Blog Archives

Thursday Announcements for May 28th, 2020

5/28/2020

FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

1) This Sunday Fr. Bob will be celebrating and Monica Shambaugh will be preaching, so be sure to tune in to our facebook live feed using the link on our website (www.saintf.org) where you can also download the program.

2) For a couple of weeks we did a Zoom Coffee Hour, and while it was great to see the folks who did "zoom in," it wasn't super popular, so unless folks storm the castle in protest, we won't continue doing that for now.

3) This week Bishop Scott shared his latest guidance for reopening our parishes. The short version is that July 5th remains the earliest date any Episcopal church in the diocese may reopen for public worship, however no parish may do so without submitting a written plan to the diocese which demonstrates that the number of COVID-19 cases is in decline in their community, that ample testing is available, and that the parish has put proper distancing and sanitizing procedures in place to assure the safest possible environment. We have a small working group putting our plan together, and will present it to the vestry at its June meeting for amendment, approval, and submission when the time is right. So, for June and maybe longer, online live-streamed services will be our best and only option.

4) When we are able to gather again for worship, we will still continue to livestream our 10:00 A.M. Sunday service and, through a combination of a generous grant from the Diocesan Clarkson Foundation and parish non-restricted memorial funds, are now in the process of upgrading our A/V equipment to allow us to send out a high-quality stream without disrupting those worshiping in-person.

5) This week I announced two new online zoom classes:

"Inwardly Digest -- A Deep Dive into the Prayer Book" -- for those who want to know more about the Book of Common Prayer, how it came to be such an important part of our tradition and how to use it in our daily lives. Warning -- there will be homework :) Link to sign-up here: https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/158c80
Beginner's Bible Class -- an invitation to those who are looking for an overview of the Bible and how to study it in community and individually. For more info and to sign-up, use this link: https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/c6ee03

6) Finally, I continue to pray that you are staying safe and finding joy during this time. It seems like forever since we have all been together, and I miss you all terribly and I know you miss each other and the space and the fellowship. All we can do is stay the course and take care of one another as best we can. This will pass. And we will find ourselves in a new and better place when it does. +

GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

1) Prayer Requests: We will start including Prayers for healing in the Sunday Bulletin again, so until we are meeting in person, 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

3) Birthday’s and Anniversaries: I am working on updating our database program with birthday’s and anniversary dates. If you would like your anniversary; you and/or your child’s birthday listed on the Thursday Announcements please email at stfrancis@allophone.com or call the church and leave a message with the date(s). It’s up to you if you want to include the year, I do not list the year. Thanks

The Forward Day by Day Meditation for May 28, 2020
THURSDAY, May 28 Mechthild of Magdeburg

John 13:14-15 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

From the Archives: May 2, 1939
Scene: A missionary hospital
Visitor: It seems to be a busy place. Doctor: Busy? Yes; 400 patients are too many. Which would you select to turn away?
Visitor: How about this man? Doctor: He’s blind—double cataract. We had planned to operate and give him sight. Visitor: Oh, no. Not him then…this old woman looks able to wait. What’s wrong with her? Doctor: She has a beginning cancer. There is still time to operate. Do you choose to have her sent away? No? You do not wish to be responsible for sending anyone away? Well, neither do we.
Ministering to the sick in a mission hospital is not the only response to Jesus’ question, “Do you know what I have done to you?” Christ has a heart for the wronged and destressed everywhere. Your love will go and help wherever his heart is turning.

MOVING FORWARD: Read the prayer “For Today“ in the back of this book. What can you do today to keep from “minding little stings or giving them?”
PRAY for the Dioceses of Limerick & Killaloe (Ireland) and Spokane
Ps 105:1-22 * 105:23-45 | Zechariah 4:1-14 | Ephesians 4:17-32 | Matthew 9:1-8

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)

Thursday Announcements for May 21st, 2020

5/21/2020

FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Today is Rae Whitney’s birthday! Please join me in wishing Rae a happy and healthy and joyous day of celebration! Certainly, this parish celebrates her many gifts and accomplishments. Like most of you, I have learned so much from Rae and benefitted greatly from knowing her as friend and colleague. Thanks, Rae, for all you do for this parish!
Last Sunday Steve Trickler came and picked up 165 hand-made masks to deliver to the Navajo Nation, which has been particularly hard hit by the Coronavirus. Thanks, Steve, for leading us in this ministry, and thanks to all who sewed or bought and donated to this project.
Following that effort, I received an email asking if anyone in our congregation needed masks for their personal use. If you or anyone you know needs a mask, please call or email the office and we’ll arrange to get one or several to you.
It’s almost time again for our Laundry Love ministry on Saturday, June 6th from 1-3 P.M. at the East Overland Coin-Op Laundry. We are looking for two volunteers to attend. During this time, we are handling things a little differently – sitting either in the car or at a small table outside the doors, and sharing coins and detergent while maintaining social distancing and wearing masks. Do you want to help? Email me at frmarks@me.com or text me at 308-765-1535.

GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

***Prayer Requests: We will start including Prayers for healing in the Sunday Bulletin again, so until we are meeting in person, 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.

***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

The Forward Day by Day Meditation for May 21, 2020
THURSDAY, May 21 Ascension Day

Philippians 2:1-3 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
From the Archives: October 23, 1946
Paul is here exhorting the Christians in Philippi to have that mind which was in Christ Jesus, knowing that if they were selfless as he was, they would be humble servants to their fellowmen.
Imagine a community today where all the Christians, or even a goodly number of them, put the other person’s interests first. Think of the transforming power that would be released to renew the life of the community.
Last spring when the first steamer with displaced persons from the American occupation zone in Germany arrived in New York, churchwomen were enlisted to greet and serve them. A young man expressing his gratitude said, “Today has been a little bit of heaven.”

Can you make today a little bit of heaven for someone?

MOVING FORWARD: Which secular songs remind you of gospel truths? Listen to a few today.

PRAY for the Diocese of Leeds (England)

Ps 47 or 93 | Acts 1:1-11 | Ephesians 1:15-23 | Luke 24:44-53

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)

Thursday Announcements for May 14th, 2020

5/19/2020

FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

THANK YOU to all who responded so quickly and faithfully to our short survey last week! We had a total of 64 responses, which were full of great observations about what we are all going through and what St. Francis can do now and going forward to provide care, comfort, and community in this unprecedented time. Later today I’ll send out a compilation of the results, and what I think they might lead us to consider. Again, I appreciate your thoughtfulness and time in completing this survey!
Looking around at the various online sources, some folks say we are moving too slow in returning to some kind of normal, some folks say no it’s too fast, and I can only tell you that at St. Francis we are moving at the speed of possibility. We can do only what the Church and our Bishop allow, and for the next 6 weeks what is possible is virtual worship, groups of 10 or fewer gathering in the building while maintaining proper social distancing and cleaning procedures, online virtual meetings, and phone and email contacts. The Vestry and I are working on a plan to reopen for worship when that becomes possible, and doing our best to be present with and for you in the meantime.
Last week I sent out a new digital parish directory, and I strongly encourage you to call and write and email one another, as we hold our relationships as close as possible without being physically present. Everybody is adjusting and everybody is missing and losing things they have depended on. Parents are asked to teach and work and parent. Sandwich-generation folks are trying to balance their own health and well-being with that of their sons and daughters plus their moms and dads at the same time. Our seniors find themselves further isolated as they do all they can to avoid exposure. It’s all too much! This is why we need to reach out. Seniors – why not pick a young family and send them a note of encouragement. You are the generation that understands overcoming adversity, and that still appreciates and uses actual mail. What a treat it is to receive an unexpected card. Young families – how about picking a church member and sending them an email with a picture or short video of you and your kids or maybe your cat doing something cute or funny? Sandwich-er’s – maybe a virtual family Sunday dinner, or having your mom share a favorite recipe with the whole parish? You get the point. The more of us who are taking care of each of us, the better of all of us will be! Use your imagination. How can you make someone’s day today?
So many have said they appreciate and participate in virtual Sunday worship services, and it is clear now that we need to make online worship a regular and on-going part of our church. Thanks to some great research by Scott Harvey we have purchased some upgraded equipment that will make this possible. It will be several weeks before the system is received, installed, and up and running, but when it is I know you will like what you see.
Our beautiful courtyard tree is starting to sprout leaves and I can see the beginnings of flowers this morning. If you get a chance, why don’t you write something you are praying for or something you are thankful for, and take a piece of ribbon and come by the church and tie it to a branch of this tree we all love, and which represents so much for so many. Sacred thoughts and prayers, written and posted with love, have a way of moving us in surprising ways. I promise no damage to our sacred tree will occur with some loose ribbon-tying :)

GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
***Prayer Requests: We will start including Prayers for healing in the Sunday Bulletin again, so until we are meeting in person, please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com.  You may also call and leave a message at the church. The requests must emailed by Tuesday for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If 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.

***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

The Forward Day by Day Meditation for May 14th, 2020
Isaiah 45:5-6 I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides me there is no god. I am you, though you do not know me, so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other.
From the Archives: December 3, 1942
None of us believes that God wills war: it is contrary to the whole spirt of Christ, and we seek to banish it from the earth. But we do believe that God sometimes works in war, through bravery, sacrifice, and obedience, and through war, to teach us what sin does to the world, and to turn us from it.
The late Lord Lothian, British ambassador to Washington, said, “Hitler may well be the Scourge of God which will force the free world to abandon the selfishness and materialism which have been its undoing.” We cannot believe in the God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and not believe that God is concerned with the gigantic struggle taking place on this earth. Let us ask God to show us what it means.
MOVING FORWARD: What are you worried about today? Hand it completely over to God. What space does that open in your life to something new?
PRAY for the Dioceses of Lainya (South Sudan) and Southeastern Mexico
Ps [70], 71 * 74 | Leviticus 19:26-37 | 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 | Matthew 6:35-34

Gina’s Office Hours
Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home)
Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home)
Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home)

Thursday Announcements May 7th, 2020

5/7/2020

FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Good morning to all! This glorious weather we've had -- including one of the nicest rainstorms I can remember -- has me thinking of summer and travel and golf and picnics and all kinds of stuff that I know may not be possible, at least in the same way and to the same extent as past summers. That makes me sad and, if I'm honest, a little hacked off. I don't know who or what to be mad at, but there it is. The only thing I can imagine to do to get unstuck from these unhelpful feelings is to do my best to live in the moment, be grateful for what I do have and what I can do, and try to be of service to others. This is, I think, God's way and frankly I am not always as good at it as I pretend to be. But today I begin again...

Here are my announcements for May 7:

1) Homemade masks are beginning to come in for Steve Trickler's Native American Mask Project. As I said last week, our Native American communities are being hit particularly hard by this pandemic, and many are in desperate need of protective equipment. If this is something you would like to help with you can make or buy masks and drop them off at the church this week and next and Steve will gather and send them. If you would like to have them picked up, just leave a message on the church phone and I'll make arrangements with you. Thanks to those who have already contributed and thanks in advance to those who will contribute soon, and especially thanks to Steve for coordinating this important ministry!

2) Our Communications Team has been hard at work updating our church "Do You Belong" booklet, which contains all kinds of useful information about the parish ministries and ways to contact folks and get involved here at St. Francis. The latest version is now available (another update is in the works for when we are able to re-gather for worship) and I will send it out this afternoon as a PDF file that you can print at home. Take a look. See where you fit here. See what goes on and who to reach when you need information. Join a Ministry Team. There is a place for you here! In fact, there are lots of places where your specific gifts and talents can make a difference in this church and in this community. Watch for the piece to arrive in your in-box.

And while we're at it, there are two more documents we will be sending this week.

3) The first is the most recent Parish Directory, again sent as a downloadable PDF. When you get it, if you see that your information is not up to date, or if you want a picture added (or changed), just call Gina and she'll make it happen.

4) The second document you'll receive soon is your Quarterly Giving Report for Jan-Mar 2020. While this is an extraordinary time in our country and in our church and we know financial positions are changing, it is our hope that many in our congregation are able to keep up a regular support of the church. We will likely be deferring or cutting expenditures in anticipation of some level of reduction in gifts. We don’t have a lot of fat to give up, some of it may be felt. At the same time, we are excited about the Diocese charge to continue a video service and maybe more even after we are able to gather again. More about that soon!

GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
***Prayer Requests: We will start including Prayers for healing in the Sunday Bulletin again, so until we are meeting in person, please email your prayer requests to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com. The requests must emailed by Tuesday for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If receive after Tuesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin.

***This Week’s Schedule     May 10th – May 16th
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

The Forward Day by Day Meditation for April 30th, 2020
Colossians 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
From the Archives: April 1, 1946
“Serve” is one of Christ’s own words. And where shall his servants serve? Right where he is, at home, those nearest him, his neighbor.
Today we look upon a most woeful world. It seems burst like a fragmentation bomb. Is there any earthly hope of these warring factions coming together? Not much. But there is a heavenly chance.
Let us stand by statesmen, arbitrators, and conciliators, as they seek to bring warring factions together. They work like frantic seamen pumping out a leaky ship who trust the ship will hold together.
What can save us is God’s mercy and the Divine impulse that knits millions of little families together in the service of mutual love—and that other family, the Church.
MOVING FORWARD: Reach out to someone from whom you’ve been estranged.
PRAY for the Dioceses of Kitigi and Kwara (both in Nigeria)
Ps 50 * [59,60] or 114, 115 | Exodus 34:1-17 | 1 Thessalonians 2:12-20 | Matthew 5:21-26

Congratulations and God’s Blessing to those celebrating Birthdays or Wedding Anniversaries this month!!
May Birthdays
May 1         Nate Kelley
May 2         John Simmons
May 4         Josie Meyer
May 6         Fernando Moreno
May 8         William Croft
May 12       Lisa Brenner, Cindy Dickinson
May 13       Sydney Petitt
May 14       Tylor Petitt, Cheri Witko, Karen Larson
May 15       Sharon Santero, Janet Craven
May 19       Sadie Davis, Lola Parrish, Cooper Feltes
May 21       Donetta Petitt, Rae Whitney
May 24       Lia Selvey
May 25       Travis Ironshell
May 26       Nancy Kepler, Jill Young, Conlan Cron
May 27       Kira Bowhay
May 29       Stan Eskam
May 30       Clark Wisniewski, Jon Meyer, Brian Croft
May 31       Julie Fancher

May Wedding Anniversaries
May 4 Rick & Christy Anderson
May 5 Rick &Vicky Gable
May 20 Greg & Ann Peterson
May 22 Erik & Lori Peterson
May 24        Dan & Cindy Dickinson
May 26        John & Ann Selzer
May 28        Brad & Jana Bode
May 29        Kevin & Nikole Leonard
Gina’s Office Hours
Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home)
Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home)
Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (work from home)

Thursday Announcements for May 28th, 2020

Thursday Announcements for May 21st, 2020

Thursday Announcements for May 14th, 2020

Thursday Announcements May 7th, 2020

Fr. Mark Selvey

Archives

Contact Us

Service Times

Quick Links