St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
Ayer, Massachusetts

Faith, Community, and Love

Ministries

At St. Andrew's, we believe that our faith calls us to continue Jesus' servant ministry in our communities by witnessing to God's reconciling love. We believe that the ministers of the Church include not only the deacons, priests, and bishops, but also all lay persons--adults and children alike. Most important, we believe that by welcoming everyone into our church family and by working together as a faith community, we can make a difference in the world--to bring in the Kingdom of God, to build up the body of Christ, and to glorify God's holy name.

We believe that active participation in the life of our parish and of our communities offers each person a tremendous opportunity to live exactly as Christ called us to live. There are as many ways to serve as there are needs for service. We do hope that you will join with us in this important work.

Altar Guild

Duties
Our duties include insuring proper liturgical colors for all vestments and hangings on the altar and lectern, laundering and ironing all linens, setting up the altar, preparing the Communion vessels for both services and for LEMB kits, and occasionally, flower arranging. There are also special tasks associated with baptisms, weddings, funerals and memorial services.

Members
Barbara Kamb (Chair), Priscilla Andrews, Jill Colburn, Marge Costa, Blanche Foss, Sue Hildreth, Barbara LeDeaux, Louise Rogers, Linn Swain, and Audrey Western.

Christian Formation Commission

Duties
Develop and implement programs to assist parishioners in their growth and formation as Christians, including overseeing the Sunday School curricula, teaching, recruiting and training teachers, obtaining printed devotional materials, and maintaining the parish library in the Peabody Room.

Members
Yvette Nasworthy (Chair) (Vestry), Erin Pueschel

Communications Commission

Duties
Create and implement effective communications both within and outside the parish, including a monthly newsletter, web site, information brochures, and parish directories. In addition, prepare news releases and maintain contact with local news media, nearby parishes, and the diocese.

Members
Erica MacKillop (Co-Chair), Sue Ulsch (Co-Chair), Richard Dabrowski, Linda Kaferle (Vestry), Alan Rogers, Louise Rogers

Facilities Commission

Duties
Oversee parish buildings, grounds, furnishings, and equipment, including code compliance, timely maintenance, repair, and replacement, negotiating fuel oil and energy prices, conducting parish work days for cleaning, light painting, yard maintenance, etc., and overseeing rental of the rectory.

Members
Alan Rogers (Co-Chair), Lee Burton (Garden), John Haynes, Linda Kaferle, Manny Lindo, Jim Western

Membership Commission

Duties
Develop and implement programs to encourage membership growth in the parish, including creating brochures and written materials to provide prospective members with information, welcoming visitors and newcomers, developing an infrastructure to engage newcomers, keeping the parish mailing list up-to-date, increasing member participation in parish activities, and advocating to make the church accessible to all persons.

Members
Faith Salter (Co-Chair), Carolyn Smith (Co-Chair), Judy Adams, Richard Dabrowski (Vestry), Lili Ott

Outreach Commission

Duties
Oversee ministry activities that reach beyond the parish and address human needs, including identifying outreach opportunities, recommending the allocation of the annual outreach budget, and encouraging time and talent involvement by members in outreach activities. We presently support Episcopal Relief and Development, Bishop Shaw's Fund, Episcopal City Mission, Diocese of Tanga in Tanzania, Battered Women's Resources, Inc., Habitat for Humanity - North Central Massachusetts, Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, Nashoba Valley Young Life, Our Prison Neighbors, Refugee Immigration Ministry, Seven Hills at Groton, and Gail White, working with the South American Missionary Society in Spain.

Members
Rev. Alan MacKillop (Co-Chair), Nicola Barlow (Co-Chair), Erica MacKillop, Erin Pueschel, Bill Veno, Judy Veno, Marianne Welton (Vestry)

Parish Life Commission

Duties
Promote a spirit of fellowship among parish members, newcomers, visitors, and guests, including coordinating the weekly coffee hours, organizing the fall and spring Foyers Groups, and planning luncheons, receptions, picnics, and potluck events throughout the year.

Members
Erica Scattergood (Co-Chair), Audrey Western (Co-Chair), Priscilla Andrews, Marge Costa, Blanche Foss, Delores Louttit, Mary Medeiros (Vestry), Jackie Strobel, Lynn Swain

Pastoral Care Commission

Duties
Discern and respond actively to a wide variety of parishioner needs in a respectful and compassionate way, including supporting families during illnesses, deaths, and other difficult situations by providing food, transportation, and visitation, and delivering Sunday flowers to the ill or homebound.

Members
John Ferrillo (Chair), Jeanne Cassin (Vestry), Sue Hildreth, Alan Rogers, Steve Titus, Phil Welton

Stewardship Commission

Duties
Oversee stewardship and finances within the parish, including fostering year-round stewardship, conducting the annual "estimate of giving" campaign and "time and talent" survey, recommending the annual budget, recommending/managing insurance coverage, managing the reserve investment accounts, and coordinating endowment, memorial, and capital fund raising.

Members
John Ott (Chair), Al Colburn, Dwight Harshbarger (Vestry), Lorraine Leonard, Mary Medeiros, Carolyn Smith

Worship Commission

Duties
Work with the pastoral staff in developing the communal prayer and worship life of the parish, including providing opportunities for continual spiritual growth, recruiting acolytes, lectors, and liturgical ministers, and providing feedback on any liturgical concerns of parishioners.

Members
Rev. Alan MacKillop (Chair), Kyle Bertulli

Parish Historian

Duties
The Parish Historian and assistants research and record the past and present history of the parish or mission with which they are affiliated and record the events, developments, statistics and other contemporary data that give evidence of the changing life of the congregation as it exists in the larger community. Historians collect, describe and conserve the documentary and pictorial archives of their parish and encourage the preservation and recording of the artistic elements of workshop and liturgy including church architecture, sculpture, ceremonial legal instruments, relevant printed and published materials, and other valuable and historical appointments.

Louise Rogers was appointed St. Andrew's Parish Historian in January 2006.