Welcome to our newsletter.

We hope this information keeps you connected to our church family. 

We will be printing fewer bulletins in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint. We realize that using a device to read the bulletin may be a daunting task, but we have several congregants who are ready to help if you need it. If we are able to purchase less paper over time, we will donate the savings to our outreach efforts. If you don’t have a device to use, but are willing to share a bulletin with your neighbor, that helps us reach our goal too.

Pastoral Care

Sunday School News

This is the first week of our Sunday School Summer Hiatus, which means there will no Sunday School lessons led by Tammy Smecker-Hane until Aug 25. However Samira Sameni will still be available during the 10 am service for child care for children of any age. Drop-off will be in the Children’s Center Courtyard, and the children will play in the Kangaroo Room. Remember that we’ve already introduced the children to their Summer Activity Books that they can use during the service. Each week there are 3 pages of drawings to color, puzzles and games that are related to each week’s readings. Before the service begins, have your child pick up their personalized coloring book and whatever artistic materials they want to use -- markers, crayons, or colored pencils -- from the bookshelf in the back of the church, and return the materials there after the service. We’ve left plenty of extra books in the back of the stack that you can give to cousins or grandchildren who might be visiting you over the summer. Enjoy the fun activities and let your children’s artistic soul flourish. Have a wonderful summer!

If your child has not yet picked up the Mother’s and Father’s Day tie-dyed presents, you can find them in the basket that I left on the counter in the Narthex. In addition, Tammy made tie-dyed shirts for the children to wear. She’ll drop June, Heath and Meredith’s shirts in the basket when she's back next week from General Convention in Louisville. If you have any questions or comments about Sunday School, please send Tammy Smecker-Hane an email.

Outreach News

For the month of July, we will be collecting backpacks for the young people of Orangewood. Although some of them use these backpacks for school supplies, many are displaced and use the packs for clothes and necessities. 

If you would like to donate cash, I would be glad to purchase the backpacks for you. If you have any questions, please contact Grace. 

Thank you for your generosity!

“You truly are God’s outreaching hands in the world.”

Woodbridge - July 1

Woodbridge Manor volunteers will meet on July 1 at 10:30 a.m. We need empty cardboard egg cartons and plastic fruit boxes (like the ones raspberries come in). These may be brought to church and left in the Narthex. For more information contact Catherine Sharbaugh.

St. Andrew's Fundraiser - September 28

The annual St. Andrew's fundraiser will be held on

Saturday, September 28, 5:00pm to 8:00 pm.

Please join us for a taco truck, live and silent auctions, desserts, drinks, and merriment!

Funds raised will help us complete projects to improve the buildings and grounds of our church, and to upgrade ADA accessibility. This year the funds will be used to improve restroom ADA accessibility and to provide a space for nursing parents. Twenty percent of the net proceeds will be donated to the Friendship Shelter and Orangewood Foundation.

Stay tuned for details about ticket sales and auctions.

Book Group

The Virtual Book Group is currently on hiatus for the summer. The group will resume in September, exact date to be determined. To be added to the Zoom invitation please contact the office.

The meaning of the Rainbow Flag

The rainbow flag was originally created by the activist Gilbert Baker as a symbol of pride, diversity, and unity for the LGBTQ community. The original flag had eight colors…pink represented sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit. The pink and turquoise were taken out of the original flag because the colors were too difficult to see.

The flag over the years, evolved and in 2018, Daniel Quasar combined the original rainbow flag with the Philadelphia Pride and transgender flags, while calling for a more inclusive society.

The addition of the black and brown colors represents LGBTQUIA persons of color; pink and white and baby blue represents transgender individuals.

The placement of the new colors in an arrow shape on the left was done intentionally to convey the message that progress is still needed.

The yellow triangle with the purple circle in the middle inside of it represents the intersex community.

The LGBTQIA flag is a visual reminder of the struggles and oppression that people in the community have and continue to face.

People have displayed the flag outside of their homes, businesses, and churches to signal to others in the community that they have a safe place to enter.

No matter where you are or how you identify, the rainbow colors are meant to signify that you are included, welcome, and safe as the LGBTQIA community.

Church Directory Update

We are updating our pictorial church directory. A reminder email was sent out on Monday, June 3, inviting members to provide up-to-date contact information and photos. If you need the email resent please contact the office. The email message will provide a Google form to submit to the church office. We will also have paper copies of the form available in the narthex. The new directory will be available as a downloadable pdf, which people may save or print on their home computers. One of our goals is to save paper used by the office, though we can print copies for those who need that assistance. We hope everyone will help us with this important project, enabling us to keep in touch with our church family.

Pray for Peace in the Holy Land

The Rt. Rev. John Harvey Taylor asks us to pray for peace and keep in our hearts the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and its archbishop, the Rt. Rev. Hosam Naoum. Bishop Taylor has written to him on our diocese’s behalf and invites us to make a gift to the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which supports the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City. Archbishop Naoum calls on all to unite in prayer for reconciliation.

Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church | 949-559-4699

The Very Rev. Peter Browning, Vicar

office@standrewsirvine.org | www.standrewsirvine.org

 Office Administration Hours:

 In-office: Monday and Thursday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

 Remote: Tuesday and Wednesday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.