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Monthly Report - October 2026
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Official Acts September 17 - October 17
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Daughter of Thomas Giannopoulos and Melissa Perez
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Baptized: October 4, 2026
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October is always a busy month around here, and this one is no exception! We have a few items on the near horizon I want to make you aware of.
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- In November, a group of leaders will be meeting to work on articulating a clear Mission and Vision for our congregation. We are once again going to be working with Susan Matejka of Nonprofit Allies, who helped us so greatly with our Strategic Plan last year. I am excited to get started!
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- One of our goals in the next few months is to increase our impact in our community by narrowing our focus. Our new Mission and Vision are going to help us make some choices about which activities are helping us most in our efforts to build community and do effective outreach. The goal is that we do fewer things, but we do those fewer things with greater excellence and greater participation. You will be hearing more about this in the months ahead!
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- Our staff has been busy working on creating systems for engaging volunteers. We took a break from recruiting for the Director of Volunteer Engagement position, but now the search is back on. If you are someone who likes to interact with people, has a passion for the mission of the Church, and would like to be part of our staff, please let me know!
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- The Foundations Service is going well and we are improving it every week! The kids are doing a great job serving and leading the service, and the time of teaching the Catechism has been a lot of fun. Check it out sometime!
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- Every October I help put on a Pastor's Conference in Delevan, Wisconsin. This years conference was great and we had Rev. Trevor Sutton there to teach us about the emerging Artificial Intellgence market and how we as Christians can use (or not use) this technology responsibly. What struck me was the importance of real human interactions, and I am so glad we do this well at St. Andrews. Our new Narthex/Lobby renovation project is meant to welcome people into a space where real human interactions happen. I will share more about this in the weeks ahead, but I am SO EXCITED for what the proposed changes could accomplish!
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Blessings in Christ!
Pastor Matt Hoffmann
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This is my first report since the birth of our son, Hunter William Luft. The two-kid life has been a beautiful challenge and we really appreciate the grace and patience you’ve shown us as we make this adjustment! Everyone in our home is healthy and sleeping through the night - praise God!
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Here are some updates for the month of October:
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-We installed our new 1st Grade Teacher, Mr. Aaron Loveless, on October 18.
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-15 Middle School and High Schoolers joined the CROP WALK on October 18 to raise awareness and funds for families in our community who are battling hunger. The St. Andrews team raised over $1,600 towards this awesome cause.
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-I am joining the 6th grade class for our annual trip to Walcamp. This Lutheran Outdoor Ministry Center is an organization committed to shaping young people into faithful servants of Christ – all within a beautifully unplugged, wooded, and demanding environment.
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-Our Youth Groups continue to meet weekly with a 30-minute window where both High School and Middle School share food together. We have established a great group who attend regularly and have fully embraced our new youth group rhythms and schedule.
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-Our Church and School are hosting a wonderful Fall Fest and Trunk or Treat on October 24. Come be a part of this event!
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-Keep an eye out for more information about our Lobby Beautification project. A team from both church and school has been working diligently to answer the question: How can we use what God has given us to create spaces that encourage connection? More info coming soon!
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We are always striving to be more and more intentional with our gifts and resources so that St. Andrews can be as impactful as possible through our church, school, and community. Please pray for our staff, families, and anyone connected to St. Andrews. And know that you are appreciated for all the ways you serve and support.
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O Lord, help us, guide us, strengthen us, and use us for your glory. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.
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There is so much JOY happening at St. Andrews! This month, our school is focusing on recognizing and expressing joy in our everyday lives and celebrating the blessings God places before us. This includes the joy we feel seeing our new banners displayed along the back wall of the building, sharing with our surrounding community who we are and what makes St. Andrews such a special place.
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Our sixth graders are currently enjoying time away at Walcamp, where they are building relationships with one another, preparing meals over an open fire, and growing in their relationship with God. We are especially grateful to Kelley Schau and Pastor Ethan for accompanying our students and helping make this experience possible.
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Back at school, we are settling into the rhythm of the year and preparing for our first major fundraiser, the Read-a-Thon! This year, funds raised will go toward giving our gym a "glow-up", which will include a fresh coat of paint and an updated school logo. We are excited to see our students’ reading efforts help refresh a space that brings our school community together!
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We have also wrapped up our fall sports seasons, celebrating our JV and Varsity Volleyball teams and our Cross Country team. A special congratulations goes to our JV Volleyball team, which finished in 3rd place at the conference tournament! We are proud of all our student-athletes for their hard work, sportsmanship, and dedication throughout the season.
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As we wrap up Quarter 1, we are grateful for the many ways our students, staff, families, and church community come together to learn, grow, and serve. We are so blessed to be part of a community where we can share in God’s joy and see His goodness at work in so many ways!
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Director of Contemporary Worship Greg Lendy Report
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The contemporary service has had quite a few changes over the past six months. One of the most recent changes is the addition of a reflection time at the beginning of the service. The congregation first reads outloud one or two verses from the lectionary psalm and then they have time to meditate on it and use it in prayer. It has been a great way to start our worship service.
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Be sure to check the Events/Calendar page on our website to stay up to date on everything happening at St. Andrews! Each week, our newsletter features five announcements, but be sure to click "See All Events" to view all upcoming events and announcements. There is so much going on, and we don't want anyone to miss out.
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Thank you for continuing to engage with our social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram (@standrewslutheranchurchpr)! Your likes, comments, and shares help us reach more people and keep our church community connected. If you take a photo at a church event, send it to [email protected] so we can share them on our social media pages. It's a great way to highlight all the wonderful things happening at St. Andrews!
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Church Council met on Tuesday, October 20. The following are the minutes from the September 15 meeting.
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ST. ANDREWS LUTHERAN CHURCH
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Park Ridge, Illinois 60068
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September 15, 2026, 7:00 pm
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Hillary Delanty, Principal
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Matthew Tobias, President
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Prayer: Pastor Matt, Devotional Matthew 22:1-14
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Motion to accept minutes for the Aug 18 Meeting of the Voters’ Assembly, carried.
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Pastor’s Report: Provided update on new Foundations service. Will welcome new members All Saints Day. Working to get Planning Center services set up to manage volunteers
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1st VP Report, Phil Kober: Provided update on Service initiatives, gearing up for Crop Walk, ongoing harbor collections, and Exodus World Services. Update on Fellowship sees the return of 3F (formerly 4F) and pancake breakfast.
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2nd VP Report, Eric Wandel: Provided update on Stewardships rollout of tuition assistance drive. Provided updates regarding delays in school banner installations and B&G’s concern. Provided update on Alpha, assessing that we will not hear from Alpha again. Provided solar update, city wanted extra anchor near doors, Roofer is waiting on parts.
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3rd VP Report, Julie Hock: Provided update on school enrollment and marketing initiatives, raised issue of certification. Sizable update on PTL including goal of $66k and desire to assist with field trip transportation as bus rates have skyrocketed. Update from Family included Sunday school teach installation, and assisting school with aftercare supplies.
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Financial Report: August budget revenue was $39k higher than expected. Roughly 7.5k of that was due to an annual donor giving early. Without that, donations were down YoY for another light month this summer. The rest was the result of an increase in paid in full families this time of year, that will normalize out in later months.
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Expenses were 14k higher than anticipated. Roughly 2k of that was in electricity costs due to not getting the solar panels activated as anticipated. Building maintenance in August was also elevated by about 3k, hopefully that is a timing issue. Through two months of this fiscal year, we have run through 25% of our maintenance budget. On the school side there was over $2.5k in staff development that wasn’t budgeted for, nor was the 2k payment to the city to support crossing guard costs. Classroom supplies are also running significantly higher than last year’s totals.
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BALANCE SHEET (approximate as of August 31)
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Cleaning Service: Council discussed the issues with hiring Jacek directly vs. using a service that has many contractors to fill in. These included handling supplies, replacement in case of illness/vacation, and costs differences.
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Vanco: Financial looking to end Vanco by years end. Asked Council to reach out to some of the families still using it personally.
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NLSA Audit: Brought up in Council that we would need to go through external audit in the next couple years to maintain school certification. Available information seemed sparse. Decided we needed to reach out to NID for possible guidance to get ahead of the situation.
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School Tuition abnormalities: Mike tracked down the curious case of excessive tuition despite flat enrollment. 4 years of data indicated that 25/26 had an excessive amount of 24/25 payments in addition to elevated 26/27 payments. A multiyear timing problem. Reiterated the difficultly in budgeting revenue as there does not appear to be a pattern to when school families opt for differing payment options.
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Motion to hire JK 82 Inc. to provide cleaning services to St Andrews for $3760/mo, carried.
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Next regularly scheduled Council Meeting October 20, 2026.
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Motion to Adjourn @ 8:47pm, 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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October tends to be one of our quieter months for the BCDS, as the school year is already underway and the planning for the next school year typically begins in November. That doesn't mean there isn't work to be done, as there are always areas we need to revisit. We continue to review our curriculum and are working with the school to implement an updated eighth-grade U.S. History curriculum.
We are also happy to share that the PTL has been working on its updated bylaws with guidance from the BCDS and has successfully completed them. We appreciate the time and effort that went into this process and look forward to the events they have planned for our families, students, and staff.
The Outreach Committee is finalizing plans for our second annual First Responder Appreciation Day on October 28. We will be welcoming 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.
Increasing St. Andrews' visibility in Park Ridge has been an ongoing effort over the past few years. We hope you have had a chance to see the new banners in our back parking lot. This is another step toward helping more people in our community become familiar with our school.
Thank you for keeping our students, families, and staff in your prayers.
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We discussed the purchasing of some hip chairs to add for our less-mobile members for ease of sitting down and standing up.
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Electrician trimmed out the Elm street basement, outlets and switches etc. Installed the vanity, top, and shower door for Elm street. Moved the old electronics from the school library to the garage for recycling. Rodded the sanitary sewer lines from the Northwest highway house, the sacristy, church bathroom and kitchen lines, and the Elm street house. Cleared tree roots from all lines and flushed them out. When finishing at Elm street the cleanout fitting split, we temporarily sealed it for the weekend. We returned Monday and drilled out the split fitting and replaced it. Pulled all school boiler tubes brushed and vacuumed them out. Cleaned all flame sensors and ignitors. Oiled all circulating boiler pumps. Cleaned the burner on the domestic hot water boiler. Did a heavy cleaning of the balcony "bell" area. Installed the second scoreboard in the school gym. Worked with electronic recycler and sent all old computers and monitors for recycling, the garage is clear of all of that debris. Working on cutting up the old pallets by the garage. The electrician installed the light fixture above the vanity at Elm street. The carpenter is cutting down the doors and working on setting up the basement stair railing. Painting work is continuing and should be near completion. Flooring installed in Elm St basement with stairway steps in process. Getting close to final inspection for the solar system. Waiting on final contractor details for concrete work permit. Have the main contractor for the HVAC church unit ready to schedule and go for a permit, waiting on final details for the subcontractor for electrical work.
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Our current St. Andrews School tuition assistance challenge has raised approximately $8500.00 toward our $10,000.00 goal. These donations will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis, up to the $10,000.00, by funds moved from our general endowment fund. This will result in St. Andrews School tuition assistance subfund having a balance of approximately $28,000.00. These funds will then be available to help a family or families that want to provide their children with a Christian education, but because of health or other reasons, do not have the economic means to pay the full tuition.
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We are also reminding families through St. Andrews’ various publications and last weekends church service talks of the opportunities to remember relatives on All Saints Day through contributions to the endowment fund using the envelopes located in the church pews, QR codes at church services and in St. Andrews’ publications. The Jeremiah Tree leaf project also provides a great avenue to remember a deceased loved one or acknowledge blessings received by purchasing a leaf for $2500.00, which can be paid in up to ten installments of $250.00. Information sheets are in the church narthex next to the Jeremiah tree.
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The Board of Fellowship is hosting Pastor Appreciation and Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, October 25, between worship services in the gym. If you would like to contribute toward a gift for Pastor Matt and Pastor Ethan, please use this link to make a donation. The board has also been coordinating dinner for Friday Family Fellowship, held on the second Friday of each month. The next Friday Family Fellowship will take place on November 13.
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The Harbour: Thank You! for your generous donations of cleaning supplies and items ordered from their Amazon Wish List. Multiple boxes filled with the requested items were delivered in late September. The Harbour is always extremely grateful for your support of homeless teens in our area.
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CROP Hunger Walk: The Niles/Park Ridge walk was held on October 18. Total fundraising and walker results will be provided when received from the Walk Coordinating Committee in the upcoming weeks.
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Operation Christmas Child: Shoeboxes for Pack Your Own will be available in the narthex on October 24th! Details on how you can Put a Smile on a Child’s Face will be available in the Friday Newsletter and Panther Tracks beginning October 22nd and on the church Events page.
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St Matthew Coat, Turkey and Funding Drive: Share the gift of warmth and food! Our collection of gently used coats, frozen turkeys and other funding will be held between October 24th and November 15th. More details and the link to the Signup Genius for turkeys will be available in the Friday Newsletter and Panther Tracks beginning on October 22nd and on the church and school Events pages.
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Sunday Night Suppers: Four members of St Andrews assisted Scout Troop 1 from First United Methodist Church with hosting responsibilities on September 27. 37 guests were served.
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Food Pantry: 193 households visited the St Paul of the Cross pantry during the September distribution. A list of most needed items is available in our Friday Newsletter and Panther Tracks.
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Food Pantry Presentation: Service Ministry will be presenting an overview of the St Paul of the Cross food pantry to our students during Chapel on November 4. Join us to learn about St Andrews’ partnership with St Paul of the Cross to support families in our community who are struggling with food insecurity.
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Sunday School has been in session for a month. Beginning in November, classes will gather in the gym with Pastor Ethan for the first 15 minutes on the first Sunday of each month before heading to their classrooms. The Board has also secured a volunteer to lead the children's Bible study at Friday Family Fellowship on November 13.
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We are in the midst of preparing for the Bethlehem Walk being held this year on December 5 & 6. November will see us focusing on casting the open roles we need to fill. Thank you to all of our returning cast members. We couldn’t do it without you. If you are interested in playing a part in the Bethlehem Walk please contact Kathleen Heller at [email protected]. Specific holes to fill are Guides, Angels, Innkeepers,and Guards. We also need to fill a few Shepherd and Stable Family shifts.
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We would like to recruit volunteers for set up on Thursday evening, December 3 and Friday morning, December 4th as well as take down on December 6. If interested in volunteering, scan the QR code at the Bethlehem Walk information table, click on this link, or fill out a paper form at the information table.
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Our reservation line is activated so get your reservations in now. Slots fill quickly. Email: [email protected] Phone: 463-600-9681. Information can also be found on the St. Andrews website.
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Help us advertise! We have our yard signs available for pick-up starting the weekend of October 24-25 and appreciate the advertisement if you are able. We also have bookmarks available with reservation information for you to pass out to family, friends, and neighbors. Find them at the Bethlehem information table in the narthex.
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Thank you for your support of this special event. If you are interested in being part of the planning for Bethlehem Walk contact Janet Dilfer at [email protected]. All help is greatly appreciated.
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Sincerely, The Bethlehem Walk Committee
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Myra made 37 visits in September and also attended seven church services and four chapel services. She has already made 29 visits in October and has 8 more scheduled. The majority of these visits are at facilities with which she, her handlers and ministry partners are very familiar because they are visited monthly. The clients/residents/patients have come to know Myra and the team members that bring her and are always eager to engage in conversation.
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Fun Fact: October 1, 2025 – October 1, 2026, Myra made 560 visits which is 46+ visits per month! This does include her attendance at church and chapel services. For each of these visits she has a Handler and for most of them she also has a Ministry Partner. Myra and her team are quite busy. These numbers translate into 10-11 visits per week, so clearly more than one visit or event each day.
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Earlier in September, Myra and her handler met with the women’s group at St. Edwards Catholic Church. They were very interested in the Comfort Dog Ministry and offered several compliments related to the activities in which the Ministry is involved. Myra also visited National Louis University during a Mental Health Awareness event. She was well received and there were several comments related to the relaxing and calming presence she brought to the event. Another fun event that Myra attended was a “Healing Garden Dedication” at the Advocate Adult Down Syndrome facility. It was such a joy to interact with the participants at this event.
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The Shoe Drive Fund Raiser which “kicked-off” in September, is in full swing. To date, 1,150 pairs of shoes have been collected but 1,350 are still needed to reach the goal of 2,500. Keep those shoes coming – ask your friends, family and neighbors! A collection bin will be available at the Fall Fest and Trunk or Treat events Saturday, October 24th.
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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]. Additional handlers are also needed and you could transition to that role after participating as a Ministry Partner. 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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