Shining the Light

Dear ones,

We are in a season of change. Families with school-age children are experiencing a shift from the spaciousness of summer to the structured rhythms of the school year. College students are settling into dorms or apartments and gearing up for a new semester of classes. The staff of St. Andrew's just had our first staff meeting with Jeremy on our team. Even the cooler temperatures of the morning bring about a shift in energy and perspective.

There is a blessing I love for beginnings and endings, written by Kate Bowler. It ends with the following lines, which I share with you in case they speak to you in this time of change:

May this season delight, surprise, and bless you all.

Love,

Rev. Dorota+

This Sunday at St. Andrew's  

Readings: Isaiah 51:1-6 Romans 12:1-8 Matthew 16:13-20

For the summer months, we have one combined worship service at 9:30am. There is no Family Service during the summer. We will continue with the 9:30am schedule through the Sunday of the Community Picnic, which is September 10. Our regular 8am/10am worship schedule resumes Sunday, September 17.

All are welcome to join us each Wednesday at 8:30pm via this Zoom Compline link for a brief service of contemplative nighttime prayers. The text of the service can be found in this Compline booklet.

The school year in Haiti begins on September 11, and it's time to send our biannual donation to St. Peter’s School in Berault. During the month of August, we will be fundraising for the 2023-2024 school year. You may donate electronically or by check made out to St. Andrew’s with “Haiti”in the memo line.

This school year our funds will support school lunches, the hiring of two kindergarten teachers, and student backpacks. Amid all the turmoil in Haiti, our partnership keeps this school going in rural Haiti. Please be generous!

Join us at 9:30 a.m. on August 27 for a back-to-school blessing! Students, teachers, and all who support education are invited to bring their backpacks and work bags to church for a special prayer and celebration of a new year ahead.

Parish Picnic Sunday September 10th from 10:30 to 12:30, Please save the date!

More details to follow, but please RSVP and sign up to bring a side dish or dessert.

Special Request: At the end of the picnic we are usually in need of people to help with clean-up and putting away tables, etc.. Your help would be most appreciated to make the work go quickly. You can sign up outside Reverend Dorota's office, or you can sign up for that task here.

Community Picnic Sunday (September 10) will be our first choir opportunity for the Fall. This is your chance to be a choir member for a day! (Or two...there will be one evening rehearsal in preparation - date and time to be determined.) Children and adults are welcome!

Joint Choir All Saints Service (Wed. Nov. 1) - Our first joint choir collaboration since 2020! We will have three rehearsals in October in preparation for an All Saints Evensong service. The choirs of St. Timothy's, Herndon and Holy Cross, Dunn Loring will join us at St. Andrew's for this special choral service.

Holiday Choral Season - Our Sunday morning season, including All Saints Sunday, St. Andrew's Day, Advent and Christmas. There will be biweekly rehearsals (Thursday evening or Sunday afternoon, to be determined based on availability) to prepare for Sunday morning services, a joint choir Lessons and Carols service, and Christmas Eve.

We need your voice! If you've considered singing but were unsure for any reason, don't hesitate. There are several options. Choose one or choose all. It's up to you! Email Brandon or catch him after a service sometime for more details.

Yes, there has been another murder in the English countryside and this time it involves the most dangerous of topics: whether to add a lavatory to a church four centuries old. In The Reverend Richard Coles' novel Murder Before Evensong, we meet Canon Daniel Clement, who has been rector of Champton for eight years, living with his widowed mother and two dachshunds. But the proposal to install a bathroom soon divides his church and results in a patron's murder. As the bodies pile up, Daniel must try to keep his community together--and find the killer!

Join us as we delve into this latest mystery on September 16 at 2 pm at Karen White's home; please RSVP to her. We hope to see you there!

We pray for the repose of the soul of Richard Fansler, grandfather of Brandon Heishman, who died August 20th.

This week we pray for: The people of Lahaina, HI, the people of Haiti, the people of Ukraine, The Heishman Family, Joe Feola, Henry Schmidt, Zorah, Lon Jones, Gabriela, the Kluger/Benton family, Jan Anderson, Mary's family, and Ava Smith.

Would you like to add a name to the prayer list? If so, please email the church office with your request. Names will be kept on the prayer list for about a month unless otherwise specified, and will be published weekly in Shining the Light.   

Food donation baskets will be at each entrance to the nave every Sunday for the next few weeks. Your offerings of food will be processed to the altar by the ushers along with the collection plates to be blessed and then donated to AFAC. Please see this link for AFAC's most needed items. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

This is our "picking season" and if you can, please volunteer to help. Our next work day is Saturday, August 26th starting at 9:00am (Sunday, if Saturday is too wet) If you are interested in volunteering in the St. Andrew's Garden for Hope, You can sign up here on Sign Up Genius. If you have questions concerning the sign-up, please contact our Parish Administrator.

If you are able to drive the donations to AFAC for a contactless delivery, please sign-up here.

Here is a list of items AFAC accepts.