Adult Education this Fall

Dear Friends,

Many thanks to all of you who offered your time and gifts to an exciting and inspiring kick off weekend.  Let a new program year in mission begin.  Below are some opportunities to grow in faith in the Sundays ahead at 9:30 AM.

The Creed (meeting downstairs in Jerusalem Room)

An overview of the major doctrines  of the Nicene Creed, how they were formulated, the history and heresies the creed addresses, and how the creed continues to speak to us in a changing context.  

Genesis: In the Beginning (meeting upstairs in Daniel's Den)

An overview of major stories and figures in this first book of the Hebrew Scriptures, how they shaped Israel as a community of faith, and how they still shape us today.

Looking Ahead: Inquirers Class (meeting November 6 &13 in Narthex / Church lobby)

A small group for those looking for an introduction or refresher on Lutheran Christianity and also for those who have questions about the mission and ministries of St. Andrew's Church.  Come join us and also think about inviting others who are newer to our congregation or community.

 Thanks be to God that many of you had an opportunity for rest and renewal over the summer months.  May God give us the strength we need for the challenges and opportunities ahead to bear Christ's presence to others at St. Andrew's and in our daily lives.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Mueller

standrewslutheran.com

pray-as-you-go.org

____________________________________________________________

Fall Season Underway

Dear Friends,

 As many of of us adjust our schedules with the beginning of a new school year, so St. Andrew's adjusts to the routine of our program year.  This Saturday we return to our regular weekly service of Holy Communion at 5 PM.  This service is more intimate and little less formal with more spoken liturgy and monthly appearances by our acoustic group.   Begin to think about family members, friends, and neighbors who could benefit from Saturday worship.  We also return to our regular worship schedule on Sunday mornings as well.

8:15 AM – Traditional Worship - Includes a commemoration of those lives

impacted by the events of 9/11 fifteen years ago.

11 AM- Kick Off Sunday "Lost….but now found"

A simple and joyous worship gathering,including songs with our Sunday School children and youth, guided liturgy, and an interactive message as we give thanks to God for his amazing grace and love in our lives. This service, designed for additional young children will be about 45 minutes in length.

Come one, come all!  EVERYONE (children, adults, seniors) is invited to join us following 11AM Worship as we enjoy the treats of summer one more time with Rita's Water Ice and Pretzels.  Please join us!

As we begin a new program year, please keep in your prayers:

- The people and mission of St. Andrew's Church as we seek to strengthen our mission together and our mission center 

- Marcella Curtiss, our new music director, and Lynnette Beccattini, our new parish administrator, as they lead us into a new program year.

-  those who mourn the loss of loved ones

- the sick and home bound of St. Andrew's and our surrounding community 

- the unemployed and underemployed of our communities

- families experiencing broken relationships and in need of healing

- young adults away from home at school or in military service

- those whose lives have been devastated by terrorism and senseless violence

- Astrid Montes, our nursery school director and our entire staff as we begin a new school year

- our Sunday School teachers and students as they begin a new program year

- the churches of this community and our common mission to be the hands of God in the world. 

See you in church!

Peace,

Pastor Mueller

standrewslutheran.com

pray-as-you-go.org

Lord's Prayer

Dear Friends,

This Sunday in worship our Gospel lesson is Luke 11:1-13.  In my message, I will be focusing chiefly on this rather strange parable of Jesus.  However, this is also the text where on e of Jesus' disciples says, "Lord, teach us to pray" and Jesus introduces what would become known as the Lord's Prayer.  While this will not be a primary focus on Sunday, I thought I would share with you below a reflection by Christian writer Brian McClaren bringing fresh meaning to a prayer that has become so familiar that, unfortunately, it can become rote and uttered with little meaning or reflection.  I hope that you will find this helpful for your own time in prayer.  And who knows?  It may even show up sometime in a worship service.

A Spoken Version of the Lord’s Prayer

This rendering of the Lord’s prayer uses unfamiliar words and phrasing to help us actually hear its message rather than lapsing into an auto-pilot recitation. You can use it in public worship by having a leader recite a line, having the congregation echo it, and then leaving a moment of silence for reflection.

+++++

Our Father, above us and all around us,

May your unspeakable Name be revered.

Here to earth, may your kingdom come.

Here on earth, may your will be done as it is in heaven.

Give us today our bread for today.

And forgive us our wrongs as we forgive those who wrong us.

Lead us away from the time of trial.

But liberate us from the evil.

For the kingdom is yours and yours alone,

And the power is yours and yours alone,

And the glory is yours and yours alone.

Amen.

I also hope to see many of you at our midweek worship service tomorrow (Wed.) night at 7 PM.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Mueller

Prayer of St. Francis

In these confusing, uncertain, and disturbing times,  this prayer from St. Francis of Assisi  can be so central to our world, our nation, our communities, our churches, and our hearts.  Pray for transformation and for peace

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying
that we are born to eternal life.

Faith In God

Dear Friends,

Today is the final day of an incredible week of Vacation Bible School at St. Andrew's.  (A huge word of thanks to our Director of Christian Education, Janice Stickley, as well as to teachers, helpers, guides. leaders of snacks,songs, games, and crafts, and everyone who worked so hard behind the scenes to make this such a joyous week)

One of the stories that we experienced earlier in the week was the feeding of the 5000 where the disciples seem to have a problem.  Jesus had promised them retreat and time away doesn't usually involve thousands of other people coming along but that's what happened!  Jesus doesn't seem angry or disappointed but rather sees it as a teaching opportunity.  However, at the end of the day the disciples have a lot of hungry people on their hands.  They also have a solution.  "Send them home."  But Jesus also has a solution.  "Give them food."  The disciples point out that all they have is five loaves of bread and two fish.  Not going to work, Jesus.

It's easy to point out the disciples lack of faith in Jesus. However, Jesus doesn't scold them but simply points them back to the resources they have.  It seems that, in the face of the improbable and seemingly impossible, the disciples not only need more faith in Jesus but more faith in themselves, in what God can do in, with, and through them if they offer who they are and what they have to God.  And so it is with us.

It is one thing to pray that God would enter into the troubled relationships of friends and family members and bring peace.  But it's another thing to ask God to enter into the relationship through us to bring peace. Faith in God often includes a willingness to be an instrument through which God does some of his best work. May God use us as instruments of grace, healing, and wholeness for a hungry and hurting world.

Each Sunday we gather to be given strength to serve as instruments of God's grace in the week ahead.  This Sunday at 9:30, as we gather around Word and Sacrament, we will be praying for servants from St. Andrew's headed to South Dakota to listen, learn, worship, serve, and grow in grace.  We will also be blessed this week by members of St. Andrew's Brass, who add so much to our worship.  Finally, if you are home over July 4th weekend, we hope that you will join us in worship as we enjoy songs of God and country and give thanks for the blessings of our lives and our nation.  See you in church!

Peace,

Pastor Mueller

standrewslutheran.com

pray-as-you-go.org

enterthebible.org