A Message from the Rector
Happy Rogationtide!
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension (this Thursday the 26th—40 days after Easter, counting Easter Sunday as day one) are rogation days, days for thanking God for blessings, and for asking God that the world and our work be fruitful in the days to come. The earth is burgeoning with fresh green, we’re settling in for the growing season–certainly in our gardens and fields, but also in whatever work we’ve invested time, effort, and hope, whether in the garden, in an office or factory, in school, or in a shop.
In times past, and even in some places today, the tradition on Rogation Days is to process through the parish, “beating the bounds” or noting the edges of the parish. In England past, people didn’t church shop: your church was the church in the boundaries of the parish in which you lived. Noting the parish boundaries was, in effect, a way of reminding everyone who was in their community. When Jesus commands us “feed my sheep” we are to feed both literally and figuratively: to give food, of course, but in doing so, to build community. How can we know needs if we do not know our neighbors? And how would we build the kingdom that Jesus envisions if we do not have a stake in each other’s lives?
But Rogation Sunday is bifocal: we also consider the world beyond our neighborhood. In the readings for Sunday, the Acts of the Apostles continues the ever-widening ripples of inclusion that mark the season of Easter. In weeks past we’ve heard scripture that tells of the revolutionary inclusion of female leadership in the disciple Tabitha and the breaking down of previous taboos in housing with the tanner Simon and eating with the Gentile Roman Cornelius. On Rogation Sunday, there is the first convert baptized in Europe, Lydia, a wealthy business woman who lives in Macedonia.
Psalm 67, an ancient hymn from the Jewish tradition, shows this dual focus. In verse one, the psalmist prays, “May God be merciful to us and bless us…show us the light of his countenance and come to us,” the “us” denoting the Hebrew people. It is right and natural to pray for blessings and presence for those in our own circle. But the psalmist abruptly moves to include all people: “Let your ways be known upon earth, your saving health among all nations…may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.”
May you find this week a time to pray for the health of the good earth and the human community near and far, and may this Rogationtide be a time to give thanks for the manifold blessings around us and beyond us.
+Jen
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.
| Putnam County COVID rates
|
Worship in person | Congregational singing | Choir singing | Communion | Coffee hour |
| Green (low) | masks optional | allowed | masked | Both kinds provided | Masks optional |
| Yellow (medium) | masks optional | allowed with mask | masked | Both kinds provided | Masks optional |
| Red (high) | masks required | only choir | masked | Bread only | Coffee hour suspended |
–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
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
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–St. Andrew’s Team Needed–Collaborative Partnerships in Greencastle and Putnam County
The Diocese has two training cohorts coming together for the Church Buildings for Collaborative Partnerships Project (CBCP). This is a diocesan initiative that gives us tools to form partnerships within our community of Greencastle and Putnam County that allow us to creatively use our buildings for community outreach beyond Sundays.
This is a wonderful way for St. Andrew’s to deepen connection to and service in the community by expanding our ideas of how our space might be used, and then forming community by working with partners who will use that space.
The cohort training will have a team of 3-5 parishioners plus Rev. Jen working together over Zoom and in-person sessions. Our ability to be given diocesan grants will hinge our participation in CBCP training. Please join Rev. Jen in this preparation for new work of outreach and service. You can contact Renee standrewsgreencastle@gmail.com or Jen+ priest.standrewsgreencastle@gmail.com
Looking forward to working together! 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!
Connect With Us
The Seventh Sunday of Easter
Sunday Morning In-Person Worship Service, May 29 led by The Rev. Jen Oldstone-Moore, 10:15 a.m.
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 29.
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 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.
Non Food Pantry Latest
Saturday, May 28
• Noon to 3:00 p.m.
There will be a drive through distribution coordinated by Alex Roehrkasse and sack lunches will be served. We are very grateful to Kate Berry, Martha Rainbolt, Carl Huffman, Karen Hirt Mannon, and Christiane Wisehart who have worked very hard to obtain supplies for the Non-Food Pantry. Kroger is not able to acquire enough products for us so the items are being purchased from a variety of sources. This is much more expensive. Donations to help offset this extra cost will be gratefully accepted!
Top 3 Needed Items
Your prayers are asked for:
The family of Jack Angleton, brother of Peggy Angleton
Haile Bane, grandson of Bob and Joanne Haymaker
Beth Benedix, friend to many of us at Saint Andrew’s
Lee Bird, nephew of Lucy Wieland
Bernice Emrick, mother of Karen Hirt Mannon
Nancy Ferriani and the family of Bob Ferriani, friends of Warren and Connie Macy
Katie Gleichman, relative of Jim Ensley
Mary Ellen Gurnon, aunt of Daniel and Stephanie Gurnon
Lisa Breese Kincaid, daughter of Bob and Mimi Breese
The family of John Lovett, father of Nancy Lovett
Grayson Lyons, great nephew of Peggy Angleton
Mike Majors Sr., father-in-law of Renee Majors
Mary Mountz
The family of Marilyn Mourouzis
Gordon Redden
The family of Jordan Sanders, sister of Jim Ensley
Mike Schmidt, brother of Renee Hood
Elizabeth and Natalie Sheffler, daughter and granddaughter of Page and Narda Cotton
Gloria Smith
Skip Sutton
Sydnor Thompson, brother of Harriet Moore
Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: St. John’s Church, Mount Vernon; The Rev. Allen Rutherford, Rector.
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 Church of the South India (United).
Birthdays: Brian Cox, June 2
Anniversaries: Mike and Renee Majors, May 29
GCYG
Special Events and Services
