The Weekly Net
November 6, 2020
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From our Priest-in-Charge
Dear Friends in Christ,
I hope this email is a breather from your checking other news, awaiting election results, and the tension being expressed and felt through our media outlets. As we approach the end of our season after Pentecost, we begin to approach Advent-themed Gospels and a period of waiting. I think we can all relate to waiting at the moment. The authors of our Gospels are told that Christ will come again during their lifetime and here we are waiting.
We sit in an in between time filled with joy, mourning, happiness, anxiety, and hope. This is an uncomfortable position to be in and we will often find ways of busying ourselves or other mechanisms of coping (healthy and unhealthy). However, we are invited into this space to not only prepare, but to await continuing to proclaim and live in the Good News that we have seen through God in the person of Jesus.
The election is top of mind and is an in between time (at least at the hour this letter is written). We all live in many in between times, awaiting a diagnosis, looking towards a celebration, awaiting to regather, waiting for cold weather, and waiting for… Our responsibility is to continue to hold onto our discipleship and cultivate our relationship with Jesus, especially through the Church. Yes, we wait in each of these situations (and right now for election results) and eternal hope is what we look towards and we wait together and see that hope in each other.
Emotions will run high this week and as we end periods of waiting in our life, whether it is election results or for a college acceptance letter to be returned, we continue. We continue, One Together, recognizing the many emotions that happen in this temporal life and never forgetting our responsibility as Christians to live towards our discipleship and seek Christ in everyone.
I look forward to seeing all of you online or in-person (at our outdoor worship) this week. Thank you for your generous, faithful support in our stewardship campaign and know that we, as a people who seek what endures eternally, always continue, One Together.
Faithfully yours,
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The Reverend William L. Packard
(571) 449-7438
For pastoral emergencies, please call (571) 336-6509
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Online Worship & Gatherings for the Week |
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Saturday, November 7th
Sunday, November 8th
@ 9:00 a.m. – Bible Study (Mtg: 142 074 0872 | pwd: CMrCxTkf488)
@ 11:00 a.m. – Coffee Hour (Mtg: 847 0278 7729 | pwd: 437719)
Wednesday, November 11th
@ 10:30 a.m. – Bible Study (Mtg: 884 0844 2173 | pwd: 313159)
Note: When joining any of our Zoom meetings, please make sure your name is displayed.
2nd Note: If any of the service links above don't work, check our website for updated links.
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Weekend Onsite Events
Your one stop shop for everything happening at St. Andrew’s this weekend. Links for these events are also available on our website.
Sunday, November 8th
Guidelines you must follow to participate with onsite events:
- Everyone two years and older must wear a mask
- Keep 6ft apart from people not in your family group at all times
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If you are feeling sick, or have any COVID-19 symptoms, stay home
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If you are in an at risk group, strongly consider staying home
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Stewardship Ingathering Continues
Last week started off our season of Stewardship Ingathering and we graciously thank everyone who has already turned in their 2021 pledge. For those who haven’t pledged yet, we invite you to do so via one of these options:
- Mail in your pledge using the pre-stamped envelope that was sent with your pledge packet
- Drop off your pledge in our mailbox, located at the driveway entrance
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Or pledge online by clicking on the “Giving” tab on our website, or by clicking here to go there directly.
We ask for your prayerful discernment with regard to your Annual Pledge, even in these stressful times, and for you to be there for us, others, and God in a time where it is needed most. We continue to serve the Lord, and our manifold missions…One Together.
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Christmas Pageant
O come, all ye faithful! It’s not too early to start thinking about our Christmas pageant! We are looking for participants in this year’s pageant. Everyone is welcome!
Since we are putting our pageant together online this year, there’s no competition for roles. If your child, grandchild, nibling, or neighbor would like to be Mary, Joseph, one of the kings, or any other role, all you have to do is sign up. Feel free to sign up for multiple roles. Click here to sign up.
The sign up will only be open until Nov. 15th, so sign up as soon as you can. Once the sign up is closed, we will send out scripts and instructions on what to do. The due date to turn in your videos will be the end of the month. That way we will have plenty of time to put the whole thing together.
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Outdoor Cleanup
There is a Parish Clean Up Day planned for Saturday, November 14th @ 9:00 a.m. We will be focusing on clearing brush and downed tree limbs from the Outdoor Sanctuary and we also need to remove any leaves that are on the church roof. Please feel free to bring any garden tools you would like to use. Parishioners who enjoy working with power tools, including chainsaws, trimmers, and leaf blowers are encouraged to bring your power tools. If you have questions, please contact the Junior Warden, Doug Wood
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Property Commission
St. Andrew's is seeking members for the newly-established Property Commission. The Property Commission will assist Father Will and the Vestry in helping maintain, sustain, and improve St. Andrew's building and grounds to best meet our church's mission. We need the help of parishioners with an interest or experience in buildings and grounds management. Expertise in architecture, construction, or engineering are a plus. If you are interested please contact the Junior Warden, Doug Wood
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CROP Walk
For the first time in 25+ years, there will not be an actual walk for the Burke/Fairfax CROP Walk due to COVID-19. However, the need is greater than ever, so the fundraising portion is still happening. A portion of the donations will go to ECHO to be used for the neediest in our community.
If you still want to “do” something, you can go on a walk or hike with your household group on Sunday, November 15th, at 2:00 p.m. and post pictures online.
Please consider joining the St. Andrew's team and then use your social media contacts to raise awareness as well as funding for the missions in our community and world wide.
To join the team, click here. From there, click on the Register button to join the team or the Donate button to donate to the team.
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Thanksgiving Baskets
Due to COVID-19, we will not be collecting food for our Thanksgiving Baskets this year. Instead, we are asking for monetary donations in order to buy gift cards for the 12 families we are helping this year.
If you would like to donate, please mail in a check made out to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church with “Thanksgiving Baskets” on the memo line. The deadline for sending in checks is Sunday, November 15th.
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ECHO Food Drive *NEW*
In addition to our weekly ECHO food collections and the gift cards we’re providing in lieu of our traditional Thanksgiving food baskets, we have another opportunity to help our neighbors during this time of extraordinary need.
The Burke Ward, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, will conduct a food drive for the ECHO Food Bank the week before Thanksgiving. They’re setting up a drop off station at their building (6942 Sydenstricker Rd) on the following dates:
- Thursday, November 19th from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Friday, November 20th from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Saturday, November 21st from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Please drop by and make a food donation if you can.
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Team Believe *NEW DATE*
COVID-19 has put cancer patients at risk – attacking already weakened immune systems, delaying cancer treatments, and closing many clinical trials. Because of the impact cancer has had on our lives, Team Believe is kicking off the 2021 Relay For Life to remember people we’ve lost and offer up support to anyone in our community who is affected by cancer.
2020 was a year where we were not able to walk together, but 2021 will be a new year of hope. If you have participated previously, you will receive an email inviting you to a Zoom meeting on Monday, November 16th at 7:30 p.m. We hope you will consider participating in this Women’s Fellowship Event. If you have any questions, please contact Christine.
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Meet Father Will!
Father Will would like to meet with each and every one of our parishioners in person or by Zoom. He will be hosting a series of small group meetings (up to 10 people) in the mornings (10:00 a.m.) and evenings (7:30 p.m.) to get to know the people of St. Andrew’s. Outdoor meetings will require you to bring your own chair and wear a mask. These meetings will be held until November 30th on Mondays and Tuesdays.
A Sign-Up Genius has been created, so pick a time that works best for you/your family and sign up here to schedule a meeting.
We hope you take advantage of this time to meet our new Priest-in-Charge.
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