Fishin’ for a Mission Exceeds $150,000
Dear St. Andrew’s Family,
If you had the opportunity to participate in our Fishin’ for a Mission banquet this year you would know that it was a fantastic experience.
For the first time since 2019, we were able to gather for an evening of fellowship and fundraising to support the mission work of St. Andrew’s. And, for the first time ever we hosted the event in our own space. Candidly, we were unsure of how the event would feel in the Sanctuary rather than the Omar Shrine. However, the feedback was effusive. A benefit of having it onsite was that we saved roughly $6000 in rental fees. Additionally, Todd Scofield and Dwight Huthwaite both commented on how much easier food prep/service was and how much better the sound was in our own space. It looks like we’ve found a new venue as we go forward.
We had just over 300 folks in attendance. And while donations are still coming in (I just passed Anthony headed toward the finance office with another donation), I am thrilled to tell you that we’ve raised in excess of $150,000! Extraordinary, isn’t it? Anthony will follow up with you later this summer with full details once our mission committee allocates the funds to our mission partners.
Thank you to all of our volunteers who helped make the evening a success. Thank you Elle Rist for your superb job of organizing the event. Thank you Anthony for your leadership of our home and foreign missions efforts. And thank you for your faithful and generous support of the mission work of your parish. I am grateful for you all.
Holy Communion
Two Sundays ago I announced in the Sanctuary that I am looking to return to our normative pattern of Holy Communion for our contemporary worship services. To do so, we need folks willing to serve Communion.
As we resume, we will have four standing stations offering the bread and wine. Once we have kneelers made we will also have the opportunity to kneel at the Communion Rail. Additionally, we will need folks willing to help prepare the Table and we will need ushers to dismiss folks for Communion. None of this work is onerous or unpleasant. In fact, of the many things I do as a clergyman, administering Communion to our congregation is one of my favorite things to do. I find it a delight to have weekly pastoral contact with our parishioners. And folks who have served in these ministries have made similar comments to me.
Servers, Altar Guild, and Ushers Needed
So, we will return to our preferred practice of Communion once we have the volunteers we need to do so (I’m hoping mid-July). If you would like to volunteer to administer Communion, prepare the Table, or usher please contact Maddy Donaldson (MDonaldson@StAndrews.Church).
With gratitude for you and for the whole of our parish family,
Steve