Greetings!

This coming Wednesday, November 11, we will celebrate Veterans Day. As has become the tradition at St Andrew’s, we will mark the occasion at the beginning of this Sunday’s service, the Sunday closest to Veterans Day, with an act of remembrance.

Alongside prayers of thanksgiving for all those who have served our nation in the armed forces, we will observe a period of silence to remember and honour their service and sacrifice.

As we have done for a number of years, we will also be distributing poppy lapel pins as a mark of remembrance. This follows a tradition in the Britain and other Commonwealth nations, including our neighbors in Canada, where poppies are worn to commemorate those who have served and sacrificed in times of war. In the Commonwealth, the Sunday closest to November 11 is known as Remembrance Sunday.

The tradition of wearing poppies originated in the years following the First World War. It was inspired by the red poppies which grew in the fields of Flanders, where some of the war’s fiercest fighting took place. These flowers became a powerful symbol of remembrance for those who lost their lives in the conflict.

I hope you will join us on Sunday as we take this opportunity to give thanks, remember and pray for all those who have served our country.

Yours in Christ, Adrian

Links for the 10am Sunday service AND Morning Prayer

• The Holy Eucharist is celebrated on Sundays at 8am, 10am (also online), and 5pm. Morning Prayer and the 5pm services are on their regular schedules. (Use the link above to our YouTube channel.)

• Parish office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9am to 4pm (the doors are locked, please ring the intercom) and Friday, 9am to noon (church access by appointment) unless otherwise announced. Tuesday at noon is the deadline for all materials for the bulletin, the e-Pistle, or any email for the following Sunday. 

• 12-Step Programs  Men’s AA, Wednesdays at 7pm; Women’s AA, Thursdays at 7pm; Emotions Anonymous, Saturdays at 9:30am; Sober Sisters AA, Saturdays at 10:30am.

Regular meetings and gatherings, unless otherwise announced

Sundays • 9am adult Christian learning • 9:45am Kids’ Place • 9:45am church school • 11am coffee hour • 4:00pm Confirmation • 5:30pm Rite-13 • 5:30pm youth group

Thursdays • 12pm beginner’s Bible study • 5pm St. Andrew's Choristers • 7:30pm St. Andrew's Choir

First and third Saturdays at 8am • men’s Bible study

Second Tuesdays at 11am and second Wednesdays at 7pm • Open Bible Study 

To Contact Staff

Visit our website here, or sign into your Realm account here.

Dorothy Day

November 8, 1897––November 29, 1980

Dorothy Day was a journalist, a Roman Catholic reformer, and a cofounder of the Catholic Worker and its associated autonomous communities. She believed deeply in social justice and strived to create communities that reflected those beliefs. She was born on November 8, 1897, in Brooklyn, NY. On her own initiative at the age of ten, she started attending an Episcopal church where she was baptized and confirmed at age 13. In college, Dorothy rejected organized religion because she didn’t see “religious people” helping the poor. Her conversion to Catholicism is documented in her autobiography, The Long Loneliness. She dropped out of college after her second year and worked as a journalist on staff at several Socialist publications. In 1917, she was arrested for picketing at the White House on behalf of women’s suffrage and sentenced to 30 days in jail. She was released after 15 days, 10 of which she was on a hunger strike. The FBI monitored the Catholic Worker Movement from 1940 to 1970 and Day was jailed four times in those 30 years. She was jailed 11 more times for her activism; the last time, at 76, standing on a picket line with Cesar Chavez.

She was an important figure in the history of feminism and non-violent protests and she provided a platform for activists and pacifists. She devoted her life to serving the homeless and the poor, and was a tireless advocate for peace and justice. It was a deep belief of Day’s that non-violence, pacifism, and anarchism, aligned with Christianity, would result in a radical shift to a new order.

Her feast day is November 29.

When asked, “Didn’t Jesus say that the poor would be with us always?” Dorothy Day replied, “Yes, but we are not content that there should be so many of them. The class structure is our making and by our consent, not God’s, and we must do what we can to change it.”

Notices and Announcements

Deadline for materials to add to this notices section is noon on Tuesdays for both the bulletin and the e-Pistle.

9am Christian Learning

Join us today, November 8, when Megan Burns leads a discussion on our fall book: Witness to Belief. Famous modern Christians share their faith in this book; come if you have read it, or even if you haven’t Join us on Sunday, November 15, when Adrian Robbins-Cole leads a class on Dostoevsky: A Christian Life. Everyone is welcome. Come once, once a month, or once a week. We meet in the parish hall or on Zoom. —Margaret Schwarzer

St. Stephen’s Youth Program Forum

Please join leaders from St. Stephen's Youth Programs for a forum on this Sunday, November 8, in the Harvey Room, at 11:30am. We will hear about exciting progress at this longtime St. Andrew's outreach partner, in its mission to support and empower children and families in Boston's South End. Questions? Contact Cam McCormick.

Soul Sisters

Please join us for our next Soul Sisters gathering on Tuesday, November 17, 6pm to 7:30pm. Stephanie Steinsieck from Human Relations Services will lead a discussion on Fears. As usual, we will provide a main course for dinner 6pm to 6:45pm, followed by our discussion 6:45pm to 7:30pm. Feel free to bring a side salad or sweet treat to share.

Questions to Heather Schaefer or Sarah Robbins-Cole.

Bible Studies this Month

• Beginner Bible Study Adrian leads this class every Thursday at noon on Zoom. We’re studying Genesis. Everyone is welcome.
• Men’s Bible Study Adrian leads this class which meets on the first and third Saturday’s of the month from 8am to 9am. We are reading The Book of Acts.
• Open Bible Studies Margaret leads this class which meets on Tuesday, November 10, at 11am and on Wednesday, November 11 (Veteran’s Day), at 7pm. We are reading 1 Corinthians, Chapters 6 and 8. Everyone is welcome. Come to the Harvey Room or join us on Zoom.

Circle of Hope project for Homeless Women

Our outreach ministry is seeking volunteers to assemble 50 gift bags for women experiencing homelessness; the bags will be distributed by Circle of Hope to many of the organizations it serves. Gather in Room 2 after the 10am service on Sunday, November 15, to participate. 
—Emily Caspersen or Herb Manning

Faith & Practice Class

Join us on Sunday, November 15 at 11:30am in the Harvey Room for The Divine in Wendell Barry and Annie Dillard’s Poems and Essays. led by

Margaret Schwarzer. Barry and Dillard, two American literary giants, see the divine in our natural world and invite us to join them. —Margaret Schwarzer

Wellesley Turkey Trot

Come join St. Andrew’s Team! You are invited to be a part of our St. Andrew’s Turkey Trot team this year. Last year, 70 of us between the ages of 5-80 ran; let’s do it again!

Please go to the Wellesley Turkey Trot website. When it asks you if you want to join a team, click “yes” and then find us —“St. Andrew’s” in the list of teams running. Click here to sign up.

—Margaret Schwarzer

Water Table at the Turkey Trot Race

The Dubé family has been staffing our Turkey Trot water table for the past five years, but they can’t do it this year. Is there a volunteer or volunteer family to: set up a St. Andrew’s folding table, get big plastic water urns from the church, fill them, and hand out a few hundred little paper cups full of water at the one mile mark (across the street from our parking lot)? Homemade signs ready to hang up on the table, too. Please reach out to Margaret Schwarzer. 

Mah Jongg

Mah Jongg meets Tuesday, November 10, at 3:30pm; Wednesday, November 11, at 6pm; and Thursday, November 12, at 1pm, all in the parish hall. All are welcome, whether you are an experienced player or looking to brush up on your skills. Mah Jongg sets and cards are available for use. Each session generally last 1½ to 2 hours. —Sarah Robbins-Cole

St. Andrew’s Day

St. Andrew's Day is just around the corner. We'll be celebrating at church on Sunday, November 22. Wear red or tartan and join us at 10am for a special service including bagpipe music. Then join us for a festive coffee hour. Have a favorite shortbread recipe? Please bake or buy traditional shortbread to share. —Sarah Harris

Gathering of the Greens

Join us for Gathering of the Greens on Saturday, November 28 at 9:30am at the Hunnewell home, 845 Washington Street, Wellesley—rain or shine. This is an intergenerational event as we clip and gather greens, that will be used for Advent Wreath making on Sunday, November 29. Bags will be provided, but bring your own gloves and clippers. Dress appropriately for the weather. Contact Sarah Harris with any questions.

Gifts of Love: Thanksgiving Meals 

It is our holiday tradition to donate Thanksgiving meal kits to families at our sister parish, St. Stephen’s in Boston, and their youth programs. We will deliver 100 kits with either a turkey or equivalent gift card, plus a bag of fixings (rice, beans, cranberry sauce, etc, and fresh veggies).

Help this effort through your generous donation (use the Holiday Dinners envelopes in the pews, or via Realm with “Holiday Dinners” in the memo). Our turkey and grocery costs are significantly higher than in 2025! You can also help by coming downstairs after the November 22 service to help pack bags for delivery!

Donated funds also support our Christmas gift bags for St. Stephen’s seniors, which include warm items made by our busy Knitters, and homemade cookies. Any excess funds will be donated to local food pantries! Thanks!

—Herb Manning

College Care Packages

Sending college (and post-secondary school) packages is a tradition at St. Andrew’s. Each year we send packages to 12 Wily Scholars and to parishioners who have graduated from high school. Wily Scholars are college students who have largely grown up in the foster care system and are now in college. The Wily Network helps support these students so they have all that they need to get through four years of college. Look for the SignUp Genius link in this week's e-Pistle.The Sign-Up Genius link is here.  Please contribute using that link and purchasing by Friday, November 20. For more information contact Sarah Robbins-Cole or Susan Jackson.

Advent Taizé-style Service

Join us on Sunday, November 29, at 5pm, for 100 flickering votive candles, chanted prayer, and holy silence. This 40 minute service is shaped by the worship of the monastic Christian community in Taizé, France (taize.fr.en).

—Margaret Schwarzer

Parish Photo Release

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 agreed to publish the following release language in registration forms, The Call, service leaflets, annual reports, and any future publications. This language is as follows:

We take regular photographs, videos, and live streams 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, website and social media), 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 more information please contact the vestry person for communication. 

Clarifying Notes on Payments and Pledges

• Checks Please indicate the intended use of your gift in the memo line of your check so it can be credited appropriately.
• Stock Gifts If you are donating stock, please email me the name of the stock and the number of shares. We have already received two stock gifts for which we have been unable to identify the donors.
• Monthly Payments and 2027 Pledges If you have set up a monthly payment through Realm using +Give and then Recurring Payment but have not yet entered your pledge, please use the +Pledge tab to register your 2027 pledge or email me your pledge amount. Realm does not notify us of recurring payments until they occur, so we will not know your giving intentions until the payments begin in January. To confirm that your pledge has been recorded, check the Giving section in Realm, where your pledge should be displayed. 

—Joanne Butler

Children and Youth

Kids’ Place Childcare

Kids’ Place is for children three and under, or any older child who would prefer to be in nursery care rather than church school and is open from 9:45 to 11:45am. 

Church School

• Godly Play I  pre-k to first grade meet in the children’s chapel.
• Godly Play II  grades two and three meet in Room 201.
• Upper School  grades four and five meet in Room 204.

Rite-13

For sixth and seventh graders, is this Sunday, November 8. Meet for dinner in the parish hall at 5:30pm.

Youth Group

Today, November 8, 5:30pm to 7pm, meet for dinner in parish hall, carry your dinner up to the Harvey Room, and then we will have a Bible study on Matthew’s Gospel. 

St. Andrew’s Choristers

We are seeking an adult volunteer to attend Chorister rehearsals on Thursdays from 5pm to 6pm. Safe Church guidelines require two adults to be present with children. No musical participation is required—just your presence. If you can help, please contact Andrew Sheranian or

Sarah Robbins-Cole.

Christmas Pageant 2026 Schedule

All rehearsals are from 11:15am to noon on Sundays.

November 15 Pageant casting and parent info session

November 22 Pageant rehearsal #1 (for speaking roles)

November 29 optional carol sing/costume fitting

December 6 Pageant rehearsal #2 (for speaking roles)

December 13 Pageant rehearsal #3 and costume fitting (mandatory for all participants)

December 20 at the 10am service Christmas Pageant

We are delighted to welcome Boston native Brittany Rolfs, a singer, actor, and theatre professional, who will bring fresh ideas to this beloved Christmas tradition and help lead rehearsals. We are also recruiting a phalanx of parents to join the fun, helping with costuming, sheep wrangling, and more!



Our goal is for all children with speaking roles to know their lines by heart. If your child is interested in a speaking role, please attend the casting rehearsal and parent information session on November 15 after church. Attendance at all three rehearsals on November 22, December 6, and December 13 is mandatory for speaking roles. —Andrew Sheranian

Music Note

Today’s Offertory Anthem

The composer of today's offertory anthem, William Byrd (c. 1540–1623), one of the supreme composers of the English Renaissance, spent much of his career as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal under Queen Elizabeth I. His five-part motet Vigilate, sets Christ’s warning “Keep watch, for you do not know when the master of the house will come.” Byrd responds to this urgent text with extraordinarily vivid, almost theatrical word-painting. The music becomes hushed and languorous as Christ warns against being found dormientes—“sleeping”—, while de repente—“suddenly”—erupts in breathless, rapid imitation. Most memorable is an galli cantu—“at cockcrow”—, where exuberant rising figures pass through the choir like the crowing of a rooster. At the conclusion, the contrapuntal voices suddenly gather together to proclaim omnibus dico—“I say to all”—before the final command, Vigilate, rings out with renewed urgency. Byrd’s brilliant fusion of Renaissance polyphony with the expressive techniques of the Italian madrigal transforms a brief Gospel admonition into a miniature sacred drama: restless, alert, and perfectly suited to the expectant character of this pre-Advent season.

Prayers

Parish Prayer List

Cynthia Scott, Patricia, Asher Griffin, Gertrude Hughes, Cam Czubek,

Barbara Henderson, Leslie Holmes, C.J., Landis Greathouse, Shelby Pierce,

Pat MacKinnon, Stephen, Marina, John Cigan, Michael Vanin, Tomoko,

Ralph Mercer, Donald, Katherine, Wayne, Barry, Trip, Joan W., Susan Link,

John Wright, Rosie, Kiki H., Betsy C., Annie, Duke Devlin, Lianne Young,

Pat Gillooly, Olivia Guagliano, Beverley Moran, Nancy,

Pat, Amy Plante, Harry Grey, Emily, Sara, and Laurin Baldwin.

Prayers for the Dead

We pray for the repose of the soul of Helen Jane Vickers Jenkins, sister of our Pastoral Associate, Rev. Karen Vickers Budney, and for the repose of the soul of Roger Earl Jenkins, Karen's brother-in-law.

The altar flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of

David Giele given by Janet Giele and their children.

Social Media

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.

• Follow our parish instagram, @staswellesley, for photos of our parish life throughout the week.
• Subscribing to our YouTube Channel will let you know when new service videos are posted.
• Following our Facebook page and turning on notifications will help you know when we are live.