the st. andrew messenger

THE ST. ANDREW MESSENGER
St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 908 Murfreesboro Road, Franklin, TN 37064
In Christ, We Worship, Love, Grow, Serve, and Send.
Vol. XXVI No. 4
APRIL 2015
Pastor
The Rev. Dr. Michael A. Lippard
[email protected]
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
Pastor Emeritus
The Rev. Eric C. Pearson
[email protected]
MAUNDY THURSDAY
Thursday, April 2 at Noon and 6:00 p.m.
Vicar
Katherine Museus
[email protected]
On this day, the Christian community
gathers to share in the holy supper which
Christ gave the church to reveal his
unfailing love for the human family. From
this gathering we are sent to continue
Christ’s actions in daily life: to serve those in
need, to offer mercy, to feed the hungry.
Director for Youth & Children’s Ministries
Sandy Vollmer
[email protected]
Organist
Dr. Darryl Miller
[email protected]
Director of Music
Kimberly Sprinkle Hopkins
[email protected]
Parish Administrator
Newsletter Editor
Jolene Richardson
[email protected]
Administrative Assistant
Jean Pryzborowski
[email protected]
Children’s Choir Director
Katherine Mansouri
[email protected]
Sunday Schedule
8:30 a.m. Holy Communion
9:50 a.m. Sunday School
11:00 a.m. Holy Communion
5:00 p.m. SLY & STAKK
Nursery available throughout the morning
Congregational Council:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Financial Secretary
Finance
Christian Education
M embership M inistries
Administration
Outreach M inistries
Stewardship
Worship and M usic
Fellowship
Nurture
Youth Representatives
M itch Counts
Kevin Reynolds
Juli-Kay Baumann
Shirley Swan
Bruce Wegner
M arty Emrath
Susie M iller
Cindy Hale
Chuck Campbell
Doug Paton
Christy-Lee Lowe
Nick Hafner
Beth Lindsay
Linda Strickland
M ason Schey
Lindsey Brownrown
The first liturgy of the Three Days (Triduum)
has no ending; it continues with the worship
of Good Friday and concludes with the Vigil of Easter.
Together the Three Days proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Z
Z
12:00 Noon - A service of corporate confession,
individual absolution, scripture readings, and Holy
Communion.
6:00 p.m. - A service of corporate confession,
individual absolution, scripture readings, Holy
Communion,
and dinner. RSVP for dinner by calling the church.
GOOD FRIDAY - STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Friday, April 3 at 10:00 a.m.
A Stations of the Cross devotion led by
children, youth, and young adults for
God's children of all ages, will be held at
St. Andrew on Good Friday, April 3 at
10:00 a.m. in the church nave. Each
station will consist of a reading,
response, prayer, and time of meditation
and reflection as we remember Jesus'
suffering on his way to Calvary. We are
reminded of how much God loves and
cares for us as our Savior and
Redeemer.
(Continued on page 2, see Holy Week Schedule)
Page -2(Holy Week Schedule continued)
GOOD FRIDAY - TENEBRAE SERVICE
Friday, April 3 at Noon and 7:00 p.m.
At the heart of the Good Friday liturgy is the
passion according to John, which proclaims Jesus
as a triumphant king who reigns from the cross.
Our reading of the passion today receives its shape
from the medieval Tenebrae (Latin for “darkness”)
service. Seven lit candles are serially extinguished
during the reading of the passion. The ancient title
for this day—the triumph of the cross—reminds us
that the church gathers not to mourn this day but to
celebrate Christ's life-giving passion and to find
strength and hope in the tree of life. In the ancient
bidding prayer, we offer petitions for all the world
for whom Christ died. Today's liturgy culminates at
the Great Vigil of Easter.
THE GREAT VIGIL OF EASTER
WITH HOLY COMMUNION
Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.
RESURRECTION OF OUR L ORD
EASTER D AY
FESTIVAL SERVICE OF
HOLY COMMUNION
Sunday, April 5
8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Today is the day Jesus Christ rose from the
darkness of the grave to new life. Today is the first
day of the new creation. Today is the day when
the church celebrates its birth from the waters of
baptism and its new life in the holy supper. Though
suffering, injustice, and sin continue to mark the
world in which we live, the Christian community
goes forth from font and table with Christ’s mission
to heal, liberate, and forgive. In the Fifty Days of
Easter, the church, rejoicing, asks the question:
how does our baptism send us forth in hopeful
service to the world?
This ancient service, the last of the Three Days, is
our congregation’s first celebration of the
resurrection. We begin outside around a newly
struck fire, then move to the nave where the Easter
Proclamation announces, “This is the night in which
all who believe in Christ are rescued from evil and
the gloom of sin, are renewed in grace, and are
restored to holiness.” This is the crowning moment
of the church’s year. The church celebrates the
presence of the risen Lord as he brings us to new
life in baptism, gives us his body and blood, speaks
his word of promise, and comes to us in the
Christian community.
If you haven’t been to a Vigil, this is a great
opportunity to experience the church’s primary
celebration of the resurrection. It begins at St.
Andrew at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 4.
May “the light of Christ, rising in glory, dispel the
darkness of our hearts and minds.” (ELW, p. 267)
ANNUAL EASTER BREAKFAST
Come and join us for our annual Easter breakfast
on Sunday, April 5 hosted and served by the youth.
The breakfast will be served in the fellowship hall
from 9:00 until 11:00 a.m. Please bring your
family after the 8:30 worship or before the 11:00
a.m. worship for a great meal and fellowship. A
freewill offering will be taken. Youth are needed
to volunteer to help serve breakfast. Join us for
a delicious Easter morning breakfast, and support
our youth!
Page -3-
FROM THE PASTOR
FROM THE PASTOR EMERITUS
Give Thanks
It is hard to believe that we have been in our
beautiful nave for five years! It seems like only
yesterday that we were scurrying around preparing
to make the big move from the old worship space
to the new, looking for just the right spot to call
“home” in our new surroundings. A great deal has
happened in those five years, not the least of which
is that we have welcomed approximately 250 new
members into the St. Andrew family of believers!
That growth continues unabated as each week
visitors come seeking the risen Lord. Please do
not overlook the worshipers who may be sitting
beside you. Some of them may be "veterans,"
while others may be new or first time visitors and to
them, everything is new and unfamiliar. For these
folks there are no comparisons to be made
between the "old nave" and the "new nave." They
have no recollection of how things used to be.
They have come to worship, and as the "oldtimers" in the group it is our duty and our joy to
make them feel welcome. From the moment they
drive into the parking lot they are forming opinions
about St. Andrew Lutheran Church, and those
opinions are reinforced when they meet you in the
narthex or in the nave. Make them feel welcome
as once you were made to feel welcome. We have
a fine group of official greeters and ushers who do
just that, but the lion's share of welcoming depends
on everyone extending the hand of Christ. Your
warm welcome may make the difference in a
visitor's decision to return - or not.
Quite a few years ago, when Susan, Hannah, and I
were living in Tupelo, MS, I remember that a great
quartet sang an anthem at the Thanksgiving
service we did each year with the local Episcopal
church. That year, the service was at our church,
Christ the King Lutheran. The pastor, my wife,
had arranged for a quartet from a local
African-American church to be with us. The song
they sang was "Give Thanks." I remember being
incredibly moved by their offering to us. It wasn't
long after that, as I recall, when Tupelo lost the
leader of that group to a shooting. It was a hard
loss to take: give thanks.
And yet, that's what the community did: we gave
thanks for the life and witness of this man, Charles,
who had done so much to promote peace in our
city. We gave thanks for the beauty of his voice,
and the beauty of his life. If I ever knew anybody
who illustrated Easter, it was Charles.
When I think about everything that goes on at St.
Andrew, of all the volunteers who give so much of
their time and attention to our many ministries, I
feel a deep sense of gratitude. So many acts of
service and love happen here that are never even
seen. You, the people of this parish, give
generously of your selves, your time, your talents,
and your money.
I've been in some great parishes, and I've heard
about some great parishes, but I don't know of any
that have the same passion for service as the
people of St. Andrew. It is a great privilege to
serve as a pastor here! Thank you for everything
you do to share the love of Jesus in this place, in
our community, in our synod, in the ELCA, and
throughout the world.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Lippard +
Grace and Peace,
Eric C. Pearson+
Pastor Emeritus
Newsletter Deadline
ALL articles and photographs for the
May 2015 newsletter
must be submitted
to the
Parish Administrator at
[email protected]
The deadline for submissions is
Friday, April 10, 2015
Page -4-
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF YOUTH AND
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES
Some might be a little noisy and whisper a bit too
loudly. Some come running and skidding to their
place as if sliding into home plate for the winning
run. Some come shyly grasping the hand of a
parent, grandparent or sibling. Some come
bouncing or skipping and grinning. Who is this
coming and where or what are they coming to?
They are children, the youngest members here at
St. Andrew, and they are coming to worship. They
are coming up to the front of the church for the
children’s sermon, to the table for Holy
Communion, and to the baptismal font for the best
seat in the house.
It’s a highlight during worship to watch the children
as they come. It’s a treat to listen as they add their
precious, unique insights to the message. And it’s
a joy to watch as they receive the body and blood
of Christ or a blessing at the table.
As a parent, I will admit that at times I have been a
little leery of what might come out of my child’s
mouth during worship. As we all know, children
can speak silly and sometimes honest things. But
Jesus says in Matthew 19:14, “Let the little children
come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such
as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”
Children learn by doing and seeing. During
worship they have the opportunity to learn just by
being present. It’s o.k. if they have a coloring bag
or a toy in hand. By being present they are
listening, and like little sponges they are soaking it
all up. Children watch their family and those
around them as they worship. They observe the
pastor and worship leaders during this special time
together. They notice the colors on the altar, and if
the baptismal font is full and the candles lit. They
delight in the music and singing and get excited
when the star on the organ spins.
Bringing children, and youth for that matter, to
worship can be a lot of hard work. I have
experienced that some things worth doing are
going to be hard but then realize that the benefits
can be great. I will admit that getting out of the
house and to church on time is a challenge some
days. I am thankful for children in worship. I am
thankful that we as a church family and faith
community are welcoming to these young
members, and I am thankful for the parents,
grandparents and friends who bring their children
to worship.
God’s Peace,
Sandy Vollmer
DYCM
FROM THE VICAR
It’s hard to believe that I am officially halfway
through my internship here at St. Andrew. It feels
like I just got here yesterday, but it also feels like
I’ve been here for a lifetime -- in a good way! To
mark this midpoint on my journey with y’all, I
thought I’d share the five most surprising things
I’ve learned from St. Andrew thus far:
1. The BBC television series The Vicar of Dibley is
way more popular than I thought it was.
2. I can love someone I’ve never had the chance to
meet, just by hearing about them from others
who loved them so well.
3. Wearing a collar is great in the wintertime -- it
keeps my neck warm!
4. Sometimes I feel like I need to hear the gospel
even more frequently now that I am in a full-time
pastoral role. If I’m paying attention, I can hear
it often and in some very unexpected places.
5. In moments when I am crabby or exhausted or
selfish or doubtful, when I just don’t have the
energy or attitude to be a minister, even then
God can make good things happen. And so the
moments when I am most doubtful of my own
abilities are the moments when God shows
grace all over again. Since we are all members
of the “priesthood of all believers,” I wouldn’t be
surprised if you’ve seen God do the same thing
in your lives. Pretty amazing!
Thank you all for playing such a central role in my
journey to be a pastor! This has already been such
an amazing and transformative part of my life, and
I’m excited to discover what the next five months
bring.
In Faith, Hope, and Love,
Vicar Katherine Museus
Page -5-
FROM THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
FELLOWSHIP NEWS
A Birthday Worth Celebrating
Graceworks’ February birthday dinner was truly a
celebration of the past 20 years, and St. Andrew
was well represented. Nick and Amy Hafner
started the process off by purchasing two tickets
for any St. Andrew parishioner to use.
Unfortunately, only one of the tickets was used, but
myself, Tamara, Emma, Frank and Cindy Hale,
Rand Smith, Juli-Kay Baumann, Frank Thomas
and Patte Belin did attend and had an excellent
time.
It was an awesome night, full of inspiring stories
from the founders who saw a need and came
together from various churches and groups to start
a new organization to help struggling families in
Williamson County, and heartfelt gratitude from
families that were helped in 2014 by the generosity
of Graceworks.
The growth in twenty years of Graceworks’
existence has been astounding. For example, in
1995, $14,000 worth of food was distributed in
Williamson County. Last year, in 2014,
Graceworks distributed $1.1 million in food alone.
This special evening included an excellent dinner,
and entertainment by singer/songwriter Calvin
Nowell, emcees Doug and Jaci from the FISH FM,
and music by Sammy Sylvester, Carlton Taylor,
Brad Graci and Demarco Johnson. Gracework
supporters occupied 34 tables at the Embassy
Suites, and at $800.00 a table, that alone brought
in over $27,000 for Graceworks to use in 2015.
The silent auction included over 100 items and with
additional table contributions, brought in an
additional $32,000 for a total to date of $59,000.
As a “partner church” with Graceworks, I feel that
St. Andrew has a special responsibility to sponsor a
table at this annual dinner every year. For those of
you who didn’t attend this year, please consider
doing so next year. Tamara and I haven’t missed
one of these in the last three years and are already
looking forward to next year’s event. I believe we
were enriched even more than the multitudes of
Williamson County residents that have been helped
by the various programs that Graceworks has
offered in the last twenty years.
In Christ’s service,
Mitch Counts
Congregation President
ANNUAL FAMILY EASTER EGG
HUNT AND PICNIC FOR LITTLE ONES!
Saturday, April 4
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
STAKK youth will host the annual Easter egg hunt,
activities, and a picnic on Saturday, April 4 at the
home of Chuck and Sandy Vollmer, 1479 Kittrell
Road, in Franklin. This event is for all families with
young children; infant, toddler, preschool through
the 4th grade. Please bring your picnic blanket and
chairs, Easter baskets, and a potluck dish to share.
Please RSVP - a sign-up sheet is on the bulletin
board in the fellowship hall. Come enjoy the fun
and fellowship together.
SASSY Saint Andrew Seniors Staying
Young ~ April 9
Saint Andrew Seniors Staying Young will meet on
Thursday, April 9 at 11:00 a.m. for lunch and
Bingo. Please note this is the second Thursday of
the month. SASSY is for all retired people in the
congregation!
SASSY will be on the Road in May
For May, SASSY and St. Andrew will sponsor a
field trip to Chaffin’s Barn Theatre to see the
production, “Cliffhanger.” We have room for 25
participants on the bus. Transportation is provided
and our own Bill Dickerhoff will drive the group to
Chaffin’s. The cost of the show is $19 and a box
lunch will be provided. If you are interested in
attending with SASSY, please contact Hank and
Micki Fengler at 615-472-1977 or at
[email protected].
Page -6-
NURTURE COMMITTEE NEWS
Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything
by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be known to God. Philippians 4:6
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!
We frequently read about how Americans consume
too much and recycle too little. This message
becomes even more apparent when one views the
overflowing garbage cans each week in a typical
American neighborhood. Did you know that 12
percent of the world's population lives in North
America and Western Europe and ac-counts for 60
percent of private consumption spending. Slightly
more than 33 percent of the world's population lives
in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa yet accounts
for only 3.2 percent of consumption spending?
Each year for the past 44 years, Earth Day, a
nationwide event to honor the earth, has been
celebrated on April 22, the first day of the northern
hemisphere Spring. This year is no exception with
the theme of Earth Day being Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle! The concept of reduce, reuse and recycle
has been promoted for years in recycling
programs, is easy to understand and does not take
much money or thought to incorporate into our
daily habits.
We have only to read Psalm 24, Verse 1 to be
reminded "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in
it, the world and those who dwell therein." What
are we each doing in our small space in this world
to care for God's earth? Have you made recycling
a part of your weekly activities? Did you know that
St. Andrew recycles paper, plastic, glass,
aluminum, batteries, and cardboard? Copier ink
cartridges are returned to the company after they
have outlived their usefulness at St. Andrew.
As caretakers of God's world we are reminded that
we must do a better job of reducing our
consumption, reus-ing the resources that we can
and recycling what we cannot reuse. The following
2013 Eleven Facts About Re-cycling from
http://www.dosomething.org tell us that humans
(especially Americans) on God's earth have a long
way to go before meeting our obligations to God in
caring for His world.
1. The average American uses 650 pounds of
paper each year - 100 million tons of wood could
be saved each year if all that paper was recycled.
2. Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every
hour.
3. A typical family consumes 182 gallons of soda,
29 gallons of juice, 104 gallons of milk, and 26
gallons of bottled water a year. That's a lot of
containers that can all be recycled or not used in
the first place!
4. About 80% of what Americans throw away is
recyclable, yet our recycling rate is only 34.1%.
5. Every month Americans throw out enough glass
bottles and jars to fill up a giant skyscraper (think:
Empire State Building), but all of these jars are
recyclable!
6. Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown
into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea
crea-tures a year! Have you heard of the Great
Pacific Garbage Patch? It's twice the size of Texas
and is floating somewhere between San Francisco
and Hawaii. It's also 80 percent plastic, and
weighs in at 3.5 million tons.
7. Recycling one ton (about 2,000 pounds) of
paper saves 17 trees, two barrels of oil (enough to
run the average car for 1,260 miles), 4,100
kilowatts of energy (enough power for the average
home for six months), 3.2 cubic yards of landfill
space, and 60 pounds of pollution.
8. The 17 trees saved by recycling one ton of
paper can absorb a total of 250 pounds of carbon
di-oxide out of the air each year.
9. If all of our newspapers were recycled, we could
save about 250 million trees each year! If every
American recycled just one-tenth of their
newspapers, we could save about 25 million trees
each year.
10. More than 20 million Hershey's Kisses are
wrapped each day, using 133 square miles of
alumi-num foil. Believe it not, ALL that foil is
recyclable, but not many people realize it so most it
goes in the trash!
11. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough
energy to run a TV for three hours. In spite of this,
Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild
our entire commercial fleet of airplanes eve-ry
three months!
If you have not found a recycling center close to
you, look for one and give God a hand by doing
your share to care for His world! Develop a habit of
making Earth Day every day and Reduce, Reuse
and Recycle!
Connie Pearson, Chair
Health Ministries Team
References:
Do Something, 2013, http://www.dosomthing.org.
Earth Day, Wik ipedia, the Free Encyclopedia,
wik ipedia.org.
Great Pacific Garbage Patch,
http://en.wik ipedia.org/wik i/great_pacific_garbage_patch.
The New English Bible, Oxford University Press, New
York , 1976.
Worldwatch Institute, Vision for a Sustainable World,
http://www.worldwatch.org.
Page -7-
Family Disaster Planning
Sometimes, we assume that disaster will not affect
us personally. However, we live in Dixie Alley, the
second most prevalent area for devastating
tornados. Also, we live in the New Madrid
earthquake fault zone. Scientists predict there is a
90% likelihood of a major quake within the next 50
years. Millions of people in this region live in
homes that would not survive a large earthquake.
Recent memory serves as a reminder of largescale flooding. Franklin has an active rail system,
which may carry hazardous materials, bisecting our
town. Life can be threatening. Some simple
preparation tips could save lives and ease the
transition between catastrophe and inconvenience.
Generally, local officials and relief workers will be
on the scene, but with some time delay.
Where will your loved ones be when disaster
strikes? How will you find each other? How will
you fare during the initial chaotic phase? How do
you protect your most valuable assets? Create a
family disaster plan in advance to help cope.
Following are snippets from the American Red
Cross. Many searchable websites recommend
similar precautions. If you wish to go hog wild, try
out some of the survivalist websites for extreme
measures.
Research your vulnerability.
What realistic and widespread threats could be
encountered in our area? The most likely would
include utility failure, HazMat spill, earthquake,
flood, social unrest, and tornado. Stretching a bit,
a nuclear incident and meteor impact could be
added. Forecast the potential of each incident and
plan accordingly.
Create a disaster plan suitable to your
vulnerability.
Most importantly, pick your family's immediate rally
site (directly outside your home) and an alternate
site outside your neighborhood in case you can not
return home. Choose an out-of-state friend or
family member as a contact. In a disaster, it is
often easier to make long distance calls. Every
family member must know the contact number and
make the call to take roll.
Create a related to-do checklist, and complete
the tasks.
Post emergency numbers in your home. Ensure
that children know how to handle 911. Determine
and practice home evacuation routes. Ensure
smoke detectors are operational and everyone
knows how to use your fire extinguishers. Identify
safety zones within your home for each type of
disaster. Teach all family members about utility
shut-off. Is your insurance coverage adequate,
and do you have photos and documentation of
valuables? Consider stocking a disaster supply kit.
Consider taking Red Cross first aid and CPR.
Finally, conduct a room-by-room home hazard
hunt. Moveable household furnishings can shift or
fall, causing injury or a fire.
Practice and maintain your plan.
Families working together as a team will cope
better in a disaster. Know what you should do for
your best protection.
Here are some final thoughts:
1. When local cell calls are dropped, text
messaging or out-of-state calls may still
connect.
2. Consider maintaining supplies for at least three
days in a ‘go’ type container. Recommended
supply lists are all over the internet and include
the obvious – just don’t forget a battery-powered
NOAA emergency radio and first aid kit. One
gallon of water per person per day is
recommended, which will last three months in
storage.
3. Know the location of your main electric fuse
breaker, water service main, and natural gas
main. Teach family members how to turn each
off one. Note that if you turn off your gas main,
you will need a professional to turn it back on.
4. Neighborhood home association or crime watch
groups could be tapped to coordinate local
disaster preparedness. Medical and
construction skills could prove useful.
5. Research the expertise of the Federal
Emergency Management Association, American
Red Cross, and Williamson County Chapter of
the Tennessee Emergency Management
Association. These groups are experts on this
topic.
Respectfully Submitted,
Bruce Clark, SALC Safety Coordinator
ST . ANDREW’S DISASTER PLAN
Did you know we have a plan in place at St.
Andrew in case of bad weather? Parishioners
should use their own good judgement in coming to
the church in inclement weather, dangerous road
conditions, or emergency situations that would put
you at risk. Please check your emails for
communications from the church, Facebook, or
WKRN for Sunday service information. Group
gatherings or meetings might be cancelled on a
case-to-case basis. For more information, pick up
a pamphlet at church on Emergency Preparedness
Guidelines.
Page -8-
Coupons Help Soap Purchases
My Favorite Things
April WELCA
Please join the ladies of St. Andrew for some
"Show and Tell" time on Tuesday, April 21 at 6:30
p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We thought it would be
fun if each of us brought in an item or two that has
special meaning, such as a collectible, a family
heirloom, or something you made, etc. and then
shared with the group about the item. The potluck
dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. with the program
following at 7:00 p.m.
If you need babysitting in our church nursery,
please contact Joni Donegan at 615-584-9309 or
[email protected] to make arrangements.
Are you a clipper? Nearly every Sunday the
Tennessean has a section of coupons for the thrifty
shopper to use. Clipping coupons won’t make you
rich, but it sure helps
out when you buy things like soap on a regular
basis. So don’t forget to check your paper. I
always use coupons when buying my soap for
church. How about you? Don’t forget the third
Sunday of each month is SOAP SUNDAY and
many thanks for all the soap we have received so
far this year!
Cookbooks a BIG Bargain
We are getting to the end of our current church
cookbook and are selling them at just $5.00 each.
Once these are gone, this will be the last edition of
this particular cookbook. Help us by purchasing
these last few books! They are make wonderful
gifts and are chocked full of great recipes. The
cookbooks can be found in the brown bin in the
administration entry. Place your cash or check in
the envelope in the bin and take your cookbook
home. (Please make checks out to St. Andrew
WELCA.) Thanks you so much for your support.
2015 WELCA CONVENTION
St. Simons Island, Georgia
September 18-20, 2015
Plan now to join us for the annual Southeastern
Synod WELCA convention at this beautiful site in
Georgia. We always look forward to this event,
which is a time to re-connect with our sisters in
Christ from other Lutheran churches in the Synod.
The schedule for the weekend will include updates
from our Synod Board as to the status of the past
year’s activities and future plans. Also, you can
expect a wide array of classes available for
attendees, a festive banquet on Saturday evening,
and worship services. Be part of the choir if you are
interested.
Make your plans now to attend this very inspiring
and enlightening event (with lots of fun mixed in as
well).
APRIL 2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
April 6
Quilting 9:00 a.m.
April 19
WELCA SOAP SUNDAY
April 13
Quilting 9:00 a.m.
April 20
Quilting 9:00 a.m.
April 21
WELCA Meeting
6:30 p.m. Potluck
7:00 p.m. Program
Trophy Returns to St. Andrew!
After a few years of being absent from St. Andrew
WELCA, we won the “Traveling Trophy” back by
having eight attendees at our recent WELCA
Middle Tennessee Cluster meeting at Christ
Lutheran Church. This was the largest headcount
for any one church (excluding the home church).
Christ Lutheran in Nashville hosted a very fulfilling
day for us with varied activities and ending with
Holy Communion led by Pastor Morgan Gordy and
music led by our own Vicar Katherine and her
magic guitar.
The picture above is our group gathered around
Christ Lutheran’s Baptismal font at the end of the
day.
(Debbie Caughorn is missing from our picture)
Page -9-
AROUND THE PARISH
We Welcome New Members
March 15, 2015
Bekki Cashin is coming to St. Andrew
through Affirmation of Baptism. She
has lived all over the country: in
Washington State, South Carolina, Massachusetts,
California, and Tennessee. Bekki enjoys outdoor
activities, triathlons, and walking her dog, Chewie.
Recently engaged to Keith Hinson, they are
planning a wedding at St. Andrew in May.
Eric and MaryBeth Crispell are the proud parents
of two wonderful girls, Katie and Laura. The
Crispells are transferring from Our Savior Lutheran
Church in Nashville. They moved to middle
Tennessee 5-1/2 years ago and they love it here!
The family enjoys doing things as a family and
stays busy with kid events, family visits, and
neighbors. Eric is interested in sports and outdoor
activities and MaryBeth enjoys reading, tennis,
sports, shopping, and movies. Both Laura and
Katie are interested in crafts, Girl Scouts, computer
games, and playing with friends.
Zach Harris is a lifelong Lutheran and is joining St.
Andrew by way of transfer from St. John’s Lutheran
Church in Donelson. He is married to the former
Claire Rutter and is the proud father of Evelyn
Noelle and Dugger Dickson. When not mired in
front of a Bloomberg terminal, plying his trade in
the world of high finance for Robert W. Baird, he
can be found on the waterways of Middle
Tennessee and the South Carolina Lowcountry
with his family, including his beloved in-laws, Kirk
and Carlotta Rutter. Zach is a 2003 graduate of
Clemson University and spends most of his free
time cooking, cleaning, changing diapers,
entertaining a two-year-old, and caring for his
family’s two dogs, which are the size of miniature
horses.
Keith Hinson is coming to St. Andrew through
Affirmation of Baptism. Keith was born and raised
in Nashville and now resides in Franklin. He is
employed as an insurance and investment advisor
with Mutual of Omaha. Keith enjoys scuba diving,
traveling, and competing in triathlons. He is
recently engaged to Bekki Cashin.
Linda Holloway comes to St. Andrew through
Affirmation of Baptism. She and her husband
Robert lived in Tucson, Arizona for 40 years
and moved to Franklin a year ago, relocating
from Spring Hill to be near family. This is a big
change!
Corissa Wiest and her family are new to
Tennessee and are very excited to call Franklin
their home. She and her husband, Kurt, are
both prior military and work for the federal
government, so they have been known to be
nomadic; however, they now plan on making
Franklin their permanent home. They are looking
forward to meeting everyone and making great
friends. Their daughter, Skyler, is 13 years old
and attends Page Middle School. Skyler is very
excited to participate in youth group activities and
volunteer to help out with younger children. Kurt is
still working in Texas; Corissa and Skylar join St.
Andrew through Affirmation of Baptism.
Births:
Dugger Dickson
Harris, newborn son of
Zach and Claire Harris,
who arrived a few
weeks early on
Thursday, February 26.
Dugger weighed 8 lbs.
3 oz. and is doing well.
He is welcomed home
by big sister Evelyn and
proud grandparents,
Kirk and Carlotta Rutter.
Congratulations to the
Harris and Rutter
families!
Meet Edison
Henry Fisher,
newborn son of
Charlie and Jen
Fisher and
brother of
Raleigh, born
February 11,
2015.
Page -10-
AROUND THE PARISH (continued)
First Communion:
Keegan Medina, son of Ricky and Roseen Medina,
celebrated his First Communion on Sunday, March
1 at the 8:30 a.m. worship service.
Demetri Koutsoukos, son of Xenofon and Sheree
Koutsoukos, celebrated his First Communion on
Sunday, March 1 at the 11:00 a.m. service.
Congratulations to Keegan and Demetri!
In Memoriam:
Camilla Doris
Barker Catron, longtime member of St.
Andrew, joined the
Church Triumphant
on Tuesday, March
17. Doris turned 90
years old on
November 28, 2014.
Her original
membership papers
stated that her
occupation was
“Domestic Engineer.” All who knew Doris knew
that she was much more. Some words to
describe our sister in Christ from her friends at
St. Andrew: she never met a stranger,
welcoming, friendly, strong, a mentor, a legacy,
caring, loved, sincere, faithful, sweet, active,
joyful, helpful, inviting, happy, competitive, kind,
Christian spirit, sincere, loving, intelligent,
compassionate, ahead of her time, involved in life
every waking moment, selfless, warm hearted,
sassy, classy, inspiring, fabulous, endearing,
young at heart, and a good friend.
Doris was active in the life of her church and the
community. She and her late husband Harold
came shortly after St. Andrew was formed in
1977, and they hit the ground running as our
ambassadors. Most members in the
congregation will tell you that the first people who
welcomed them to St. Andrew were the Catrons.
Doris missed worship at St. Andrew only when
she was sick or out-of-town. Besides welcoming
all who entered through our doors, Doris was a
founding member of the St. Andrew Choir. She
was active in the women’s organizations of the
church and served in various offices. She taught
Vacation Bible School, was on the Altar Guild,
and attended Bible studies. Before the church
was built, Doris and Harold hosted Bible studies
in their home. Doris attended the constituting
convention for the ELCA in Columbus, Ohio in
1987. She was active in SASSY (St. Andrew
Seniors Staying Young), St. Andrew Bridge
group, Sunday School, and quilting; and she
helped plan and was present in almost every
fellowship activity. Doris worked as a volunteer
receptionist and office helper, was our registrar
for the Harold Catron Memorial Red Cross Blood
Drive, and most recently was on the Ask Me
Squad through the Membership Development
Committee. In the community, she was active in
Church Women of Franklin, Graceworks
Ministries, Homemakers Club, Republican
Women, Clay Center, Red Hat Ladies, Family,
Community & Education (FCE) Club, and
Pennies from Heaven. In her later years, she
was dubbed one of the “Golden Girls,” which
included Ann Marie Eltoft, Meg Graves, and Katy
Neighbors.
A Celebration of Life service was held at St.
Andrew on March 28. Memorials may be made
to St. Andrew Lutheran Church Building Fund.
“BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHO DIE IN THE LORD.”
This edition of the St.
Andrew Messenger
is dedicated to our
sister in Christ and
dear friend, Doris
Catron, who spent
many years helping
put the newsletter
together to mail to
our church family.
Thank you, dear
Doris, for all your
help with the
numerous mailings,
answering phones,
and directing traffic
during business
hour. You will be
missed....
W ELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!
Page -11Kristen Burress and Josh
Grandt announce their
engagement and marriage
on September 10, 2016. The
couple were engaged on
Valentine’s Day this year.
Kristen is our nursery
attendant at St. Andrew and
is the daughter of Betsy and
Dwayne Burress and
granddaughter of Sharon
Helmintoller. Josh is the son
of David and Kathi Grandt.
To Our St. Andrew Family,
Thank you so much for the wonderful meals. It
has been a really big help. Robert is coming along.
Bless you all for your help.
Sandie & Robert Belcher
Who thinks I can't
get to the Hershey
Kisses? Olivia,
granddaughter of Al
and Marty Dieterle,
pulls out the chair
and climbs on the
table to get to the
chocolate.
Congratulations to Meredith Frantz who was
elected the new Cluster Leader of WELCA in our
King Cluster # 8 in Middle Tennessee!
Congratulations to Thrivent Financial! For the
fourth year running, Thrivent Financial has been
named one of the “World’s Most Ethical
Companies” by Ethisphere Institute, a leading
international think tank dedicated to the creation,
advancement and sharing of best practices in
business ethics. Learn more about the Thrivent
difference and what they offer, by visiting
www.Thrivent.com/joinus or contact Jack Ficken,
FIC, FICF, Financial Associate at 615-266-2548 or
800-828-3648. We appreciate the experience of
Jack and his team with Thrivent Financial!
Correspondence:
Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for the beautiful prayer
shawl you sent me when I was in the hospital! I
was grateful to have it there and to bring it home
with me. It’s a comfort and reminder of God’s
presence and all the prayers that surround and
hold us up. Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Susan Springer
Ladies,
I can’t thank you all enough for the beautiful
shawl and little blanket for little Jordan. They meant
the world to me and I will keep them forever. I will
explain to Jordan one day the reason the blanket
was made, because some very nice ladies were
thinking “just about her and sending special
prayers up, just because she was loved so.”
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. May
God bless each and everyone of you ladies.
Andrea Schnarrs
Thanks from the
Southeastern Synod
Dear Saints of Lutheran Church
of St. Andrew,
Greetings and thank you for responding to the
call to do ministry together. You are awesome!
Your gifts to the Southeastern Synod’s “We Are
Church Together” appeal on January 20, 2015 for
$10,165 and on January 23, 2015 for $805 are very
much appreciated.
Thank you again for your continued support of
our shared ministries through your congregation,
your synod and your churchwide organization. We
can’t thank you enough for your support of the
synod appeal. You are a blessing.
Sincerely,
Holly Liersch, Office Manager
Southeastern Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America
Thrivent Day at the Sounds
Thrivent is sponsoring Lutheran Day at
the Sounds on Sunday, May 17 at 2:05
p.m. which is a Faith Day. Chris August
is featured as the pre-concert artist.
Tickets are $8 which include your game ticket,
hot dog, and soda until April 19. Prices go up
from April 20-May 1 to $12. The cost of the tickets
are subsidized by the Middle TN Chapter of
Thrivent. To purchase tickets, please contact Joni
Donegan at [email protected]. or
purchase between Sunday services in the narthex
at St. Andrew. Please make checks out to Thrivent
Middle TN Chapter.
Page -12-
FROM OUTREACH MINISTRIES
Animal Welfare Ministry
As we celebrate the joy of Easter Sunday soon, we
wish you and your loved ones a very happy and
blessed Easter. As always, it is with much joy and
gratitude we thank every Anonymous Angel and
Known Angels (Marge Fottrell, Bill & Peggy Frost,
Tina Hill and daughter Brita and granddaughter
Roane, Nancy Seitz, Shirley Swan and her sister
Sharon Swan Cowdrey) for so many wonderful and
useful donations!
For the Kitties: 30 cans “wet”; 16 lbs. chow; 10
new toys; 3 new fleece blankets. For the Dogs: 20
cans “wet”; 20 lbs. puppy chow; a self-watering
bowl; 3 puppy sweaters. Other: 18 assorted
towels & cloths; 3 sheets, 2 cases; 2 washable
area rugs; crib pad; assorted coupons and a
package of assorted animal-themed greeting cards
(used for ministry correspondence). Our hearty
“thanks” to all!
A special “thank you” to Tina & Jeff Hill’s daughter
Brita and granddaughter Roane for donating eleven
towels and a sheet. Why is this special? Because
they collected the items from neighbors on
Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska
and donated them to the ministry (via Tina, “with
love”) for the needy animals! How thoughtful and
loving is that! Our heartfelt appreciation to all – we
love you, too!
Another wonderful “pay it forward” story: Mardy
Fones, our contact at Greyhound Rescue, recently
received two huge donations from an anonymous
source in February and March, consisting of mainly
dog and cat food and toys. Unfortunately, the
Greyhound organization could not use any of the
donations. The dog food was not the kind they
must feed the greyhounds, and the toys were too
small. So, with the permission of the donor to pass
the donations along to another rescue group,
Mardy contacted us and we subsequently loaded
our trunk with almost 200 cans of dog food, several
large bags of dog chow, and packages of treats
and chews. The cat group received 53 cans of cat
food, large bag of dry food; several packages
treats, in addition to over 200 assorted new toys for
cats and dogs! The donations were gratefully
accepted by the Lewisburg and Shelbyville
shelters, Dachshund Rescue and Cheatham
County Cat Rescue. Your donations of blankets,
bedding, fish oil and so much more have greatly
helped the Greyhound group for a long time, and
now they have returned your kindness big time!
Shirley Swan has officially adopted a beautiful
twelve-year-old kitty whose former owners moved
to Switzerland. “Tybs” (short for “Tybald’) has
special needs due to a heart murmur and
arrhythmia, requiring special care and medications
the rest of his life, and therefore would most likely
not survive the move abroad. Shirley and Mr. Tybs
bonded immediately and both are enjoying happy
days together!
Praise be to God and 30 compassionate Metro
(Nashville) council members for (finally) passing a
bill banning dog chaining and inhumane “tethering."
In addition to banning chains, the new law also
bans fastening a dog to a stationary device outside
in freezing temperatures, extreme heat,
thunderstorms and tornadoes. Chained dogs
cannot reach food and water (assuming they’re
given any), and most of the time, don’t have
adequate shelter or any shelter at all. Evidence
over many years has demonstrated the cruelty,
suffering and painful “living” conditions dogs have
endured as a result of this inhumane practice. Now
we can only hope and pray the law will be
enforced. If you notice a dog suffering in this
condition, please contact Metro Police or Animal
Control in Nashville, Williamson County Animal
Care (615-790-5590) or any humane society in the
area. Your report will remain confidential.
Respectfully submitted, Tom and Suzanne Berrey
and Pastor Susan Springer
Correspondence:
To the Members of St. Andrew Lutheran Church:
Thank you! Once again for your generous
donation to the Lewisburg Animal Shelter. We can
always use dry dog food and the canned food is
important for the occasional fussy eater, puppies,
seniors, and those that come in extra thin. We
have two “shelter kitties” so the cat food is also
very useful. Thanks also for the collar and leash.
We try our best to put a collar on each of our
furbabies and we never seem to have enough
leashes. We do apologize for not having sent an
acknowledgment of your donation last month.
Please know that our failure to do so in no way
reflects a lack of appreciation. We moved one
giant step forward this week toward creating a true
“no kill” Humane Association Shelter. Your
donations help reduce our expenses and are
contributing in turn toward that goal.
Thanks again and again,
The Lewisburg Animal Shelter Volunteers
Dear St. Andrew:
We appreciate your donations of goodies,
towels, puppy pads, toys, leash, collar, towels, and
the beautiful beds that you all gave A.A.D.R. You
are all so kind and generous and we and the
Dachshunds say, “Thank you so very much!”
Board of Directors
All American Dachshund Rescue
Page -13-
HABITAT PARTNER FAMILY
Meet LaRhonda Lee
Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury
(HFHWM) is excited to welcome LaRhonda
Lee to our homeownership program!
Born and raised in Franklin, LaRhonda attended
Franklin High School. She schedules at-home
healthcare assessments for the elderly at Optum
Healthcare, and her family attends Limestone
Missionary Baptist Church.
LaRhonda grew up in Franklin Public Housing
(FPH) and now lives there with her own children.
“I have never lived anywhere else, and my mother
never owned a home, so I do not take this
opportunity lightly.”
Her partnership with Habitat is the next step in
LaRhonda’s quest to provide a better life for her
children. Prior to applying for a Habitat home,
LaRhonda spent the past four years in the Family
Self Sufficiency Program (PH-FSS) with FPH,
which is designed to help families reduce or
eliminate their need for public assistance. One
component of this program helps families to create
a savings account, which becomes theirs when the
program is completed. Thanks to this opportunity,
LaRhonda began her partnership with Habitat for
Humanity with her entire down payment of $2,000
already saved. She will build on the skills she
gained through PH-FSS during her budget
coaching and homebuyer education classes with
HFHWM.
Caylee (5) and Cayden (7), LaRhonda’s children,
keep her very busy. Caylee is involved in
gymnastics, and Cayden loves sports of all kinds,
especially basketball. “We are quite an active
family, so living without a yard or a private place for
the children to play has been difficult,” LaRhonda
explains. She radiates joy when she speaks about
having her own yard to put up a basketball hoop
and trampoline and can’t wait to enjoy the company
of friends and neighbors on her “own property.”
Witnessing the hard work of her mother was a
major influence in LaRhonda’s life and led her to
where she is today. “My mother was a single
parent employed as a housekeeper with a local
nursing home. She worked very hard to care for
me and my two younger siblings,” she notes. “I
have fun with life, but I really want to be
remembered as a strong woman, like my mother,
who would give her last of anything to help
someone in need. I would like to thank my
sponsors for taking their time to volunteer with
building my home and for the donations that are
being given on my behalf. This is such a great
opportunity; I never thought I would own a home!
God bless you!”
PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY AND BABY
BRIGADE
The Prayer Shawl Ministry reaches out to those
who are going through mental, physical, and
emotional challenges. It also celebrates joy and
new births in our congregation, extended families,
and friends.
Each person who makes an article (shawl, lap
blanket, pocket prayer, or baby blanket) is asked to
pray with compassion and sincere effort to reflect
their Christian belief in giving and helping others,
especially the sick. With utmost respect, the
members knit and crochet comfort, tenderness,
and heartfelt love in every piece.
We have been doing this ministry at St. Andrew for
over six years. I keep cards and thank you notes
from those who have received these special gifts.
Young and old, they have always been so touched
and thankful. A sincere thanks to all who have
knitted, crocheted, and been involved in these past
years of the ministry.
I would like to “spring forward” and am seeking new
participants who want to begin or continue in this
ministry.
Regretfully, it is time for this ministry to be passed
on to another leader as I have more obligations to
family, business, and health. I pray that someone
will step up and take the lead on this very important
ministry. It is not difficult. You have the assistance
of the church for printing cards and pamphlets, and
yearly funds for needs. We have a good stock of
yarn, materials, and shawls already made. These
can be kept in the quilting room at church or in your
home as I did. I can assist a new leader with
starting up questions and needs.
I have prayed over this for quite a while. I pray that
a special someone at St. Andrew finds the
satisfaction and blessings to continue this truly
meaningful ministry.
Most of all, thank you, thank you to all the angels
who have been involved so far and pray this
ministry will continue in God’s care.
Please come to learn more about these special
ministries on Sunday, April 19 in the narthex
between services. You may also respond by
calling my cell at 615-512-4055, by email at
[email protected], or leave a note in my
mailbox at church.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Lovingly,
Josette Starkey
Page -14-
St. Andrew
Lutheran Youth
SAVE THE DATE
Mark your calendars for VBS
on June 7 - 11, 2015
Get ready to "conquer challenges with God's mighty
power" as we explore one of the most majestic,
beautiful places on earth, EVEREST. Kids will learn
to overcome obstacles with God's awesome power
as they become anchored in rock-solid Bible truths.
Each day the children will be introduced to a fun
traveling companion and discover that God has the
power to provide, God has the power to comfort,
God has the power to heal, God has the power to
forgive, and God has the power to love us forever.
VBS is always a highlight to our children and youth
ministries here at St. Andrew. The adventure will
begin on Sunday evening, June 7 with a potluck
supper and activities from 5:00-7:30 p.m. The
week will continue Monday through Thursday from
9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon. We will close the week of
VBS on Thursday evening, June 11 with a dinner
and celebration from 6:00-7:30 p.m.
To provide an awesome VBS experience for the
children, we need many caring volunteers. The faith
formation committee is asking you to prayerfully
consider how you can serve this year with VBS. If
you have any questions, please contact Sandy
Vollmer at [email protected].
VBS REGISTRATION
BEGINS ON APRIL 26
Be sure to register your children for EVEREST,
vacation Bible school. Registration is open to
children ages 3 through 5th grade. Please fill out
the registration flyer or go online at
https://www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/saintandrewchurch
If you register using the paper format, please return
it to our director for youth and children' ministries,
Sandy Vollmer. This registration is also open to all
volunteers. Thanks!
AFFIRM 2015
WE WANT YOU TO GO TO AFFIRM!
June 14 - 19 at Berry College
Affirm is an AWESOME youth leadership week for
those who have completed the 7th through 12th
grades. Affirm will be held on the Berry College
campus in Rome, GA again this year. The cost for
the week of camp remains the same at $375.00 and
includes lodging, meals, t-shirt, and all program
costs. Please don't let the cost of camp keep your
child from attending this wonderful week of worship,
service, fellowship and faith formation. Applications
can be filled out online at http://www.sesyouth.org/
It is not too late to register, please contact Sandy
Vollmer with any questions.
CONFIRMATION CAMP - LUTHEROCK
July 5 - 11, 2015
Health forms are due to Novus Way ministries no
later than May 1. Please get them to Sandy
Vollmer by April 22 so that they will be mailed
together. Final Payment is due by May 15. This
can be made online at the web site listed, or with a
check made out to Novus Way Ministries in the
amount of $290.00. You can mail this directly to
them with your medical form, or get to Sandy by the
April 22 to mail with the group. Please contact,
Sandy Vollmer with questions, or go to Novusway at
http://www.novusway.com/our-programs/summer-ca
mp/campfirmation/.
RISE UP T OGETHER - 2015 ELCA
NATIONAL YOUTH
Please continue to pray for our group of 14 as we
prepare for this summers gathering. St. Andrew will
send two adults and nine youth to the gathering in
Detroit, MI this summer on July 15 - 19. We have
registered with a group from Faith Lutheran church
in Lebanon, TN. Our two groups will join as one for
the gathering. We will all meet on Sunday, April 12
at 12:30 p.m. to get to know each other, enjoy
fellowship, a meal, and discuss final details. It is
important that if you are going to the gathering that
you attend this meeting on April 12! If you have
questions, please contact Sandy Vollmer,
[email protected]
UPCOMING YOUTH EVENTS
ALL YOUTH ARE INVITED TO JOIN US!
• Good Friday, April 3 - Stations of the Cross at 10:00
a.m.
• Saturday, April 4 - STAKK Annual Family Easter Egg
Hunt and Picnic 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the
Vollmer home. STAKK arrive at 10:30 a.m. for set up.
Clean up at 1:00. Bring a bag of candy and a dish to
share.
• Sunday, April 5 - EASTER, Youth Easter Breakfast
at 9:00 a.m. Donations are needed; list is on
volunteer spot.
• Sunday, April 12 - National Youth Gathering meeting
at St. Andrew 12:30 p.m.
• Sunday, April 26 - SLY 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Page -15-
FAITH FORMATION AT ST. ANDREW
SUNDAY SCHOOL
FOR CHILDREN, Y OUTH
& ADULTS
at 9:50 a.m
**Every Sunday!
**Please note there is NO Sunday School on
Easter Sunday so that you may enjoy the
Easter Breakfast hosted by the Youth!
Wednesday Women’s Bible Study
All women of St. Andrew Church, friends and
neighbors are invited to join us as we return to our
study, “The Gospel of Luke” by Max Lucado.
Please join us in the Fellowship Hall every
Wednesday morning from 10-11:30 a.m., as we
discuss how Luke’s age-old gospel affects our
modern lives. Contact us in advance if a sitter for
preschoolers or other specific needs are required.
For more information, contact Sue Hartman at 615224-9876 or email at [email protected].
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES
Youth are needed to help serve;
please contact Sandy Vollmer.
MANY THANKS TO:
i All who made donations to our Graceworks fuel
bag service project. Your food and monetary
donations are a blessing to children in our
community who may not have enough food at
times. Graceworks thanks you for your
generosity.
i All our volunteers who help with the youth and
children's ministries here at St. Andrew. To all of
our Sunday school teachers, helpers and
volunteers. Our faith formation program would
not be the same without you all.
i Our parents for helping with our youth ministries.
i Beth for your help with STAKK and planning the
Easter egg hunt.
i Melissa and Allison for your leadership and
beginning the planning for Vacation Bible School,
Everest.
i All the parents who helped with the family Easter
egg hunt, and also to our parents for helping with
transportation too and from youth activities.
i James and Stacey for your help with SLY.
i Joni and Tim Donegan for your leadership and
skills in the kitchen and helping with the Easter
breakfast.
Monday Evening Bible Study
The Monday night study continues on Mondays at
7:00 p.m. with Vicar Museus. The focus is “Dealing
with the Hard Stuff,” from gruesome battles to
harsh judgments to “antiquated” laws. All are
welcome to join in the study! Please note there is
NO Bible study on March 30 during Holy Week
or the Monday following Easter, on April 6.
Studies of the Sunday Lectionary
This adult class meets at 10:00 a.m. in Pearson Hall
and studies the scripture readings appointed for the
Sunday. Bring your coffee and join the pastor.
Inquirer/Newcomers Class
If you are new to our church and would like to know
more about St. Andrew Lutheran Church or the
Inquirer/Newcomers class, please speak to Pastor
Pearson any Sunday morning.
Companions in Christ (CIC)
Companions in Christ (CIC) meets in the classroom
off the fellowship hall (Room 124) at 9:50 a.m. Grab
a cup of coffee and bring a friend. We love new
faces! We study a variety of books and subjects.
Discussion is always lively and easy to join in if you
are unable to attend on a regular basis.
Active Parenting Class
The Sunday morning parenting class continues to
meet on the first and third Sundays of the month.
Meet at 9:50 a.m. in room 126/127 in the fellowship
hall (by the kitchen) to discuss current topics. New
parents are always welcome! For questions about
the group, please contact Matt & Melissa Coleman
at [email protected].
Page -16-
Please Remember in Your
Prayers
FOR HEALTH & HEALING
Mary Smith
Sandie Belcher
Liz Combiths
Art Lebahn
Robert Belcher
Connie Pearson
Julie Anderson
Sarah Lewis
Pat Patterson
Raleigh Fisher
Margaret Lorenzini Marjorie Dietsch
Judith Anderson
AnnMarie Eltoft
Jeanette Higbe
Sandy & Greg Bennett
Jackson Coleman
The Catron family
Morgan Grunwald, friend of Anna Kate Quinn
Emily Mecchi, friend of Anna Kate Quinn
The Deckerd, Galliher & Cockerham families
Delores Johnson, cousin of Susie Miller
Christine Wilson, friend of Marilyn Kruse
Ted Schreiber & family, nephew of Al & Marty Dieterle
J.R. Tully, grandfather of Jim Tully
Collin Swanson, friend of Jackie Walters
Dot Raines, friend of Mary Smith & AARP group
Kelly Longhini, friend of Lori Kariott
Byron Solomon & family, friend of the Kariotts
Emily Layton, friend of Marilyn Kruse
Loretta Gerhardt, mother of Sherre Wicks
Jill, daughter of Dale & Carole Strubbe
Travis Scott, nephew of Jim & Pat Pitt
Pastor Joe Nilsen & family
The Clark & Oakley families
The Hunt & Hernandez families
Sean McGuire, friend of Laura Rogers
Pastor David Hood, husband of Jo Hood
Cornel Jurca, brother-in-law of Mary & Don Smith
Martha Lindsey, friend of the Cockerhams
Daniel Elsbury, nephew of the Chamberlains
Bob Bohnke, brother of Bonnie Sersland
Bruce Gaylord, nephew of Carl & Ann Moeck
Dolores Bateman, sister of Libbie Quinn
Brian Currie, brother-in-law of the Chamberlains
Paulette Naron, Peggy Chance, Sara Anderson, friends of
Elizabeth Short
The Knaff & Minton families, friends of the Higbes
Jack Davidson, friend of Ken & Bonnie Sersland
Karen Larsen & family, friends of Judy Mowery
Amy & Ken Laderoute, friends of Judy Mowery
The Boike & Mansouri families
The Maxedon & Miller families
Keely Underhill, wife of co-worker of Karen Bonifacius
Brita, daughter of Jeff & Tina Hill
Katie Bullington, friend of Suzanne Berrey
John Hays, friend of Marilyn Kruse
Jim Clark, father of Heidi Michel
The Moser & Wilburn families
Krisha Newport, relative of Kayla Smith
David Henderson, father of Renee Brown
Rich Dries, former colleague of Shirley Swan
Lindsay Schilling & family, friends of Cindy & Frank Hale
Erma, cousin of Jeanette Higbe
Liam Daniel Baumann, nephew of Juli-Kay Baumann
Tatsuo & Hideko Abe, friends of Suzanne Berrey
David Eyer, friend of Eric & Connie Pearson
Janelle Owens, mother of Libbie Quinn
The Grills family, friends of the Hunt family
Wayne Masters, friend of St. Andrew
Gwen Hampton, sister of Jeanne Parr
Michael Paul Lewis-Cooper, nephew of Cathy Miller
Harold Squires, father of Sandy Bennett
Gerry Melendy, friend of Jennifer & Aaron Walton
John Allen Hundt, son of Vic & Susan Hundt
Gloria Ladnier, mother of Morgan Gordy
Matt Capell, cousin of Connie Pearson
Carolyn Galegor, friend of Ken Cockerham
Janice Williams, friend of the Blanchards
Cody Brown, great-nephew of the Richardsons
Matthew Hodge & family, friends of the Vollmers
Dianne McClendon & family
John Rogers & familly, friends of Ken Cockerham
Steve Reckard, brother of Julie Anderson
David Downey, cousin of Lisa Blanchard
Mary Brogan, friend of Connie Pearson
Brita Besnard, mother of Tina Hill
OTHER:
Bishop H. Julian Gordy, Pastor Morgan & family
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton
Area ELCA congregations & those in transition; Holy Trinity
Mission Partner - Peace Lutheran Church in Springhill
The Trinity/HOPE Feeding Program & the people of Haiti
St. Andrew Building Debt Reduction
Pastor Palmer Clemmer
Those unemployed, under-employed, or seeking jobs
For countries in turmoil
Peace in the Middle East
For communities to mend from violence and for peace
For communities and countries suffering from natural disasters
For those suffering from domestic violence
For caregivers who care for loved ones
For service men & women who defend our country & their
families who have lost loved ones
For those battling depression & mental illness
For those contemplating surgery
Mistreated, abandoned & homeless animals
IN MEMORIAM:
Doris Catron, member of St. Andrew
Evelyn Nilson, friend of Judy Mowery
Howard Johnson, friend of Mike & Jolene Richardson
Etta Galliher Deckerd, aunt of Ken Cockerham
Pauline Parr, mother-in-law of Jeanne Parr
REMEMBER THOSE DEPLOYED
FOR MILITARY SERVICE:
If you know of someone who is in the military or has been
deployed for duty, please let the church office know so that
we can list them in prayers.
Jay Tully, son of Jim & Becky Tully
Andy Richardson, nephew of Mike & Jolene Richardson
Jacob Moxley, great nephew of Jim & Pat Pitt
Michael Chamberlain, son of Cheryl & Chris Chamberlain
William Lehmann, nephew of Diane & Art DeVooght
Joey Ladnier, nephew of Morgan Gordy
Jeffrey P. Hill, son of Jeff & Tina Hill
Nick Smith, son-in-law of Jeff & Tina Hill
Tony Wirth, cousin of Dana Nethercutt
Matt Parr, grandson of Jeanne Parr
Matthew Rutter, nephew of Kirk Rutter
**Please note that all names will be removed after two
months on the prayer list. If you would like for
someone to remain on the prayer list indefinitely,
please let us know.
Page -17-
Congratulations!
April Birthdays
April 1
Anthony Gutierrez
April 26
Vic Hundt
Patty Norem
April 3
CeCe McClellan
April 4
Maxwell Chapman
April 5
Sarah Hains
April 6
Evelyn Brackebusch
April 8
Alexandria Massie
Bernie Anderson
Jim Curtis
April 27
Lindsey Brown
April 28
Randy Miller
April 29
Samuel Elkins
April 30
Claire Moseley
Bill Robinson
Clayton Robertson
April Anniversaries
April 9
Kirk Rutter
April 1
Dave & Debbie Thomas
April 10
Alec Moseley
April 6
Kirk & Julie Bednar
Corissa Wiest
Ken & Kate Cockerham
April 11
Nathan Quinn
April 7
Mike & Susan Pavlos
April 14
Joey Chiasson
April 8
Roger & Ethel Meyerhoff
Nick Cockerham
April 9
Gary & Natalie Markey
Bill Luetzow
April 17
Matt & Regina Cottingham
Adam McGee
April 25
Keith & Linda Wolfgram
April 15
Ryan Bednar
April 26
Frank & Patricia Baugh
April 17
Elaine Moore
April 28
Karl & Stacy Klug
April 19
Anne Fottrell
April 29
Lee & Pat Harms
Jeff Hill
Frank Thomas
April 20
Tiffany Alday
April 21
Juliet Hahn
Eleanor Rodriguez
April 22
Amanda Norem
Chloe Stiles
Jayme Trocino
April 23
Guy Boye
Wanda Jasper
Natalie Walton
April 24
Sheri Durr
Marilyn Kruse
April 25
Anneliese Medina
**If we have inadvertently left your name off the
birthday or anniversary list, we apologize.
Please write on the back of a yellow pew card the
date and year of your special event, place it in
the offering plate and we will correct the
information in our data base. Thanks!
Page -18-
FROM STEWARDSHIP
“Pay it Forward”
How many of you saw the movie “Pay It Forward”
that came out in 2000. It had Kevin Spacey, Helen
Hunt and a boy, Haley Joel Osment. Kevin Spacey,
a social studies teacher, challenged his classes to
come up with a way to directly change the world.
Haley Joel Osment was the student who came up
with the idea that instead of paying someone back,
after they did something good, you would “pay it
forward” to three people, and then they would pay it
forward to three people and so on. Have you ever
been at Starbucks when the person in front of you
says that they will pay for your latte? Have you ever
given someone bus money so that they could get
home from work and you tell them to help someone
else out some day?
Stewardship is the “Pay it Forward” committee. I
read the following passage from The Message
translation of the Bible and thought God is telling me
to “pay it forward.” “This most generous God who
gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for
your meals is more than extravagant with you. He
gives you something you can then give away, which
grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy
in every way, so that you can be generous in every
way, producing with us great praise to God.” 2
Corinthians 9:10-11
The Bible says that our generous God gives us
something that we can give away or pay forward.
God doesn’t need little old us to pay Him back. All
of heaven would be laughing. The only thing that I
could think of is our time, talent, and treasures!
Those we can give away or “pay it forward.” WOW!!
To me, time and talent go together. You can’t give
away talent without expending the time. If you want
to pay forward your talent of carpentry, you can only
do that by taking the time to work on a project like
Habitat for Humanity, or building mailboxes for the
church. Can you cook? Can you knit? Can you
paint? Can you sing? Can you usher? Can you
hold someone’s hand? They all tell others about
Jesus and impact lives by paying forward with your
time and talents. 1 Chronicles 29:14b from The
Message says “Everything comes from You; all
we’re doing is giving back what we’ve been given
from Your generous hand.” This is the heart of
paying it forward!
Doesn’t just the thought of paying forward the
talents that God had given us make you feel good?
It does me!
Do we ask for your treasures? Yes. Again, God has
given us the ability to earn a living. Did He pay for
our education? Yes, in a way He did. Our taxes go
to pay for the school system. Remember the pay it
forward theory? Did your parents pay to send you to
college? Did you get scholarships from generous
people? Did you work your way through? Where did
you get the talent to do your job and make an
income? Don’t make the angels laugh with your
answer…God gave you the ability and someone
offered you a job.
St. Andrew participates in paying it forward as we
share our gifts locally and globally. We are part of
the ELCA and the Southeastern Synod, which
includes Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and
Mississippi. We pay it forward by sending donations
to support many ministries, including missionary
support, feeding programs, disaster recovery
programs, and mission church support, to name just
a few.
You know, I think I am going to rent that movie
again. How about you? And I promise if you are
ever behind me at Starbuck’s, I will buy your latte or
your macchiato and throw in a chocolate caramel
muffin (yum).
The Lord be with you,
Wanda Jasper
MEMORIALS & TRIBUTES
Congratulations are in order to each and every one
who made a contribution to the Stained Glass
campaign through the Memorials and Tributes at St.
Andrew Church. We are proud to announce that you
have successfully completed the full funding of all the
stained glass windows in the nave! We know your
diligence and generosity will be enjoyed by all the
future generations who will worship in this space.
As with all family houses, the church family is no
different. As one project is completed - another
takes its place. There are two current areas of need
for our church home: one is for new green paraments
for the altar and the other is for two additional sets of
bells for the Hand Bell Ministry. If you are looking for
a way to honor or memorialize a loved one, please
consider a contribution to either of these needs.
Memorials & Tributes Given Last Month:
To Bell Chimes to the Glory of God by:
Ryan & Sheri Meyerhoff
Pam Butler
Roger & Ethel Meyerhoff
Nick and Amy Hafner
In memory of Bobbie Torrence, to the paraments
by Eric & Connie Pearson
In memory of Mary Lancsek, sister of Helen
Thoma, to the Meditation Garden
Page -19St. Andrew Lutheran Church
Designated Funds
January 1 to February 28, 2015
Designated Fund
Benevolence:
Disaster Relief
World Hunger
Memorials - General
Columbarium
Meditation Garden
Onward
Youth Fund
Wedding Deposits
Total Designated Funds
Beg Balance
Financial Update
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
Surplus (Deficit)
Mortgages
$
Deposits
Payments
159.00
56,278.69
562.00
11,165.92
8,000.00
3,015.19
26.00
8,544.20
9,721.16
11,768.91
10.00
2,910.00
1,250.00
93,682.91 $ 19,728.16
FEB. Budget
FEB. Actual
68,315
55,116
67,200
77,833
1,115
(22,717)
End Balance
159.00
41,633.00
15,000.00
$ 56,792.00
YTD Budget
136,631
137,256
1(625)
$
15,207.92
19,165.92
3,041.19
3,265.36
11,778.91
4,160.00
56,619.07
YTD Actual
120,540
137,257
(16,717)
Beg Balance
Principle
End Balance
Payments
2,556,275.19
23,931.83
2,532,343.36
Mortgage #1
Cash Balances
Checking
158,125.87
Savings
156,732.80
ASK, AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
We Christians frequently remind ourselves and one
another to recognize God’s endless blessings, and to
share God’s bounty with those that may be in
need. One needn’t look far to see the Creator’s
blessings and to understand that life itself is a gift
from God. I wonder how often we stop to consider
the impact of sharing our gifts on the lives of others.
In our Finance Committee meeting last week, it was
suggested that it would be very meaningful to receive
some feedback from time to time regarding the
impact of our giving on the lives of our neighbors. So
here goes in what I believe will become a recurring
article in our newsletter. I’m calling it “Ask, and you
shall receive.”
I. The recent Southeastern Synod Special Appeal,
“We Are Church Together,” netted $10,970, in giving
through St. Andrew. This amount only includes what
was collected at church. Some members gave
directly, as well. These monies are being used for
ELCA mission support and for Southeastern Synod
ministries. Thank you!
II. Emergency Funding to Graceworks for the
Lucerno family - $10,365. The Lucernos, a family of
6, recently lost their home and everything in it to fire.
Your gifts helped ensure they have another mobile
home in which to live: shelter and warmth for a family
of six in need. Thank you.
Both of these have been additional gifts since
December. In addition, many other ministries have
been supported with monetary donations this year
already, including: Lutheran Services of Tennessee,
Christ Kwishili Lutheran Church, Fuel Bags, Buck-aChick, Souper Bowl Sunday (Graceworks), and
World Hunger!
WOW….what blessings! Thank you, people of St.
Andrew Lutheran Church.
In His service +
Ken Cockerham
ST. ANDREW LUTHERAN CHURCH
908 Murfreesboro Road
Franklin, Tennessee 37064
(615) 794-1624
www.saintandrewchurch.com
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FRANKLIN, TN
PERMIT NO 120
RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD
Easter Day ~ April 5, 2015
Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!