November Cross Currents 2025

Cross Currents

NOVEMBER | VOLUME 2025 | ISSUE 09

From Pastor John The word Bible means “library” and in the very center of it is a songbook: the Psalms, a collection of 150 songs covering the spectrum of human experience, from the blues to celebration, anger to bliss, lament to praise. These songs have shaped the lives of the faithful over the centuries, and are going strong to this very day. The Psalms are the soundtrack, the jukebox, the mixtape, the playlist of Christian history, and therefore of our lives as followers of Jesus. And Jesus knew these Psalms by heart. Psalm 150 is the encore song filled with vibrant praise, calling on “everything that hath breath” to praise the Lord. I love all of the Bible, but for me, the Psalms easily make it on the Scripture’s Greatest Hits album.

We bring our gifts, and we celebrate each other’s gifts, and we share our gifts with our neighbors in Christ—here in Tucson and across the globe. We praise God for every good gift in our lives; and we also remind each other that each of us is created in the image of God: God the creative Giver, the generous Creator, the One who loves us and calls us to love one another!

IN THIS ISSUE Chorus of Generosity -Page 2-

We’re concluding our Climates series with a vitally important spiritual climate: playfulness. I think this perfectly leads into our next series: A Chorus of Generosity.

When it comes right down to it, that’s who we are here at St. Andrew’s, and who we strive to be: a chorus of generosity.

Advent Devotionals -Page 3-

You’ll be hearing more about A Chorus of Generosity from our t3 Committee in the coming weeks. Sunday, November 16, will be our Dedication Sunday for our 2026 Chorus of Generosity pledges. I thank God for you, your presence, and lending your voice to St. Andrew’s Chorus of Generosity where we seek to repeat the sounding joy of Jesus Christ together with all of creation!

Joyfully, Pastor John

Hope for Christmas -Page 5-

Choirs for Christmas Concert -Page 7-

Pumpkin Bread -Page 8-

STEWARDSHIP 2026

We need as much beauty, joy, and hope in our lives as we can get, and for many of us, St. Andrew’s is an oasis of this kind of blessing. A place where we welcome all, work together, chip in, and make a joyful noise. A choir of contribution. A chorus of generosity. So let’s make this year’s giving campaign the best one yet. Be on the lookout for your pledge card as well as a 30 Day Generosity Challenge Calendar in the mail and add your voice to the chorus. We’ll celebrate our “joyful noise” on Sunday, November 16, at our Dedication Sunday in all three worship services. Please bring your pledge cards and your prayers as we commit the coming year to Christ and His work in us and through us, near and far.

WHERE OUR GIVING GOES...

These are just a few examples of how your generosity impacts both our congregation, ministries, and local community providing funds throughout the year!

80

40

585

188

10

40+

25

14

students went to camp at Forest Home Camp with the help of your gifts

people attended the Discover SAPC: New Members Class this year students received partial scholarships for the 20252026 school year at St. Andrew’s Preschool & Kindergarten

children and youth volunteers participated in VBS 2025 where they discovered that Jesus is our True North

630+

people attended our 2025 Trunk or Treat and over 90 people volunteered, including Cross Middle School students

volunteers participated in building a home on the 2025 Rocky Point Mission Trip

GI V ING C H AR T

4%

6%

8%

10%

15%

$18 23

$25 31

$31 39

$46

$6 8

$12

$25,000 $30,000

481

10

29

38

48

577

12

19 23

35

46

58

72 87

$35,000

673

13

27

40

54

67

101

$40,000

769

15

31

46

62

77

115

$45,000 $50,000

865 962

35 38

$60,000

52 58 69

69 77 92

87 96 115

130 144

1,154 1,442

17 19 23 29

87

115

144

115

154

192

216 288

144

192

240

361

$20,000

$75,000 $100,000 $125,000

Kindergarten students have received tax credit donations & scholarship for tuition for the 20242025 school year from SAPC

ONLINE sapctucson.org/give

APP

$308 385

$16,000

Mission Partners supported by our congregation

W A YS T O GIV E

To calculate your weekly gift, find your income on the left, and read across to the percentage of income you feel called to give on a weekly basis.

ANNUAL WEEKLY INCOME INCOME 2%

was our average weekly attendance, with the weekly worship services provided in person and online.

15

46

1,923

38

58 77

2,404

48

96

Search your App Store for the ShelbyNext Giving App

MAIL YOUR CHECK TO:

58

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church 7650 N Paseo del Norte, Tucson, AZ 85704

IN PERSON

Place in offering plate or offering box on Sunday

TEXT

Text ($ amount) to 520.263.0034

173

TIME

Along with our finances, we also give of our time and talents. Visit sapctucson.org/give to learn more about how you can give in other ways!

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Adult Ministry 2025 Advent Daily Devotional

Experience a transformative Advent journey with Advent: A Calendar of Devotions 2025, by Jan Turrentine. Each day in Advent, from the first Sunday of Advent through Christmas Day, shares a suggested Scripture, a short devotion, and a short prayer or practice. Advent: A Calendar of Devotions 2025 is sold as an eBook and is also available as in print.

Learn more at sapctucson.org

Faith Community Nurses

HABITS THAT STEAL YOUR HAPPINESS You ultimately become what you repeatedly do. Here are some fairly common examples that will drain all your joy and inner peace if you let them: Focusing on how life “ should” be every step of the way Wanting to control the uncontrollable Holding tightly to the way things once were.

Refusing to practice self-forgiveness.

Resisting new ideas and lessons Don’t settle. Don’t exchange what you want most for what you kinda want at the moment.

Always worrying about everyone else’s story.

Waiting for the perfect moment to take the next step.

Now it’s your turn to remember that you’re leaving certain habits and situations behind for a reason: to improve your life because you can’t move forward if you keep going back.

Reference: https://www.marcansangel.com/2025/04/15/10

Women’s Christmas Brunch

All ladies are invited to join together on Saturday, December 6, for the annual Women’s Christmas Brunch! We will enjoy a lovely brunch, fellowship and an impactful message, “Hope in Christ.” Tickets will be $20/person or $160/table. Sign ups will begin November 9 online and following worship services. If you would like to decorate a table, please add it to your sign up or email Kelley Tilly at kelleytilly@yahoo.com. Learn more at sapctucson.org.

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Rocky Point Mission

Hope for Christmas: Adopt-a-Family

We have “adopted” 30 families by working with schools from some of the most disadvantaged areas of our community.

St. Andrew’s has always been very generous in sharing with others. Let’s come together to really bless these families with our love for Jesus. These families are single parents, grandparents raising grandkids and those minimally employed. We need lots of help.

You can stop by the Hope for Christmas Table in the Gathering Place or the back of the Sanctuary any Sunday from November 9 to December 7, to pick an ornament or two to purchase a gift. Let us know if you have a group of friends who would like to adopt an entire family!

The 1Mission Rocky Point Mission Trip on October 23 to October 26 was an unforgettable experience for our 25 member St. Andrew’s group who participated! Foreman Scott Fiore, Assistant Foreman Sophie Fiore, and Honorary Foreman Kevin Oxnam ably led our group's work of completing the trusses, roof work, and stucco work on the house we were assigned to work on.

We enjoyed working alongside the family that will be living in the home: parents Joaquin and Beanie and their three children Saul (age 16), Paul (age 5), and Ali (two months old).

If you prefer not to shop, you can donate funds and others will shop for you. You can donate by putting a check in the offering, donate on line: choose mission and add Adopt-aFamily to the note, or drop a check or cash by the Hope for Christmas table.

Our goal is two toys and two items of new clothing per child, plus a $100 food card for the family. If we have more money we would like to increase the food card to $150 and give a small gift card to the parents. Your generous donations can help us meet this stretch goal.

We stayed at the 1Mission Basecamp dorms and enjoyed the delicious food they prepared each day. Our group prayed and shared each morning and evening. On our last night we had a Fiesta with all the churches participating and four families that in a month's time will be moving into these four new homes. It was inspiring and heartwarming to hear about their journey to be able to be homeowners and how it will help break cycles of poverty and nurture community in Christ's name. We're so thankful for the love, hard work, and teamwork of our SAPC group, as well as Pantano Church, and Emmanuel Baptist that worked with us this week with 1Mission.

We're filled with gratitude that we were able to complete our task, make new friends, and arrive home safely!

If you have questions or would like to be involved, please email Sandy Kreamer at sandrakreamer@gmail.com or stop by the Hope for Christmas table, November 9 to December 7.

We look forward to sharing Jesus’ love with the community!

Financial Update As of September 30, 2025 YTD Offering Actual $1,220,759 Planned $1,204,189 Difference $16,570

YTD Expenses $1,510,547 $1,577,454 $(66,907)

Thank you for your support of our ministries. Please contact Brad in the business office at 520-297-7201 if you have questions.

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Preschool & Kindergarten In October, we had the joy of celebrating the grandparents and special people in our students’ lives during our Special Persons and Storybook Days. Each class gathered together for a memorable time of connection—families created a craft with their child, enjoyed storybook read-alouds, and shopped at the Scholastic Book Fair.

Youth Ministry The Youth Ministry has been gearing up for the busy fall and winter seasons. In November, right after the Thanksgiving Eve Service, we have our Thanksgiving Eve Family Night dodgeball in Friendship Hall. Our annual Turkey Bowl flag football game will be on Thanksgiving Day from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm at Naranja Park. It is always a fun time for kids, of all ages, to expel some energy and stay out of the kitchens and out of the way. As always, the best way to stay informed of all the exciting events we have coming up is to follow us at @sapcyouth on Instagram or check out sapctucson.org/youth.

A heartfelt thank you goes to our wonderful volunteers and Preschool Governing Board for their time and energy in set-up, cashiering, and clean-up. Your support made this event possible!

Not only did our students leave with new books to spark curiosity and learning, but the proceeds from the Book Fair will directly support building our school and classroom libraries—ensuring that a love of reading continues to grow for all of our children.

This November, we are partnering with Hope for Christmas: Adopt-a-Family and St. Andrew’s Church to fill stockings with love and essential items for families in need of extra blessings this Christmas. We are grateful for the opportunity to come together as a school and church community to share God’s love in a meaningful way during this season of giving!

Learn more at sapcschool.org.

Decorating Team Join in the fun as we decorate the church for our Advent Worship Services on Saturday, November 29, from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm, at either the Chapel or the main Sanctuary! If you can hang an ornament on a Christmas tree or a wreath on a wall, we need you! All decorations are provided. We also need folks who can climb ladders. Bring your family and friends, because many hands are needed as we add the beautiful decorations that help enhance our Advent Worship Services. Also, because what goes up must come down, please plan on helping to take down the decorations on Saturday, January 4, at 9:00 am.

Contact Debi Kromer at dskromer@comcast.net with questions.

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Children’s Ministry Trunk or Treat

Thank You for a wonderful Trunk or Treat.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Trunk or Treat such a fun and successful event! From those who decorated trunks, donated candy, volunteered their time, or simply came to join in the fun—you all made it a joyful evening of community and connection. We welcomed so many families and children, and it was a blessing to see laughter, smiles, and the love of Christ shining through in every detail. Events like this would not be possible without your generosity, creativity, and servant hearts.

Thank you for helping us share God’s love with our community in such as fun way!

Christmas Play

We are excited to announce our upcoming Christmas Play: The Good News Flash! This is a wonderful opportunity for our kids to share the story of Jesus’ birth with our church family and community. The performance will be during the Christmas Eve Family Service on December 24 at 5:00 pm in the Sanctuary. All children are invited to participate—whether they’d like a speaking role, to be part of the choir, or to help bring the story to life as angels, shepherds, or animals in the nativity. Rehearsals will be during children’s Sunday School (9:15 am 10:15 am) in Room F, beginning November 23. Our final dress rehearsal will be Monday, December 22 at 9:00 am in the Sanctuary. Parents, please mark your calendars and encourage your kids to join in this special celebration. We can’t wait to see them shine as they tell the greatest story ever told—Jesus’ birth!

Holy Molies Our 4th and 5th graders will meet this month on November 19 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in Room F. We will eat pizza, play games, and talk about The Belt of Truth. Please bring a friend, a Bible, a filled water bottle, and $5 to offset the cost of dinner.

Super Friends: A Special Needs Ministry

Trunk or Treat

Trunk or Treat

Everyone Belongs! Our special needs ministry provides a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive space for individuals of all abilities to grow in faith and community. Whether you have a child, teen, or adult with unique needs, we offer a sensory friendly Sunday School class for our Super Friends and a parent support group. Our upcoming meetings of Super Friends and parents will be on December 7 and January 4 at 10:30 am in the Sunday School Rooms.

Let us walk alongside your family in faith. For more information or to volunteer, contact Heather at hbrannock@sapctucson.org. Because everyone deserves a place to belong!

reat Trunk or T

Children’s Choir is Back for Christmas!

So come sing with us! We are so excited to have kids back in the concert this year. Read more on page 7!

Trunk o r

Treat -6-

Happy

lene!

Ar

ement r i t , Re

St. Andrew's would like to celebrate Arlene Sturm and her decades of music ministry at the church. Arlene has led the Wittman Ringers for the past 38 years, serving as their director, as well as helming the bell choir at Northminster Presbyterian Church. After finishing a career in public music teaching on the east coast and moving to Arizona, Arlene has been a passionate leader in the bell community, hosting an annual Epiphany Ring featuring several bell choirs at St. Andrew's for a number of years. On November 16, at the 10:45 am service, please congratulate Arlene on her many years of service and her recent retirement.

Welcome, Karen!

We would like to welcome Karen Dahlen as the new Director of the Wittman Ringers. Karen has rung in our bell choir for the past year and has been tapped to lead the group into the future. An impressive musician, Karen brings experience as a retired church music director in Utah, as well as gifts ranging from vocal, piano/organ as well as flute.

Please welcome Karen to her new position in the Music Ministry at St. Andrew's.

Gallery Artist

NOVEMBER ARTIST: KATHY CARTER OCTOBER 26 - NOVEMBER 30 Kathy Carter is an award winning, selftaught artist. She started drawing and painting at age 12 and has not stopped since. Through the years she has painted windows, advertising signs, backdrops for musicals, clothing, and horse and human portraits. Kathy

Join the Choir for the Christmas Concert!

Calling all choral singers wishing to take part in the Annual Christmas Concert. The Chancel Choir will rehearse music for the Christmas Concert on Wednesday evenings between 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm, starting November 12 in preparation for the Christmas Concert on December 13. Also, please mark in your calendars December 11, 7:00 pm 9:00 pm, for the concert dress rehearsal. If you would like to join, please contact Mark Gary at markg@sapctucson.org or by telephone at 520-382-2115. We would love to have anyone interested in this shortlived commitment join us in singing glory to God!

Children’s Choir is back for Christmas!

In our interlude between official children’s choir directors, we are putting together a song for the Christmas Concert! Jane & Amy Grover will be our leaders and all kids ages preschool to middle school are invited to sing with us!

Rehearsal Schedule: Sunday, November 9 10:30 am // Room F

Sunday, November 16 10:30 am // Room F Sunday, November 23 10:30 am // Room F Sunday, December 7 10:30 am // Room F

So come sing with us! We are so excited to have kids back in the concert this year. For questions, please contact Amy Grover at agrover@sapctucson.org.

has used watercolor, chalk, pencil, poster paints and oil pastels, but is most comfortable with oils. Striving for realism, she loves all subjects. She spent 30 years as a surgical nurse and following that, another 13 years doing art and craft shows across Colorado, Arizona, Nebraska, and Wisconsin with her husband. They had a 55 foot tent at Quartzite, AZ, for 13 years, displaying -7-

Dress Rehearsal: Thursday, December 11 7:00 pm // Sanctuary Performance: Saturday, December 13 7:00 pm // Sanctuary

home sewen hand painting clothing.

Since his passing last year, she still is active in art groups and a few years ago was accepted in the prestigious Mountain Oyster Club here in Tucson.

She often donates paintings to worthy groups for fund raisers and does commission from photographs. Kathy is a member of SAPC, and usually attends the 10:45 am service.

Prayer & Care

Blood Drive

Our next blood drive is Sunday, November 23, 7:30 am - 12:30 pm. To schedule your appointment or for more information, please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org and use Sponsor Code: standrews.

In Memoriam

Jim Cobb October 25, 2025

Stephen Ministry

Are you having a hard time seeing God’s activity in your life? God speaks to us in a variety of ways: through His word, through prayer, and through our church community. Sometimes a listening, trusted friend can help you notice the ways that God is reaching out to you and showing you His love and care. Stephen Ministers are a free, confidential resource that can help you recognize God’s activity in your life. For more information about upcoming training opportunities or requesting a Stephen Minister visit sapctucson.org/care or call the Church Office, 520-297-7201, or Cheryl Smith at 520-271-6591

Serve Our City: Bake Pumpkin Bread

We will have a sign up for the pumpkin loaves in the back of the Sanctuary. Please bring your individual loaves to church on November 23, so they can be delivered to the schools on November 24!

St. Andrew’s! We have an exciting service opportunity for the month of November! We would like to bless our three partner schools with pumpkin bread and needed items for the classrooms. Our partner schools are: Butterfield Elementary in Marana School District, Laguna Elementary in Flowing Wells School District, and If baking is not your passion, we will Harelson Elementary our next door also be collecting the following items neighbor in Amphi School District. to bless the teachers and students at We would like to invite you to bake each school: (these are items individual pumpkin bread loaves for identified by all 3 schools) the staff at our schools. Butterfield Dry Erase Expo markers has 65, Harelson 55, and Laguna 77 Kleenex boxes staff members. That would mean we Lysol or Clorox Wipes would need to collect close to 200 Flare Pens individual pumpkin bread loaves. We We will have a bin in the Gathering could accomplish this with 20 families Place and will collect these items all making 10 loaves, 50 people making month and then divide them for each 4 loaves, 200 of us making one loaf!! school and deliver them on However it breaks down, we know November 24! Learn more at sapctucson.org or contact Lynn Guyot we can do it!! Please join in the fun! at lynnguyot@icloud.com for any questions.

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