Son Times Winter 2020

SON TIMES ST. ANDREW LUTHERAN CHURCH

WINTER 2020/2021

THE BRIGHT SIDE

Leadership

The Bright Side We know that words are very important. Words can be used to build up or tear down. Lift someone up or bring them down. We all know the power of the words, “I love you.” We also know the hurt that comes when we either say or hear someone filled with sadness or anger.

You might have noticed that society is more than a little on edge these days.

In fact, there’s no need to even make a list. We all know, first and second hand.

Here’s what we have planned for a season in the church year we call, Advent. We are going to focus on the other side of the coin.

Rather than focusing on what has been lost in these days – we are going to focus on what can be FOUND. Instead

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of talking about the dark side of life, we are going to celebrate the LIGHT in our midst. As easy it is to fall into moments of despair, how great will it be to celebrate the presence of HOPE. And then, right before we celebrate and worship the Christ-child, we will take a moment to consider how, “The World is About to Change.” Join us for this uplifting sermon series!

Be well. Be safe.

God bless!

Pastor Lillejord Senior Pastor

Nov. 29 Found Dec. 6 Light Dec. 13 Hope Dec. 20 The World is About to Change

Worship & Music

“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:12

More Than Optimism The story is brought out each year and placed in front of us just as we would carefully unwrap a treasured Christmas ornament passed down from our parents and grandparents. It speaks of events long ago but is still as relevant for today as it ever was and, unlike an ornament, it is not fragile and it will not shatter if it is dropped or mishandled. It has withstood two thousand years of history; it has outlasted kingdoms and empires and nations. The Christmas story remains the timeless proclamation of God’s relentless pursuit of his wayward world. It may be co-opted, commercialized, politicized, but it cannot be robbed of its fundamental message.

If we get distracted by the grand scale drama that surrounds it then we could miss it. A baby sleeping in a feeding trough could easily be missed amidst the chaos of empire-wide census taking, inns with no vacancy, Roman soldiers on the streets, or, say, a global pandemic if we fast-forward to today.

It will be easy and tempting to focus on all that may be different about our 2020 Christmas celebrations. We will miss singing carols together as a congregation on Christmas Eve (giving “Silent Night” a whole new meaning that we would prefer not to have). I will certainly miss the tradition of singing with my community choir in our annual Christmas concert that has been a part of my life since 2006. We will miss the gatherings of friends and family that have always been a part of

our schedules in December and my guess is that mistletoe sales will not be soaring this year! The list could go on and on. But the heart of Christmas is its story and it is a story that cannot be altered, diminished, or sidelined. It belongs to the world and its message of peace and redemption is sorely needed in our pandemic-weary world. God has spoken a word of everlasting benediction to you and to me through the person of his Son, Jesus Christ.

As the text of our evening prayer liturgy reminds us so well: “Jesus Christ is the light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome.” To hang on to this thought is not mere optimism or wishful thinking; it is the confession of our faith that gives voice and witness to a joy that runs deeper than circumstance.

Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice; give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today; ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now.

Christ is born today! Christ is born today!

See you in church and online!

Tim Graf Worship & Music Coordinator

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The Bright Side

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Congregational Council

e all have that one person in our lives that can’t help but point out the positive or the “bright side” of any given situation – if you’re standing in a slow moving line outside of a restaurant, they might point out “at least it’s a beautiful night, it could be raining!” or if you happen to be running late for a movie and they might say “it’s okay, the first fifteen minutes are always previews, anyway.” Often, these eternal optimists find a way to put a quick end to the pity party we are trying to throw.

In my life, it is my mother who is this eternal optimist. On any given day, I might call her with a chip on my shoulder about any number of things—work, an interaction with someone at the grocery store or gas station, a sibling disagreement—and she always finds a way to put a positive spin on my negative experience. This type of response is something she has done for as long as I can remember. I remember when I was young, if I was part of a situation that made me feel sad or upset, she would encourage me to pray for those that I was feeling sad or hung up about. She would always encourage my sisters and me to “kill with kindness” those that failed to be kind to us because we might not know the whole story.

This probably sounds very cliché and elementary, but it has become so engraved in my being that I find myself responding to my peers the same way that my mom responds if I am in that sort of position.

As we enter the season of Advent, I challenge you to be the eternal optimist; do your best to find the bright side of all that may look different this year than in years past. Remember that there is still so much to celebrate and Jesus will still be present at all of our gatherings, no matter how big or small they might be. With or without the fancy dinner parties and big family gift exchanges, Jesus still loves ALL of us and we are blessed beyond belief. This season of Advent, take time with your families and with your own heart to acknowledge the things that you cannot change and then celebrate the many good things in your life because the “bright side” is a great place to be.

Jamie Efnor Council Member

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The Bright Side

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here are times in life when we are thrown challenges that can feel too big to face, let alone feel positivity toward. Times when seeing the bright side feels impossible. But when we lean on our faith and trust in God, we find hope.

And through that hope, that security, that trust, we are able to see the bright side so organically.

What an uncertain and challenging time this has been for all of us. We’ve had to adapt to changes in the workplace, in schools, in our social lives and everyday activities. Prior to COVID hitting, my husband, our three young children and I were walking the most challenging road of our lives. My husband, Nick, was diagnosed with a very advanced liver cancer and we were told there was nothing they could do that would cure him. We were afraid. So afraid. We ended up finding a care team that would take a chance on him in NYC. After months of traveling back and forth for treatments, an insane amount of grit put in by Nick, so incredibly many highs and lows, a liver transplant and being away from our precious children for 3 months due to COVID, we are back home together in Minnesota and my husband is healed.

God is so very good.

Those 18 months were hard. So much of it was hard. But if there is one thing I’ve learned it’s that our faith can get us through anything. I think so often about what experiencing those 18 months would have been like without my faith and trust in God. There is a hope so deep in my heart from Him. That trust and hope, along with our incredible community by our sides, allowed us to wake up each day and see the bright

Early Learning side. We felt carried. Like we weren’t alone. We felt like no matter what happened, He had us. When you feel that sort of care and peace, even in the midst of the most challenging time of your life, you can let go of worry. You can trust the process. And you can find positivity and good. I often think about the beautiful gift we are giving our children by helping them nurture their own relationship with God, so that when they continue to face challenges in their lives they can rely on their faith and always continue to feel that hope in their hearts.

So my prayer for this community during an Advent season that may look and feel a little different, is that we can continue to rely on our relationship with God to help us through the challenges.

To continue trust Him and know that He has us. May we open up our hearts and allow Him to fill them with hope so that we can see the bright side even in the darkest moments.

Melissa Oprish Preschool Parent

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The Bright Side

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y great joy in ministry is the time I get to spend each week with children and youth and their caring leaders. Each week we create space to share highs and lows, laugh together, and discuss questions about our faith and the ways we can apply it to our everyday lives.

In this time where the days are literally getting darker, and where it seems more challenging to feel the presence of hope, it is a gift to be able to witness the children, youth, and leaders each week in community together. We recently asked our students and leaders to share their answer to the question, “What gives you hope right now?” Here are just a few of the answers that inspire me:

“Everyone supporting each other through this rough time is inspiring. The truth is everyone is going through something hard and I think that has brought an understanding of grace into our community which gives me hope!”

-Evan, High School Student

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“People trying to make vaccines and people being supportive and nice.”

-Nora, Elementary Student

“Being with friends and school.”

-Wyatt, Elementary Student

“Exciting things, like Halloween and Christmas, and seeing my cousins each week.”

-Paige, Elementary Student

“I’m hopeful for teamwork. This past year we’ve been so separated from each other; both in terms of physical distance and perspectives on a range of issues. I’m hopeful that the division subsides, and people are able to see the world through others’ shoes, and work together to make our community a better place!”

-Cole, Spirit in the Pines Camp Staff

“My brother. He always looks on the bright side.”

-Grace, Elementary Student

Children, Youth & Camp

“I’m hopeful for a great Thanksgiving with my family.”

“Being with my friends and participating in sports. It helps me forget about the world’s problems for a brief moment.”

-Blake, Confirmation Student

-Hunter, Confirmation Student

“Having a good time with my family.”

-Brityn, Confirmation Student

“That people have faced hardships before, and we’ve come out on the other side stronger.”

-Jack, High School Student

Recently, at Wednesday Night Youth Group (WNYG), amidst the hopeful messages from students we also found inspiration in the Bible. We discussed the story from the Gospel of Matthew of Jesus walking on water. In this story the disciples are out in a boat, Jesus comes walking out to them, and Peter is invited to leave the boat and walk with him. A great moment in that account comes when Peter, out on the water, takes his eyes off Jesus and begins to focus on the waves and the disruption around him and begins to sink. In the very next verse the Bible says, “Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.” Immediately.

At this moment in your life, may you find hope in the children, youth, and leaders in our church and the comfort in a God, shown to us in the life of Jesus, who is reaching out to us in our time of need. I invite you this week, in the midst of whatever disruption you are feeling in your life, to consider the things and people that give you hope.

Gabe Flynn Children, Youth, & Camp Ministry Director

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Generosity Plus Discipline Equals Financial Strength Thanks to both generous giving and disciplined expense/financial management, through the end of September St. Andrew has weathered the COVID-19 storm extremely well from a financial perspective. Because of your continued financial support, coupled with a recent significant estate gift that has been placed in our reserves, St. Andrew’s financial foundation is very strong, enabling us to continue serving our members and community during these challenging times. We are very grateful and blessed to report that giving year-to-date (YTD) is favorable to our 2020 budget (and well ahead of 2019).

9/30/20 YTD Actual

9/30/20 YTD Budget

9/30/19 YTD Actual

LOCAL OFFERINGS (in thousands)

$1,622

$1,575

$1,524

That financial foundation is also strengthened by St. Andrew’s continued commitment to prudent and thoughtful expense management. On a YTD basis, spending is running below budget in nearly all areas (with Camp being the notable exception). In addition, we recently learned that as planned our Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) loan of almost $550,000 has been forgiven and does not need to be repay is another blessing during tough times.

NET RESULTS (in thousands) • General Ministry • Early Learning • Camp -- Net Total

9/30/20 YTD Actual

9/30/20 YTD Budget

9/30/19 YTD Actual

$318 $137 ($114) $341

($310) $134 $63 ($113)

($291) $107 $88 ($96)

We are truly grateful for your faithful support and give thanks in all God has done—and in all that is to come—as we prepare for Advent and the celebration of Christ’s birth.

Steve Moen Finance Team

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Financial Update

Year End Giving December is always our strongest giving month of the year and it is our hope that this will be the case again in 2020.

While St. Andrew is entering into the end of the year in a solid financial position, it is important that we remain strong through December to carry us through what could be a difficult first half of 2021.

It is our plan to have November statements delivered to you by mid-December so you can make a decision on your year-end gift. These are unusual and uncertain times for St. Andrew, and we recognize that is the case for you as well. If you are able to help us with a special 1-time gift at year end to help us make our 2020 giving goal, we would be very grateful.

If you are not able to do so at this time, we understand. Please remember that all gifts must be received or postmarked by December 31, 2020 in order to be applied to your 2020 statement. If you have questions about ways in which you might make a special year end gift, please contact John Nolan at 952-697-7119 or e-mail him at jnolan@standrewlu.org and he will be happy to help you. Thank you so much for all you have done to support St. Andrew this past year. We couldn’t have made it without you!

Gail Bach Pastor of Stewardship & Evangelism

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The Bright Side

Small Groups

The Brighter Side: Friends Make All the Difference At the time of my writing this article, Daylight Savings Time was coming to an end. Sure, we get an extra hour of sleep when the time changes each fall.

But, we also get sunset at 5pm, too. It reminds me of shorter and cooler days as we move toward winter.

This fall feels a little darker than normal. We live in the shadow of the pandemic. Cases and hospitalizations are spiking right now. What are public health professionals are going to recommend for me, my family, my church, and my community moving forward? Here we go again? Added to this is the strain and anxiety of the election season in general society. For these reasons it just seems a little darker these days.

In spite of all this, I want to give a shout out to so many enthusiastic people these days. It seems to me that many of you have made a choice these days. How are you going to handle today? We can choose to crawl into the fetal position and hibernate these times away. Or, we can also choose to rise up together to the challenge. Thankfully, many of you are choosing to live fully. And you are inspiring to me.

I shout out to our old college friends who responded enthusiastically to the chance to have a socially-distanced back-

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yard patio gathering at our home this week while the weather is still relatively warm. I look forward to building a fire in the pit to keep us warm! How often do you see this attitude around you? I see it all over.

Around St. Andrew, I shout out to the people who participate in our ongoing learning small groups. There are more people participating than ever before. We have our new Wednesday night learning sessions in the sanctuary using our new livestreaming equipment. A small crew of you come to participate in person while most of you choose to participate through livestream, actively texting your questions and comments. You are grateful and eager to participate, one way or another. Thank you for your enthusiasm!

Within Small Group ministry, we have long talked about providing opportunities for people to get together socially. Now more than ever, it is a way to stay connected during these days of isolation.

I have been calling our new groups Escape Groups - ways to get away from our circumstances to take a deep breath, meet some new people, learn a new skill, be entertained by something other than the most recent Netflix series, or just hang out and have fun.

Our initial Zoom-based Escape

Groups began with bread-baking sessions and Wine 101. New Zoom-based Escape Groups like Yoga 101 with Carol McMonigal and Advent Wreath Making with Karen Bachman Thull are on the docket. There are other groups in the works, too. You are choosing to overcome the isolation these days by participating in these new groups.

I would be remiss if I did not ask this question: Where does this attitude of determination come? As a person of faith in Christ, I have been taught about hope. You have, too. God takes nothing and makes something (See the creation story in Genesis 1). The wilderness experience of the children of Israel was hard, but it led to a new land. Jesus brought hope and healing to people down and out. What makes today and our lives any different? God is good. All the time.

So, with God, I see a brighter side.

Thank you for pointing it out to me.

Grateful, Pastor Peter Johnson Pastor of Service & Small Groups

The Bright Side

Visitation

A Resilient Grandmother

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother and now dwells in you also.”

2 Timothy 1:5

Have you noticed that there’s no shortage of things to complain about these days from the Coronavirus, the political divisions, the online schooling, working from home, missing out on the holidays with family, etc.?

At St. Andrew, we’re choosing to focus on the “bright side” of life and things we might say or do that could build one another up and fill us with hope and love rather than darkness or despair.

I like the reading in 2 Timothy 1:5 “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother and now dwells in you also.” My paternal grandmother, Bertha, was one of the most resilient, positive, and faithfilled people I’ve known. She spoke of coming to American at age 10 on a large ship, being married and having her first child by age 16, of her divorce from my stubborn and sometimes overly stern paternal grandfather once all of her children were on their own and only 36 years old. She cleaned houses, did other people’s ironing, worked in a Briggs & Straton factory for many years but she saved her money and bought herself a house and then a new Chevrolet. Wow, Grandma showed me what determination and hard work can accomplish. I remember many things about her but most profoundly was her resilience, which came from her deep faith in God. She believed with all her heart that God would take care of her and said that Jesus told her not to give up, that he was with her. So, she never gave up and did a great job of letting her family know that they were loved. Grandma Bertha showed her love to her family with many hugs, encouraging words, wise advice she practiced herself to “work hard,” to trust that God will be your strength, and she always had sincere but wet kisses to pass out when she said, “Hello” or “Good bye.” When I was in college and seminary, she always managed to give me money for books, but I was never to tell my cousins because she didn’t have money for them but they weren’t trying to get through college. She never let the challenges of life get her down. She simply chose to be positive and look at the “sunny side of life” and she brought that spirit every time she visited us. Being at my ordination in 1969 was a moment of great pride and joy for her and for me as well.

My Grandmother survived the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, a challenge to start life over at age 37 with no money, no steady income, but lots of faith and determination. She thrived in spite of the hard times and learned the power of “hope.”

She’s a role model for me of how positive words and actions done over and over again not only changed her but changed me as well. “So, may the God of hope fill you with joy & peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13) Celebrating the power of love, Pastor Roger Schindel Visitation Minister

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A More Just World

A More Just World—6 Months & Counting, IDI It has been six months since St. Andrew Lutheran Church brought into our ministry a new programmatic emphasis called A More Just World.

The program is based around the principle that we are all God’s children. Specifically, we have gathered around the following understanding: The death of George Floyd and the aftermath reminds us there is still far too much injustice in our communities and in our world. We have work to do. Together, we will listen, learn, share, encourage, and act. We commit ourselves to this task for a more just world.

For me the essence of the program is this: many of our neighbors feel that our society is not quite right. And, I want to know why this is and how can I help. Our neighbors who are voicing these concerns might be Black or hispanic. They come from different socio-economic backgrounds. They may live in urban neighborhoods, different from mine in Edina.

Their life stories in general are very different from mine. I want to see God in all of them, know more about what they are saying, reflect with others what I am learning, and act appropriately in the future.

Many at St. Andrew have joined together for listening, learning, sharing, encouraging and acting together. Thank you. Your interest and participation in our thoughtful program has inspired me. What began with a profound video in June by our own Steve Starks and family about their experiences of racism in Minneapolis (still posted on A More Just World webpage) has continued with a widelyparticipated-in book study and discussion on bias

by Dr. Jennifer Eberhart, viewing educational interviews, documentaries on this topic, etc.

During the month of November, I was pleased that a significant group of people (80 and counting) are participating in the facilitated Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). The introductory presentation by our facilitator Pastor Deanna Kim Bassett is also available online.

A key takeaway for me about the IDI is that I have my own culture. For instance, I am of White Swedish extraction. I hail from a very stable fam11

ily of a long generational line of pastors (The apple did not fall far from the tree). A unique twist: we moved to and around the Middle East a few times.

Michele, my wife, and I have advanced degrees.

She has a distinguished career in digital marketing. After living abroad, our three boys got involved in typical suburban lives of school, sports, music. I am proud of my background, and I should be. And, the IDI has helped me to see more clearly that my personal background (my ‘culture’) is different than others. How do I fit in with others who are different?

How do they fit in with me?

Our facilitated congregational IDI will help us to get a snap shot of the congregation, in so far as 80 people can provide a snap shot. Can St. Andrew be categorized in what the IDI calls adaptation, where we see all our neighbors’ cultures as valuable and we flip easily into their cultures? I doubt it. Are we to be categorized in what the IDI calls denial, where we discount all differences between people? I doubt this as well. I suspect St. Andrew will be in the middle categories. In general, we see the differences and want to fully embrace our neighbors authentically, but we need to learn how to do this in a thoughtful and practical way. The results of the congregational IDI will give us tips as to how we might move forward together. I look forward to working with Pastor Deanna as we chart out 2021.

Faithfully, we will continue to listen, learn, share, encourage, and act for a more just world. Thank you for being a part of the process.

In Christ’s Service, Pastor Peter Johnson Pastor of Service & Small Groups

The Bright Side

Upcoming Events

Welcome New Members!

Our new member gatherings have been a bright spot in the life of St. Andrew during this COVID time. We were excited to welcome 15 new households with the fall gathering. On Thursday, December 3rd, we will host our final New Member Gathering for 2020 on Zoom.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a member of St. Andrew, you can sign up for either of these sessions by contacting Pastor Gail at pastorgail@standrewlu.org or calling her at 952-697-7115 and she will send you the Zoom link.

Retirement Planning During a Pandemic: Will I Still be able to Retire?

On December 2nd, at 6:30 PM, we are hosting an in person and Zoom conversation with our friends from Thrivent to talk about “Retirement Planning During a Pandemic.” During these sessions you will have an opportunity to text in your questions or ask them in person. Sign up for this session on our website and then watch for an email with the Zoom link that will arrive in advance of the event. Contact Pastor Gail at pastorgail@standrewlu.org if you have questions or need more information.

For past talks from the “Financial Well-being in Times Like These” series visit St. Andrew’s YouTube page.

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Confirmation/High School Ministry

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This past October my confirmation class and I celebrated our Affirmation of Baptism. While the actual ceremony was different than I anticipated and from my two older siblings, I am thankful St. Andrew had a special ceremony. It was a nice way to recognize our two years of hard work and celebrate our new journey as adult members of the Church.

Since 7th grade, I have enjoyed the whole experience of Confirmation. We met weekly as a large group and broke off into small groups too. There we learned more about Christ and deepened our faith. We also had awesome retreats and spent time volunteering and doing various service hours with our small group. One of my favorites was shopping for items to give to a family during the holiday time.

My small group consisted of kids from different schools, we got to know more and more about each other as time went on. We all, but especially me, were lucky enough to have my grandpa as my Confirmation leader. In 7th grade when I found out he was going to be teaching Confirmation, I made sure to choose the time he was teaching and requested to have him. That experience is something that not many teenagers get to experience. I would say that all the guys in our group thought he was a great leader and related well to all of us. I have a good connection with my grandpa, and I got to learn more about him and his faith. He really does live out his faith in his daily life.

I am thankful for St. Andrew Lutheran and what I have learned through Confirmation about my faith. I am excited that I am confirmed, although it isn’t the end, it is the beginning of my new faith journey.

n my sophomore year of high school, I was playing in a football game. I ended up taking a bad snap, and while trying to throw the ball, I was hit by three big guys at the same time.

I ran to the sidelines in agony and had our trainer wrap up my elbow. Once my elbow was wrapped I went to my coach and told him I was ready to go back in. After a few series and me annoying him, I received the green light and went back into the game. That night I went to the doctor and they addressed my injury, but it wasn’t until six months later that I found out I had broken my elbow. I ended up sitting out two practices with stitches and played the rest of the season. If we think about it for a moment, I believe we can all come up with a story like this. A time in our life when we faced an injury, yet still moved forward in our life. It might have been difficult but it was necessary.

When I look at this story it reminds me of how we must always persevere no matter what challenge we face. I think about the situation that we are in right now, a global pandemic. Now we have a choice to make. Do we sit on the sidelines and do nothing, or do we get in the game and face our opponent. Many of us have chosen to face the opponent, we are doing things to collectively help contain COVID-19. Yes, using my story as an analogy, our world is injured right now.

But just like all of the injuries, we will recover from this as well. Because we are resilient and our world is still moving forward just like St. Andrew.

Yes, it has been a difficult few months. Our programs are not what they were last year, but that does not mean that we have gone away, just transitioned. We are still having our Wednesday Night Youth Group and enjoying some safe fellowship, we also have been having our High School Bible Study every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. But we have also enjoyed many other activities such as paintball, service projects, and virtual fun. Though we are injured right now, we are not out of the game. So now we look at the bright side and what is to come, a rejuvenation of fellowship whether it be in person with worship or online with our high school activities. It is always good to see a smiling face, and that is the bright side.

Erik Charchenko

TJ Helgren

9th Grade 2020 Confirmand

High School Coordinator

The Beginning of My New Faith Journey

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The Bright Side

Spirit in the Pines

The Bright Side of No Camp?!

Certainly not having the ability to have camp this summer because of the COVID-19 virus has been a huge disappointment for so many. However, I don’t want to think and dwell on what could have been. It is time to move on and to turn our attention to a more positive and hopeful future. In my travels to camp this summer and fall, I have noticed several unexpected bright spots at camp.

Nature is reclaiming the woods!

The physical aspect of the buildings and especially the grounds is recuperating from 16 years of constant play and foot traffic. It is amazing how much the ground becomes compacted from having 1500+ people at camp each year. Low areas are filling in and grass is taking hold in otherwise barren areas. (Okay, there might be some weeds, but it still is green!) Exposed and damaged tree roots are even repairing themselves. Eagles, foxes, squirrels, wood chucks, turkeys, squirrels, gophers, vultures, squirrels, and deer have reclaimed the camp grounds (did I mention squirrels?). I have never seen as much wild life at camp before (excluding the always rambunctious campers of course!)

The camp has had a chance to take a breather and recuperate!

I sense that the camp itself is taking a deep breath and getting ready and primed in anticipation of upcoming summers.

Summers that are filled with campers and families! A camp that is filled with the joyful sounds of children laughing and playing, of songs and devotions filled with messages of God’s love and grace, of bellies that are filled with wonderful food provided with care and love.

A rare sighting outside of camp

We will call Spirit in the Pines our home away from home once again. And when that happens . . . the bright side will be like a spot light beaming God’s love to every camper and family!

Burke Hancer Camp Coordinator

Happier times ahead!

Winter retreat memories

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The Bright Side

Church Anew

Reclaiming the Prophetic Hope of This Season When the Church Anew team started planning our second virtual event for Thursday, November 19, we recognized the reality of continued global pandemic, unprecedented civic unrest, and political polarization in our country and world. We also recognized pastors, lay leaders, and faithful people would be preparing their hearts, minds, families, homes, and churches for Advent 2020 and Christmas 2020 in new ways.

Where would we find spiritual ground?

The answer of course is the most simple: Jesus Christ.

“This moment of pandemic forces us to be pensive. It forces us to pause. It forces us to consider ways in which perhaps we can think anew, live anew. It forces us to perhaps consider ways in which we could be anew.”

Dr. Stephanie Buckhanon Crowder Associate Professor & Academic Dean, Chicago Theological Seminary

“Advent is a season of hope. But hope is protest. Hope is saying we are not satisfied with the way things are now. And hope is a way of saying God’s way is different than the world as we ordinarily experience it. … Tell the story of Jesus as a story of hope that is grounded in resistance.”

Greg Carey | Professor, Lancaster Theological Seminary

Our event theme?

Christ | Christmas | Covid We invited our nationally renowned speakers and local leaders to join us in providing space to grieve and lament for our participants: Grief for lost (or significantly changed) Christmas routines, rituals, and traditions. Grief for loved ones who have died and the loss of civil discourse in our families and communities.

Speakers engaged on the gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth in Matthew and Luke as well as hymns, poems, and Christmas cards. They shared faith and wisdom to support our audience—guiding them (and YOU!) to reclaim the prophetic hope of this season—the bright side: Jesus was born in such a time as this and is born for such a time as this!

“The birth of Jesus is ringed with prophecy. And prophecy is not a prediction of the future. Prophecy is a bold declaration of the world set right. Prophecy is protest that demands God’s justice to reign. The birth of Jesus is protest against a broken world.”

Eric D. Barreto | Professor, Princeton Theological Seminary

“The soul of Christmas is love becoming incarnate in the person and in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Love must always be incarnate. Otherwise, it’s just a nice idea. Love is shown. Love is done. Love is something that we do. As well as something that we are. Don’t just talk of love. Show somebody.”

Bishop Michael Curry | Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church

Deb Hetherington Church Anew Events Coordinator

Christ | Christmas | Covid Featured speakers:

Dr. Eric D. Barreto Dr. Diana Butler Bass Rev. Deanna Kim Bassett Dr. Greg Carey Dr. Stephanie Buckhanon Crowder Rev. Angela Denker 15

Brian J. Evans Nora McInerny Paul Raushenbush Ellie Roscher The Most Rev. Michael Curry

Available On-Demand This video event is now available On-Demand for your personal use. $30 for St. Andrew members.

Go to the Church Anew page on standrewlu.org or contact Deb Hetherington for details.

The Bright Side

College-aged/20–30-Somethings Ministry

College-aged Adults Look to the Bright Side.

Do me a favor, think back on 2020 so far. What is it that you remember the most? What did you think of ? Was it something wonderful? How about something terrible? Was it Tiger King? It always seems to be easier to look at the bad times rather than looking on the bright side. We focus on what God has cursed us with rather than what he has blessed us with. This reminds me of a poem, the poem talks about how we pray to God for strength, wisdom, prosperity, courage, love, and favor. God responds by not giving us all of those things, but instead gives us difficulties to make us strong, problems to solve, brains and brawn to work, danger to overcome, troubled people to help, and opportunities. It ends by saying how God does not give us what we want but gives us everything that we need.

Looking back on the year so far I have seen many troubling things like most of you, however I have also seen

many blessings. I have witnessed friends and families coming together. I have witnessed individuals being more generous with their money. I have seen our community putting people first. Yes, people being the top priority, that has been what I think of when I think of 2020. Individuals who are willing to sacrifice some conveniences to make others safe, that are willing to lose out on certain events because there is a greater good, individuals that care more about others than themselves. That is what I remember about 2020.

The bright side is that by putting people first does not mean that we are sacrificing everything. You see there are still many bright sides to all of this. Like I said earlier seeing family and friends coming together is a huge up side. I have witnessed our college aged students start a virtual Bible study that goes into in-depth questions about our faith and

life. We have enjoyed having our college aged students join us for our virtual worship that we had not had in years past.

We have enjoyed virtual events for our college aged students and have enjoyed fellowship in many different ways. You see our friends and family in Christ is alive and well. Yes, it does look different than years past. There will be no Dave and Buster’s gathering this year or Bowling. But there is something more. There is a chance to connect now on a deeper level. This is our opportunity to really be the hands and feet of Christ and make a difference in this world. So though there is trouble and sorrow in our world right now remember that there is always a bright side.

TJ Helgren High School Coordinator

Dinners Look a Little Different Pre-pandemic, 20-30-somethings were loving gathering for a simple meal in someone’s home. We would order from a favorite local restaurant (Pizza Luce always a fan-favorite), share some time to get to know one another, and have some discussion about faith and life. But this year, as the weather got unseasonably cold (and then warm again, and then cold again), it demanded innovation. So, what do a strapping group of 20-30-somethings do? Use DoorDash! Thanks to a generous grant from the Riverside Innovation Hub, dinners could continue, they just involve choos-

ing your favorite take-out, and settling in for a Zoom conversation. If you are a 20-30-something or know one, feel free to join us at our next event! Dinner is on us. You bring the discussion.

The next Dinner & Discussion (D&D) is on December 14 at 6:30 PM. Email Pastor Matthew or one of the team leaders for the details!

Paul McKay Laura Hoffer Jamie Efnor Matt Gribben Pastor Matthew

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The Bright Side

Holiday Giving

Holiday Giving—Thank You and Keep it Up When I arrived at St. Andrew seven years ago, many people said that I will see the full generosity of the church to the wider community during the month of November each year. Really, I wondered?

What is that all about?

Indeed, they were right. Each November through the Holiday Store and Holiday Giving, $10,000s of dollars are given. 1,000s of presents for children and families are donated. 100s of PROP gift cards for PROP clients were purchased and shared. 10s of adopted families receive Christmas gifts for the whole family. The number of people impacted by St. Andrew’s generosity is immeasurable.

Thanks be to God for your generosity toward others in our community.

As we wrap up our Holiday Giving 2020 campaign, we reflect gratefully on how our project can nimbly adjust each year to new realities. This year, the pandemic and ongoing economic difficulties faced by so many in the metro area was our focus. Through Gifts for Seniors, seniors who are lonely and isolated can be blessed by a kind greeting card and something new. The Salvation

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Army Toy Shop on Lake Street can bring smiles to the faces of residents of one of the most challenged areas following the chaos this past summer.

Support for community action in the Twin Cities through Zion Learning Pod brings technological support for Black students in North Minneapolis.

Another year of difference-making generosity. Thank you for your partnership with us as we serve God and our neighbors together.

I urge you to continue in your outward and compassionate generosity.

While Holiday Giving ends, our giving continues. Continue your support of St. Andrew that provides a foundation for how we reshape our world in faithful ways. Please continue to see and give support to the people and places in our world in need of hope and joy. You continue to make a difference—thanks be to God. In gratitude, Pastor Peter Johnson Pastor of Service & Small Groups

Christmas Week Worship Schedule Although Christmas Eve services will look different this year, we are excited to offer several options for in person worship throughout the week of Christmas and two very special online services—Christmas Eve and Christmas Day— featuring Cantus which has been hailed as “the premiere men’s vocal ensemble in the United States” (Fanfare). Wiggle & Worship, a family favorite at St. Andrew, will also be happening both in person and online. Whether you join us onsite or online, the timeless message of Christmas and its old familiar carols bring us a much-needed spiritual tonic of the peace and joy that can only come from God. We hope you will join us and help us spread the word! If you plan to join us onsite, please reserve your spot on the website as space is limited.

Online Worship: Christmas Eve Worship featuring Cantus: Thursday, December 24 | 2:00, 3:00, & 5:00 PM Wiggle & Worship: Thursday, December 24 | 4:00 PM Christmas Day featuring Cantus (with Holy Communion): Friday, December 25 | 10:00 AM

In Person Worship: Sanctuary Services: Monday, December 21 | 7:00 PM Tuesday, December 22 | 7:00 PM Wednesday, December 23 | 11:00 AM, 7:00, & 8:30 PM Wiggle & Worship: Wednesday, December 23 | 5:00 PM Lessons & Carols: Sunday, December 27 | 9:00 & 10:30 AM

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