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Worship is something that families should experience together. Families spend most of their waking hours apart from one another - at work, at school, at daycare… At St. Andrew's, we've organized our worship so that families can be together, while still providing age-appropriate learning experiences. The children begin worship in the main service (except nursery care for under 3 years old). After we sing together, the children will hear a special sermon from the pastor and then process out of the main service and attend an age appropriate lesson using Group's Hands On Learning Bible Curriculum. They will return to the main service area at announcement time to join their family for our weekly communion service. We have a professionally staffed nursery for children under the age of three that is open throughout the worship service. Even with the nursery children, we make sure to bring them in at Communion time to receive a blessing. St. Andrew's Children's programs are created to be fun, encouraging, and nurturing for all of our children. We also offer family fun events throughout the year. We are committed to the spiritual guidance for our families and look forward to assisting our parents and their children in their life with Jesus! For more information, contact Laurie Michie, our children's minister. You can reach her at
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. All Saints Day Activities: Do you know that you are a saint?
The Book of Common Prayer says (on page 862):
“The communion of saints is the whole family of God, the living and the dead, those whom we love and those whom we hurt, bound together in Christ by sacrament, prayer, and praise.”
All Saints Day is Nov 1st and we will celebrate with an All Saints Festival Procession and by remembering the saints that have touched our lives:
• Some saints are living among us today, right now in our churches and families and workplaces.
• Others have died and are at home with God.
• A saint is one who makes God's goodness attractive.
• Saints are forgiven sinners living out their lives in the forgiveness God has given them.
• Saints are people who make it easier for others to believe in God. Get ready for the Procession: 1. Choose a Saint to celebrate. Look over the brief descriptions of some of our most beloved saints and choose one to process.
2. Make a Banner of your chosen saint on Sunday, October 25 during Discipleship Hour and/or Children’s Church. We will have Saint shields to decorate. These will be mounted and staked for you to carry in the opening worship procession on All Saints Day.
3. Process with your Banner on Sunday, November 1. Meet in the Aerobics Room at 10:00am to collect your banner and walk in the opening worship procession.
Questions?
Contact Laurie Michie (
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) or Deacon Mary (
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) for more info.
Come join us to Sing a Song of the Saints of God! Male Saints St. Andrew – Andrew means ‘valor’ in Greek. He was Peter’s brother and a fisherman. Legend tells us he evangelized Russia. He is the patron saint of Scotland and the Scottish flag bears the ‘X’ shaped cross associated with St. Andrew. St. Peter – Peter is the patron saint of fisherman. Jesus called Peter a rock and said that he would build his church upon him. He also gave Peter the keys to the kingdom, giving him the authority to forgive sins. Peter is traditionally remembered as the first bishop of Rome. St. Thomas – Although often referred to as ‘doubting’, Thomas was a great missionary who tradition holds evangelized India and helped build churches there. Thomas was a twin. St. Paul – Paul was a Jewish Pharisee who persecuted Christians because he thought that their belief that Jesus is savior was dangerous. On the road to Damascus, Jesus spoke to Paul and he was convinced that Jesus was Lord. He became one of the church’s greatest evangelists. St. Patrick – At the age of 16 Patrick was captured in Britain and taken to Ireland to shepherd sheep as a slave. After being freed he trained in France and then returned to Ireland as a missionary. He is credited with the Christianization of Ireland. St. George – George was a Christian warrior. Legend has it that he slayed a dragon. He is the patron saint of England. St. Francis – Francis is the father of the Franciscan monastic order. He lived a simple life and traveled the countryside preaching the Gospel. He found great joy in God’s creation, a lover of nature and animals. St. Valentine - Valentine was a priest who was martyred on February, 14, 269 A.D. He is the patron saint of love, young people and happy marriages. Female Saints St. Mary – Mary was the mother of Jesus Christ. She is honored on five different feast days in the Christian year. St. Bridget of Ireland (Kildare) - Bridget started convents all over Ireland. She was a great traveler. Legend says that she prayed that her beauty be taken from her so no one would seek her hand in marriage; her prayer was granted, and she regained her beauty only after making her vows. St. Clare – Clare was a devout young girl inspired by a sermon preached by St. Francis of Assisi. She secretly left home and entered a Benedictine convent. Clare, together with her sister and widowed mother, formed the first Franciscan community for women (with the help of St. Francis). Joan of Arc – Joan was a French girl who had a special calling from the Lord to help save her country from its enemies. From the age of 16 she bravely rode in battle and helped the French win many victories. She is remembered for her faithfulness and courage. St. Helena – Helena was a wife, mother and empress. She was a Christian married to a pagan. Because of Helena’s faith, her son, Constantine, prayed to God for victory in an important battle even though he wasn’t a Christian. He won the battle and, as emperor of the Roman Empire, made Christianity legal for the first time. St. Catherine of Sienna – At 16 Catherine joined the Order of St. Dominic and devoted herself to service to the sick and poor. She exercised influence in church and state with her keen mind. Her bold counsel given to Pope Gregory XI helped to avert schism and bloodshed. Catherine wrote a book and many letters.
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