This Week at St. Andrew's

Hymn Festival for Ascension is TOMORROW Thursday, May 9 at 7 p.m. Celebrate the Feast of the Ascension with our annual hymn festival, featuring the combined choirs of St. Andrew's, Christ & St. Luke's and St Paul's churches. Our guest conductor and organist this year is Dale Adelmann, Canon for Music at St. Philip's Cathedral in Atlanta. In addition to hymns for the occasion, the festival also includes exciting anthems by contemporary composers Carson Cooman, Michael Sitton and Matthew Owens. The service will be held at Christ & St. Luke's Church, 560 Olney Road.

All Ages Formation meets on Sunday at 9 a.m. in White Hall. Join us for coffee, juice, and light snacks. This week, we will focus on Rachel and Leah. There is no attendance requirement from Sunday to Sunday – come as you are able!  

Choral Evensong for the Feast of Pentecost, May 19 at 5 p.m. The Parish Choir of St. Andrew's will be singing Choral Evensong for the final time of the 2023-24 choir season. In addition to hymns for the celebration of Pentecost, featured music includes a recent setting of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis by Oliver Tarney, and David Hurd's thrilling arrangement of the text "I was glad" (Psalm 122). Please support our choir as it prepares for a summer residency at Bristol Cathedral in August. A free-will offering will be collected, with a reception in White Hall to follow the service.

Theology Before Lunch is looking for newcomers to join their last three gatherings of the season! The group will be meeting on Zoom on May 16 and 23 from 10:30-noon. They are focusing on A Deep Dive into the Book of Common Prayer. With Connie Jones, the group is looking at some least-used parts, italics and instructions, seldom-appreciated resources, and the ways in which our almost-500-year-old prayerbook tradition has shaped our worship, belief, and common life. There is an end with a pot-luck lunch in White Hall on May 30. The first two newcomers to the group are offered a free Book of Common Prayer. First person gets a nice clean second-hand copy. Second person gets a heavily-worn but unmarked BCP owned by a retired priest. For Zoom information, contact Deane Sobol.

2 or 3 (our group for young-ish women) will gather Wednesday, May 15 at 7pm at Elation Brewery (5104 Colley Ave). Pizza will be provided, so come hungry! Please contact Robin Brown with any questions and/or if you would like to be added to the email list!

Women of the Way will meet Tuesday, May 21, at 6 pm in White Hall. They will discuss Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. All are welcome! Questions? Contact Karen Mitchell.

Parishioners are invited to participate in the Chas Foundation’s Dine For The Mind event on Thursday, May 16. This special fundraiser honoring Mental Health Awareness Month will help raise awareness, decrease stigma, and provide funding for the Chas Foundation to connect individuals and families to critical mental health services and resources throughout Hampton Roads. St. Andrews and the Chas Foundation are members of the Mentally Healthy Norfolk partnership. The Chas Foundation is partnering with the North Colley Business Association for this worthwhile event.

Many church members are already volunteering Dine For The Mind. Beth Lloyd is co-chairing it, Amber Pickrell is coordinating the raffles and Lindsay Stephenson (Green Compass) is participating in the wellness fair prior to dining at Elation. 

How can you all be a part of this great event? We have two members serving as volunteer ambassadors at the restaurants that evening. Melanie Sewell is hosting at Water’s Edge Winery just at the end of Colley on Hampton Blvd. We are hoping to have a large contingent of St. Andrews there for fellowship and fun. Ginger White is also hosting at Dirty Buffalo that evening for the younger sports fans. And for those that are not able to come out that evening, Starving Artist Café will also be participating in breakfast/lunch - so there are options for all. Let’s all do our part in decreasing the stigma of mental illness!

Attached is a flyer with a QR code for more information or contact Beth Lloyd directly at 757-681-2002,

We are excited to announce our theme for VBS 2024: God Has A Plan For You. We will be exploring how to use each of the qualities that make us special in God’s eyes and how we can share these gifts with our world. This year’s Vacation Bible School is Monday, June 24 – Thursday, June 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at St. Andrew’s. Kids who are 4 & ½ through rising 5^th graders are invited to participate. 

• Participants register here (open to ages 4 ½ - rising 5^th grade).
• Volunteers Needed: We are looking for teens (open to rising grade 6 – 12) and adults to assist with all areas of our offering - register here to assist. 

Children's Chapel: Kids are invited to gather for a simple kid friendly offering which will explore our worship service. This week our kids will focus on the story of “Many People Worship at Church” (Acts 2: 42). When you arrive, come to the Auditorium. Children will be brought back to their families in church after the Peace. When you arrive, come to the Auditorium. Children will be brought back to their families in church after the Peace. 

Our Nursery is open from 9 a.m. until after our 10:15 a.m. worship in our Children’s Center. Children (infants to age 4) are invited to participate. Your child’s time will include play inside and out, a bible story, prayer, coloring, and a simple snack.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church is a vibrant, inclusive parish, formed in the fellowship of Christ. We strive to be a place of hope for all people, to reach beyond ourselves, and to manifest God’s love in the world.