March 13, 2011

         Issue 88

The Fishwrap     
Fishwrap
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
2535 E. Broadway, Pearland TX 77581
281-485-3843

Sunday
8:00 am:   Rite I with organ
9:15 am:   Christian Education
10:30 am:  Rite II with band
In This Issue
Andy To Go
Year of Connection
New Singles Group
Finances
Quick Links

Contacts
Phone:  281-485-3843


Fax:  281-485-4936

 


Joe O'Steen- Associate

Jenn Neitzey- Youth Minister
Jamie Martin Currie- Parish Administrator and Children's Minister

Anne Harland- Director- The Academy at St. Andrew's

Jeanette Cooper- Membership Secretary

Allison Curl- Contemporary Music Coordinator

Beth Bishop- Bookkeeper


Tom Lusk- Minister of Fun

Karen Sampson - Receptionist

Congratulations

 

Sabrina Rose was born March 2, 2011 to RoseMarie and Craig Trauschke.

 

Church Wireless

 

Want to access the church wireless network for the web when you are on campus?

 

Here's what you do.

 

Please pick out the "Guest" wireless account

 

The password is  IAmAGuestHere

 

The password is case sensitive


Let Us Know

 

Whenever you or someone in your immediate family participates in something special or achieves something special, let me know. We want to share our good fortune with others.
 
Jim+

frjimbo@msn.com

Blog

I am now putting my devotions and a few other things on a Blog.    


Jim+

Calendar 

 

Important Dates Coming Up - Place in your date book  

March 9  Ash Wednesday Services 6am, noon, 7pm   

 

April 17  Palm Sunday

 

April 21  Maundy Thursday Worship 7:00 pm

 

April 22  Good Friday Noon & 7:00 pm

 

April 23 Egg Hunt & BBQ  5:00 pm

 

April 23  Easter Vigil 7:00 pm


April 24  Easter

 

July 11-15 Vacation Bible School 

 

July 28 Episcopal Night at the Astros   

Oxford Comes to Houston!

 

Reforming the Church, Reforming Society: a Christian Leadership Conference in Houston on April 1 and 2 

 

 Renowned theologian Rev. Dr. Michael Horton, author of The Gospel-Driven Life and Christless Christianity, will join faculty from Wycliffe Hall, the Anglican seminary within the University of Oxford, and Rice professor Michael Lindsay for a teaching conference on Christian Leadership at St. John the Divine Church in Houston.

 

Details can be found at www.friendsofwycliffehall.org.

 

Offer Prayers For...     
Macy Lawless, granddaughter of Merv and Irene Taylor.

   
Submit Article

andys.fishwrap@gmail.com

Office Hours

 

Monday - Thursday

8:00 am - 12 Noon

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

 

Friday

Closed

Join Our Mailing List

Renew your Kroger Card and Support St. Andrew's 

 

Support St. Andrew's through your shopping at Kroger.

 

Click this link.
 Kroger


 


 


We earned over $2,500 last year by linking our Kroger Cards to St. Andrew's. A percentage of each purchase went to fund our ministries. Each year, we must relink our Kroger Card. If you haven't linked your Kroger card, click the link above and follow the directions.

 

Thank you for supporting St. Andrew's in this way.

Facebook


facebookWe now have a presence on the popular social networking website, Facebook. If you have a Facebook account, just click on the links below to become a fan of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.


If you do not yet have your own profile on Facebook, you can get started in just minutes.

 

To set up a Facebook account www.facebook.com 


To go to the St. Andrew's page Click Here    

Recycling

Cans - Room 114 or the recycle bin next to the drink machine in the Worship Building
Ink Cartridges - 3 recycle boxes on campus
Eye Glasses- Collection bin in entryway of the Worship Building
Cell Phones - Bring to the office
Batteries- Bring to the office
Paper - We have 2 collection bins in the west parking lot 

Andy to Go Preliminary Report 

A2G
 

Our experiment of evangelism and worship and fellowship was by any standard a faithful one. The fruit of our weekend of worship will be a part of St. Andrew's and the community for years to come.

 

A summary of the numbers, we had the following.

 

·             12 worship services in 11 venues

·             393 participated (plus a few dogs and cats)

·             309 of those who participated were St. Andrew's

               parishioners

·             84 were guests

·             11 wooden crosses were made (one at each

               venue) to be placed in the worship area

·             40 people asked to get connected in a small

               group

·             83 prayer cards were turned in (we asked who we

               could ask God to bless them this week)

·             3 guest families specifically asked about St.

               Andrew's and church

 

Even with a few who attended multiple venues, we had a big day for St. Andrew's in worship. A typical Sunday for us is about 210. Financial giving was good.

 

Each venue was unique, with the hosting families making most decisions. My  enormous thanks to them.

 

·  Lusk/Bettencourt - Friday evening, festive, pot 

    luck Mexican food and Margaritas, lots of

    discussion, many visitors, mixed ages, guitar

    music, outdoor worship, in and outdoor

    fellowship

·  Cedeno - intimate, communion in a circle, few

    knew each other-more so than other

    venues,mixed ages, kolaches and donuts

·  Crawford/Kinsey - older group, sang hymns to

    trumpet accompaniment, ice cream sundaes,

    indoors, good talk after

·  Balberg/Harland-intimate, home made

    appetizers, mix of ages, in and outdoors, worship

    indoors, good small group response, long 

    fellowship time, Music-Ode to Joy on a recorder!

·  Youth (Neitzey's) - Large (82,) games, video

    game truck, youth serve communion, t-shirt

    signing "get-to-know you," in and outdoor, fire

    pit, basketball, a least a dump truck of food (I

    think they ate the truck as well,) Minute to Win

    it, lots of guests, high energy

·  Magness/Adams - Indoor worship, homemade

    pasta dinner, Bible themed scavenger hunt, long 

    fellowship time

·  Bowman/McDonald/Liberatore - outdoors, fire

    pit, rural setting, larger percentage of guests,

    home made muffins plus donuts and kolaches,

    guitars and lot of music

            ·  Church/Kinsey/Harland/Musick - Breakfast-32

                people total, 2 visitors, guest priest      

·  Cordes/Martin-Currie - Children's venue, huge

    bounce house, guitar (guest,) kids told to bring

    scooters and bicycles, in cul-de-sac, lunch

    sandwiches, kids helped bless elements, young

    crowd, led children in songs and prayers

·  Mortenson/Vinson-In and outdoors, worship

    indoors, good mix of ages, catered pasta and

    salad, long fellowship time

·  Allensworth/Kopetz-Worship outdoors, keyboard

    music, homemade buffet food, mixed ages, long

    fellowship time

 

My initial take:

·             Vast majority want to do this again

·             A number of "no show" guests but folks now

               know better how to describe the event

·             Biggest unexpected - how much folks got to talk

               with one another without any Sunday morning

               "church work" to do

·             2nd Biggest unexpected - the creativity and effort

               and uniqueness expressed at each venue

 

Metrics

Metrics are measurable things that help one evaluate. For churches, butts-in pew and buck$ are most typically followed.

 

I cannot measure (I have no metric) the value of life giving experiences, but the church needs metrics to measure changed and enhanced lives.  I experienced unbounded joy, tears, real dialogue, belonging, some people experiencing God for the first time in a long time, love - in a word, connection. And that was what we were all about for our Lord.

 

The church does not have a mission. God's mission has the Church. You were awesome. I am proud to serve you.

 

Jim+

frjimbo@msn.com

Year of Connection

 

2011 will be the Year of Connection for St. Andrew's. 2010 was the Year of Outreach, where we focused on reaching those in the community who needed God help and love. This year, we will Connect.

 

·        Connect with God

·        Connect with Our Neighbor

·        Connect with One Another

 

Why? Because God asks us to be deliberate in pursuit of each. In fact, all of God's Law can be summed up in Connection.

 

God - "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment."    Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV)

           

Neighbor - 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Where our neighbor is defined as all those around us and not just those we like or are close to)    Matthew 22:38(NIV)

 

One Another - There are over 80 "one another" passages in the Bible, urging us to strengthen our Connection with other Followers of Christ - church members

In fact, we cannot separate these Connections. They are intertwined.

            'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of

            these brothers and sisters ofmine, you did for me.'  
 

                                                               Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and
 

sister.                                         1 John 4:21 (NIV)

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.                      Hebrews 13:2 (NIV)


 

Dedicate your year and yourself to being Connected.

St. Andrew's in the News!

  

St. Andrew's is the top story on the Episcopal News Service

I wanted to share this webpage with you:

 

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79425_127258_ENG_HTM.htm

  

Jim+

 

Volunteer Needs

 

Do any of these opportunities fit your gifts and interests?  If so, please email Jim+ at frjimbo@msn.com.

  • Bulletin Board Assistance
  • Greeter for Sunday School Welcome Coordinator - weekly with time off
  • Facility Promoter-help us rent out the facilities
  • Office assistance - phones, copying 
  • Home typing - Word, Publisher, Excel 
The Way of the Cross Service

Sisters and Brothers,

 

I am looking for a few children and youth to have reading parts in the 4/3 Sunday morning worship service. We will be tracing the last hours of Christ in the service, The Way of the Cross.

 

Any child 3rd grade and up as well as any youth may volunteer in this annual service lead by the youth and children of St. Andrew's.

 

Please contact me to help with names and ages.

Jim+

frjimbo@msn.com  

We Need Your Junk!  

 

junk

 

The St. Andrew's Workcamp Youth will be having their annual garage sale on Saturday, March 26th from 7am - 12pm.

 

Please bring your gently used and no longer needed "stuff" to church through Friday, March 25th for us to sell to send our kids to Tennessee!  

 

If you have large items that need to be picked up, please contact Anne Harland at 281-787-5085 to set up a pick-up time on Sat., Mar 19th between 8am-1pm.    

 

We have not gotten very many donations, so take the time to do some spring cleaning and get rid of your old junk! 

 

Thank you,

 

Judy Bettencourt

jbettencourt@comcast.net

 

 

Ladies' Bible Study

 

Begins Thursday, April 7th - 7:00pm - at St. Andrew's!

 

We are going to do a shorter, lighter study by Beth Moore called 'Living Free' that does not include a video.  It will last 6 weeks.  There will be five days of study each week, and it sounds like less study time will be required than there was for 'Esther'. 

 

We will do the home study on our own during the week, and  then will meet to discuss it as a group, or groups.  Each week's discussion will probably last around 1½ hours, allowing us to leave a bit earlier than in the Fall. 

 

See below for an overview of 'Living Free'.

 

The cost of the study book is $10.  Please email as soon as you can (at least before Friday, March 11th) to let me know if you plan to join us so I can order the books.

 

Childcare will be provided.  Please tell me in your email if you will be using childcare, and the number and  ages of children that will be coming.

 

I have read that this is a good study to do either before or after Beth Moore's 'Breaking Free' which is another longer study of hers with a video to watch each week.  If we like 'Living Free', I think it would be great to start 'Breaking Free' next Fall.  I can't wait to meet with you ladies again - I miss you!  Of course, please invite any friends you can think of who might like to join us.

 

Jennifer Sitton

jennifersitton@pdq.net

 

Living Free: Learning to Pray God's Word by

 

Beth Moore provides a personal study experience for five days a week for six weeks of Bible study. Beth explores the somewhat-radical idea that we cannot please God by being perfect. The study begins by defining false strongholds, then focuses on five key benefits for every believer, including how to find satisfaction in God and experience God's peace. Participants can learn how to develop a Godward focus in life, while beginning to incorporate the key benefits in their lives through practices of prayer

 and Bible study.

 

Participants will look at the nuts and bolts of the matter of pleasing God and answer the questions:

 

How can we overcome persistent, defeating, devastating 

     patterns of sin in our lives?

How can we become so nonself-centered that we no longer focus

     on our own performance?

How can we become so God-centered that we no longer want to

     pursue things that displease Him?

 

Singles Group

Friends,

 

Please join our Meetup group to see the Impressionist & Post-impressionist exhibit at MFAH on Saturday, March 26, at 3:00 PM to be followed by dinner at a restaurant. Our first meeting on February 18 was quite a success. For more information about this ministry to singles, please go to: http://www.meetup.com/Episcopal-Singles and sign up.

 

Best regards,

Elizabeth Fields

 

Musicians Needed 

 

We need musicians to play or sing at the offertory in both services, or only one if you can't stay for two! 

 

You don't have to be of professional quality to perform.  The audience for your performance is God.God accepts your best efforts.

 

Fr. Joe+ 

fatherjoeosteen@gmail.com

281-485-3843

Benefit for Baby Nathan Hightower 

 

Sunday, March 27

12 Noon - 4:00pm

Knights of Columbus Hall

2320 Hatfield Rd., Pearland, TX 77584

 

Food, Drinks, Silent Auction and Raffle, Family Entertainment

 

Proceeds benefit the Pearland family of Nathan Hightower who was born with a rare and serious genetic disorder in July 2010. 

 

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Kim Ambro at 281-412-5146. 

 

What's Mine?

 

"Justice is sorting out what belongs to whom and returning it."

 

I have this quotation by Walter Brueggemann on the cover of my notebook, where I can see it each day. When I'm feeling stingy or selfish, it helps if I take a minute and remember where everything comes from. If I remember that the dollar in my wallet isn't really mine, but God's, I am more likely to share. If I belong to God, everything I think belongs to me really belongs to God.

 

Guess this might seem a little scary at first, but it's also freeing! I don't have to worry about my stuff as much if it's not really mine. And I get excited when I think about what would happen if everyone in the world thought this way. Surely there would be enough to go around. Surely, we would all take better care of each other if we remembered that we all belong to God.

 

Caela Simmons Wood

 

Vacation Bible School - Save the Date!    

 

 vbs image

The next annual Vacation Bible School will be held July 11-15, 2011.

 

Katie Cordes  

cordesgotmail@sbcglobal.net 

Fusion (Youth) News 


YES is a weekend retreat for youth 7-9th grade that affirms God's love for us and allows you to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in a unique way.


Happening is a weekend retreat for youth 10 -12th grade that encourages participation in one's own parish and youth group and helps answer many of today's questions of how Christianity is relevant to youth today.


YES and Happening dates for this school year:

April 29 - May 1

For more information, go to www.epicenter.org

You can find forms for registration here: Registration Forms

Jenn Neitzey

Finances - January 31st, 2011

 

Don't know if you are current in your giving?  Contact me at the email address below and I'll be happy to send you a statement.

                    Actual            Budgeted          Difference

 

Disbursed    $ 30,535         $ 35,994           $ 5,659 under budget

 

Receipts      $ 33,779         $ 38,281            $ 4,502 over funded

 

Long Term Debt $381,124.26

 

Operating bank balance 1/1/2011 was $23,843.47

 

You may combine your giving into one check if it is more convenient for you.  Just be sure to mark the breakdown on the memo line so I know how to properly enter it.  All undesignated checks go into operating to cover general budgeted disbursements.

 

Questions?

Beth Bishop bookkeeper@standrewspearland.org