 FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) UTO Boxes – It’s time to gather in our blue UTO boxes! Please bring them to church on Easter Sunday or any Sunday in April and we will get those donations to the National Church United Thank Offering office. Thank you so much in advance to everyone who has faithfully donated to this charity once again this year. This is a ministry that has a great impact on the church over the years and continues to build and support local ministries across The Episcopal Church. 2) Bereavement Group — Beginning April 22, Linda Rock will lead a 4- week bereavement group open to anyone who has lost a loved on in the past two years. Click here https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/d28198 or go to our website for more information and to sign-up. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Linda is truly an expert in this field, and this will be a world-class seminar and group. 3) Speaking of World-Class, Rae Whitney was the subject of a recent Episcopal Church Women presentation by Marty Burnett titled Hope, Joy, and Wonder: The Hymns of Rae E. Whitney. If you missed it, you can watch the full program here: https://youtu.be/yyiIDYe0Owk 4) This Sunday we resume our 8:00A.M. Worship Service! This is Palm Sunday, and I am so happy to announce that we're adding back our 8:00 service! One note — we will begin in the Sanctuary and not the Parish Hall, and you will pick up your palms on the way in. Come back to church and celebrate together as we begin our Holy Week Services. 5) Once again our Holy Week Schedule will be: Palm Sunday 8:00 & 10:00 A.M. Maundy Thursday 6:00 P.M. Good Friday 12:00 & 6:00 P.M. Great Vigil (Sat) 8:00 P.M. Easter Sunday 8:00 & 10:00 A.M. 6) Don’t forget to sign up for the Diocesan Program “Sacred Ground” by going to the Diocese of Nebraska website https://www.episcopal-ne.org and using the “Registration” link. I haven’t said enough about this program yet, but I absolutely want everyone in the parish to participate. Racial issues have been a part of all of our lives for the entirety of our lives. This program won’t solve these issues for you or me or our country, but it is a beginning of a new conversation that may lead us in a new direction toward new understandings. I urge you in the strongest terms to sign-up and participate.  GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS Happy Birthday!! Patty Clown Horse March 25 Eain Peterson March 26 Melissa Moreno March 28 Gretchen Traw March 30 Prayer Requests ** Please make sure your request is received by Wednesday of each week. You may call (308)632-4626 (leave a message), email [email protected] or mail to: St. Francis Episcopal Church P.O. Box 1201 Scottsbluff, NE 69361 It’s time to sign-up for Easter Lilies. If you would like to donate this year, you can do so by calling the office and letting Gina know, or you can use this online form. The cost is $25. https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/49ab43 DAUGHTERS OF THE KING This is a National Group of Episcopal Women who commit to pray and work regularly for the mission and ministries of their local parish and the wider church. I have personally seen the fruits of having a DOK Chapter – both for the parish and for the women involved – and so am very happy to announce a diocesan discernment/training to be offered via Zoom by Omaha members Sandra Squires and Carol Ott. Our own Beth McKibbon Beth leads our small but growing DOK group and will be your local contact. Here is the information about the meetings: “Discernment classes will meet 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Monday mornings starting April 5. Sandra will start promptly at 10 a.m. If someone needs assistance with joining Zoom, Sandra or Carol Ott will practice with them before April 5th. The meeting dates are: April 5, 19, 26, May 3,17, 24, June 7, 21 (Note that there will not be sessions on April 12 and May 10, and May 31 which is Memorial Day.)” For more information you can email Beth at [email protected]  NATIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR DAY – MARCH 25TH National Medal of Honor Day on March 25th recognizes all Medal of Honor recipients. On March 25, 1863, Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton presented the first Medals of Honor (Army) to six members of “Andrews Raiders” for their volunteering and participation during an American Civil War raid in April of 1862. Created in 1861, the Medal of Honor is the United States of America’s highest military honor. It is awarded only to US military personnel by the President of the United States in the name of Congress for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. There are three versions of the Medal of Honor; one for the Army, one for the Navy and one for the Air Force, with personnel of the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard receiving the Navy version. Since its creation, there have been 3,468 Medals of Honor awarded to the country’s soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and coastguardsmen. Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bereavement Support Group to Begin Meeting in Scottsbluff Linda Rock, BA in sociology and psychology from Central Michigan University will be hosting a 4-week bereavement support group on consecutive Thursday evenings beginning April 22nd 6:30 – 7:30 P.M. at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Scottsbluff. Linda has over 34 years experience developing, leading and sustaining Hospice and Palliative Care programs and providing bereavement support. If you have experienced the death of a loved one in the past 2 years we welcome your participation. Participants will use various resources mixed with teaching and conversation to cover areas of grief and loss. Group size is limited to 15. Masks and distancing encouraged. Register now by calling St. Francis Episcopal Church at 308-632-4626 or by clicking on this link. https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/d28198 There is no fee for these group sessions. What: Bereavement Support Group When: Begins Thursday, April 22nd 6:30 P.M. and runs four consecutive Thursdays. Where: St. Francis Episcopal Church 14 E. 20th St. Scottsbluff, NE Parking in back or front of church. Who: The group is open to any one who has experienced the death of a loved one in the past 2 years. Contact: St. Francis (308) 632-4626 Tues-Wed-Thurs 9a-1p Cost: Free FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) The Bishop is Coming! Great news this week that the Bishop and Canon are resuming annual visitations where possible, and are coming to the Panhandle in May! Our Visitation will be Wednesday evening, May 19th, and we will plan to have a celebration of Holy Eucharist with Confirmations. I will be reaching out to the parents of youth who are prepared for Confirmation, and invite any adults who would like to be Baptized, Confirmed, or Received (if confirmed in another tradition) to call or email me and we can get it set-up for that evening. 2) More good news from the Diocese — it looks like Camp Canterbury will go forward this year in some form, and possibly in-person. Right now I know the week will be July 19-23, so put that on your calendars for sure. Next step is the Camp Director will be reaching out to families to gauge their comfort with in- person vs virtual camp. This year Camp Canterbury is open to grades 6-12, including graduating seniors. Watch for more news soon on this. 3) Palm Sunday is March 28th, and on this day we will return to two Sunday services — 8:00 & 10:00 A.M. Keeping our safety precautions in place, we will begin with the Liturgy of the Palms in the sanctuary, and not the parish hall. Palms will be in the pews and/or available as you enter and take your seat, and we won’t process. This is not perfect, but it is good and I am thankful we are able to do this much. It’s progress! 4) Our Holy Week Worship Schedule will be the same as years past, even while the services will look slightly different. We will gather together for the three day service (Triduum) at these times: 1) Maundy Thursday 6:00 PM 2) Good Friday 12:00 & 6:00 PM 3) Great Vigil (Sat) 8:00 PM -or- Easter Sunday 8:00 & 10:00 AM 5) A family in the church is looking to buy a dependable used vehicle and have $1,200 to spend. If you or anyone you know has a car or van that meets those criteria, can you let the office know and we will put this family in contact with the seller? 6) Next week I should have more news about programs and activities we are starting to put back in place. Things will look different here for some time yet, but with vaccinations increasing and cases holding steady, we are seeing some rebuilding opportunities. Your favorite thing may not be among the first to return, but you may find something new to try. We are open to new ideas for sure!  GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS Happy Birthday!! Colleen Kelly March 23 It’s time to sign-up for Easter Lilies.If you would like to donate this year, you can do so by calling the office and letting Gina know, or you can use this online form. The cost is $25. https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/49ab43  Prayer Requests ** Please make sure your request is received by
Wednesday of each week. You may call (308)632-4626 (leave a message), email [email protected] or mail to: St. Francis Episcopal Church P.O. Box 1201 Scottsbluff, NE 69361 UNITED THANK OFFERING – OUR LEGACY Do you write thank you notes? It is a small gift of kindness, showing gratitude. It is important to practice kindness whenever you can. Kindness affects everything in its path. When we do something small, without hope of recognition, it is noticed. It is the small kindness we share with each other that acts as a connector in our broken and hurting world. A suggested thought would be to think about what gratitude means to you and how far will you extend yourself to connect with others in saying thank you. DAUGHTERS OF THE KING This is a National Group of Episcopal Women who commit to pray and work regularly for the mission and ministries of their local parish and the wider church. I have personally seen the fruits of having a DOK Chapter – both for the parish and for the women involved – and so am very happy to announce a diocesan discernment/training to be offered via Zoom by Omaha members Sandra Squires and Carol Ott. Our own Beth McKibbon Beth leads our small but growing DOK group and will be your local contact. Here is the information about the meetings: “Discernment classes will meet 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Monday mornings starting April 5. Sandra will start promptly at 10 a.m. If someone needs assistance with joining Zoom, Sandra or Carol Ott will practice with them before April 5th. The meeting dates are: April 5, 19, 26, May 3,17, 24, June 7, 21 (Note that there will not be sessions on April 12 and May 10, and May 31 which is Memorial Day.)” For more information you can email Beth at [email protected] Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) Yes, there is a big storm a-brewin’ and it’s expected to hit us this Saturday and Sunday. They are talking about snowfall in terms of feet, not inches in some places, so…yikes? Here’s what we will do at St. Francis about Sunday worship: There WILL be an in-person service Sunday, March 14th at 10:00 A.M. This doesn’t mean you have to attend. In fact, I strongly suggest you not attend if the amount of snow is as big as predicted and the winds pick up. Please stay home and stay safe and stay warm and don’t take any unnecessary risks. However, I will be here and the doors will be open. In the likely event our A/V Coordinator is snowed in, I am learning today how to turn on and focus the equipment for a simplified online stream. Provided I can learn it and do it Sunday morning, there will be a livestreamed service as usual and you should be able to access it just as you have been. I suppose it’s possible that I won’t be able to get it to work on Sunday, and if that’s the case, we will just punt. No matter what you do, don’t forget that Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, so church will be at 10:00 but it is 9:00 if you forget to change your clocks. 2) The Diocese of Nebraska is committed to conversations and movement around race in America – that is, working toward understanding and growth and healing and action to make God’s love more fully present in all of our communities. The name of the program we are using is Sacred Ground – “a 10- part series built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories. It is focused on the challenges that swirl around issues of race and racism, as well as the difficult but respectful and transformative dialogue we need to have with each other about them.” The local contact is our own Mai Lee Olsen who attends Church of the Good Shepherd in Harrisburg. You will be asked to be a part of a small group doing this work and study. Watch for more information soon. 3) It’s time to sign-up for Easter Lilies. If you would like to donate this year, you can do so by calling the office and letting Gina know, or you can use this online form. The cost is $25. https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/49ab43  GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS Happy Birthday!! Jennifer Schilke March 11 Charlie Selzer March 11 Cricket Simmons March 13 ***Don’t forget to change your clocks forward 1 hour and enjoy an extra hour of Sunshine!!***  It’s time to sign-up for Easter Lilies. If you would like to donate this year, you can do so by calling the office and letting Gina know, or you can use this online form. The cost is $25. https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/49ab43 Prayer Requests ** Please make sure your request is received by Wednesday of each week. You may call (308)632-4626 (leave a message), email [email protected] or mail to: St. Francis Episcopal Church P.O. Box 1201 Scottsbluff, NE 69361  UNITED THANK OFFERING – OUR LEGACY
It's more than the Little Blue Box of United Thank Offering. Did you stop to consider that blessings flow from the little UTO Box - including grants to expand the churches faithfulness to God's mission? We think we are only one person and we say "what can my small gift accomplish?" Daughters of the King has a motto "I am but one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do. What I ought to do, by the Grace of God I will do. Lord, what will you have me do" Follow your conscience. DAUGHTERS OF THE KING This is a National Group of Episcopal Women who commit to pray and work regularly for the mission and ministries of their local parish and the wider church. I have personally seen the fruits of having a DOK Chapter – both for the parish and for the women involved – and so am very happy to announce a diocesan discernment/training to be offered via Zoom by Omaha members Sandra Squires and Carol Ott. Our own Beth McKibbon Beth leads our small but growing DOK group and will be your local contact. Here is the information about the meetings: “Discernment classes will meet 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Monday mornings starting April 5. Sandra will start promptly at 10 a.m. If someone needs assistance with joining Zoom, Sandra or Carol Ott will practice with them before April 5th. The meeting dates are: April 5, 19, 26, May 3,17, 24, June 7, 21 (Note that there will not be sessions on April 12 and May 10, and May 31 which is Memorial Day.)” For more information you can email Beth at [email protected] ANNOUNCING AN IMPORTANT DIOCESE-WIDE CONVERSATION Beginning in April of this year, the people of DioNeb are invited to join us for Sacred Ground, a film and reading based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith! Sacred Ground is a 10-part series built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories. It is focused on the challenges that swirl around issues of race and racism, as well as the difficult but respectful and transformative dialogue we need to have with each other about them. Sacred Ground is part of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. This series is open to all, as especially designed to help white people. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day - all while grounded in our call to faith, hope and love. PLEASE NOTE: that while this study is designed for white people, we encourage people of color to join the study. Please monitor the Ministry Memo email for more announcements and when registration opens on March 12th, please sign up to participate and encourage others to do the same. For more information contact Lesley Dean [email protected] or Noelle Ptomey [email protected] or visit the Sacred Ground Webpage for an overview of the program. This study series has the power and potential to transform our communities. Please join us! Noelle Ptomey Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) |
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