A Message from the Rector:
One of the pivotal moments of my life happened long before I was a priest, in a casual conversation with another mom after a regular Sunday service.
I liked Beth and was glad that our daughters were friends so that I’d have a reason to start a conversation with her at coffee hour. In addition to her daughter, Beth had two other children, Robert and Rowan. Robert was a golden boy. The oldest of Beth’s three kids, good looking, athletic, winsome, so easy to talk to, a delight. The next child, Rowan, was a bit abrasive, a little odd, not easy to talk to. I learned later that that he had some challenges, and that he would likely move into a group home when he graduated from high school—but this was not obvious from just meeting or watching him at coffee hour. He wasn’t rude, but he wasn’t delightful, and I just didn’t think that much about him.
As we chatted that Sunday, Beth was talking about the family’s weekend. Her daughter had had Girl Scouts, Robert had a soccer game. And Rowan had had a public speaking event. Then she said this:
“Everyone loves and admires Robert: he’s a great kid, he’s a great athlete, he wins prizes for his schoolwork, he’s involved in so many activities. Everyone can see his great future. But no one really wants to talk about Rowan. No one realizes that it is Rowan who has really accomplished something amazing this weekend. He gave a ten-minute talk at an event. It took far more for him to prepare for this event, for him to stand up and speak for ten minutes—than Robert will probably ever need to take for anything in his life. I am so proud of Rowan, even if no one else will ever notice.”
Beth said all this very conversationally, without rancor, just filling me in on her weekend. But I have never forgotten her words. I remember them constantly.
Over and over again, we are reminded that we image of God, that every human being is precious. We still tend to focus on the obvious, the Hallmark card-type successes. Nevertheless, throughout the Bible, we not only see the flaws of the mighty like King David, but our attention is directed to those who fade into the background: the stranger, the straggler, the person who is alone, the person who is on the edges, picking up the leftovers. In the Gospels, Jesus calls attention to those who are not the obvious winners, praising the struggling woman who had bled for twelve years for her faith, engaging blind Bartimaeus who irritated the crowds by shouting for Jesus’ attention, or blessing children the disciples want to shoo away. This noticing is the distinction between living in “the world” and learning to live in the Kingdom of God.
As we move into cold weather and a new church year, when we will ponder the birth of a baby in an out-of-the-way town to outwardly unremarkable parents, may we notice, and delight in, the wonders that will come to light if we only learn how to notice.
Jen+
Connect With Us
Rector’s Office Drop-In Time
Rev. Jen has set her office drop-in day as Wednesday of each week from 9:00 – 11:00 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 Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 24B
In-Person Sunday Worship Service, October 20, 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 20.
The Latest Updates
ALL SAINTS’ DAY
All Saints’ Day is November 3. Part of our service will remember and name the departed. Please send the names of those you wish remembered to the office by Monday, October 28.
ATTENDER SURVEY
Church has changed a lot in the past few years–as you may have noticed! The Episcopal Church is part of a nation-side survey that is assessing how church has changed so that we can know how to be church in the future. Could you please take 10-15 minutes to complete the survey? FYI, St. Andrew’s will receive a $200 gift card for congregants completing this survey, as well as the data from the study. If you have already filled out the Attender Survey, thank you! There is no need to do it a second time. Click here for survey.
SACRED POETRY GROUP
Our Sacred Poetry group will gather again beginning this fall. We will be reading the sacred poetry of George Herbert and John Donne. Please let Jen+ know if you are interested and we will find a time that suits all!
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY
The Book and Bible Group has begun again, meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays with Evening Prayer celebrated at 4:00 p.m. We are currently reading Sara Miles book “Take This Bread”. Our next meeting is October 22.
BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION, AND EXPLORATION OF CHRISTIAN FAITH
Our Confirmation classes are suspended for a few weeks while we find times for those who are interested. Please let Jen+ or Renee know!
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, Stain Remover Sticks, and shaving cream to your shopping list for the NFP for the month of October. 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, October 26 from noon – 2:00 p.m.
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, October 26
• 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
Toppy Beach, sister of Skip Sutton
Beth Benedix, friend to many at St. Andrew’s
Kim Frank, sister of Pamalee Smith
Katie Gleichman, relative of Jim & Cathryn Ensley
Carole Greenawald
Janet Jenks, friend to many at St. Andrew’s
Tom Kaiser, friend of Jen+ & Chris
The family of Lisa Breese Kincaid, daughter of Bob & Mimi Breese
Mary Mountz
Tom Mullen, father of Patti Harmless
Marilyn & Leo Nelson, sister & brother-in-law of Joanne Haymaker
Elizabeth & Natalie Sheffler, daughter & granddaughter of Page & Narda Cotton
Skip Sutton
Karen Swalley, friend of Thom & Gwen Morris
Dwight Ziegler, uncle 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 Rwanda.
The Episcopal Church: Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Presiding Bishop-elect Sean Rowe.
Birthdays: Karen Hirt Mannon, October 22.
Anniversaries: Thom & Gwen Morris, October 20.
Special Events and Services
