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Monthly Report - September 2026
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Official Acts August 17 - September 17
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Daughter of Patti and Kevin Johnson
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Baptized: September 13, 2026
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I went to grab my windbreaker last night and I realized I opened the door to our coat closet for the first time in a long time - Fall is here! School starts, then football season kicks off, then we go back to 2 Sunday services and it feels like Autumn is now official. Last month was busy as we prepared for a new Sunday service and made some adjustments while Pastor Ethan and Wren welcomed Hunter home. What an exciting and precious time! Here are some things I am looking forward to in the month ahead.
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In addition to those things which take place all year (Knit and Know Him, Men's and Women's Fellowship, etc.), we are starting up with our Friday Family Fellowship (moved to the 2nd Friday) and Pancake Breakfast (4th Sunday). We live in hectic times and taking an hour or two to slow down and hang out with other Christians is so important. Please make every effort to participate in Fellowship events where you can!
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FOUNDATIONS SERVICE:
We had our very first foundations service last Sunday, and it went well (with a few expected hiccups). Our young people did a great job taking ownership of the service and worked hard handing out bulletins, greeting people, ushering, reading, and helping with communion. It was inspring to see. I was grateful for a number of people who attended the service who are not connected to the Confirmation program, either because they wanted a refresher, or just liked the timing of the service. Anyone is more than welcome to attend!
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In our Strategic Plan we have two statements:
"Make periodic enhancements to the worship service with opportunities for (young people) and music aimed at a younger audience." And, "utlize youth group and confirmation classes to deepen and grow faith by asking questions, discussing the Bible/recent sermons/controversial verses..."
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Our Foundations Service format is seeking to address theses Strategic Plan elements. Recent research has revealed a desire among young people to return to more traditional forms of worship and this service format meets that need. We are also engaging in a discussion format for the service (and question and answer time for the confirmation students in the hour before the service.
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Our Strategic Plan indicates a need for more volunteer engagement. We have expanded our New Member Class to allow time to learn what our new member's gifts are, which areas they would like to service, and connecting them to the right people. I am excited to start our new class on October 4!
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We just started another round of the surveys, please take the time to participate. The feedback you give us is so valuable and you bless St. Andrews with your participation.
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Looking forward to a wonderful Fall season in God's grace!
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Blessings to you as we walk together in Christ!
Pastor Matt Hoffmann
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Pastor Ethan is on Paternity Leave.
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The school is in full swing as we settle into the rhythm of a new school year! This month, we are focusing on Gentleness, as a whole school, learning and practicing what it means to treat others with kindness, patience, and care.
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Our 1st–8th graders are also completing their first round of MAP testing, This helps us better understand their academic growth and learning needs. Volleyball and Cross Country are well underway, and we are looking forward to our first student-led chapel of the year, led by our 7th and 8th graders.
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We are so thankful for the continued prayers and support of our church family as we learn, grow, and live out our faith together at St. Andrews!
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Welcome back to our regular two-service Sundays! And welcome back to a new and improved Welcome Desk. We’ve made a few changes that we hope you’ll notice and find helpful.
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While all of our sign-ups are available online, paper forms will also be available at the Welcome Desk whenever there is a sign up or registration opportunity. You’ll also find brochures and information about gift planning, as well as memorial forms.
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Please remember that the Welcome Desk is a designated workspace for church materials and necessities. Items in this area are labeled accordingly, and we ask that the desk not be used as a general storage space. If you have something you would like to leave for another member to pick up, or if you have been notified that something has arrived at church for you, please use the designated bin located in the first upper cubby.
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Thank you for helping us keep the Welcome Desk organized, accessible, and welcoming for everyone!
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The Lobby Beautification project will be displayed on the boards in the narthex. Donations can be made through the Church Center App Give page by selecting the Lobby Beautification fund. Thank you for prayerfully considering supporting this project and helping us create an updated and inviting space!
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Please continue checking our website, which has the most up-to-date information about our calendar, upcoming events, and announcements. Thank you for following and engaging with St. Andrews on Instagram and Facebook! You can find us at @standrewslutheranchurchpr.
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Church Council met on Tuesday, September 15. The following notes are from the August meeting.
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ST. ANDREWS LUTHERAN CHURCH
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Park Ridge, Illinois 60068
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Hillary Delanty, Principal
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Matthew Tobias, President
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Motion to accept minutes for the July 21 Regular Council Meeting, carried.
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Motion to accept minutes for the Aug 9 Meeting of the Voters’ Assembly, carried.
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Pastor’s Report: Biggest effort at the moment is getting a new Sunday service going. Expressed gratitude that St. Andrews is willing to try new things and potentially fail. With Ethan on paternity leave will be preaching a lot more. Will be teaching 7/8th grade religion this year. May request a pitch hitter one weekend for a breather. Still looking to improve discipleship, would like to develop a team of leaders.
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1st VP Report, Phil Kober: Deacons is looking to introduce a program where longer tenured members are paired with newer members to assist them in integrating. Service is looking for funding for April Sunday Night Suppers, January funding provided by an anonymous donor. Lobby Beautification is looking for more visibility to promote fundraising. LWR Supplies ordered, assembly September 3rd. St Matthews delivering Coat/Turkey Nov 17th. Operation Christmas Child TBD.
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2nd VP Report, Eric Wandel: Stewardship thank you dinner to be held September 18. Will begin promoting the Tuition Scholarship matching challenge. Looking to promote the Jeremiah Tree once the lobby beautification has been completed.
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Solar: Comed raised issue with output inverters, and that has been resolved. Technical review will cost $1500. Elm House: rapid progress, but work is paused to accommodate family needs. Church: Lots of maintenance items completed this summer. Concrete work to begin in 3-4 weeks will take about a week. Oldd scoreboard removed and disposed, new scoreboard installed. New sound equipment to be installed this week.
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3rd VP Report, Julie Hock: Enrollment at 172 with one more expected. 3 more tours taking place. Banners have been ordered from Sir Speedy. B&G looking for specifics on installation. St Andrews will be manning the beer tent at the Throwback Fest on Friday Sept 11. First Responder Day scheduled for Oct 28.
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Youth & Family is organizing a box tops drive. Looking to assist new teachers in outfitting their classroom. Working with B&G to update nursery with respect to a proper door and painting. Will get a VBS planning committee going in Sept. Sunday school will begin Sept 26th group breakdowns K-2, 3&4, 5&6, 7&8.
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Financial Report: July’s shortfall topped 95 thousand, a roughly 75k increase YoY. This was mostly expected. 30k of the difference was a reduction in paid in full tuition beyond estimates. Likely to happen again in August due to how much pre-paying occurred in the prior fiscal year. Spending was 45k higher YoY driven almost entirely by the major projects (concrete downpayment, sound system) and school related expenses (curriculum and education reimbursement). Donations were down several thousand but likely a timing issue.
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BALANCE SHEET (approximate as of July 31)
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PTL Gym Project: PTL was looking for a goal to use in the fundraising efforts this year. They settled on repainting the gym. Council was provided with an overview of their intended color scheme.
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Financial: An update with respect to two potential candidates for controller position. Both would be months away from being able to assume the position. Council discussed the need to provide more guidance to the various boards on what they were able to spend. Noted a lack of expertise as to what certain ministry items should cost for good stewardship. Several members expressed interest in getting more people involved in the process.
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Housing FMV Discussion: Financial asked for an update on FMV rents in the area to ensure compliance with governmental regulations on this issue. These numbers were provided and rental adjustments will need to be made to adhere to government regulation. This in turn will create tax issues. Further discussion will be needed to determine course of action.
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Crossing Guard: Pastor has had conversations with an alderman, and other area schools, regarding schools assisting in the cost of crossing guards. Discussions were described as productive, not combative, and Pastor felt that it was in the best interest of the church/school to start contributing. Proposed amount is $2,000. Deemed not significant enough for a formal vote.
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Memorials: Member approached regarding what to do with money donated in relatives name. Member thought assisting the school’s efforts to replace sport uniforms would be a fitting option. Treasurer noted that there were several thousand other memorials that have not been assigned. Pastor will be provided a list of outstanding amounts to work on getting them allocated.
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Building Cleaning (via e-mail): B&G raised a matter of immediate concern. St Andrews long time cleaning contractor, Alpha, went bust. Alpha’s subcontractor, Jacek Koziel, has been cleaning for over a month without compensation as a result. B&G looking into permanent replacements. Nobody has been able to contact Alpha, the number has been discounted, e-mails go unresponded. Former employees are unable to contact the remaining owner. St Andrews was invoiced for August cleaning, but not the deep waxing done in July. Alpha has not changed its contact rate since it began nearly a decade ago. Market rates have risen significantly in that time. B&G worked with Jacek on determining a rate for August. Council discussed the merits of that rate.
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Motion to authorize Hillary Delanty to oversee PTL’s painting of the gym, carried.
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Motion to authorize payment to Jacek Koziel for $4,324.00 for janitorial services rendered from 8/5/26 – 9/5/26, carried (via e-mail).
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Next regularly scheduled Council Meeting September 15, 2026.
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Motion to Adjourn @ 8:26pm, carried.
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Submitted by John McCarty, Secretary
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Financial Update - [email protected]
See Financial Report from Church Council Minutes.
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The school year has begun, and the School Board is busy working to wrap up the numbers from the past year while also looking ahead to next year.
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The Board set a goal of increasing enrollment by 5%,and we are pleased to announce that enrollment has increased by 6.3%, with a current enrollment of 175 students.
We are also excited to share the success of our new referral discount. Four families took advantage of the offer, which resulted in seven additional students enrolling in grades 1-8. We are so thankful to our families who continue to share their St. Andrews experience with others.
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This past weekend, our Outreach Committee led a group of parents at Throwback Fest in the Gladstone Park neighborhood of Chicago, promoting St. Andrews and highlighting our First Responder Discount. We are pleased to report that eight families from our community are currently taking advantage of this discount.
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The Outreach Committee is also planning our 2nd First Responder Appreciation Day on October 28. We will be inviting local first responders to St. Andrews as a way to thank them for their service and show our appreciation for all they do for our community.
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Our Finance Committee, along with the Endowment Board, has launched our Tuition Assistance Matching Scholarship. The Endowment Fund has graciously committed $10,000 in matching funds to help provide tuition assistance to families in need. We encourage you to consider making a donation to help make St. Andrews an affordable option for families looking for the Christian environment and education we provide. You can follow our progress toward the $10,000 matching goal on the bulletin board outside of the chapel. Every gift helps us move closer to our goal and helps make a St. Andrews education possible for more families.
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Thank you for keeping our Board, staff, students, and families in your prayers. We are grateful for the continued support of our church family and are excited about what God has in store for St. Andrews this school year.
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1. We are going to start seeking volunteers to serve as "mentors" of sorts for new members. Hopefully this will give our newer members an additional resource for anything from prayer requests, stewardship/fellowship, and more. We hope to start this after the first new member class on October 4th.
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2. We are going to restart the passing of physical check-in notepads in our continued efforts to accurately record attendance. While check-in through the ChurchCenter app is still preferred, we want to give folks an alternative. This was something we did every week until COVID.
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3. We're exploring the idea of purchasing a few "hip height" chairs for members with difficulty getting in and out of our standard height chairs in the back of the sanctuary.
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Continued hauling junk from the building to the dumpster. Had Park Ridge Delivers move 2 pianos from the second floor and the old copier out of the basement. Got rid of both pianos and the copier will go with the other electronics. Fished an ethernet cable across the pre-k classroom ceiling for the new teacher's desk location. Moved desks, tables and chairs as needed for classroom set up. Worked with PTL and staff for 1st day of school breakfast mixer. Working on getting concrete work scheduled. Working to schedule the supplemental church HVAC unit replacement. Fox Valley performed the fire alarm signal test. Fox Valley tested our backflow preventers per city requirement. Working on organizing the garage. Met with contract cleaning contractors to get cleaning service quotes, Alpha Building services is no longer operating. We are working with Jack to keep the facility cleaned while we sort out the change. Assembled pre-k tables and chairs. Traced power for church supplemental HVAC unit to verify power for change out. Staged paint and supplies for Elm street project. Larry began painting Elm St basement Saturday, 8/29. Traced emergency light and exit light circuits, still have some we can not locate. Replaced emergency light in basement stairwell west of the LRC. Flooring positioned in the Elm St basement for installation. Waiting on some special roof anchors to be installed at one solar location to satisfy engineering changes required by the city. Should be the last activity before engineering approval and final inspection. Second scoreboard for school gym was due to be installed on this past Sat, but issue arose a back panel issue and install date to be rescheduled.
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This fall we invite you to join us in an exciting opportunity – The Scholarship Fund for St. Andrews School Tuition Assistance Matching Challenge. We are trying to build a subfund in the St. Andrews Lutheran Church Endowment Fund that will provide assistance to families that desire to provide their children with a Christian education. To encourage contributions for this purpose, the Church Council and the Stewardship and Endowment Committee have approved the creation of a matching fund from the General Endowment fund in the amount of $10,000.00. For each dollar contributed to the School Scholarship Fund for Tuition Assistance subfund, a dollar will be transferred to this subfund from the General Endowment Fund up to the $10,000.00 matching amount. Click here to learn how to contribute.
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Join us for two upcoming events at St. Andrews! The Pancake Breakfast Kickoff is Sunday, September 27, between services. Then, on Friday, October 9, join us for our next Second Friday Family Fellowship from 6:00-7:15pm. Enjoy dinner, fellowship, and Bible classes for all ages.
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Food Pantry Update: 193 households visited the St Paul of the Cross Pantry during the August distribution. This is a record number of households visiting during a non-holiday month.
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Lutheran World Relief (LWR): Board members assembled 100 school supply backpacks for distribution by LWR. Thank you! for your donations during the door collections in May that enabled St. Andrews to support education worldwide.
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The Harbour: The collection of household items for The Harbour’s mission to aid homeless teens is underway. Details of the requested products are available in Events on the St Andrews website. The collection runs through September 27th.
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Niles/Park Ridge CROP Walk: Restaurant Nights benefiting the CROP Walk will be held by City BBQ, D’Agostino’s, Portillo’s and Harp and Fiddle on their selected dates in September and October. Restaurant Night specifics will be provided via email. Visit Events on the website for registration and donation information for the walk being held on October 18th.
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Our Sunday School Teachers were installed on September 13, and we hosted a fellowship hour between services.
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Sunday School - Begins September 20, 9:45-10:45am
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Friday Family Fellowship - October 9, 6:00-7:15pm
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Trunk or Treat (Elm Street Lot) - October 24, 4:00-4:45pm
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We are planning a fall fellowship time after the Saturday service. Date TBD.
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We are gearing up and are ready to prep for the Bethlehem Walk being held this year on December 5 & 6. October will see us focusing on casting the roles we need to fill. Former cast members look for an email at the end of September asking if you are available to return to your role. If you are interested in playing a part in the Bethlehem Walk please contact Kathleen Heller at [email protected]. We have roles available for women, men, teens, and families so there is something for all.
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Our reservation line will be activated on October 1st so get your reservations in early if you are able.
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We also will have our yard signs available for pick-up the weekend of October 24-25 so that you can have them displayed for Halloween trick-or-treaters. Thank you for your support of this special event. Our next team meeting is October 19th at 7 p.m. at the church if you are interested in being part of the planning for Bethlehem Walk. All help is greatly appreciated.
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Sincerely, The Bethlehem Walk Committee
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It has been a busy couple of months for Myra and her team of handlers and ministry partners. In August, she made 33 visits plus attended Saturday evening and Sunday services. In September she has already made 15 visits and attended one chapel service, Saturday and Sunday church services. Since we are only half way thru September, she still has 23 scheduled visits, 3 chapel services and 2 more Saturday and Sunday services. Needless to say, she is a busy dog.
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Myra met with a special young man at Misericordia in late August and will be meeting with him again in late September and October. The longer-term goal is to meet and interact with more of the residents at Misericordia, a village housing about 600 residents with various neurodivergent brain processes and differing physical abilities. The young man’s sister arranged these visits and will be instrumental in helping us to expand Myra’s presence in this special community.
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The August “Dog Days” fund raiser, held in conjunction with the Ice Cream Social and School Supply Drop-off, was a huge success. Myra and her team want to extend a THANK YOU to all who participated. During this event, Myra’s team also sold “Myra Stuffies”. This is a Get One, Give One program. That is, you purchase one Stuffie for $25.00 and we are able to give one to someone, child or adult, suffering, ill, mourning, or in need.
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In September, the team “kicked-off” the Shoe Drive fund raiser. Donate your gently worn, used or new shoes which are sent to developing nations, providing economic opportunities for micro-enterprises. The shoes get a second life in places where shoes are the primary mode of transportation. Any and all kinds of shoes are acceptable. The organization we partner with, Funds2Orgs will pay the Comfort Dog Ministry by the pound for the shoes collected. Our goal is 2,500 pairs of shoes. Please help us reach or exceed our goal. Collection boxes are located in the Narthex, outside the School Office and under the coat rack by the back door.
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The Comfort Dog Team has also recently welcomed a new Ministry Partner – Kathi Stewart – and she has “hit the ground running”. We are thrilled that she has joined us and look forward to her continued participation in this Ministry.
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The Comfort Dog Ministry is such an integral part of St. Andrews and a means of outreach in the community and beyond. The team is in great need of additional Ministry Partners right now and if you think you might be interested in participating, please talk to Joanne August or contact her at [email protected]. If you would like we can arrange for you to “shadow” a team member on a visit and that may help you decide if this is the right volunteer opportunity.
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