A Message from the Rector:
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:Grant us so to hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—Collect for Proper 28, Sunday closest to November 16
A few weeks ago we heard one of my favorite collects, a prayer that we hear each November as the church year draws to a close. We pray to hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest holy Scripture.
The prophet Ezekiel was told to literally consume the words of God. The scroll tasted sweet as honey to him. I’m sure that to taste the sweetness he had to do a lot of chewing…
One of the marks of the Protestant Reformation is the Bible translated into many languages, becoming accessible to ordinary people in their mother tongue. Before this, only those trained in Latin, Greek, or Hebrew could read scripture, let alone understand it. Translation into the contemporary spoken language of ordinary people didn’t mean, however, that the work of interpretation was over. Translation then as now involves interpretation. We must dig deeply to uncover word meanings and idioms. There are turns of phrase that would have been instantly recognizable to the writers (do the words “snap, crackle, and pop” mean anything specific to you?) but would be opaque to those in other times and places. Truly, we need to hear, read, mark, learn, and ultimately “inwardly digest” the scripture that we use to guide our lives.
For the next few months, the Book and Bible Group is studying the Gospel passage of the coming Sunday along with three commentaries. Commentaries provide the means by which we “chew” and “digest” scripture, giving all kinds of perspectives: historical, linguistic, information about ancient languages of the Bible, theology and church history that the reader is assumed to know in detail. Interpreting scripture is a lot of work, but it is one of the things I love most about my work as a priest.
Some people and some churches maintain that there is a “plain meaning” of scripture. To make such a claim is to forget that we always bring our own understanding to anything that we read. This can lead to terrible abuses of scripture and religion that hurt peoples, nations, and individual faith. The idea of “plain meaning” goes against the method Jesus and Jews of his time—and since—use for scripture, where meaning and direction is lovingly and fiercely won through what one rabbi calls “God-wrestling.” “God-wrestling” means engaging the words of God with others, arguing, testing, and praying—and through guidance, community and effort receiving the blessing of understanding.
Barbara Brown Taylor has a beautiful meditation on the Bible as a “sacred field guide”:
“Gradually it occurred to me that the Bible was less a manual than it was a collection of writings by people who had experienced sightings of the divine. Some of those sightings occurred under terrifying circumstances. Others were very comforting. God was silent in some of them, and active in others. Finally I decided that the Bible was less interested in telling me what to see than it was in teaching me how to see. So I treasure the Bible as my sacred field guide. Reading it is how I have learned to look at the world with the eyes God gave me.”
May this time of transition in the ending of one church year and the beginning of the next be an opportunity for you to learn ways to engage the sacred scripture of our faith—as food for faith, as water in the desert, as a guide in the wilderness.
Jen+
Connect With Us
Rector’s Office Drop-In Time
Rev. Jen has set her office drop-in day as Wednesday of each week from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. for anyone who would like to stop in and visit. You are always invited to make an appointment for a time convenient for you. Mondays are her Sabbath day.
The Second Sunday of Advent/Year A
In-Person Sunday Morning Worship Service, December 7, led by the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Oldstone-Moore,10:15 a.m. The altar flowers today are given by Meghan McConnell to the glory of God and in honor of Meghan and Andy’s wedding anniversary.
You can stream the service via St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Greencastle, Indiana Facebook Page. Click on this link to view the Live Stream. We will start the Live Stream 5 minutes prior to the start of the service.
Click here for the service booklet for December 7.
One License #A-741864
CCLI License #22315781
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS GATHERING
This year’s St. Andrew’s Christmas Party will be this Sunday, December 7, 5:00 p.m., at the home of Emily and Dennis Knuth, 150 East County Road 300 South. Their home is the final house on the 1/3 mile long gravel driveway.
Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share. All are invited!
Advent and Christmas 2025 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.
Festival Crafts on Sundays in Advent
Join us on Sundays following the Sunday Holy Eucharist service in Hamilton Hall for crafts to help you count down and celebrate the Advent season. We will prepare with candle crafts, ornaments and letters, and rose windows on Rose Sunday.
Advent Lessons and Carols and Greening on December 21st
Let us look forward and prepare for Christmas with Holy Scripture reading and hymns and songs of praise. The youth and young adults will lead us in worship. Following the service, we will deck the halls and help put up the tree to green the church for Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve
Wednesday, December 24th
Joy to the world! The lord is come! On this holy night God shines the brightness of the true Light upon the world – we behold Jesus Christ is born! Join us at 5:00 pm for Festal Christmas Eve Carols and a Service of Holy Eucharist at 5:30 pm.
Christmas Day
Thursday, December 25th
Unto us a child is born. Celebrate Christmas with this quiet, intimate morning service at 10:15 am.
Christmastide at St. Andrew’s
The twelve days of Christmas include two Sundays this year. Join us on December 28th for Christmas Lessons and Carols, and Sunday, January 4th for Holy Eucharist.
GIVING TREE
It is hard to believe that the holidays are here once again. As in years past St. Andrew’s will participate in the Giving Tree. Your generosity throughout the years has been outstanding. Putnam County children continue to benefit from your kind hearts. Each child receives three-four gifts; this includes toys and clothing.
Gifts should not be wrapped. The Giving Tree program provides the gifts to the parent/guardian so that he/she can gift them to the children. Wrapping paper and tape are also given to the families so that they can wrap the gifts at home.
The deadline to return gifts to Gwen Morris is December 7th. Her hope is that as soon as you have your gifts, please call Gwen to plan a drop-off at her residence, 709 Toddson Drive, Cell Phone: 765-720-0105 and Home Phone: 765-653-6734, or the unwrapped gifts can be brought to the church office during regular business hours.
If you do not wish to shop, Gwen is happy to shop for you. You can send your checks to Gwen or send them to the church and Renee will reimburse Gwen.
Use this link from Sign Up Genius. It will take you to St. Andrew’s page to sign up for a child and a gift you can choose to shop for this season. Thank you for your open hearts.
NOTE: Due to an error on Gwen’s part, she has added several gifts to the Giving Tree Sign Up Genius so you can still participate in this!
Gwen Morris
The Latest Updates
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY
This year’s St. Andrew’s Christmas Party will be this Sunday, December 7, 5:00 p.m., at the home of Emily and Dennis Knuth, 150 East County Road 300 South. Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share. All are invited!
ALTAR FLOWERS
The beautiful flowers on the altar today are given by Meghan McConnell to the glory of God and in honor of Meghan and Andy’s wedding anniversary.
CHRISTMAS FLOWER REMEMBRANCES
Flower forms were included in your service sheet on November 30. Please complete and return to the church office by Sunday, December 14. The greening of the church will take place immediately following the service on Sunday, December 21.
HEALING PRAYER
Most Sundays our intern Meghan will be offering anointing and healing prayer at Sunday services during communion. Meghan will set up a station in the narthex; meet there for general or specific prayers for healing.
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY
The Book and Bible Group has begun again, meeting at 4:30 p.m. most Tuesday afternoons with Evening Prayer celebrated at 4:00 p.m. The next one will be Tuesday, December 9 at 4:30 p.m. You will find the Gospel passages and links to these commentaries on the St. Andrew’s website, last selection under the Connect tab entitled “Book and Bible Group”. All are welcome.
ALTAR FLOWER CALENDAR
An altar flower calendar is posted in Hamilton Hall. Sign up to sponsor the altar flowers to commemorate a birthday or anniversary, remember a loved one, or in thanksgiving for an important event. We ask a donation to help offset the cost of the altar flowers and other worship expenses. Be sure to tell the office your dedication so that it can be printed in the bulletin. Please make checks payable to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and in the memo field please put this information: Altar Flowers, person’s name, occasion, Sunday date you’d like for the flowers to be on the altar.
VESTRY MEETING MINUTES
If any of you are interested in what your Vestry is doing, there are two copies of each month’s minutes on the music stand in Hamilton Hall. Feel free to read and return!
SHOPPING LIST FOR NON-FOOD PANTRY
Please add razors, shaving cream, laundry detergent, spray cleaner, and toilet bowl cleaner to your shopping list for the NFP for the month of December. Meals and conversation in Hamilton Hall are going well. Patrons are now able to pick out items they most need. Your contributions help our budget go farther in helping meet the needs of those in Putnam County. The next Non-Food Pantry will be Saturday, December 20 from noon – 2:00 p.m. If you can help with this ministry in any way, please contact Harriet Moore or Carl Huffman.
KROGER COUPONS
If you have any unwanted Kroger coupons, please bring them to Hamilton Hall and place in the window ledge near the “Little Library”. We would like to make them available to our Non-Food Pantry recipients so that they might be able to take advantage of them to help extend their food budget. Thanks in advance!
FREE DAILY DEVOTIONAL
We have some large print Day by Day daily devotionals in the sanctuary that you are free to take home for your personal devotions–and if we know that people would like copies, we can order the right amount. Many of you may also appreciate the on-line version of Day to Day. Click here.
ON-GOING COVID PROTOCOL
We continue to respond to both our county’s current CDC designation and to the current variant. Masking is optional. Decisions on COVID policy have moved from the Reconvening Committee to Rev. Jen and the Wardens.
Prayers and Reflections for This Week
We have heard that the daily reflections and scripture readings provided during Lent were appreciated. The meditations are written by persons from Gobin UMC and Beech Grove UMC. They will be in the newsletter each week. Whether you enjoy these every day or as the Spirit moves you, may this resource continue to bring you spiritual food for the journey. Blessings!
Click here to view the readings and accompanying links.
Non-Food Pantry Latest
Saturday, December 20
• Noon to 2:00 p.m.
There will be a distribution in Hamilton Hall and light lunches will be served inside. We are grateful for all those who have worked so hard to obtain supplies for the Non-Food Pantry. Items are having to be purchased from a variety of sources making it much more expensive. Donations to help offset this extra cost will be gratefully accepted!
Top 3 Needed Items
Your prayers are asked for:
Haile Bane, grandson of Joanne Haymaker
Beth Benedix, friend to many at St. Andrew’s
Jennifer Clarke, friend of Patti Harmless
Diane
Angela Evans
Katie Gleichman, relative of Jim & Cathryn Ensley
Tom Kaiser, friend of Jen+ & Chris
Lynda, friend of Sarah Finlay-Black
Warren Macy
Hansford Mann, friend of Joanne Haymaker
Teresa Masten, friend of Karen & Jim Mannon
Sally Motsch, friend to many at St. Andrew’s
Mary Mountz
Elizabeth & Natalie Sheffler, daughter & granddaughter of Page & Narda Cotton
Deloris Smith, friend of Emily Knuth
Skip Sutton
Larry Taylor, former member of St. Andrew’s
Donald Voermans, father of Nick Voermans
Dwight Ziegler, uncle of Stephanie Gurnon
Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Trinity Church, Anderson, Indianapolis: Mr. Steve Holtzleiter, Sr. Warden.
Our companion dioceses: The Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil: The Most Rev. Mauricio Jose Araujo De Andrade, Primate of Brazil and Bishop of Brasilia. The people and Diocese of Haiti and Saint Andre’s Parish and school in Mithon.
Anglican Cycle of Prayer: The Church of Bangladesh.
Birthdays: Clara Everett, December 7; Dawna Wilson, December 9; John Berry, December 10; Dennis Knuth, December 12; Joe Heithaus, December 13.
Anniversaries: None.
Special Events and Services
