wife, Janet, and their children.

Social Media

To stay up to date with St. Andrew's virtual content, make sure to like and follow St. Andrew's on the social media platforms you use.

• Follow our parish instagram, @staswellesley, for photos of our parish life throughout the week.
• Subscribing to our YouTube Channel will let you know when new service videos are posted.
• Following our Facebook page and turning on notifications will help you know when we are live.