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FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) With deep sadness, I share that our beloved sister in Christ, Sandy Gibson, passed from life to life two days ago, and her funeral will be here at St. Francis on Monday, May 3rd at 11:00 A.M. We will do our best to follow safety guidelines in terms of attendance, but if you would prefer to attend online you can access the live or recorded video on Bridgman Funeral Home’s Facebook page. 2) This crazy year has gotten me and everybody else I know kinda down. Not depressed exactly. Not angry, exactly. In fact, I didn’t have an exact name for what I was feeling until I read this article. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.html?smid=url-share Turns out the name for my mood is “languishing.” Maybe you’re feeling odd, too. Check it out for an interesting perspective. 3) We are planning a reception for our 2021 Graduates in the the parish hall following the service on Sunday, May 9th. If you have a High School or College graduate this spring, will you call or email the office and let Gina know so that we can plan and communicate appropriately? 4) This week I got the great news that two of our members will be joining our parish Daughters of the King chapter, bringing the number of members up to five! I am thrilled because I have seen the great things accomplished by a group of faithful people devoted to prayer. In addition, you will get to hang out with some cool folks. There is no limit to the size of this group — certainly Beth would welcome more. Is this your ministry — to pray for the parish and the church and the community and the world? DOK may be perfect for you!  GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS Happy Birthday!! Happy Anniversary Michelle Anderson-Saenz May 1 Rick & Vicky Gable May 5 Nate Kelley May 1 John Simmons May 2 Josie Weiss May 4 Prayer Requests ** Please make sure your request is received by Wednesday of each week. You may call (308)632-4626 (leave a message), email stfrancis@allophone.com or mail to: St. Francis Episcopal Church P.O. Box 1201 Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Forward Day by Day Booklets We just received the Forward Day by Day’s for May, June and July in regular and large print. If you would like any of these mailed to you, please email or call the church. April 29th, 2021 National Days National Peace Rose Day Each year on April 29th, National Peace Rose Day honors a well-known and fruitful garden rose. The light yellow to large cream-colored flowers of the Peace rose have slightly flushed crimson pink petal edges. It is a hybrid tea rose that is hardy, vigorous, and highly resistant to disease. French horticulturist Francis Meilland developed the Peace rose between 1935 and 1939. When Meilland foresaw the German invasion of France to protect the new rose, he sent cutting to his friends in Italy, Turkey, Germany, and the United States. It is believed these cuttings were sent to the United States on the last plane available before the German invasion. Each country that received a cutting gave the rose a different name. In France, it was called “Madame A. Meilland” in honor of the breeder’s mother. Italy named the rose Gioia, meaning Joy. In Germany, the name of the rose was Gloria Dei, for glory to God. The United States named the rose “Peace,” and the national flower of the United States is the rose. As the Second World War came to a close in Europe, the trade name “Peace” was publicly announced on April 29, 1945, by the Conrad Pyle Co. in the United States. Later in 1945, Peace roses were given to each delegate at the inaugural meeting of the United Nations, in San Francisco, with a note that read: “We hope the Peace rose will influence men’s thoughts for everlasting world peace.” How to Observe National Peace Rose Day National Peace Rose Day offers the opportunity for us all to discover the beauty of the Peace Rose. Whether you plant a shrub or share clippings with others, join in the celebration. These beautiful blossoms and their story encourages the sharing of peace between friends and neighbors.  National Poem in your Pocket Day
During National Poetry Month in April, National Poem in Your Pocket Day shares the way poetry brings joy by simply carrying one in your pocket. When you share the poem, you’ll bring joy to others. There are so many different styles of poetry. This day, however, places no restrictions on the rhyme, rhythm, syllables or length. The goal is to share a poem. You may scribble it on a receipt or recite one while waiting in line. Add a poem to the back of an envelope on outgoing mail. Don’t be surprised if you discover a poem tucked into a book. You might even find one jotted down on the side of your coffee cop on the tag of your teabag. Poems come in so many different sizes, they can be squeezed onto a square of the calendar or jotted on the side of pencil. No matter where you find them, we’re sure they’ll bring surprise and joy. How to observe Poem in your Pocket Day Memorize a poem or two to share with the people you meet throughout the day. Print off these bookmarks and write a poem on the back. Put them in your pocket and you’ll be ready surprise someone with a poem and gift! It’s the perfect day to share your poem on Social Media using #PoemInYouPocketDay or #PocketPoem. National Poem in your Pocket Day History The observance has been celebrated as part of National Poetry Month since 2002. The Office of the New York Mayor, along with the New York City Departments of Cultural Affairs and Education, initiated the annual city-wide Poem In Your Pocket Day. The Academy of American Poets took Poem In Your Pocket Day national in 2008. 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. FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) To Vaccine or Not to Vaccine? Honestly, I don’t tell folks what to do on most of these controversial issues — everybody makes their own decisions. I personally believe the vaccines are safe and effective and my choice was to get both shots as soon as they were available to me, and as a consequence I feel very safe and protected. You may be in the same position, or you may feel safe without the vaccine. Or you may have been vaccinated but still want to take extra precautions — no worries about any of that. I do want to say that at some not-too-distant future date we will decide that everyone who wants to be vaccinated will have been able to do so, and everyone who doesn’t won’t, and we will begin to relax some of our safety measures around gathering together. Not quite yet, but please be aware this is the conversation we are having with the Vestry and the Bishop. 2) Speaking of which, I spoke with the Bishop yesterday and here is the schedule for his upcoming visitation to St. Francis on Wednesday, May 19th:
3) We are getting ready to resume our Laundry Love Ministry, which we began in 2019 in cooperation with our friends at First Presbyterian Church and in which we bring quarters and supplies and offer free laundry to anyone coming to one of a designated local laundromat at the announced day and time. This ministry has been extremely popular with everyone involved and as we begin again, we are interested in your thoughts. Please use this link to give us your thoughts: https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/7c1eec  GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS Happy Birthday!! Lorrie Joplin April 23 Suzi Calder April 28 Christian Moreno April 23 Christie Shaver April 28 Erik Peterson April 24 Prayer Requests ** Please make sure your request is received by Wednesday of each week. You may call (308)632-4626 (leave a message), email stfrancis@allophone.com or mail to: St. Francis Episcopal Church P.O. Box 1201 Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Forward Day by Day Booklets We just received the Forward Day by Day’s for May, June and July in regular and large print. If you would like any of these mailed to you, please email or call the church. April 22nd, 2021 National Days National Jelly Bean Day Who can resist a handful of sweet jelly beans on National Jelly Bean Day? Well on April 22nd each year, you really don’t have to resist at all. As a celebration, enjoying them is a must! While candies made in a similar manner existed before the jelly bean, Boston confectioner William Schrafft made them popular during the Civil War. With their firm exterior, jelly beans were the first candies sold by the pound. Schrafft encouraged his customers to send them to Union soldiers. In the 1930s, jelly beans became closely associated with the Easter holiday thanks to their egg-like shape. However, confectioners make jelly beans available all year long now. So, there’s no excuse not to enjoy them if you have a craving at any time of the year. The 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, enjoyed jelly beans so much that they were present at his inauguration. He started eating them when he quit smoking years before. The Herman Goelitz Candy Company supplied red, white and blue jelly beans for the 1980 event. At the time, the company didn’t produce blue jelly beans. They created a blueberry jelly bean for the first time, especially for the inauguration. National Jelly Bean Day History National Day Calendar continues to research the origins of this sweet treat holiday.  National Teach Children to Save Day
Each year in April, National Teach Children to Save Day encourages children to develop good saving habits. Bankers across the country volunteer every year to teach children to save. Developing these habits at a young age creates a foundation for a lifetime of saving. Involving our children with a savings plan, and money management skills prepare them for a solid future. Parents should teach children about financial matters so that when they head out into the world they avoid pitfalls that can be financially devastating. With an early start on saving and an understanding of budgeting their money, children will have solid habits as they head into adulthood. The day offers tools and resources through events across the country. How to observe Teach Children to Save Day Find an event near you. You can also start projects at home that encourage your children to save. Help your children develop the skills they will need for a lifetime. Try these tips to get started.
Educators, visit the National Day Calendar® Classroom for a fun project to celebrate the day National Teach Children to Save Day History Sponsored by the American Bankers Association, National Teach Children To Save Day has been helping young people since 1997 when the program started. 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. FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) Last call for anyone interested in being Confirmed or Received during the upcoming Bishop’s Visitation! So far I have adults Beth M., Gary and Karen L., Linda R., and Brian L., along with youth Max M., Nate K., Victoria S., and Elliot S. Please let Gina know this week if you would like to be added to that list. The service will be Wednesday, May 19th at 6:00 P.M. 2) Recently all worship volunteers received an email asking them to review and update profile information in our volunteer management software MSP. You’ll remember that we stopped using MSP regularly during 2020 when we suspended in-person worship, but now that we’re re-open, we will get back to using this simple software. I can’t tell you how important every single volunteer is in producing our worship services. From ushers to acolytes, every job adds beauty and meaning to our service, and I greatly appreciate all the faithful work that you do. It is SO GREAT to be back together worshipping in-person with you! 3) Lots of smart folks are looking at lessons learned in the church last year, and thinking about best practices moving forward. Here’s a link to a long but interesting article by The Rev. Tim Schenck titled “Hybrid Church,” that is worth a read if you have time and interest: https://www.ecfvp.org/tools/254/hybrid-church-a-way-forward-for-church-leaders 4) Congratulations to our resident star Rae E. Whitney as she continues to be recognized nationally and beyond for her incredible gifts and lasting contribution to church hymnody. Here is a link to the most recent article highlighting her work: https://thehymnsociety.org/becoming-witnesses-third-sunday-of-easter-year-b/  GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS Happy Birthday!! Jared Mackrill April 15 Elsie Harvey April 1 Laney Bohl April 18 Andrew Lehr April 19 Gretchen Deter April 18 Jeanne Matthews April 19 Ren Mackrill April 18 LOST AND FOUND Found – A case for glasses was found after the Maundy Thursday Service. Prayer Requests ** Please make sure your request is received by Wednesday of each week. You may call (308)632-4626 (leave a message), email stfrancis@allophone.com or mail to: St. Francis Episcopal Church P.O. Box 1201 Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Forward Day by Day Booklets We still have some of the Forward Day by Day’s for February, March & April in regular and large print. We just received the Forward Day by Day’s for May, June and July in regular and large print. If you would like any of these mailed to you, please email or call the church. Purple Up! Day During the Month of the Military Child, Purple Up! Day on April 15th recognizes some of the military’s most unsung heroes – their children. The day encourages everyone to wear purple representing all branches of the military and showing unity with each other. All across the country and around the world, military children play a significant role in their schools, youth organizations, and communities. When we wear purple in their honor, we let them know we support them in all branches of the military – Army, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force. Whether they are a part of the military family for a short while or their entire childhood, the military child deserves to know they have the support of their community. How to Observe Purple Up! Day Wear purple to show your support for military youth. Schools and military installations also host events recognizing the sacrifices military children make. Local businesses and organizations also hold celebrations throughout the month of April, especially when the 15th lands on a weekend. Consider some of these events for your school or organization: Invite your former and current military employees to share photos of their children. Change your social media profile to a purple frame. Recognize military children during events. Feature a military child on a school, organization, or club website. Invite a military parent or child to speak at your school, business, or organization. Purple Up! Day History The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Military Youth and Family Program initiated the Purple Up! for Military Kids in 2011. They selected April 15th during the Month of the Military Child as a way to honor military children from all branches of the military. Purple represented the colors of each branch of the military as one. Since then, other organizations and communities spread the word, giving the celebration momentum.  National Banana Day
On April 15th, take a bite of the fruit that also makes an excellent prop for jokes on National Banana Day! The day focuses on the nutrition of the fruit as well as the way comedy has used the banana in its acts. This low-fat, low-calorie snack offers a boost of fiber, potassium, and vitamins, with B6 and C leading the way. It also provides a healthy gram of protein, too. Add a banana to your morning cereal or grab one to go with your granola. They also add so much delicious flavor to baked goods. Many bakers know that when those bananas turn brown to toss them in the freezer for baking muffins and breads later. As far as the humor goes, anyone goes a little bananas when they slip on a peel. Or is it the peel of laughter that makes them go bananas? Hold up the banana like a phone and get your comedy routine going. How to Observe National Banana Day Write a little message on a banana and tuck it into your loved one’s lunch. Add bananas to your lunch routine. They’re inexpensive and delicious. Children and adults love them, so you just can’t go wrong. Use #NationalBananaDay to share how you #CelebrateEveryDay on social media. National Banana Day History The word is still out about who created this national holiday. However, we’ve sent out several bananas to track them down. 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. FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) Daughters of the King is an Episcopal women’s group devoted to the study and practice of prayer within a local small group setting. Call Beth McKibbin at (308) 641-3993 for more information or to join. The time commitment is minimal but the rewards for individuals and for the parish are immense. I am strongly encouraging the women of this parish to take a look at this. It is life- changing and parish-changing. I know this for a fact. 2) WE DID IT! After a year of COVID restrictions and online-only worship, we had an extremely successful and moving Holy Week and Easter gathering both online and in-person, and it was spectacular to be back together with you again! Thank you so much to everyone who made these services so special — our administrative staff, assisting clergy, musicians, acolytes, readers/intercessors, eucharistic ministers, ushers, A/V techs, cleaning crew, and, of course, those who attended and participated at home or her at the church. It’s been a long, long season of isolation and disappointment, but we are moving toward a new and glorious future that is only now becoming clear. I am excited for this parish! 3) Recent 7-day moving average number of local cases is at 5 — the lowest I have seen since tracking it. Let’s hope this trend continues. Get your vaccines, keep masking and distancing. We are finding a new normal, and it seems pretty good. 4) For the past year we haven’t had any in-person programs, but that’s about to change. In a few weeks I plan to return to in-person bible study with one or more groups, while keeping at least one online zoom study that has included some from outside our region. I think this new hybrid model will be important in programs as well as worship. More announcements on this later in April. 5) If you or your child volunteers in any role on Sundays for worship, we will continue to manually schedule these roles through April, but later in the month will go back to sending electronic requests for availability and scheduling volunteers through our online Ministry Scheduler Plus (MSP) program. So watch for that email somewhere around the April 15th and be sure to put in your availability for May. Just one more way things are returning to normal in this parish. 6) The Bishops’s Visitation is Wednesday, May 19th and we will celebrate Holy Eucharist that evening at 6:00 P.M. If you or your youth are planning to be Confirmed or Received this year, please make sure Gina or I have your name on our list of candidates. Right now I have Beth M., Gary and Karen L., and Linda R. as adults, and Max M., Nate K., Victoria S., and Elliot S., as youth. Am I missing anyone?  Gina's Announcements Happy Birthday!! Ann Peterson April 8 Hadlee McKeehan April 10 Barb Manasek April 14 LOST AND FOUND Found – A case for glasses was found after the Maundy Thursday Service. Lost – A single key on a keychain with silver decoration. Prayer Requests ** Please make sure your request is received by Wednesday of each week. You may call (308)632-4626 (leave a message), email stfrancis@allophone.com or mail to: St. Francis Episcopal Church P.O. Box 1201 Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Forward Day by Day Booklets We still have some of the Forward Day by Day’s for February, March & April in regular and large print. We just received the Forward Day by Day’s for May, June and July in regular and large print. If you would like any of these mailed to you, please email or call the church. NATIONAL ALL IS OURS DAY – APRIL 8 Observed each year on April 8th, National All Is Ours Day takes us along three views of appreciation. Either celebrate both approaches to the day or pick the one that best suits you. The first approach to the day can be looked at as a time to reflect on all of the beauty of nature and all the wonderful things in life. Rarely do we have the time to explore all that nature offers us. Something as simple as the variety of birds that inhabit a local park or backyard can surprise us. Venturing further out, we can discover our National Parks or trail system. Whether we look up to the skies or closer at the new spring blooms, taking in our surroundings is a spectacular gift to enjoy. The second way to celebrate the day is by appreciating everything we have. Even when we don’t have much, what we do have is a blessing. This approach encourages counting those blessings and avoiding thinking about the things we do not have. A third way to view the day is by sharing all that we have. Regardless of what we have, sharing it seems to make tough times easier when we all work together. The greatest times and the greatest things in life are those that are shared. No matter which approach you take to celebrating the day, it’s an excellent way to refocus negative energy into a positive purpose. Enjoy the beauty that belongs to everyone, count those blessings or share all you have to make tough times easier.  FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) Tonight we begin our 3-day service marking the last night, final day, and first morning of the Passion of the Christ. All of us growing up came to know and anticipate the joy of Easter Morning in our homes. It would be years before I understood that as meaningful and joyous it was to celebrate the day with eggs and baskets and candy, there was a deeper spiritual joy that comes from the memory and the mystery of the empty tomb. Again, it was many more years later that I first entered into that mystery through the church celebration of the Triduum — Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter — where I heard the stories read and felt the great impact of taking them seriously. If you want to join me in this moving annual event, come to church tonight at 6:00 P.M., and come back tomorrow at noon or 6:00 and then Saturday night or Sunday morning. You will be amazed at how differently you see and experience Easter. 2) Speaking of Easter Morning — since seating in the sanctuary is still limited to 50 or so, it might be best to consider taking advantage of the Saturday night Vigil or the early 8:00 A.M. service, both of which will not be full to capacity. If you plan to come at 10:00 A.M. Sunday, I would advise arriving a little earlier than usual. There will be overflow seating in the parish hall in any event. 3) As we start to think about further re-openings in our church, the first areas on our minds are those which can be done safely by small groups in large areas. Bible Studies and discussion groups will start to regather soon, probably in the parish hall, as will other meetings of groups, teams, and guilds. Obviously zoom meetings will continue to be an option for any groups who find that best. At this point, we are thinking Youth Group, Godly Play, and Nursery will not regather until Fall. 4) While we plan which groups and meetings to restart, we are also committing to a number of new ideas and projects focused on the community and outreach. Watch for more information on those things in the weeks and months to come. Overall, it feels like we are in a good place and should rest here for a bit before moving forward. This is what progress feels like, and I am deeply grateful for it. 5) Our Wednesday Sandwich Ministry is growing — in the past several months we have seen more and more demand and we are now running out of sandwiches in fifteen minutes. So we have decided to up our number to 50 bag lunches every other week. Thanks so much to our great volunteers who shop, make the lunches, and distribute them every other week. If you’d like to help, call Gina and she’ll get you connected. 6) The Bishop will be here and we will celebrate Holy Eucharist in the church Wednesday evening, May 19th, at 6:00 P.M. He will be Confirming and Receiving candidates at that time, so if you would like to be Confirmed (or Received if you were Confirmed in another tradition) please let Gina or myself know ASAP. There is still time to get you on the list. 7) Many thanks to Rick Anderson and Steve Shaw, who built our new flower tables in the sanctuary. You’ll be able to enjoy them this Sunday as they will be holding beautiful Easter Lillies.  GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Happy Birthday!! Dan Dickinson April 1 Dante Anderson-Saenz April 3 Scott Harvey April 4 Prayer Requests ** Please make sure your request is received by Wednesday of each week. You may call (308)632-4626 (leave a message), email stfrancis@allophone.com or mail to: St. Francis Episcopal Church P.O. Box 1201 Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Forward Day by Day Booklets We still have some of the Forward Day by Day’s for February, March & April in regular and large print. We just received the Forward Day by Day’s for May, June and July in regular and large print. If you would like any of these mailed to you, please email or call the church. 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 bethmckibbin@yahoo.com APRIL FOOLS’ DAY HISTORY We would be fools to think we knew precisely when April Fools’ Day was originally celebrated. However, April Fools' Day shares similarities with other days full of fools, tricks, and merry-making. Some believe the day is celebrated in honor of the trickery Mother Nature plays on us this time of year with her unpredictable weather. Another possible connection is the Indian tradition of Holi. The day is celebrated on March 31st and practices the same foolery as April Fools’ Day. So does the Roman festival of Hilaria which was celebrated on March 25th. The earliest known reference to April Fools’ Day is in Chaucer’s 1392 Nun’s Priest’s Tale. Even so, the reference is so vague, and possibly not even occurring on the first of April, leaving doubt as to whether it is the first reference. Other scholars point to the reformation of the calendar by Pope Gregory and the Gregorian calendar we used today in the 1500s in France. The new year would take place in April, not January as it does now. The theory is that those who continued to celebrate the new year on April 1st were called Poisson d’Avril (April fish) and pranks would be played on them. In 1582, France accepted the Gregorian calendar, but reforms had already been taking place. In Britain in 1776, there is a clear and reliable reference to April foolishness in an article in Gentlemans Magazine. Reference to a custom in the kingdom of making fools of people on the first day of April. It addresses the day being the culmination of an eight-day feast and the beginning of a new year. Noted Foolery Newspapers, television, radio and social media have had their fun on April Fools’ Day. Check out all this April 1 foolishness:
early soon realized who the donkeys on display really were.
publications of the first-ever published picture of a real flying saucer.
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. |
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November 2023
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