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CROSS CURRENTS F R O M PA S TO R PE T E (which is March 20). This year, there is a full moon on Saturday This first week of March April 16, hence Easter 2022 will coincides with the first week be celebrated on Sunday, April of Lent, and more specifically, 17! the first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday (March 2). Lent So what? More important than is the forty-day period of calendars and moon beams is preparation before Easter (not the call of our Lord to focus counting Sundays). Since the on our need for Jesus. Our timing of Easter is variable every Lent Sermon Series is Resilient: year, so is the season of Lent. Equipped With Faith to Follow Have you ever wondered why Jesus. We will look at the ways Easter is a different date every Jesus dealt with challenges and year? The reason goes back to disruptions. Nothing was going the year 325 when the Council to keep Jesus from going to of Nicaea decided that Easter Jerusalem and the cross. Lent would be observed on the first gives us the opportunity to Sunday following the first full prepare our hearts and minds moon after the spring equinox to receive a resilient faith from God. As we take up our crosses and follow Jesus, we do so as resurrection people with Easter in our hearts.
supper club, or family. Each week, we will be challenged to try a spiritual practice intended to draw us in a closer relationship with God in Christ. We have the opportunity to experience the gift of focus – even at a time when there are a lot of distractions. There may even be some spiritual practices we learn that we will want to continue. We incite you to pick up a Lent Experience Journal, and view the weekly videos linked from our website. Eric Ferris, the creator of the Lent Experience explains it this way: “While the Lent Experience is designed to be an interesting and more fun approach, what your weekly challenges will invite you to contemplate is some pretty serious stuff like: Your own mortality. Your imperfection. Your sinfulness. Because we can’t fully appreciate the cross I hope you will until we come to terms with why participate in the it was needed.” Lent Experience with your small The Deacons and Worship group, Bible study, Committee have been planning for a new way to distribute communion elements when we share in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday Resilient: Equipped with Faith to Follow Jesus of each month at the 9:00 am March 6 Tackling Temptation With Truth (Luke 4:1-13) and 10:45 am services, and Lent Experience: Challenge #1 Fasting weekly at the 7:30 am service. March 13 Facing Fear With Faith (Luke 13:31-35) They have devised a new plan Lent Experience: Challenge #2 Solitude which is both safe and more experiential. On March 6, we will March 20 Getting Past Guilt With Grace (Luke 13:1-9) invite people who are physically Lent Experience: Challenge #3 Repentance able to receive Communion March 27 Crushing Contempt With Compassion (Luke 15:1-3) Lent Experience: Challenge #4 Almsgiving CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Greetings St. Andrew’s!
NEW SERMON SERIES
SAPC CROSS CURRENTS
THE LENT EXPERIENCE This year we are looking ahead to the Lenten Season as a way for us to grow in our faith and together. We are inviting all of St. Andrew’s to join together as groups to “The Lent Experience.”
The Lent Experience was created by Eric Ferris of Ride the Ferris Wheel in 2013 as a way to reimagine 2,000 years of Christian tradition, capture the heart of lent and reimagine it. Whether you’re a veteran of observing Lent or a rookie who is jumping in for the first time, you can join thousands of people from all over the world for an experience that just may surprise you. It’s not just more teaching or more information and it’s not some stuffy, religious obligation. This is an invitation to do something different! So, we invite you to join together with an existing Small Group, Conversation Group or Life Together Group, or gather a group together. This can be done via zoom or in person. This will begin the first week of Lent which starts on Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022. The material consists of a video to watch together and a personal journal for discussion and self-reflection. Sign-up for one of the following: • Participate with an existing group • Be a leader and gather a group • Participate as a group member
THE LENT EXPERIENCE MARCH 2 - APRIL 17 S I G N U P AT S A P C T U C S O N . O R G
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I can already hear the voices… “But we’ve never done it that way before!” That’s correct. Together, in Lent and in worship we have the opportunity to receive the gifts of God in fresh ways as God seeks to build in us a resilient faith to follow Jesus.
elements by coming to a serving station where they will be offered a Communion wafer and an individually prepared serving of juice. Pre-packaged Communion elements will also be available, as well as a gluten free option. There will be servers sent into the congregation for anyone who would prefer to be served in their seats.
Counting it all joy, Pastor Pete 2
ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 2022 | MARCH
FAITH UNCORKED Ladies, come join the fun and fellowship on March 11 for our monthly time together. Being together will encourage each of us, help us with all of our life stuff and we’ll have FUN! Bring your favorite appetizer and adult beverage. We’ll meet from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the home of Cherie Miller-Gray, 55 E. Naranja Dr., Oro Valley, 85737. RSVP to Connie at crandall@sapctucson.org. Women of all ages are invited as we encourage each other to keep on keeping on in our journey of life and faith!
RUN ALPHA TRAINING St. Andrew’s Alpha Team is joining in the upcoming Run Alpha Training here in NW Tucson on March 12 at 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. This invitation for anyone who has been involved with Alpha, as a guest or team member, to equip you in your current or past role as an Alpha Team encourager. Let’s do this together! Learn more at https://alpha.ticketspice.com/run-alpha-tucson
STEPHEN MINISTRY Stephen Ministry training is underway; topics cover many areas including active listening, grief, identifying feelings, and prayer. Leadership and trainees could use your continued prayers and support as they go through their 50 hours of training. If you or anyone you know might benefit from having a Stephen Minister, please contact the Church Office at 297-7201 or Cheryl Smith at 520-271-6591
GALLERY ARTIST: LINDA DEBOER The Gallery at St. Andrew’s is featuring ceramic work by clay artist, Linda DeBoer. Linda discovered her affinity for clay when she moved to Tucson 20 years ago and signed up for a community arts class. Her interest continued to grow and develop as she pursued local potters as mentors, national workshops, and learning opportunities. Most significantly she attended an artist residence program in Jingdezhang, China. Today she has a home studio and participates in select local art shows. She works in mid range and
high-fire clays and glazes. Her work is both wheel thrown and hand-built, functional and nonfunctional. The palette of the Southwest is her inspiration and the flora and fauna of the desert are reflected in much of her art. Currently, she is most interested in sculptural relief collages and mixed media, dimensionally framed and perfecting the use of color in her work through the exploration of underglazes, mason stains, and brush work. Stop by the Gallery through March 26 to view Linda’s work. 3
SAPC CROSS CURRENTS
ST. ANDREW’S PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN 2022-2023 REGISTRATION Dear Families, The 2022-2023 St. Andrew’s Preschool & Kindergarten online registration is now open! Register now to secure your child’s spot! St. Andrew’s Preschool & Kindergarten is a ministry, provided by St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and governed by the School Governing Board, designed to meet the early childhood learning needs of children and families. We believe that the first five years of a child’s life are crucial to early learning and brain development, and we pride ourselves on providing a developmentally appropriate environment and curriculum to help make the most out of the years that our children spend with us. We want your child to leave our school feeling successful, and we hope to create a lifelong love of learning within your child’s heart. Please read the following directions to make sure that your child’s registration is processed fully. 4
1. Please use the following link to complete the online registration: sapcschool.org 2. You will need to upload a copy of your child’s immunization records in order to submit your registration. (If you need to fill out a medical exemption form, you will need to download the form when prompted in the registration, fill out the fillable PDF, and upload it in place of/ or alongside the immunization record if your child is on a delayed immunization schedule). 3. You must complete the registration for each child you plan to enroll. 4. Once you’ve completed the registration, you will be redirected to our payment portal where you can pay the registration fee. 5. Once both the registration form and the registration fee are complete, you will receive an email confirming your child’s enrollment. We will confirm teachers closer to the end of the school year. If you have any questions, please call or email the school office with your question. Thank you!
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MISSION D I R E C T O RY
IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE FOR CHILDREN! Join us during Lent again this year in collecting change to support our mission in Zambia with Alliance for Children Everywhere (ACE). Our goal this year is to raise $10,000 and we will be splitting this money between two equally worthwhile projects.
Our first project will be to support the Seven Schools Campaign. For this project we will be raising funds for infrastructure issues, teachers’ salaries, desks, books and supplies for all seven of the FaithWorks primary schools. In the capital city of Lusaka, ACE provides free daily lunch and education to over 2,000 children. The FaithWorks primary schools serve as a lifeline for children who otherwise lack reliable access to education, food, or clean water. Many students who have lost one or both parents turn to their teachers for support and guidance. The seven schools desperately need help so that this generation of students will survive and thrive. Our second project will be to support Helen DeVos Christian School (HDCS) Skills Training for Female Graduates. ACE has a large percentage of female secondary school students who successfully meet graduate requirements but then find that they have few opportunities after graduation. ACE has wanted for
a long time to set up skills training for these high school graduates, so they are able to gain the necessary skills needed to support themselves after graduation. ACE will set up skills training for these women in areas such as tailoring/sewing and food production so that they are able to better support themselves. Having run the schools for over ten years ACE has observed this ongoing need, but due to limited financial resources was unable to offer support in this area. The need for this program has only increased with COVID-19. For 2022, the funds received would cover a shorter pilot program to run the second half of the school year with approximately 20 students, with the hope of expanding the program in future years. On March 13, ACE will be our Moment for Mission, and we will start collecting change at that time through April 10. For those attending in-person worship we will have a table available for you to pick up a basket and drop off your donations. For those worshiping from home check donations can be mailed to St. Andrew’s with Change for Children noted on the memo line. If you would like more information about ACE, please feel free in inquire at our table or check out their website at childreneverywhere.org. 5
St. Andrew’s supports 48 different Mission Partners. The 2022 Mission Directory is now available so you can get to know our partners. You can view it at sapctucson.org or pick up a copy in the office or at the Coffee Cart on Sundays. If you have any questions please contact Sandy Kreamer at sandrakreamer@gmail.com. Thank you St. Andrew’s for your continued support of Mission.
SAPC CROSS CURRENTS
VBS 2022 VBS 2022: June 13-17
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Registration opens March 27 for kids and volunteers!
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Learn more at sapctucson.org/vbs
M O N U M E N TA L : C E L E B R AT I N G G O D ’S G R E AT N E S S Join us for a monumental time at VBS June 13-17! At Monumental VBS, we want to give kids a solid foundation for their lives, built on Bible truths about God’s love. We want kids to know that our God is AWESOME and loves each of them. VBS is open to any child who has completed preschool through
completing 5th grade. A limited number of spots are available for preschoolers. These spots are reserved for preschoolers who are part of our St. Andrew’s Sunday School OR have an older sibling registered for elementary age VBS. Preschoolers must have a birthday before September 1, 2018.
EGG-STRAVAGANZA: AN EASTER EVENT! Children’s ministry is hosting an egg-stravaganza event on April 9 in the afternoon. We will start with the egg hunt, then have family prayer stations available. More information on volunteering and attending coming soon! There will be no egg hunt on Palm Sunday.
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30 H O U R FA M I N E
Thank you St. Andrew’s for all of your support during our 30 Hour Famine in February. Together we raised $2,600 to support World Vision and their effort to provide food and care across the world, and I Am You 360 in their effort to provide housing to homeless youth in Tucson.
Save the date for the Moonlight Dinner and Auction, the biggest youth fundraiser of the year! Funds raised go to Youth Missions, Youth Scholarships and our Youth Intern Program. It is a huge event and we need your help to make it happen. The Moonlight Dinner and Auction will be May 7 starting at 6:00 pm in Friendship Hall. Please save the date and consider how you can volunteer or support the event! Tickets will go on sale at the beginning of April! DONATIONS NEEDED! We are currently accepting donations to be auctioned off. Some of the popular items in the past have been timeshares, dinner parties, service projects, sports memorabilia, large diamonds, and private yachts. ;) Please consider donating and attending our fun event! If you have questions, please contact Tim Christian at tchristian@sapctucson.org.
S U P E R S I G N - U P S U N D AY
Save the date for Super Sign Up Sunday! Every summer during July, both Middle School and High School head to Forest Home Camp in the San Bernardino Mountains. It is an amazing week filled with games, worship, teaching, zip-lining, hiking, blobbing, competitions, night games, friendships, and more! Spaces are limited and go quickly. Super Sign-Up Sunday is your best, and possibly only, chance to get your spot. Registration will be open online at 12:00 pm on Sunday, March 6. We can’t wait for you to join us! The dates for summer camp this year are July 3-8!
S A P C F I N A N C I A L U P D AT E January total revenue Monthly revenue required Difference Year to date revenue YTD revenue required Difference
$264,777 228,394 $36,383 $264,777 228,394 $36,383
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H E A LT H Y L I V I N G , H O LY L I V E S “…may your spirit and soul • and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Thessalonians 5:23). This is Apostle Paul’s prescription for holistic health. It involves nourishing the inner spirit, acknowledging God in our • lives and in the world, enriching our minds, and caring for our bodies, the temple of the Spirit. Learning to balance your life • is difficult for individuals and even more difficult for families whose members have a variety of immediate needs. Mainly our current health status depends on the following:
Diet – Follow the food • Preventing and detecting disease – seek periodic pyramid with most foods medical exams and keep coming from the base immunizations current. (fruits, vegetable, grains) and very little from the tip (meat, sweets). Wellness has been likened to funding a retirement account. Exercise – keeping fit You can’t expect to live well all over with stretching, on the money you accumulate aerobic, flexibility, toning, only one to two years before retirement…you need to start strengthening workouts. your “savings plan” now. Prayer / Bible study – gives the inner peace which For help with any health related enables us to confront issues, please contact Faith crises, problems and Community Nurse Louise Doran misfortunes with a positive at 520-529-7748 or the Church spirit that releases God’s Office at 520-297- 7201. healing power.
EASTER FLOWERS If you would like to place a blooming plant in one of our Easter Worship services, in honor or in memory of a loved one, you can sign up by visiting sapctucson.org or contacting the Church Office. The cost will be $25 and you may select whether you would like the plant to be placed in the Chapel for the 7:30 am service or in the Sanctuary. The plants in the Chapel
may be taken home following the 7:30 am Worship Service and the plants in the Sanctuary may be taken home after the Traditional Worship Service. Check with the Church Office early in the week if you would like to pick up your plant after Easter to see if there are still plants available. Some of the left over plants may be brought to Care Centers.
IN MEMORIAM RON MUMFORD JANUARY 29, 2022