St Andrews Newsletter
March April
Passing of Robert Andrews and Mary V. Keinath
It is with great sadness that we announce that Bob Andrews passed away on Thursday, March 12. His service will be here at St. Andrew’s Saturday, April 18th at 2 pm. Additionally, Mary V. Keinath passed away on Thursday, March 19. Her service is tentatively scheduled for April 11.
A Good Friday Gift
Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe invites Episcopalians across the Church to support the Good Friday Offering, a long-standing expression of our shared commitment to ministries in the Holy Land. This annual offering sustains vital institutions, including schools, hospitals, and ministries of compassion that serve people of all faiths in a region marked by deep need and ongoing conflict. As we enter the solemn observance of Good Friday, we are invited to respond with prayer and generosity, bearing witness to Christ’s love in a place so central to our faith. You can read Presiding Bishop Rowe’s letter hear to learn more about how to give.
“Our Souls and Bodies” Introduction to Funeral and Estate Planning TOMORROW
You are welcome and invited to join Fr. Tom in the Great Hall tomorrow at 9 am to talk about funeral and estate planning as a way of decreasing the stress of family and friends at your passing and making your wishes known. We will likely end before 11 am. Please join us!
A Word from the Priest-in-Charge
As I write this, rain continues to fall in the Grays Harbor area even as our southern neighbors in California endure record heat. How we wish we could borrow a bit of that heat and sun! But, as March winds down and April approaches, spring will surely come! At the same time, Holy Week and Easter are right around the corner. We will be fielding a full schedule of Holy Week services, including Palm Sunday (with bagpipes!), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and, of course, Easter Day. I encourage all St. Andrew’s members to attend as many services that week as possible as a way of deepening your own spiritual walk by taking that one-week pilgrimage thought the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. We will try to make it worth your time and effort.
As we look towards spring and summer, we are also anticipating Rogation Sunday/Mother’s Day (May 10) and Pentecost on May 24. So, lots of liturgical festivals to go! We are also mulling over whether or not to move back to our 9 am summer schedule or simply keep our regular 10 am service time year-round. Feedback is welcome, through we’re leaning towards staying with 10 am for consistency’s sake.
Finally, as the sun increasingly makes an appearance, I’m asking anyone who is homebound or would otherwise like me to drop by for a visit to contact the church office or my cell phone and let me know. Since I arrived in October, weather has not been conducive to wandering about, so I haven’t even met some of you! Please let me know if you would like a visit and perhaps communion brought to you.
— Tom+
March Vestry Meeting Summary
The Vestry met for their regular meeting this past Wednesday, March 18 at 7 pm. We received Betty’s Treasurer’s Report with the note that nothing seemed amiss and that we were doing well in both income and expense categories. The Vestry authorized Betty to set up Electronic Funds Transfer (direct payment) for our quarterly property insurance payments to facilitate on time payments. Betty will still have to manually approve them each quarter.
The Vestry also gave approval to the suggestion that St. Andrew’s participate in the “Red, White, and Boom” city carnival on July 4, 2026. Fr. Tom’s wife Lisa suggested it and will coordinate a family-friendly activity booth and this will get our name a bit more out into the neighborhood. Expenses for the booth may be drawn from our newly-established Evangelism budget line-item.
Finally, the Vestry reviewed the three goals originally proposed during our February retreat, as follows:
Goal #1: Celebrate our musical gifts and connect to the community’s musical traditions.
Goal #2: Enhance invitation, welcoming, and connection of both new and current members.
Goal #3: Increase parish-wide engagement in outreach beyond the priest’s discretionary fund.
Congregational feedback is welcome, as we will be refining these and finalizing objectives for each in the coming weeks. These goals and objectives will be shared with the diocese and will be attached to the Priest-in-Charge’s Letter of Agreement as the Mutual Ministry Agreement which will be reviewed annually.
Stations of the Cross
On Friday, March 27th at 5:30 pm, we will be having Stations of the Cross, a devotional practice that traces the journey of Jesus from his condemnation to his burial, in the sanctuary.
All-Night Vigil
We will be having an all-night vigil from 7 pm on Maundy Thursday (April 2nd) to 7 am on Good Friday. A sign-up sheet is now available. Please speak to Barb Dyer if you have any questions.
Easter Flower Donations
The time is approaching for Easter flower donations. These can come in the form of money, or in providing lilies, tulips, or other spring flowering plants (primroses, pansies etc.). There are forms at the back of the church and on the bulletin board across from the kitchen and are due back Sunday, March 29th. Please talk to Suzanne Hierholzer about any questions.
At the Work Party
The best work party ever! Thank you to everyone who worked during a highly productive two hours
on February 28. Outside we picked up garbage, weeded, mowed, edged, washed windows, scrubbed porches, pressure washed ramps and sidewalks. Inside we cleaned and reorganized the kitchen, cleaned windows, cleaned carpet in the music room and Sunday School, and cleaned upholstery on dozens of chairs. Just as the work was finished the painters began a week-long project to paint Giles Hall, hallways, Parish Hall and G Street entry. The church sparkles! Thank you for sharing your time and energy.
PRAYER LISTS
The following is a list of people for whom our prayers are asked. For the sick, lonely, and suffering; for those who mourn, and for those who rejoice, and others:
JoAnne A, Mason A, the members of the AA and NA groups, Marsha, Sara, Dom Philip Bernard, Louise B, Ginger H, Mike A, Don & Judy M, Danny S, Maurice F Jr, Paul & Susie T, Dianne M, Muriel, Richard H, Pat M, Michael R, Debby M, Lorene H, Lisa N, Dennis D, Elaine P, Mike A, Cheyenne B, Don H, Barb S, Pat O, Dale O, Tom Q, Dot D, Nichole H, Angela B, Shelley C.
Those in current military service:
Andrew Roth, Breanne Gunther, Ian Gunther, Nicole Hyde, Jordan Bush, Josh Sindorf,
Madison Sylvester, Brandon Roeseler, Casey Sindorf, Gabriel Calderon.
Prayers for Israel, Gaza, and the Middle East:
Loving and liberating Creator, send your healing Spirit upon all involved in the current conflict and violence in the Middle East. Comfort those who mourn or who have been harmed by brutality. Stand with those who are fearful. Protect and provide for the powerless and the vulnerable. Inspire a spirit of forbearance and understanding within all and uphold those who even now work for a just and durable peace. In the name of Christ. Amen.
March
Anniversaries: Ray & Sue W, William & Marsha S
Birthdays: John K, Phil M, Ray W, Angela S, Kati B, Kristin B, Eva S, Bette W
April
Anniversaries: Ken & Keelee F, Tim & Jackie M
Birthdays: Jennifer C, Keelee F, Ann M, Dorothy A, Suzanne C, Doug Z, Dan S, Rob A, Maria B, Laurel S
Lent—Holy Week Schedule
- March 27th—5:30 pm Stations of the Cross
- March 29th—10 am Palm Sunday
- April 2nd—5:30 pm Maundy Thursday—Mass of the Last Supper and Foot Washing
- pm to 7 am—All-Night Vigil
- April 3rd—5:30 pm Good Friday—The Liturgy of Good Friday.
- April 4th—Decorating the church for Easter (morning)
7 pm Holy Saturday—The Great Vigil of Easter
- April 5th—10 am Easter Morning—The Holy Eucharist
Church Calendar
March
- March 21st—Our Souls and Bodies seminar from 9 am to noon
- March 25th—Evening prayer at 6:15 pm
- March 26th—Building and Grounds meeting at 9:30 am
- March 29th—Easter Flower Donation forms due in
April
- April 1st—Evening prayer at 6:15 pm
- April 4th—Decorating the church for Easter (morning)
- April 8th—Evening prayer at 6:15 pm