March 4, 2021
Clickable Table of Contents
Thoughts from Pastor Sarah
Dear Kindred in Christ,
 
When I visited you in March, four years ago, on the first Sunday of Lent, I quoted Ani DiFranco in my first sermon to you, "Their eyes are all asking me, are you in, or are you out? And I think, 'Oh man, what is this all about?'" As I prepare for this Sunday, that lyric is on my mind once again.  It's partly evoked by a scripture reading that portrays insiders and outsiders and flips expectations with a series of stories.  It's partly evoked by approaching a year anniversary of social distancing and virtual worship-- in which all of us have been mostly OUT of the church building, while yet IN fellowship with one another virtually. 
 
And, at this moment, we're beginning to think about how and when we can begin to offer hybrid worship experiences-- with both in-building gatherings of limited size and simultaneous virtual gatherings.  Steve Planck has done amazing work to make plans to enhance the technology in our sanctuary to make this more possible and hopefully more smoothly than prior attempts have been.  And yesterday the Communications and Technology Team of the Presbytery, which I chair, voted to award us a $1,000 grant to support the purchase of a high quality camera and other necessary cables and equipment.  Our church Foundation will soon consider funding any costs in excess of this $1,000.  Thanks be to God. 
 
There's important work to be done in addition to this technology planning.  I need to sort out how to effectively pastor, simultaneously, to both distant and present worshippers. And we need to sort out what modifications to prior worship practices are yet necessary for maximal safety given the persistence of this pandemic and the variability of vaccine status among us.  I fear that even those inside the building will feel out because of how different things are and how much space we must maintain.  I fear that those outside the building will feel neglected, or second tier.  Will necessary attendance limitations, and likely advance sign ups, lead some folks who want to come feeling excluded?  I would welcome discussion about this in our coffee chat tomorrow or after worship on Sunday. What do you fear? What do you desire?  What do you imagine?  Please share with me. 
 
The Good News I take from the Gospel of Luke is that though all of us can feel like outsiders at any given moment... though all of us can feel lost or forgotten... though some of us really do find ourselves estranged or distanced, even cut off... God is in the business of seeking and finding the lost, bringing the outside in, running to meet us while we're still far off.  God keeps coming to us wherever we are, making irrelevant our earthly divisions of in and out.  And the hope I draw from the experiences of a year ago, is that if you had told me that we were going to shift from entirely in-person to entirely virtual worship in a week's time I would have been flooded with fear.  But that is what we did.  And we have had some incredible worship experiences this past year.  So... we will figure this out too, and we will continue to give glory to God, and gather actually and virtually... And truly friends, if you're feeling "out" right now, I hope you'll let God in Christ find you and welcome you "in." 
 
Sunday is a communion service, so please have "bread" and "cup" ready... you set the table.  We'll bless the tables.  And God will once again find us, making Christ present to us in ordinary things of this world.  
 
 
Peace be with you and with our world, 
 
Pastor Sarah
March 7
Luke 15:1-32; Psalm 119:167-176
 
March 14
Luke 16:19-31; Psalm 41:1-3

Read these passages online here.
New News & Announcements

FIRST SATURDAY DONATION DROP-OFF 11:45 AM - 12:15 PM  

Our masked volunteers will greet you curbside in front of the church to receive your donations to West Women’s and Children's Shelter, Ziploc Ministry and Neighborhood House Food Pantry.  We will also have lots of filled Ziplocs available for pickup.  If you’d like to sign up to donate supplies or make a casserole, visit the West Women’s Signup and the Ziploc Ministry Signup.  

 

A great need right now is for supplies (especially socks) for the Ziploc bags distributed to our neighbors living outside who are hard hit by the pandemic and the cold weather. If you would like to support this ministry please send your donation marked “Ziploc Ministry” to the church.  Contact Marilyn with questions. Thanks for your generosity to St. Andrew’s ministries.  

SW HOPE COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE

Food Pantry Tour - YouTube

 

Event of the week: SALVADOR MOLLY’S TAKEOUT TO DONATE
Take a break from cooking and get a delicious meal from Salvador Molly’s on March 9! 10% of all food purchases on March 9 go directly to supporting SW HOPE.
SW HOPE is an annual food and fund drive that partners with faith, business and community groups for a special 6-week event supporting the Neighborhood House Food Pantry - the largest food pantry on Portland’s west side. We are excited to be a partner of SW HOPE this year.

@salvadormollys @nhpdx #SWHOPE

Other events include:

Panel on Food Insecurity
Wednesday, March 18 from 6-7 PM Register here

 

SW HOPE Virtual 5k Run/Walk*
April 5-11 SW Hope 5k (runsignup.com)

 

Take Out to Donate Nights
March 23 at Shalom Y’all SW
March 28 at Yalla (Multnomah Village)
April 6 at Mediterranean Exploration Company
*10% of all proceeds support SW HOPE

Drive up and Donate
April 3 10 AM-2 PM at Southwest Community Center

*March 6, 13, 20, 27, April 3 10-11 AM at Hillsdale Community Church

    NEWS FROM THE PRESBYTERY OF THE CASCADES
    On Friday, March 12 and Saturday, March 13 our presbytery, the Presbytery of the Cascades will be gathering virtually for a stated meeting.  Marilyn Palumbo and I will represent St. A's at this meeting.  We could bring one additional commissioner.  If you have ever been ordained as an elder at St. A's you could join us.  Are you willing or interested?  Please let Pastor Sarah know.  You do not need to be an active Elder on Session now. 
     
    Pastor Sarah is a member of the presbytery and part of her responsibility as a Presbyterian minister is to share her gifts in service to the presbytery as a whole.  For three years she has been chairing the Communications and Technology Team of the Presbytery, helping to administer technology grants to congregations, facilitating communication workshops for the presbytery, convening a crisis communication team, and helping evaluate the communication tools of the presbytery.  As chair of this team, she has also been sitting on the Presbytery Leadership Council, helping to discern the overall direction of the presbytery through an extended transitional season. She was recently invited to serve on a Strategic Planning Team for the presbytery and has begun that work in the past two weeks.  
     
    Sally Miller is serving on a Fire Response team for the Presbytery, helping to distribute funds gathered to support churches impacted by recent wildfires. Marilyn Roberts is serving our national church by serving on the Cuba Partners Network Board.  How might you support the ministry of the wider church?
     
    So much is possible when we work together to advance Christ's ministry in this world.  Visit https://www.cascadespresbytery.org/ to learn more about the Presbytery or join us for next week's meeting... or bring questions to coffee chat!

    COVID VACCINATION NEWS AND OFFER OF HELP

    Covid vaccine information is changing rapidly these days, and access to vaccine appointments continues to be very challenging. Vaccinations are now available for all Oregonians aged 65 and above, teachers, and all residents of retirement or full time care facilities. Vaccinations are still being offered at mass vaccination sites located inside at the Oregon Convention Center and at drive-through at the Portland Airport. Retail pharmacies have also now started receiving vaccines and are posting appointment availability and signup options on their individual websites. No matter where you get your vaccination, AN APPOINTMENT IS STILL REQUIRED. Because of the scheduling challenges the Oregon Health Authority has switched to this scheduling tool: https://getvaccinated.oregon.gov/#/ and up-to-date information here. Additional assistance can be accessed by emailing orcovid@211info.org, or calling 211. Even with all of these options to schedule your vaccine, the process can be challenging to navigate, and call wait times are very long. If you are experiencing challenges scheduling your appointment, or finding the process confusing, we would like to help. To get help with navigating the scheduling process or arranging transportation please email Becky Schiefelbein.

    Learning & Fellowship Opportunities
    Members of all classes and groups are encouraged to continue reading and studying at home. Please contact your group
    leader if you do not find a list or link below.
    MEN'S BIBLE STUDY
    Several St. Andrew's men meet twice a month (facilitated by Charles Duncombe, often accompanied by Pastor Sarah and/or Pastor Tom) for an early Wednesday morning Bible Study. Given COVID numbers at present, this is once again an on-line only gathering. They meet the first and third Wednesday of every month. Let us know if you want to get connected. They are currently making their way through the Book of Exodus and have arrived at the long journey of Israel in the wilderness. 

    Here is the zoom link (good for every session!). (The passcode is: breakfast.

    ANTI-RACISM STUDY GROUP- CONTINUING

    We have concluded our first book study and both groups have decided to keep meeting once a month, moving on to So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo.  This is the zoom link for our gatherings (the same link works for both gatherings). We meet on the second Saturday (March 13) at 1 p.m. and the third Thursday (March 18) at 6 p.m. ( PLEASE NOTE NEW TIME.) New participants are welcome in both groups. If you participated early on and want to reconnect, this is a great time to do so. For March, please read chapters 3-5, and transcribe key quotes from each chapter. Also, please keep your ears tuned to the news, considering whether and how something in the news might be about race (or race might be a significant factor in it) even if that is not apparently the case. (Review chapter one for criteria to aid your discernment.) Please bring your observations. Questions? Please contact Pastor Sarah.
    ENNEAGRAM DISCUSSION GROUP
    Having completed our basic introduction, we are turning our attention for the next several months to the Enneagram and relationships.  In October we began reading The Path Between Us, by Suzanne Stabile. We are working our way through the study guide to this book, and in March (Saturday, March 27th) we'll engage in lesson 4.  Even if you've never joined us, but want to get involved, you're welcome! Join us on zoom. Contact Pastor Sarah with questions.

    SAVE THE DATES- ADULT EDUCATION IN LATE SPRING

    You're warmly invited to the adult education class,  Stories of the Early Church, taught by Dr. Yang, between May 2 and June 6 (six Sundays, 9:00-9:50AM). The following questions and more will be explored with relevant images and video clips! "What happened to the twelve apostles after the book of Acts? Why was the Roman persecution of the early church inevitable? How did Constantine change the face of Christianity forever? How did Mediterranean monasticism begin? What caused the split between the West Roman Catholic and the Greek Orthodox?

     Service Opportunities
    We know that there are many requests for basic needs assistance right now.  Please contact the Church Office Admin  or Mission Team Leader if you have questions or need help with drop-off or deliveries.  We hope that you find one or more opportunities that call to you, and please know that any amount
    of support is appreciated and makes a big difference!

    ST. ANDREW'S PARTNERS WITH BOB THROUGH PROVIDENCE FOUNDATION 

    The Providence Better Outcomes thru Bridges (BOB) program is our newest partner for the hygiene kits that St. Andrew’s assembles  each month.  40 bags were delivered to Providence for BOB team outreach to houseless individuals in December, 2020.  BOB teams regularly contact houseless individuals living in camps and in their cars.  BOB Team Mentors walk alongside these clients, building relationships and connecting  them with essential services. Teams distributed kits packaged at St. Andrew’s which include food, hydration and hygiene essentials. St. Andrew’s is expanding production to maintain this outreach with BOB.  If you can help by donating supplies, here’s a link -  just sign up!  

    FACE MASK MINISTRY
    Please consider making masks for one or more of the following situations:

    1. Masks for the West Women’s and Children’s Shelter in both adult and child sizes in any style.
    2. Fabric and purchased paper masks for the St Andrew’s Service Project the last Saturday of each month when we assemble 50-75 hygiene bags for the houseless. 
    3. Inventory of fabric masks for use at St Andrew’s. Hopefully most people will wear their own masks, but we want to have some available to use and keep if they need to.
     
    Fabric and materials are available. Please contact me if you can help with masks and/or quilts for children in hospitals and foster care.

    Blessings,
    Connie Jo Blumthal
    ST. ANDREW'S YARD WORK
    If you and your family are craving fresh air and exercise, please consider working on the St. Andrew's grounds, getting them ready for spring!  Contact Steve Ihrig for assignments and scheduling. Thank you!
    Online Gatherings & Events Links
    Every Sunday
    10:00 am - Worship on Zoom & Facebook

    Every Wednesday

    6:30 pm - Evening Prayer on Zoom
     
    Every Friday
    10:00 am - Noon Coffee Chat on Zoom
    Fridays, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon 
    CLICK HERE to join the Zoom conversation
     Reminders & Ongoing News
    JOIN US FOR LENTEN WORSHIP- WHO AM I???
    Every Sunday of Lent (2.21-3.21) we invite you to ask "Who am I?" as you listen to the Gospel stories.  Watch your mail for packets of nametags you can use as prods to reflection during worship. We pray that your Lenten journey will lead you to greater self-awareness and greater connection to Christ our Savior.   Join us every Sunday at 10 a.m. (and every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. if you want even more touch points for faithful reflection) on zoom. 
     
    A reminder not to respond to e-mails or texts from St. Andrew's staff or members requesting favors and on-line purchases.  These are scams.  If you have questions, please call the church office first.  Please stay safe in cyberspace!

    2021 PER CAPITA

    The Presbytery voted to set total per capita for the Presbytery at $36.50 for 2021.  The motion was adopted at the July 2020 stated meeting.
     
    Every year we pay the set per capita amount for every member of our congregation to the Presbytery of the Cascades.  They then remit per capita payments to the Synod of the Pacific (larger regional council) and to the General Assembly (national regional council).  We support the ministry of our wider church through faithful payment of per capita.  You are welcome to make a donation specifically with the intention of covering your per capita expense ($36.50 per member of your household), or you may consider this part of the pledge you make to the congregation and not make an additional contribution.  You can send a check by mail indicating per capita on the memo line or make this contribution on-line, choosing the per capita designation.  If you have any questions about per capita or other matters of church finance, feel free to be in touch with Pastor Sarah. 
    ROAD CONSTRUCTION ALERT
    St. Andrew's has received notice of construction that will be ongoing from August 2020 to August 2021. The City of Portland will be repairing sewer pipes all along Dosch Road and around Hillsdale Crest. Please be aware of street closures, flagging, and delays.  For more information, including street closures and scheduling, please visit the City's website here
     For on-line giving please visit:
    standrewspdx.com/give
    Thank you for continuing to support the ministries of St. Andrew's through your online donations and checks sent by mail. 

    Office: 503-293-1048 
    During office hours or in case of emergency

    Office hours 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Monday - Thursday


    Click HERE to send an e-mail.

    Click HERE to view the church calendar.


    Click here to read current and past issues of the Cascades Connections, a publication of the Presbytery of the Cascades

    The Rev. Dr. Sarah Sanderson-Doughty, Pastor and Head of Staff
    Don Feely, Director of Music Ministry
    Connie Delgado, Bookkeeper
    Cynthia Reynolds, Office Administrator & Neighborhood Ministries
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