Cross Currents December 2022-January 2023

Christmas Eve at St. Andrew’s

We invite you to join us for one of our services, each with a unique feel and style. All services will be in-person and livestreamed. We hope you will join us in celebrating this Christmas Eve!

FAMILY SERVICE & CHRISTMAS PLAY

5:00 PM | IN-PERSON & ONLINE

Join us for an intergenerational service, featuring SAPC Kids acting out the Christmas story! Classic hymns and a message make this service a perfect fit for all ages.

CONTEMPORARY CANDLELIGHT

7:00 PM | IN-PERSON & ONLINE

Our Contemporary Worship Team will lead us in this beautiful time of Candlelight Christmas Worship.

TRADITIONAL CANDLELIGHT

9:00 PM | IN-PERSON & ONLINE

Our Chancel Choir and Orchestra will lead us in Traditional Candlelight Christmas Worship.

Upcoming at SAPC

Church Office/Campus Closed

December 23 & 26 - Observance of Christmas

January 2 - Observance of New Year’s

January 16 - Martin Luther King Jr/Civil

Sunday Worship Schedule Changes

December 25 - One Worship Service 10:00 am in the Sanctuary and livestream.

January 1 - Two Worship Services

7:30 am Worship Service in the Chapel 10:00 am Worship Service in the Sanctuary and livestream.

New Year Sermon Series

Encounters with Jesus: Beginning January 8, we will follow Jesus through John 3-5, as He encounters three people of very different backgrounds and statuses. He gives each of them what they need, but not what they expect.

Annual Congregational Meeting

January 22, 10:00 am - Sanctuary

From Pastor Pete

Greetings St. Andrew’s! Here’s a quick joke about Christmas presents: “What did the magi say after they offered up their gifts of gold and frankincense to the Christ-child?” “Wait, there’s myrrh!”

Here’s something that’s no joke about Christmas presence: Christ was born at Christmas to ensure God’s presence in the world as Emmanuel – God with us!

This Advent season, in worship, we will be focusing on the Presence which God longs to bless us with as followers of Jesus Christ: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace! What presence are you desiring for Advent and Christmas this year? I hope you will join us at St. Andrew’s for worship and moments of present connection this season!

• Each Sunday during Advent and into the new year, in person or streaming online.

• Blue Christmas Service on December 19 at 6:00 pm in the Chapel. The holidays are not merry and bright for everyone. This service will be about being real about all the honest emotions we may be experiencing this season.

• Make plans now to worship with us on Christmas Eve, including praying about whom you will invite to come with you!

• You can be generous with opportunities to give to the Advent Mission Project (this year providing Shoes for Children), Adopt-a-Family, or with a year-end financial gift to the church’s general fund.

• Pray for the Mission Study Team as it tabulates all the research findings from the congregational surveys and listening meetings into a final report, which will be completed within the first quarter of 2023.

• Thank you for remembering your pastors and members of the church staff during this wonderful and busy season! Particularly in a time of pastoral transition, your encouragement, kind notes, and prayers mean so much.

What a blessing to know and experience the presence of the Holy Spirit during this season and the faithfulness and provision of Christ’s leading into a blessed New Year 2023!

Counting it all joy, Pastor Pete Interim Pastor/Head of Staff

Christmas with St. Andrew’s

WOMEN’S CHRISTMAS BRUNCH

Join us for our 3rd Annual Christmas Brunch on Saturday, December 3, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm in Friendship Hall on our NE Campus! This year our theme is “Peace in Christ,” as explained in Philippians 4:7. We will have three different speakers, a delicious buffet brunch, and a fun outreach activity for our “You’ve Been Socked” Christmas Outreach! Cost will be $25 and you may sign-up at sapctucson.org or by contacting Connie at crandall@sapctucson.org

14TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT

The combined music ministry of St. Andrew’s presents the Worship Team, Chancel Choir, Orchestra, Wittman Ringers, St. Andrew’s Sisters, and Children’s Choir in concert, featuring music specifically designed to bring Christ into the center of our Advent season and lead us joyfully and prayerfully into Christmastide. Join us Saturday, December 10, at 7:00 pm. A freewill offering will be taken.

BLUE CHRISTMAS WORSHIP

The holiday season isn’t always merry and bright for everybody. This will be worship gathering and time to be honest about all the emotions that Christmastime may provoke. We will offer corporate prayers and songs, Scripture readings, some Biblical reflections, and time for meditation, individual prayers, and anointing with oil. Join us Monday, December 19, 6:00 pm in the Chapel.

Advent Mission Project: Shoes for Local Children

Our annual Advent Mission project’s goal is to raise $15,000 for new shoes for children in the Amphitheater, Flowing Well, and Marana School Districts. Given that inflation is hurting lowincome families in Tucson, we hope that blessing these three nearby school districts with funds for new shoes will alleviate some of the stress on families. The Amphi Clothing Bank, the Flowing Wells Resource Center, and the Marana Clothing Bank will be ordering the shoes they need for their Resource Centers.

Please make sure to write Advent Mission Project – Shoes for Local Children in your check’s memo space or designate online to Missions, and write the Advent Mission Project – Shoes for Local Children in the note box. Please make

sure to designate! These funds will all stay locally with the intention to provide new shoes for children.

Questions? Please contact RuthAnn Smithrud, rsmithrud@sapctucson.org, Local Outreach Director. Thank you for blessing children in need!

St. Andrew’s Loves Our Mission Partners Fair & Panel Presentation

On January 29, we will have a Service Worship panel presentation at the 9:00 am and 10:45 am services. Instead of the regular sermon, we will be blessed with the chance to hear about some exciting things happening in our city!

Then, join us on the patio where several of our local mission partners will be set up. Bring your questions and your heart to serve!

Café Justo

Fresh roasted, mountain grown, organic coffee from Café Justo makes a great Christmas gift. We have just received a brand new shipment of coffee and we have Christmas bags to wrap your coffee up, so your gift is ready to go. This delicious coffee will taste even better knowing that we are helping our brothers and sisters in Chiapas, Mexico our mission partner Café Justo. This mission addresses the root cause of migration and allows the farmers to stay on their land and support their families. Call or email Sandy Kreamer at sandrakreamer@gmail.com or 520-400-3287 or just stop by the Coffee Cart in The Gathering Place any Sunday.

Donate to Amphi Clothing Bank

Do your kids have clothes they have outgrown? The Amphi Clothing Bank serves kids in need in the Amphi Community. You can bring the clothes to church and drop them off at the coffee cart with Sandy Kreamer, or reach her at sandrakreamer@gmail.com to arrange for pick up or to ask any questions. Thanks for sharing with those in need.

Serve Our City 2022

Serve Our City once again glorified the Lord with service projects all over Tucson. Over the weekend of November 12-13, we participated in the El Tour de Tucson 500 bike giveaway by building bikes and providing lunch for the families receiving bikes. Lunch was well attended with blessings to go around, and there were many happy smiles from the children as well as our incredible volunteers. St. Andrew’s personally collected 88 bags of food for “12 Days of Thanksgiving” while Faith that Works Tucson provided $20 gift cards for turkeys to go with the bags of food! We also collected 17 baby care bags benefitting foster families in our city’s Care Portal ministry! Special thanks to the teams all over the city for painting, packing food and care bags, prayer walking, craft making, pumpkin bread baking, school yard cleaning, and for shining Jesus’ love while working! The crew painting the Magnotto Shelter House blessed them immensely because they have never had anyone volunteer to help them, let alone paint the inside of their facility. Thank you all! Praise God for blessing our city!

SAPC Kids

CHRISTMAS EVE PLAY

This year SAPC Kids will present a traditional “bathrobe play” at the 5:00 pm Christmas Eve service. Children will read the Christmas story from Luke and Matthew, while pantomiming the events in the story. Rehearsals will be December 11 at 10:30 am, December 17 at 9:00 am and December 22 at 9:00 am. Sign up at sapctucson.org. Parts are available for all children ages 2 through 5th grade.

UPCOMING HOLY MOLIES

December 14: God loves you no matter who you are January 18: God cares who you are on the inside

NO SUNDAY SCHOOL

There will be no Sunday School on December 25 or January 1 to allow our Sunday School teachers to enjoy the holidays with their families.

KINDERGARTEN PRAYER PARTNERS

It’s that time of year to start thinking and praying about being a Prayer Partner. Please consider being part of this ministry and walk alongside a child in his or her faith journey. Seven adults are needed for this. You are committing to pray for and with your partner, and the children commit to pray for you as well. If you have been a prayer partner in the past and want to volunteer again, please do so! Contact Heather at hbrannock@sapctucson.org to volunteer or for more information. Prayer Partners will meet February 19 during the 9:00 am Sunday School time.

SAVE THE DATE FOR VBS 2023!

Registration opens March 26 for VBS 2023 June 12-16. Get ready for a STELLAR time!

VBS PLANNING COMMITTEE:

Sincerely,

A little quote from one of the little boys receiving a bike: “Thank you for believing you like me and for cooking all that food.”

Are you interested in being on the 2023 VBS planning committee? We are starting our journey to VBS in early March (Yes! It’s that early!) The VBS planning committee heads up the other VBS teams: imagination station (science gadgets and experiments), games, Bible adventure (a hands on way to tell the Bible story), Kid-vid (stories of real kids living out their faith), snacks, preschool, and decorating. Let Heather know if you’re interested in any of these areas at hbrannock@sapctucson.org.

“I want to extend a huge thank you for the crew that came to clean our campus with the Serve Our City initiative. The members that came on Sunday were professional, kind, and extremely helpful. Thank you for your help organizing this initiative and for including Hendricks!

Thomas Alcaraz, Assistant to the Principal Hendricks Elementary School”

Adult Ministry - Get Connected

FAITH UNCORKED – WOMEN’S MONTHLY FELLOWSHIP

Women of all ages are invited to our monthly women’s fellowship on January 13, 2023. Being together will encourage each of us, help us with all of our life stuff, and we’ll have FUN! Bring your favorite appetizer and adult beverage. We’ll meet from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the home of Cherie Miller-Gray at 55 E. Naranja Dr., Tucson 85737. RSVP to Connie at crandall@sapctucson.org

FAITH ON TAP – MEN’S MONTHLY FELLOWSHIP

Men’s monthly fellowship meets once a month for fellowship, food and encouragement. If you are new to St. Andrew’s or been around a while, this is a great way to get connected with men of all ages. Contact Pastor Mat Grover at mgrover@sapctucson.org.

SUNDAY CONNECT GROUP

Sunday Connect is a Bible study group open to anyone who would like to spend time connecting with God and each other. Great place to get connected if you are new. Contact Karin Fiore at karinfiore@gmail.com or Lori Seiferth at loriseiferth@gmail.com for more information and to receive study materials.

HUGS

HUGS (Happily Under God’s Supervision) is our Senior Ministry that meets on Wednesday mornings for encouragement, connection, and lots of fun! With a delicious lunch served. Contact Cindy Lange at lucinlange@comcast.net or 520-955-3550.

Ongoing Groups - Get Connected

JANUARY SERIES

The January Series is a FREE 15-day award-winning lecture series that takes place each year at Calvin University. The series aims to cultivate deep thought and conversations about important issues of the day, to inspire cultural renewal and make us better global citizens in God’s world.

This year the January Series returns January 9-27, 2023. To watch online with on-demand viewing, you can access the current day’s presentation by visiting calvin.edu/january and clicking the Watch Now button. You’ll be asked to answer a few questions before you’re given access to the presentation page.

There are lots of ways to get connected at SAPC. Here are just a few of the ongoing groups and ministries available to you! Learn more at sapctucson.org or contact Connie at crandall@sapctucson.org

LIFE TOGETHER/CONVERSATION GROUPS

Varied times & days / crandall@sapctucson.org

MOMS GROUP

Thursdays, 9:00 am - 11:30 am

MEN’S THURSDAY AM BIBLE STUDY

Thursdays, 8:00 am

WOMEN’S FRIDAY AM BIBLE STUDY Fridays, 9:00 am

FAMILY OF GOD SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP Sundays, 10:30 am

SUNDAY MORNING CONNECT GROUP Sundays, 10:45 am

BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP - WOMEN’S

Wednesdays, 9:00 am

HUGS SENIOR MINISTRY

Wednesdays, 10:15 am

CHANCEL CHOIR REHEARSAL Wednesdays, 7:00 pm

BEYOND SUNDAY QUARTERLY WORKSHOPS

SMALL GROUPS & SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

St. Andrew’s Preschool & Kindergarten

We’re so thankful to the families and grandparents who attended our school Book Fair during our Storybook Week in October! Families were able to purchase books for their children, books were donated to our teachers, and our school library added some new literary material as well! Thank you!

Registration for our 2023-24 school year begins January 19! We are registering for our 2s, 3s, 4s, and Kindergarten classes. Our Preschool and Kindergarten offers small class sizes, two qualified teachers per class, indoor and outdoor play-based learning and curriculum, within a faith based environment.

If you are looking for ways to give back to our Kindergarten, please consider making a Tax Credit donation. You can receive a dollar-for-dollar credit on your Arizona state income taxes while helping remove any financial obstacles that stand in a family’s way of choosing St. Andrew’s Kindergarten for their child.

For more information and to make a donation, please visit the Institute for Better Education (ibescholarships.org) and the Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization (acsto.org), or call the School Office at 520-742-2969. Donation brochures can also be found in the Narthexes on both St. Andrew’s campuses. Thank you for your support!

SAPC Youth

BLANKET TYING

On December 11 at Youth Sunday School, we will be tying blankets together again! This year we will be donating them to Hope City Church. This is always a fun service project for our Youth to be a part of and these blankets provide a warm and cozy hug for people during the chilly winter months.

YOUTH PROGRAM BREAK

SAPC Youth will take a program break from 12/22-1/9. We will resume with High School Youth Group on January 10.

COLLEGE REUNION DINNER

If you are college-age (or close to it), you are invited to the College Reunion Dinner on Monday, December 19, at 7:00 pm at Connie Randall’s house. Enjoy food, fun, and fond memories of your Youth Group days.

30 HOUR FAMINE:

8:00 am, February 11 - 12:00 pm, February 12

CHRISTMAS PARTIES

Our White Elephant traditions will continue this year! Don’t forget to bring a wrapped gift (something you already have or can buy for $5 or under). The High School Christmas Party will be December 20 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm, and the Middle School Christmas Party will be December 21 from 6:15 pm - 8:15 pm. Ugly Christmas sweaters are encouraged!

Our Youth Group is once again participating in World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine. It is not right that thousands of people are dying from hunger each day. We are going without food for 30 hours to raise awareness and money so others can eat. Our goal is to raise money for these communities in need and with your help, we can change the world! Here’s how you can help: Pray, and ask God to bless our students as they overcome hunger. Volunteer, come and join us during our famine weekend. Give, just $40 can feed and care for a child for a month. More information and online donation can be found at sapcyouth. com or 30hourfamine.org.

From Your Faith Community Nurses: Safe and Effective Method of Drug Disposal

1. Don’t flush medications down the toilet. Sewage treatment plants cannot remove all contaminates resulting in pollution of our streams and the aquifers from which our drinking water is derived.

2. Don’t dispose of medications in the trash. There’s ample evidence advising mixing unwanted medication with coffee grounds or kitty litter which may prevent accidental ingestion by children or domestic pets, but it does not address wildlife that may come in contact once it’s outside your home. Our Sonoran Desert is inhabited by numerous species including coyotes or javelina with less discerning tastes that love to rummage through garbage cans.

3. Bring your medications to a local disposal site preferably still in the bottle. Should you get pulled over by police you may have trouble explaining why you have a sack of pills in your possession. When you get to disposal site then put pills into a bag and keep the bottles since they have potential identifying information.

4. Disposal sites include certain Walgreen or CVS pharmacies and some police stations. The pills are incinerated at high temperatures in coordination with DEA thereby preventing pollution of the air, water, and environment.

Reference: Pima County Dispose A Med

SAPC Art Gallery

CALLING ALL ARTISTS AT SAPC

Have you ever wanted to create an art work and later display it in a gallery? Why not try it now? The Art Committee invites you to display a couple of your original paintings or pictures in the Narthex Art Gallery for a six week show starting February 19. This gives you plenty of time to prepare. Pictures can be new or from the past and be for sale or just for show. All art submitted must be able and ready to be hung. For more information contact Jo Kramer at 520-888-1852 or lakeco2@gmail.com.

Piecemakers Quilt Group

Our Piecemakers Quilt Group challenged and made 30 quilts for Project Linus Tucson. The goal was to use random donated fabric in a bag to make quilts for Project Linus. They could use any quilt pattern but had to use the fabric in the bag, and they called it the BUBBA Challenge. (Butt Ugly Brown Bag Activity ) In November, they revealed their quilts and voted for the top three who received nice prizes! The best part is they used up some unusual fabric and are donating 30 beautiful quilts to serve children in Tucson thru Project Linus!!

If you would like to join in the quilting fun, the group meets every Wednesday morning in the Choir Room from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm(ish). Contact Cherie Swanson at tangerinequilts@comcast.net for more information.

DECEMBER ART SHOW - ART KRAMER

NOVEMBER

27 - JANUARY 2

I have been taking photos since 1957, starting out with my father’s Argus C3 using K10 slide film! Over the years I’ve taken thousands of slide pictures and have owned a variety of cameras. While in the USAF, I learned how to process black and white film, and managed to have darkrooms for photo processing in various homes I have lived at. When the digital era came along in 2002, I transitioned to that media, and gave up on color slide and black and white film.

The photos in the exhibit on display in the Gallery are from both digital and slide pictures. I chose to have the images printed on canvas, which give them a more impressionistic appearance. It was difficult to make decisions of what to include in this exhibit, as there were literally thousands of choices!