St. Andrew's United Methodist Church - Musical Musings

As we begin our three-week season of Thanksgiving at St. Andrew’s, we start with something more important than a list of blessings. We start with the foundation of our faith: Jesus Christ. Our worship opens with Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation , reminding us that everything we do as a church begins with Christ. From there, In Christ Alone and The Solid Rock reinforce that same truth. Life changes, circumstances shift, and some weeks are harder than others, but our foundation remains the same. We don't have to have everything figured out when we know where we stand. In Colossians 2:1–8, Paul encourages us to be rooted and built up in Christ, established in the faith, and overflowing with thanksgiving. I love that order. Thanksgiving grows out of a faith that is rooted in Christ. Gratitude isn't just about having a good week or getting the outcome we wanted. It's about recognizing God's faithfulness, even when life doesn't go according to plan. Our response, He ...

Greetings St. Andrew's Family On Sunday, November 1, we gather for All Saints Sunday, a time to remember those whose lives have shaped our faith, celebrate the communion of saints, and give thanks for the promise of eternal life. Through music, Scripture, remembrance, and Holy Communion, our worship invites us to hold both grief and gratitude, remembering that the love we share in Christ reaches beyond the boundaries of this earthly life. Our musical journey begins with the Bells of St. Andrew’s performing Rhapsody in F Minor by Kirsty Mitchell. The bell choir’s opening music invites us to settle into a spirit of reflection, preparing our hearts for a day centered on memory, hope, and the enduring bonds we share in Christ. We then raise our voices together with UMH 709, Come, Let Us Join Our Friends Above . This hymn reminds us that we belong to a community of faith that spans generations, joining our voices with those who have gone before us as we celebrate the hope of life ever...

Hello Friends  As we start our final week of stewardship, we are reminded that stewardship is about more than what we give financially. It is about how we offer our whole selves to God and use the gifts we have been given to share God's love with others. Our time, talents, resources, and presence all have a part to play in the work God is doing through the church. Our worship begins with Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty , lifting our voices in praise to the God who calls us into relationship and service. We then move to Take My Life, and Let It Be , a hymn that invites us to offer every part of ourselves to God. Our hands, our voices, our work, and our days become opportunities to serve God and neighbor. This is the heart of stewardship: recognizing what God has entrusted to us and asking how we can use those gifts faithfully. In Matthew 28:19–20, Jesus gives the Great Commission, sending his disciples into the world to make disciples, baptize, and teach, with the promise that h...

Greetings Friends As we continue in our stewardship series, this service invites us to see stewardship as more than a financial commitment. It is a response to God’s goodness and an expression of where our hearts truly belong. Through scripture, song, and the message, we move from gratitude for what God has given us to reflecting on what we treasure, how we give, and how our giving draws us closer to God. Each musical selection builds on that journey, reminding us that stewardship is not simply about what we put in the offering plate, but how we offer our whole lives in faith. As Music Tom takes some time away, we are grateful to Martha and Anne for sharing their gifts and helping lead worship. The service begins with For the Beauty of the Earth , a song of gratitude for the many ways God’s goodness is made known in creation and in our lives. That spirit of thanksgiving leads naturally into Seek Ye First , reminding us that amid all the blessings we receive and the choices we make, our...

Greetings St. Andrew's Family This Sunday, the Revs. Deborah and Geoffrey Hemenway will preach from Luke 15, the familiar story of a father and his two sons. At the heart of the story is something that can be surprisingly difficult for us to understand and even harder to receive; grace. Both sons struggle with the idea that their place beside their father is grounded in love rather than in what they have done. The younger son believes he has wandered too far and must earn his way home. The older son believes his faithfulness has earned him something more. Yet the father moves toward both of them. He does not keep score. He does not calculate their worth. He simply loves them. Our music will help us tell that story. We begin with “It Is Well with My Soul,” inviting us to let go of the need to have everything figured out or to prove ourselves worthy. Before we can receive grace, we have to make room for it. The peace we sing about is not the reward for getting everything right. It i...

Church Family, This Sunday is World Communion Sunday, and here at St. Andrew’s, we are going to experience the communion table in a way that reaches far beyond our own sanctuary. We will travel around the world in song. But before we travel, our young people will ask us a simple and beautiful question: What is Communion to you? Perhaps communion is remembrance. Perhaps it is forgiveness. Perhaps it is a place of welcome, healing, or belonging. Perhaps communion reminds you that you are never alone. Whatever our answer, the table has room for all of them. Our worship begins with “Siyahamba,” a South African freedom song whose title means “We are marching/walking.” As we sing, we begin our journey together. We are not simply individuals arriving at the table. We are a people moving together. Then we hear “Wade in the Water,” an African American spiritual deeply rooted in the experience of enslaved people and the biblical imagery of water, deliverance, and liberation. The song reminds u...