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 RE-OPENING SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT HALLELUAH! This week we received the go-ahead from the Bishop to resume in-person worship on August 16th at 10:00 A.M., using masks, social distancing, safe communion practices, and cleaning before and after services. Our local new cases have been steady around 3/day (see graph) and we committed to continue to watch the numbers, closing again if the trendline rises above 4/day and then re-opening again when it declines. This will undoubtedly be a time of peaks and valleys in terms of new cases, and our goal is to have worship in person in the church when it is safe, but be ready to pull back when it is not. That seems the likely pattern until this thing is under control.  So -- now that you can come to church, the question is; "Should you?"
The answer is entirely dependent on two things:
Q: Will there be two services at this time? A: No, we are only planning a 10:00 A.M. service for now, but are open to changing if there is a need. Q: Will communion be available every week? A: Yes. Last week we sent an outline of safe procedures for receiving communion, and a video is coming out today or tomorrow demonstrating what that looks like. Q: Do I need to wear a mask the whole service? A: Yes, masks will be required during the entire service, except when you are actually consuming the host. Q: What if someone doesn't have a mask? A: No one will be allowed to worship in-person at this time without a mask. If you forget or don't have one, we have them available in the narthex and an usher will happily provide one for you. Q: Is hand sanitizer available? (An aside -- Lia calls this "hanitizer," which I think is actually a better name for it) A: Yes, there are three hands-free sanitizers in the church, one at the back door, one on the way into the sanctuary, and one at the steps to the parish hall. Q: How will we know where to sit and how to go to communion? A: Ushers will be on-hand to direct you to open seating and indicate when to come forward. Q: How many can worship in the sanctuary and what if too many people show up? A: We anticipate we can safely seat around 40 in the sanctuary, keeping six-foot distances between individuals and family groups sitting together. If more than 40 arrive, we have set up the parish hall with the livestream feed and can seat another 40 or so there. Honestly, if more than 80 people show up for service, we will have to cancel anyway because I will have died of shock :) Other churches in the area report small numbers in attendance, on the order of 20-30. If we exceed that, we will make a plan, I promise you. Q: Can I sit with my friends and/or family? A: Family groups can share a pew. Couples can sit together, and perhaps an individual can sit at the other end, space permitting. Individuals can share a pew, one on either end. Q: Will we use bulletins or prayerbooks? A: Bulletins as usual, placed in the pews where seating is allowed, to be left there for collection following the service. Q: Will there be music? A: Barb will play the piano, and on most Sundays Alyssa will sing the hymns as a soloist from a safe distance or behind the sneeze guard on the lectern. There will be no congregational singing at this time. Q: What if I forget what to do? A: Don't worry, there will be plenty of us present who have been working on this for months and we will assist you every step of the way. Q: Why are we going to all this trouble and when will we get "back to normal?" A: We are making all these (hopefully temporary) changes in order to have worship together and receive communion during this time of uncertainty. My commitment, and that of our Bishop and our Vestry, is that you will be safe in church. These steps represent the best guidance available to us at this time to lower or mitigate risk to your health and the health of those you love. So -- this is the plan. I am so looking forward to worshipping with folks in-person again, and I know many of you are feeling the same. Please be safe, stay home if it is safer for you or others, and keep the faith. This is progress! Love, Fr. Mark+ FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) Watch your inbox for a "Back to Church Special" announcement coming later today. It was too long to include here, so I am sending it as an "Extra." 2) The Bishop has announced that the 2020 Annual Diocesan Council will be held virtually this year on a single day, Saturday October 17th. Our parish is allowed to have 3 voting members plus clergy. If you would like to participate, which would mean giving up most of the day on Oct 17th to sit and watch and vote online, please let me know. I think we have one voting spot spoken for, leaving two available. 3) Don't forget to contact The Rev. Judi Yeates at this email address motherjudi@earthlink.net this week if you are interested in joining the EFM group now forming across the state. For more information on EFM see this link. https://efm.sewanee.edu 4) Yesterday we prepared and gave away 30 sack lunches at noon in front of the church. We ran out in 15 minutes, which indicates there is some interest in the ministry. The United Methodist Church started this a few weeks ago and they have experienced the same kind of demand. We committed to try tow weeks and see if this is something we want to do regularly, thinking perhaps every other Wednesday. However, before I commit us, we will need more than the 5 volunteers we currently have. The tasks are: shopping on Monday for enough food for 30 sack lunches, preparing the lunches Wednesday morning, and sitting at a table and distributing them Wednesday 12-1. If we get 10 volunteers, that is 5 more than we currently have, I will give Pastor Collins the go-ahead that we are in. If not, it was worth a try. Volunteer by emailing or calling the office. Blessings, and watch your inbox for news about re-opening! Fr. Mark+ GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Happy Birthday!! Happy Anniversary!! Leticia Schnell August 8 Justin & Jenny Bohl August 10 Collette Suhr August 9 Ryan Hergenreder August 10 Jersey Joplin August 10 Shirley Mead August 10 *** If all goes as planned, I will be back in the church office again on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00am to 1:00pm starting on August 11th. Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. The requests must be received on Tuesday’s before 12:00pm for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after 12:00pm on Tuesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. Once the request is received it is added to the prayer list and then I email the names to have them added to the Prayer Chain and to the Daughters of the King. The Forward Day by Day Meditation for August 6, 2020THURSDAY August 6 Feast of the TransfigurationJohn 21:4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. From the Archives: April 27, 1950 Life will come and with it will come our Lord. We shall likely not recognize him. But he finds us at our work and, not obstinate but ready to take a hint, he will give us success. We Christians are out to catch people. Lately we have not caught many. We work hard at it, desperately hard, but the net comes back empty. Don’t give up. Night is passing. Dawn is breaking. Who is that on the shore? He is the expert. He knows the ways of men. He is calling out directions—“the right side of the ship.” Let us start afresh in his way. There will be a heavy catch. What if the net breaks? We’ll mend it—a truer, more captivating Church! MOVING FORWARD: Do a little research on the history of veils. How does this help you understand them as a metaphor? PRAY for the Dioceses of Mbaise and Warri (both in Nigeria) Ps 99 or 99:5-9 | Exodus 34:29-35 | 2 Peter 1:13-21 | Luke 9:28-36 Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) After last week's announcements, several people expressed interest in working with our friends at the Methodist Church to provide a simple bag lunch on Wednesdays, and so I committed us to try it next week. If you want to help, email me at frmarks@me.com. Here's what we will need:
2) Many of you already make your donations via online giving, which is a great and easy and safe way to keep your pledge up-to-date during this time of disruption. There is a new, even easier way to give electronically that probably lots of you already use for other things -- text giving. You can now text your donations to the church, using the same platform as we use for online giving, which is about the safest way there is. If you would like to try text giving, the number to use to donate is 308-252-3911. Here is link to a short tutorial starring an old person who is not that tech-savvy -- namely me! https://youtu.be/rxi3sDkvWBI 3) As of this morning, we are still hoping to re-open the church for public worship in two weeks -- Sunday, August 16th at 10:00 A.M. It will look and feel both familiar and awkward the first few times -- masks will be required, there will be no singing, and communion will be handled differently (see box below) -- but it will be the same liturgy and it will be the same sacred space and it will be so nice to be together. While we strongly encourage those who are at-risk to continue to participate online and not in-person just yet, we do welcome those who are low-risk and ready to get back. There will be no nursery or Godly Play, but families will be able to sit and worship together, so parents don't worry about kids -- believe me, any noise will be a welcome change from what we have had around here lately :) Here is this week's graph of new cases in our counties:  Celebrating Communion Among many changes in our worship services while we must respect wearing masks and social distancing, Holy Communion may be the biggest collection of changes. This is simply an outline of how communion will happen. It may raise questions that you want to ask before our first service. You may also want to watch our livestream on Facebook to see communion in process before you decide to attend a service yourself. Picture yourself sitting in a pew, and the service has proceeded to the point where it is usually time for serving the communion:
GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Happy Birthday!! Happy Anniversary!! Mardell Schnell July 31 Jim & Suzi Calder August 1 Judith Widmaier July 31 Ralph & Melissa Moreno August 1 Justin Bohl August 2 Phillip & Colleen Kelly August 5 Jim Calder August 4 Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. The requests must be received on Tuesday’s before 12:00pm for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after 12:00pm on Tuesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. Once the request is received it is added to the prayer list and then I email the names to have them added to the Prayer Chain and to the Daughters of the King. The Forward Day by Day Meditation for July 30, 2020 THURSDAY, July 30 William Wilberforce Luke 5:30 The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to [Jesus’] disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” From the Archives: April 4, 1968 The concern Jesus displayed for obvious and spectacular sinners weighed heavily against his claim to represent God. Some suspected that Jesus did not know enough about righteousness to be able to recognize sin even when he saw it, while others supposed that he mingled with prostitutes and traitors because they were all of a kind. That he did this with saving purpose seems to have occurred to none of them. His eloquent parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son were formed to justify his concerns about lost people, but eloquence is wasted on those who will not hear. Violating the popular standards of righteousness is never acceptable. His association with tax collectors was especially unacceptable. To eat with such was to establish an unbreakable bond. Could their lostness justify such an action? MOVING FORWARD: When has your faith in Jesus prompted you to give up privilege or prestige? PRAY for the Dioceses of Massachusetts and Victoria Nyanza (Tanzania) Ps [70], 71 * 74 | Judges 4:4-23 | Acts 1:15-26 | Matthew 27:55-66 Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS COVID-19 Re-Entry News -- Last night the vestry met and reviewed our parish re-opening plan and the most current available data, and it was decided that unless the new case trends rise between now and then, we will hold our first public worship in the sanctuary on Sunday, August 16th at 10:00 A.M. The vestry and I will continue to track the numbers and if things change for the worse we will postpone until decline occurs, but as of this morning, we are proceeding with this plan. There will be many more communications about this in the coming weeks, including a video tutorial about how we will safely share communion, but the bullet points are these:
Here is this week's chart of cases. The dotted 14-day average trendline is the marker we are following.  GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Happy Birthday!! Happy Anniversary!! Adam Moreno July 23 Kevin & Monica Lehr July 23 Sarah Williams July 26 Steve Shaw July 28 Alyson Anderson-Saenz July 29 1) Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. The requests must be received on Tuesday’s before 12:00pm for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after 12:00pm on Tuesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. 2) ALL IN-PERSON SERVICES SUSPENDED FOR NOW SUNDAY’S 10 A.M. SERVICES WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE – Saint Francis Episcopal Church (Saint must be spelled out, do not abbreviate) If you do not have Facebook, you can go to our website www.saintf.org 3) System Updates: Thank you to everyone who responded. If any of your information changes please let Gina or Father Mark know. You can email us at stfrancis@allophone.com or call 308-632-4626 and leave a message. The Forward Day by Day Meditation for July 23, 2020THURSDAY, July 23 John CassianActs 9:10-12 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so he might regain his sight.” From the Archives: December 4, 1943 We recently learned of a striking experience on the islands of the Inland Sea near Japan. A sailor approached a priest and asked him to call upon a friend in deep spiritual need. The missionary, tired out after a hard day’s work, turned to a recent convert and said, “I am dreadfully tired. Won’t you go and take him a Bible?” The friend replied, “No, teacher. It is not time to take that man a Bible. That book is yours, and now, thank God, it is mine also, but it is not time to take that man a Bible. Teacher, that man is reading you yet awhile. As Christ lives in you, so he lives in that man, and as he fails in you, he fails in that man.” The missionary could not sleep that night. Before daybreak, he set out to see the man. Let us be silent for a space and listen for that still small voice. MOVING FORWARD: Who is reading you? Who is calling out to you with a spiritual need. PRAY for the Dioceses of Masasi (Tanzania) and Upper Shire (Malawi) Ps 50 * [59, 60] or 66, 67 | Joshua 9:3-21 | Romans 15:1-13 | Matthew 26:69-75 Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) On Sunday Sarah Schaaf and her mother hosted another Laundry Love at the East Overland Laundromat. The response was great and lots of folks were served and the whole thing was just super positive! Thanks Sarah and mom for keeping us in the outreach business even in these times of difficulty and distraction. You are an inspiration to me and to us! 2) Copies of the latest issue of the Forward Day-by-Day devotional are in and available. You can either stop in and pick one up (Tuesdays 9-1 are sure bets to find the church open) or call Gina and she'll gladly mail one out to you! 3) We are inching our way toward a date for resuming in-person worship. As you can see from the graph below the 14-day trendline (dotted line) for new cases in our counties is steady to slightly lower. If this continues for the next couple of weeks I'll be able to call the Bishop and set a Sunday for re-opening. I know that many will still feel most comfortable joining us online, but I know, too, that many other are ready and anxious to get back together. In the meantime we are getting our sanitation plan and supplies in place and things are coming together almost daily. As long as we don't see a spike in new cases I'm hopeful that we'll be back in some form on the premises by fall.  GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS Happy Birthday!! Happy Anniversary!! Trudy Schnell July 19 John & Jamie Selzer July 20 Gary Larson July 22 1)Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. The requests must be received on Tuesday’s before 12:00pm for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after 12:00pm on Tuesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. 2) ALL IN-PERSON SERVICES SUSPENDED FOR NOW SUNDAY’S 10 A.M. SERVICES WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE – Saint Francis Episcopal Church (Saint must be spelled out, do not abbreviate) If you do not have Facebook, you can go to our website www.saintf.org 3) System Updates: Thank you to everyone who responded. If any of your information changes please let Gina or Father Mark know. You can email us at stfrancis@allophone.com or call 308-632-4626 and leave a message. A message from Gina Most of you know that I also work at Walmart when I am not doing work for the church. I mention this because I know that during these difficult times, many people are worried and stressed. What I have found is even though I have a mask on while I work, I smile at every person I see and have been told that even though they can’t see my smile, they see it in my eyes. Remember the power of a genuine smile can change a persons day and remind them that God is in control and that everything is going to be okay.  Gina’s Office Hours
Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. With special permission from the Bishop, this Sunday’s online service will include the in-person baptism of our newest brother in Christ Bryan Ugwu, son of proud parents Dennis and Luchi! The caveat is that we will have to keep to the 10-person limit in the church and follow all the same distance and safety protocols that we are planning to use once we are allowed to regather in larger groups for worship. So – look for some new wrinkles, including a change in the order of service at communion/blessing/dismissal. All this is in keeping with the goal of making church safe once we come together again. However it looks, I am so delighted to be doing this baptism! Join me in welcoming Bryan into our church family! 2. COVID cases are on the rise locally, so don’t be fooled – keep practicing social distancing and keep wearing your mask when you are out in public and keep washing your hands. Defeating the virus is the fastest way to return to worship. I know I have personally been less diligent lately and I have to constantly remind myself that this thing is here and it is no joke. Some local churches are reopening, and some are not. We are still in the “not” group for now, but tracking the cases daily and weekly, watching for the signs that the virus is decreasing in the counties we serve, and ready to go once that is true. We have just begun to get creative with our livestream, and Scott and crew have more nice touches in store going forward. 3. Don’t forget that we have three ways to prayer for one another and our loved ones in the church. If you or someone you know would like prayers for healing or blessings of any kind, you can let Regina know and she will get them added to the:
GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Happy Birthday!! Happy Anniversary!! Adena Taylor July 1 Alan & Jan Johnson July 1 Joyce Walsh July 2 Matt & Jeane Anderson July 2 Marvin Lamont July 5 Fernando & Sara Moreno July 5 Adam Haack July 9 Daniel Harvey July 9 1) Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. The requests must be received on Tuesday’s before 12:00pm for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after 12:00pm on Tuesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. 2) ALL IN-PERSON SERVICES SUSPENDED FOR NOW SUNDAY’S 10 A.M. SERVICES WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE – Saint Francis Episcopal Church (Saint must be spelled out, do not abbreviate) If you do not have Facebook, you can go to our website www.saintf.org 3) System Updates: I am updating our information database and want to make sure I have all the correct information such as names, addresses, spouses and/or minor children, birthdays, anniversaries, phone numbers and email addresses. If possible, please send an email to me at stfrancis@allophone.com with you or your family’s current information, it would be appreciated. ***Thank you to everyone who has responded with their information. I do not have a time limit on updates, so just respond when you can. The Forward Day by Day Meditation for July 2, 2020 THURSDAY, July 2 Moses the Black Matthew 20:27-28 And whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. From the Archives: July 25, 1946 From the human viewpoint, the training given to James was wasted: all that time of discipleship with Jesus, all the teaching and example, all the understanding of the inner circle—and then to be killed when his real ministry of leadership had just begun. No labor in God’s name is in vain. James once wanted prominence and position. He obtained them but not as he had imagined. He became a saint rather than Jesus’ grand vizier. And he became so not by his ability or by pulling wires but by witnessing and suffering for Jesus. We may long for greatness, and we can have it: the greatness thrust upon us by those we loved while they ill-treated and persecuted us. MOVING FORWARD: What may be holding you back? Offer it up to Jesus—ask him for direction and peace. PRAY for the Dioceses of Makurdi (Nigeria) and Thika (Kenya) Ps 131, 132, [133] * 134, 135 | Numbers 23:11-26 | Romans 8:1-11 | Matthew 22:1-14 Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) Are you joining us online? So many of you have told us the online services are helpful and offer a touchstone to their weeks and a reminder that we will be back someday soon and things will begin to seem more normal. Most of the credit for what we have been able to produce online goes to Scott Harvey, who stepped up and took this on his shoulders and has really done a brilliant job! Thanks, Scott, for getting us to this place, and to Barb and Alyssa for continuing to share their musical gifts, to our LEM’s and Lectors for doing their parts, to Mo. Karen and Fr. Bob for their steady support, to Cory and the Vestry for all they have done, and to you, our faithful and generous congregation, who continue to amaze me with your steadfast presence, now online but before long back in person. Keep the faith and keep showing up online and most of all, keep safe! We are working on a plan for the next phase and will share the particulars in the next week or two. 2) Lots of you are sending Gina corrections to your contact information, which is super helpful. Whether it’s contact information, birthday or anniversary dates, or really anything else, please let us know when we get it wrong. Our goal is to have accurate information that keeps us connected to each other, but it’s always a work in progress. A phone call or email will help us get and keep it right. 3) Our online giving continues to grow as an easy and safe alternative to dropping a check off in the plate or in the mail. You can make donations anytime using our secure online giving platform. The vestry just spent several months reviewing the security of our online systems, and we feel very confident that both you and the church are protected against theft and fraud. Remember that none of your giving information is kept on our system, it all goes through Stripe -- one of the largest online payment companies in the business. Currently about a fourth of our pledges are paid this way. If you’re interested you can check it out by going to our website www.saintf.org and finding the “More” and “Give” tabs and the “Donate Now” button. GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
1) Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. The requests must be received on Tuesday’s before 12:00pm for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after 12:00pm on Tuesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. 2) ALL IN-PERSON SERVICES SUSPENDED FOR NOW SUNDAY’S 10 A.M. SERVICES WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE – Saint Francis Episcopal Church (Saint must be spelled out, do not abbreviate) If you do not have Facebook, you can go to our website www.saintf.org 3) System Updates: I am updating our information database and want to make sure I have all the correct information such as names, addresses, spouses and/or minor children, birthdays, anniversaries, phone numbers and email addresses. If possible, please send an email to me at stfrancis@allophone.com with you or your family’s current information, it would be appreciated. The Forward Day by Day Meditation for June 25, 2020 Thursday, June 25th Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? From the Archives: September 2, 1945 No one can describe fully to another what it is like to be in love. And so, when asked, one hesitates to describe it fully, lest such a personal thing be spoiled in the telling or told to one who will not appreciate it. The same is true of the reception of the sacrament. One can beat around the subject. We can say that when Napoleon was asked, during his exile, what the greatest experience of his life had been, he replied, “My first communion.” We can approach the subject in other ways, but we never seem to touch the heart. Perhaps the best thing to say first is: Go to the sacrament full of expectation. Expect the unknown, more than has been told to you. You will not be disappointed. And if you are, go again. Great treasure is worth seeking. MOVING FORWARD: How is God redeeming something painful in your life? Share that good news with someone today. PRAY for the Dioceses of Mahajanga (Madagascar) and Terekeka (South Sudan) Ps 105:1-22 * 105:23-45 | Numbers 17:1-11 | Romans 5:1-11 | Matthew 20:17-28 Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. Re-entry update: When our local number of new COVID-19 cases declines (and stays in decline) we will ask for Bishop's permission to re-open for worship, which will now include a few modifications like wearing masks into and out of the pews, sitting in family groups 6 ft apart, taking communion in one kind, and very limited (one soloist) vocal music. These may seem like big changes at first, but in short order they'll be routine, and we are doing them for the singular reason of keeping you safe and healthy. I know it seems like we are past the pandemic, but that is simply not what the data tells us, and those who know much more about all this than I do say masks, social distancing, and sanitary procedures are still required in order to save lives. The short-term inconvenience of these modifications will be 100% worth it if our parishioners are safer. Much more communication to come on this. 2. In the meantime, our clergy, musicians, and technical crew continue to upgrade the Sunday morning online experience. We are getting very close to having all our ducks in a row equipment-wise, which I hope is noticeable on your end. As we go on, Scott and Jack and the crew will only get better and more innovative with the video and audio. Hang in there!! We aren't going anywhere and we will be together again soon! 3. The building is open for groups of 10 and under, and a few groups are starting to meet again in person for study and ministry. If your small group wants to use the church, contact Gina or myself to make arrangements. 4. Mark your calendars for our next Deanery Meeting via Zoom on Saturday, July 25th at 10:00 A.M. Login link will be sent the week or two prior to the meetings. This will include a presentation from The Rev. Cn. Judi Yeates about Education for Ministry (EFM), an amazing theological group study program that Mo. Judi will lead online. Now may be the time for you to dig in deeply on your faith. If so, this is the exact thing you have been looking for. 5. Finally, a recommendation. Last night Jill and I watched a two-part documentary on Garth Brooks. *Warning* -- he's super dramatic and emotional, but honestly we enjoyed it and came away with a ton of respect for who he is and what is has accomplished. If you have 3 hours to kill, check it out on Netflix. GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
1) Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. The requests must be received on Tuesday’s before 12:00pm for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after 12:00pm on Tuesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. 2) ALL IN-PERSON SERVICES SUSPENDED FOR NOW SUNDAY’S 10 A.M. SERVICES WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE – Saint Francis Episcopal Church (Saint must be spelled out, do not abbreviate) If you do not have Facebook, you can go to our website www.saintf.org 3) System Updates: I am updating our information database and want to make sure I have all the correct information such as names, addresses, spouses and/or minor children, birthdays, anniversaries, phone numbers and email addresses. If possible, please send an email to me at stfrancis@allophone.com with you or your family’s current information, it would be appreciated. The Forward Day by Day Meditation for June 18, 2020THURSDAY, June 18 Bernard MizekiJeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord God! It is you who made the heavens and the earth by your great power and your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. From the Archives: May 12, 1941 Yesterday, you made a great promise. In the cold light of today, you may be saying, “I’ve promised, but how can I carry it out? I’ve promised, but even so, I do not see what to do.” You and I may well be cast down if we think we are left alone to our own devices. But we are not left alone. We have God to go to for help, and there is nothing too hard for God. Let us be patient with ourselves as God is patient with us. Yesterday was only seed-sowing. We can let that seed grow in our hearts. We can cultivate it. Let us use this season for prayerful thought and imagination to open up the way. Let us think things over with God and take counsel with others. Truer for Christians than for any others is the saying, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” MOVING FORWARD: Do you know a lost sheep? Pray for them and ask God to go and find them. Tell them you love them. PRAY for the Dioceses of Lweru (Tanzania) and Tai Tokerau (New Zealand) Ps [83] or 34 * 85, 86 | Numbers 12:1-16 | Romans 2:12-24 | Matthew 18:10-20 Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
1) Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. The requests must be received by Tuesday for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after Tuesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. 2) ALL IN-PERSON SERVICES SUSPENDED FOR NOW SUNDAY’S 10 A.M. SERVICES WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE – Saint Francis Episcopal Church (Saint must be spelled out, do not abbreviate) If you do not have Facebook, you can go to our website www.saintf.org 3) System Updates: I am updating our information database and want to make sure I have all the correct information such as names, addresses, spouses and/or children, birthdays, anniversaries, phone numbers and email addresses. If possible, please send an email to me at stfrancis@allophone.com with you or your family’s current information, it would be appreciated. The Forward Day by Day Meditation for June 11, 2020 THURSDAY, June 11 Saint Barnabas Psalm 42:10 The Lord grants his loving-kindness in the daytime; in the night season his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. From the Archives: September 1, 1939 Some of you who read this psalm today can echo the words from the depths of your hearts, for you too hunger and thirst for the living God. You have a spiritual kinship with the psalmist’s Godward desire and with his love of the temple. But to some of you, the psalm perhaps seems unreal—a spiritual experience that you have never had. How can it be yours? Spiritual growth is a slow process. We must be patient as though training a child. Our Lord was patient with the slow growth of his disciples. He judges us not by what we are now but by what we are on the way to becoming. As Jesus is patient with us, so we should be patient with ourselves, not excusing our failures but not despondent over them. Reality, earnestness, and faith in God are the essentials. These we all can have. MOVING FORWARD: Consider your vocations in life. Where is God calling you? PRAY for the Dioceses of Luapula (Zambia) and Taita Taveta (Kenya) Ps 112 | Isaiah 42:5-12 | Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3 | Matthew 10:7-16 Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
1) Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. The requests must received by Tuesday for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after Tuesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. 2) ALL IN-PERSON SERVICES SUSPENDED FOR NOW SUNDAY’S 10 A.M. SERVICES WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE – Saint Francis Episcopal Church (Saint must be spelled out, do not abbreviate) If you do not have Facebook, you can go to our website www.saintf.org Happy Birthday!! Jim Petitt June 4 Frank Marquez June 20 Ashley Haack June 5 Jill Wozniak June 20 Kristi Weiss June 9 Jerry Leonard June 23 Joyce Hillman-Kortum June 10 Jane Sayre June 23 Elliot Selzer June 11 Jane Hunter June 25 Carolyn Pevey June 12 Harper Largo June 25 Jenny Bohl June 14 Rick Anderson June 26 Kevin Lehr June 15 Lisa Ledbetter June 28 Hudson McKeehan June 16 Mary Kay Versen June 30 Dana Samson June 17 Dan Witko June 30 Mindy Baird June 18 Happy Anniversary!! Scott & Alyssa Harvey June 2 John & Cricket Simmons June 20 Stan & Diane Eskam June 7 Al & Barb Williams June 21 Glen & Dixie Amateis June 9 Justin & Jacklyn Cawiezel June 21 Don & Nancy Kepler June 10 Robert & Lisa Brenner June 25 Brett & Demuri Parrish June 11 Cory & Gretchen Foster June 26 Jared & Tiffany Mackrill June 12 The Forward Day by Day Meditation for June 4, 2020 THURSDAY, June 4 John XXIII Luke 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. From the Archives: May 23, 1946 Some shadows are welcome and pleasant. Other shadows are anything but. When travelers struggle through the forest jungle, they sense possible danger lurking in every dark shadow. So in our spiritual pilgrimage our way often seems beset by fear. Fear of what? Well, we don’t know—and that makes it all the more fearsome. If we know the danger or difficulty that we have to face, we can sum up our courage and face it bravely. But sometimes the unknown future inspires us with fear—just because it is unknown. Our Christian faith is the great fear killer. “Why are you anxious? Why are you so fearful?” asks Jesus. “Be not afraid.” MOVING FORWARD: What is something that makes you anxious or fearful? Remind yourself that God has already conquered it. PRAY for the Dioceses of Lojoka (Nigeria) and St. Mark the Evangelist (South Africa) Ps 50 * [59, 60] or 8, 84 | Ecclesiastes 3:16—4:3 | Galatians 3:1-14 | Matthew 14:13-21 Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (at the church) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home) |
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Archives
July 2020
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