One of the best things about a church family is simply enjoying fellowship with each other. In fact, fellowship is one of the most important parts of what it means to be a church. From the very beginning, believers have been gathering for “the apostles’ teaching and fellowship” (Acts 2:42), as well as worship.

Looking for community? Looking for connection? Looking for God? Look for a group!

In a large church, it’s easy to feel lost in a crowd. That’s where groups come in. In a group, you can find others who are seeking what you’re seeking – learning, relationship, and a deeper sense of the presence of Christ in their lives.

Group ministry is growing at Saint Andrew’s. We have several groups with long histories, as well as newer ones that are just taking shape. In all of them you’ll find a hearty welcome, whether you’ve been part of Saint Andrew’s for years or you’ve just walked through the door.

Altar Guild

The Altar Guild prepares the church for worship. Members lovingly care for the vestments, linens, and silver used at the altar. The also tend to the candles and flowers, and they manage the bread and wine needed for Communion. The guild gathers several times each year for fellowship and support. Members make a five-year commitment to this rewarding ministry. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Banner Guild

The Banner Guild is perfect for those who enjoy design, textile arts and liturgical beauty.  The guild gathers for a brief devotional time and then works on banners for use in liturgical processions.  The goal is to create a complete set of banners for the entire liturgical year.  All designers, crafters, sewers, etc., are cordially invited! For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Brown Baggin’ and Books

Brown Baggin’ and Books regularly meets at noon on the second Wednesday of the month for lunch and discussion of books with a spiritual theme, such as Evensong by Gail Godwin and The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen. Have questions? Contact Jackie Gilpin.

Upcoming books:

September 8, 2010  Outliers, TheStory of Success” by Malcolm Gladwell  This book is responding to the question, “why do some people succeed far more than others?”

October 13, 2010 The Silver Chalice by Thomas B. Costain  A historical novel written in 1952 available in paperback.

November 10, 2010 Ordinary Resurrection, Children in the years of hope  by Jonathan Kozal, available in paperback since 2001

December 8, 2010 Mornings in Jenin, by Susan Abulhawa, a powerful story of one family’s endurance through 60 years of the Palestinian Israeli conflict available sn paperback since Feb. 2010. 

January 12, 2011  Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg, available in paperback.

Cancer Support Group

The Cancer Support Group is open to anyone who has had a diagnosis of cancer, as well as family members and friends of people with cancer. The group meets monthly at the church to share joys, concerns, and worries. Rather than discussing medical advice, the group listens, sympathizes, loves each other, and prays for healing of body, mind, and spirit. Contact Pat or the Rev. Dr. Jim Moore, 913-897-2376.

Join the Cancer Support Group on the second Wednesday of each month in the Jewell Room at 7 p.m.

  Circle of Grace

The Circle of Grace is an Intercessory Prayer Group, whose major purpose is prayer for anyone in need. This fellowship is open to everyone. All of this is to help us deepen our own faith and become humble in seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness — when calling upon Him to hear our prayers for those who are suffering and in need of His compassion. The Circle meets the first Friday of each month at 11 a.m. in the Library, followed by noon service and a luncheon in the Undercroft. Please visit our group; all are welcome. If you have questions, please contact Peggy Lane.

Community of Hope

Community of Hope members provide volunteer lay pastoral care to complement the pastoral care offered by our clergy. The training manual for Community of Hope describes volunteer lay pastoral care as "when a person is being 'present' in a listening, compassionate, non-controlling manner to an individual or group for the purpose of consciously or unconsciously representing God to them and seeking to respond to their spiritual needs." Members receive training and ongoing, monthly continuing education. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

Education for Ministry

Since we are all called to be ministers by our baptismal vows, the Education for Ministry (EfM) program from the University of the South is designed to help Christian lay people prepare for that ministry. It is that vocation for which we pray at the end of the communion service: “And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.”

This education is a four-year program, done through study of the Bible, church history and theology and by bringing that material into dialogue with the events of everyday life. EfM encourages lay people to discover and reflect on that call to ministry in the church and the world.

St. Andrew’s EfM group meets Monday evenings (September through May) from 6 - 8:30 in the Library. For more information, contact Janette Coil at (913) 341-1375 or (913) 208-7163.

Fabric of Life

Fabric of Life - St. Andrew’s quilting guild - is a ministry comprised of quilters, sewers, and crafters — male and female. The group gathers in the Auxiliary Room on Wednesdays, from noon to 2:30 p.m. to construct quilts that will be "tied" and given to people in need.

Participants are invited to bring their own cutting tools (rotary cutters, mats, and rulers), machines, and "gizmos and gotta-haves" to do the work of cutting, piecing, sewing, and tying the quilts. For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Fabric of Life continues to sew up many fine quilts from your donated fabrics, and we are continually amazed at your generous outpouring of gifted fabric! We do, however, continue to need material for “backing” the quilt-tops. If you’d like to make a financial contribution for us to purchase bolts of fabric for the backing (at a reduced cost), please make out the check to St. Andrew’s, and in the memo area, mark it “FABRIC OF LIFE.”   Thank you—from your Fabric of Life Quilters.

Members of this group were featured in the Neosho Daily News, as they delivered 30 quilts to St. John's Episcopal Church. St. John's staff have been very instrumental in disaster relief and recovery following the devastating tornado which hit this little town of 13,000 on May 10, 2008.  Nearly 500 homes were destroyed, and 14 people lost their lives. Our quilts were be distributed to families affected by the storm at the town's one year memorial service on May 10.

To see pictures and to read the whole story, click here!

Faith & Fellowship

The Faith and Fellowship group meets for lunch in the Undercroft following the noon Eucharist on the first Friday of the month. In addition to breaking bread together, the group enjoys a time of instruction with one of our clergy. Contact Joey Straube at 913-236-7707.

Garden Guild

This group of gardeners comes together to beautify the church grounds and gardens. If you have any questions, please contact Ralph Munyan at (816) 444-3517. We hope you can join us!

Guild of the Christ Child

The Guild of the Christ Child is a group for all families with young children, infancy to 3rd grade. The group offers fellowship and spiritual support for busy young parents who are seeking to raise their kids in a Christian environment. The group gathers several times during the year for fellowship and learning opportunities, such as dinner clubs, an annual All Hallow’s Eve party, Christmas caroling, a gingerbread-making party, a winter bowling extravaganza, a moms’ Bible study, and parenting classes. For more information, contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Intercessory Prayer Group

Our Intercessory Prayer Group meets at 8:30 a.m. each Tuesday in the Chancel to offer the prayers requested on the prayer cards from the Sunday liturgies. All are welcome! If you’d like to take part,
please contact the Rev. Anne Hutcherson – or just join us on Tuesdays. If you can’t join us in person, please pray with us from your own home!

Loaves and Fishes

The gift of love and food to our parishioners is so appreciated in times of illness and loss. If you enjoy cooking and would be willing to make a dish to be taken to a St Andrew's parishioner or family, please call or email Ann Renne or  Julie Johnson.

Men’s Breakfast

Men of the parish are invited to join together the fourth Saturday of each month from 8 -9 a.m. in the St. Andrew's Undercroft. Come for great pancakes & sausage, fantastic fellowship, and inspiring words from different speakers about how we can serve God by standing in the gap.

Mothers of Little Ones

Come join mothers of little ones (birth to 5 years) for fellowship, friendship and fun! We meet on the first Wednesday of each month from 9:30—11 a.m. at St. Andrew’s (unless otherwise specified).

Childcare is provided in the Nursery for $5 per child per hour. Please join us for any or all of the meetings! No registration is required. If you’re interested in joining Mothers of Little Ones, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to be added to the group’s email list.

Working Mothers of Little Ones (WMOLO)

Are you a working mom?  Would you like to connect with other Saint Andrew’s moms but can’t find the time to do so?  Then here is an opportunity for you!  MOLO is beginning a lunch time gathering for working mothers! For the next date and place, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Office Corps

Join the OFFICE CORPS!!!

Can YOU help us in the office?

If you are looking for an easy but highly valued volunteer opportunity for St. Andrews, this might be just the ticket!

A new "office corps" is being formed to provide much needed support to the church office during the work week. Office duties would include such activities as answering the phone and door, restocking reading materials and prayer cards, greeting and assisting visitors and making copies.

There are two ways to participate:

• Offer to work a two-hour time slot on a regular basis (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly) within the 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. time frame.

• Offer to be a part of a "on call" corps that could be called upon for special projects

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Please consider this opportunity. In these challenging economic times, your volunteer efforts would help keep our administrative costs low and enable staff and clergy to focus on their daily work.

(Plus .... it would be kind of fun!)

Prayer Partners

The Prayer Partners are early risers, meeting at 7 a.m. each Sunday at the church. The group meets to study the Bible readings for that morning and then pray for the services to come. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Racial Reconciliation Group

The Racial Reconciliation Group of Saint Andrew’s and Saint Augustine’s Episcopal Churches strives to celebrate the diversity among the people of God through prayer, study, and honest dialogue. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at the church. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Simply Divine Gift Shop

Our Simply Divine Gift Shoppe offers a wonderful opportunity to shop, meet friends for conversation, and help support several charities affiliated with the Episcopal Church. Simply Divine is open after the Sunday liturgies and on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information ,contact Pam Olander or visit Simply Divine's webpage!

Trinity Guild

The Trinity Guild, a women's group at St. Andrews Church, meets in the Auxiliary Room on the fourth Thursday of the month during September, October, January, February and March. Our April meeting is a field trip, chosen each year. The December Christmas Luncheon and May Spring Luncheon locations will be determined yearly. We do not meet during the summer.

Beginning at 10:30 we conduct guild business, then enjoy an interesting and informative speaker. The morning is wrapped up with a delicious lunch prepared by members the luncheon committee and in the end, we have spent a wonderful two hours in fellowship! We encourage everyone--including new and visiting ladies--to join us. Please contact Margaret Peters at 816-326-7807. Guests are always welcome!

Bridge, Anyone?

The Trinity Guild Bridge group meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 10:30 a.m. in the Auxiliary Room. All women and men of St. Andrew's are encouraged to join us regardless of their level of play. Please call Carol Bowles at (816) 931-1637 (home) or (816) 651-1842 (cel), for more information or to sign up.

Being a Good Steward of our Building

St. Andrew’s Building Usage Guidelines

What's the "correct" process to plan a meeting?

1. Contact Sonja in the parish office to see if the date is available

2. Complete and return St. Andrew's Set-Up Sheet to Sonja

3. Email Emily the information you'd like to communicate to the parish about your meeting or event. This information will be posted on the website, and then, if applicable, included in the weekly Messenger e-newsletter.

General information:

Parish and ministry group dinner set-ups
Place settings are not “set” on dinner tables. All dinners are set up buffet style, with plates, silverware and napkins at the food table. Coffee cups, water glasses and pitchers will be set up on a side table. Table clothes and centerpieces can be set on the dinner tables if requested. If you (the group leader) wishes to have dinner tables set, you are responsible for getting volunteers to do so.

Requests for coffee and water
Coffee and water are not prepared for meetings; however, coffee and supplies will be readily available if your group chooses to serve these beverages.

Clean up
You, the group leader, are responsible for assuring your group cleans up after your function; you must leave the room as you found it. Your group is responsible for putting together a cleanup crew to help clear tables and run dishes through the dishwasher, wash pots and pans and any other equipment used.  Step-by-step instructions are posted on how to operate the dishwasher in the Undercroft.