St. Andrew Presbyterian Church www.standrewpresbyterian.org

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301-223-8887

NOVEMBER 2016

Rooted in Love, Grounded in Grace, Growing for God Dear Friends, As we approach Thanksgiving, it has been a unique year for St. Andrew. We have completed our plans for the new fellowship hall, and are in the process of it being built. We have had to say good-bye by death to some long time members, and some who died unexpectedly. We have been blessed by new members who add to the vitality of St. Andrew. Some have moved away, and are in ministry in other places in our country. We have had a number of baptisms this year, as well. There have been members who have lost jobs and lost homes. In the middle of this mix of emotions, we need to remember that God is still God, that His promises are still true—”Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9). Jesus affirmed this thought when He shared on the mountain top—“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20). As we approach Thanksgiving, may we live in the presence of God in such a way that we can embrace the depth of faith that allows us to say, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” This means that we thank God for all of those items that happen in our lives. There is power in the ability to see that God is in control, even when our lives are out of control. Two scriptures that would help in terms of memorization so that we can be grateful even in times of trial are: James 1:2—“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” And I Thessalonians 5:16-18—“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” It is in our giving that we are freed from the ties of this world and unite ourselves with the eternity of the Savior. When we do this, then we will show the world that here we are grounded in grace, living in love, and growing for God. In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Mark

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Youth Group The Youth Group will meet each of the Sundays in November, except November 20. The Lock-In will be from 9:00 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. November 18-19, at St. Andrew. Please bring a signed permission slip, a two liter of soda, and a snack to share.

Presbyterian Men The Presbyterian Men will hold its regular meeting at Hagerstown Family Diner at 6:30 p.m., on November 15. Come and take some time to enjoy the fellowship of other men, and also share in a Bible Study. Please sign up if attending.

Presbyterian Women The Coordinating Team will meet on Tuesday, November 8, at 9:00 a.m. The Presbyterian Women’s Circles meet the second Tuesday of the month (this month, November 8). The Morning Circle begins at 10:00 a.m., and the Evening Circle meets at 7:00 p.m. All are welcome. This year’s Bible Study explores the question, “Who is Jesus?” through a particular theological lens. We continue to collect non-perishable items for Holly Place. Blessing Bags may be returned to Fran Quinn or Mary Beth Alphin.

Supper Club Our monthly Supper Club will meet at Western Sizzlin on Tuesday, November 29, at 5:30 p.m. Please join us as we have a wonderful meal and time of fellowship with our church family. There is a sign-up sheet in the parlor if you plan on attending.

Book Club

Our evening book club will be meeting on Tuesday, November 1, 7:00 p.m., in the Legacy Room. We will be discussing Let My Life Speak, by Parker Palmer. Come and join us, even if you didn’t get a chance to read this book. The daytime book club will meet at Panera Bread on Monday, November 21, 1:30 p.m., at Panera Bread. We will be discussing the book, Flee the Night, by Susan May Warren.

Fall Bible Study

Pastor Mark’s Bible Study will finish on Thursday, November 10, at 7:00 p.m. The topic is the names and titles of Jesus as found in the Old and New Testament. Come and enjoy the last couple weeks of this informative study.

Operation Heal Our Patriots

We will be taking an offering for Operation Heal Our Patriots on November 6. This ministry, run by Franklin Graham’s organization, gives wounded veterans and their spouses the opportunity for spiritual refreshment, physical renewal, and marriage enrichment. Couples participate in Biblically based seminars that help strengthen their relationship with God and others, and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation with outdoor activities at our Alaskan wilderness lodge. We continue to support these men and women after their initial stay, keeping their spiritual needs and marriages a priority.

End of Daylight Savings Time Remember to set your clocks back one hour before going to bed on Saturday, November 5. Enjoy that extra hour of sleep.

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for i s t

our i a n

Recuperating at Home Roger Johnson Larry Roth Kay Tuttle In the Nursing Home Hilltop Mary Brown Homewood Harriet Ankeney Lucy Karn Kathryn Latimer Military Michael Biza

Great Nephew of Janet Bulow

Charles Bryhan

Son-In-Law of Mark & Virginia Wolcott

Andrew Layton

Son of David & Norma Layton

Andrew Likely

Son of Tom & Kelly Likely

Shawn Likely

Son of Tom & Kelly Likely

Grant Long

Son of Dave & Karen Sue Long

Jay Pike

Son of Mary Pike

Erica Sagal

Daughter of Mike & Tiffany Sagal

Matt Stemper

Son of Doug & June Stemper

Missionaries Rev. Jed & Jenny Koball Pakistani Church Church Officials Rev. Heath Rada

Thanksgiving Dinner

The annual Thanksgiving Dinner will be November 20, after the second service. Please come and enjoy fellowship with other church members. We will serve both upstairs and downstairs. Please sign up if you will be attending.

Praise and Worship Service The Williamsport Ministerium is hosting a praise and worship service on Sunday, November 20, at St. James Brethren Church. We will thank God for all of His blessings this past year, as well as enjoy some great music. The service begins at 4:00 p.m., and will be over by 5:30 p.m. This will take the place of the Thanksgiving Eve Service.

Living Nativity Living Nativity is right around the corner. We will be setting up the scenery on Saturday, November 19, 8:00 a.m. Breakfast will be served. Come and join us. Remember that many hands make light work and a shorter work day.

Bell Ringers Please mark your calendars for December 10, anytime between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. The Salvation Army Bell Ringer will be posted at the inside entrance to Sears at the Valley Mall. This is where you can represent St. Andrew as a Salvation Army Bell Ringer. The sign-up sheet will be in the office or on the information table. If you have any questions, please contact Debbie McCauley or Pastor Sandell.

2017 Pledges If you have not yet done so, please turn in your Time and Talent sheet and your pledge card for 2017. We are working on next year’s budget, and it helps when we have an idea of what kind of income we can expect. Our goal for received pledges is 100. Last year we made it to 87. Let’s reach our goal while helping the Administrative Committee create the 2017 budget. Your pledging is kept completely confidential.

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Pastor Appreciation Word Search—Abraham and Esther Congratulations to those who successfully completed October’s word search. Please place your completed paper in the box in the parlor by November 15. Make sure your name is on your paper. Connection to Mark and Annette:  Abraham is known as a man of faith who faithfully followed the Lord’s leading. Mark is known throughout the community as a man of faith who, like Abraham, follows the Lord’s leading.  Esther is remembered for taking action, based on her faith, which eventually led to the Jewish people being saved from slaughter. Today, the Jewish holiday of Purim celebrates the fact that Esther was willing to sacrifice her royal position for the benefit of her people. Here at St. Andrew, we celebrate the fact that Annette regularly makes sacrifices of her time in order to benefit her people, our church.

Eric Arvidson Helen Gerberich Jean Harr Gloria & Don Hays Debbie Kinzer

Helen Krouse Debbie McCauley Jen Metz Elaine Myers

Margie Reed Patty Rutledge Phyllis Schleigh LaVerne Weller Frances Wolford ABRAHAM ANNETTE BANQUET CANAAN COVENANT COURAGEOUS DELIVERANCE ESTHER FAITHFUL FOLLOWS GOD’S LEADING FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS FOUNDING FATHER ISAAC KING XERXES SACRIFICES FOR OTHERS MARK MORDECAI OBEDIENT PATRIARCH PERSIA PRAY PURIM RESPECTED ROYAL POSITION SHEPHERD SACRIFICE SARAH SARAI WISDOM

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Friday Club

Friday Club will meet on November 18, at noon. Our program will be “Bead Science”. Come join us for an enjoyable program. We’ll look at ways mathematics, biology, and other branches of the sciences have influenced bead artists and beadwork. Please bring a covered dish to share.

Church Women United Church Women United of Washington County will hold their World Community Day Luncheon on November 4, 2016, 12:00 noon, at Zion Baptist Church, 61 W. Bethel Street, Hagerstown. The cost is $8.00. The deadline to let Debbie McCauley know if you would like to attend is October 31.

Shirt Sale We are selling golf shirts with the church’s name on them, and t-shirts and long sleeve shirts with the church’s insignia on them. Available colors for the shirts are: red, pink, black, and blue. If interested, please sign up on the sheet in the parlor.

St. Andrew Travel Group The National Christian Choir will be performing at a Frederick area church on December 3. The cost is $40 for the concert and the bus. We will leave St. Andrew at 2:45 p.m. After the concert, we will stop at Dutch’s Daughter Restaurant. Dinner will be on your own. For more details, contact Barbara Smith at 301-992-6045.

Opportunities to Give At St. Andrew, we have a few different accounts where you can give above and beyond your tithe to help with the ministry of the church. Here are the variety of accounts (in no particular order). Capital Campaign: Giving to this fund continues the process of saving money for the expansion of our existing building. You can give to this through the Administrative Committee, marking your regular weekly envelopes, or by using the offering envelopes in the pew and designating the envelope as “Building Expansion fund”. Food Bank: Every second Sunday of the month, we take a Food Bank offering to help with the ministry to the working poor through the Food Bank. Scholarship Fund: We have a fund set up to help our youth to attend Presbyterian, Synod, and General Assembly gatherings (this includes summer camp). You can give to this fund through the Christian Education Committee and one can apply for this money from this fund through the Christian Education Committee. A person can apply for up to $100 through this fund each year. Marie Price College Scholarship Fund: This fund was created as a memorial to Marie Price who was the wife of Norman Price, the pastor at St. Andrew for almost thirty years. This fund is to assist our college students with their expenses. Each college student can apply to receive a $100 scholarship. Application is made through the Witness and Mission Committee.

Coffee Hour

Parishes 4 and 11 will co-host the November 13 coffee hour. Please stop by and enjoy some fellowship and refreshments from 9:30—10:45 a.m.

Treasurer’s Report Balance 09/01/16 Receipts Disbursements

$45,657.11 23,761.30 25,953.97

Balance 09/30/16

$43,464.44

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Sunday School Corner Perfect Attendance for September Toddler Class Sutton Risley

Pre-K Class Gavin Babb

Kindergarten/1st Grade Abby Boppe Natalie Farioli Brody Hemphill Lauren Scumpieru

2nd/3rd Grade Allie Babb Logan Farioli Jeremy Hemphill

4th/5th Grade Emmy Paul

6th-8th Grade Claude Paul Lucas Scumpieru

Teen Class Jeffrey Andrews Kaely Long Sunday School Snippets Toddler Class: The Toddler Class is learning about blessings. Pre-K Class: Congratulations to the following students: Gavin Babb, Colton McKinley, Maggie Wise, and Norah Wise. These students were able to recite their Bible verse, “He cares for you”, I Peter 5:7. Thank you, Gavin, for saying the blessing before our snack. Kindergarten/1st Grade: Congratulations to Abby Boppe, Brody Hemphill, and Lauren Scumpieru, who memorized their Scripture for the month, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” I John 3:16. Joseph, Natalie, and Abby have all been active participants in class. Lauren completed work at home to be an active disciple. 2nd/3rd Grade: Congratulations to Jeremy Hemphill and Will McKinley, who memorized John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” The class is studying the time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. They have discussed the various plagues and hardships. Most recently, they studied the parting of the Red Sea, and how God guided their escape. 4th/5th Grade: Congratulations to Emmy Paul for being able to recite her memory verse, “The Lord said, ’I will help you speak and will teach you what to say’.”, Exodus 4:12. The students are studying Moses’ life and journey with God. One theme is trusting God to provide for us, to love us, and to never leave us. A second theme is that God is all powerful, and in control of all things. We can trust God, even in the tough situations. 6th-8th Grade: The 6th-8th grade students are learning about the adventures and teachings of Moses. They are also memorizing the Ten Commandments. Teen Class: Congratulations to Jeffrey Andrews for finding a specific passage in the Bible he was assigned to find, and sharing it with the class. The teens use The Blueprint, a Christian magazine for teens. The Bible is God’s blueprint for our lives. Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which our lives are built on. Join the teen class as they explore how God makes a difference in their lives, and how He wants us to make a difference in the world.

page 7 Sunday School is the foundation for our faith. We have classes for all ages. It is never too late to join a class. If you haven’t joined one yet, we’d love to have you join us. We have two adult classes. There is an in depth study of the Bible, taught by Pastor Mark and Hank Hemphill, in the Legacy Room. The other adult class meets in the library, and is an interactive discussion on a book the class has chosen. They are currently studying Glory Days, by Max Lucado. If you have any questions, please see Mark or Annette Sandell.

Christmas Bazaar Bazaar time is here! The Presbyterian Women (with help from many others!) have been working feverishly to get things ready for our BIG EVENT. We are trying something a little different this year, and having a two day sale. Our hours this year will be: Friday night, November 11 6:00—8:00 p.m. Saturday, November 12 8:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m. We hope you will come out and do some Christmas shopping with us. Not only will you find some top quality gift items, and an amazing variety of handmade pieces, but you’ll be able to find some special bargains in our Thrift Shop. Don’t forget that on Saturday, both breakfast and lunch will be available for purchase. Special thanks to all who have worked so hard over the last several months in preparation for the Big Event. We have accomplished so much together, and have certainly had a good time in the process. Hope to see you all on Friday the 11th and/or Saturday the 12th. Merry Christmas!

The Christmas Experience at Antietam Recreation We will be going as a group to the Christmas Show at Antietam Recreation on Friday, November 25. What a great way to start celebrating the Christmas season, and only one month away. Come at 6:00 p.m. to experience all the pre-dinner activities such as viewing the animal stable and live Nativity, getting your Christmas photo, going on a hayride, roasting marshmallows, going on a horse ride, etc. Then enjoy a delicious meal of beef brisket and chicken tenders, green beans, roasted potatoes, broccoli cheddar soup, cornbread, and chocolate brownie and ice cream. After dinner, you will be treated to a wonderful Christmas show with thousands of lights, picturesque decorations, and award winning vocalists and dancers. This show is the perfect way to celebrate the Christmas season with family and friends. There is a sign-up sheet in the parlor. Please sign up and have your payment in by November 6 at the latest. Please write your check out to St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. There are payment envelopes for you to place your check in. Then place your payment envelope in the larger manila envelope above the sign-up table. Thank you.

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St. Andrew Library

November is a time of giving thanks. We are thankful for recent donations that include several sets of mystery books. Lilian Jackson Braun is the author of many light-hearted series of The Cat Who… mystery novels, which center around the life of a former newspaper reporter, James Qwilleran, and his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum. The Cat Who Went Into the Closet takes place over Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Another recent addition includes books from Annie’s Quilted Mysteries series by Jan Fields. A Patchwork Murder is the first book in the series. Owners of a fabric shop piece together new clues found in an old quilt to help solve a mystery surrounding the death of a friend. We thank God for the ability to read. Enjoy reading books from our library.

Helping Hands Helping Hands will meet on Thursday, November 3 and 17, at 10:00 a.m. Please bring a sandwich for lunch. Drinks and dessert will be provided.

Sandwich Sale The Youth will be selling sandwiches on November 6. The order forms are in the back of the sanctuary. Pick one up before leaving today, and place your order. Please put the completed form in the offering plate or on the secretary’s desk.

Grocery Cards

Prepaid gift cards for Food Lion, Martin’s, and Weis Market are available after both services, in the Legacy Room. They come in $25, $50, and $100 denominations. Proceeds go to the building fund. Martin’s has special Christmas Gift Cards, and we can order them in $5 increments. If you would like to purchase gift cards in amounts other than $25, $50, or $100, please tell the individual at the gift card table in the hall before November.

Correspondence Bulletin Board

There are cards on the bulletin board in the hallway for correspondence to our away college students and military personnel. Each card is ready to go—except for a personal message from you! Let them know they are in our prayers. Pick up a card and encourage someone away from home.

Food Bank Food Bank Sunday is the second Sunday of each month. Bring your nonperishable items and place them in the Food Bank box in the hallway, or place your monetary donations in an envelope marked “Food Bank” and place it in the offering plate.

See’s Candy We will be selling See’s Candy again. All orders and money must be in by November 6. The candy will be in before Thanksgiving. If you have any questions, please contact Jean Harr at 301-733-4970.

We welcome your input for this newsletter. Please place all submissions in the newsletter box in the church office, by the 15th of the month.

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Witness and Mission Committee

Jeremiah 17:10 says, “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” The Witness and Mission Committee seeks to show the heart and mind of St. Andrew to show the heart and mind of St. Andrew to those in our community. The Harvest Hoedown, despite being a drizzly day, went well. Our church raised $1800 from the scarecrow making area, and the event raised $8625 and collected 3500 lbs. of food for the Williamsport Food Bank. The next day, our youth group stocked the shelves at the food bank. Thank you to all who volunteered to make this year’s event a great success. This year’s Thanksgiving Offering, to be collected on November 20, will again go to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry. Hunters, farmers, and landowners donate deer, elk, and other livestock to participating butcher shops and meat lockers. The nutritious meal is picked up by soup kitchens, local ministries, food banks, and shelters, and fed to the hungry. The weekend after Thanksgiving, there will be a donation box in the parlor for children’s hats and gloves, as well as small toys. These donated items will be placed in the backpacks and given to underprivileged school children at Christmas time. If you wish to donate any of these items, please have them in by December 11.

Shoe Box Packing

The Presbyterian Women are sponsoring four different dates for church members who are interested in helping pack the Christmas shoe boxes at the Baltimore shipping facility. This involves checking for appropriate items, taping the boxes so they don’t open in shipping, packing the shoe boxes in large shipping boxes, and moving and marking the large boxes. Both men and women are encouraged to volunteer. It’s a wonderful experience, and there are jobs for wheelchair bound individuals, as well as those who need to sit to work. The dates and times are:  Tuesday, Nov. 29, 1—5 p.m.  Wednesday, Nov. 30, 10 a.m.—2 p.m.  Thursday, Dec. 1, 1—5 p.m.  Tuesday, Dec. 6, 5—10 p.m. We will leave approximately two hours before the scheduled time, and return about two hours after. Sign-up sheets are in the parlor. For more information, please contact Mary Beth Alphin.

Bonus Books

The Deacons are selling Bonus Books for the low price of $32 each. There are many area coupons for dining and entertainment that are buy one meal/ticket and get one free. These make perfect gifts for those “hard to buy for” people on your shopping list. There are some unsold coupons from the 2016 Family Fun and Bonus Books. Take what you will use before December 1. You may make a small donation if you want.

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Happy Anniversary!

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Jim & Mary Jo Pingley November 7

Bob & Sue Clise November 26

Dave & Ann Mason November 13

Bill & Tena Lane November 26

David & Cindy Armstrong November 23

Quentin & Ruby Roessner November 27

Mark Sandell Ruby Roessner Dominic Ross Dick Wilks Kathy McKinley Matthew Paul Ian McLane Carol Wilks Hadley Valentine Christian Harding Gwen Ross Laura Mosley Brian Bearese

15 16 16 16 17 18 20 23 25 25 25 28

Lilly Gross Jasin Coyle Susan Fearnow Ashley Likely Dave Long William Kuehl Emma Sandell Tracy McLane Linda Beere Sue MacKenzie Robbie Reed Art Brown

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5:00pm Young Adults 6:00pm Youth Group 6:00pm Overwhelmed Class

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7:00pm Session

28

7:00pm Book Club

Mark

5:30pm Supper Club at Western Sizzlin

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22

6:30pm Presbyterian Men @ Hagerstown Family Diner

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Bazaar

9:00am Coordinating Team 10:00am Circle 7:00pm Circle

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1

Tuesday

6:30pm Handbells 7:30pm Choir

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on

6:30pm Handbells 7:30pm Choir

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6:30pm Handbells 7:30pm Choir

Set

6:30pm Handbells 7:30pm Choir

6:30pm Handbells 7:30pm Choir

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9

2

Wednesday

Study

Thanksgiving Day Office Closed

24

10:00am Helping Hands

17

Up

7:00pm Bible Study

10

10:00am Helping Hands 7:00pm Bible Study

3

Thursday

Friday

6:00-8:00pm Craft Bazaar

Leave

Office Closed 6:00pm Antietam Recreation Holiday Show and Dinner

25

Youth

12:00pm Friday Club

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CWU World Community Day @ Zion Baptist

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PLACE CALENDAR ON THIS PAGE

Pastor

1:30pm Book Club 7:00pm Admin. Committee 7:00pm Deacons

6:30pm Christian Ed 7:00pm Committees

12:15pm Thanksgiving Lunch 5:00pm Young Adults 6:00pm Overwhelmed Class

14

Craft

Food Bank Sunday 9:30am Coffee Hour 5:00pm Young Adults 6:00pm Youth Group 6:00pm Overwhelmed Class

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Monday

13

5:00pm Young Adults 6:00pm Youth Group 6:00pm Overwhelmed Class

6

8:30am Worship 9:45am Sunday School 11:00am Worship

Sunday Services

Sunday

November 2016

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church

26

Lock-In

8:00am Living Nativity Set Up

19

8:00am-2:00pm Craft Bazaar 9:30am CWU Executive Council

12

Teachers’ Convention Parish Brunch Set Your Clocks Back Before Going to Bed

5 8:00am Sunday School

Saturday

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Happy Thanksgiving St. Andrew Presbyterian Church 10813 Donelson Drive Williamsport, Maryland 21795

DATED MATERIAL: November 2016