This Week at St. Andrew's

Please RSVP Today! October kicks off Stewardship Season and everyone is invited to the Stewardship Parish Breakfast on Sunday, October 6 at 9am in White Hall. Join us for food, conversation, and a chance to pick up your pledge packets as begin this journey of discerning where the Holy Spirit is calling us. . Kids (all ages) are welcome at the breakfast and once they eat they may head to the Children’s Center for fellowship and prayerful play. Please RSVP -- headcounts are so helpful!

We love all of our furred, finned and feathered family members! Our annual Blessing of the Animals will take place on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. on the Front Lawn. All animals are welcome and all will be given a blessing certificate. Please have your animals on leashes or in carriers! Everyone is welcome -- bring your friends and neighbors!

Dinner Conversation Groups -- As a means of getting to know one another better, we're forming Dinner Conversation Groups. If you participated in a Foyer Group in the past, it's the same idea. Small groups gather for a meal either at someone's home or a restaurant and share in conversation. It's that simple. Break bread. Make friends. Love one another. If you are interested, please fill out this form. The Parish Life Committee will create the groups and hope to launch this ministry in January of the new year.

Join us for something new -- an inter-generational women’s Bible study! We will meet once a week from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday nights at St. Andrew’s to study the Gospel of Luke using N. T. Wright’s “Luke for Everyone Bible Study Guide.” Study guides cost $9 and scholarships are available. If you have questions or want to sign up, contact Ann Gwathmey at 540-878-8332 or at ann.gwathmey@gmail.com. We'll let you know the start date once we've gauged interest.

Theology Before Lunch meets on Thursdays on Zoom! YOU are invited to join this small group of St. Andrew’s parishioners and their friends that “gathers” on Zoom on Thursdays from 10:30-12. Our first book is Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ Not in God’s Name: Confronting Religious Violence. If you’d join up contact Deane Sobol for Zoom information.

Hurricane Relief Fund from Episcopal Relief and Development. Episcopal Relief and Development has a long track record of faithful and well thought-out responses to disasters. They have already begun the work of connecting with impacted dioceses to resource a response and get relief to those who need it. They're also dedicated to walking beside those who have suffered tragic losses to life, homes, and communities long after the news cycles move past this disaster. You can donate to the fund directly from the website here.

The documentary The Philadelphia Eleven will be shown on Saturday, October 5 at 10am at the NARO Expanded Cinema, 1507 Colley Avenue, Norfolk, VA. Fifty years ago, eleven women broke through the so-called “stained glass ceiling” and gave hope to Christian women everywhere. At a church in Philadelphia, they were ordained to the Episcopal priesthood. This historic ordination violated the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church – which at the time stated that only men were eligible for ordination. Their story is told in a compelling new documentary The Philadelphia Eleven.

Trick or Treat! We need your help filling the red wagon with Halloween candy. On Halloween we’re inviting parishioners to come help us pass out candy to trick-or-treaters that come by the church. We’ll also have bathrooms available for anyone who needs them. Bring your candy any time between now and Halloween, and join us Halloween night in your best costume to spread some spooky (and holy) fun in the neighborhood.

Available Dates to Donate Altar Flowers: We have a couple of dates open to dedicate altar flowers to a loved on, or celebrate a life event! The cost is $125 and available dates are: Oct 13, Oct 27 and Nov 24. If you would like to donate flowers for any of these Sundays, please contact Allison in the parish office.

FLOWERS TO GO. Did you know our beautiful Sunday flower arrangements do double duty? First, they give glory to God at Sunday morning worship. Then second, they go out Sunday afternoon or Monday to parishioners who ae homebound, or who’ve had a health or other life situation that calls for a little extra love. It’s easy, and YOU could be this bringer of love in a week you sign up for. You stick a few altar flowers in a vase, check a white board for a recipient, drive the vase and a printed St. Andrew’s card with it to a person’s home, and leave it on the porch. All on your way home from church! If you are able to help out this fall, you can sign-up here!

Meal Train! The Pastoral Care Team has a small group of people that cook soups and casseroles that are stored in the freezer at St. Andrew’s. Meals are delivered to those in need. However, there are some of our folks that need meals for a longer period of time. That’s where we have successfully used “Meal Train”. Meal Train is an organized way for friends and family to deliver home-cooked meals, restaurant meals, or delivery gift cards (i.e. Door Dash) to someone who’s going through a challenging time. It’s a caring way to ensure the recipient doesn’t have to think about grocery shopping or preparing meals while going through a major life event. A webpage is set up for each person/family, and emails are sent to those who are willing to participate with instructions for food preferences, delivery times, etc. You don’t have to participate in every Meal Train, just when you are able! Please email Karen Mitchell if you are willing to take part in this program.

Children’s Chapel at 10:15 a.m. in Auditorium: (ages 4- 10) Kids are invited to gather for a simple kid friendly offering which will explore our worship service. This week our kids will focus on Creation Care in honor of St. Francis. When you arrive, come to the Auditorium. Children will be brought back to their families in church after the Peace. 

Children’s Choir (open to our 2^nd – 6^th grade kids) is held after our 10:15 a.m. liturgy in our Auditorium. This is an opportunity for our children to explore their faith through music. They will learn music skills and music theory. Contact Richard Rigg to be part of this community.

Next EYC Builds Ofrenda for Día de Muertos (Latin American Day of the Dead): Middle and High School students are invited on Sunday, October 20 from 12:00 noon to 2 p.m. to gather for a new experience where we will build an altar as we prepare for celebrate All Saints on November 3rd. We will gather in White Hall and the Church. Join us! RSVP here so we can plan for food and materials.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church is a vibrant, inclusive parish, formed in the fellowship of Christ. We strive to be a place of hope for all people, to reach beyond ourselves, and to manifest God’s love in the world.