St. Andrew's e-Pistle for September 20, 2020 |
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Greetings!
In my church growing up, we had a moment in the service where people would stand up and share their joys and concerns. Our pastor would then wrap all the prayers up in one big extemporaneous prayer at the end. One Sunday, a little boy got up and said, “Goldie died.” The slightly embarrassed parents explained that their pet goldfish had died that week. My pastor didn’t miss a beat. Whatever is important to you, she declared, is important to God. And you’d better believe that goldfish was prayed for right along with everyone else.
It was such a gift this past Sunday to see so many young families for a brief moment to bless backpacks and devices. I asked each child about their particular hopes and fears for the school year before I blessed them. It was such an honor to pray with each child and to name what was important to them was important to God.
Here's the thing though: The prayers of children are bigger and heavier than ever these days. We prayed for an end to the pandemic. We prayed for the safety of our teachers and friends. And we're going to keep praying - at 9am on Zoom with the elementary kids, at 11am on Zoom with the middle schoolers, at 5pm with the teens. And I hope that you pray with one another, too, each day. All those hopes and fears you have are important to God.
Looking forward to praying with you this Sunday at 10:15am across all our platforms.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Mia
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Mail is being delivered, invoices and check requests are being processed and payments are being received and credited for pledges, flowers, and the capital campaign. |
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Clergy Work Days and Contact Information |
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The world is a changed place. Staff is working both in the office and at home. Currently, all the clergy work Sunday through Thursday; their 'weekends' are Friday and Saturday. If you would like to contact a clergy person during regular work hours, please feel free to contact them on their cell numbers.
Adrian can be reached at: 603/831-4938; Margaret at: 617/733-0661; and Mia can be at: 203/814-8804. If you need a clergy person on the weekend, please call Adrian: 603/831-4938.
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News, Announcements, and Prayers |
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Sunday Services and Program Sheets |
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Fall 9am Christian Learning Series: September - December |
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This year, our 9am Christian Learning Class meets from 9am to 9:45am on every Sunday of the month from mid-September through December and from mid-January through May. You can learn about our current offerings by reading St. Andrew’s communications, or by clicking here to read the fall term’s schedule. Recent topics have included spirituality, history, scripture, theology, and prayer. All are welcome. Please contact Margaret Schwarzer if you have questions about our classes.
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9am Christian Learning Series |
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This week, Sunday, September 20, we think about the challenges of living in a social distancing world by looking to the ancient church's witness. Join us this Sunday as we reflect upon Ancient Desert Fathers: A Powerful Spirituality of Isolation led by Rev. Margaret Schwarzer. In the early 4th century, hundreds of people ran to the deserts to find silence, solitude, and grace. Come learn about them, and see if their tools could be useful to you during our modern pandemic. Click here to get the handout.
Join us next Sunday, September 27 when guest teacher The Reverend Dr. Jim Weiss (Professor at Boston College) leads a class on The Monastic Tradition of the Jesuits. Brought back by popular demand, Rev. Dr. Weiss is an excellent and entertaining teacher. The Jesuits produced Pope Francis and many remarkable monks and priests; come learn about their disciplines and their joy.
Meeting ID: 815 5915 1528
Passcode: StAndrews
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Community check-in, story, interactive learning and prayer time with Rev. Mia on Zoom (Meeting ID: 849 7619 7447, Passcode: JesusLove) on Sundays, 9-9:30am. Designed for kids up through 5th grade. |
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Following the service, you're invited to drop-in to check-in with our clergy and other parishioners after the service until 11:30am. Dress code is casual! (PJs encouraged!) Scroll down to the bottom of the email for more detailed instructions for how to use Zoom on phone or computer. Click here for the Link to Coffee Hour
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Adult Confirmation Preparation |
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If you would like to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church this fall, please send an email to Rev. Margaret Schwarzer. She will be holding a Confirmation Preparation class in October via Zoom for four sessions (one each week). If you would like to be received into the Episcopal Church or have a chance to deepen you understanding of our Episcopal Christian theology, this is also a good class for you. |
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VIRTUALLY fantastic ways to get involved with the St. Andrew’s Music Program this Fall! |
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Take some time to connect with our community through music and singing from the comfort of your own home this fall! Our professional musicians look forward to sharing their skills and expertise with you in a variety of formats and we look forward to making music together in new ways. For more information, please contact Wardie Mannix or Amanda Kern.
40 minute “Senior Choir” Zoom Masterclasses with music minister and organist Wardie Mannix and our section leaders Laura Cervinsky, Britt Brown, Max Herman and Blake Jennings. Open to all adults and high school students.
30 minute “Junior Choir” Zoom group voice lessons with Amanda Kern and occasional special guests. Voice lessons will focus on teaching children about their voice, how it works, how to sing in a healthy manner through topic specific games and activities. We will also dedicate some time to work on music to be recorded for church virtual choir projects this fall. Open to all children with an interest in singing through eighth grade.
Virtual Large Group Recording Projects – more details to come soon on how to get involved!
- Virtual Children's Choir: “I sing a song of the Saints of God” for All Saints and “The Light Come Down” for Christmas
- Virtual Intergenerational Choir: “Silent Night” for Christmas
- Virtual Christmas Pageant
Calling congregation musicians, all instruments, all ages, all skill levels! Have you been working on a musical skill over the last few months? Have you made videos or recordings of your work that you are particularly proud of? Would you like your work to be considered for use during our regular Sunday services? We would love to connect with you! Please send an email to either Amanda or Wardie and include a link to the video/audio project under consideration. We look forward to listening!
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As we conduct in-person, outdoor marriages, baptisms, and burials, please commit to wearing face coverings and standing six feet apart at all times for the safety and well-being of your fellow parishioners and clergy.
"But in humility consider others as more important than yourselves."
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High School Youth Group Check-in and Compline |
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Starting on Sunday, September 20, high schoolers are invited to meet on Zoom (Meeting ID: 839 9664 4094, Passcode: GodLove) every Sunday at 5pm for 20 minutes. We'll check-in and pray Compline together. |
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Confirmation Parents' Meeting |
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Parents of this years' confirmands are required to attend a parents' meeting on Zoom (Meeting ID: 886 3306 0822 Passcode: StAndrews) on Sunday, September 20 at 5:30pm. Come with questions! First confirmation class is the following Sunday, September 27. |
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Rite-13 Games and Adventure Day! |
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Time for some socially-distanced, outdoor silliness and fun! Meet with your masks on at the War Memorial in front of Town Hall in Wellesley Square at 2pm on Sunday, September 20. Bring your participant covenant if you have not already turned it in.
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Youth & Children’s Program Registration |
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Registering your children for St. Andrew's virtual and take-home programming for church school, Rite-13, and high school youth group will be extra important for this program year 2020-2021. Please fill this form out as fully as possible so we can know how to serve you in this challenging times.
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To stay up to date with St. Andrew's virtual content, make sure to like and follow St. Andrew's on the social media platforms you use.
- Following our Facebook page and turning on notifications will help you know when we are live - or when we get back on air after being disconnected!
- Subscribing to our YouTube Channel will let you know when new hymn, sermon, and service videos are posted. Our YouTube Channel also contains church school lesson and activity videos.
- Follow our parish instagram, @staswellesley, for photos of our parish life throughout the week. Follow our youth instagram @staswellesleyyouth, for content related to children and youth.
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NEW! Parents and teen can sign up for text notifications about events and classes through the Remind app here.
- Our Twitter handle is @StAsWellesley
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We recognize that safety and privacy are of primary concern to members of our congregation. After researching best practices and reaching out to our national church, the communications committee developed a policy not to identify anyone by name in website photos in the fall of 2013. We also agree to publish the following release language in registration forms, The Call, service leaflets, annual reports, and any future publications. This language is as follows:
Occasionally, we may take photographs or videos of St. Andrew’s‐related activities. By appearing at and/or participating in any such activities, you are aware that you may appear in such pictures and agree to let us use such images in related communications(including print and web usage), and you agree to release St. Andrew’s from any liability, damages, or claims whatsoever that might arise from such use. This notice also applies to any members of your family appearing and/or participating in such church activities. Our policy is that we will not identify anyone by name on website photos.
For any questions or more information about photos and usage please contact the vestryperson for communications.
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Online Church Directory and Mobile App
Did you know that we have a directory for church members that you can access from our website? Your email address will need to be in our database for you to get a username and password. Click on “Directory” in the upper right hand corner. Then look for "Need a login? Click here" and enter your email, first name, and last name. you will be prompted from there about getting a password. (Click here to email Kate with questions.)
There is also a mobile app for your cell phone called “Church Life” you can use once you have a username and password. Check it out!
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Parish Prayer List
Charlotte Corey, Barbara, DD Alexander, Peter Barnes, Michael Vanin,
Donnalee, David Choate, Randi Dean, John Bynoe, Cristiane Neves Clay, Isabel, Doug, Asher Griffin, Kim McGovern, Melissa Stampf, Vickie Alexander, Stephen, Theresa Given, Cam Czubek, Rob Rodormer, Jack, Roxanne Manners, Lisa Dutile, Bill, Ashley, Michael, Jean, David McFarlane, Gary Christelis, Alison, Meredith, Mark Peacor, David Sears, James, Emily, Lindsay, Jim Weigel, John & Laura, Carolyn Frye, Mary Ann, Jessica, Connie, Kathy, Elizabeth Peishoff, Vivienne, Mary Kurz Engelke and Rebecca Kurz Engelke, Bobbe, Cindy, Mimi West, Eva and Melanie, Jake, Sharon, Don Hawley, Mick, Joseph Harris, Myron Allukian, Gina, and Anne
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We offer special prayers in memory of
Robert C. Hussey and Tuni Rodormer
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We offer prayers of thanksgiving for the baptisms of
Holly Gordon Magruder
Weston Thomas Bacewicz
Gavin James Bacewicz
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Prayer for Outreach Partners |
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We expect you are concerned about the needy in our community in these days and we encourage your prayers for our outreach partners. Here is updated information on the Outreach partners in our community. If you are shopping on Amazon, please consider using Amazon SMILE to support El Hogar in Honduras or the Wellesley Food Pantry. |
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St. Stephen's Youth Programs
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Family Promise
Yet another family was able to move out of shelter into their own apartment, which is a great success! The need remains great, however, and new families have moved in, so that FPM continues to support four families in shelter at a hotel, and FPM is supporting other families in the LIFE program who are at risk for homelessness. Sam Gloyd, a van driver for FPM, is on a cross-country cycling trip to raise awareness of family homelessness. Follow his progress, and donate to support the families, on their website. |
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common cathedral
This vital ministry continues to offer Sunday outdoor worship, as it has for 24 years, and bag lunch, to its homeless congregation. Members may also stop by Emanuel Church on Wednesdays and Thursdays for Boston Warm/common Art: check-in with the ministers, a short respite, food, a restroom, creative projects - all with appropriate distancing, masks and sanitizing. We will be providing lunch there on September 27. Click here to donate. If you know of someone who is sewing cloth face masks that tie behind the head, they would love some donations. Contact Cam McCormick
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United Way/Pearl Street Cupboard & Cafe
While Pearl Street Cafe is not serving meals, the food pantry is open and is distributing needed food.
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Knitting Ministry
Continues individually making many shawls, baby hats and sweaters, in anticipation of a greater than expected need this coming winter.
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el hogar
Currently we have 41 students living on our Tegucigalpa campus and the rest of our students are at home with their families, coping as well as they can. In the capital city, residents are only allowed to be out of their homes for one day every 2 weeks, in an attempt to control the spread of this deadly virus. Please click here to donate.
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Wellesley Food Pantry
Please see their website for list of needed items, which can be dropped off Monday mornings, or in bins at town grocery stores. They have changed procedures to keep a safe distance and volunteers bag the items (not clients getting items) to reduce exposure. The Pantry has temporarily moved to the UU Church at 309 Washington Street. Please click here to donate.
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Join Coffee Hour via computer
If prompted to enter a Meeting ID it is: 231 303 1816 and the meeting passcode is "StAndrews" Join the meeting using your computer's audio and video. You can opt to join without video.
You will be automatically muted when you join. Click the microphone button in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen to unmute. Please mute yourself when you are not talking.
You can also stop your video at any point if you'd like by clicking the stop video button.
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Join Coffee Hour via phone:
After the service concludes, dial:
929 205 6099. The voice will prompt you to enter the meeting ID: 231 303 1816
The voice will prompt you to enter a participant ID or to press pound. Press Pound. You will automatically be muted. To unmute yourself, press *6. To re-mute yourself, press *6 again.
Please mute when you are not talking or when your background noise is loud.
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