Saturday Prayer Vigil for Bishop Election
The Daughter's of the King® are holding a prayer vigil this Saturday, November 19th from 11am-12pm in the sanctuary. All are invited to join them.
If you would like to watch the election proceedings, you can do so by using this link.
| |
|
Join us this Sunday, online and in-person, at 10:30 am for our patronal feast day! God willing, we'll have bagpipes, our ingathering and blessing of the pledges, and a wonderful lunch following the service.
Our virtual service is online every Sunday. Tune in at 10:30 am on the St. Andrew's Jax YouTube page. You can find the bulletin on the YouTube page or linked below.
Want to share one of Mtr. Lisa or Dcn. Mike's sermons? All of our sermons are always available online! Check them out here now, and subscribe to 'Sunday Sermons at St. Andrew's" on your favorite podcast app!
| | | |
Angel Tree
Come on Sunday, November 20th, to grab an angel off the tree to help a child experience some Christmas magic!
Please let Carolyn Hartman or Bridget and Maeve Coughlin know if you have any questions or concerns.
| |
|
Christian Formation This Week | |
|
Godly Play
Godly Play, a Montessori-style children's formation class, is on break this week and will be back next week!
Join us again in Classroom 2 on November 27th!
| |
|
Adult Bible Study
Join us in Classroom 1 at 9 a.m. this Sunday as we grab your coffee and bible and join us as we continue our Adult Bible Study.
| |
|
Bible in 90 Days
Join us in the Parish Hall Thursday evenings at 6pm starting on September 15th and read the ENTIRE Bible in just 90 days... even the stuff the lectionary doesn't cover!
We are not meeting this week due to Thanksgiving, but KEEP READING!
| |
The Church Office is closed 11/23 & 11/24 for Thanksgiving. | |
Our Theology of Stewardship
Many of us have reasons to give that look very different from each other's, but the reason we give as Christians has to do with our theology of stewardship.
In Genesis, we learn that everything in creation is made by God, but humans are given the special role to look after and care for all of creation as a steward (think more Downton Abbey, less airline steward). A more modern day idea would be the role of a manager- they don't own the place, but they run the joint.
God has entrusted the whole of creation to us, and therefore we are responsible for being good stewards of it all: creation, our bodies, our time, and of course, our money.
Learning to manage God's resources in God's ways helps us to feel a sense of humility, a sense of responsibility for our church, and disconnects us from the constant earthly pursuit of "more." Giving is not just necessary to keep the church alive in the world and leave a legacy to future generations, but it's a spiritual discipline to remind us that we are in control of our possessions, our possessions do not control us.
Giving fundamentally changes your relationship with God, with your church, and with your stuff. In the gospels, Jesus mentions money more than any other subject besides the Kingdom of God. He knows it is an area of temptation, an area that we can tend to prioritize over the less tangible virtues of faith, relationship, and mercy. Giving helps us to right those priorities.
And this is why we ask you to prayerfully consider your 2023 Pledge to St. Andrew's. While this may seem like just numbers, this is primarily a spiritual decision.
We’ll be gathering our pledges on November 20th, or you can pledge online.
| | | |
|
Pecans & Chocolate Covered Pecans:
Pre-Order Yours Today!
The church will have bags of delicious pecans and chocolate covered pecans on sale for $10 a bag again this year. The pecans will only be available through pre-order this year, so please contact Arlene or Paul Spilker at (904) 463-0451 to get your order in today!
| |
|
Christmas Flowers
If you would like to donate poinsettias to adorn the Church for Christmas “In Memory of” or “In grateful Thanksgiving for,” donation envelopes can be found in the back of the church or you can put Christmas flowers in the memo section of your check. Please make sure to clearly write who the flowers are in memory of or thanksgiving for.
The deadline for turning in your envelopes is December 18th.
| | |
LEM Training and Recertification
Lay Eucharistic Ministers or LEMs are lay persons licensed by the bishop to administer the consecrated elements of the eucharist. You may also know them as "Chalice Bearers".
If you are already a LEM or would like to become one, please plan to stay after church Sunday, December 4th for a short training that will get you certified for the upcoming year.
| |
| |
|
Christmas Concert with The First Coast Pops Symphony Orchestra
You are invited to a free Christmas concert with sing-a-long on Thursday, December 8th at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall of St. Andrew's. Join us for some cookies, apple cider, fellowship, and Christmas Cheer!
| | |
ECW Christmas Dinner & Gift Exchange
The St. Andrews Episcopal Church Women Christmas Party will be Tuesday, December 13 at 5:30 pm in the Parish Hall. The dinner will be catered by Olive Garden and the cost will be $10.00.
Also, please bring a $10.00 gift for the gift exchange, which is always a great time. Join us!
| |
|
The Bishop's Election
It has been a while since our last update regarding the Bishop's Election and there have been some developments.
As you may remember, the Diocese of Florida met for a Special Convention May 14 to elect a successor to Bishop Howard. (A “bishop coadjutor” serves alongside a diocesan bishop until the latter retires, at which time the former becomes the new diocesan bishop. This is not necessary, but a way for the old bishop to introduce the new bishop to the diocese.) A quorum of voting delegates must be reached in both the lay house and the clergy house. Based on pre-registration numbers, it became apparent just a few days before the Special Convention that quorum of clergy would not be reached.
Various long-standing rules and regulations were quickly worked around in the 48 hours prior to the election to allow for a hybrid election (online and in-person). The election proceeded and an election of a new Bishop was proclaimed on the third ballot.
Within days a formal procedural protest was lodged by more than 10% of the delegates, which prompted a mandatory investigation by the Court of Review of the Episcopal Church- an impartial board made up of people from various diocese around the country charged with investigating the procedural objections made. The court’s report came back in early August, finding that important and necessary rules were not followed. You can read the Court of Review's report here.
Despite ongoing review over the course of the summer, the diocese moved forward with relocating the bishop-elect to Jacksonville, giving him an office at diocesan headquarters and a salary. Based on the findings of the court, the bishop-elect has now withdrawn his acceptance of his election, but is still listed on the diocesan website as a member of staff. He has written that he still hopes to be our bishop, perhaps via a new election.
In September, Bishop Howard made a video explaining the diocese’s official responses to the court’s findings and calling for a new election as soon as possible. Standing Committee announced their intention to hold an election with a limited number of candidates at Camp Weed on November 19th. They also published a new process for candidates to be added by petition. No new candidates were added.
Since then, two letters have been filed with the Standing Committee. The first letter asks for a delay in the proceedings until certain concerns are addressed. The second letter asks for the election to continue as planned.
The Standing Committee has also published three videos in order to answer certain questions and address certain concerns. Please find them here: Video 1, Video 2, Video 3
As of right now, the electing convention is going forward as planned on November 19th. We will be sending a delegation (though Mtr. Lisa will not be able to attend due to it being out at Camp Weed- too far for her to travel this late in her pregnancy). We pray the Holy Spirit will intercede and lead us to a path which will help us to unify and unite the diocese, allowing all voices to be heard and appreciated, while following the constitution and canons set forth by the National and Local Church.
No matter what happens on the Diocesan or National level, we at St. Andrew's will continue to focus on our mission tending to our little corner of the Kingdom. I hope you will join in our continued prayer and work.
| |
Parish Work Day
We had a wonderful work day on November 5th which included so much yard work, trimming hedges, changing exterior lightbulbs, and pressure washing!
Thanks to all 19 volunteers who showed up and gave it their all! You can find pictures of just some of the work being done here.
| | |
Crop Walk
A mess of peanut butter and $50 was donated to Arlington Community Services from our Crop Walk collection here at St. Andrew's. Thanks to all who contributed!
| |
|
Please Remember in your Prayers: | |
|
Sarah J., Su F., Lauretta A.,
Dick M., Tom B.t, Vivienne C., Dean C., Michael J., Francis (Butch) D.,
Anthony N., Bitsie R.,
Rev. Carrie E., Nancy F.,
Lawanda & Mike W., the May family
For the repose of the souls of Joe Senna, Grahl Neitz, those who died at UVA,
and all those who mourn them.
| |
|
Bridget Coughlin 11/20
Susan Servais 11/24
Mike Yeoman 11/24
Logan Shuman 11/25
| |
|
Sheldon & Susan Servais 11/26
Gary & Jan Walker 11/26
| |
|
12/4 LEM Training
12/8 Christmas Concert
12/13 EWC Christmas Dinner & Gift Exchange
| |
|
12/18 Greening of the Church
12/24 5 pm Christmas Eve Service
| |
If you would like to highlight your event or program in our newsletter, all submissions are due the Wednesday before publication at 5:00pm. Please email submissions to Mtr. Lisa. | | | | | |
