A Message from the Rector:
Purple and green, red and white, are the colors of the year.
Purple and green, red and white, remind us of the light.
Purple is for preparation, white is for celebration;
Green is the growing time, red is for Pentecost.
Purple and green, red and white, are the colors of the year.
Purple and green, red and white, remind us of the light.
When you are in church, pay attention to the multitude of languages used there. There is, of course, the language of scripture and liturgy and words. There is also the language of image and symbol seen in stained-glass windows. The language of music guides us through the liturgy with somber settings for Lent like the Kyrie (Lord, have mercy) or the joyful praise songs of the Gloria (Glory!). The language of objects stacks up layers of meaning: light and presence (candles), simplicity and pureness of heart (carefully washed and pressed white linens), Holy Presence (bread and wine), preciousness of celebration and Eucharist (silver chalice and paten).
Our so-called “pew aerobics” can indicate regret and petition (kneeling), redemption (standing for prayer), attentiveness (sitting) and X-marks-the-spot-emphasis and piety (genuflecting, sign of the cross, sign at the Gospel Acclamation).
And then there is the language of color.
I happened upon this graphic and thought, “How wonderful! A church calendar with liturgical colors for grown-ups!” For many years, I was engaged in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori based Christian formation program for children that I found incredibly enriching to my own faith. One of my favorite works with the children was the liturgical calendar made of wooden tiles, one for each week of the year, and each tile painted the appropriate liturgical color. We would sing the song written above, and then children might choose to ponder the tiles and calendar, how the colors and seasons work. In church, they would immediately notice and announce the change in liturgical season by identifying the new colors of the vestments (garments worn by clergy) and paraments (the cloth decorations in the sanctuary). Note: for the “preparation” season of Advent we actually use blue, similar to the traditional purple for that season but reminding us of the key role of Mary by using the color of her robes. Our lovely blue Advent vestments and paraments were gifts of Father Bill and Lucy Wieland.
As we head into June and the Season After Pentecost, also called Ordinary Time, remember that the lessons we hear in church from now into November are “the Story of the People of God,” primarily told through the lens of Jesus’ parables, encounters with people along the way, and the challenges and joys of the people of God who predated Jesus. Come the end of November, we’ll take a deep breath and dive into the seasons of “The Story of Jesus” that include the major celebrations and trace Jesus’ conception through Ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit.
And if you’d like a lesson in the Church Year using colored tiles, let me know—I have a beloved Catechesis calendar I’d love to show you!
In peace,
Jen+
Calendar source:
https://livingwordrec.ca/archive/a-sermon-for-rogation-sunday/
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. Rev. Jen will be away June 17 – June 20 & June 23 – June 28. She is available for emergencies during her time at Waycross June 23 – 28.
The Day of Pentecost
In-Person Sunday Morning Worship Service, June 8, led by The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Oldstone-Moore, 10:15 a.m.
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 June 8.
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The Latest Updates
GETTING AHEAD MEALS NEEDED
Gobin Church’s Getting Ahead Program needs our help! They are asking for individuals or teams to step up to prepare a meal for about 15 people on August 14, 21, and 28. If you can provide a meal or a part of a meal, please let Jen+ or Renee know.
NON-FOOD PANTRY MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES
July 23 & July 24, 2025 Volunteers needed to sell State Fair tickets during “Fairs Care” at the Putnam County Fair. The Putnam County Pantry Coalition splits the profit from ticket sales with participating pantries. Last year our portion of the proceeds was able to pay for two months of NFP lunches. Please contact Fred Vallowe, (618) 927-6703, for sign-up details.
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, June 10. The following two weeks, June 17 and June 24, we will take a break.
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 top of the piano in Hamilton Hall. Feel free to read and return!
THIS WEEK’S SHOPPING LIST FOR NON-FOOD PANTRY
Please add razors, shaving cream, and underarm deodorant to your shopping list for the NFP for the month of June. 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, June 28 from noon – 2:00 p.m. We need several helpers this month with transporting and shelving items before the NFP, and on Saturday for the distribution. Please contact Harriet Moore or Fred Vallowe.
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, June 28
• 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
The family of Bob Breese
Jennifer Clarke, friend of Patti Harmless
Katie Gleichman, relative of Jim & Cathryn Ensley
Carole Greenawald
Gwen, sister of Connie Macy
Josh
Tom Kaiser, friend of Jen+ & Chris
Hansford Mann, friend of Joanne Haymaker
Teresa Masten, friend of Karen & Jim Mannon
Sally Motsch, friend to many at St. Andrew’s
Mary Mountz
Jeri Mucia, friend of Joanne Haymaker
The family of Sharon Muir, relative of Joanne Haymaker
Tom Mullen, father of Patti Harmless
Elizabeth & Natalie Sheffler, daughter & granddaughter of Page & Narda Cotton
Skip Sutton
Larry Taylor, former member of St. Andrew’s
The family of Julia Williams, friend to many at St. Andrew’s
Dwight Ziegler, uncle of Stephanie Gurnon
Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: The Table, Indianapolis: The Rev. Ben Sternke, The Rev. Matt Tebbe.
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 Anglican Church of Melanesia.
Birthdays: Charlie Knuth, June 8; Lucy Wieland, June 8; Martha Rainbolt, June 9.
Anniversaries: None.
Special Events and Services
