Called to Worship. Sent to Witness. Led to Welcome.
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Prayers for Our Students & Teachers |
Images above and below from the 2017 Blessing of the Backpacks |
Last week and this week, students of our parish have started a new academic year. Under normal circumstances, we would have shared blessed moments like those pictured above (from 2017), with students and teachers coming forward in church on Sunday with their backpacks. And we would have called God's blessing upon them as they started this new school year.
I imagine that, in seeing the images above, folks have a variety of responses. For me, I miss the opportunity to have all of that love and promise gathered within the walls of our church building. And I look forward to that future day when we will be able to share it once again.
In the meantime, I hope that you will join with me in praying for and asking God's blessing upon our students and teachers as they begin this school year. Below are prayers adapted from past Backpack Blessing Sundays that I encourage you to pray this week:
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Gracious God, we give you thanks this week for the beginning o f a new school year, and we pray to you for all schools that they may be lively centers for learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of goodness. May this year be full of promise and blessing for our students, and for our teachers, as together they experience new beginnings and fresh starts. Enable them to grow in knowledge and wisdom during this school year and all the days of their lives. Amen. |
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Almighty and everlasting God, watch over and bless our students throughout this new school year. Give them the grace to learn and progress steadily in wisdom and love. Through them, let your loving spirit be shared with friends, teachers, and staff in the school community and beyond. We give you thanks for your blessing upon our students and for the witness of their life and love. In the name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. |
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As we join our prayers together in support of the children of our parish and the teachers to whom they are entrusted, may our common bonds continue to be sustained and strengthened.
Grace & Peace,
Fr. Gary+
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Sign Up for Mass
on Sundays and Wednesdays through September!
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Remember that, if We Run Out of Spots on Sundays and Wednesdays, We Will Schedule More Masses. Also, if you are uncomfortable coming to a service with ten people or want to receive eucharist but don't want to go inside the church, just let Father Gary know, and he is happy to schedule a time to say mass that will work better for you (either inside the church or in the churchyard).
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Wednesday, August 26, Feast of Saint Bartholomew
6:30 PM Low Mass with Healing Prayers followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament (via Facebook Live)
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Sunday, August 30, 2020 - Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
8:30 AM Morning Prayer, Rite II (church courtyard)
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Wednesday, September 2, Feast of Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne
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Covenant for In-Person Worship
(from Diocesan Guidelines)
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Please note that, pursuant to our Diocesan guidelines, those attending worship at this time commit themselves to the following norms for the foreseeable future:
- If you have any symptoms associated with COVID-19, you will not attend in-person worship.
- If you develop symptoms or are diagnosed after a liturgy, you will report it immediately to the priest.
- You will not attempt to shake hands or hug anyone, and will do your best to maintain a distance of 6 feet from anyone outside of your family group.
- You will wash your hands immediately before coming to worship.
- You will wear a mask at all times while with the worshiping community.
Thank you for helping us worship together as safely as possible!
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The following people have been commended
to the prayers of the parish:
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Agnes, Barbara, Betty, Bill, Bob, Broughton, Buddy, Carl, Carol-Ann, Chris, Chuck, Corinne, David, Diane, Dick, Eddie, Ena, Ethan, George, Geraldine, Ginger, Hamilton, Hannah, Helen, Idaleen, Jane, Jodi, Ken, Leigh Ann, Margaret Lee, Mary, Nancy, Nell, Ray, Sandy, Scott, Steve, Wade, Weesie, Winnie |
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To add someone to the Daughters of the King prayer list, please e-mail
daughters1913@gmail.com. There is also wooden box in the Narthex where you can fill out prayer cards. The Daughters will add your names to their prayers.
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8/26 Nancy Powell
8/28 Millie Apperson
8/30 Angie Honohan
8/30 Jennie Arnau
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West End Neighborhood Association Meeting | Tuesday, September 1 | 6:30 PM | Via Zoom
All are welcome to attend this virtual meeting on Zoom.
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First Wednesday Men’s Group | Wednesday, September 2 | 7:30 AM | Via Zoom
Next week, the Saint Andrew’s Men’s Group will gather via Zoom for Morning Prayer (Rite II). If you have any questions or are willing to read scripture during the service, please contact Tommy Watson.
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New! Saint Andrew’s Drive-Thru Food Drive | Second Sunday Harvest | September 13 | 2-4 pm | Benefiting United Ministries
In lieu of the limitations on in-person worship services, we will begin offering an alternative for drop off for our monthly Second Sunday Harvest. From 2-4 pm, on the second Sunday of September, you will be able to drive through the parking lot, and volunteers will be there to take your donations. No need to get out of your car. Please wear a mask while making the drop off. COVID 19 protocols will be followed by all volunteers. Items most needed: Cereal, oatmeal, instant grits, canned meat, or any monetary donation is welcome. As an added bonus, we will be distributing printed copies of the new Saint Andrew’s directory to all who make a drop off donation.
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Parish Hall Renovation Update
Our new accessible bathroom in the Parish Hall is now operational, and the old bathrooms are getting a “facelift.” If you are here for services or are otherwise visiting the parish hall, you may need to use the new accessible bathroom (pictured here) until the work on the old bathrooms has been completed. Once the bathrooms are finished, we will be replacing the door from the courtyard to the Parish Hall with one that we hope will be more welcoming. The final steps of this phase of the Parish Hall renovation will include painting the walls and ceiling of the Parish Hall seating area, installing new lighting, and refinishing the floors. If you have ideas about additional work that could be done to make the Parish Hall more inviting and usable, please do not hesitate to let Father Gary know or our senior warden, Riley Owens, know. If you would like to make a financial donation to support this effort, we would welcome that as well!
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Worship Schedule & Protocol
Here is a brief overview of our current schedule and related protocol:
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All Services - Face Masks & Six Foot Social Distancing by Household Required (see Covenant for In-Person Worship above for additional details).
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8:30 AM Sunday - Morning Prayer (Rite II) - Outside, In-Person Only, Not Limited to Ten People, No Sign Up Required - This shorter, less formal service takes place outside in front of the columbarium courtyard. You are welcome to bring your own water or coffee to this service. In case of inclement weather on Sunday morning (defined as raining hard enough that most folks would not want to be outside), this service will be cancelled.
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10:30 AM Sunday - Low Mass (Rite I) - In-Church, In-Person Limited to Ten People, Sign Up Required, Also Live-Streamed - This service is limited to ten people — with approximately six of those spots already allocated (priest, organist, subdeacon, lector, altar guild member, usher). You can sign up for one of the four remaining spots here: standrewsgreenville.org/signup
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6:30 PM Wednesday - Healing Mass (Rite II) - In-Church, In-Person Limited to Eight People, Sign Up Required, Also Live-Streamed - This service is limited to eight people — with three of those spots already allocated (priest, server/lector, altar guild). You can sign up for one of the five remaining spots here: standrewsgreenville.org/signup
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Sunday Altar Flower and Presence Candle Dedications |
On Sundays, we have the opportunity to offer a special dedication of the altar flowers or presence candle in honor, memory, or celebration of loved ones. The cost to the church for altar flowers is now $100 per Sunday, so we are suggesting that donations for dedicating altar flowers be in the range of $50 to $100 to help us cover those costs. The suggested donation for a presence candle dedication is $10.
If you would like to sign up for a Sunday, please see the sign up sheet on the bulletin in the Parish Hall or click on the button below. You may place a check in the offering plate with "Altar Flowers" or "Presence Candle" noted in the memo.
During the summer, we will only have Altar Flowers if someone has signed up and paid for the arrangements. As a result, we will need to know by the Tuesday prior to the upcoming Sunday if you would like to sign up.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, FTN continues to serve a hot breakfast to those who are the most vulnerable in our community every Saturday of the month. Saint Andrew's parishioners handle the third Saturday of each month, and Christ Church, Saint James, and Saint Peter's handle the other Saturdays--with volunteers from the Roe Cassidy Law Firm serving whenever there is a fifth Saturday in a month. Though it's not the usual hot breakfast under current circumstances, our guests continue to be very appreciative.
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United Ministries in Need of Food Donations |
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United Ministries' Emergency Assistance program is fully operational and focused on helping families keep their homes and putting food on the table. At this moment, they need canned meats, pop-top cans (meats/fruit etc.) and 1 lb. bags of rice.
The pantry is open daily (Monday thru Friday) 8:00 AM until 11:00 AM. If individual church members would like to donate food, it can be dropped off behind the United Ministries administration building at the loading area, located at 606 Pendleton Street, Greenville, SC 29601. The pantry door will be open and someone will retrieve the food.
For more ways to help United Ministries in responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic, please click button below.
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