WELCOME, REV. RANDI HICKS ROWE! 

Information From Rev. Randi:

Present address: 11730 Decade Ct, Reston, Va 20191

​New address: 9 Cedar St., Lockport NY 14094

Any Bio info that you’d like to share regarding yourself and your husband: email: saintandrewspriest@gmail.com, my phone is 571 218 0984

I am very excited to be coming to St. Andrews to be your priest. My husband and I are native Virginians, growing up in Richmond, Virginia. I discerned the call to be a priest in midlife and served many parishes as a Christian education director before being ordained. Before that, I was a journalist, a Fortune 500 executive, a promotions manager for a nonprofit and a communications consultant.  I have a degree in communications from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MBA from the College of William and Mary. I also have a degree from Virginia Theological Seminary.  I am an avid reader and a doll collector. 

Tom has been a journalist for his entire career and has worked for many newspapers and periodicals, including the Washington Post. He has a degree in journalism from Washington and Lee University. He collects baseball cards and memorabilia.

We both enjoy baseball and are really looking forward to watching Buffalo Bisons games. We also enjoy walking our little dog, Trixie.

Tom’s daughter (and my stepdaughter), Megan Rowe lives in Charlottesville, Va, where she does social media marketing for the University of Virginia.

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Welcome to the St. Andrew's Transition Resource Page. The calling of a new priest is an important and challenging venture, and one of our goals is to keep you informed with timely and accurate information.

​If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact
your Wardens Doug Wintersteen or Paul Mayer. 

News

BOTH CONGREGATIONS HAVE SELECTED A NEW PRIEST! WE WELCOME
THE REV. RANDI HICKS ROWE
FROM THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE
OF VIRGINIA!
More info coming soon!

04.07.16
After months of hard work, the Search Committee has completed the official Profile! Many thanks to our dedicated team and to all the folks who completed surveys and participated in the small group discussions! Check out our profile here:

Our Parish Profile:
​St. Andrew's & St. John's

12.16
The Search Committee will meet for the first time on Sunday, January 3rd after the service. They will be officially commissioned at our service on January 10th. First order of business: developing our church profile!

12.12
OUR SEARCH COMMITTEE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE VESTRY ~
Thank you to all who applied! We are blessed by so many willing leaders!
Missy Naylor
Jerry Harrington
Natalie Beilein
Liz Gilson
Rachel Gregg
Lisa Roeseler
Lois Carter (St. John's)
Sharon Rhodes (St. John's)
Beth Pyskaty (St. John's)
Priscilla Moot (St. John's)

11.22
SEARCH COMMITTEE APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE

11.01
NEW : SERVICES AT 10:45
SUNDAY SCHOOL AT 10:30
​This is to better accommodate our guest priests as they travel from Wilson, especially during the winter. 

10.18
The Wardens of both St. Andrew's and St. John's met with Rev. Barbara Price and Rev. Pete Dempesy-Sims to discuss our transition. We will meet with them again on November 17th along with both vestries to go over many more details. 

Notes From the Announcements on Sunday, October 4th, 2015
 
We – your Wardens and Vestry – want to be sure that the information you receive during this transition period is timely and accurate. We want to avoid rumor and misinformation, and so encourage you to come directly to one of us with any questions. When a congregation is in between priests, your Wardens are your go-to people with concerns. Thankfully Mike Depew will continue as the office brain of our church, and he will handle the administrative end of things as he always has.
 
> Judith
We are so grateful for all that Pastor Judith has brought to this community of St. Andrew’s. She has been our spiritual guide, our mentor and our friend, and we will miss her terribly. Although we are sorry to say good-bye, we are happy for her as this is an important step in her journey.  After her retirement she wishes to serve as the interim priest for congregations that need her, and she has been going through special training to prepare for this ministry. The opportunity to serve in Williamsville will give her valuable experience and make her more marketable for interim positions post retirement.
 
As sad as Judith’s departure is for us, our life here will go on. St. Andrew’s is a strong congregation that is stable and solvent, and we have many strong leaders. We are friends, we are family.  We - the congregation - ARE St. Andrew’s, regardless of who is on the altar. Our leaders will continue to lead, our ministries will continue to minister, and we will continue to LOVE, WORSHIP, PRAY, SUPPORT AND SERVE, as our mission states.
 
Of course we do need a priest for many many reasons, and I want to explain as simply as possible what comes next as we transition from Judith to our next priest.
 
> Covenant
I need to first mention our Covenant agreement with St. John’s - it is as strong as ever. At last week’s joint Covenant and Vestries meeting, the Vestries of both churches once again voted to officially renew the agreement for another year. Remember that we are still absolutely separate churches. This covenant makes both parishes stronger, and provides each with a greater availability of pastoral services, additional fellowship, and educational resources. It also makes us much more attractive to top-notch priest candidates. We are very grateful for our covenant with St. John’s, and we are committed to keeping it strong and viable.
 
> Diocese
The Diocese will play an important role in the entire transition process. Barbara Price, the Transitions Officer for the Diocese, will be working with us throughout our transition. The Wardens of both St. Andrew’s and St. John’s – Doug Wintersteen, Jim Alessi and myself – have been in touch with Barbara through email, gathering information and learning more about the process itself, and we will be meeting with her on October 15th.
 
> Interim Priest
During the search for a permanent priest we will have an Interim Priest. This is someone who will serve on a time-limited basis during our  transition, with specific leadership skills for guiding us through this period. The Interim priest will serve only until our new priest is hired. They are not eligible for consideration of the permanent position. Unfortunately, there seems to be a shortage. Discovering that there’s a shortage of interim priests made me realize why Judith feels called to serve during her retirement in this capacity. That’s so Judith.
 
> Supply Priests
So as of November 1st we need a priest, and it is looking doubtful that we will have our Interim by then. That means we need to hire Supply Priests until an Interim is found. They serve one Sunday at a time, they are not in the running as our permanent priest.  We have to make the calls and arrange for them – Kathy Massie has graciously accepted this challenge, and I say challenge because apparently there’s a shortage of supply priests, as well. Jerry Harrington can attest to the fact that these calls are time consuming and challenging as he did it during the period before Judith arrived. When you see Kathy be sure to give her a hug. So until an Interim we will have a variety of priests celebrating with us on Sunday mornings. **UPDATE 10.6 See schedule >>>>>>
 
> Deacon Rocky
We are grateful that Deacon Rocky will continue to serve at St. Andrew’s and St. John’s. He will continue to preach once a month. Deacons cannot consecrate the bread and the wine for Holy Communion, and therefore can only serve communion from the Reserve. Given the role of a Deacon, it is not appropriate for Deacon Rocky to act as a regular supply priest.
 
> Father Sam
You may be wondering about Father Sam as he is one of our favorites. He will have some availability as a supply priest after the first of the year. Hopefully we will have our interim in place by then, but if not Father Sam may be here some Sundays.
 
> Committees
The Search Committee: It is a group of congregants who will develop a Parish Profile, receive, visit and interview candidates, and make recommendations to the vestry. Barbara Price will advise us on structuring our search committee. We will ultimately work together with St. John’s search committee as one unit when looking for a new full time priest.
 
After a new priest is hired, a Transition Committee will be formed. More about that committee in the coming months.
 
> Our Jobs
What can every single member do to help during this transition process? This is no time to slow down or step back.

• Continue with the ministries you are currently involved in

• Continue supporting other ministries (attending performances and events, step forward and try something new, etc.)

• Attend church regularly

• Pray for our new future leader to answer God’s call, and pray for our St. Andrew’s leadership - for their courage, strength, dedication and ability to hear what God has to say

We want to continue to be a vibrant church that will attract an awesome priest - and that take all of us.
 
> Party!
Friday, October 16th from 5-8, Open House Style with appetizers and punch.
 
6:30 we will present Judith with her gifts
 
Darcy and the Ladies Guild: food - the need help Friday morning on the 16th getting the food ready, around 9:30. Talk to Darcy for details
Kim Mazanka and her family are in charge of the setting and decorations. See Kim if you would like to help.
 
> Gifts

• Sunday School is making a framed piece of children’s art

• Book of messages – can write in between now and October 16th but will also be available at the party

• Stole (picking up tomorrow – the theme is “Come Down to the Lakeshore”)

• Bulova Clock with custom engraving

 
If you would like to contribute toward Judith’s gifts, you can write a check to St. Andrew’s with “Judith's Gift” on the memo, or Cash with a note attached saying who it is from marked "Judith's gift". There must be a note so that it doesn't go into the general fund and so Mike can also credit their statement.
 
> Conclusion

• We are sad that Judith is leaving, but we are happy for her.

• WE are St. Andrew’s, regardless of who serves as our priest.

• Come to your Wardens with any questions or concerns.

• Our covenant with St. John’s is healthy and a benefit to both congregations

• The diocese is working with us throughout the process.

• We start with an Interim priest but in the meantime will have weekly supply priests.

• We will be forming a Search Committee very soon.

• We need to bring our A Game throughout this period because we are going to attract an awesome new priest.

• We will party like it’s 1999 on the 16th

Spotlight: What You Can Do

What can every single member do to help during this transition process? This is no time to slow down or step back.

• Continue with the ministries you are currently involved in

• Continue supporting other ministries (attending performances and events, step forward and try something new, etc.)

• Attend church regularly

• Pray for our new future leader to answer God’s call, and pray for our St. Andrew’s leadership - for their courage, strength, dedication and ability to hear what God has to say

We want to continue to be a vibrant church that will attract an awesome priest - and that will take all of us.

Sing to God with
gratitude in your hearts.
Colossians 3:16

Pastoral Care

> For Pastoral Emergencies, call Father Tom Mitchell from Christ Church:
          Home:  716.568.0280
          Cell: 716.523.8682
          Christ Church: 716.433.9229
> For Hospital and Eucharistic Visits, call Judi Naylor at 716.587.2131