{"id":3271,"date":"2024-03-14T01:00:20","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T01:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/standrewspcusa.org\/?p=3271"},"modified":"2024-03-13T18:24:47","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T02:24:47","slug":"st-andrews-update-march-13-2024-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/standrewspcusa.org\/st-andrews-update-march-13-2024-2\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Andrew’s Update–March 13, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

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St. Andrew’s Midweek Update March 13, 2024<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Giving up Plastics<\/h2>\n

As many of you know, the Membership Committee has invited the congregation to consider giving up a percentage of the plastic we normally use for Lent. I took this challenge to heart and have been making an effort. Turns out, it’s a lot harder than I expected. The scales have fallen and I see now that so much of what I buy, use, and consume is wrapped in plastics. In fact, it is starting to feel like plastics are as ubiquitous as air and water. Giving it up seems as impossible as, well, giving up my car.<\/p>\n

Like so many of you, I am caught up in a system that pollutes the environment on an unprecedented scale. Every once in a while I consider what it would take to get out of that system entirely. The math is overwhelming to me. I can ride the bus or my bicycle to work, but I often need my car for visitation or offsite meetings. I can try to purchase products from local vendors made out of natural materials and avoid pre-packaged goods, but often those items are beyond my price range or just not available. I can buy alternatives to “fast fashion” but those markets aren’t very robust and often I can’t find things in my size or, again, price range. Incorporating these changes takes a significant investment of time. I’m not always sure I’m equipped for this.<\/p>\n

It’s at this point that I get overwhelmed and start to settle into a sense of defeat. In fact, I was starting to feel defeated in my attempts to give up plastic when Michael Padden-Rubin stopped by the office to talk with me the other day. He had some ideas for how to help our congregation recycle plastics that can’t be recycled through the normal systems. I won’t go into the details, which we will present in a few weeks, but I will say Michaels enthusiasm was just what I needed at that moment. He helped me believe that the small impact I could make was really important.<\/p>\n

This is exactly how a community of faith works! None of us can make a difference alone, but together we can encourage each other to keep trudging in the right direction. We can pool our resources and work cooperatively. We can help educate each other and cheer each other on when we get discouraged. I can’t imagine trying to live in this world any other way.<\/p>\n

So, having said that I want to encourage everyone to join us this Friday at 3:00 pm for the Arroyo Burro Beach Clean Up! <\/strong>Together we will not only make a small dent in the problem of plastics in our water but we may inspire others, strangers, who see us doing this together and having fun. Someone out there needs inspiration. May we be the kind of people who provide it!<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Friday, March 15th, 3pm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Beach Clean Up<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Meet us at Arroyo Burro Beach Friday, March 15 at 3:00 by the stairs to pickup trash.\u00a0 Afterward we can can share some fellowship at The Boathouse.\u00a0\u00a0This is a great lowkey event to share with friends and neighbors. Small efforts add up! For questions contact Melinda at murgatroidgerow@yahoo.com<\/a> 8057088699<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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March 17, Fifth Sunday in Lent<\/h5>\n

In Worship This Week<\/h2>\n