Ministries

Kids at St. Andrew

Children are an important part of our gatherings at St. Andrew. All children are welcome to worship with us at St. Andrew By-The-Sea whether they live in our community or are visitors. Here at SABTS, not only do our children get a sense of belonging, but they learn who and whose they are as God’s love is experienced through caring adults who want to share their faith with others. We encourage parents to set priorities for assuring the faith education of their children just as they would for math or reading.

Middle & High School Students at St. Andrew

St. Andrew hosts meet-ups, educational programming, and confirmation classes on campus and offsite at local venues like the beach and Starbucks.

CHILDREN’S CHURCH SUNDAY MORNINGS

11:09 am, Education Bldg.

Children grades 5 and under are invited to leave the service following the Young People’s Discipleship Moment to participate in fun lessons at their level. Youth grades 6-12 are invited to  assist one Sunday every other month

YOUTH EVENTS

RECENT EVENTS

Call the church office at 843-785-4711 for current events and information.

The purpose of this group is to reach out to and keep in touch with folks who may not be able to come to church regularly and want to stay connected to St Andrew.

The team sends out cards, makes phone calls and visits to those interested in staying in touch. This is a completely separate program from Stephen Ministries and visits by the pastors and will not duplicate efforts.

Volunteers who are interested in being part of the Connection Care Team, or if you or someone you know would like them to reach out to you, please email connectioncareteam@gmail.com.

Foster Care Program

St. Andrew By-The-Sea is proud to have an Epworth Children’s Home Foster Care program location on its property. The office is one of six Epworth Children’s Home Foster Care program offices in South Carolina. Epworth’s foster care program began in 2016.

Olivia Hooker is the Foster Care Director and Pam Wilson is the Intake Coordinator for Epworth working from the Hilton Head Island location and serving Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper counties. The office is working on recruiting foster parents so that every child has a foster home.

In the state of South Carolina, there are more than 4,000 children in foster care, with over 1,900 more homes needed to foster kids, according to the Epworth website. For more information about the Epworth Children’s Home Foster Care Program, please visit https://www.epworthchildrenshome.org/what/foster-care-program/. And if you haven’t already, stop by to meet Olivia and Pam.

Our Health Ministries committee brings programs designed to educate and improve the health and welfare of our congregation and community. We have blood drives, mental health presentations, CPR training, and more. Free blood pressure screenings are offered on the first Sunday of each month between services. Stay tuned for upcoming events and activities. If you are interested in getting involved with this ministry, contact chairperson, Merryl Dietz, merryldietz@verizon.net.

St. Andrew takes pride in its music ministry and offers a broad spectrum of opportunities to enhance worship through music. Music enlivens our spirits and moves our souls. It is a vital part of our worship services. Our music ministry includes traditional and contemporary music reflecting the diversity of our church members and our congregation participates in singing at each service throughout the year.

Choirs

Our Chancel Choir sings at the 9 a.m. traditional worship service. The repertoire of the Chancel Choir includes varied music of all styles and periods. The Choir is open to all from high school age to senior members. We rehearse on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and on Sunday mornings in the music room. There is no audition for joining the Choir—all are welcome!

• If you have a musical talent and can’t make a weekly commitment to join the Seaside Chancel Choir, you are welcome to sing for special occasions (holidays, cantatas, etc.). We would be happy for you to join us as your schedule allows.
• We encourage children and youth to join our Seaside Youth Choir which sings periodically throughout the year. Children from Kindergarten through Middle School are invited to join in singing praises to the Lord!
• St. Andrew has a complete set of handbells. We welcome new members to join the Seaside Bell Choir. This is a wonderful opportunity to praise God through music.
• We also welcome instrumentalists of all ages to participate in our music ministry. Whether you are comfortable playing solo, in a small ensemble, or accompanying the Choir, you are welcome to share your talent!

Please contact Bruce Gale, Hilton – Director of Music at bruceghhiumc@gmail.com if you are interested in joining our Music Ministry. Help us to enhance our services by sharing your musical talents!

“All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.” — Psalm 66:4

The Prayer Quilt Ministry is a way to combine the gift of a quilt, with the gift of prayer, for someone in need. It is a meaningful way to reach out to others in prayer. What better way to help someone in need, than with the power of prayer.

The Prayer Quilt Ministry is an interfaith outreach ministry that is currently being offered in Methodist, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Catholic, and non-denominational churches across the United States, and Australia. St. Andrew is Chapter #68.

The purpose of the Prayer Quilt Ministry is not to make and distribute quilts but to promote prayer through the use of quilts. The quilt is simply the prayer carrier. A heavy thread is used to take stitches through the quilt layers, and the ends are left free to be tied with a knot. As each knot is tied, a silent prayer is said for someone in special need, who then receives the finished quilt. This is not just a gift of a quilt, it is a gift of love and prayer. It is a statement of faith in God and in His power to comfort, strengthen, and heal. As a special gift of love, they can be made for sick babies, for adults and children facing health-related problems, or for anyone facing a personal crisis. There are many circumstances when the gift of a Prayer Quilt is appropriate. The only requirement is that the recipient of a Prayer Quilt, or their family, must be prepared and have agreed to receive our gift of prayer. A surprise Prayer Quilt is not appropriate. We can request a Prayer Quilt for ourselves, for a loved one, a friend, or for anyone who is facing a difficult time in their life and would like to receive our prayers. They may be a member of our congregation, or they may live many, many miles from the Lowcountry.

Do you know someone in need, someone who could use the power of our prayers, given to them in the tangible form of a quilt, which can provide them with both physical and spiritual comfort?

You can offer them this healing power of prayer simply by calling the church office at 843-785-4711 to get information.

Stephen Ministry: Christ Caring for People Through People

“Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2, NRSV

St. Andrew is a Stephen Ministry Congregation. What does that mean?

Our church equips lay people to provide confidential, one-to-one Christian care to individuals in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.

While our pastors are available to us, there are times, when a trained Stephen Minister can provide more regular, ongoing support than a pastor, can effectively deliver by themselves. Stephen Ministers make weekly visits to the lonely and offer support and encouragement in a crisis. Our Stephen Ministers also make visits to the hospital for those who need prayer and support.

Each Stephen Minister participates in 50 hours of in-person training before being commissioned to serve. A Stephen Minister will be there for his or her care receiver, meeting faithfully for as long as the receiver needs that care: a few weeks, months, or even years. All communication between the Stephen Minister and his or her care receiver is strictly confidential.

What are some of the challenges you may be facing? A Stephen Minister will walk by your side through any of these situations:

• Loss of a loved one
• Divorce or separation
• Spiritual crisis
• Incarceration
• Birth, adoption, miscarriage or infertility
• Recovery after an accident or disaster
• Illness
• Loneliness or discouragement
• Unemployment or job crisis
• Aging
• Relocation
• And many more

If you or someone you know needs the caring concern of a Stephen Minister, contact one of our pastors:
Jonathan Tompkins or Frank Lybrand.

Interested in learning more about becoming a Stephen Minister? Contact Stephen Leader Bill Putnam.