ST. FRANCIS EPISCOPAL CHURCH
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What's Happening this week at St. Francis

12/29/2021

 
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Thursday Announcements
 January 6, 2022 
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FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
1) Today is the Feast of the Epiphany, which falls every year on January 6th. On this day we remember and celebrate the coming of Christ’s Light into the world where darkness so often seem to dominate. Since Epiphany is one of the feast days in the church calendar that can be moved to the following Sunday, this Sunday we will celebrate it at both services. 
 
2) Experts are saying we are in a pretty big COVID spike that will last a month or so. If you are at high risk, I strongly encourage you to participate with us online for the next few weeks when it looks like things will get better. We will remain open for in-person worship with masks, but please do take precautions to keep from becoming seriously ill. 
 
3) Stay safe and stay warm this week. It’s great to have some snow on the ground for a change! Enjoy!

ANN’S ADDITIONS
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Happy New Year!

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Birthdays
Quinn Mackrill                                  January 11
Barbara Martinson                           January 11

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

Forward Day by Day Booklets
We have the Forward Day by Day’s for December-January in regular and large print. If you would like any of these mailed to you, please email or call the church.

What's Happening at St. Francis this Week

12/16/2021

 
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​Thursday Announcements
 December 23, 2021
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FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
  1. Oh my gosh! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve already! The church is decorated beautifully and ready for a special celebration. The music will be familiar and wonderful. I know COVID is still a real concern and I strongly encourage everyone to take all the precautions necessary to stay safe and healthy. But if you are comfortable, I would love to have you join in this Christmas celebrating with old and new friends and singing (masked) our favorite Christmas Carols! Small gift bags for the kiddos and a Children’s Sermon at the 5:00 P.M. Early Service. More solemn Late Service with incense at 10:30 P.M.      In-person or online, join your church family on this most holy and sacred night​.
  2. **NOTE –THE 5:00 P.M. IS THE ONE THAT WILL BE LIVESTREAMED** 
  3. This probably goes without saying, but there will also be regular worship services this Sunday at 8:00 and 10:00 A.M. J 
  4. The office will be closed next week, although you might find a church mouse or two in the building making sure things don’t fall apart. If you have a pastoral need or emergency, call my cell at 308-765-1535. 
  5. Special thanks to Wednesday Sack Lunch volunteers Santana Tamarak and Barb Williams who showed up last week and braved the coldest wind I have ever experienced to hand our lunches to needy folks in the community. Also, to Sarah and Emma Schaaf, who ran our December Laundry Love offering. Emma is our youngest volunteer, and in addition to her work with Laundry Love serves regularly as an Acolyte. I am just amazed at the level of support across all ages for the work and ministry of this church! I honestly don’t believe there is another church like this in the entire diocese. 
​Search Committee Update:  The search committee has been working to finalize the church profile.   It has the earned stamp of approval from Cannon Liz who said it “tells the story of our church in a beautiful way.”  This profile is the “advertisement” for a prospective new rector.  It will be posted after the new year.  The search committee thanks all of you for your help in gathering information and for the continued prayers guiding our endeavor.

ANN’S ADDITIONS
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Birthdays
Jamie Selzer                         December 28
Beth Rohrer                          December 29
Emma Schaaf                       December 30
Brad Bode                             December 31
Erica Croft                             December 31
Max Meyer                            December 31
 
Anniversaries
Brian and Mandi Sauer                             December 28
Robert and Barbara Manasek                   December 29
Mark and Jill Selvey                                  December 31
  
Thank you to all of you who donated Poinsettia’s for the Holidays:
 
Shirley Mead                                 in memory of Dick Mead
Lori Wold & Jill Young                    in memory of the very Rev. Gary Young & Neta Young
Dan & Cindy Dickinson                  in memory of Fred & June Dickinson
Jean Hilyard                                   in memory of Betty Reed & Preston Hilyard
Dan & Cheri Witko                         in memory of daughter, Melanie Edwards
Don & Nancy Kepler                      for Christmas Blessings
Ann Peterson                                 in memory of loved ones
Cory & Gretchen Foster                 in memory of our parents
  
Prayer Requests  **You may call (308) 632-4626 (leave a message), or
email [email protected] or mail to:
 
St. Francis Episcopal Church
P.O. Box 1201
Scottsbluff, NE 69361

Forward Day by Day Booklets
We have the Forward Day by Day’s for November-December in regular and large print. If you would like any of these mailed to you, please email or call the church.

What's Happening at St. Francis this Week

12/8/2021

 
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Thursday Announcements
 December 16, 2021

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FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

  1. Don’t forget our Christmas Eve Schedule – 5:00 P.M. and 10:30 P.M. By now you know that our early service is typically more full and includes a Children’s Sermon. The late service is usually smaller and more intimate. Both services will end with the traditional candle-lit singing of Silent Night. The past couple of years have definitely made us thankful for the traditions of the church, and I am so happy to be able to share this Christmas Eve in-person with you and your families.
  2. THANK YOU to all who have purchased Poinsettias for the church! They really are stunning and the sanctuary looks so beautiful!
  3. Next Tuesday at 7:00 P.M. we will once again join with our ecumenical partners in a Blue Christmas Service at First United Methodist Church in Scottsbluff. This simple service speaks to the pain many feel around this holiday season for any reason but most often the loss of a loved one. I’ll be there as will other area clergy and I invite you to come and join us as we name our sadness together.
  4. Christmas Dinner in the Valley is a holiday meal hosted by the Harvest Valley Church at 743 Winter Creek Dr. in Scottsbluff. Meals are free and there are dine-in, carry-out, and delivery options. There is a notice posted by the coffee station in the Parish Hall, or you can call 308-633-2999 or go to www.harvestvalleychurch.com for more information.
  5. COVID Plan Update --  Masks are still required in worship through the first Sunday in January, after which we will re-evaluate. 


ANN’S ADDITIONS
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Birthdays
Brian Sauer               December 22
Sara Moreno             December 23

Anniversaries
Lynn Okicki and Mary Kay Versen             December 21
 
 

​If you would like to sign up for a Christmas poinsettia
in memory or in honor of someone, please sign the sheet in the Narthex, with your name and the person to be remembered.  The cost of the poinsettia is $25.00 or a donation.   Any questions may be directed to Collette Suhr at 436-5963 or her email: [email protected].
 

We at St. Francis will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone for St. Andrew's Episcopal Church December 1921.  
Please join us for coffee hour with cake and fellowship.

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

Forward Day by Day Booklets
We have the Forward Day by Day’s for November-December in regular and large print. If you would like any of these mailed to you, please email or call the church.


What's Happening at St. Francis this Week

12/2/2021

 
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Thursday Announcements
 December 9, 2021

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FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
  1. THANKS to everyone who helped decorate last Sunday!! Our church is always beautiful, but never more so than when it is dressed up for the great Feast of Christmas. I know it’s still Advent, but our tradition here has been to put up decorations and even sing a carol or two prior to the 24th as a way of living in harmony with what’s going on in our homes and our communities. I love this season and hope you do, too. John the Baptist tells us clearly that the long-awaited Messiah is coming soon. So we wait. And we anticipate. (But we also celebrate just a teeny bit along the way!) 
  2. If you’re in the market for a unique Christmas Gift for someone who is hard to buy for, check out our Tri-Parish Cookbooks, “A Taste of Heaven,” available in the office for the bargain price of $15 ea. These cookbooks were a fundraising collaboration between St. Andrews, St. Timothys, and Holy Apostles and they contain great treasured recipes from beloved members of those parishes. They make great presents for the cooks in your life.
  3. “Sacred Ground” is a program created by The Episcopal Church that explores culture and race considering history and personal experience. Over ten weeks participants read articles and watch videos and discuss in small groups over zoom how the materials both support and challenge their established views. I was in a small group last fall and found it an extraordinary experience. I recommend it without reservation to anyone. Click here for more information and to sign-up. 
  4. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to help with our Wednesday Sack Lunch Ministry. There are three jobs in this bi-weekly ministry: Shoppers go to COOP on Sunday or Monday and purchase (charge to our account) food and supplies and bring them to the church. There is a shopping list so you will know what to get. Then Packers come to church around 10AM on the assigned Wednesday and pack the lunches. Finally, Distributers stand out front of the church on that day and hand out the lunches. You are invited to participate in one of these three jobs, although some choose to do more than one. Here is a form to sign-up for the job(s) you are interested in   
         https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/6745a369​      
        Once we receive your form, we will enter your name into our MSP program and you will be scheduled and notified and someone will work with you until you are confident in the job.
ANN’S ADDITIONS
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Birthdays
Ryley Collins                         December 12
Theodore Meyer                   December 12
Len Tabor                              December 12
Ian Mills                                 December 13
Rick Gable                            December 15
Don Kepler                            December 15
Steve Trickler                        December 17
 
Anniversaries
Amy and Michelle Andersen-Saenz        December 12​


​You’re all invited to a birthday party reception for Richard Schaneman at West NE Veterans home, Rm 13; 1002 W. 42nd St., Scottsbluff, NE.  69361  from 2-3:30PM Sunday 12/12.
This is to celebrate Richard’s 90th birthday!!
​

It’s time for our annual ECW Christmas Cookie Exchange!  We will meet in the Parish Hall on Saturday, December 11th, at 10 am to fill cookie tins for our shut-ins.  Each person is asked to bring 3 dozen cookies to share.  We hope that will leave 2 dozen for each of us after the tins for shut-ins are filled. Please bring an empty container for yourself.  Tins for shut-ins will be provide by the ECW.
Refreshments will also be served. Come join us for some holiday fellowship!
If you have questions or concerns call Barb Manasek at 436-7767.

​​If you would like to sign up for a Christmas poinsettia
​in memory or in honor of someone, please sign the sheet in the Narthex, with your name and the person to be remembered.  The cost of the poinsettia is $25.00 or a donation.   Any questions may be directed to Collette Suhr at 436-5963 or her email: [email protected].
 
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

Forward Day by Day Booklets
We have the Forward Day by Day’s for November-December in regular and large print. If you would like any of these mailed to you, please email or call the church.



​

    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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    • Music & the Arts
    • Pastoral Care
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  • Experience For Yourself
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    • New To St. Francis?
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