St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
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St. Andrew’s Shield “...above all taking the Shield of Faith ..” Ephesians 6:16
From the Pastor’s Heart For the last couple of years, I've encouraged you to put "all your thanks in one basket," and on the table in my office is my own basket of thanks. Displayed in that large basket is a picture of Richard and me, a baptismal shell (which reminds me who I am [a Shell], and Whose I am [a child of God], a black-robed teddy bear (complete with glasses and a red stole) that was given to me the day I was installed as pastor, the Christmas ornament my grandson put on my lit-but-not-decorated tree, reminding me to celebrate Christmas through the eyes of a child, and several other treasures. This year I added another. It's the circuit board from the air conditioning unit for the St. Andrew's Hall, which the AirCo man gave me after he replaced it with one that works. The problem with this circuit board is that it became corroded in the rain. I used it as a Children's Sermon, and reminded the children (and us, too!) that we're all as different as the pieces on that board, but we're all linked together as brothers and sisters in the faith, and connected to the circuit board called the Church through Jesus Christ. We truly are like that circuit board, and the "rains" could be almost anything that threatens to corrode our unity. As we pray our way through these challenging days of the future, be thankful for our diversity, and the place each of us has in St. Andrew's. And, as you gather with friends and family on Thanksgiving Day, give thanks for our Church that lives the Good News! Giving thanks together! Pastor Ann
THANKSGIVING DINNER For the eighteenth year, Thanksgiving will be celebrated at the church beginning at 1:00 p.m. and hosted by the Griffith, Call and Lawson families. We invite, encourage, and hope all will attend who might want a "family" to spend the holiday with. We know there are folks who have few relatives or are unable to get to their families for the day and we have enjoyed sharing with many of them over the years. The faces at our table change yearly, but the food, fellowship and fun remain consistent. If you want to join us, just talk to any member of one of the host families.
You may be wondering about the results of the Focus Team’s survey in October. These are the activities which 14 people identified as helping them become better acquainted with each other and grow personally: Dinners in others homes (8) Men’s activities (3) Specific study groups (5) Group trips (4) Knitting, crocheting, guest lectures, sport leagues (6) Bible study (3) Cooking (3) Scrap booking (2) Wine tasting (2) Bowling (2) In addition, quilting, stained glass, computers, genealogy, book reviews, square dance lessons, ballroom dance lessons, and young couple’s retreats were listed. “Dinners in others’ homes” was referred to the Program Team. If you are interested in any of the others, contact the Church Office to learn who else identified that activity.
NEWS from the PEWS! #3 HAS ARRIVED! Betty Weigel's third Great-Grandchild this year was born in October. Ian Richard Emerson Pollard, son of Dawn and Emerson Pollard, of Tulsa was 7 lb. 7 oz at birth. Betty will probably be posing for a bunch more fourth-generation photos. Emile Tucker celebrated last month when she got the news that she passed her Real Estate Test. But she didn't stop there. She is taking even MORE classes now to equip her to work in the Real Estate Appraisal field. Watch out for those pop-quizzes, Emile!
Mariners News Plans are in the works to collect decorations for a "Mariners Tree" for the "Hall of Christmas Trees". Not surprisingly, we are using a nautical theme. We have a collection of white anchors and some rope for garland. If anyone has more rope or any marine-related ornaments, please bring them to Diana, Judith, or Edna. (And we do not even have to do the decorating ourselves, hurray!) Instead of their scheduled Church Clean-up Day October 28, Mariners assisted in peripheral logistics for the special production of "A Year with Frog & Toad" held for students of Waite Phillips. MUCH more fun! THANKS TO ALL! That day's Voting Results: All three Mariners spending motions were approved with large majorities. Also, make sure to make plans to attend the Mariners Christmas Party Friday, December 15. (There is no November meeting).
2007 Stewardship Drive Has Begun As the Session begins planning for 2007, the support team has sent out pledge cards for the coming year. Each member is urged to complete a card and return it by mail, or drop in the offering plate on Sunday. The Pledges will be dedicated during the Worship Service on November 26th. On a note of mild concern for 2006, our giving is running nearly $5,000 behind what was pledged for the year. This means that we have spent more than we received in offering in September and October. If you have forgotten to send in your pledge or have any special giving in mind for the remainder of the year, your gifts would be appreciated.
St. Andrew's 2006 Hall of Trees "Tis two months before Christmas and all St. Andrewees Have answered the call regarding the trees. With several donations and a loaner or two There is going to be something amazing to view.
We're planning on turning our super big hall Into a veritable Christmas Tree Mall. And with each tree there, we are hoping to teach About St. Andrew's various forms of outreach.
And it's not too late to sponsor or share A tree of your own with a message of care. Just call Kathy Call and she will include Your tree and its purpose by all will be viewed.
Early Learning Center will be closed on November 22nd and 23rd in observance of Thanksgiving. The Early Learning Center staff and families wish you a wonderful and blessed holiday.
DEACONS The Deacons have been requested to again offer our World Outreach Fair Trade products in beautiful "gift baskets" this year. Check out the "Deacon's World Outreach Tree" December 3 for more info. Another "Deacon's Repeat" is that our Local Outreach team is again "adopting" a Waite Phillips family for Christmas. Check out the "Deacon's Local Outreach Tree" December 3rd to see how YOU can help your Deacons provide a wonderful Christmas to a family in need.
Friendship Sunday Sunday, December 3, is “Friendship Sunday” at St. Andrews! You are encouraged to bring a friend, neighbor, relative, or even another church member who can’t or doesn’t regularly attend services for this special day. This will be the first day of Advent and the introduction of the Jesse Tree program presented by the children’s choir during the Advent Season. It will be the opening day of our “Hall of Trees” mission tree program. We will present each of our guests with a small gift of appreciation for joining us! Thank you all for participating in this opportunity to bring our friends together.
THANK YOU I want to thank you and everyone at St. Andrew's for praying for me during this very difficult time in my life. I have had chemo #3 with 5 more to go. I had a lot of bone pain this time which we attributed to the booster shots they give you to keep your white and red blood cells building. I went into this anemic which may be attributed to the hemorrhaging I had during the second surgery. Then I will have radiation for 6 1/2 weeks after that. This will be a very long year. I have been able to work about 8 days between chemo cycles. The cycles are every other Friday. I have not been sick as used to be the norm as they give you so many steroids now to prevent that but I have had tiredness like none I have ever experienced before. I cannot go a day without at least one nap and that usually lasts about 2 hours. My cancer doctor has said that he probably won't let me work in the month of January as he is afraid of all the air borne diseases that are so prevalent then. With me working in a Title I grade school, they are probably even more prevalent. On the days that I feel good, I have a hard time agreeing with him but on days that I feel bad, I think that is not a bad idea. Larry also needs your prayers as this is very hard on the care giver. He feels as if he is helpless to help me. He has a hard time understanding how much he has helped me as he wants to be able to take away my pain and fatigue. Love, Barbara Walters
Session Highlights The Session met on Thursday, October 19, for its regular meeting. Everyone was either present or accounted for (and properly excused). Pastor Ann surprised everyone with a new style of Agenda, gleaned from her study leave in East Iowa Presbytery and based on the concepts found in Natural Church Development. She reported that East Iowa Presbytery gave us high marks for our nominating process which uses the concept of “spiritual discernment” in their work. The Session began its own work by watching Dewitt Jones’ leadership training video named “Celebrate What’s Right with the World,” and decided the whole congregation needed to see it. The “memory verses” from that film are: “Don’t try to be the best in the world; be the best for the world” and “The times of most change are times of most possibility. “ After some discussion, they proceeded to the business of the Session, which included: > approving minutes of the August meeting > deciding to deal with the termites later > learning that receipts are lagging behind expenses, way behind! Receipts as of September 30: $109,271.43 Expenses as of September 30: $116,010.04 > approving the expenditure of not more than $500 on new pew Bibles (which the Mariners are graciously purchasing with money they have raised) > authorizing the expenditure of $9.95 per person for background checks for everyone who works with children and youth (as now required by our insurance carrier) > hearing that the Nominating Committee is continuing to prayerfully discern God’s call to elders and deacons > hearing from the commissioner to Presbytery about the called meeting on September 5 and the stated meeting on September 15 and 16 (those reports are posted on the bulletin board across from Fellowship Hall) > learning that the current enrollment in the Early Learning Center is 31 They concluded with an extended time of prayer for those in the congregation who are in need of healing, and adjourned with a prayer and no song.
SAINT ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN College Students Care Boxes Our Presbyterian Women are preparing “care” boxes for our college students to use as they study for finals. We are looking for small items such as candy, nuts, microwave popcorn, packets of hot chocolate or apple cider, homemade cookies, coupons from McDonalds, note pads, pens or pencils, you name it! If you would like to help, please contact Irma Burton or see her at church. Christmas Potluck Luncheon Presbyterian Women Christmas Potluck Luncheon will be held Thursday, December 7th, at 12:00 noon in Fellowship Hall. The program will be Christmas fun! Christmas Carol singing and games. Also, bring your Christmas goodies for the shut-ins. Everyone is welcome to come and join in the fun.
BUNKO The next Bunko Party will be held Tuesday, November 28. We will decorate our "Bunko Tree" that night with Bunko-related items like score cards, bells, dice, and beanie-babies (like our Nemo, traveling Bunko prize). Everyone is encouraged to bring one of the above. Does anyone have a pair of fuzzy dice to add? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ St. Andrew’s Church – Dan Call – Pastor LaMar I can’t say enough about how much I appreciate your dedication to the kids at Phillips. “Toad and Frog” was a great success – parents and teachers and kids are still talking about it. What a great gift for us. Vera brought the money from the auction to us today. Be assured it will be spent on our school family. God Bless You All. Jane Looney
Best Choice Labels Be sure to save all of the labels from Best Choice (both food and other products) as you are doing your holiday preparations. Remove the UPC bar codes from the labels and place in the barrel on the greeting card table in Fellowship Hall. The St. Andrew’s Women redeem the labels for cash to be used for church support such as office and kitchen supplies, as well as other mission projects both local as well as elsewhere. Thanks, Jan Talbott
IN CELEBRATION OF THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS, THE CHURCH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED NOVEMBER 23rd AND 24th. THE NEXT SHIELD WILL BE PUBLISHED ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29th. PLEASE HAVE YOUR ITEMS INTO THE CHURCH OFFICE NO LATER THAN MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27th, AT 9:00 A.M.
St. Andrew’s Special Prayers and Concerns… Please call the Church office if
you know of someone who needs to be added to or removed from our
Prayers and Concerns list. Presbytery Prayer List Please remember these friends in your daily and weekly prayers…
Nov 19 – 25, 2006 First Church in Hominy and the Big Lick Church in Smithville.
If you have to miss worship on any given Sunday, you can find both the bulletin and the sermon on the web. Webmaster, Emerson Parker, adds them to our website each week, and adds The Shield on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Our address is www.standrewstulsa.org
LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE Please make a note of these future events… Nov 19 9:00a.m. Sunday School 9:15a.m. Parents’ Group 10:00a.m. Worship Service 11:00a.m. Fellowship Time 4:00p.m. St. Andrew’s Singers 5:00p.m. Youth Group Nov 21 7:00p.m. Sanctuary Choir Nov 22 No Early Learning Center No Sanctuary Choir Nov 23 1:00p.m. Annual Thanksgiving Meal Church Office Closed No Meals on Wheels No Early Learning Center Nov 24 Church Office Closed Nov 26 9:00a.m. Sunday School 9:15a.m. Parents’ Group 10:00a.m. Worship Service 11:00a.m. Fellowship Time 4:00p.m. St. Andrew’s Singers 5:00p.m. Youth Group Nov 27 5:30p.m. Homeless Feeding Nov 28 7:00p.m. Bunko Nov 29 Shield Published 7:00p.m. Sanctuary Choir | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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