The Northeast, the magazine of our Episcopal Diocese, no longer comes to your home through the mail. Instead, copies of the magazine are delivered to the church and are available to parishioners in the Narthex. Please pick up this informative journal of what goes on in our Diocese from Aroostook County to York County and other articles of interest nationwide and in other regions of the world.

The Northeast has a new format and a new look. Check it out if you haven’t already done so.

Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting will be held on September 20 following the Sunday morning church service. The coffee hour will be hosted by members of the Vestry.

This is the time of year to take care of the business of the church and show your support as a member of St. Andrew’s parish.

In this issue

Fall offerings………………page 2

At the Deacon’s Table……..page 3

On the Lighter Side………..page 5

Dear Friends,

It is a remarkable thing to realize that July and August have fled, and we are already confronted with the "busy" time of the year again. Much has happened at Saint Andrew's over these two months, and much new is planned for the months ahead. You will read more about that elsewhere in The Angler.

What I hope you find you are able to do in these days ahead is to remember how important it was for you, during these past two months, to be able truly to relax. And in the remembering, I hope that you will remind yourself (when the world inevitably presses in upon you in the months ahead) of that need to relax...to be refreshed...to find yourself.

Please heed that need and find those ways that best fulfill it...whatever they may be. Too often, we neglect the well-being of our souls, our inner-most beings, as we rush about doing those things which simply "must" be done.

True, there are times when we must get on with the job at hand, but it is of great importance for us to know the difference between such times and times in which we are rushing about horribly concerned over something that really does not need our immediate attention.

Such care of ourselves will not only lead each of us to be stronger persons, but will allow us to be far more help to those around us who depend on us for some measure of their own strength.

I pray that each of us may find ways to grasp that peace, which we so often seek only on our Summer vacations, during the Fall and Winter months which now begin to confront us.

Faithfully,

The Rev. Robert L. Ficks III, Rector

St, Francis of Assisi is known for many attributes that exemplified his devotion to a Holy and Christian life. But he is probably best known for his kind acts to four-legged creatures and other denizens of the forest. That is so much of his legacy, that it is becoming more common among Christian churches to honor him as the patron saint of animals.

Therefore, we at St. Andrew’s will once again be observing St. Francis of Assisi with our own rendition of furry creatures four-legged friends that sometimes are…well…much like family.

The Blessing of the Animals will take place during the morning service on October 4. Oh, and by-the-way, please have your pet on a leash—unless, of course, it is perhaps a fish….

Sunday, September 13 marks the opening of Sunday School at St. Andrew’s!

Our dedicated group of teachers is looking forward to a new year with a new program to use! There will be more crafts done in class, so there may be a "wish list" posted in the Narthex at some point for items we could use in our class.

This year’s staff includes: Diane Garvin, Jaime Peters, Raelene Comstock, Jeannine Sanders, Janna Ouellette, Lona Gagnon, Denise Page, Connie Burleigh, Catherine Spruce, Steve and Margaret Bond. Betty Steeves, Sally Murch and Betsey Neal are on stand-by if we need extra help.

All children of the parish are invited to join us at 9:00 on the 13^th as we begin our 2009-2010 year. They are also encouraged to invite friends to join us!

Thank you in advance to everyone who has been willing to make this program work, so we can offer our young people a place where they can learn about and experience God’s love.

Bible Study

Bible study will resume on Monday, September 14 at 7 p.m. in the Guild Room.

We will be taking up where we left off in the Gospel of John with chapter 10. Deacon Bob Landry will once again take us on this journey. It’s a good thing we’re not studying about the Israelites and their 40 years in the desert—we might never get to the Promised Land!

Seriously, though, the pace of the study, conversation and "digging into the scriptures" has been very rewarding and educational for all who have participated in this worthy and challenging study of one of the most important books of the Bible.

Whether you are new to Bible study or having been doing it for years, all are welcome to come and learn more of what the gospel message is all about.

Golf Tournament

After a one-year hiatus, the St. Andrew’s (not Scotland) Golf Tournament will once again be played in a best-ball scramble format. The tournament will take place at the Hillcrest Golf Course on September 27 in the afternoon.

As in the past, it should be a fun filled event for the avid and not-so-avid golfer from St. Andrew’s. Teams of four will vie for Scottish bragging rights with the backdrop of the fabulous autumn color that should be in near peak form.

Also being planned following the fellowship and good sportsmanship of the golf enthusiasts will be a late afternoon luncheon. All the details have not been worked out as of this publication of The Angler.

Watch the bulletin insert, What’s Happening, for more information or contact Lona Gagnon.

I would like to share with you something of some real importance to us who call ourselves Christians.
It is about our "First Work" This was inspired by an article I read.　

Do you know that the first work of a Christian is Prayer? The context of this
prayer is Scripture, Sacraments, and Community. Putting this activity of
prayer into action is a common challenge for most of us. The thing is; it is
the means to making our lives more authentic and it is the place where we
discover our Lord's invitation to become his disciples.

We are all called in every generation to conversion of life and manners. The problem is that we can not depend on the accomplishments of previous generations, nor should we
want to, if we desire to be truly alive to God.

So without our common or community prayer and our personal prayer, we become unaware of our own needs and those of others in the world. The simple thing about this is that prayer is the life line that encourages us and changes our hearts.

We are called to prayer, not because we expect to change God and the mysteries of life and living, but　in order that we might be changed to a way of thinking and
living which is in accord with the will and purposes of God. So what this
means is that we are not to only hear the Gospel; we are called to live into the
Gospel. The Gospel is, by nature, meant to be shared.

While the gospel is a treasure it is not something to be possessed. It is our Baptismal responsibility to share the Gospel. So if we don't spend time with it, how
can we share it authentically with others?

At the heart of the Gospel is giving up living just for ourselves and learning to live freely as instruments of a wider love for everybody. Let me stress this as I have many times before; EVERYBODY, men, women and
children, particularly the poorest of the poor.　

Jesus came as one who served.　 This is what my ministry calls me to. It is said that those who are first in the Kingdom of God are those who serve. To follow Jesus
involves making the word of God the most important thing in one's life.

In order that we do not go off on flights of fancy, it is important that our
prayer take place in the midst of a praying community gathered to listen to
the Word of God and partake of our Lord's sacramental presence.　

So just as Jesus and his disciples gathered together around the table so do we, and in doing so we will come to a full understanding and become familiar with the
whole purpose of God for us and our work as his disciples.

We not only become familiar with the words of Jesus and his prayer but with the prayers
of former generations, like the Psalms of the Hebrew people, and with the
needs and concerns of those around us.

If we let it, the Gospel allows us to cross the barriers of race, nation and culture. It encourages real friendship based on our common
inheritance in our creator. It allows us to see that in Christ Jesus, there is no "Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female."　

If we learn to live into this truth it forces us to live in solidarity with each other or as I stated before serving ALL people.　 The only limits to our service of each other are those of charity.

It is common and probably much easier to crawl into our shells and protect ourselves from all of the abuses, and problems of the world, but when we do this we condemn ourselves to a life of isolation.

Prayer is not an end but a beginning of living into the reality of an active God who is asking us, urging and inviting us to be active in the world and in doing so we free ourselves from those isolations we place
ourselves in, by turning a blind eye and crawling into our protective
cocoons.

This invitation God offers is for all to experience, it is a time
of liberation from the issues of the world.　 This is true for the oppressors
and those who are oppressed.

So you all might ask, what does this have to do with me? Well it has
everything to do with you, me and anyone who stands and says; I believe that
you are the Christ, the son of the Living God, the Great I Am, the Alpha,
the Omega, the beginning and the end.

What it means my loving brothers and sisters, is that we are called to be praying, caring people who love and care for all Gods people.

So I bring this question before all of you and for me. What are we to do? What is God calling us to do, here in Millinocket, Maine, the USA, and in the world? What are we doing to make Christ known and for others to know that Jesus Christ died for them, and loves them too? What is it that we are doing here as St. Andrews Family? What are the days ahead calling us to do? Pray, and allow your hearts to be changed and be liberated to serve the on who first loved us.

In the Peace and Love of Jesus Christ
Deacon Bob Landry

Fellowship Dinner

A night of fellowship around a catered dinner brought together more than 20 parishioners of St. Andrew’s on Monday, July 13.

The social gathering began prior to 6 p.m. with a choice of coffee, tea or punch. An exquisite meal was soon to follow with a choice of chicken or steak. Those entrees both included a choice of potato, salad and a vegetable. The food was wonderfully presented by the staff at Grassroots Catering in East Millinocket.

Initially, this has been the annual Episcopal Church Women’s get-together, but this year it was decided to open it up to the men of the church under the auspices of a night of fellowship.

Three brave souls accepted this invitation on a very pleasant summer evening. The food was good and so was the fellowship and socializing.

A resounding thank-you to all of the St. Andrew’s Family for your continued faithful stewardship! I am pleased to say that through the months of May, June, and July, our total income (including diocesan grant) has equaled or exceeded our expenditures.

Thanks to all of you who have kept up with your pledges and to the rest of those who give their financial support. Without your faithfulness during these months when the level of giving often drops off the financial picture at St. Andrew’s wouldn’t look as promising.

Leslie L. Jenkins

Treasurer.

Macy Grace George on July 12. She is the daughter of Tonya and Jamie;

Dominick Caleb Smith on August 23. He is the son of Kristen and Tim.

Marjorie Freeman died on August 2.

A Memorial Service was held for Carol Johnson on August 1, 2009. She had passed away on April 7 in Florida.

On The Lighter Side

When he heard nothing more after a bit, he shook his head, promised himself a vacation after the next big score, then clicked the light on and began searching for more valuables.