Thank You Tracy!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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