In our Book of Common Prayer, there are at least two occasions when we recite the Magnificat of Mary: Morning Prayer, and Evening Prayer.

The Gospel of Luke has Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth. Both women are pregnant, and Elizabeth is only a few months away from giving birth to John the Baptist. Mary greets her cousin by proclaiming the Magnificat. It is within the Magnificat that Mary identifies herself with the “anawim,” that is, those who are the poor and outcast, the humble and lowly, who and God’s favorite people. In Mary’s own words: “He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.”

And who is Mary? She is the Mother of God, the Christ bearer, the earthly mother of our Lord Jesus. As such, do we dare to take her words lightly? For it appears obvious to me that in our country today, we are completely ignoring Mary’s desire for the poor. We are putting down the lowly, and exalting the rich. We insist on filling the rich with good things, while we send away empty our poor. Our country is determined to ignore the basic needs of Mary’s anawim. Regard our country’s cruel and brutal treatment of “illegal immigrants,” most of whom are poor. We delight in slashing health care benefits to our poorest, we are reducing or even eliminating food programs that the poor depend upon. And we are transferring what little wealth our poor own to the wealthiest citizens.

I am never exactly certain what constitutes a sin. By God’s commandment we are told not to kill. Yet, we make exceptions for war and self-defense. But consider this: when the world’s richest country continually ignores its own and the world’s poor are we not falling into sin? For with what hubris do our political leaders and many of our fellow citizens deny the needs of the poor? With what smug determination do we make scapegoats of the poorest of immigrants, as if they are standing in the way of America’s greatness?

To me, as a wealthy nation we tread on dangerous ground when we mistreat Mary’s anawim. And as Episcopal Christians I hope we know better—and if we know better, aren’t we mandated to do better? Our voices must be the voices of Yahweh’s favorite people. Our obligation is clear, and if we fail our poorest, do we not enter the territory of “grave sin”?

Jim Mannon

Why Do I Come to St. Andrews — Martha Rainbolt — October 2025

There are, of course, many reasons why I come to St. Andrews.

One of them is the beauty of the sanctuary, its music and its rituals. I like to come a little early and sit in the pew. Looking at the stained glass windows and relaxing in the warm, positive tone that the quiet, pre-service busyness, the warm morning sunlight through the windows and the sounds of the choir rehearsing create. I remember that at one of these talks several years ago, Maureen Carkeek, who is no longer with us, said that she came to St. Andrews for the minor seventh chord in one of our chants. I too love the music of our church. The organ and choir are very special.

And one of the major reasons I come to St. Andrews is the fact that it is Episcopalian. Episcopalians have been accused of being relativists and wishy-washy, that we say you can believe anything you want and that’s okay. That’s wrong. I come here because we have the truth. It is true that Christianity – all real Christianity – is about love. “If it’s not about love, it’s not about God,” as Rev Jen often reminds us. It is NOT true that Christianity is about judgement, about good guys and bad guys. Christianity is not about dividing humanity into those going to hell and those going to heaven. It is about love, compassion and forgiveness. At the protest rally on a recent Saturday in October, we chanted, “Love, not Hate, makes America great.” I know that Methodists, Presbyterians and other main stream churches join us in proclaiming this truth, that love is the core of our faith. But our Bishops Budde and Curry have led our whole country in the way of love. This all-encompassing love is the true good news of Christianity, and that is what I experience when I come to St. Andrews.

Martha Rainbolt

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 Book and Bible Group has begun again, meeting at 4:30 p.m. most Tuesday afternoons with Evening Prayer celebrated at 4:00 p.m. The next one will be Tuesday, October 28 at 4:30 p.m. You will find the Gospel passages and links to these commentaries on the St. Andrew’s website, last selection under the Connect tab entitled “Book and Bible Group”. All are welcome.

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 music stand in Hamilton Hall. Feel free to read and return!

SHOPPING LIST FOR NON-FOOD PANTRY

Please add Adult Pull-Ups (all sizes) and bed pads to your shopping list for the NFP for the month of October. If you are donating adult pull-ups/briefs, they should be the ones without tabs. We are currently overstocked in adult diapers and period products. 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 25 from noon – 2:00 p.m. If you can help with this ministry in any way, please contact Harriet Moore or Carl Huffman.

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.

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.

Your prayers are asked for: