Summer Events at St. Andrew
Come to the Table: A Summer of Radical Welcome
Summer Sermon Series: Dinner with Jesus
This summer at St. Andrew, we're pulling up a chair for Dinner with Jesus — a sermon series exploring the radical, grace-filled tables Jesus set for tax collectors, outcasts, skeptics, and seekers alike. We'll worship in the round, gathered around the table, and a beautiful lineup of guest preachers will lead us through the journey, June through August. Every table Jesus sat at was a statement: you belong here. This summer, we're invited to the same table.
June 28 — You're on the Guest List (Meal with Levi) Grace isn't earned. You're on the list not because you deserve it, but because Jesus put you there. Matthew 9:10–13 | Preacher: Helene Pihl
July 5 — The Costly Gift (Dinner with Mary of Bethany) Mary pours costly perfume on Jesus' feet — extravagant, wasteful, and beautiful. At the table of Jesus, love isn't measured by what's practical; it's poured out completely. John 12:1–8 | Preacher: Carol Burbridge
July 12 — Recognized in the Breaking (The Emmaus Meal) Two disciples walk with a stranger, hearts heavy with grief. Then he breaks bread — and their eyes are opened. Luke 24:30–31 | Preacher: Grace Jewett
July 19 — Pull Up a Chair (At the Home of Mary and Martha) Martha busies herself with preparations while Mary sits at Jesus' feet and listens. "You are worried about many things, but only one thing is needed." Luke 10:38–42 | Preacher: Mary Stender
July 26 — No RSVP Required (Feast in the Kin-dom) The invited guests make excuses — so the host goes into the roads and lanes to bring in everyone who was never expecting an invitation. Luke 14:15–24 | Preacher: Dave Britton
August 2 — Welcome Home (The Prodigal Father) A son slinks home in shame. Before he can finish his apology, the father is running — and calling for a feast. The table is always set for the one who comes home. Luke 15:11–32 | Preacher: David Schroeder
August 9 — Dinner at Your Place (Meal with Zacchaeus) Zacchaeus climbs a tree just to see Jesus. Jesus stops and says, "I must stay at your house today." Jesus doesn't wait to be invited — he invites himself in, and everything changes. Luke 19:5–10 | Preacher: Virginia Haberkamp
August 16 — This Is the Feast (The Last Supper) On the night before his death, Jesus gives his friends bread and cup as a way to remember and meet him always. Every communion since is a participation in this meal and a foretaste of the feast to come. Luke 22:14–20 | Preacher: Donna Pritchard
August 23 — More Than Enough (Feeding the 5,000) Five loaves, two fish, five thousand people. The disciples see scarcity; Jesus sees abundance. What happens when we bring what little we have and place it in God's hands? John 6:1–14 | Preacher: Amy Clark
August 30 — Breakfast Is Served (Breakfast by the Sea) After the resurrection, the disciples find Jesus on the shore — cooking them breakfast. Even after everything, the risen Christ still sets the table. John 21:9–14 | Preacher: Michael Leisle
Discovering What Matters Most: A Values Reflection Invitation
This summer, Pastor Cindy invites the entire St. Andrew congregation into a personal values exploration, inspired by Brené Brown's Dare to Lead materials. This isn't a test — it's an opportunity to pause, listen inwardly, and notice what guides your decisions, relationships, and sense of purpose.
The process involves three steps: exploring a list of values and identifying which resonate most deeply, narrowing your list to your top five, and ultimately naming your two core values. This work will prepare us for a community conversation this fall, where we'll share our reflections and begin building toward our shared congregational values and a renewed Community Covenant.
"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just... think about these things." — Philippians 4:8
Look for the values list in the newsletter. We look forward to discovering — together — what matters most.
Welcome, Olivia Clark: New Coordinator of Children, Youth & Family Ministry
We are thrilled to announce that Olivia Clark has been called as our new Coordinator of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry, beginning August 24, 2026. After a thorough search process, Olivia stood out for her warmth, faith, relational gifts, and alignment with St. Andrew's theological values. References described her as hardworking, organized, and deeply committed to serving others, with a natural ability to connect with people of all ages.
The Southwest Washington Synod has also reserved a place for Olivia in a new grant-funded training program for CYF ministers. Please join us in warmly welcoming her to the St. Andrew community!
Music Ministry: Summer News
Thank you to everyone for an incredible program year of music! As summer begins, things shift to a more casual pace — here's what's happening:
Music Sunday — June 14: The grand finale of the program year, featuring all of St. Andrew's musical groups in one service. You don't want to miss it!
Summer Musical Offerings: Interested in singing or playing an instrumental piece this summer? Reach out to Sam Solano to find the right date for you.
Out and About in July: Sam will be out of town in July. Many thanks to Scott Norton for providing musical leadership during that time!
Out on the Beat: Starting this summer, Sam will be curating a calendar of free or low-cost music events for members to attend together as a group. Let Sam know if you're interested or have an event to suggest!
St. Andrew Jams: Semi-regular informal jam sessions are in the works for St. Andrew music lovers. Interested? Contact Sam to be added to the list!
New Roots, New Beginnings: St. Andrew Nature Preschool
Big things are growing at St. Andrew Nature Preschool this fall! Two major changes are coming:
New Dual-Language Class — Clase de los Cedros (Cedars Class): A new Spanish-English class will launch this fall, taught by Ms. Amber (a returning teacher) and Ms. Alondra Rivera, a native Spanish speaker experienced in play-based learning. Fundraisers and grant applications have helped fund classroom furniture and materials.
New Teaching Team: With several teachers moving on to new adventures, St. Andrew has been busy hiring. New teachers joining the team include Areli Torres (Seedlings/Sprouts), Bailey Hartman (Seedlings/Sprouts), and Angus Henning (Oaks class co-teacher). Official introductions will come in the fall!
Space renovations are also underway to accommodate the new classroom. Volunteers are welcome to assist with construction — contact Kara Landry at preschool@salcvan.org.
Congratulations, Class of 2026!
St. Andrew celebrates six graduates this spring: Alexa Calvert and Kyle Martin (college), and Kylee Calvert, Charley Hilario, Andrew Norton, and Adam Barton (high school). We also celebrate Adam Barton, who affirmed his faith on May 31, 2026. Each of you has been shaped by this community, and we send you forward with love, prayers, and deep confidence in the God who walks with you every step of the way.
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you." — Numbers 6:24–26
Vacation Bible School 2026
St. Andrew will not be hosting VBS this summer due to the main bathroom renovations, but there are great options nearby!
Trinity Lutheran Church — Rainforest Falls | June 22–26, 9 am–Noon | 309 W 39th St, Suite 100, Vancouver | Registration deadline June 16 | trinityvancouver.org
Family of Christ Lutheran Church — June 22–26, 9 am–Noon | 3500 NW 129th St, Vancouver | foclutheranchurch.org
Messiah Lutheran Church — Snowball Mountain Challenge | July 13–17, 9 am–Noon | 905 NW 94th St, Vancouver | Registration deadline June 15 | vbspro.events/p/messiah2026
Bethel Lutheran — Family Fun Week (evenings!) | July 14–16, 5–7 pm | 12919 NE 159th St, Brush Prairie | bethelbrushprairie.org
Community Garden
The garden is off to a late start due to variable weather, but things are growing! The committee welcomes two new gardeners this season. Community member Ellie McCann has generously taken over four empty beds and will donate all produce to local food banks.
Summer work includes reworking the compost pile and keeping up with weeding and grass around the beds. Help is needed and very welcome! Opportunities include general maintenance, watering the preschool beds, supporting food bank plots, and assisting gardener Wilson (beds 14 & 18), who is facing health challenges this season. Contact the church office to get connected with the garden team.
Save the Date: Holiday Bazaar — Sunday, December 6
The Stewardship Ministry Team will host a Holiday Bazaar on Sunday, December 6, 2026. If you're an artisan or crafter, now is the time to start making items for sale — all proceeds will support the church. Last year's event was a wonderful success!
Labyrinth Opportunities This Summer
The labyrinth is a practice open to all — and this summer, St. Andrew offers several opportunities to experience it together.
Sunday, June 21: A special outdoor labyrinth walk after worship, marking the summer solstice and Father's Day, with a brief introduction and walk suggestions for honoring and remembering fathers.
Sundays, June 28 and August 30: The labyrinth will be available in the gym during the 10 am service.
Anytime: The outdoor labyrinth is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. New to labyrinths? Visit salcvan.org/labyrinth to learn more.
Hobbies and Talents Fair — Sunday, July 19
The Stewardship team invites all artisans and hobbyists to share their talents at the Hobbies and Talents Fair immediately following worship on Sunday, July 19. Past fairs have featured quilting, knitting, woodworking, photography, and much more. Sign up at the office or on the Announcements Bar by July 12.
LGBTQIA+ Opportunities and Gatherings
Joyful Resistance — June 13, 12–3 pm at Immanuel Lutheran Church A gathering of fun, connection, and coalition-building across SWWA Synod congregations in support of full inclusion for LGBTQIA+ people. Come for the community — and the Bingo! Submitted by Rev. Anna Czarnik-Neimeyer, Synod RIC Work Team member.
Pride in the Park — July 12, 10 am–5 pm Esther Short Park, 605 Esther St, Vancouver, WA Vancouver's beloved "Saturday in the Park" celebrates its 32nd year! Enjoy live music all day, a maker's market with 150+ vendors, food, a children's area, and more. Admission is free, and all are welcome. Local ELCA churches will have a booth — come say hello or help us staff it!
A Conversation on the Separation of Church and Hate — Saturday, June 6
Join St. Andrew's God's Good Trouble team for a community viewing of the 2026 Collins Lecture, livestreamed from Portland and presented by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. Doors open at 6:30 pm; livestream begins at 7 pm in the sanctuary. Discussion and light refreshments to follow.
This year's Collins Lecturer is John Fugelsang — actor, comedian, host of "Tell Me Everything" on SiriusXM, and author of the New York Times bestseller Separation of Church and Hate. He uses humor and biblical scholarship to explore the core teachings of Jesus and how scripture speaks to immigration, poverty, healthcare, LGBTQIA2S+ rights, gun safety, and more. A goodwill offering will be collected.
Juneteenth Freedom Celebration — June 20
Esther Short Park | 605 Esther St, Vancouver | 10 am–3 pm | Free An invitation from Karen Morrison of Odyssey World International. Open to all ages, featuring live music, local vendors, an interactive history display, and family activities. More information at jfcvancouver.org.
Meet Our U.S. Representative: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez — June 18
The Clark County United in Faith Coalition (CCUFC) invites the faith community to Moving Forward in Faith and Love: A Vision for the Future — a conversation with U.S. Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez on Thursday, June 18, 6:30–8 pm. Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez will address how her faith influences her work, countering corruption and scams in the federal government, and her vision for our country's future. Q&A included. Email sklump67@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list.
Social Concerns
School Supply Drive for Orchards Elementary Collection runs July 26 through August 16. The supply list will be posted in July — watch the bulletin board and eblast for updates. School begins August 24, so summer goes fast!
Offering of Letters, St. Andrew's 9th year participating in Bread for the World's annual advocacy effort! This year's focus is the Farm Bill and funding for food programs in the US and abroad. Participate online beginning August 23, or in person on August 30. Sample letters, envelopes, stamps, and all the information you need will be provided. Questions? Contact Jane Seidel at 360-607-4339.
Fellowship Opportunities
Ladies Lunch Bunch meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 11:30 am. No RSVP needed — just show up! June: Olive Garden on 164th | July: Kitchen Table on 137th
JOY Club (Just Older Youth) — a dessert and social club for adults 55+, meeting monthly for fellowship and great food. All are welcome! June 19 | Hosts: Sue/Ron Jetter & Julie Neilson/Doug Munson | 8017 NE 104th Ave, Vancouver July 17 | Hosts: Vicki/Rich Wornath and Judy Loy/Woody Starr | 10504 NE 20th St, Vancouver August 21 | Hosts: Diane & Dennis Smith | 12804 NE 212th Ave, Brush Prairie Questions? Contact Doug Munson or Julie Neilson.
Family Dinner Groups Head Outdoors — bring your own picnic dinner and blanket and join other St. Andrew families! June 13 | Columbia Tech Center Park | 5–7 pm July 14 | Klineline Pond | 5–7 pm August 22 | Battle Ground Lake | Noon–5 pm September 11 | Marshall Park | 5–7 pm
St. Andrew Family Park Day — August 22, Noon–5 pm Battle Ground Lake State Park. Swimming, fishing, hiking, paddle sports, and community! Bring a picnic, water bottle, life jackets, and your favorite outdoor gear. All are welcome!
Book Club meets monthly to read and discuss books that stretch our thinking and deepen our faith. Hybrid format always available. June 14 — Hope: The Autobiography by Pope Francis July — No meeting August — Wild Hope by Donna Ashworth To join the mailing list, email Mary Strehlow at strehlow8215@comcast.net.
Puppet Ministry
It's been nearly a year since St. Andrew's Puppet Ministry launched, and the team welcomes new participants—grades 3 and up, including adults! No experience necessary. Participants perform every other month and rehearse for one hour on the two Sundays before the performance. No long-term commitment required. Contact Steve Kramer at spkramer@comcast.net for more information.
