A Message from the Rector:
Dear Friends:
Three stories engaged me today, each quite distinctive and different from each other. At the end of the third, I realized that they had a common theme: being made in the image of God in the service of a world of hurt.
The first was a Fresh Air interview with Amy LaRocca about the “wellness” interview. I laughed but mostly cringed at what I was hearing: how entrepreneurs, like Mehmet Oz and Gwyneth Paltrow, prey on our worst fears of being unlovely or unwell to get us to listen to them and buy their products. I grew up in a tremendously judgmental and body-conscious community that had money to spend on any and everything, and I can assure you that even those who seemed perfect were always anxious and striving for more and better in terms of their looks, possessions, and latest acquisitions and regimens.
Then, when catching up on magazine reading, I read an article about teen suicide that caught my eye. It said that teens, especially girls, are vulnerable to the message of needing More, Better, & Trendier, and pointed to a heartbreaking connection between many teen suicides and their despair over not fitting the images sold to them by media.
Finally, I found a comment made by Greg Boyle, a Roman Catholic priest whose parish includes many gangs and who has spent his life loving and cherishing ALL those in his parish. In his stories about those he meets and befriends and counsels, he claims that what the people of the world need most of all is to see—and to see themselves—in the image of God. It is the work of life, and the work of a lifetime, at least for me. Boyle writes:
“Working on yourself” doesn’t move the dial on God’s love. After all, that is already fixed at its highest setting. The work one does seeks to align our lives with God’s longing for us—that we be happy, joyful, and liberated from all that prevents us from seeing ourselves as God does.
Step by step, I am trying to live this wisdom—to work for others rather than on myself, listening not to the insidious “promises” but to the call of the Holy that insists I am already made in God’s image, ready for the work and joy at right here, right now.
In peace,
Jen+
Here’s my reading list:
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 23 – June 28.
The Sixth Sunday of Easter: Rogation Sunday
In-Person Sunday Morning Worship Service, May 25, led by The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Oldstone-Moore, 10:15 a.m. There will be a procession and blessing prior to the service beginning at 9:50 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 May 25.
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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 May 22 and 29 and June 12 and 26. If you can provide a meal or a part of a meal, please let Jen+ or Renee know!
NON-FOOD PANTRY MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES
Monday, May 19, volunteers need to select and collect end-of-term, discarded dorm items at the DePauw Union Center ballroom. The hours available are from 8-10 a.m.
Week of May 26, volunteer needed to pick up the NFP offering from St. Paul’s. The parish office will be closed that Monday and regular office hours are for mornings only. Please contact Harriet or Fred if you can help.
Thursday, May 29, volunteers needed for the monthly Kroger pick-up. A truck and driver, plus 3 volunteers are needed from 4-5 p.m.
Saturday, May 31, 3 volunteers are needed to assist with NFP distributions from Advent House from 11:45 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
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 s with Evening Prayer celebrated at 4:00 p.m. The next one will be Tuesday, May 27 and we will begin Cole Arthur Riley’s This Here Flesh.
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 May. 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, May 31 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, May 31
• 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
Dwight Ziegler, uncle of Stephanie Gurnon
Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Trinity Church, Indianapolis: The Rev. Andy Anderson; The Rev.Adam Pierce; The Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick.
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 Kenya.
Birthdays: Jennifer Everett, May 27.
Anniversaries: John & Kate Berry, May 26; Mike & Renee Majors, May 29.
Special Events and Services
