Thursday, August 4, 6 PM Evening Prayer - NO SERVICE THIS WEEK

Prayer List Please remember those who need your daily prayers. Prayer requests may be sent to office. The Prayer List can be accessed here.

Mark your calendars as we gather together for our annual Fall Gala on October 1, 2022, at Andrei’s, beginning at 5:00. It will be a treat to return to an in-person event and celebrate with passed appetizers and a sit-down dinner. The ticket price will be $100.

Please consider donating an item for the silent or live auctions. The items that are most sought after are personal, for example dinners or others get togethers. Of course, we always appreciate our grand prizes for the live auction. Please send a description of your item, a picture, and the value to Catherine Sharbaugh at [email protected]. 

We have a regular group of 12-14 volunteers who manage the food bank at WM every other Monday. In September, nine of us will be travelling to the Holy Land. If we are not able to bring in a few additional volunteers, WM will need to cancel the food bank while we are gone.

When the food bank falls on a federal holiday, it is moved to another day. This is the case in September. The first Monday in September is Labor Day—the food bank will be held on Friday, September 9. We return from the Holy Land on 9/17 and there is a food bank on 9/19. Some of us may be too jet lagged to be there that day.

Please let me know if you would be willing to fill in on Friday 9/9 and/or Monday 9/19.

Thank you,

Catherine Sharbaugh

The Sacred Ground series will continue with the eighth session on August 17 from 5-6:30 p.m. This has been a thought provoking series so far on the impact race has on all of us. Please feel free to join us, even if you have missed sessions. If you would like to join us, please let the St. Andrew’s office know. We’ll send out the Zoom link a day or two before the session.

We will be meeting virtually for our book group at 11 AM on Weds. Currently we are on hiatus until Sept 21. If you would like to be part of this group, please contact the office and we will add you to the group. Newcomers are welcome.

Upcoming Food Bank dates are Sep 9, Sep 19

We can always use cardboard egg cartons and small plastic containers (like the ones raspberries come in).   Please bring what you can to the church.

Prayer Shawl Ministry meets the Second Tuesday of the Month at 3:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Court Patio. Some ministry members who cannot attend the monthly meeting knit or crochet shawls and prayer cloths at home. If you are a newcomer to Prayer Shawl, please contact Sharon Brooks at [email protected].

The Men's Group will meet the third Saturday of the month at 8:30 AM at Mimi's on Barranca. Newcomers are welcome.

In a time of uncertainty, it can be challenging to find time for quiet and reflection. All are welcome to join Stillpoint in a half hour of Centering Prayer any weeknight from 5:30-6. A link and more information on the practice is available at stillpointca.org/still-points. 

Episcopal Relief & Development has provided a webpage of information and resources for congregations that want to help the people of Ukraine during the humanitarian crisis created by Russian aggression. The agency is seeking donations to purchase blankets, hygiene supplies and other needed items. The webpage has resources such as language for newsletters, flyers and bulletin inserts encouraging help for Ukrainians.

In-kind donations and traveling to the affected areas to help are discouraged by Episcopal Relief & Development and other international organizations responding at this time.

In addition, Church World Service is coordinating letter-writing campaigns to encourage U.S. representatives and senators to offer help to Ukrainian and other refugees. To participate, click here.

If you are interested in learning more about this ministry and providing support please click here..

In his recent letter to the Diocese, Bishop Taylor has asked us to pray that vaccination rates will pick up. If you have not been vaccinated and are looking for a vaccine site near you, you may use this link and simply type in your zip code: https://www.vaccines.gov.

Orange County has the third largest Asian population in the country and Irvine has the largest number in the county. The rise in hate crimes against those of Asian heritage is alarming and unacceptable and we can do our part to stop such acts. California Penal Code 422.55 defines a hate crime as a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of one or more of the following actual or perceived characteristics of the victim. This includes:

The City of Irvine has created a portal to report hate crimes. If you become aware of a possible hate crime, you can call the Irvine Police Department to report it or complete the report on the portal: https://records.cityofirvine.org/OnBaseWebClientStdUF/UnityForm.aspx?key=UFKey

If you know of someone in our church family who is sick, in the hospital or in need of pastoral care please notify the office or clergy.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the office via phone 949-559-4699 or by email [email protected].

The Rev. Peter Browning, Vicar

Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church