A Message from the Junior Warden:
Extemporaneous prayer is difficult for me. Coming up with a prayer on the spot to say aloud feels nearly impossible. What is the correct tone to address God? This sounds too familiar; that sounds overwrought and flowery. When do I stop listing things, and should my prayers be in ascending or descending order of gravity? What if something important sounds like an afterthought, won’t it seem like I don’t care? Yes, I know the language doesn’t really matter (I am neither going to impress nor disappoint God with how I say something). And I know that praying is almost certainly more about changing my own heart, rather than God’s, still, I struggle with what to say.
One piece of theology I picked up from I-can’t-remember-where is that it is enough even to pray only “Help me, help me, help me” in the morning and “Thank you, thank you, thank you” at night. I have found this simplicity comforting. Instead of getting tangled up in how I talk to God, these two prayers allow me to think instead about what I am really saying. In the morning, I ask for help; well, with what? Hopefully not just that lots of good things happen to me and that all the people I care about remain healthy and happy for ever and ever. I try to ask God for help aligning my thoughts, desires, and actions with God’s own. And the “thank yous” at night can expand and contract depending on whether I am particularly grateful for the awesome or the granular that day.
I still envy people who make beautiful and situation-specific prayers look easy and that kind of prayer is still something I should work on. However, until the day I lose some of these anxieties about how to talk to God, I will continue with my “help mes” and “thank yous.” At least it’s a start.
Kate Berry
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 Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday Morning In-Person Worship Service, October 15, led by The 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 October 15.
The Latest Updates
DIOCESAN YOUTH MINISTRY VISION SUMMIT, OCTOBER 27, 4-8 P.M. EST, ST. CHRISTOPHER’S, CARMEL
We are relaunching Diocesan Youth Ministry for the first time since 2019, and we’d love your voice as we build it! Diocesan Youth Ministry has traditionally consisted of diocesan youth retreats, youth leadership programs, and parish support. We are eager to build a youth ministry program designed by teenagers for teenagers. To sign up, go to https://indydio.org/youth/
DIOCESAN YOUTH GATHERING, NOVEMBER 11, 9-5 P.M. EST, ST. PAUL’S, INDIANAPOLIS
We are holding a gathering for youth at Diocesan Convention, open to grades 6-12 throughout the diocese. This free gathering will have activities that include fun games, activities, a mental health first aid workshop, and puppy play. This is one of the first opportunities youth have to connect with other youth throughout the diocese as we relaunch Diocesan Youth Ministry. Parents do not need to attend Convention for youth to participate. To sign up, go to https://indydio.org/
You can also click on each event name to download flyers: Diocesan Youth Ministry Vision Summit and Diocesan Youth Gathering.
3RD QUARTER CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS
Contribution statements have been mailed to households that are tracking behind in their annual pledge as we close out the year. If households are up to date or tracking well, we will not send statements in order to save postage and printing cost. If you would like to receive a statement and did not, please reach out to the church office and we can either email or mail your household statement. Year end annual statements will be mailed in January, 2024 for tax record purposes.
MONTHLY LUNCH BUNCH WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11
The Lunch Bunch gatherings have resumed the 2nd Wednesday of every month. They will be held from 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in Hamilton Hall. All are invited! Lunch will be provided. Free will offerings are accepted.
BIBLE AND BOOK GROUP TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 4:30 PM
Our Bible study/books group(s) started up again. We are reading Rachel Held Evans’ Searching for Sundays, a book about “loving, leaving, and finding the church.”
ALL SAINTS’ SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 10:15 AM
On All Saints’ Sunday we will read the names of those we remember who are no longer with us – those who died in the previous year, and also those who are on our heart. Please send Renee the names you would like read out loud at the All Saints’ service.
SACRED JOURNEYS: LOURDES VIDEO SHOWING NOVEMBER 9
In honor of Veterans’ Day, we will have a viewing of this video that covers the annual International Military Pilgrimage to Lourdes that is an opportunity for healing, camaraderie, and spiritual renewal for those who have served in the military, many of whom have suffered traumatic injuries. The stories and experiences of the pilgrims is extremely moving. This will be at 6:00 p.m. in Hamilton Hall, a light dinner of soup and bread will be offered.
THIS WEEK’S SHOPPING LIST FOR NON-FOOD PANTRY
Please add body wash, bleach, Laundry Detergent, and adult incontinence pads/underwear 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, October 28. 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 October 28 at the monthly distribution. FYI: Baskets at church are now dedicated for the NFP and not the food pantry.
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.
COMMUNION AT THE WATERS
Once a month Sunday services are continuing at The Waters. The next service will be Sunday, November 12 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!
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, October 28
• Noon to 3:00 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: Distributions now take place indoors and participants must provide proof that they live within Putnam County.
Top 3 Needed Items
Your prayers are asked for:
Peggy Angleton
Haile Bane, grandson of Joanne Haymaker
Alli Barker, sister of Macie Barker
Beth Benedix, friend to many of us at Saint Andrew’s
Sharon Bone, friend of Emily Knuth
Douglas Butler, brother-in-law of Claudia Butler
Richard A. Butler, father-in-law of Claudia Butler
Adam Cohen, friend of St. Andrew’s
Michael Curry
Anita Edenfield, friend of Skip Sutton
Nathan Elson, friend of Michael Knuth
Bob Fatzinger, brother of Barbara Pare
The family of Adele Rietz Grobe, mother of Claudia Butler
Kimberley Heithaus, niece of Joe & Jenny Heithaus
Lisa Breese Kincaid, daughter of Bob & Mimi Breese
Thad Jones, brother of Steve Jones
Mary Mountz
Tom Mullen, father of Patti Harmless
Marilyn & Leo Nelson, sister & brother-in-law of Joanne Haymaker
The family of Michael Oldstone, especially his wife Elizabeth, father of Jen+
Gordon Redden
Elizabeth & Natalie Sheffler, daughter & granddaughter of Page & Narda Cotton
Gloria Smith
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
Brian Wickhem, son-in-law of Dave & Sue Murray
Dwight Ziegler, brother of Stephanie Gurnon
Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: St. Stephen’s Church, Terre Haute: The Rev. Andrew Downs, The Rev. Deby Veach .
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 Kenya.
Birthdays: None.
Anniversaries: Thom and Gwen Morris, October 20.
Special Events and Services
