ST. FRANCIS EPISCOPAL CHURCH
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June 25th, 2020

6/25/2020

 
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 [email protected].  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 [email protected] 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)

Thursday Announcements for June 18, 2020

6/18/2020

 
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 [email protected].  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 [email protected] with you or your family’s current information, it would be appreciated.

 The Forward Day by Day Meditation for June 18, 2020
THURSDAY, 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)

Thursday Announcements for June 11, 2020

6/11/2020

 
FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

  1. And so it goes on, and so we adapt. It’s not always evident, but the truth is we really  are good at adapting. As I go about my life, I don’t hear a lot of grumbling and grouching about it, and most of the folks I see and talk to have just adapted and are waiting for things to improve. You all have adapted so well to our online worship and social distancing, and I can’t thank you enough for your patience and grace in all of this. We really are working hard to be ready to reopen as soon as it is possible. Thank you for not yelling at me (like some other churches I know) and thank you for continuing to work and support and volunteer for the church. Last Saturday a member and her family provided Laundry Love at the East Overland Laundromat, and the next day sent me an email asking if they could do it again on an upcoming Sunday! That is one of many examples of how wonderful you all are. Thank you for being so amazing and so willing to adapt! This will end, and we will be back together in person. That is a promise. In the meantime, we adapt.
  2. Yesterday we had a little bit of normalcy when four of our youth and three adults gathered in the parish hall (social distanced) for Catechism. It was so great to see the kids and their parents in person. These are smart kids, you guys, and you can be very proud of them. Special thanks to Trudy Schnell and Fr. Bob who assist and particularly to the parents who make the effort to get their kids here. When the Bishop comes, we will have a group of four youth confirmands!
  3. If you have signed up for one of the two new online zoom classes I am leading, you should have received information this week about start days/times. If not, give me a call or text at 308-765-1535.
  4. EFM is “Education for Ministry,” a course offered for anyone interested in graduate-level reading and writing and conversations about church, theology, history, and doctrine. It’s not for everyone, but it is an amazing chance for formation in the faith. If you have any interest, former Canon Judi Yeates will be leading an EFM group by distance learning starting in the fall. She will explain and answer questions at the next (virtual) Deanery Meeting on Saturday July 18th. Mark your calendars, more details to follow.
GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 

1) Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at [email protected].  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 [email protected] 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)

Thursday Announcements for June 4th, 2020

6/4/2020

 
​FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
  1. Good Morning Dear Members and Friends of St Francis Episcopal Church! No doubt about it, it's a tough time for all of us right now, and each week seems to bring new and bigger challenges. BUT -- we are a tough and resilient people, and we are used to challenges, and I have complete confidence that we will get through it and be ok, or even better than OK, on the other side. Don't give up. This is a rough time, but better times are just ahead. Our job is to continue to serve God and serve neighbor. That is what people of God have always done, and it has never failed.
  2. Update on regathering for worship. The Bishop has sent clearer instructions on what needs to happen for parishes to resume in-person worship. The first two boxes that must be checked are that the number of COVID cases in the community are declining for two weeks in a row, and that anyone who is symptomatic has access to testing. The second of those is currently true but the first is not, so until that happens, we are still waiting. Once we can meet both tests, we can submit a plan to the Bishop for approval, and there is a group working on that plan right now. When we are able to regather, it will look different -- masks required on the way in and out, social distancing in the pews, no passing of peace, and communion done in very sanitary way. These are solutions that will allow us to gather in the sanctuary and parish hall while still following safe practices, however, we will continue to livestream our services for those who can't or are not ready to meet in person again at this time. July 5th is the first possible date, but looking at our COVD case trends today, that date seem unlikely for us. I promise you two things: a) that we will offer in-person worship as soon as we can safely do so in our context, and that; b) when we do, it will be as safe and as beautiful as we can possibly make it. I know you love this space, and I am as anxious as you are to get you back into it!
  3. I have had lots of interest in both of my new online zoom classes. Sign-ups are open until next Monday the 8th, after which I will set the schedules and send out the particulars. To sign up, go to our website www.saintf.org.
  4. Youth Catechism will hold their next six-week session this summer, beginning very soon. Parents -- I am just waiting on confirmation that I have another adult committed to be present, and then we will set the date and get going.
GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

1) Prayer Requests: Please email your prayer requests to Gina at [email protected].  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)

    Rev. Erin Rath

    Check in here for weekly announcements.

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Contact Us

St. Francis Episcopal Church
14 E 20th Street
​P.O. Box 1201
Scottsbluff, NE 69363
​(308) 632-4626

To contact the front office, please click here. 
To contact a member of the clergy, please click here.

Service Times

Sundays at 9 a.m.
Every Sunday service is livestreamed

Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
In-Person Eucharist
1st and 3rd Wednesdays
Evening Prayer on Zoom
2nd and 4th Wednesdays
Contact the office for access codes

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