I write to you this Easter season with one overwhelming feeling in my heart: gratefulness.

• Jen’s coming to our parish family has brought even more joy than I could have anticipated. Her loving presence, her learned and thoughtful words and her ideas about the future of St. Andrew’s are inspiring. God has definitely blessed our congregation and we have learned, once again, that everything happens in his time, not ours.
• Many thanks to Thom and Gwen Morris for their hours of work de-weeding and rebuilding our beautiful Memorial Garden and to Brian Cox and Karen and Fred Vallowe for their interest and support.
• I am grateful for our Vestry and treasurer, who to a person, give selfless dedication to overseeing the operations of our church and to managing challenges and changes in our parish life.
• Finally, I am most grateful to all of you, our parish family, who love and care for each other and are the lifeblood of St. Andrew’s and our time and work in this world. This week we want to most especially remember Fiona Good and Ruth Heithaus, who have reached new milestones in their lives. Fiona is graduating from Greencastle High School and Ruth graduated last Saturday from Denison. May the Lord continue to be with them on their journeys.

Happy Easter my friends.  May you and yours be richly blessed this beautiful season.

Sue Murray

NEW COVID POLICY FOR WORSHIP

The volatile nature of COVID makes it necessary to revise policy for gathering. Beginning immediately, so long as Putnam Country COVID rates are designated as low (green) or medium (yellow) by the CDC, we will be mask optional, except for the choir which is in close quarters.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church COVID policy, revised by Regathering Committee and approved by Vestry, May 17, 2022. This policy is subject to revision as COVID continues to evolve. We welcome your feedback on these policies.

–Masks are always provided and mask wearing always acceptable.

–The red, yellow, and green designations of incidence of COVID are taken from the CDC COVID website, https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/ Scroll down and choose “Indiana” and then “Putnam County” to get this week’s numbers.

–St. Andrew’s COVID policy is based on both CDC recommendations and directives from the Diocese of Indianapolis.

Recommendations from CDC

Low (green)

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
• Get tested if you have symptoms

Medium (yellow)

• If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
• Get tested if you have symptoms

High (red)

• If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
• Get tested if you have symptoms
• Wear a mask indoors in public
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
• Get tested if you have symptoms

Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness.
People may choose to mask at any time.
People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.
Masks are recommended in indoor public transportation settings and may be required in other places by local or state authorities.

COVID GUIDELINES, THE COMMON CUP, INTINCTION, AND FULL COMMUNION

Ah, people of St. Andrew’s—I am getting to know you day by day. I had no idea that most of the congregation used intinction rather than the common cup for communion or I would have said just a little more about returning to communion by wine via common cup.

Background: The Diocese of Indianapolis has stated that we may return to full communion (both bread and wine), but that receiving the wine can be by common cup only. Several parishioners have had questions about this. Here’s what I’d like you to know at this point.

1. The Vestry will vote on new COVID guidelines recommended by the Regathering Committee. Please bear with us for one more week of full maskiness…

2. We might use the words “full communion” to indicate that we are finally back to both bread and wine, but it has ALWAYS been true that taking either one is a complete communion. You do not need both to fully commune.

3. The choice is yours, Eucharist by Eucharist. You can decide to let the cup pass because you have a cold; if you are worried about others you can pass; you can wait until we return to intinction. Just cross your arms over your chest—or just shake your head and quietly demur.

4. Most research has shown that the common cup transmits fewer microorganisms than intinction. Counter-intuitive perhaps; the problem with intinction is that some fingers make contact with the chalice and/or wine and the possibility of fecal-oral transmission. I’ve collated several articles for those of you who’d like to read up on this.

a. From Living Church (an Episcopal magazine): Click here https://afkimel.wordpress.com/2020/02/29/germs-viruses-and-the-common-cup-is-intinction-safer/

b. The 1943 article by W. Burrows and ES Hemmens about use of silver chalice as safe for communion. It is on JSOTR; I can get the full article if you want it. Click here https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?journal=J+Infect+Dis&title=Survival+of+bacteria+on+the+silver+communion+cup&volume=73&publication_year=1943&pages=180-190&

c. 1998 CDC statement Risk of infectious disease transmission from a common communion cup. Click here

d. Anne LaGrange Loving, “Controlled Study on Intinction: a safer alternative”. https://afkimel.wordpress.com/2020/02/29/germs-viruses-and-the-common-

1995 controlled study concludes that intinction appears to be less likely to transmit disease (but also notes that this depends on the microbes on the hands of parishioners and priest). Click here https://www.jstor.org/stable/44536847 (another JSTOR article if you’d like me to access it for you).

Yours in health, restoration, liturgical engagement, and literature review,

Rev. Jen

RETURN TO COMMON CUP

The Vestry has approved return to sharing both bread and wine at Eucharist. We are putting together a rotation of chalice bearers to serve wine. This is an important ministry. Please consider being a chalice bearer and training will be in-house. Contact Rev. Jen or Renee.

CALL FOR LAY MINISTERS: CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND ADULTS

St. Andrew’s needs you! To return to full communion of both bread and wine, we will need chalice bearers. We also need torch bearers, crucifers, Lay Eucharistic ministers/servers (help to set the altar), lectors (read the Bible), intercessors (read the prayers), ushers, and people to bring the elements (bread and wine) from the back of the sanctuary to the altar for communion. Please let Renee or Rev. Jen know if you are interested.

FESTAL EUCHARIST WITH PRESIDING BISHOP MICHAEL CURRY

On June 4, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will be in Bloomington with Bishop Jennifer for ordinations, Eucharist, and what will no doubt be a FANTASTIC day! Let’s have a big showing from St. Andrew’s–Rev. Jen and Chris are going for the Saturday events. There will be opportunities for youth to meet with Presiding Bishop Curry! The event (and the reception following) are free, but registration is required. You can get the information you need and register at this link: https://indydio.org/latest-news/

Monroe Convention Center – Grand Ballroom
302 S. College Ave.
Bloomington, IN 47403

MAY 22 SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE BEING MOVED

There will be no Sunday 10:15 a.m. service on May 22. It is being moved to Saturday evening, May 21 at 6:00 p.m. due to DePauw University’s Sunday, May 22 10:00 a.m. Commencement.

GREENCASTLE YOUTH – TIME FOR EXCITING CHANGE

It has been a great joy and honor to serve as the leader of this group for the past four years. It’s time for me to take on other responsibilities and for NEW voices and visions to lead this amazing group. This Sunday, May 22, will be my last group gathering. We’ll meet at Gobin from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. We’ll have ice cream treats and play games. This isn’t the end to GCYG. We are already working to plan new and exciting things for the Fall so please stay tuned. Peace to you all and thank you for sharing your young people with me. I look forward to seeing what wonderful idea the new leadership will bring.

Pastor Alisa

EXPANDING ST. ANDREW’S PRESENCE IN GREENCASTLE

The Diocese of Indianapolis has an exciting initiative to help us think through how St. Andrew’s might expand public ministry by making our space available to the community. The project, Church Buildings for Collaborative Partnerships Project (CBCP) will have a team of 3-5 St. Andrew’s representatives for a series of online and in person trainings and assessments, about 30 hours over the course of 6 months, some in person, some on Zoom. Jen+ will be one of the reps; please let her know if you would like to join this team. There are two remaining trainings, one beginning on Aug. 24 and one on Nov. 30. There will be a link in the next newsletter if you would like to learn more, click here.

RECTOR’S OFFICE DROP-IN DAY

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. Please note that she will not be in the office Wednesday, May 25.

INDIANAPOLIS PRIDE PARADE

The Diocese of Indianapolis has a presence in the Indy Pride Parade on June 11. The May 4 Diocesan newsletter has the information and links on participating in the parade and volunteering for a booth shift. Please consider joining Rev. Jen and Chris in this festive event.

HENRI NOUWEN IN THE NAME OF JESUS–FREE!

Many thanks to Brooke Cox who offers this possibility for free access to the book I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, In the Name of Jesus, by Henri Nouwen: Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus, is available freely, with quick account creation, in the Internet Archive. It is good to have a librarian among us! Thank you, Brooke!

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING THE PRAYER LIST

We need your help! The parish office will be keeping a record of when names are requested for prayer. Names added to the Prayers of the People will be kept on that list for a month and then moved to an on-going prayer list for three months, a list for the congregation’s daily devotions and prayers. You may request that a name be returned to the Prayers of the People list by contacting the parish administrator, Renee Hood.

Saturday Evening In-Person Prayer Service, May 21 led by The Rev. Jen Oldstone-Moore, 6:00 p.m. Note: There will be no Sunday morning 10:15 a.m. service on May 22.

You can connect to the service via Zoom. Click on this link to connect. If you have not used Zoom before, you will be prompted to download Zoom, go ahead and do that. When you enter the meeting you should be able to see and hear others and others can see and hear you. If you come in a little late, please listen for a moment before speaking. In order to see everyone, go to Gallery view (upper right on PCs and upper left for Macintosh). When we get started everyone except the speaker will be muted. If you are reading or playing music, please be sure to unmute yourself.

If you are connecting via telephone dial 301-715-8592 and when prompted enter the Meeting ID: 858 0497 0006 and press #, then enter the password: pray and press # again. NOTE: This is a new ID number as of April 4, 2022 so be sure to enter the new information!

Click here for the service booklet for May 21. *Please note that there will be no booklet for this Sat. as the prayer service will just follow the Book of Common Prayer.

We have heard that the daily reflections and scripture readings provided during Lent were appreciated. The meditations are written by persons from Saint Andrew’s, 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.

Your prayers are asked for: