St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

Christmas 2008

2008-12-10T15:12:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,
The Christmas Season of 2008 is upon us, and although the Advent Season is itself a joyous, blessed time of year, it goes without saying that 2008 has been a mixed blessing for many. And the year is not yet over.

This letter is both a reminder of a St. Andrew’s tradition and a request to at least continue this most worthwhile tradition. The tradition is that St. Andrew’s has for a number of years devoted our entire Christmas Offering to helping needy families in our own and in nearby communities. The amount gathered and disbursed last year was in excess of $13,000. It is hoped that we can do at least as well this year.

Every penny you contribute toward this effort will go to the families listed below, and if the offering is large enough other families whose needs come to our attention. It is a most efficient way to give, and an important and appropriate way our Parish can glorify God. The candidate families this year were nominated by Bound Together (All Saints Church, Pontiac); The Baldwin Avenue Church and Center of Pontiac; Open Door of Union Lake; and by members of our own Congregation.

The families we will be helping this year are:

1. A mother and daughter. The car of the family is inoperable and there is no money for repairs. A repaired vehicle would make possible family transportation, especially for the daughter’s essential tutoring sessions at Bound Together.
2. A mother with four boys. The mother works as a cleaning woman to support the family. The father is serving a long prison sentence. The costs of utilities and gas and rent leave precious little money left over.
3. A mother and father and two children. The wife has fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, lupus, and diabetes. Father has tumors in his feet, a herniated disc and bone spurs. Neither can work and the family has declared bankruptcy.
4. A mother and father and one son. The mother suffers from back and knee problems and depression. The father has a heart problem and is bipolar. The bipolar son quit school when he was 14 and “…hasn’t left their home in seven years due to his disability.” They live on a small monthly SSI payment.
5. A single mother with two children, an eight year old son and a nineteen year old daughter. The daughter suffers from constriction of blood vessels in the brain resulting in seizures. The mother recently lost her job when the dentist she was working for closed his practice. She does not receive child support.
6. A mother and father and son. The mother has Addison’s disease, osteoporosis, and suffered a heart attack in July. The father suffered a gunshot wound to the head in 2007 and cannot work as a result. The son has a tumor in his right knee, IBS, asthma, and is bipolar. Their SSD does not cover their $675 monthly rent.
7. A mother and son and daughter. The father is a drug addict currently in prison. The mother left him after fifteen years of marriage and receives no child support. She lost her job of five years last May and is now getting by on unemployment which just covers rent, heat, and car payment.
8. A mother and father and six children. The mother is pregnant. Mother and father work at part time jobs and the two family cars which are necessary for them to get to work are inoperable. The home is in need of significant plumbing and electrical repair.

These then are the families we are hoping to make a difference for this Advent Season.
Please give careful consideration to how much you can do to support this St. Andrew’s Outreach. We are in a position to make a difference for these eight families.

Three thoughts come to mind and I leave them with you:
· There but for the grace of God.

· From those to whom much is given, much is expected.

· As you do unto the least of these, you do unto Me.

Please help to continue this most worthwhile and commendable form of Outreach.

Faithfully yours,

Paul Sparre on behalf of the Christmas Outreach Committee

What is Pledging?

2008-12-10T15:09:00.000-08:00

What does pledging mean to me? Well in my lifetime of going to church (not that it's always been on a regular basis), I always thought it meant giving what you could afford, giving the extra you had. I never dug particularly deep, partially because I didn't always have a lot, but also because at other churches I never really saw where the money was going.

One of the best things about St. Andrew's Church is that you see where the money is going. Yes, it takes a certain amount to pay for the building and the salaries, but I love St. Andrew's emphasis on outreach. We are not a "profit" organization. Every year at Christmas time we're proud to help families in dire need. The loose offering goes to the discretionary fund, which helps so many worthy projects. We give to Open Door, to people in the military, and so many other worthy causes and projects.

So pledging and giving has come to mean something different to me than just giving the "extra". The money I give is making a difference in so many lives, not just outside the congregation, but inside as well. So it's become a high priority for me. I admit, some weeks are tight, and I can't give anything that week. But then on a better week, I give my pledge amount and make up for the week I couldn't give. And I use a very "high-tech" accounting technique to keep track-I keep the envelope in the box until I give my pledge amount. It's simple, but it works! I try to give to the church first before I "give" to Target or the dollar store, and I find a way to make it work.

I know some of you may feel bombarded from the vestry and budget committee with all the talk
about pledging and the 2009 budget. It's a tough subject to hear about, and I know it's not been easy for the vestry members who have gotten up to speak before services or during services (and thanks so much to them!). We all have to remember that not only is the economy in difficult times, but a transition time for a church is never easy. We definitely can't claim to have Father Chris' special touch when he sent out the letters for the next year's budget. However we are doing the best we can to give the congregation an honest, objective view of our current financial status, so everyone knows exactly where we stand.

This article and the budget committee article are the last ones you will see, and there will be no other talks given in the church about pledges or the budget, until our annual meeting, which is Sunday Jan 18. We will simply update in the bulletin the status of the pledge cards we receive. Thanks for listening, I think if we all look carefully at our situation, pray about it, think about all the good this church does, and have faith, we can move forward in a po$itive way.

Respectfully,
Francine Klein

It's More Blessed to Give Than to Receive

2008-12-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

I've heard that since I was a child. Another thing I often heard was that whatever you give, you get back several times over. Of all the things I heard as a kid, for some reason, I really believed these two concepts.

As a young working adult, before I was married, my Dad told me that I should give a portion of what I earned to the church (at that time, All Saints', Pontiac). "Whatever you give to the church is between you and God. It is always returned in ways you may not understand, but it always comes back to you," I remember him saying.

Over the years, I've found he was right. Giving must come from your heart. You must give deliberate, thoughtful, and especially PRAYERFUL thought to what you give to the church. And, yes, it does always come back in one way or another. It's usually not in a monetary way, but in a way I feel surging through me, increasing my own belief in God'sgoodness.

This year it is especially important to PRAY about what you do. Michigan families are facing hard times. We don't know what's around the corner for the auto industry that has run this region throughout my life. Yet, life does go on, and this church will be a part of your life no matter what. In fact, I think the support and encouragement of your fellowchurch members is even more important during hard times.

St. Andrew's needs your pledges, but you must also support your family. I remember when our family consisted of five children ages 12 and under. Outfitting all of them in snowsuits, gloves, scarves, hats and boots could break the bank!! Then there were unplanned doctor bills, school trips, college expenses, etc. etc.

Yet, we always gave a pledge to the church we attended. Some years that pledge would be larger than in other years depending upon what expenses we knew were coming. Some years we hit the mark of our pledge, some years we fell short and some years we went over. Some years we knew we could give more than we did in the previous year. Those were ALLELUIA years!!

Here at St. Andrew's I feel our family has a second family, just as important and just as loving and accepting as our family at home. We've grown in our closeness to God through the educational and spiritual programs here and through the wonderfully thought out sermons of Rev. Bob Wollard and Rev, Marlyn Stroud. I believe in the church's ability to move ahead.

This year as a member of the Vestry Budget Committee, I hope you will think deliberately about what you can do. I hope you will be thoughtful as you fill out the pledge card. But, mostly, I hope you will be PRAYERFUL and really listen to what God is telling you to do. I hope your gift comes directly from you PRAYERS and from your heart.

I firmly believe in St. Andrew's Episcopal Church's ability to maintain programs to the best of its ability. I firmly believe that God's work is done here and that work reaches outside the church to those in the community.

And, I firmly believe that whatever we give will come back to each of us several times over throughout the next year and the years ahead.

THINK, PRAY, THEN GIVE FROM YOUR HEART.

Charlotte Wall

A Little Noise About The Squeakers

2008-12-10T14:58:00.001-08:00

The St. Andrew’s Children’s Choir practices after the 10:00 service on most Sundays. All children are welcome. Upcoming events include a Christmas Eve performance, a play created in collaboration with the church Sunday School and musical collaborations with the St. Andrew’s Minstrels. For more information, contact Jennifer Vanadia, Harry Williams or Mary Kay Sparre. To receive email notification of Squeakers practices and performance dates, email jtvandsal@sbcglobal.net and put Squeakers in the subject line.

Church School News

2008-12-10T14:53:00.000-08:00

The Church School students and their teachers are preparing an Advent play titled “God's Gift to Us.” The play will be presented during the 10:00 a.m.service on Sunday, December 14. Thanks go to Art Noren for finding the “One Rehearsal Christmas Play”; to Tom Sharpe for set design and construction; to Harry Williams and Jennifer Vanadia for helping with the music. We look forward to sharing the play with everyone!

From St. Andrews Endowment Committee

2008-12-10T14:50:00.000-08:00

Each year the Endowment Committee plans to make a sizable gift to St. Andrew’s for projects that typically cannot be included in our annual budget. In past years, Endowment funds helped provide a new roof for the Rectory, purchased a defibrillator, helped purchase the new table and chairs we now enjoy in Hunt Hall and in the St. Gregory’s room, made it possible to replace the porch, and helped to make it possible to purchase the new organ.

Project approval and requests for funds must come from the vestry. This year the Endowment was asked to fund a kitchen remodel/upgrade that would provide new lighting, a new floor along with additional structural support for the floor, and a fresh coat of paint. Those who use the kitchen know that such a makeover is long overdue and the Endowment felt this was a just and worthy cause. However, do to current economic conditions, especially the downturn in the investment sector, the Committee felt that it is not the proper time to make a withdrawal from its investments.

In anticipation of an investment market rebound, the Endowment Committee stands ready to support new projects, programs and/or needed renovations that St. Andrews might not otherwise be able to take on. If you would like more information on the St. Andrews Endowment feel free to call on one of our Trustees: Randy Arsenault, Donna Bullard, John Ferris Jr., Sue Foster, Matt Jenkins, Kevin Roussey, and Judy Rowcliffe.

Thank You Tracy!

2008-11-07T10:50:00.001-08:00

Dedication: 1 : an act or rite of dedicating to a divine being or to a sacred use 2 : a devoting or setting aside for a particular purpose 3 : self-sacrificing devotion 4 : Tracy Moore!

On behalf of the vestry and entire congregation, we would like to give Tracy Moore a big THANK YOU for stepping in to take over as office administrator when Renee Wegman left. Of course, in the best scenario, there would have been plenty of time for training and transition, but as we know life is so often not like that. Thank you again Tracy for volunteering to jump in, knowing full well that it was not going to be easy, especially since we were losing our administrator and our rector close to the same time. And thank you so much for your willingness to help our new administrator, Kristin, ease into the position. Your patience and willingness to help during this transition time is so appreciated!

Attention Members of the congregation...when you see Tracy...just say thanks!

Transition Committee News

2008-11-07T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Transition Team is still hard at work to make the transition from Father Chris Berg,s retirement to a new permanent priest for our parish as stress-free as possible. Currently we are looking into the development of a form which will tell us the responsibilities of each committee or commission of St. Andrew's. Matt Jenkins is developing the form, and Carole Wollard, Judy Rowcliffe and Char Wall will compile the information received. The goal of this form will be to ensure that no responsibility needed to keep our church operating smoothly is overlooked.

We all know that Fr. Chris did many tasks for the various committees. We need to know what he did and how that task is now being dealt with. We also need to know the responsibilities, purposes and goals of the many groups in the church. We need to know of any roadblocks groups encounter while trying to achieve their goals.

For instance, The Companion committee has learned that we need to do some different things with the address page of the newsletter to prevent late arrivals of the newsletter to parish homes. The committee apologizes for any inconvenience the late arrivals of the last newsletter may have caused parishioners and it wants to assure that problems are being worked on and will be resolved.

The team really wants to stay in touch with parishioners, and the suggestion box at the back of the church is one way to do that. Another way is to bring your concerns and comments to the team's members. These include: Carole Wollard, Matt Jenkins, George Rogers, Mark Taylor, Judy Rowcliffe, Marcia Bottomley, Bill Foster, John Ferris Jr., Francine Klein and Charlotte Wall.

We will address each concern and comment as they come to us. All will be kept confidential, and we will do our best to resolve any problems that may occur during this time.

Charlotte Wall on behalf of the Transition Team

From The Church School

2008-11-07T10:42:00.000-08:00

WELCOME BACK CHURCH SCHOOL! PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CLASSROOM ASSIGNMENTS, TENATIVE CLASS ROSTERS AND TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS:

TODDLER ROOM-ST. MARGARET
TEACHER: TAMI ROUSSEY
STUDENTS: NORA HERNANDEZ, DAVID FASBENDER, MATTHEW GRAHAM,

PRESCHOOL/KINDERGARTEN-ST. ANNE
TEACHERS: DONNA BULLARD, CHRIS WALL, LAUREEN SHARPE
STUDENTS; CHLOE WALL, COURTNEY WALL, SEBASTIAN VANADIA, ABIGAIL GRAHAM

1ST/2ND/3RD GRADES-ST. MARY
TEACHERS: JOELLE CHANEY/TOM SHARPE
STUDENTS: EMMA JENKINS,AUDREY GRAHAM, VICTORIA VANADIA, SAMANTHA SANZOBRIN, KAYLA SPARRE, ELISE SPARRE, NICKOLAS LEONARD

4TH/5TH/6TH GRADES-ST. NICHOLAS
TEACHERS: ART NOREN, KEVIN ROUSSEY
STUDENTS: BENJAMIN CLEMENCE, NICK EGGENBERGER, NICHOLAS ROUSSEY, JOSH LEONARD, JOHN ROLLER, EMILY HOUSTON, AUSTIN SHARPE, TAYLOR SHARPE, JARED MORRISON

7TH/8TH/9TH/10TH/11TH/12TH GRADES-RICHARDSON ROOM
TEACHERS:
STUDENTS: MICHAEL HOUSTON, KIRSTEN NOVAK, SHANNON MOY, CHRISTINE SAITER, BETH CHANEY, ASHLEE ROUSSEY, MAX KLEIN, RICKY CLEMENCE, SAMANTHA CLEMENCE, JIMMY SEATON, BOBBY CLEMENCE, EMILY CHANEY, PARKER KLEIN, JESSICA SAITER

AT THIS TIME THERE ARE NOT TEACHERS FOR THE JR. HIGH/HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS. WE ARE AWARE THAT THIS GROUP OF STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED WITH THE SEEKER GROUP, AND DO MEET ONCE A MONTH WITH SEEKER LEADERS , AS WELL AS THE CANTERBURY VISITS ONCE A MONTH. WE WILL UPDATE OR ANNOUNCE WHEN/IF WE HAVE TEACHERS IN PLACE FOR THIS AGE GROUP.

ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE REGISTRATION FORMS FILLED OUT AND LEFT WITH THE CLASSROOM TEACHER. REGISTRATION FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN EACH CLASSROOM AND ARE AVAILABLE IN THE OFFICE ALSO. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REGISTRATION FORMS, PLEASE SEE JOELLE CHANEY OR LAUREEN SHARPE. WE HAVE DONE OUR BEST WITH CLASS ROSTERS, PLEASE LET US KNOW IF WE ARE MISSING SOMEONE OR HAVE PLACED THEM IN THE WRONG AGE GROUP OR SPELLED THEIR NAMES INCORRECTLY OR THEY WOULD PREFER TO BE CALLED BY A NICKNAME.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL CLASS FOR YOUR CHILD LOOK LIKE? WE USUALLY GATHER THE CHILDREN, FIND OUT HOW THEY ARE AND HOW THEIR WEEK PRIOR WAS, OPEN WITH A PRAYER, MOVE ON TO PREPARED LESSON & ACTIVITIES FOR THE DAY, HAVE A SNACK (USUALLY A PRAYER PRIOR TO SNACK), CHILDREN’S COLLECTION (CLASSES ROTATE WHO TAKES COLLECTION IN TO THE CHURCH), WRAP UP OF ACTIVITIES WITH A CLOSING PRAYER AND DISMISSAL. KIDS AND TEACHERS RETURN TO CHURCH DURING THE PEACE. OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A GATHERING, THE STORY, AND THEN GOING FORTH—A WEEKLY RITUAL THAT PROVIDES A REASSURING AND DEPENDABLE STRUCTURE FOR THE KIDS NO MATTER WHICH TEACHER VOLUNTEER IS THERE IN CLASS ANY PARTICULAR SUNDAY.

WE ARE USING THE EPISCOPAL CHILDREN’S CURRICULUM OR ECC AGAIN THIS YEAR. THE PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED BY AN EPISCOPAL SEMINARY AND AN EPISCOPAL PUBLISHER EXPRESSLY FOR THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. IT IS BUILT ON SCRIPTURE, THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, THE HYMNAL 1982, CHURCH TRADITIONS, LITURGY AND HISTORY. ECC FOCUSES ON FOUR GENERAL AREAS OF STUDY-OLD TESTAMENT (HEBREW SCRIPTURES), NEW TESTAMENT, SACRAMENTS,AND THE CHURCH. THESE FOUR AREAS ARE STUDIED EACH YEAR AT EACH AGE LEVEL.

ECC PROVIDES NINE YEARS OF MATERIALS, THREE AT EACH OF THREE LEVELS: PRESCHOOL/KINDERGARTEN (AGES 3-5); PRIMARY (GRADES 1 TO 3) AND INTERMEDIATE (GRADES 4-6).

TO DESIGNATE THE YEARS WITHIN EACH AGE LEVEL, THREE SYMBOLS ARE USED: SHELL (IN THE YEAR THAT BAPTISM IS STUDIED); CHALICE (IN THE YEAR THAT EUCHARIST IS STUDIED); CROSS (IN THE YEAR THAT WORSHIP IS STUDIED).

THE CHURCH SCHOOL IS CURRENTLY ON THE CHALICE YEAR.

WE’VE MOVED! WELL, WE’VE ACTUALLY MOVED A LOT OF STUFF !
ALL OF THE CHURCH SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND CURRICULUM HAVE BEEN MOVED TO A NEW AREA OF SHELVES IN WHAT IS NOW ALSO THE CLASSROOM FOR THE 2ND/3RD/4TH GRADE CLASS. IN OUR EFFORTS TO INVENTORY AND ORGANIZE OUR SUPPLIES, WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP WHAT WE ARE STORING TO THE SHELVING UNITS THAT THE BUILDING AND GROUNDS GROUP HAVE SO GENEROUSLY SUPPLIED. WE HUMBLY ASK THAT AT THIS TIME NO NEW DONATIONS ARE ADDED TO OUR INVENTORY SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THE SPACE WE’VE BEEN GIVEN TO IT’S CURRENT CAPACITY. PERHAPS AS WE GET USED TO OUR NEW SPACE WE WILL PUBLISH A WISH LIST OF SUPPLIES WE ARE IN NEED OF, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE ARE FILLED TO CAPACITY-THANKS BE TO GOD!

WE HOPE YOUR CHILD WILL BE HAVING FUN WITH US EACH SUNDAY AND THAT THEY KNOW THEY ARE A VERY SPECIAL PART OF ST. ANDREW’S. WE INVITE YOU TO VISIT WITH YOUR CHILD’S TEACHERS AND GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HELPING YOUR CHILD GROW IN GOD’S CHURCH.

GOD’S PEACE,
THE ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHER VOLUNTEERS : DONNA BULLARD, JOELLE CHANEY, ART NOREN, KEVIN & TAMI ROUSSEY, TOM & LAUREEN SHARPE, CHRIS WALL.

COORDINATORS: JOELLE CHANEY AND LAUREEN SHARPE

St. Andrew's Handbell Ringers

2008-08-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

We're looking forward to another year of HANDBELL fun. Please let us know if this is your year to join this wonderful group by signing up on the poster that will magically appear on the buleting board in mid-August. The start up date will be announced shorlty. We have a great time and hope you will join us. If you have any questions, please see Mike Johnson or Marica Bottomley.

Back to School

2008-08-21T18:26:00.001-07:00

REGISTRATION FOR CHURCH SCHOOL

Registration for the 2008-09 Church School year will be taking place during the parish picnic. Forms will be available there at a table set-up for filling out and turning in the registration forms. If you are unable to attend the parish picnic, please pick-up a form from the parish office and turn the completed form back to the parish office. All students attending this Church School year need to have a new registration on file please. If you have any questions, please contact Joelle Chaney (248)620-1120 or Laureen Sharpe (248)666-8446.

ATTENTION CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHERS

There will be a Teacher's Meeting following the 10am service on Sunday August 24th. The agenda will be ordering of curriculum and classroom assignments for the teachers. We will resume the third Sunday of the month teacher's meetings in September when Church School begins again.

Transition Team planned a great send-off for Fr. Chris

2008-08-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

Well, the party’s over. We had music (Oh, those wonderful St. Andrew‘s Minstrels!!); we had serious talks and funny talks and every kind of talk in between; we had lots of hugs, and we had a few tears. This is exactly what a retirement party is supposed to be -- a culmination of memories, laughter, tears, and shared affection. Chris, Lisa and Katie were on the receiving end of enough love to last them a long time. We had the help of many artists. Wendy Mitchell’s rendition of Chris’s lawn chair retirement was fantastic. Dawn Eggenberger did her usual splendid decorating job and the photo blown up to life size that greeted guests was fantastic and Randy Arsenault was the best of the best emcees. What FUN!

Sunday, Aug. 10, was Fr. Chris’ last day on the job at St. Andrew’s. More festivities were planned. The morning began with everyone in one place, the 8-o’clockers and the 10-o'clockers joined at 9:30 am for a grand send-off to the Bergs. Love once more reigned and honor came their way.

After all the love and the honors are completed, it will be up to us, the people of St. Andrew’s to keep the honors to Chris’ legacy coming. We can do this by cooperating with one another in all aspects, by doing everything in our power to continue the wonderful programming Chris has
led for 21 years. By making sure our Seekers and our Squeakers go on, by making certain that the altar is dressed each Sunday morning, and the Church School is operating and the LEMs are in their places to help with the Eucharist and the lectors are ready to read. We can continue honoring Chris by making sure there are ushers at each Sunday service, by giving Mike and Harry and The Minstrels a well-deserved and encouraging pat on the back for jobs well done and by helping Fr. Bob and Deacon Marlyn in any was they need. We can make sure we honor Chris by helping our visiting priests and our interim priest and finally our new priest feel welcome and at home in the place, which I have found to be the warmest church in Oakland County (or at least the warmest I’ve ever attended!).

The party was not the end of the Transition Teams job. We will make sure you get the Companion each month. We will make sure that your questions are answered as we travel this new road together. We will make sure that visits are made to the ill and shut-ins of our parish. It is our job, along with the Vestry, to make sure all that’s mentioned above, plus anything else that may pop up as we go along, gets done.

Thus, if you see a need, please let us know about it. Our members include Carole Wollard, Mark Taylor, Francine Klein, Bill Foster, George Rogers, Marcia Bottomley, John Ferris, Jr., Judy Rowcliffe, Matt Jenkins and myself. We stand ready and willing to help in any way we can.

Charlotte Wall on behalf of the Transition Team

Transition Committee News

2008-06-25T21:01:00.000-07:00

As the time of Father Chris' leaving draws closer, the Vestry and the Transition Team are busy getting ready for the period of time between Father Chris' retirement and the call to a new priest.
To date, the Vestry has made arrangements for the period of time from August 17 until the first week in Advent. Each Sunday will be taken care of by the Rev. Harry Shaeffer, the Rev. Ann Weber or the Rev. Bill Eidson. FR. Shaeffer will take most of the Sundays. Also Fr. Wollard and Deacon Marlyn will have a share of preaching and celebrating time each month. A calendar is being readied so each member of the congregation will know who will be celebrating the Eucharist each Sunday.
It is the hope of the Vestry to have an Interim priest in place by the first Sunday in Advent. This person will stay on for a year to 18 months, until a new priest is called. During the time of the interim priest, the parish will be involved in defining the type of church we are or want to become. This definition or parish profile will aid us in calling a priest who fits our parish needs. We will have help from the Diocesan office to accomplish this.
The Vestry has been told by Canon John Keydel of the Diocesan office, that the Episcopal church has identified the various periods of time needed for a parish after a beloved priest retires. There is a period of grieving after the priest leaves. This grieving process continues while the interim is here. She/he will help us move through the grief and provide the parish with stability while seeking the permanent priest. It's a long process, but one that will allow persons to express their feelings, their fears and their concerns. To that end, the Transition Team has set up a suggestion box where parishioners can write those questions, feelings and concerns and have them addressed. Please take advantage of this. The answers will be in the Bulletin and The Companion. All notes will be confidential. No one will know who expressed those feelings and concerns except the Transition Team as they seek answers for you. Actually, you don't even have to sign them, and the team will still address them in written communications to the parish. The Vestry and the Transition Team are making every effort to make this transition as smooth as possible, to support parishioners and keep programming going as it has. In fact, we feel this is a way to honor Father Chris' work at
St. Andrew's. If you have suggestions or concerns, you may also bring them directly to a Transition Team member. Members include, Carole Wollard, Charlotte Wall, George Rogers, Judy Rowcliffe, Francine Klein, John Ferris, Jr., Matt Jenkins, Mark Taylor, Marcia Bottomley and Bill Foster.
The Transition Team has set Sunday, August 3, as the date for Father Berg’s retirement party. It will be held at the Lafayette Grand beginning at 4 p.m., with dinner at 5 p.m. There will be a cash bar. Further information will be mailed to each household in the next weeks. Father Chris' last Sunday with us will be Aug. 10. Both days are days to celebrate, cherish memories and look ahead. We hope each of you will attend these days and let Chris know how much he has been appreciated.
Charlotte Wall on behalf of the Transition Team

I.D. Card Update

2008-05-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember way back in January when the church ID cards were first announced at the annual meeting; I am happy to say that they are now complete and ready to be picked up. Perhaps you were not at the annual meeting and missed the previous article and this is the first time hearing about them. The church ID cards were suggested by Marcia Bottomley and then I designed them. The purpose of these cards is not to exclude or give special privileges to people who have them, but to identify yourself as a member of St. Andrew’s Church. Now I know everyone who wanted one did not sign up for one and that’s ok, its not too late. What I need from the people looking to receive an ID card is your name, how you want it printed on the card, phone number, and mailing address. For anyone who wants one and did not get one please e-mail me that information to tayl7474@kettering.edu or please contact the parish office.

Mindy Taylor

New Link!

2008-04-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

Check out our new link to a site called Bible Gateway. It contains an amazing array of user-friendly Bible search and reference tools. Get help, guidence and inspiration!

Spring Clean-Up

2008-04-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to all of those who swept, dusted, raked, hauled, polished and scrubbed on Saturday, April 19th! A lot was accomplished both inside and outside the Church.
A very good turnout of about 15 folks got all of the work done in just a few hours. After a long Michigan winter the work is definitely needed, and now with the spring flowers blooming in all of the beds, the building never looked better!

Welcome!

2008-04-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

Hello, and welcome to the new St. Andrew's website. We hope you'll find it useful and easy to use!

To get started, you'll need to know how to navigate through it. The page that you are on now is the home page. We will use it to make announcements and list special events and happenings through our various ministry groups. This page will contain only the basics however. Most of what our members may need will be done through links to other specific sites (or pages) that are dedicated to those uses. As an example, if you look to the right side column of this page, you will see "Events Listing". Click on it, and it takes you to a new page, designated for the listing of special events coming up on our calendar. Once you're there, and you get what you need, go back to the right side of that page and click on "St. Andrew's Episcopal Church", and it brings you right back here.

As we continue to build this website, you will see more links added to the right side column. Access them in the exact same way as the events page we just talked about.

Thanks for visiting!