ST. ANDREW'S SIGNPOST

The Rev. Linda Mayer, Priest
Linda Cox, Senior Warden
Larry Hazelton, Junior Warden

JUNE 2017

Vestry Retreat Meeting News—

• Baptism on June 4th—Liz and Jim Perry’s great-grandchildren will be baptized. It's also Pentecost Sunday, so wear red.
• Painting—Doug Chevalier painted the concrete bumpers in the alley parking lot to improve safety.
• Courtyard Work—Daffodils have been dug and the roses are out. Mike fixed broken irrigation line. 
• Columbarium Sign—A sign of some nature is to be placed near the Columbarium requesting that no glass vases be placed there as one vessel has already been broken by wind (?) and created a mess which Judy cleaned up. Bob Beeson will work with Mike Clayton to begin work on the Columbarium.
• Handicap Accessibility—Plans to make both bathrooms in the Parish Hall handicap accessible are underway. Alterations will also be made in the Sanctuary.
• Log Cabin Blessing Box—Donations from our Log Cabin Blessing box will now be sent to Lake Chelan Food Bank. We have a food tub in the social hall for donations. Bob emphasized not to bring expired goods as they are discarded. There are also 19 shut-ins to whom deliveries are made. 
• House Blessings—Linda Mayer performed five house blessing during the Easter season.

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Diocesan Data— Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry frames this volume with a clarion call for Episcopalians to join the Jesus Movement. Some of the church’s brightest lights follow up with reflections on the practice of ministry for the movement: Megan Castellan on evangelism, Anthony Guillén on multicultural ministries, Kellan Day on ministry with young people, Broderick Greer on racial justice, Nora Gallagher on loving the earth, and Robert Wright on leadership.

“This book is an excellent primer on how and why Christians are called to live according to the teachings and example of Jesus Christ: a way of sacrificial love, care for society’s most vulnerable, racial justice and reconciliation, and care for God’s creation. What a wonderful word from the Bishop.”
—Jim Wallis, New York Times bestselling author of America’s Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America and president of Sojourners

Pentecost

Fifty days after the resurrection of Christ, the Apostles sat together in confusion, contemplating what their purpose was at this point. How were they supposed to carry on with spreading the Word of God? Suddenly, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they broke out speaking in tongues to one another. Different languages rolled off their tongues as the Holy Spirit provided them with the words and direction to start off a new mission for each one of them. This holy event took place on the day known as Pentecost, widely considered to be a celebration of the birthday of the Church. Pentecost is a feast day representing the fulfillment of Jesus Christ's mission here on Earth, when the Spirit comes to man.

When the day of Pentecost had come they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed as resting upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit . . . (Acts 2.1–4).

Remember, Pentecost does not only celebrate this event that happened so long ago to Apostles. Pentecost is a reminder of the Holy Spirit also entering into us. It is a celebration of the church for all believers who have died and risen in new life with Jesus. This is why, along with Easter, Pentecost is a popular day for believers to be baptized, as we celebrate the Holy Spirit being given to us.

All over the world, churches have different traditions for this day. When we clothe ourselves in red for our Pentecost service, the color represents the mighty fire of the Holy Spirit. In Italy, some churches will throw red roses petals from the ceiling or balconies as a reminder of the "fiery tongues" of the Apostles. Some churches will sound trumpets, which signifies the powerful wind that came with the descent of the Holy Spirit. There are so many special and unique traditions for this important day, but we must remember what remains at the core of this celebration: the Holy Spirit.

A Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Breathe in me O Holy Spirit
that my thoughts may all be holy;
Act in me O Holy Spirit
that my works, too, may be holy;
Draw my heart O Holy Spirit
that I love but what is holy;
Strengthen me O Holy Spirit
to defend that is holy;
Guard me then O Holy Spirit
that I always may be holy.

--St. Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430)

Searchings

If you should find the perfect church
Without one fault or smear
For goodness sake! Don’t join that church,
You’d spoil the atmosphere.

If you should find the perfect church
Where all anxieties cease,
Then pass it by, lest joining it
You mar the masterpiece.

If you should find the perfect church,
Then don’t you ever dare
To tread upon such holy ground,
You’d be a misfit there.

But since no perfect church exists
Made of imperfect men,
Then let’s cease looking for that church,
And love the church we’re in.

Of course it’s not a perfect church,
That’s simple to discern,
But you and I and all of us
Could cause the tide to turn.

What fools we are to flee our post
In that unfruitful search;
To find at last where problems loom,
God proudly builds his church.

So let’s keep working in our church
Until the resurrection.
And then we each will join that church
Without an imperfection

Submitted by Betty Pettit

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Sadie Reynolds—2
Maureen Reynolds—3
Jane Farris—3
Meredith Beeson—10
Norm Kuntz—16
John Michael Clayton—24
Sharon Strong—24

Janice & Ken Hartl—23
Dave & Betty Pettit—27

CALENDAR FOR JUNE 2017