Son Times Winter 2018

SON TIMES ST. ANDREW LUTHERAN CHURCH

WINTER 2018/2019

Wait for It.

Leadership

God Does Provide I was in a meeting with three pastors, Pastors Gail, Matthew, Peter, and Tim Graf, the Director of Music and Worship.

We meet every Tuesday morning to go over the past Sunday worship experience, and we make also plans to make sure that we are ready for the upcoming Sunday.

Even though the discussion is always engaging and vital, I kept on looking at Pastor Matthew’s coffee cup (on his coffee cup were the words, “Wait for It.”). Earlier in the meeting someone had asked, “When are we going to know about the preaching theme for Advent?”

That’s a really good question, I thought to myself. Inside I was thinking, I really need to hurry up and be able to answer that question.

Probably when I was supposed to be listening to someone saying something, I kept on looking at the coffee cup. Advent is a time where we prepare a place in our hearts and lives for the birth of the Christ child. It’s a time to get ready. It is a time to wait. “Hey, what do you all think about an Advent series entitled, “Wait for it?”

My thanks to Pastor Matthew. Both for his help to give the series real shape – and – for choosing that particular coffee cup that day. And, as always, thanks be to God for being present in and through all things. Even, a coffee cup!

See you in worship!

David Lillejord Senior Pastor

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Advent Sermon Series

Advent Playlist

Wait for It.

And if you want a real playlist (or a

When was the last time you gladly waited for anything? Certainly not at the DMV or grocery store or on the parking lot that is 494 most mornings. But remember when you were a kid and you waited on the edge of your seat for Christmas to come? With some help from ancient prophets and pop culture prophets, we will be waiting on the edge of our seats for the event that changed the world—God’s love made flesh in Jesus the Christ. Oh, and just so you don’t think we forgot about that playlist, we’ll help you get ready for Christmas. We promise to sing Christmas carols throughout the season of Advent. A soundtrack for your waiting.

mix-tape if you’re of a certain vintage), we’ve

December 2 . . . . Waiting on the world to change. ( John Mayer). . .

December 9 . . . . Sound of silence. (Simon & Garfunkel) . . . . . . . . .

December 16 . . . I will wait. (Mumford & Sons). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

December 23 . . . Better Days. (GooGoo Dolls). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sunday, December 16

Luke 1:46–55 Psalm 46:1–11 Isaiah 58:6–9 Isaiah 2:1–5

curated one for you. It’s full of voices speaking from popular culture of the longing, and indeed waiting, for God with us. It’s a soundtrack for your waiting this season. You can find a Spotify link on our website.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Day Come to worship at 9:00, 10:30 AM, & 5:30 PM dressed in your very ugliest Christmas sweater.

Prizes for the ugliest!

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Wait for It.

Waiting in Revelation Holy, Holy, Holy ________. You can insert your word there. Pastor Lillejord likes to use the word “Hannah,” but that doesn’t really fly in our home, for obvious reasons (or in case it’s not obvious, I’m married to Hannah). I use Moly a lot. Sometimes Cowabunga if I’m feeling a little spicy. I’ve certainly had moments of YouTube-inspired plumbing frustration or slammed on my brakes to avoid a brood of raccoons crossing the road. But the word holy has found a new place in my vocabulary this year.

For the past twelve weeks, we’ve been studying the books of Genesis and Revelation, the Bible Bookends. And the Book of Revelation has really struck me in its discussion of the holiness of God. Revelation seems a bit frightening, but it is actually full of visions of hope, from a God whose perspective is so beyond our sense of time and space and reality, that we could call this God Holy. In fact Revelation is a really great text for the season of Advent. It is constantly talking about what will be, inviting us to imagine the amazing things that God has in store for us and the world:

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“See, the home of God is among mortals.

He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”

–Revelation 21:3–4 Advent is like that John Mayer song, “Waiting on the World to Change.” So I’m going to try this. Any time I start to say the words “Holy ________.” I’m going to stop talking for as long as I can, and wait to see the holiness of that immediate moment. Because it is holy. Every moment we are given is a breath of divinity, a glimpse of holiness, a gift from the creator of all that is, all that was, and all that will be. Thanks be to God! Matthew Ian Fleming Pastor of Teaching & Young Adults

“Notes” from the Music Office

Worship & Music

Waiting on the world to change I have grown in my understanding over the years that God can speak to us in any way that he chooses. I believe that the Holy Spirit works powerfully through artists, poets, writers, and songwriters to teach us about God. This can happen with or without the express intent or knowledge of the aforementioned artists (to go deeper on this subject, I highly recommend Madeleine L’Engle’s wonderful book Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art). This is why the arts matter so much: they reveal the truth of God and the truth about ourselves in a way that nothing else can match.

As we gather for worship this Advent, we will hear songs from popular culture that sit alongside the traditional hymns and carols of our faith and the way they resemble each other as they resonate so deeply in their shared focus can be surprising and even astounding. We hear echoes of Mary’s song, the Mag-

nificat, in John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change” as they both proclaim that a day of peace and justice is close on the horizon when that day is so sorely needed as we see the abuses of power everywhere we look.

Now we see everything that’s going wrong/with the world and those who lead it…/so we keep waiting, waiting on the world to change. –John Mayer He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. –Luke 1:52 We hear a similar longing in “Better Days” by the Goo Goo Dolls and I am reminded of the peace and stillness that touches our souls each year when Christmas approaches: “tonight’s the night that the world begins again.” Our continued longing and prayer in this chaotic world is one of peace and, as the Sunday School children will be reminding us through their program on December 9,

we all need the peace that Jesus brings.

We need the Prince of Peace to come to us with his peace that transforms us so that we can live differently in a world that needs and longs for everything that he brings to us.

In our culture that recoils against any kind of waiting for anything, may we find life and abundance in the church’s beautiful ancient tradition of observing the season of Advent, a season when those in darkness wait patiently and expectantly for the light. “Let every heart prepare him room and heaven and nature sing!”

See you in worship!

In Christ’s service, Tim Graf Director of Worship & Music

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Wait for It.

St. Andrew University

Wait for it…

How do you practice waiting? I suspect that most of the readers of this article would say that we are not very good at it. I agree wholeheartedly.

Over MEA weekend this year, I took our son Andrew for his driver’s permit exam at the DMV. You probably already know where I am going here. We know the DMV is the butt of jokes. One says: “I heard today that the DMV was robbed today…it took the robbers three hours.” Andrew and I did wait over an hour. This was partly our fault for going for the exam when all Minnesota schools were on break. We had our cell phones.

They are what we all use to wait these days. But, as we got closer to the counter, a sign read “no cell phones beyond this point.” What? Why this rule? What were we supposed to do now? Make small talk with people in line?

Andrew’s chance finally came. He passed the test with flying colors. As he legally drove us home, we found ourselves waiting in traffic. Inevitable?

My point is that we don’t wait well.

We are used to seeing our television

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programs on demand. Whether it is Netflix or Amazon Video, if we can’t see it when we want to see it, we may very well not watch the program at all.

Grocery stores file into the do-it-yourself checkout line to purchase our items so that we don’t have to wait behind lines at cashiers. Only a few podcasters are bold enough to use ‘long-form’ interviews that take 90-minutes to even 3-hour conversations with their guests.

This is far to long for most people who want to get to the point.

There is wisdom in waiting. Being patient, letting something unfold to the fullest, can become a wonder to behold.

It is like the aging of bottle of fine wine, enjoyed when it is matured. It is like a garden from planting through harvest, growing through the warm summer weeks. As you attend St. Andrew University events, we learn that a sound bite is very different than a Ted Talk. When a leader has time to develop his/her point(s), it can be rich and meaningful.

Also, as we train trip participants going to Haiti later in December, one of the

cautions we teach is the reality of waiting while on the trip. Things always get done, but not on the time-line to which we are accustomed. We encourage them to not follow the clock closely. I find that once people learn to wait, they hear others around them better. They see things they may not see otherwise. The group gels.

God builds up in ways that surprise.

Waiting is a faithful virtue. It is part of our faith life. Advent is about waiting for Christmas. Letting it come on its own time. Why does the world need Jesus?

Why do I need Jesus? When we honestly prepare fully for the birth of Jesus, we appreciate it that much more fully.

My point is this: how we wait makes a difference. This Advent may you be intentionally patient and expectant to see how God’s light and love comes to us.

Peace, Peter Johnson Pastor of Service & Small Groups

Wait for It.

Canoeing the Mountains

OLD

NEW

CANOEING –THE–MOUNTAINS CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP IN UNCHARTED TERRITORY

St. Andrew University Presents: Canoeing the Mountains with author Tod Bolsinger Adaptive change is all the rage. We know that the world is changing around us. As leaders and churches, how we respond to this change is what matters. Rather than seeing graphs of decline or propaganda of a hopeful church, we will acknowledge the challenge of our time and hear stories of resurrection and hope from real leaders doing the work of Christian leadership.

Tod Bolsinger, author of Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory, will help us reframe our leadership for the sake of the church today. Don’t miss this opportunity to see signs of vital, creative leadership and ministry in our era of rapid change.

Join other church leaders from around the region to wonder about the taste of leadership for a time such as this. There will be learning for church leadership as well as applications to leadership within your sphere of influence. St. Andrew member discount is applied at registration.

Date: January 24–25, 2019 Location: St. Andrew Lutheran Church Registration: standrewlu.org/canoeing-the-mountains

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Wait for It.

New Member/Hospitality

New Member If you or someone you know have been thinking about joining St. Andrew in 2018, wait no longer! Our last New Member Gathering for 2018 is scheduled for Sunday, December 2nd at 10:15am in Room 206. This is a time to meet a few new friends, learn a little more about St. Andrew, and enjoy some of those great Sunday morning treats. If you would like to attend one of these new member gatherings, contact Pastor Gail at pastorgail@standrewlu.org and she will be glad to help you.

Hospitality Ministry Buns of gratitude to Elliot Meier. Elliot has been a huge volunteer here at St. Andrew. He is famous for his homemade Caramel Rolls! It takes a tremendous amount work to make hundreds of rolls. Elliot will come in on Saturday to make the dough, pan and let them have time to rise. He will come in very early on Sunday to bake them and cover them with caramel. His famous caramel rolls are so amazing and are a huge hit here at church. Make sure if you see Elliot to thank him for all that he has done for St. Andrew! Way to go Elliot!

Deb Flach Volunteer Coordinator

Gina Altmann Volunteer Coordinator

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Wait for It.

Early Learning

Wait for It To wait is to delay an action or stay where one is. As a teacher in the young 3’s classroom, this is something we talk about every day. Waiting and patience are a major part of the preschool day. No one likes to wait, whether it is in line, for a turn to speak, or who gets the cracker!

I try to model that it isn’t always my turn and that my wait time is calm. As we sit together I let them know that there are 10 of them and only 1 of me. Our mantra is “If it’s not your turn you need to wait.”

One day a group of them were playing at the calendar. One child was me and she was leading Circle. As she selected jobs for each “student” someone got impatient. I overheard her say, ”Please remember, if it’s not your turn what should you do...” and the group yelled, “WAIT!” Hoping that quiet calm waiting, taught at 3 years, will be a life skill that carries into adulthood. We all could take a lesson from a preschooler.

Lynn Wachter Preschool Teacher- 3 year olds

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his holiday season our Early Learning Program will be partnering with ELCA and participating in God’s Global Barnyard to help fight world hunger. Our families will be asked to give donations towards purchasing goats, pigs, chicks, and honeybees. We at St. Andrew will be calling this “Til All Are Fed”. There will be a display in the hallway on the lower level outside the classrooms where

‘Til All Are Fed we will be tracking our progress. In addition to helping fight hunger, our Preschool and Childcare children will learn about how these animals can help people around the world who are poor and hungry. Some animals provide eggs to eat, some fresh milk that can also be used to make cheese and yogurt, and honeybees pollinate plants. An animal can make a world of difference for a family in need.

We are excited for our Early Learning Christmas Program on December 20.

The theme will be “The Friendly Beasts” and will be directed by Tim Graf and Arlene Flancher. We can hardly “Wait for It!” Kathi Wieman Preschool Director

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Wait for It.

Wait for It – in Children’s Ministry Sometimes, waiting for something is the best part. Anticipation can be exciting! Waiting has great potential for new experiences with new people, creativity, imagination, conversations, laughter, and fun – especially when you wait with kids.

On Wednesday nights I have the opportunity to wait with kids during Ms. Arlene’s Fun and Games, while the adults in their lives are in choir or at St. Andrew University. These times are unstructured and the kids drive what we do.

Sometimes we play games in the dark with flashlights. Sometimes we create things in the best room in the building—the one with glue, glitter, and every imaginable craft supply. Sometimes we explore little-known rooms in the building—like the furnace room, shower room, and dungeon. We talk a lot, and we always laugh. Waiting on Wednesdays is

all about fun and games—and getting to know kids.

On Sunday mornings, I wait with anticipation for kids, families and Sunday school leaders to get to church. They always have stories to share about what has been going on in their lives. I learn about a grandfather who is dying, last night’s birthday party, the excitement of going to visit a new baby cousin, loose teeth, trips to grandma and grandpa’s house, hockey tryouts, and all kinds of other things. Most weeks, Nick, a sixth grader, joins me to help out. He comes with a cup of coffee and a helpful spirit. We chat as we make sure things are going well in Sunday school classrooms, and he always checks in on his younger sister to make sure she is okay. Waiting on Sundays is all about getting to know kids and families.

Children’s Ministry Save the Dates Sunday, Nov 18: Fusion Sunday Friday, Nov 30: Advent Family Fiesta Sunday, Dec 2: Christmas Program Dress Rehearsal Sunday, Dec 9: Christmas Program Worship Sunday, Dec 16: Fusion Sunday, and a Happy Birthday, Jesus Party in Sunday School/ZONE 56 Wednesday, Dec 19: Christmas parties in Bible and Boogie, Bible Blasters, and FUSE Monday, Dec 24: Christmas Eve Wiggle and Worship at 3 p.m.

Sunday, Jan 13: Second Grade Camping Intro with Burke Hancer in Sunday school Sunday, Jan 20: Fusion Sunday Friday, Jan 25: Crazy-Cozy Lock-In for 3rd and 4th graders Jan 27: Camp Sunday! Second Grade Camping Mile Marker Celebration Friday, Feb 8: Love Your Neighbor Family Event Feb 8-10: Fifth and Sixth Grade Winter Retreat at Spirit in the Pines

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So—I invite you to savor your waiting times during these next few months.

Enjoy the conversations and laughter with friends, family members, and people you’ve just met, as we all get ready for Christmas.

Celebrate the kids in your life at home and at St. Andrew. Observe their enthusiasm on Thanksgiving Eve for singing, and for pie. Share their excitement as they retell the Christmas Story on December 9 in both morning worship services. Experience their wonder and unbounded joy on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Give them high-fives on Wednesday nights when you are here. Greet them on Sunday mornings with a hand-shake or high-five, and have a conversation to get to know them just a little bit.

Arlene Flancher Children’s Ministry Director

Children’s Ministry

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Wait for It.

Middle School Ministry

A

s our confirmation-age youth settle into their class schedules and evenings full of activities this fall, the leaves outside have changed from their bright, bold shades of green and yellow to a deeper, earthy hue. Inevitably, as we Minnesotans do each year at this time, we start our preparations for the long, winter months ahead. This is a time of transition, preparation, and waiting for all: waiting for the lakes to freeze, snowflakes to fall, holiday celebrations to ensue, and (hopefully) an early spring! As the air cools and the final leaves fall, it is almost as if Mother Nature herself has a hand on our shoulders, whispering “Wait for it.”

But these last few months have also been a beautiful time of preparation and waiting for St. Andrew youth. After two years of attending weekly Bible lessons, pondering deep and difficult questions, participating in faithful small group discussions, and a few reminders in the practice of waiting, our 2018 St. Andrew Lutheran Confirmation Class has “taken the stage,” if you will, to affirm their baptisms and renew their promises of continued relationship with God. Let’s step back into late September, when the air was just crisping and the first leaves shifted colors up at Pleasant Lake. Our ninth graders made their way up to Spirit in the Pines to celebrate and reflect one last time together before getting confirmed. By day they played games, wrote letters to caring adults in their lives, and decorated stoles. By evening they sang songs around the campfire and received the bread and wine of communion by firelight.

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Late into the final evening of our retreat, our confirmands, camp staff, and leaders gathered and sat together on the floor of the chapel, surrounding the soft, warm glow of over one hundred candles lit in the form of a cross. As each person swayed to gentle guitar strums, arms around one another, this group of young people—now adults of our congregation—waited patiently in prayer.

There was no previous explanation about this sacred ritual of Prayer Around The Cross. There were no specified expectations or rules. Instead, there was just the simple and powerful space to pray. This time provided profoundly welcoming stillness for our ninth grade confirmands to process and reflect on their own relationships with God. This simple service is now marked as a significant faith experience for many of our confirmands.

Stillness and space. Two things that we do not often seek out in the daily chaos that occupies the great majority of our time. But what I, and many of our confirmands, constantly seem to find is that the waiting and the preparation is where God will find us. So in this next season of Advent . . . of transition . . . of preparation . . . of anticipation . . . I pray that you might find just a moment of simple, expectation-free stillness, and lean in just an inch further to that profound whisper of “Wait for it.”

Reilly Orner Middle School Ministry Director

Wait for It.

High School Ministry

Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14 Yes, we wait for the Lord, we wait for his guidance and wisdom just as we are waiting to see what this winter will hold. Will we see the storms like last year or will we be blessed enough to play golf in January? We will have to wait and see what this winter has in store for us. But waiting is not always a bad thing, just as we wait on the Lord we reflect on who we are and how to be the best person we can be. We see things that we can do for others and how to improve somebody’s day. We look at how to be a better person and make the difference to live our faith out in our daily life. We continue to do that and to learn how to be the best person and Christian that we can be in our High School Ministries.

We have many ways to improve yourself and to find courage and strength in our youth groups. From our High School Bible Study to our Wednesday Night Youth Group (WNYG) we discuss is-

sues that teens are facing today as well as how to live as a Christian in a world where Christianity does not always fit.

We have been blessed to have so many high school students who want to join in faith and fellowship with like-minded people. We have enjoyed having meaningful discussions such as how to manage time, how to be inclusive, and what the Old Testament has to say. But we have many more exciting topics coming in the next months, we have our Christmas party and hearing about our Savior coming to earth, our college day lead by our college students, along with our God Survival kit. We have many great topics and many great events.

Our great events that you will have to wait for include a Timberwolves game December 1st where we will get to go down to the tunnel and high five the Timberwolves player! We also have a bowling night for all of the high school

and college students that would like to come out to Bowlero on December 22nd, and a Lock In on February 15th to 16th. Then our big trip to Logan, West Virginia with our Mission Trip! This will be July 6th to July 13th.

We look forward to seeing all of you at these great events and activities! Please let me know if you have any questions and remember to wait for the Lord and to keep strong in your faith in the cold weather that is sure to come. We look forward to you warming up both physically and spiritually in these upcoming months, God Bless.

TJ Helgren High School Ministry Director

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Wait for It.

GOD IS LOVE. Youth Mission Trips 2019 High School Mission Trip July 6–13, 2019 Logan, West Virginia Middle School Mission Trip July 7–13, 2019 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Registration Deadline: December 31, 2018

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Youth Mission Trips

Wait for It.

Young Adults/BREW Christmas

Young Adult Gathering

BREW Christmas

Are you a young adult (by self-definition is just fine)?

Want to gather with some other adults at a local brewery?

You’ll get a chance to meet our young adult innovation coach, Baird Linke. And the team that Baird has brought together will check in on the work that they are doing to create opportunities for service and worship for young adults. Beverage and food will be provided and there is no cost, so bring a friend!

Do you have a hard time turning off the Christmas radio station? Are you decking all of the halls, including the office or your dorm room? Or maybe you’re holding out, waiting for the right time to pull out your favorite Christmas sweater. Well December 20 is your day. Join Pastor Matthew and Corwin Holk for an evening where we will BREW our Christmas spirit. We’ll share some beverages (the BREW of your choice), sing some simple carols, and get to know other people.

Thursday, November 29 6:00 PM Steel Toe Brewing (4848 W 35th St., Minneapolis, MN)

Tuesday, December 18 8:00–9:00 PM Piper’s Burger Bar (Mitchell Road in Eden Prairie)

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Wait for It.

Congregational Council

Christmas Is a Time of Waiting.

Our life today is filled with waiting. When we are young, we can’t wait to grow up so that we can enjoy the advantages of being an adult. When we are students we can’t wait to step into our career. We can’t wait to meet the right person with whom we will spend our life.

However, when we become adults the speed that we want in life can become out of control. Suddenly things move too fast. Our children grow up too fast. Our work days extend as we try to do more and more. There are too many places to be, things that need to be done.

The pattern of the seasons accelerates to the point that we miss out on summer fun, on the beauty of autumn, on crisp days of winter when sunshine was once so treasured.

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Into this chaos comes the special time that Christians have experienced for so long. No matter how busy we get, Advent introduces the anticipation that reminds us of our childhood. It is the time of counting the days, the preparation for something special, the excitement of a baby coming into our lives. But we have the added excitement of knowing that this baby grew up to save all people from the finality of death. So we wait like children and sing the songs of the season and look forward to that special night when all of our hopes and dreams came true.

Christmas is the beginning of salvation.

Tom Burnside Congregation Council

Wait for It.

Manna Meals

Manna Meals—to Serve or Receive!

In Matthew 20:20 Jesus makes a provocative statement that actually was meant to be an example and mandate for all of his followers, even us, when he said, “I have not come to be served but to serve and give my life.” Shortly after saying this, Jesus, in Matthew 25:45, makes the same point more emphatically, “Whenever you do it for others, you do it for me also.”

Someone suggested that our promises define us and we tend to build structures of behavior around those promises!

Here’s a promise we make as we confirm our faith as Christians & become members of St. Andrew: “we promise to proclaim Christ through word & deed and care for others.”

Our ministry of Manna Meals helps us to carry out this promise as we ‘live out our faith in daily life.’ We have small groups of volunteers who gather periodically to enjoy each other’s company and to prepare Manna Meals for people who could use a meal during times of change or recovery in their life. Manna was the wafer-like food God provided daily for 40 years in the wilderness for his wondering people. God did it because he cares about his people and our Manna Meals are given to anyone who could use a hot meal during a changing time because we care.

A 90-year-old member called me a month ago and said, “Can someone at the church help me? I’m totally out of food in my apartment and I’m not physically able to get to the store to shop?” I said, “Yes, we can.” I called our Manna Meals people who immediately took meals to him that very day. We are always looking for additional volunteers to gather in a small group for fellowship and cooking, but we are always looking for people in our St. Andrew family who may need

Whenever you do it for others, you do it for me also.

Matthew 25:45 a meal or two or three. If you know of someone who has a need for some meals from time to time, please let us know because we are here to serve!

Our Manna Meals coordinators are Laura Considine and Beth Soderberg. To volunteer to help prepare Manna Meals or to be a recipient of a Manna Meal, contact the church at 952.937.2776. Ask for Pastor Peter Johnson who will refer the request to Laura and Beth.

Go in peace & serve the Lord!

Roger Schindel Visitation Pastor

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Wait for It.

There’s Grace for That!

Dateline: Thanksgiving Weekend 1967 The Scene: The Hancer Home with everyone watching “The Carol Burnett Show” Cast: My parents, 2 of 3 older siblings, my little brother Marty (7) and myself (9) As was the yearly custom in the Hancer household, sometime during the Thanksgiving weekend we would be visited by one of Santa’s elves. They would mysteriously visit us by knocking on various doors and windows and would leave old fashioned ribbon candy and nuts by the front door without ever being seen!

It was always something Marty and I couldn’t wait for, because it meant that Christmas wasn’t far behind! This year was no different. Well, not quite …

Marty and I had been unusually mean and fighting with each other most of the fall. However, we decided to bury the hatchet and be “nice” over the weekend since we knew Santa’s elf was due to show up. Sure enough, there was a knock at the front door, but no one was there! Then there was a knock on the kitchen window, then a bedroom window, then another window, etc. This was always how it went.

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This year however, my brother and I were prepared to catch the elf ! Once the knocking started, Marty and I hid in a darkened bedroom by a shade drawn window. The idea was as soon as the elf knocked on that window we would throw open the shade to catch him/her.

It worked perfectly! The elf knocked and we threw open the shade only to see this hideous, misshapen elf face staring back at us. It was frightening and we were terrified! We both ran into the bathroom and locked the door, because that was the only room without a window! After the knocking stopped and we were assured that the elf was gone, we unlocked the door and came out.

We couldn’t wait to open the front door and grab the bag of candy and nuts.

We were surprised and a little ashamed when we opened the bag to find chunks of coal instead of candy! It was a not so gentle message from Santa that Marty

and I better start being nice to each other, or else. The message was received loud and clear – “Shape up or ship out!”

In the secular world things are often cut and dry. You are either; good or bad, right or wrong, accepted or excluded, naughty or nice, coal or candy. Forgiveness and forbearance need to be hard fought and earned. The thought of unconditional love and grace can seem like a distant ideal that at times seems unattainable, because of what others say about us, but also because of what we might think about ourselves. Yet as Christians, our souls yearn and wait for that grace to change and shape us into the whole and healthy people God has created us to be!

Our camp theme for next year and the focus of our counselor training is “THERE’S GRACE FOR THAT!” The message is that there is nothing we could ever do, nor brokenness we could ever experience that would ever sepa-

Spirit in the Pines

rate us from the forgiving and healing love of God’s grace. We will teach and lift up that eternal Truth in a variety of ways throughout each day. Our goal is that every camper, counselor and family that comes to camp will hear and experience God’s amazing grace each and every day! It will be exciting, empowering and life changing!

Of all the things I have a hard time waiting for I truly can’t wait to continue to share this message at camp! I’m not perfect and I still deserve a little coal from time to time, but even in my brokenness and with my flaws, God says to me through Jesus, THERE’S GRACE FOR THAT! Thanks be to God! Burke Hancer Camping Ministry Director

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Wait for It.

Security Update

Safer and More Secure We have been waiting a long time, but finally this fall we had a team of contractors installing locks, keypads, and a lot of cable around the building for the sole purpose of making our building more secure and those who come here a little more safe. One question that has been asked time and time again by Early Learning families considering our program for their children is, “What kind of security do you have?” And for a long time our answer has been, “We rely on the eyes and ears of our staff and others who are in our building throughout the day.”

Beginning in November, our answer to that question has changed. We now have a security system in place that will allow us to monitor activity inside and outside of the building 24/7 and quickly alert staff and others if there

New Building Hours Monday. . . . . . . . . . 8:00 AM–4:00 PM Tuesday. . . . . . . . . . 8:00 AM–4:00 PM Wednesday. . . . . . . 8:00 AM–9:00 PM Thursday. . . . . . . . . 8:00 AM–4:00 PM Friday. . . . . . . . . . . 8:00 AM–1:00 PM Saturday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Closed Sunday . . . . . . . . . 8:00 AM–12:30 PM

5:00 PM–6:30 PM

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is an emergency in the building. This system will also allow us to quickly lock down the building and classrooms should it be necessary.

This is a big change for St. Andrew and with change there is always a learning curve and a need to create new habits, routines and procedures. The biggest change for many of you will be which door to use when you come to St. Andrew. And, just like at home, we invite you to come through the front door where there will always be a friendly face waiting to welcome you. And to help you in your planning, you should know that our building hours will change slightly and are listed below.

Yes—we have been waiting a long time for this, but now when Early Learning families and others ask “What kind of security do we have?”, our answer

will be a little different. We are grateful to be able to say that we have an updateto-date security system with the most modern cameras and lockdown capability. But even with these great improvements, please know that we will always be helped by the eyes and ears of our members and visitors.

If you have any questions or concerns about safety or security at St. Andrew, please be contact any of the pastors or our Building Manager, Steve Starks at sstarks@standrewlu.org. Thank you for your patience, and thank you to the many people who provided the financial support to make this possible.

Gail Bach Pastor of Stewardship & Evangelism

Wait for It.

Giving Update

Year End Giving…and Giving Away!

St. Andrew has been growing in many ways—membership, worship attendance, participation in our ministries and giving. There is one more way in which we have grown that deserves both our attention and gratitude. St. Andrew has grown not only in what we give, but also in what we give away! We are steadily growing in our benevolence to those outside of our congregation.

We sometimes pay attention only to the line on our financial statements called “Benevolence”, which is $120,000 in 2018; however, BECAUSE OF YOU, our “giving away” happens in ways far beyond what comes out of our budget line.

For example, did you know that through the end of October, St. Andrew has given 5, 316 lbs. (2.7 TONS) of food to PROP? And did you know that members and volunteers have spent $70,000 so far this year for our Haiti ministry?

And did you know, that on average, St. Andrew members give over $30,000

for gifts to children and their families through the Holiday Store and the PROP family Christmas program?

St. Andrew has grown in many ways, but we are especially excited about our growth in “giving away.” This is only possible BECAUSE OF YOU and your generosity. December is a month in which St. Andrew receives about 25% of your annual giving. Giving which comes to us in many ways, such as stock, real property, charitable trusts, electronic giving, cash and checks. We also invite you to consider legacy giving by thinking about St. Andrew in your estate planning or by giving directly to our Endowment Fund, which is set up for a life-time of benevolent giving and ministry support.

If you would like more information about ways in which you might give to St. Andrew, contact Pastor Gail Bach at pastorgail@standrewlu.org and she would be happy to set up some time to talk with you about that.

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Wait for It.

Construction Update/Paschal Candle

Planning, Constructing, Waiting & Celebrating If you have seen Jerry Gorder hanging around at St. Andrew a lot lately with his notebook and tape measure in hand, its because Jerry is leading the process of planning, scheduling and managing our contractors as we begin making improvements in our sanctuary and other building spaces over the next several months.

Jerry helped us a few years ago when we did some of the remodeling in the narthex and chapel. He knows what he is doing and he knows our building, so we were thrilled when Jerry said he would be willing to help us again. Jerry is being helped by several others with the much-needed expertise to get these projects done right. We are welcoming the interior design expertise

Jerry Gorder

of Sara Blake, a member of St. Andrew who has been working on colors, light fixtures and decorating ideas. Carl Nelson has also added his great expertise as we reconfigure our sound booth so our sound people will be facing in a more helpful direction while doing their important work during worship.

During this time we will be doing a lot of waiting—waiting for “the right time” to do the work, waiting for materials to arrive, waiting for the work to get done, and waiting to celebrate the completion of each project. But thanks to Jerry, Sara, Carl and all who have been involved in supporting and planning and constructing, the waiting will be worth every minute!

A New Paschal Candle worth Waiting For… If you have looked over at the baptism font lately, you might have noticed a new candle stand placed prominently next to it. As a part of Carl Nelson’s ongoing work to complete the furnishings in our sanctuary, he designed a new paschal candle to accompany our baptismal font as a part of our baptism celebrations.

This paschal candle is also very significant for us at funerals. In both cases, we are reminded of the light of Christ shining in and through us as we gather to welcome the newly baptized and grieve the death of our loved ones.

Carl Nelson and our long-time friend Ron Brown worked together to create a beautiful paschal candle furnishing that would compliment the altar and pulpit, also done by these two talented individuals. Thank you, Carl and Ron, for your sharing your amazing gifts with the people of St. Andrew.

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Christmas Worship Times

I Won’t Be Home for Christmas Thursday, December 20, 7:00 PM Christmas Eve Monday, December 24 11:00 AM, 1:00, 2:15, 3:00­­Wiggle & Worship, 3:30, 4:45, 10:00 PM Christmas Day Tuesday, December 25, 10:00 AM

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13600 Technology Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344 952.937.2776 | standrewlu.org