A Message from a Parishioner:
Karen and I are four months into sharing our home with a six month old miniature dachshund puppy named Wrigley. And I wonder if our house will ever again look as it did in pre-Wrigley days. Our family room has taken the worst of puppy abuse. The floor is strewn with chew toys, rubber bones, socks, sneakers, and hand towels that he has purloined during his lightning fast forays into hall and bedroom closets. And this is to say nothing of table legs gnawed on, book covers ripped, and newspapers and magazines mutilated before we have been able to read them. Oh, Wrigley, as yet, is not one hundred percent potty trained.
There are times everyday I am driven to half-madness, ruing the day we brought him home, regretting the sizable amount of money we paid for him. Daily, at some point, I feel like “returning to sender”, or dropping him off at the Humane Shelter, or finding a family to adopt him. (Karen would never stand for any of this.)
And yet, whenever I enter the house, home from an errand, he runs to greet me; ears flapping, tail wagging, slipping and sliding on the hardwood floor. He jumps into my arms, all wriggly, innocent, and cute; licking my hands and face as if I had been gone forever. How could I have ever considered giving up on him?
And I am led to wonder if God has been exasperated with me because of all the messes I have made in my life, all the ways I have unwittingly helped spoil his creation. And I think of the evil I have done, the good I’ve failed to do, and the times I neglected common decency. Has God given up on me? Or will I, at the end of my days, get the chance to go running toward Him, slipping and sliding, revealing that shred of my innocence remaining? Will I be able to tell Him of all the ways I loved Him; how delighted I was to walk in His ways, and sing His praises? Will God take me in His arms, show me His mercy, and welcome me home?
Jim Mannon
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 Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany
Sunday Morning In-Person Worship Service, Sunday, January 28, led by Rev. Dr. Jennifer Oldstone-Moore, 10:15 a.m.
You can stream the service via St. Andrew’s 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 January 28.
The Latest Updates
FEBRUARY SAVE THE DATES: FEBRUARY 18 AND FEBRUARY 25
The Budget/Finance Pre-Meeting will be Sunday, February 18. The Annual Meeting will be Sunday, February 25. Both meetings will take place immediately following the service. All are invited and encouraged to attend!
HELP NEEDED WITH SEVERAL MINISTRIES
Both the Altar Guild and Beyond Homeless Shepherds are in need of persons to help out monthly. If you are able to help out a month or two a year or just want more information, please contact Renee in the church office. We are also in need of Ushers, Lectors, Intercessors, Chalice Bearers, Coffee Hour hosts, Youth Acolytes, 2nd persons in Sunday School room, and The Waters Communion Service helpers.
BELL RINGERS NEEDED
The bell is up and running once again! We are in need of older youth or adults who would like to serve as bell ringers. If you are interested, please let Renee or Rev. Jen know and we’ll see to it that you get the proper training.
VESTRY MEETING MINUTES
Copies of the December Vestry meeting minutes are available for members to read if they’d like. Those copies are on top of the piano in Hamilton Hall.
SECOND SUNDAY DISCRETIONARY COLLECTION
Monies in the loose plate collection on the 2nd Sunday of each month go towards Rev. Jen’s Discretionary Fund used to help the less fortunate in Putnam County. Next Discretionary collection date is Sunday, February 11.
THIS WEEK’S SHOPPING LIST FOR NON-FOOD PANTRY
Please add body moisturizers (including hand lotions), Fabuloso, Comet, Pine Sol, and shampoo to your shopping list for the NFP. Every little bit helps our budget go farther in helping meet the needs of folks in Putnam County. The next Non-Food Pantry will be Saturday, January 27 from noon – 2:00 p.m. There is a sign-up sheet posted in Hamilton Hall for folks to help with a product pick-up and/or as well as for help on January 27 at the monthly distribution. FYI: Baskets at church are now dedicated for the NFP and not the food pantry.
EVENING PRAYER
Most weeks, the Tuesday Bible and Book group meet at 4:30 p.m. On these Tuesdays, there is a service of Evening Prayer beginning at 4:00 p.m. Don’t be afraid to join in even if you come late.
BIBLE AND BOOK GROUP, TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 4:30 PM
Our Bible study/books group(s) started up again. We will be meeting in Hamilton Hall and beginning the Book of Genesis.
COMMUNION AT THE WATERS, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11
Once a month Sunday services are continuing at The Waters. The next service will be Sunday, February 11 at 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. If you’d like to help with this ministry in any way, please contact Rev. Jen or Renee. All are welcome to attend!
VESTRY MEETING, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 7:00 P.M.
The Vestry will meet for it’s monthly meeting in Hamilton Hall.
SAVE THE DATE FOR FEBRUARY 21, 2024
The Philadelphia Eleven documentary will be shown at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at Korb Classroom in the Wabash College Fine Arts Building. After the screening Bishop Jennifer will participate in a panel discussion.
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. Those who serve bread and wine will mask so that anyone who comes to the altar can feel secure. 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 and go from Wednesday to Tuesday, except for Sunday. 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, January 27
• 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! NOTE: For January we can use Body Moisturizers (including hand lotions), Fabuloso, Comet, Pine Sol, and Shampoo.
Top 3 Needed Items
Your prayers are asked for:
Peggy Angleton
Haile Bane, grandson of Joanne Haymaker
Beth Benedix, friend to many of us at Saint Andrew’s
Sharon Bone, friend of Emily Knuth
The family of Richard A. Butler, father-in-law of Claudia Butler
Adam Cohen, friend of St. Andrew’s
Clara Copeland, friend of Jen+
The family of Warren Copeland, friend of Jen+
Mary Alice Crampton, friend of Steve & Kathy Jones
Michael Curry
Anita Edenfield, friend of Skip Sutton
Nathan Elson, friend of Michael Knuth
Bob Fatzinger, brother of Barbara Pare
The family of Alan Good, father of Tim Good
Carole Greenawald
Kimberley Heithaus, niece of Joe & Jenny Heithaus
Thad Jones, brother of Steve Jones
Lisa Breese Kincaid, daughter of Bob & Mimi Breese
The family of Marie Kohl Mitchell, friend of Fred Vallowe
Mary Mountz
Tom Mullen, father of Patti Harmless
Marilyn & Leo Nelson, sister & brother-in-law of Joanne Haymaker
Sarah Oldstone, sister-in-law of Jen+
The family of Brian Pohlar, friend of Trudy Selvia and many at St. Andrew’s
The family of Billy Ray Selvia, father-in-law of Trudy Selvia
Elizabeth & Natalie Sheffler, daughter & granddaughter of Page & Narda Cotton
Gloria Smith
The family of Heidi Stecher, friend of Jen+
Skip Sutton
Karen Swalley, friend of Thom & Gwen Morris
The family of Jerry Taylor, friend of Warren & Connie Macy
Sydnor Thompson, brother of Harriet Moore
Deb Wilder, sister of Connie Macy
Dwight Ziegler, brother of Stephanie Gurnon
The cousin of a parishioner’s son-in-law
Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Peace Church, Rockport: Mr. Dan Kincaid, Senior 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 in Mithon.
Anglican Cycle of Prayer: The Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
Birthdays: Jim Ensley, January 31; Alexander Gurnon, February 2.
Anniversaries: None.
Special Events and Services
