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A Message from Pastor

Dear St. Andrews Family,
St. Andrews School starts this week! I cannot tell you how excited I am for this upcoming school year! We have so many wonderful families, and our numbers are growing. Our staff is top-notch, and it is an honor for me to serve with them, and learn from them. This school year marks the 115th anniversary of St. Andrews Lutheran School. So much has changed in the last century plus, and we have adapted well. What has not changed, and what will never change is the messsage. We are focused on sharing the love of Christ and the Word of God with our students and families. St. Andrews provides a wonderful academic education - unparalleled in my opinon. But the true gift we give, is teaching and showing the love of Christ in the Gospel, day in and day out. Happy 115th St. Andrews, and thank you for supporting this awesome school ministry!

Your Brother in Christ,
Pastor Matt
TRANSFER THE BLESSINGS: Importance of a Christian Estate Plan
After sharing a presentation about the importance of having a Christian estate plan, planning especially God’s gifts to family and ministry, Frank was present at the presentation. His mind had wandered at times during it, as he was contemplating what exactly he might want to accomplish. Frank came up to me and said, “So what do you really do to help me in this process? I missed that part. I responded, “I am your Christian friend. I will pray with you, discuss with you, and work hard to become clear about what the Lord has laid on your heart to do. Having this clarity before you begin working with attorneys and financial planners is crucial, so that your plans are not vague, but laser focused. There is no cost for my service to you, but I
bring value. We will organize your family and financial information. We will investigate how your beneficiary designations line up with your overall estate intentions. I will offer you some visual designs to get the wheels spinning in your mind, about the possibilities the Lord has given you, of which you might not be fully aware. Then we will gather all that information, sharing it with your advisors so that you step into those appointments, fully prepared to accomplish your goals. I can assist you in preparing a statement of your faith that will speak to family, friends, and even fellow Church members, to encourage them in their faith. Finally, if you tend to get stuck on tackling a big project, I can encourage you to get started, and to keep going until you get it done. All of this we will work on, to assist you in being a faithful steward of the gifts the Lord has given you to manage.” Frank said, “Now I get it. I think I could be helped by many of those things you just described. When can we meet?”
To receive help with the foregoing, at no cost to you, please contact St. Andrews Christian Estate Planner, Ray Pagels, on his cell: 847-226-2262 or his email at [email protected]

FOOD PANTRY UPDATE: 165 households visited the St Paul of the Cross food pantry in June. Most needed items are cold cereal, pancake mix and syrup, canned tuna and WHITE rice (l lb.). Thank you for your continuing support!

MISSION OF THE MONTH:
A recently-developed outreach of Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) is its Hearts of Mercy and Compassion Ministry begun in 2020. This ministry responds in the aftermath of tragedy with gifts of wooden hearts and crosses to those who have suffered loss. They stand on wooden pedestals, all hand-made by volunteers at the organization’s Northbrook facility. The hearts are blue, the color of hope and are centered with a fish, the symbol of God’s saving grace. Some are given to individuals, while others are set up in memorial walls to honor the lives of people who died during a mass tragedy.



PLEASE KEEP THE FOLLOWING IN YOUR PRAYERS:
Elizabeth Okray, Frank Brant Avila, Janet Reich, Carol Claybaker, Gigi Breitzman, Livia Grace Gallo, Daniel Avila, Sr., Eleanor Claybaker, Richard Avila, Carol Mraz, Laura Peter, Jeanette Peter, Shant Esho

LAST WEEK'S ATTENDANCE AND FINANCIALS

Weekly Giving Report - 08/14/26
Internal Gifts/Receipts - General Fund External Gifts/Receipts
White Envelope Giving/Plate Offering
$31,154.00
Electronic Giving
$5669.26
TOTAL
$36,823.26
Designated Funds:
St Paul's Food Pantry - $3000
Sunday School - $50
Comfort Dog - $100
Lobby Beautification - $20.75
Missions - $5


Worship Attendance: Saturday 08/13 69 Sunday 08/14 160 TOTAL 229

LATEST NEWS

St. Andrews School Tuition Assistance Matching Challenge

St. Andrews School Tuition Assistance Matching Challenge
Read more to learn about the St. Andrews School Tuition Assistance Matching Challenge or for the link to contribute.

A Gift to the Glory of God

A Gift to the Glory of God
Read more to learn about how to make a contribution in memory of a loved one.

Pastor Appreciation Sunday - October 25

Pastor Appreciation Sunday - October 25
Join us on Sunday, October 25 as we take time to celebrate and show our appreciation for our pastors! We will gather during the Pancake Breakfast in the gym.

CROP Hunger Walk

CROP Hunger Walk
St. Andrews is participating in the 2026 CROP Hunger Walk to support Church World Service (CWS) and help families who are struggling with hunger. Please join us - with your steps and your donations.

Help Wanted! Volunteer Engagement Director

Help Wanted!  Volunteer Engagement Director
Help Wanted! VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR – 5 hrs/wk. Read more to view the full position description.

LATEST PODCAST

How The Sausage is Made (Sermon Study) - October 8, 2026

The parables in Matthew 22 are not just difficult—they confront the way we think about stewardship, invitation, and whether we are living as though everything belongs to God. Pastor Ethan and Pastor Matt unpack the “terrible parable” of the vineyard and preview the wedding banquet text with one central question: What do these stories reveal about us right now? Ethan …

LATEST SERMONS

Muddy Windows

Pastor Ethan explores another one of Jesus' parables this week. Set against the backdrop of the perfect, eternal, heavenly Feast described in Isaiah 25, Jesus describes a much messier event. Guests refuse their invitations, people are rebellious, rude, and apathetic. A city is burned and a guest is thrown out. Through the messiness, and however muddled it may appear, the …

The Most Terrible Parable - The Noble Vineyard Owner

Pastor Matt takes us back to Matthew 21, to the second Parable Jesus tells during Holy Week.  Jesus takes on the religious leaders who act as if they are in charge and have the authority that only God truly has.  Jesus challenges them with a brutal parable about a vineyard owner whose tenants act as if they own the land, …
CHURCH OFFICE 847-823-6656
Nichole Wandel, Office Administrator
Matthew J. Hoffmann, Pastor
Ethan Luft, Associate Pastor
Jordan Holliday, Director of Music
Christa Neve, Director of Comm. and Media
Greg Lendy, Contemporary Worship
Hillary Delanty, Principal
EMAIL: [email protected]
SCHOOL OFFICE 847-823-9308
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