  January 8, 2026 Did you know? Saint Francis has the honor of hosting this year's Annual Council October 22-24. We're in the process of forming a committee to help with various planning tasks. If you're interested in participating, please let Rev. Erin know. Come join us for Centering Prayer! We meet Tuesdays, 11:15-11:45 am in the Church Library. Anyone interested in trying it out is welcome to attend, even if you are new to the idea, and just want to see what it is all about. At the beginning of each gathering, suggestions are given on how to quiet your mind and let go of random thoughts and feelings. The purpose is to come together and simply “rest in God.” Those who serve, Sunday, January 11, 9am Musician Barb Becker Media Team Steve Trickler Ushers Alena Kennedy, Connie Schingle Acolyte Master Clark Wisniewski Acolytes Madi Collins, Emma Schaaf Lector/Intercessor Charlie Kennedy Eucharistic Minister Santana Tamarak Altar Guild Nancy Kepler, Monica & Kathy Shambaugh Coffee Hosts Val Coop, Jeane Anderson Flowers: Greg & Ann Peterson In memory of Greg's parents, Dolan & Arlene Peterson Upcoming Events at St. Francis: Tuesday 01/13 Centering Prayer 11:15a Library Wednesday 01/14 Lectionary Study & Compline 2p Library Zoom Evening Prayer 6p Thursday 01/15 Discipleship Group 12p Library Friday 01/16 Men's Bible Study 8a Library Sunday 01/18 Sunday Eucharist St. Francis 9a Godly Play Sunday School 9a Conference Room Sunday Eucharist Good Shepherd, Harrisburg 11:30a Sunday 01/25 Annual Meeting & Thank-You Brunch Following Worship Sunday 02/15 Bishop's Visit & Confirmation 9a St. Francis ________________________________________________________________
  December 18, 2025 Live-Streaming Update: Earlier this month, the Saint Francis Foundation approved a grant to replace the laptop we use to live-stream our services. That computer has been ordered and is expected to be ready for pick-up in the next week. The media team will likely need to make additional adjustments once the computer is received. Please check our Facebook page for updates regarding live-streaming availability. _________________________________________________________________  Blue Christmas is an opportunity for those who are grieving -- as well as those who support them -- to gather for a few quiet moments in the midst of the busyness leading up to Christmas. It's an opportunity to acknowledge weariness and grief in a season of rejoicing, brokenness and hunger in a season of feasting, sorrow and shadow in a season of light. Equally, it's an opportunity to remember the hope we have in Christ, and the power of God to heal our deepest, most abiding pain. Everyone from both the parish and the wider community are invited to join us this upcoming Saturday, December 20 at 5:30 p.m. at Saint Francis. Because of the intimate nature of this service, it will not be live-streamed. _________________________________________________________________ A Message from Mary Greetings Friends! Thank you to those who completed and returned your 2026 Pledge information. The act of pledging is not only a financial commitment to the continued fiscal health of St Francis Episcopal Church, it is also a spiritual commitment to St Francis’ ability to bring God’s love to our members and the community at large. If you have not been able to return your 2026 Pledge information, it is not too late to do so. There are pledge slips on the table in the Narthex that can be completed and either placed in the Offering Plate on Sunday or returned directly to the office. If you are unable to come by the church to get a pledge slip, please call the office and let Ann know what your pledge commitment is for 2026. The Vestry has been working on the 2026 Budget and we plan to have the final budget available for parish members to review early in January. We will formally present the 2026 Budget at our Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 25. Also at the Annual Meeting, we will be electing new Vestry Members. Five of our current Vestry members will be completing their terms or leaving the Vestry for other reasons. This is an opportunity for individuals who are committed to the success and vitality of St Francis to step forward. If you are interested in serving on our Vestry, please speak with me or Rev Erin. This will likely be my last Message for 2025. It has been a year filled with challenges and joy. I am looking forward to all the great things we will do together in 2026! May you find Peace and Joy in all of God’s gifts this holiday season, Mary ________________________________________________________________ Those who serve, Sunday, December 21, 9am Musician Barb Becker Media Team Charlie Kennedy Ushers Karen Mecklem, Sarah Schaaf Acolyte Master Clark Wisniewski Acolytes Emma Schaaf, Will Schaaf Lector/Intercessor Ann Peterson Eucharistic Minister Santana Tamarak Altar Guild Barb Manasek, Cindy Dickinson, Christy Anderson Coffee Hosts Judi Widmaier, Mary Bowman Flowers: Artie & Jan Johnson In honor of their children Upcoming Events at St. Francis: Saturday 12/20 Blue Christmas 5:30p St. Francis Tuesday 12/23 Centering Prayer 11:15a Library Wednesday 12/24 Christmas Eve Services 5:30p & 8:30p Incense will be used at 8:30p Thursday 12/25 Church Offices Closed Christmas Day Service 10a St. Matthews, Alliance Thursdays 12/25 & 01/01 No Enews Friday 12/26 No *Men's Bible Study Sunday 12/28 Sunday Eucharist St. Francis 9a Godly Play Sunday School 9a Conference Room ________________________________________________________________
Birthdays: Melissa Iron Cloud December 23 Sara Moreno December 23 Anniversaries: Mike & Connie Schingle December 23 This is the last Sunday to sign up for your Christmas Poinsettia’s, in honor or memory of someone special. The sign up list is on the clipboard in the Narthex. The Daughters of the King thank everyone who participated in the food drive. We collected 607 pounds of food and a donation from Prairied Treasures through the wonderful generosity of this parish. Special thanks to Bill Mann for his help in sorting, weighing and delivering the food to the CAPWN and Panhandle AIDS Project food pantries. 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 November-January 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.   December 11, 2025  In partnership with our Boy and Cub Scout Troops, Saint Francis has been invited to ring the red kettle bell at Wal-Mart. Volunteer slots are available from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, December 19 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 20. Though the red kettle fundraiser is a project of the Salvation Army, ninety percent of funds raised stay in the valley. These funds are managed by Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska. Their mission is to help people and change lives. Funds raised help fill the gap for local families needing help covering basic necessities such as rent, utilities, prescriptions and gas to get to medical appointments. Though our time is divided into half hour slots, volunteers are welcome to sign up for more than one slot. If you're more comfortable seated, you're welcome to bring a chair along. Christmas themed costumes and accessories are encouraged but not required. To sign up, please visit this link or contact the church office. Thank you for sharing your time with us during the busy holiday season! Across the Church: Articles of Interest from Episcopal News Service Racial Reconciliation: Indigenous Boarding School Work Continues with Truth, Justice and Healing Commission. To learn more, click here. "The Episcopal Church is entering a new phase of reckoning with its historic complicity in the federal Indigenous boarding school system." Community Connections: Nativity Diversity Celebrated with Displays in Episcopal Churches Across the U.S. To learn more, click here. "The story of the Holy Family, told in different cultures using various media and material, has the power to unite the human family in the midst of war, conflict and political division." _____________________________________________________________    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A Message from Mary Greetings Friends! Thank you to those who completed and returned your 2026 Pledge information. The act of pledging is not only a financial commitment to the continued fiscal health of St Francis Episcopal Church, it is also a spiritual commitment to St Francis’ ability to bring God’s love to our members and the community at large. If you have not been able to return your 2026 Pledge information, it is not too late to do so. There are pledge slips on the table in the Narthex that can be completed and either placed in the Offering Plate on Sunday or returned directly to the office. If you are unable to come by the church to get a pledge slip, please call the office and let Ann know what your pledge commitment is for 2026. The Vestry has been working on the 2026 Budget and we plan to have the final budget available for parish members to review early in January. We will formally present the 2026 Budget at our Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 25. Also at the Annual Meeting, we will be electing new Vestry Members. Five of our current Vestry members will be completing their terms or leaving the Vestry for other reasons. This is an opportunity for individuals who are committed to the success and vitality of St Francis to step forward. If you are interested in serving on our Vestry, please speak with me or Rev Erin. This will likely be my last Message for 2025. It has been a year filled with challenges and joy. I am looking forward to all the great things we will do together in 2026! May you find Peace and Joy in all of God’s gifts this holiday season, Mary Those who serve, Sunday, December 14, 9am Musician Barb Becker Media Team Stephanie Schingle Ushers Jaime & John Selzer Acolyte Master Clark Wisniewski Acolytes Walker Anderson, Monica Shambaugh Lector/Intercessor Connie Schingle Eucharistic Minister Jane Sayre Altar Guild Barb Manasek, Cindy Dickinson, Christy Anderson Coffee Hosts Sandra Van Engel, Patty Clown Horse Flowers: Bob & Barb Manasek In memory of their parents Upcoming Events at St. Francis: Saturday 12/13 Episcopal Church Women Cookie Exchange 10a Sunday/TODAY 12/14 Prayers for Healing Available after Worship Tuesday 12/16 Centering Prayer 11:15a Library Wednesday 12/17 Midweek Eucharists 12:15p & 6p Mary Chapel Lectionary Study & Compline 2p Library Thursday 12/18 No Discipleship Group; resumes in January Friday 12/19 Men's Bible Study 8a Library Mens’ Bible Study will not be meeting on December 26 or January 2 Sunday 12/21 Sunday Eucharist St. Francis 9a Godly Play Sunday School 9a Conference Room Sunday Eucharist Good Shepherd Harrisburg 11:30a Wednesday 12/24 Christmas Eve Services 5:30p & 8:30p Incense will be used at 8:30p Thursday 12/25 Church Office Closed Thursdays 12/25 & 01/01 No Enews
 It's time for our Annual ECW Christmas Cookie Exchange! We will meet in the Parish Hall on this Saturday, December 13th at 10am to fill cookie tins for our shut-ins. Please also bring a container for yourself to fill with sweet treats for you holiday celebrations! Each Person is asked to bring 3 dozen cookies to share. We hope that will leave 2 dozen for each of us to take home, after the tins for the shut-ins are filled. Tins for shut-ins will be provided by the ECW. Bring an empty container for yourself. Refreshments will also be served. Come join us for some holiday fellowship! If you have any questions call Barb Manasek at 436-7767 The Daughters of the King thank everyone who participated in the food drive. We collected 607 pounds of food and a donation from Prairied Treasures through the wonderful generosity of this parish. Special thanks to Bill Mann for his help in sorting, weighing and delivering the food to the CAPWN and Panhandle AIDS Project food pantries.
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 November-January 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.   December 4, 2025 In partnership with our Boy and Cub Scout Troops, Saint Francis has been invited to ring the red kettle bell at Wal-Mart. Volunteer slots are available from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, December 19 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 20. Though the red kettle fundraiser is a project of the Salvation Army, ninety percent of funds raised stay in the valley. These funds are managed by Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska. Their mission is to help people and change lives. Funds raised help fill the gap for local families needing help covering basic necessities such as rent, utilities, prescriptions and gas to get to medical appointments. Though our time is divided into half hour slots, volunteers are welcome to sign up for more than one slot. If you're more comfortable seated, you're welcome to bring a chair along. Christmas themed costumes and accessories are encouraged but not required. To sign up, please visit this link or contact the church office. Thank you for sharing your time with us during the busy holiday season! Across the Church: Articles of Interest from Episcopal News Service Racial Reconciliation: Indigenous Boarding School Work Continues with Truth, Justice and Healing Commission. To learn more, click here. "The Episcopal Church is entering a new phase of reckoning with its historic complicity in the federal Indigenous boarding school system." Community Connections: Nativity Diversity Celebrated with Displays in Episcopal Churches Across the U.S. To learn more, click here. "The story of the Holy Family, told in different cultures using various media and material, has the power to unite the human family in the midst of war, conflict and political division." _____________________________________________________________ Ministry Teams, 9am Musician Nancy Meier Media Team Steve Trickler Ushers Richard Gable, Monica Shambaugh Acolyte Master Clark Wisniewski Acolytes Erin Cawiezel, Allie Cawiezel Lector/Intercessor Jack Webb Eucharistic Minister Clark Wisniewski Altar Guild Barb Manasek, Cindy Dickinson, Christy Anderson Coffee Hosts Nancy Kepler, Beth McKibbin Flowers: Cheri & Dan Witko In memory of their parents Upcoming Events at St. Francis: This Sunday is our Joyful Noise Collection Tuesday 12/09 Centering Prayer 11:15a Library Wednesday 12/10 Evening Prayer on Zoom 6p Lectionary Study & Compline 2p Library Thursday 12/11 No Discipleship Group; Resumes in January Friday 12/12 Men's Bible Study 8a Library Saturday 12/13 Episcopal Church Women Cookie Exchange 10a Sunday 12/14 Sunday Eucharist St. Francis 9a Godly Play Sunday School 9a Conference Room Sunday Eucharist Good Shepherd Harrisburg 11:30a Wednesday 12/24 Christmas Eve Services 5:30p & 8:30p Incense will be used at 8:30p Thursdays 12/25 & 01/01 No Enews  From the Office—Ann’s Announcements Birthdays: Beth McKibbin December 4 Lori Peterson December 11 Ryley Collins December 12 Ian Mills December 13  It's time for our Annual ECW Christmas Cookie Exchange! We will meet in the Parish Hall on Saturday, December 13th at 10am to fill cookie tins for our shut-ins. Please also bring a container for yourself to fill with sweet treats for you holiday celebrations! Each Person is asked to bring 3 dozen cookies to share. We hope that will leave 2 dozen for each of us to take home, after the tins for the shut-ins are filled. Tins for shut-ins will be provided by the ECW. Bring an empty container for yourself. Refreshments will also be served. Come join us for some holiday fellowship! If you have any questions call Barb Manasek at 436-7767 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 November-January 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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