  October 2, 2025 News from Rev. Erin
We recently received a question regarding how to reserve a room at Saint Francis. Those requests should be submitted to Ann, our parish administrator. With the exception of funerals, requests are handled on a first-come, first-served basis. If you need time to set up for your event or gathering, you're welcome to reserve space a day or two in advance for this purpose. As we have a number of groups from both the parish and the community who utilize our spaces, including six small groups, a Boy Scout Troop and a Cub Scout Troop, we're unable to guarantee availability of any given room if a reservation hasn't been made. Once approved, events are added to the public calendar, which is available from the homepage menu on our website. Please let the church office know if you have any questions. ________________________________________________________ The beginning of the new school year marks the beginning of a new year of learning, growing and community building with Youth Fellowship! This year, we're working and serving in partnership with youth and staff from Saint Francis, First Presbyterian and Calvary Lutheran. Youth ages sixth through twelfth grades are welcome and needn't be a member of any of our partner churches. We begin with dinner at 5:30 on Sunday evenings followed by an hour-long activity or program. We're looking for individuals and families willing to donate a meal for fifteen people, most of them hungry teenagers. This meal can be purchased from a local business or homemade. Please contact Rev. Erin if you're interested in helping. ________________________________________________________ A Message from Mary Greetings! As I write this note, I am thinking about how dynamic and compassionate you are! I am reminded that God uses our gifts to do “more than all we can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). This week, members of our parish assisted folks in our community with our Laundry Love ministry. On Tuesday and Wednesday, other members will make, pack and distribute Sack Lunches to those in need. On October 30, we will serve an evening meal at the 5th Thursday Soup Kitchen. Each Sunday you serve in various capacities - Altar Guild, Greeters, Eucharist Ministers, Lectors/Intercessors, Media Team, Acolytes, Sunday School Teachers, Coffee Hosts – making our worship more meaningful. Each week there are many opportunities for fellowship, worship and study with small groups, including our newest time for Centering Prayer. Your Stewardship & Engagement team has recently undertaken two “housekeeping” projects that are not very glamorous, but are necessary. The first was an effort to contact everyone who is listed in the Church Directory to make sure your information is current and accurate. If, by chance, you were not contacted and need to make any corrections to your information, please let Ann (in the Church office) know. The second big job we have undertaken is a thorough review and update of our website. We expect to have this work completed by the end of October. Through your devotion to giving of your financial resources, we are holding our own. Your giving is ahead of what we budgeted. Thank you for your gifts! In addition to your tithes, we also received a substantial gift from the estate of a member who recently died and a generous gift from a member who is underwriting the cost of printing our weekly worship bulletin. As I list our blessings, I want to let you know that we have a new Treasurer. Carol Berg has graciously accepted this role. She is being trained by Diane Morrison who is moving on to other ministries. Diane has been dedicated and conscientious in the Treasurer role for the past three years. I thank her for quiet service to our parish. Now, for my ask – Your Vestry is beginning to dissect our budget to see where we can make cuts, changes, and savings. This is important work. I ask you to keep your Vestry members in your prayers and implore God to give us wisdom and discernment. For His Sake, Mary ____________________________________________________________  This is Jingle Collection Sunday! Those who serve, Sunday, October 5, 9am Musician Nancy Meier Media Team Jack Schaaf Ushers Artie Johnson, Sarah Schaaf Acolyte Master Clark Wisniewski Acolytes Emma Schaaf, Will Schaaf Lector/Intercessor Jim Petitt Eucharistic Minister Jan Johnson Altar Guild Collette Suhr, Ann Peterson, Jane Sayre Coffee Hosts Feast Day Celebration Flowers: Artie & Jan Johnson In thanksgiving for their children, Matthew, Libby, Andrew, Dana & Andrea Upcoming Events at St. Francis: Sunday 10/05 Feast Day Brunch following worship TODAY! Tuesday 10/07 Centering Prayer 11:15a Library Wednesday 10/08 Lectionary Study & Compline 2p Library Evening Prayer 6p Zoom Thursday 10/09 Discipleship Group 12p Library Friday 10/10 Men's Bible Study 8a Library Sunday 10/12 Sunday Eucharists St. Francis 9a Good Shepherd, Harrisburg 11:30a Saturday 10/18 Deanery Meeting St Francis 9a ____________________________________________________________ From the Office—Ann’s Announcements  Birthdays:
Chris Kelley October 5 Curt Mecklem October 8 Lisa Betz-Marquez October 9 Paul Brooks October 10 It is time for our Fall ECW meeting on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 10 am in the Parish Hall. We will be discussing Outreach projects we want to support with money made at the “Christmas in July Bazaar”, and Upcoming events including The Christmas Cookie Exchange, Adopting Christmas Families, and the Ladies Luncheon. Call Barb Manasek 436-7767 if you have any questions. Prayer Requests Prayer requests need to be received by Tuesday, if you’d like them to be printed in the bulletin. You may call (308) 632-4626 (leave a message) or email. The Forward Day by Day’s for August-October are available in regular and large print. If you’d like either of these mailed to you, please email us or call the church office. _____________________________________________________________  September 25, 2025 From Rev. Erin What is a Patronal Feast Day? The custom of naming churches after saints harkens back to the ancient tradition of building churches over the tombs of martyrs. A saints' feast day is often celebrated on the anniversary of the their death. (Often, the saints we celebrate lived so long ago, we don't know what day they were born. In the case of our own Saint Francis, we don't even know what year he was born.) A feast day is an opportunity to celebrate the life and legacy of the saint being remembered, as well as an opportunity to rejoice at the community which has been built in honor of that saint. As the term implies, sharing a meal together is a part of the tradition. We hope you'll join us for worship followed by brunch on October 5. During worship that Sunday, we'll honor our patron, Francis of Assisi, and reflect on the example of a faith-filled life he provides for us. Afterwards, we hope you'll join us for a delicious brunch -- our own special feast -- provided by the Episcopal Church Women of our parish. ________________________________________________________ The beginning of the new school year marks the beginning of a new year of learning, growing and community building with Youth Fellowship! This year, we're working and serving in partnership with youth and staff from Saint Francis, First Presbyterian and Calvary Lutheran. Youth ages sixth through twelfth grades are welcome and needn't be a member of any of our partner churches. We begin with dinner at 5:30 on Sunday evenings followed by an hour-long activity or program. We're looking for individuals and families willing to donate a meal for fifteen people, most of them hungry teenagers. This meal can be purchased from a local business or homemade. Please contact Rev. Erin if you're interested in helping. ________________________________________________________ A Message from Mary Greetings! As I write this note, I am thinking about how dynamic and compassionate you are! I am reminded that God uses our gifts to do “more than all we can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). This week, members of our parish assisted folks in our community with our Laundry Love ministry. On Tuesday and Wednesday, other members will make, pack and distribute Sack Lunches to those in need. On October 30, we will serve an evening meal at the 5th Thursday Soup Kitchen. Each Sunday you serve in various capacities - Altar Guild, Greeters, Eucharist Ministers, Lectors/Intercessors, Media Team, Acolytes, Sunday School Teachers, Coffee Hosts – making our worship more meaningful. Each week there are many opportunities for fellowship, worship and study with small groups, including our newest time for Centering Prayer. Your Stewardship & Engagement team has recently undertaken two “housekeeping” projects that are not very glamorous, but are necessary. The first was an effort to contact everyone who is listed in the Church Directory to make sure your information is current and accurate. If, by chance, you were not contacted and need to make any corrections to your information, please let Ann (in the Church office) know. The second big job we have undertaken is a thorough review and update of our website. We expect to have this work completed by the end of October. Through your devotion to giving of your financial resources, we are holding our own. Your giving is ahead of what we budgeted. Thank you for your gifts! In addition to your tithes, we also received a substantial gift from the estate of a member who recently died and a generous gift from a member who is underwriting the cost of printing our weekly worship bulletin. As I list our blessings, I want to let you know that we have a new Treasurer. Carol Berg has graciously accepted this role. She is being trained by Diane Morrison who is moving on to other ministries. Diane has been dedicated and conscientious in the Treasurer role for the past three years. I thank her for quiet service to our parish. Now, for my ask – Your Vestry is beginning to dissect our budget to see where we can make cuts, changes, and savings. This is important work. I ask you to keep your Vestry members in your prayers and implore God to give us wisdom and discernment. For His Sake, Mary ____________________________________________________________
From the Office—Ann’s Announcements  Photo by Rick Myers
September 18, 2025  Panhandle Public Health District, in partnership with the Center for Rural Affairs, is launching the Panhandle Food Access Coalition to strengthen and expand access to healthy, affordable food across the region. The coalition’s first meeting will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, September 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The meeting will include a presentation on the Nebraska Food and Farm Economy Report, followed by a discussion on food access challenges and opportunities in the Panhandle. This conversation will help shape a core group of community partners who will meet quarterly to develop solutions and improve access over time. To register, visit this link. Rev. Erin will be zooming in from Saint Francis. Any interested parishioner is welcome to join her. ___________________________________________________________________ Pastoral Office Hours: I recently received a question regarding my office hours. Monday-Thursday, I'm typically at the church from 10 a.m. to at least 4 p.m. As the life of a parish priest is one based in community both inside and outside the church walls, church-related duties take me off campus several times in a typical week. If I'm away during those hours, I'll post a sign indicating my expected return time. The most important thing to remember is that I remain available to meet many, many times both inside and outside of these hours, and am reachable on my cell 24/7. ~Thanks, Rev. Erin+ ____________________________________________________________ Those who serve, Sunday, September 21, 9am Musician Barb Becker Media Team Steve Trickler Ushers Richard Gable, Connie Schingle Acolyte Master Clark Wisniewski Acolytes Ella Iron Shell, Walker Anderson Lector/Intercessor Mike Schingle Eucharistic Minister Beth McKibbin Altar Guild Nancy Kepler, Monica and Kathy Shambaugh Coffee Hosts Mary Bowman, Barb Manasek Flowers: Jack Webb In memory of Norma Carlson, Chris’ mother Al & Barb Williams In memory of Barb’s parents, Gay & Doris Miller and her grandparents, Sam & June Johnson Julie Fancher In memory of her father, Bob Fancher Upcoming Events at St. Francis: Tuesday 09/23 Centering Prayer 11:15a Library Wednesday 09/24 Evening Prayer On Zoom 6p Lectionary Study & Compline 2p Library Thursday 09/25 Discipleship Group 12p Library Friday 09/26 Men's Bible Study 8a Library Sunday 09/28 Sunday Eucharist St. Francis 9a Ministry Fair 10a Parish Hall ____________________________________________________________ From the Office—Ann’s Announcements
 September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. On Sunday, Sept. 21st we are asking St. Francis attendees to wear gold/yellow to honor and support children battling cancer and to help raise awareness for this terrible disease that no child should have to battle. Let's make St. Francis SHINE on Sun. Sept. 21st! Prayer Requests Prayer requests need to be received by Tuesday, if you’d like them to be printed in the bulletin. You may call (308) 632-4626 (leave a message) or email. The Forward Day by Day’s for August-October are available in regular and large print. If you’d like either of these mailed to you, please email us or call the church office. _____________________________________________________________ September 11, 2025 Rev. Erin's Office Hours: I recently received a question regarding my office hours. Monday-Thursday, I'm typically at the church from 10 a.m. to at least 4 p.m. As the life of a parish priest is one based in community both inside and outside the church walls, church-related duties take me off campus several times in a typical week. If I'm away during those hours, I'll post a sign indicating my expected return time. The most important thing to remember is that I remain available to meet many, many times both inside and outside of these hours, and am reachable on my cell 24/7. ~Thanks, Rev. Erin+ _________________________________________________________________________________ Those who serve, Sunday, September 14, 9am Musician Barb Becker Media Team Jack Schaaf Ushers Alena Kennedy, Jim Petitt Acolyte Master Clark Wisniewski Acolytes Emma Schaaf, Will Schaaf Lector/Intercessor Jack Webb Eucharistic Minister Charlie Kennedy Altar Guild Nancy Kepler, Monica and Kathy Shambaugh Coffee Hosts Beth McKibbin, Connie Schingle Flowers: Jack Webb In memory of Chris’s birthday Upcoming Events at St. Francis: Monday 09/15 Cooperative Ministries 12p St. Agnes Tuesday 09/16 Centering Prayer 11:15a Library Wednesday 09/17 Midweek Eucharists 12:15p Lectionary Study & Compline 2p Library Thursday 09/18 Discipleship Group 12p Library Friday 09/19 Men's Bible Study 8a Library Sunday 09/21 Gold Sunday in Support of Childhood Cancer Survivors Sunday Eucharists St. Francis 9a Good Shepherd, Harrisburg 11:30a St Hilda's, Kimball 2:30p Laundry Love 12-2p East Overland Laundromat From the Office—Ann’s Announcements  Back to School Emotions May Vary?? Birthdays: Bill Mann September 19 September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month.  On Sunday, Sept. 21st we are asking St. Francis attendees to wear gold/yellow to honor and support children battling cancer and to help raise awareness for this terrible disease that no child should have to battle. Let's make St. Francis SHINE on Sun. Sept. 21st! Prayer Requests Prayer requests need to be received by Tuesday, if you’d like them to be printed in the bulletin. You may call (308) 632-4626 (leave a message) or email. The Forward Day by Day’s for August-October are available in regular and large print. If you’d like either of these mailed to you, please email us or call the church office. _____________________________________________________________ |
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