Son Times Summer 2025 by St. Andrew Lutheran Church

SON TIMES

The Good Life

Dear Members and Friends of St. Andrew,

As the long-awaited summer arrives for us Midwesterners, it’s easy to greet the season with a smile. Even amid the busyness of family life and daily responsibilities, summer offers moments of rest and renewal—whether through nearby or faraway getaways, peaceful boat rides, or the slow rhythm of a baseball game. For all these reasons, we call it the good life.

Our faith also shapes what we understand to be the good life. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer and give thanks for “daily bread,” we are not only expressing gratitude for food. We are also giving thanks for home and family, clothing, and meaningful work—for all we need and have. These are gifts from God, who provides generously for us, God’s beloved children.

This summer edition of the Son Times invites you to explore the good life more deeply as it is lived out in Christian community. The stories you’ll find here remind us that God calls us to lives marked by gratitude, service, and generosity. In our life together at St. Andrew, we are discovering again and again how the Good Life is found not in what we keep but in what we share. In this issue, you’ll find stories that embody this vision:

• Celebrate with us as St. Andrew member Linda Wallenberg is named Minnesota Teacher of the Year, honoring 40 years of teaching and the lives of thousands of students she has impacted.

• Discover how Church Anew is partnering with congregations in Alaska, thanks in part to Pastor Sue Tjornehoj’s faithful work.

• Enjoy a glimpse into our upcoming summer activities, where beloved community is being built and enjoyed by all.

• Discover how confirmation small groups foster a sense of deep belonging and create meaningful spaces for faith formation.

• Meet Jerry Gorder, a woodworker whose creativity enabled Ruth Bachman, who has only one hand, to serve Holy Communion—an inspiring act of inclusion and grace.

We also invite you to join us for worship this summer as we reflect on the Good Life to which we are called and formed in Christ. We are caretakers of God’s gifts. We leave a legacy of faith and service. We gather every Sunday at 9:00 and 10:30 AM (welcoming Spirit in the Pines campers and families throughout the summer) to live this life together in the grace of God.

Welcome to summer—and may God’s blessings be with you.

Peter Johnson

Senior Pastor

“I came that you might have life, and have it abundantly.”

– John 10:10

The Good Life Sermon Series | Summer 2025

As the great philosopher, Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves by pretty quick. If you don’t slow down once in a while, you might miss it.” Slow down with us in June to wonder together how we are (or are not) living into God’s vision of the good life

Our world is filled with competing visions of what a good life should be. At different times in our lives, the good life might include spending time with children, celebrating career accomplishments, preparing for prom, working long hours at a first real job, or looking back at the legacy we are leaving. The Christian way of life and the Bible have much to say about the arc of the good life. So this June, we will spend some time listening to Jesus’ invitation: “I came that you might have life and have it abundantly.” We will encounter the stories of our faith, the stories of our community, and write our own stories that articulate clearly what each of our visions of the good life might be.

Linda Wallenberg, affectionately known as “Wally” by her students at Eden Prairie High School, has been honored with the prestigious 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year award. This recognition, bestowed by Education Minnesota, acknowledges her nearly five decades of unwavering dedication to education and her profound influence on students and colleagues.

Wallenberg’s teaching journey began in 1976, and she joined Eden Prairie High School in 1977, where she has dedicated herself to teaching English and Swedish. Her academic credentials include a degree in English and Scandinavian studies from Gustavus Adolphus College and a master’s degree in English education from the University of Minnesota. Notably, she made history as Minnesota’s first certified Swedish teacher.

Linda has been a dedicated volunteer in various corners of St. Andrew Lutheran Church as well. From Vacation Bible School to mission trips, she has been a longtime member of our church, serving not only our community but also the greater community of the Twin Cities. Her daughter, Carina, who Linda described as her “complete joy,” is following in her mother’s footsteps as a teacher for preschool students in our Early Learning ministry.

Linda’s passion for cultural education also extends beyond the classroom. She has dedicated 42 summers to teaching and

directing at Concordia College’s Swedish Language Village. Her contributions to Swedish language education have been so significant that she received the prestigious Royal Order of the Polar Star from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden in 1988.

Linda’s teaching philosophy revolves around nurturing students’ authentic selves and fostering resilience. She believes that teaching is not just about imparting knowledge but also about guiding students on their own journeys and building them as individuals, not just scholars.

Linda’s influence extends beyond her classroom, inspiring numerous former students to pursue careers in education. In fact, in the past five years, at least three Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalists have cited Wallenberg as their inspiration.

As the 61st recipient of the Minnesota Teacher of the Year award and the first from the Eden Prairie district, Wallenberg’s legacy stands as a testament to her unwavering dedication to education and her students.

Zack Benz Social Media & Communications Manager

Linda Wallenberg on a mission trip in Belize in March 2024

The definition of the word “Joy” is “the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying.” The definition of joy at St. Andrew is “the emotion of great delight or happiness in the presence of Carol Dunbar.”

Perhaps you experienced Carol’s exuberant smile and generous hugs on Easter Sunday morning. She volunteered much of her morning making everyone feel welcome. Carol considers herself the self-appointed Walmart greeter and biggest cheerleader at St. Andrew.

After experiencing the death of her husband one year ago, Carol shares that the St. Andrew community is responsible for walking beside her and offering her support during this difficult time. And despite her devastating loss, she says that she has learned that gratitude is the key to healing, grieving well, and living the good life.

Carol says, “Living the good life is simple. The good life is found in the five “C’s”—Church, Children, Community Center, Costco, and Cub.”

Carol, first and foremost, finds beloved community at church. She says she experiences Jesus’ love in the music, messages, and beloved people at St. Andrew.

Children are part of the good life because, whether they are her grown children, grandchildren, or someone else’s children, they teach us how to embrace new people and laugh.

In addition to walking two to

three hours daily, Carol spends almost every morning at the Eden Prairie Community Center, where she takes classes and volunteers. She says it keeps her mind active and allows her to meet new people daily. Finally, she giggles and says, “There isn’t anything you need that you cannot find at Costco or Cub, and this community has both!”

In all seriousness, she says the secret to the Good Life is to travel. Carol believes it is up to us to go out and meet people.” In her twenties, she traveled to thirteen countries, and later in life, she became a flight attendant. The Pope blessed her during her travels, and she met Anne Frank’s father and many dear friends. She loved and learned much from her trips to the Holy Land and Egypt, led by Pastor Peter. Through travel, she discovered that people are more similar than they are different.

When I asked her if there was anything else she would like to share with me, she winked and said she finds joy in “never skipping a meal or a happy hour.”

What are your Five C’s? How do you experience Jesus’Good Life? We encourage you to find Carol in the gathering area before worship and share your Five C’s with her. We are sure you will leave your conversation with a new friend.

Kristin Skare Pastor of Community Engagement

“Carol, first and foremost, finds beloved community at church. She says she experiences Jesus’ love in the music, messages, and beloved people at St. Andrew.”

Carol Dunbar (lower left) on Women’s Retreat in 2015

The Power of a Couple of Recipe Cards, a Vision and some Noontime Soup: God’s

Own Resistance Movement

part of that no-longer-scattered brood, enveloped in light and hope.

“How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings…”

– excerpt from Luke 13, Lent 2

“Look for the light…” Maybe like me, you’ve been looking for a little light these days. It is also the title of one of our favorite Lenten devotionals, written by a colleague and pastor Stephen Bouman out of the ashes of 9/11. This year while our basement is undergoing a major facelift (read remodel), our Lenten tub is somewhere in the garage, out of sight, so we are literally looking and longing for this little volume of light. And then, just when we needed it the most, it was Transfiguration Sunday! We entered our recently-joined funky urban congregation and lights were twinkling, everywhere and for a moment we thought we had missed the season of Lent and somehow it was Easter already. But no, this was just a glimpse, a foretaste. First the confession, then the forgiveness, then we are sprinkled again and again, a procession, a gasp at the beauty of it all and then the proclamation. This Sunday, our pastor decided to preach on the clouds of the text, the inability to see clearly, an obstructed view but with the presence of a sparkling Savior there in it, with us, always. We sang and prayed, sipped and tasted and were poised for the sending, one foot out the door, but wait, it was

time for the announcements. We sat down again and listened as a faithful lay leader of the congregational core team (those tasked with prophetic agitation and invitation in a congregational setting), began to speak. He began his few words with a global weather report, “Folks, it’s cloudy out there.” It was the PostScript to the proclamation. And the rest of us pew sitters wept with this lay leader’s truth. Boy, it is cloudy out there, even as thousands and thousands raised signs, denouncing the injustice of it all, the dismantling of a world which sought compassion and mercy, just a few days ago. Oh, to be swept under the protection of the hen’s wings, to be a

And so to the title of this piece, the power of a couple of recipe cards, a vision and some noontime soup: God’s own resistance movement. The little tongues of fire mentioned in the second chapter of Acts are alive and well these days. They seem dim on a cloudy day, but oh my, are they there! Sometime in the last year or so, those tongues of fire made it all the way to Nome, Alaska, up there on the Bering Sea Coast. And one of them lit on the head and heart of a Lutheran pastor. She had a vision and a dream that a portion of the church she was called to serve could be a Gathering Place, a Light. For a moment of someone’s day, the clouds just might part. Could this be of God? A tap on the head from the Holy Spirit? A place where a cup of tea, a mocha latte with a shot of peppermint, a few tables, some chairs, windows and color could function as that hen gathering up her brood? Look for the light. With courage, defiance and determination, this vision and dream caught the eye of her bishop and under the wings of Church Anew, it

began to take shape. During the week of the Iditarod in Nome, Alaska in 2025, the Gathering Place softly opened. Huskies began running a week before in Fairbanks. A small cadre of volunteers, heavily laden with recipe cards for such delicacies as peanut butter protein bars, M&M and chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles and whole wheat molasses bread, flew to assist this fiery Spirit. The dainty cookies were nothing up against moose or reindeer stew, clam chowder, black bean vegetarian soup, chicken noodle or a daily chili cook off homemade by members of the congregation. But mostly, this incarnate dream and vision became for those who had the nerve to enter this new space, a light, a place of protection and welcome, of beauty and grace. Neighbors and visitors and strangers all had a place, alcohol-free, where a sip of soup, a bite of homemade bread, a table and chair and a starlink satellite set atop a side by side (a 4-wheeler like covered vehicle) connected you to the world and you could feel the very wings of the Savior.

The Gathering Place, now a dream and vision shared by leaders and congregation is God’s frontline to despair, defiant to earthly powers that would resist grace and welcome, safety and protection. For a few days outsiders could become insiders to the sound of an Inupiaq soprano singing the faith, of the Light which filters through when babies you’d baptized over 40 years ago invite you in to feast on muktuk and seal oil, memory and grace, some gathered tundra greens, akutaq (Eskimo ice cream), dried fish and seal meat, a little walrus and the Light of Christ is there, so there, so brilliant. Look and listen for the light. It is cloudy out there. Gather under the wings, listen for the prophets, welcome the stranger, greet the seafarer, march, write, confess, pray, act. Last night I walked around my neighborhood lake,

Como Lake, in St Paul. There was a bald eagle watching and soaring and hunting, pairs of wood ducks courting, families from all over the world. And there was Light. Consider the lilies, the birds of the air Jesus invites. And now, I hold a weekold first grandchild of mine, vulnerable, angelic and precious who provides a reflected Light and by God’s grace, for a few minutes I get to be that hen, that Holy One, who protects and gathers under her wings.

Light, the longing for resurrection, with the promise of its presence. ’Tis the season. For a few minutes this past February, I entered an infinity room. A Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama, created this space on the occasion of her 80th birthday. It resides inside the Houston Fine Arts Museum and is entitled “Aftermath of the Obliteration of Eternity.” Only three could enter at a time and once inside, it

is all light, dancing, engulfing, delighting. This is the incarnate hope of a Gathering Place within Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Nome, Alaska, the birth of a child, a walk around a lake, church doors wide open in welcome across the street from 25,000 gathered at the Capitol on a cool northern spring day. You see, with the obliteration of eternity itself, all that is left is Light, the Light of the world, the twinkling of a God who delights in opening up tombs and unleashing that Spirit on the world.

With gratitude for Pastor Amanda Van Vliet-Snyder who tenaciously grabs vision and dreams and sets them loose.

Pastor Susan Tjornehoj Church Anew Congregational Coach

Yayoi Kusama, Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity, 2009

Akutaq (Eskimo ice cream)

Nome, Alaska on the Bering Sea

With Confirmation wrapping up for this year, small group time had so many highlights. I could talk about our lessons, games, or even the cookies we made, but I would rather talk about how the boys in my group treated each other.

As a former Eden Prairie Central Middle School student, I know middle school is a confusing time for these kids, and I think it’s fair to say that middle schoolers are not always the nicest to each other. My small group was completely different from how I remembered my friends acting. I started teaching this group during my first week at St. Andrew, and I quickly figured out why they were all so kind to each other. One of my students was the focal point, friend, and connector of each kid in my group—his name is Jackson.

From the first day I walked in to our last day of small group, Jackson always helped guide our group. From making jokes to answering questions about how

God loves each of us, he supported us all. I never had to try to create a good community with this group because Jackson was my community leader. In my experience, many people lead communities, and they all have different leadership styles. Jackson’s leadership is exemplified by how he treated those around him. He defended his friends, cared about what they were doing, and was curious about the world around him. The best part of those skills is that his group embraced him for those characteristics.

God does many things in this world—one of these things is creating communities built on love. Like I saw in my group this past year, they each embraced and loved each other every week. Jackson never had to try to teach his friends to create a community of love; he showed them. I see this from Jackson when he is up at Spirit in the Pines and with his family at church on Sunday mornings. He is able to create

the community that St. Andrew is constantly striving for.

When we think about what a good life means to any of us, we all have a few different answers. When I slow down and think about what is really good in life, I find myself thinking more about Jackson and my small group. When we stay curious about God and the people around us, we start to understand that to live a good life, we must engage in our community. Ask questions together, share each other’s perspectives, and love each other for our differences. As a leader in this small group, I learned more about how to love and accept one another. I am so happy God put someone like Jackson in my life to help me appreciate what it means to live a good life.

Caleb Wragge Youth Engagement Manager

Ihave been a member of St. Andrew for 41 years. My involvement in the wide variety of ministries offered has enriched my life and given me a strong sense of purpose and connection. The arc of my participation over the years includes singing with adult choirs, directing a children’s choir, being part of the musical theater and Lenten drama teams, taking various roles in Vacation Church School, leading a Confirmation small group, speaking in multiple settings, being a lay reader and serving communion. However, after my successful treatment for soft-tissue Sarcoma cancer, my onehandedness created an obstacle to some of those activities.

I have always believed that serving communion is a tangible expression of my faith and service. This spring, I resolved to find a way to serve independently. I

thought of a creative way to overcome the one-handed obstacle and set the intention to seek a small miracle.

I met with Myron Johnson, St. Andrew’s Volunteer Coordinator. I presented my desire to be a communion server and to turn my creative idea into a solution that would enable that possibility. I had drawn a crude image of a paddle with openings on either side to hold the two communion chalices. Myron was more than enthusiastic about finding a way to make my drawing a reality. He moved my “someday” to “let’s go”! Two days later, I got a photo of my idea in tangible form.

Jerry Gorder, the woodworking master responsible for most—if not all—of the wood elements of our sanctuary, was my miracle worker. Jerry was tasked with bringing my idea to

life. His craftsmanship and expertise created a thing of beauty and function within one week. The following week, I served communion, holding both chalices in one hand.

The responsibility of distributing communion is a meaningful, humbling experience. Having this beautiful tool will allow me and anyone else with compromised hand use to be included in this significant volunteer role. Finding ways to be involved in a church the size of St. Andrew can seem daunting. We are many people with many gifts to share. Do not hesitate to find your place in this community. All are welcome, and all belong. Miracles do happen.

Ruth Bachman St. Andrew Member

Do not hesitate to find your place in this community. All are welcome, and all belong.

Jerry Gorder demonstrating his chalice holder design

Hello. I’m Myron Johnson, but you can just call me “My.” I am honored to be part of the ministry of St. Andrew Lutheran Church. I serve as the Hospitality and Volunteer Coordinator. I am always curious about other people’s experiences and hearing about what brought them to St. Andrew. I am aware of the enormous importance this job holds, and my door is forever open to anyone who wants to share ideas of how I might better succeed in our church.

Although my background has been in the arts, I also have a long history in management and fundraising in corporate and nonprofit settings. I bring over 40 years of experience in producing, designing, and directing for Macy’s, The Guthrie, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Children’s Theater, and many others nationally and internationally. I am passionate about the arts in all the forms. I believe that it has nurtured my creativity, built my confidence, and helped me persevere and see problems as opportunities. For example, the crisis of AIDS and children’s cancer in my lifetime translated to raising millions of dollars. Creating shows, benefits, and events to help my brothers and sisters in need.

My journey to St. Andrew has been wildly exciting and diverse. I was born in South Minneapolis and began studying dance and theater at age 7. I left high

school (South High) and moved to Paris at 16 to study with Marcel Marceau, the famed mime. There, I joined the Paris Opera Ballet until my mother’s failing health brought me back home. After my parents passed, I worked for 8 years in New York. I slightly lost my way (as some young people do) but managed to survive and returned to Minneapolis all the wiser and founded my own company, Ballet of the Dolls, where I was the Artistic Director for 30 years. I created over 300 full-length original ballets and oversaw a successful $2.3M fundraising campaign to renovate the historic Ritz Theater in NE Minneapolis before semi-retiring.

Through my life’s adventures, I have strived to focus on my faith journey. I am slowly progressing on a pre-pastoral program with the possibility of continued studies through the Lutheran seminary at Concordia. For me, the process is more important than the outcome. For many years, I attended Hennepin Methodist, where a change in pastoral leadership left me without a church home until I was introduced to St. Andrew by my now husband Josh Eidem, who most of you know because of his tremendous singing voice and many other contributions here. We were blessed to have our vow renewals in the Sanctuary with Pastor Matthew presiding. Many

tears were shed and the generous heart of this church was felt by all.

I’m very excited to have this opportunity to work here at St. Andrew. My love of this place goes back some years now to when I volunteered whenever I could and would say to Josh, “ Yippee, it’s Sunday.” I am so thrilled to have made lifelong new friends and work with beautiful, kind-spirited, gentle, and spiritual people here,

My entire life, I have been blessed to understand that I just needed to see and follow what God presented before me, so I said “yes” to this job. Good for me! I have been to many places, met many people, suffered setbacks, and achieved success, all the while trying to hold true to being kind to all because you never know when you’re meeting an angel. Thank you all for this opportunity to explore the concept of hospitality in depth. I want to close with a favorite Maya Angelou quote. “People may forget what you say, forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Blessings,

Myron Johnson Hospitality & Volunteer Coordinator

Upcoming Summer Opportunities

We invite you to join us for a summer full of exciting activities at St. Andrew Lutheran Church! Whether you’re a child eager to participate in our engaging VBS programs, a family looking for fun events, or an adult ready to connect through fellowship and learning, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Don’t miss out on the chance to grow in faith and community this season. For more details and a full list of summer opportunities, visit us at standrewlu.org/upcoming-events. We can’t wait to see you there!

Wednesday Night Summer Socials Age Range: Everyone!

Days/Times: Wednesday evenings June 18, July 9, August 6

Description: Join us for fellowship on three Wednesday nights this summer. We’ll have food trucks, music, and special events each night. Watch for more details about these fun times of fellowship this summer!

VBS/VBX: Road Trip: On the Go with God Age Range: Ages 3½–5th grade

Days/Times: June 23–26, 2025, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM (VBS); 9:00 AM–4:00 PM (VBX)

Description: Join us for VBS based on Joshua 1:9, celebrating God’s presence in our lives. Everyone is welcome! Register today for VBS (ages 3½–5th grade) or VBX (1st–5th grade with all-day option).

Wednesday Summer Fun: Stay & Play!

Age Range: Families with PreK/elementary kids

Days/Times: Wednesdays, June 4, 11, 18, from 5:00–6:30 PM

Description: Join us for food and fun in the Fellowship Hall and Gym. Bring your own meals and enjoy activities with staff and special guests. If successful, we may extend this beyond June!

Last Day of School Donut Drive-Through Age Range: All students

Days/Times: Tuesday, Jun. 10, 7:00–9:00 AM

Description: Celebrate the last day of school with free donuts at the main entrance!

Mini Music Camp

Age Range: Kids entering 1st–8th grade

Days/Times: Wed., Aug. 6, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM

Description: A fun-filled day of music! Cost varies by activities and includes snacks, lunch, and transportation. Details available in early July.

Summer Serve and Play Day!

Age Range: Kids entering 1st–8th grade

Days/Times: Wednesday, August 20

Description: Serve others in the morning and enjoy a fun field trip in the afternoon. The cost varies and covers admission, transportation, snacks, and lunch. Registration details coming in late July.

Patio Crawls

Ages: Adults

When: 3rd Thursdays of the month, 6:30 PM — June 19: Enki, Victoria

— July 17: Steel Toe, St. Louis Park

— August 21: Schram Vineyard, Waconia

Description: Connect with St. Andrew community for casual conversation and fellowship. No preparation needed; just come as you are.

Wine & Fellowship

Ages: Adults

When: June 26 & August 28, 6:30–8:30 PM

Description: Enjoy wine tastings from around the world led by Dave Allen and Pastor Matthew Fleming. Non-alcoholic options available. Bring an appetizer to share. Cost: $10 per person

Spirit in the Pines Camp

Ages: Gr. 3–10 & Family Camps

When: June 10–August 14

Description: Spirit in the Pines offers youth camp sessions and weekend family camps near Hackensack, MN. Over 1000 participants each summer. More Info: Visit spiritinthepinescamp.org

Early Risers Bible Study

Ages: Adults

When: Wednesdays, 8:00–9:00 AM, Room 208

Description: Engage with Romans for Normal People by J. R. Daniel Kirk. Discussion focuses on Paul’s context and community challenges. Books available for $15 at the Reception Desk.

Pastor’s Book Study

Age Range: Adults

Days/Times: Thursdays, 9:00–10:00 AM

Description: Join us for Christian fellowship, discussion, and learning. Beginners welcome; no prep needed. In June, we’ll read The Book of Forgiving by Desmond and Mpho Tutu. Books available at the Reception Desk.

Young Adults Untapping Faith

Days/Times: Jun. 10, Jul. 8, Aug. 12 at 7:00 PM

Description: Monthly meet-up for young adults at a local brewery to discuss faith and daily life. NA options available.

Young Adult Hiking

Days/Times: Jun. 14, Jul. 12, Aug. 16, Sept. 13

Location: TBD (Join our GroupMe for details)

Description: Join Turner Gunderson for hiking adventures in Minnesota’s West Metro. Hikes on Saturdays, weather permitting. Let’s explore together!

Happy Baptism Birthday!

Celebrating baptism birthdays with little ones is a great way to nurture faith at home. Birthdays and holidays are filled with rituals, traditions, and excitement for little ones. Families gather, special food is shared, and gifts are exchanged. Celebrating the day you brought your child to be washed with water and the Holy Spirit, marked with the cross of Christ forever, named a “beloved child of God,” and welcomed into a community of faith is a great reason to mark the day with meaningful rituals. Here are a few ideas to get you started! Pick and choose what works for you and your family, and add your own. There is no wrong way to do this. The Holy Spirit can guide you!

Connect with Sponsors:

Get together with your child’s sponsors in person or via phone or text. Remind your child that they are surrounded by people who love them and always will.

Light a Candle and Pray:

Each child baptized at St. Andrew receives a baptismal candle as a reminder to let their light shine in the world. Bring out that candle and light it. Say a prayer: God of Love, We are so thankful for Emma, our daughter and your beloved child. Amen.

Play in Water:

Baptism is about being washed clean with water, so play in the tub, go to a pool or lake, run through a sprinkler, or walk in the rain together. As you do this, sing Jesus Loves Me!

Make a Cake:

Baptism birthdays can be celebrated with cake and other favorite foods. Add candles that match the number of years since your child’s baptism and sing Happy Baptism Day!

Tell Stories and Show Pictures from the Day:

The day your child was baptized was very special, no matter the circumstances surrounding it—in a church, hospital, outside, or at home. Tell your child stories and show them pictures from the day. Who was there? What did they wear? (Show them their baptism outfit if you have it.) Where did their baptism happen? Who baptized them? Who are their sponsors? Did they cry? Was there any special music just for them? How did you celebrate afterwards?

Read Bible Stories:

The Bible is filled with stories that happen with God acting in, with, and through water. Read a few with your child—Creation, Noah’s Ark, Baby Moses’ Rescue from the Nile River, God parting the Red Sea, Jesus’ Baptism, Jesus Turning Water Into Wine, Jesus Walking on Water, and many more! What are your favorite water stories?

Bless Your Child:

Blessing your child is a meaningful ritual you can do every day whenever you have a quiet moment. Remind them that you and God love them with your words and physical touch—maybe a hug, a kiss, tracing a cross or a heart on their forehead—whatever is meaningful for both of you.

Baptism Birthday Bundles

In January, we started a new ministry for families to help them celebrate the first anniversary of their child’s baptism. A generous grant from the Endowment Committee allows us to give each child baptized in 2024 a Frolic Bible (board book Bible), cake mix, frosting, candle, water toy, baptism celebration booklet, and a bright orange yard sign that says Happy Baptism Birthday! Additionally, we are hosting a Baptism Anniversary party with watery fun and games on Wednesday, August 6, at the Summer Social. All are welcome!

Delivery Help Needed

We will deliver 84 Baptism Birthday Bundles in 2025 and would love help. Currently, we have 5 people on the team, and we would love at least 5 more. Contact Arlene Flancher (aflancher@standrewlu.org) if you would like to help with deliveries in the southwest Metro. You can sign up for the date that works for you!

Arlene Flancher Children’s Minister

Support Our Summer Stewardship!

As we move into summer, we are grateful for the strong support that has brought us close to our year-to-date giving goals through May—thank you! We are $25,000 short of our plan, which is just 2.4% of our Year-to-May budget!

Our 2025 budget includes a $186,000 increase in annual giving to nurture the future of faith by investing in what matters most: our people and programs. This includes strengthening Children, Youth, & Family Ministries, enriching our Music & Worship experience, and deepening Community Engagement.

Your continued generosity is essential to help us stay on track with our 2025 goals. Thank you for being part of our vibrant community of faith and helping us sustain our momentum throughout the summer!

Our Giving Distribution

All gifts matter as we work together to Nurture the Future of Faith! Here is a snapshot of our giving distribution from 2024. St. Andrew is blessed with 1,200 households who give regularly, year after year. We are deeply grateful for each and every one of your generous contributions! As a church family, we are strongest when our work is broadly shared! Please consider the possibility of growing your support as we head into the Summer. Your increased generosity will have an immediate impact on our ministries and outreach into the community. Thank you for your faithful generosity!