The Message

 Blood Drive January 16

We hosted a Blood Drive for the New York Blood Center on Monday January 16^th in the afternoon into the evening. We were successful, the Center reports, with 25 good donations – which then will help up to 75 people in need.    Thank you to Donna Ruppert and Isabella Rodriquez, who along with Pastor Johnsen hosted the Drive all day.   Also thanks to Morgan Cecil, Amanda Falcone and Nicole Forcina, who assisted as those who escorted people from the donation area to the refreshments area.   Thanks also to those from St. Andrew’s who gave blood: Jennifer Lancaster, Renate Gaensslen, Lynn Parliman, Gemma Reinkraut, Carolyn and David Worsley, Dale Sharp, Pastor Johnsen, Donna Ruppert, Chuck Farrell, Jerry and Linda Henning, Jim Orlando and Bill O’ Brien. Thanks are due to those who came but were unable to donate for separate reasons. We look forward to having another Blood Drive in the summer time.

Senior Youth Lock in Friday February 10^th 8 PM-8 AM. Come for Fun, Fellowship, Study and Food! Talk to Pastor Johnsen.  A letter is going out!

LENT 2012 – Prayers of the Passion

Ash Wednesday, February 22^nd 7:30 PM

Imposition of Ashes – Holy Communion

Every Wednesday, beginning February 29^th, Soup at 6:15 PM

Worship at 7:30 PM – Prayers, Hymns, Lessons, Skits

The Skits are “Prayers of the Passion”, Prayers said and by

characters of the Passion

SOJ, Men’s Club Upcoming events: Meeting Saturday February 11^th, 9:30 AM.   RETREAT: March 2-4 at Koinonia Lakeside Retreat Center.

We will leave Friday and return before 10 AM service on Sunday.   Talk to Anthony Forcina or Pastor!

THANK YOU from the New Orleans Youth for your support. The Spaghetti Supper and Talent show yielded a fun evening and also over $600 toward our trip. Special thanks to the Forcina/Mastrangelo family and Justo family for providing the homemade meatballs and homemade sauce!

BUY A MILE AND SUPPORT OUR YOUTH GOING TO NEW ORLEANS!

So far we have raised enough to go 457miles. It is a great start but we still have a long way to travel. Please help our youth get to the ELCA national gathering this July. $2 per mile – buy one mile or 100 miles any bit helps. If you are giving cash and would prefer to get credit for your contribution write your name on the envelope and we will pass it along to the recording secretary. Thank you for all the support you have given us so far and for all the future support. The New Orleans Youth

SAVE THE DATE! The SSC third annual women’s retreat will be held on Friday April 20 – Sunday April 22^nd at Koinonia. We will be having all sorts of activities starting with our wine/cheese kickoff party! On Saturday there will be bible study, some group discussion and much needed down time. Please let me know if you have any other ideas for our weekend. Cost per room includes Saturday breakfast thru Sunday lunch. We have reserved the entire conference center of 20 rooms but they fill up fast. Room rates are Single room: $196 Double room: $150 per person Three or more adults: $120 per person. Spaces fill up fast so please sign up on the sheet in the narthex. Looking forward to seeing everyone there!    Ellen

Third time’s the charm! SSC - Since we were snowed out again on January 21^st we are shooting for February 11^th. From noon until 4pm we will gather at St. Andrew’s to enjoy each other, a hot (delivered) lunch, games, a craft (thank you Amy), prizes and we will close the day with a Taize service (thank you Brenda) which starts around 3:30. Please contact Donna Alfieri, Joan Kuhhorn or Rita Nehmzow with any questions and to confirm your attendance on the 11^th of February. Come out and join your sisters for a fun-filled and snow-free day!!!! 

 Fastnacht Potluck Dinner is scheduled for Sunday, February 26th, 2012 at 5 PM at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church. This year will include a Silent Auction with all proceeds donated to the Capital Campaign Fund. Signup sheets are in the Narthex. Want to donate to the Silent Auction, please contact Dorothy Forcina at york99@optonline.net or Donna Ruppert at donnaruppert@gmail.com..Hope you come you can join the fun and enjoy the fellowship.

Soup for Sixty: Lenten Fellowship on Wednesday Evenings St. Andrew’s will begin our very popular Wednesday Lenten Services with fellowship meals of soup and bread beginning at 6:30 p.m. This year, we are asking for volunteers to provide the soup and bread, as well as to help with set up and clean up. These evenings are very well attended and four gallons of soup is needed for approximately 60 people. It can be homemade or purchased from your favorite restaurant, the flavor choice is up to you. Sponsor a Lenten Soup & Bread Fellowship with another family and sign up together, or work with fellow members of a group you are involved with such as Sons of Justus, Sisters Serving Christ, or the Sunday School teachers.The dates are February 29, March 7, March 14, March 21.There will be a special Soup & Bread Fellowship on March 28 with a Christian Seder, complete with home-made matzah ball soup, charoset (if you don’t know what that is, come, see, and taste) and a lesson on the connection between Passover and Holy Week. If you can volunteer for any of these weeks, please look for the sign-up sheet on the Narthex table or contact Emily Small at em9766@aol.com. If you have questions about what is involved in sponsoring a Lenten Soup & Bread Fellowship, Emily will be delighted to talk to you. There will also be a sign-up sheet for the Seder. Please be sure to sign up for that evening. It is important to the planning of the Seder that we have a headcount in advance.

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 Marriage Sunday is February 12^th

If you are celebrating your 5^th, 10^th, 15^th, 20^th, etc. anniversary in 2012, we want to recognize you! Please fill out one of the sheets included in Sunday’s bulletin or send an email to the office. Couples will renew their vows at the 10:00am service followed by a reception with cake and coffee.

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RECIPES wanted...
SSC wants to help celebrate the 55th anniversary of St. Andrews by compiling all of your favorite recipes into a commerorative St. Andrew's Lutheran Church cookbook.  Look for our sign in the narthex.   It is easy. You can fill out a recipe card, which can be found on the table in the narthex, submit a photocopy or email your favorite recipe to Evelyn Cecil (Evelyn ececil@optonline.net) or Laura Susi (Laura Susi lsusi@glmshows.com) before February 5.  The cookbooks will be available for sale in April. It is a great way to share your family favorite with our St. Andrew's Family. 

 Harvest Sunday is back! The first Sunday of each month, also known as Family Sunday, we will be collecting non perishable food items for Saint Mary’s Food Pantry in Mohegan Lake. The Food Pantry services an average of 111 people each week on Saturday morning. They are in need of the following:

 Milk - Powdered/Parmalat

Canned Tuna Fish/Salmon/Sardines/Chicken

Cold and Hot Cereals

Can/Bottle Juices (family size)

Rice

Barley

Macaroni and Cheese

Canned Soups

Canned Chili

Canned Beef Stew

Nuts/Raisins/Dry Fruit

Crackers and cookies

Baking goods

Pudding/Jello

Coffee, tea, hot chocolate

 Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Any questions, please contact Laura Susi 914-528-6090

    JAN PEEK     

A big thank you goes out to the Parliman’s, the Letizia’s, Dorothy Bertha, Renate Gaensslen and Margy Tillistrand for preparing the delicious meal for the residents of Jan Peek House. Delivery and serving was done by Margy, Renate and Margaret Hauk. Thank you all so much for your generosity. 

The Boy Scout troop volunteers to do the meal the first Friday of each month and

St. Andrew’s volunteers the third Friday of each month. 

If you are able to help with preparing, delivery and/or serving please contact our Jan Peek Coordinator, Renate Gaensslen at 914.962.0308. 

Bereavement - Please remember in your prayers the family and friends of Elsie Matteo (cousin of Rita Nehmzow and Robert Granfors) who passed away, after a brief battle with cancer, on January 22^nd . The funeral was held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brewster on January 27^th. Elsie was very active at Trinity Lutheran, being a Sunday School teacher, the altar flower coordinator and she was also in the Bell Choir.