Who We Are….
Our History
Founded in 1965 as a “mission” congregation, Saint Andrew Lutheran Church initially worshipped in the gymnasium at Whippany School on Highland Avenue in Whippany. By September 1968, the fledgling congregation broke ground, under the leadership of its first pastor, Rev. George Niedermayer, at its current location which once sat between woods and farmland. As the community of Parsippany-Troy Hills has grown, Saint Andrew has grown with it.
In 1994, under the visionary leadership of Rev. Patricia Olausen, Saint Andrew sought to grow and opened a state-of-the-art Christian Day Care Center, Children’s Circle. In 2005, we expanded the day care center and built our new worship space as you see it today.
In 2000, Saint Andrew voted unanimously to become a Reconciling in Christ congregation, welcoming all people regardless of their gender identity, or sexual orientation, or any other label.
In 2015, Saint Andrew celebrated its 50th Anniversary under the care of Pastor Fred Lentz, by doing 50 mission projects to “Share our Blessings.”
Saint Andrew is constantly looking to find ways to meet the worship and life needs of a community where social and economic pressures compete with the spiritual needs of a society under stress.
Pastors:
Rev. Mary Anne “Psomi” Psomas-Jackloski, January 2022- April 2023 (vicar) Ordained & Installed as Pastor April 15, 2023 - present
Rev. Frederick Lentz, October 2008 - December 2021
Rev. Patricia Olausen, July 1988-June 2006
Rev. Patrick Magalee, April 1974-October 1975 (assistant pastor)
Rev. Richard Horn, July 1972 - October 1987
Rev. George Niedermayer, May 1965 - Summer 1970
Saint Andrew Lutheran Church is a member congregation of the NJ Synod of the ELCA.
Saint Andrew is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The ELCA was formed in 1988 by a merger of the Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church, and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. The ELCA is the one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, and the largest Lutheran Church body in America, with about 4 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Come… be a part of our future!
What’s A Lutheran?
Saint Andrew Lutheran Church is an inter-generational and inclusive congregation which is mission-driven, Christ-minded and open to new ideas. We strive to lead faithful lives with generous hearts, because of Christ. But…. what’s a Lutheran?
Lutherans are named after Martin Luther, affectionately referred to as “the father of the Reformation.”
Martin Luther (1483-1546) was an Augustinian monk and the priest of the Roman Catholic Church in Wittenberg Germany. He wrestled with his faith; no matter what he did he always felt that it wasn’t enough to please God. At the time, the Holy Roman Catholic Church was teaching that you could earn entrance to heaven through good deeds, and potentially purchase the salvation of your relatives by buying pieces of paper called “indulgences” which promised papal forgiveness of sins.
Luther was transformed by a great passion for God. He realized, through reading the Bible, that we are saved, not by our good works, but by the death and resurrection of Jesus. We have direct access to God through prayer and do not need an intercessor. The core of Luther’s teachings became this knowledge; we are saved by grace.
Martin Luther never intended to separate from the Roman Catholic Church, but to reform it. He nailed a list of 95 statements (the 95 Theses) on the door of the church where he served and the Protestant Reformation was born. With the help of the development of the printing press and like-minded thinkers, Luther’s messages calling for church reformation spread like wildfire. Luther also translated the Bible from Latin into German, the language of the people, so that the Word of God could be available to all. People could read the Word of God for themselves, and ask questions, and study and think about the Scriptures.
The Roman Catholic Church called those who followed his teaching “Lutherans” as a derogatory term, but Luther wanted this Church to be called the Evangelical Catholic Church.
The Lutheran Church (in all its denominations) celebrated the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation during 2017. Lutherans celebrate Reformation Sunday on the Sunday on or before October 31, the Day of Reformation.
What do the Colors of the Luther Rose Mean?
A black cross at the center symbolizes the death and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, on…
A red heart for the blood of Christ shed for the salvation of all, showing the boundless love of God, on…
A white rose symbolizing the faith that gives love, comfort and peace, and is the color of spirits and the angels, on…
A field of blue, the color of heaven, to show the joy and hope of our faith…
Surrounded by a ring of gold, to show us the love of God has no end but endures forever, and is the most precious of gifts.
What Do We Believe?
Lutherans believe God is One, but we see or experience relationship with God in 3 ways: through God as the Creator, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
God is the Creator of the universe.
God created and creates all things and all that God Created was and is good. However, we are born children of a broken and sinful humanity. Humanity’s original and perpetual sin was our desire to BE God. This sin creates a chasm between God and us. The price of our sin is death.
Jesus is God’s only Son.
Jesus is the divested part of God, the Christ, that came to earth to live among us. He died for us to pay the price for our sin and bridge that chasm. His Resurrection to life after 3 days in the tomb was the victory over that death that separates us from an eternity with God. Only Jesus, who was fully God (and therefore without sin) and fully human (and therefore capable of dying) could be the perfect sacrifice. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is what brings forgiveness of sin and opens up eternal life to us.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God who calls, gathers, enlightens and sustains us.
The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to us in our Baptism, and through the Holy Spirit we are intimately connected to God with every breath we take and thought we have. The Holy Spirit dwells within us and guides us, comforts us, and calls us to reach out in love to a hurting world.
Lutherans believe we are born sinful.
Sin is the condition of all humans. To be sinful is to violate the 10 commandments, but it is also to be prejudiced, self-absorbed, thoughtless… and more. It is, in essence, to be human. In Jesus, though, we are made right, free, and whole. This freedom is grace, and it comes to us through faith. Lutherans are big on grace; grace has been said to be more easily understood as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”
Lutherans believe the Bible is God’s Word to us and for us.
We are to study the Bible, question it, learn from it, discuss it with each other, be inspired by it, and study it some more as we will find new meaning with each exploration as our lives change.
What are the Sacraments?
Luther taught that a sacraments had to meet 3 standards. 1) it must be commanded by Jesus Christ, 2) it must use an element of the earth (i.e. bread and wine/grape juice for Holy Communion, water for Baptism), and 3) it must be a means of God’s grace. Therefore, there are only 2 sacraments in the Lutheran Church; Baptism and Holy Communion. We do begin most worship services reading together a confession, and oil is used for anointing the ill, the dying and the newly Baptized. We celebrate Confirmation. We celebrate weddings. These are signs that point to God, and not sacraments.
We Are Called to Be Ecumenical
God calls us to be a united people through a respect for Creation and all things living. Through Christ, we are called to see the brokenness of the Church and its history, to work toward the healing of the brokenness of the world, and to strive for the day when the glory of God will shine through the love of all people for one another. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are moved to acts of love, service and compassion for all of God’s children.